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Related video: Labour’s Batley and Spen candidate heckled and chased on campaign trail
Voters are heading to the polls in the Batley and Spen by-election today in what is being described as a key test of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Labour is defending a majority of more than 3,000 in the seat with Kim Leadbeater – the sister of former Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in the constituency in 2016 –the party’s candidate.
Her main rival is the Tories’ Ryan Stephenson, but the arrival of veteran campaigner George Galloway in the constituency has provided an extra headache for Labour’s campaign managers. Mr Galloway said he was targeting Labour voters in an explicit attempt to topple Sir Keir.
Labour activists said they were pelted with eggs and kicked in the head while on the campaign trail at the weekend and West Yorkshire Police said an 18-year-old man from Batley was arrested on suspicion of assault in connection with an attack on canvassers.
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Key Points EU turned its rules ‘upside down’ to solve Brexit issues, says ambassador Truce agreed with EU to delay ban on sale of chilled meats to Northern Ireland Voters go to polls in Batley and Spen by-election Ending furlough would ‘kill recovery', say unions Angela Rayner ‘focused entirely on her jobs’ amid leadership bid rumour
Show latest update 1625138753 Double jabs will be a ‘liberator’, says Johnson
Boris Johnson has raised hopes that those who have received both doses of a Covid vaccine will be able to travel more freely later this summer after telling reporters that “double jabs will be a liberator”.
The prime minister is under pressure from the travel industry and some of his own backbenchers to enable easier foreign trips for vaccinated Britons.
Asked during a visit to a Nissan plant in Sunderland about reports that fully vaccinated people may be able to travel from amber list countries without needing to quarantine by 26 July, he said: “Everybody who is frustrated about travel over the summer - double jabs will be a liberator.
“I want travel to be possible but I’ve got to stress that this year will not be like every other year because of the difficulties with Covid. People shouldn’t expect it will be completely hassle free.”
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 12:25
1625137847 Rayner ‘focused entirely on her jobs’ amid leadership bid rumour
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has denied she is part of a possible bid to challenge Sir Keir Starmer if the party loses the Batley and Spen by-election.
After a report in The Times suggested she was considering a move, Ms Rayner described the suggestion as “news to me”.
Her spokesman later said that anyone gauging support is “not doing it under instructions from Angela or with Angela’s backing” and that she is “focused entirely on her jobs”.
“She is also perfectly capable of speaking for herself and doesn’t need anyone to claim to speak for her,” the spokesman added.
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 12:10
1625137297 Hancock made ‘grave mistake’ and rightly lost his job – Rees Mogg
Former health secretary Matt Hancock made a “grave mistake” and rightly lost his job, the Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has told MPs.
The Cabinet minister said Mr Hancock had been replaced by “super sub” Sajid Javid.
“He made a grave mistake for which, because the rules are enforced fairly, he resigned and he resigned the day after the story was printed in the newspapers,” Mr Rees-Mogg said.
“And here we get the splitting of hairs between the resignation and the sacking - the man has gone, he has lost his job, as has the non-executive director in the Department of Health with whom he seemed to be closely associated.
“And that is quite the right way for it to have happened – [Mr Hancock] is no longer in office.”
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 12:01
1625136019 Dozens of Covid meetings with minister undeclared for 12 months in ‘admin error’
More than two dozen Covid meetings held by an under-fire government minister went undeclared for more than a year due what the government described as “administration error”, it has emerged.
Lord Bethell’s discussions with companies, including some awarded contracts worth millions of pounds during the pandemic response, were included in an update to the government’s transparency data yesterday.
More on the story here:
Dozens of Covid meetings with minister undeclared for 12 months in ‘admin error’ ‘Lord Bethell must be sacked immediately and this racket must end now,’ says Angela Rayner
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 11:40
1625135148 Candidates in final push for votes
Candidates in the Batley and Spen by-election are conducting a final push for votes before polling stations close at 10pm this evening.
Labour’s Kim Leadbeater:
The Tories’ Ryan Stephenson:
The full list of candidates is: Paul Bickerdike (Christian Peoples Alliance); Mike Davies (Alliance For Green Socialism); Jayda Fransen (Independent); George Galloway (Workers Party); Tom Gordon (Lib Dems); Therese Hirst (English Democrats); Howling Laud Hope (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party); Susan Laird (Heritage Party); Kim Leadbeater (Labour); Oliver Purser (Social Democratic Party); Corey Robinson (Yorkshire Party); Andrew Smith (Rejoin EU); Ryan Stephenson (Conservatives); Jack Thomson (Ukip); Jonathan Tilt (Freedom Alliance); Anne Marie Waters (The For Britain Movement).
