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       Sajid Javid opposes fans booing England team for taking the knee

       The new health secretary Sajid Javid has said he is opposed to football fans booing England’s national team over their decision to take a knee in protest against racism before Euro 2020 matches.

       On Tuesday morning, Mr Javid told BBC Radio 4’s Today show that it was “up to the players” how they wanted to express themselves on the issue after home secretary Priti Patel dismissed the act as “gesture politics”.

       “I can understand why some players choose to do that, it’s completely up to them but what I don’t understand is those people in the crowd that then boo them or shout at the players for doing that,” the health secretary said.

       It came as the Refugee Council accused the government of choosing to treat those in need of safety as “criminals” with its proposed immigration laws - which would make it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK without permission.

       Meanwhile, MPs voted for a “draconian” policing bill on Monday that would give police powers to impose restrictions based on noise and even ban demonstrations by a single person.

       The Liberal Democrats’ home affairs spokesperson, Alistair Carmichael, warned that the laws would “undermine the proud British tradition of standing up for what we believe in and respecting others’ rights to do the same”.

       Recommended Policing Bill: MPs vote for ‘draconian’ protest laws despite mounting opposition Boris Johnson warned he could ‘accidentally’ disenfranchise Tory voters with photo ID plan Boris Johnson said it would be ‘ludicrous’ for him to be prime minister, claims Dominic Cummings Tony Blair would have been better PM than Boris Johnson in Covid pandemic, says Dominic Cummings

       Key Points Sajid Javid opposes England fans booing players for taking the knee Refugee Council head accuses ministers of choosing to treat those in need as ‘criminals’ Delayed action on climate change would risk heavy hit to UK’s economy, OBR warns MPs vote for ‘draconian’ Policing Bill despite mounting opposition Johnson warned he could ‘accidentally’ disenfranchise Tory voters with photo ID plan

       Show latest update 1625569780 Tory lead over Labour falls slightly, poll suggests

       The Conservative Party’s lead over Labour has fallen slightly following the Batley and Spen by-election and Matt Hancock’s dramatic resignation from the government, according to a new poll.

       The research by Savanta ComRes found that 41 per cent of respondents backed the Tories, down by one per cent from late June, while 35 per cent backed Labour, up by two per cent.

       You can find the full results below:

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 12:09

       1625568741 Johnson is ignoring local leaders by ditching face mask rules, Andy Burnham says

       Boris Johnson has been accused of ignoring regional leaders by ditching the mandatory requirement to wear face coverings on public transport from 19 July.

       Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said on Tuesday: “We weren’t formally consulted … If we had been involved in discussions about yesterday’s announcement, all of us would have made the argument about [the need for] masks on public transport.”

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

       Boris Johnson ignored regions by ditching mask requirement for public transport, says Andy Burnham ‘When there isn’t clarity on masks, it will cause issues for us,’ says Greater Manchester mayor

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 11:52

       1625567633 UK asylum policy is ‘dog whistle politics’, SNP MP says

       An SNP MP has accused the UK government of engaging in “dog whistle politics” with its asylum policy, ahead of the introduction of the Nationality and Borders Bill - which would make it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK without permission.

       David Linden suggested that asylum seekers were making dangerous journeys to the UK because there are “no safe and legal routes” currently on offer to the country.

       “The idea that people get on these boats or put children on these boats and are coming to the UK for a food bank voucher really is quite offensive,” Mr Linden told the BBC’s Politics Live.

       In response, Tory MP Tom Hunt insisted that the government needed to make clear that asylum seekers attempting to enter the UK via illegal routes “will not be successful”.

       You can find his comments below:

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 11:33

       1625566304 UK businesses need more clarity after lockdown announcement, industry groups say

       Business owners desperately need more clarity on the lifting of Covid restrictions later this month following Boris Johnson’s announcement yesterday, industry groups have warned.

       The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said that bosses lack information about how self-isolation and testing will work in the coming weeks.

