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       Today's daily politics briefing

       Boris Johnson has defended plans to expand stop and search powers for police forces as he claims the policy is a “kind and loving” way to deal with the issue of knife crime.

       The human rights organisation Liberty has warned that new proposals to clamp down on crime, which include the removal of limits on stop and search, will “compound discrimination in Britain and divide communities”.

       Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has criticised the prime minister’s pledge to give crime victims a named officer to contact about their case as a “ridiculous gimmick”.

       Another idea being considered is for some prison leavers to wear “alcohol tags”, which detect alcohol in a person’s sweat, in a bid to drive down alcohol-related crime.

       Meanwhile, the EU has released proposals to simplify the Northern Ireland Protocol, amid a dispute between the bloc and the UK on post-Brexit trade arrangements.

       Recommended Dawn Butler right to say Boris Johnson lied, says Keir Starmer – but agrees MP should have been removed Keir Starmer says No 10 plan to give every victim named police officer is ‘ridiculous gimmick’ Change ‘absurd’ rules so MPs can accuse each other of lying, says John Bercow ‘Ineffective’ and racially disproportionate blanket stop and search powers to be expanded

       Key Points PM says stop and search policy ‘kind and loving’ way to get weapons off streets Government clampdown on crime could do ‘more harm than good’, campaigners warn Starmer calls government crime plan a ‘ridiculous gimmick' Extra ￡82m a year needed to tackle rough sleeping, report suggests Home Office is ‘failing’ Windrush generation again, MPs warn

       Show latest update 1627386548 Labour’s shadow home secretary says Johnson is ‘soft on crime’

       Labour’s shadow home secretary has accused Boris Johnson of being “soft on crime” following the unveiling of the government’s crime-reduction strategy.

       “Eleven years in office and not even an apology from the PM for the rising crime resulting from cutting preventative services and reducing our police,” Nick Thomas-Symonds said.

       “Soft on crime and soft on the causes of crime.”

       Conrad Duncan 27 July 2021 12:49

       1627385362 PM says stop and search policy ‘kind and loving’ way to get weapons off streets

       Boris Johnson has defended plans to expand stop and search powers for police forces by insisting that the policy is a “kind and loving” way to get dangerous weapons off the streets.

       However, experts have warned that the policy is “ineffective” and can lead to black people being disproportionately targeted by officers.

       Our reporter, Adam Forrest, has the full story below:

       Boris Johnson says stop and search policy is ‘kind and loving’ Prime minister denies blanket powers for police amounts to ‘strong-arm tactics’

       Conrad Duncan 27 July 2021 12:29

       1627384958 Johnson says he wants hi-vis ‘chain gangs’ for those guilty of anti-social behaviour

       Boris Johnson has said he wants to see hi-vis “chain gangs” to act as a deterrent for people getting involved in anti-social behaviour.

       The prime minister told reporters at Surrey Police HQ that he thought Covid lockdowns “had driven some anti-social behaviour” and that action was needed to deal with the issue.

       “That's why we are backing the police in the way that we are,” Mr Johnson said.

       “But I also want to see those who are guilty of anti-social behaviour properly paying their debt to society.

       “Somebody's anti-social behaviour may be treated as a minor crime but it could be deeply distressing to those who are victims.”

       He added: “If you are guilty of anti-social behaviour and you are sentenced to unpaid work, as many people are, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be out there in one of those fluorescent-jacketed chain gangs visibly paying your debt to society.”

       Conrad Duncan 27 July 2021 12:22

       1627384657 Labour frontbencher ‘fighting fit’ after being declared cancer-free

       A Labour frontbencher who is seen as a rising star in Sir Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet has announced that he is back at work today after successful treatment for kidney cancer.

       Wes Streeting, the shadow child poverty minister, said on Tuesday that he was now “cancer-free” as he thanked healthcare staff at North London’s Royal Free Hospital who treated him.

       Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:

       Labour frontbencher ‘fighting fit’ after being declared cancer-free Wes Streeting’s kidney cancer at 38 came as ‘enormous shock’

       Conrad Duncan 27 July 2021 12:17

       1627383801 Boris Johnson defends level of investment in police

       Boris Johnson has defended the resources being put into the police after coming under fire from the Police Federation.

       He told reporters at Surrey Police HQ: “What we are doing is investing massively in the police.

       “When I stood on the steps of Downing Street two years ago I said I wanted another 20,000 officers on the streets of our country.

       “We are now almost half the way there. We are putting ￡15.8 billion into supporting our police.

       “But of course it’s been a tough time financially for the whole country.”

       Chiara Giordano 27 July 2021 12:03

       1627383074 Government must set up Covid vaccine centres at university campuses, says Labour

       Boris Johnson’s government must set up vaccine centres at university campuses across the country to make sure more students get double jabbed by the autumn, says Labour.

       The prime minister is said to have been “raging” about comparatively low levels of take-up of vaccines among younger Britons, and No 10 has not ruled out a requirement for proof of double-jabbed status for students.

       But Labour said banning unvaccinated students would be a “barrier to learning”.

       My colleague Adam Forrest has more on this story:

       Government must set up vaccine centres at universities, says Labour Opposition says banning unvaccinated students would be ‘barrier to learning’

       Chiara Giordano 27 July 2021 11:51

       1627381202 Shameful that UK has ‘thrown more vaccines in the bin’ than it has donated, campaigners say

       The UK is expected to join the EU in resisting calls for developing countries to produce their own vaccines at a World Trade Organisation general council meeting later.

       This comes after the director of the Global Justice Now movement said it was shameful that Britain had “thrown more vaccines in the bin than it has donated or exported to date”.

       Call to allow developing countries to produce Covid vaccines, amid fears of new variants UK has ‘thrown more vaccines in the bin than it has donated or exported’, say campaigners

       Rory Sullivan 27 July 2021 11:20

       1627379702 Compulsory vaccine passports could ‘irretrievably’ split Conservatives, Tory MP claims

       The Conservative party could split “irretrievably” if Boris Johnson makes vaccine passports compulsory, a Tory MP has claimed.

       Speaking about vaccine passports, Steve Baker, who is a leading figure in the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group, told the Sun: “I believe the government is in terrible danger of splitting the Tory Party irretrievably – after all we have been through with Brexit.”

       Tory party could ‘irretrievably’ split over vaccine passports, MP warns Plans to make vaccine passports mandatory for students were slammed as ‘outrageous’

       Rory Sullivan 27 July 2021 10:55

       1627378502 Government will make police officers feel ‘valued' despite pay freeze, minister says

       Ministers will do their utmost to ensure police officers feel “valued and supported” despite a pay freeze, a senior Tory MP has suggested.

       Officers who earn above ￡24,000 will have their salaries frozen this year, unlike NHS workers, who will receive a 3 per cent boost.

       Policing minister Kit Malthouse told Sky News that the decision had been made because “our economy is in some difficulties”.

       “We want to make sure that officers feel valued and rewarded and are supported in doing their job. And while obviously a decision was taken last week around pay which is tough, there are lots of other things about policing which have been good over the last couple of years,” he added.

       Rory Sullivan 27 July 2021 10:35

       1627377302 Labour vows to give gig economy sick pay rights

       Labour has vowed to make gig economy workers eligible for statutory sick pay if they come to power.

       The party’s “new deal for working people” would help an additional 6.1 million people obtain the right.

       Andy McDonald MP, the shadow employment rights secretary, said: “Millions of workers are in insecure employment with low pay and few rights and protections, particularly key workers whose efforts got the country through the pandemic.”

       “We need a new deal for working people. Labour would ensure that all work balances the flexibility workers want with the security they deserve,” he added.

       Rory Sullivan 27 July 2021 10:15

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