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 11:25
1625133952 Minister ‘not completely relaxed’ about Uefa VIPs coming to UK for Euro 2020 matches
Kwasi Kwarteng has said he is “not completely relaxed” about thousands of overseas fans and Uefa officials entering the UK for the remaining Euro 2020 matches at Wembley.
Asked on LBC whether he was happy about an estimated 10,000 VIPs and fans from other countries attending the final later this month, the business secretary said: “I’m not completely relaxed – none of these decisions are easy.”
Here is the story:
Minister ‘not completely relaxed’ about Uefa VIPs coming to UK for Euros Business secretary says Uefa ‘made the case for people coming in’
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 11:05
1625133139 Ending furlough would ‘kill recovery', say unions
Prematurely ending the UK’s job furlough scheme would “kill” the post-pandemic economic recovery before it even starts, unions have warned.
The government is reducing the contribution it makes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) from Thursday, with employers having to start paying.
GMB union general secretary Gary Smith said: “Ending the furlough scheme too quickly could kill a recovery before it even starts.
“Ministers’ ‘open-mindedness’ over an extension to the job retention scheme needs to become a reality.
“Instead of driving us off a furlough cliff-edge later this year, the Government should provide continued support for employers that need it - especially in those sectors that have been hammered by the pandemic.
“Our recovery is a process, not an event. Ministers are seriously misguided if they think we can suddenly revert to business as usual.”
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 10:52
1625132366 Tory MPs demand schools return to normal
Nearly 50 Tory MPs have written to the prime minister to demand schools “go back to normal” when lockdown restrictions in England are lifted - set for 19 July.
Former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith is among 48 MPs who have signed a letter saying the current policy on self-isolation was causing “unnecessary and significant disruptions”.
They said it was “vital” that all schools go back to normal when restrictions lift, even if just for the last few days of term.
They added: “This will send an important signal ahead of the autumn that the route to freedom is a ‘one way road’ and genuinely ‘irreversible’.”
Other signatories include former cabinet minister Esther McVey and the Commons Education Select Committee chairman Robert Halfon.
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 10:39
1625131429 DUP leader warns over ‘threat’ posed by Brexit trade rules
New DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said the Irish government “could not have its cake and eat it” in respect of its position on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Speaking after he was officially ratified in the post, he said ministers could not expect “normality” in relations with Northern Ireland if it continued to support the post-Brexit trading arrangements, branding the protocol the “greatest threat to the economic integrity of the United Kingdom in any of our lifetimes”.
He added: “The Irish Sea border is not just a threat to the economic integrity of the United Kingdom, it is a threat to the living standards of the people of Northern Ireland and the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom.
“In the weeks ahead our goal is to remove the Irish Sea border and to preserve and protect the internal UK market.”
Sir Jeffrey said the UK government should not doubt his party’s resolve on the issue.
“This is not the time to talk up a crisis or to unnecessarily raise the temperature but let me assure you that the government understands our position and they know what needs to be done,” he said.
“I have, in recent days, held a series of meetings on the protocol, including meetings with the secretary of state and Lord Frost.
“While the government is undoubtedly now accepting the case that the protocol is unsustainable and unacceptable, there is still some way to go to reach an outcome that we can live with.
“I intend to keep in constant contact on these issues to ensure the unionist case is heard where it needs to be heard.
“I say not to warn but to remind - neither the government nor anyone else should doubt the resolve of this party or the unionist community to ensure matters relating to the Northern Ireland Protocol are brought to a satisfactory conclusion.”
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 10:23
1625130635 Andy Murray rebukes Boris Johnson over ‘pathetic’ 1% NHS pay rise
Tennis star Andy Murray has joined condemnation of the government for the “pathetic” 1 per cent pay rise given to NHS workers, moments after winning an exhausting five-set second-round win at Wimbledon.
Answering questions after the game, he said it was “fantastic” many frontline health workers and other key figures of the pandemic had been recognised by being invited to the championships.
“I think the whole country kind of realised how important they all are, and maybe hadn’t got the recognition that they probably deserve up until now,” Murray said.
“So, yeah, it’s fantastic that they have been able to come along and watch some of the tennis. Hopefully they can enjoy it and, yeah, hopefully the politicians can realise that they deserve more than what they are getting paid just now.
“I think, what is it, they got something like a 1% pay rise? It was pathetic. So, yeah, they obviously deserve a lot more than that. They have done an amazing job getting us through the pandemic.”
Here is the story:
Andy Murray rebukes Boris Johnson over ‘pathetic’ 1% NHS pay rise ‘They obviously deserve a lot more than that. They have done an amazing job getting us through the pandemic.’
Tom Batchelor 1 July 2021 10:10
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