       Our reporter, Jon Sharman, has the full story below:

       UK businesses need more clarity after Covid lockdown announcement, say industry groups Ministers warned they must not ‘simply withdraw and allow a free-for-all’

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 11:11

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       The Office for Budget Responsibility has more details below on the fiscal benefits of transitioning to net zero emissions as soon as possible:

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 10:56

       1625564879 Delayed action on climate change would risk heavy hit to UK’s economy, OBR warns

       Delayed action on climate change would lead to a marked hit to the UK’s economy and impact the country’s debt, Britain’s fiscal watchdog has warned.

       The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said on Tuesday that if action to cut emissions was delayed, it could lead to a 3 per cent additional impact on gross domestic product (GDP) and see debt rise to 23 per cent of economic output by 2050-52.

       However, the OBR said its baseline scenario of early action to achieve net zero emissions would see the impact on the UK's debt mountain be less severe than that of the Covid crisis, adding 21 per cent - or ￡469bn - of GDP to net debt by 2050-51.

       The watchdog warned in its latest Fiscal Risks Report that climate change was one of three major sources of fiscal risk in the coming years, along with the pandemic and the UK’s public debt.

       “After the second ‘once in a century’ shock in just two decades, our third Fiscal risks report focuses on three large, and potentially catastrophic, sources of fiscal risks,” the OBR said on Tuesday.

       “The pandemic could leave ￡10bn per year in spending pressures and long-term economic scars. While unmitigated climate change would spell disaster, the net fiscal costs of moving to net zero emissions by 2050 could be comparatively modest.”

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 10:47

       1625563867 Welsh government to set out plans to tackle second home ownership

       The Welsh government has said it will set out plans to address the impact of second home ownership on communities in Wales, with measures to address the issue of affordable and available housing in the nation.

       Ministers aim to use national and local taxation systems to ensure second home owners make a “fair” contribution to communities.

       There will also be a statutory registration scheme for holiday accommodation as part of the approach, as well as an examination of planning laws.

       Such measures will feature in a pilot in Wales, expected to begin later this year, in an area set to be decided in the summer, before being considered for rollout across the nation.

       “The continuing rise of house prices mean people, especially younger generations, can no longer afford to live in the communities they have grown up in,” Julie James, minister for climate change, said on Tuesday.

       “A high concentration of second homes or holiday lets can have a very detrimental impact on small communities, and in some areas could compromise the Welsh language being spoken at a community level.”

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 10:31

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       Two major ministerial statements are expected on Covid-19 in the House of Commons today, alongside statements on the government’s Nationality and Borders Bill and the Fiscal Risks Report for the economy.

       Health secretary Sajid Javid will make an oral statement on the pandemic at about 12:30, before education secretary Gavin Williamson gives an update on the easing of restrictions in education settings at about 13:30.

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 10:12

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       Earlier today, Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth was asked by ITV’s Good Morning Britain what questions still needed to be answered over Matt Hancock’s departure from the government last month.

       Mr Ashworth said that more information was needed on how the former health secretary’s aide Gina Coladangelo was appointed and how “multi-million pound tax-payer funded contracts” were given out.

       You can find his comments below:

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 09:51

       1625560726 Labour MP accuses police of ‘racial profiling’ after being stopped in central London

       A Labour MP has accused the Metropolitan Police of racial profiling after officers stopped her and her family as they headed to a restaurant in central London.

       Kim Johnson, who represents Liverpool Riverside, said that she, her son and his friend – both black men in their 30s – and their two wives were all surrounded on an evening out in Covent Garden last month.

       Our reporter, Colin Drury, has the full story below:

       Labour MP Kim Johnson accuses Met Police of ‘racial profiling’ after she and family stopped in central London Officers surrounded group as they headed to restaurant – but ‘turned on their heels’ when they discovered they were dealing with member of parliament

       Conrad Duncan 6 July 2021 09:38

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