\n<\/p>\n
Labour MPs have been told to abstain if there is a vote on Nigel Farage\u2019s 10-minute rule bill to take the UK out of the European convention on human rights, Peter Walker<\/strong> reports.<\/p>\n I\u2019m told Labour MPs have been told by whips to *abstain* in the vote on Nigel Farage\u2019s ten-min rule bill on leaving the ECHR, which has left some furious. Whips\u2019 arguments seems to be to just ignore it. Labour MPs worry it leaves Lib Dems\/Greens looking like only they care on this.<\/p>\n Farage has got the 10-minute rule bill slot and at some point, probably around 3pm, he will present his bill. He gets to make a speech lasting up to 10 minutes. Another MP can then make a speech opposing the bill. MPs will then be asked to vote on whether Farage should be \u201cgiven leave to bring forward his bill\u201d. Normally this goes through on the nod, the MP is told he can bring in the bill \u2013 and the bill is never heard of again, because no further time is set aside for it.<\/p>\n If the proposition is contentious, there normally is a vote \u2013 as there will be today.<\/p>\n It would not be a vote on legislation (only a vote on the principle of leave to bring in a bill \u2013 not the same thing) and the government does normally ignore these votes.<\/p>\n But, given that Keir Starmer has categorically said he does not favour ECHR withdrawal, it is hard to see why Labour MPs should not vote against \u2013 other than that it would give Farage a bit of credibility, and establish the precedent that 10-minute rule bills matter, which is not what Labour whips want.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.13 EDT<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n 9m ago<\/p>\n Tightening Pip benefit eligibility could save \u00a39bn a year, say Reform<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 15m ago<\/p>\n Reform UK government in London would pose ‘existential threat’ to Scottish devolution, John Swinney says<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 20m ago<\/p>\n Labour MPs unhappy about being told to abstain on Farage’s 10-minute rule bill proposing ECHR withdrawal<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 40m ago<\/p>\n Judicial review of Palestine Action ban to go ahead next month, after Home Office gives up trying to stop case being heard<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1h ago<\/p>\n PMQs – snap verdict<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Starmer declines to rule out extending freeze on tax allowances<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Starmer condemns Reform UK as ‘Putin-friendly’, as Ed Davey calls for probe into Russian interference in UK politics<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Starmer says productivity figures show damage done to economy by Tories<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Starmer refuses to say he remains committed to manifesto pledges not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Starmer claims Green party wants to take UK out of Nato<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Starmer faces Badenoch at PMQs<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Jones rejects claim from Labour committee chair that government seems to be ‘kowtowing to China’<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Hermer rejects claim from former Labour defence secretary Lord Hutton that government complacent about China threat<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Statistics watchdog reprimands Steve Reed for saying water pollution worse in Scotland than in Wales<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Cabinet Office minister Darren Jones ducks question about whether China should be in enhanced tier for Firs rules<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Hermer accuses Gavin Williamson of making bogus allegations against Jonathan Powell, underming faith in justice system<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Counting in 2026 Scottish parliamentary elections will start on Friday morning, not overnight, officials announce<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4h ago<\/p>\n Hermer says claims that ministers intervened in China spy case ‘disgraceful’, in attack on senior Tories<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4h ago<\/p>\n Hermer says prosecution could have gone ahead under NSA, even though China not in enhanced tier under Firs rules<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4h ago<\/p>\n Hermer says, if spy case had gone to trial, Badenoch’s quote saying China not a foe would have helped accused get off<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4h ago<\/p>\n Hermer says China spy prosecutions would have gone ahead if National Security Act had been passed ealier<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5h ago<\/p>\n Lord Hermer says, once China prosecution originally approved, attorney general had no further role in CPS decisions<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5h ago<\/p>\n Lord Hermer, attorney general, gives evidence to committee on China spy case<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5h ago<\/p>\n Government suffers 5 defeats in Lords as ‘ping pong’ starts over employment rights bill<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5h ago<\/p>\n Boris Johnson approved China\u2019s London super-embassy proposal in 2018<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5h ago<\/p>\n Shabana Mahmood says Home Office not ready for all challenges, as it says illegal working arrests at record level<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/span>Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Reform UK have set out plans for changes to personal independence payments (Pip) that the party says could save up to \u00a39bn a year, with Lee Anderson<\/strong>, one of its MPs, saying he used to \u201cgame the system\u201d to help people become eligible for the benefit, Peter Walker<\/strong> reports.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Libby Brooks<\/span><\/p>\n Libby Brooks is the Guardian\u2019s Scotland correspondent.<\/em><\/p>\n John Swinney, Scotland\u2019s first minister, has set out what will be his key messaging for the Scottish parliament elections that are now only six months away.<\/p>\n In a speech to an IPPR Scotland conference, he argued that the looming prospect of a Reform government at Westminster presents \u201can existential threat\u201d to devolution, thus independence offers the only route forwards.<\/p>\n Previous UK governments have \u201cconsciously and deliberately\u201d undermined the devolution settlement, he told the audience in Edinburgh, while Nigel Farage \u201chas made it clear he holds the Scottish parliament in contempt\u201d.<\/p>\n I say with absolute confidence that our parliament is not strong enough to protect us from a government led by the likes of Nigel Farage.<\/p>\n Asked by chair Sally Magnusson what responsibility he took for IPPR polling that finds the public are sick of the \u201cover-promising and under-delivery\u201d of the Scottish government he inevitably dodged, citing the impact of Brexit and Westminster decision-making, meaning people\u2019s standard of living was \u201cnot within our control\u201d.<\/p>\n A recurring theme of questions from the floor was how desperate the public mood is, and the prevailing lack of confidence in governments at both Holyrood and Westminster to deliver change.<\/p>\n Earlier this morning, Swinney was at another conference \u2013 it\u2019s a busy day in Scotland\u2019s capital city \u2013 hosted by the Just Transition Commission, where he announced that workers made redundant by the controversial closure of Grangemouth oil refinery would be given \u201cpriority consideration\u201d for a green jobs scheme. Describing this as \u201cjust transition in action\u201d, Swinney also warned of the need to improve \u201cpublic confidence\u201d in the move to clean energy.<\/p>\n <\/span>John Swinney speaking at the IPPR Scotland conference at Nicolson Square Venues in Edinburgh this morning.<\/span> Photograph: Lesley Martin\/PAShare<\/p>\n Labour MPs have been told to abstain if there is a vote on Nigel Farage\u2019s 10-minute rule bill to take the UK out of the European convention on human rights, Peter Walker<\/strong> reports.<\/p>\n I\u2019m told Labour MPs have been told by whips to *abstain* in the vote on Nigel Farage\u2019s ten-min rule bill on leaving the ECHR, which has left some furious. Whips\u2019 arguments seems to be to just ignore it. Labour MPs worry it leaves Lib Dems\/Greens looking like only they care on this.<\/p>\n Farage has got the 10-minute rule bill slot and at some point, probably around 3pm, he will present his bill. He gets to make a speech lasting up to 10 minutes. Another MP can then make a speech opposing the bill. MPs will then be asked to vote on whether Farage should be \u201cgiven leave to bring forward his bill\u201d. Normally this goes through on the nod, the MP is told he can bring in the bill \u2013 and the bill is never heard of again, because no further time is set aside for it.<\/p>\n If the proposition is contentious, there normally is a vote \u2013 as there will be today.<\/p>\n It would not be a vote on legislation (only a vote on the principle of leave to bring in a bill \u2013 not the same thing) and the government does normally ignore these votes.<\/p>\n But, given that Keir Starmer has categorically said he does not favour ECHR withdrawal, it is hard to see why Labour MPs should not vote against \u2013 other than that it would give Farage a bit of credibility, and establish the precedent that 10-minute rule bills matter, which is not what Labour whips want.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.13 EDT<\/p>\n Haroon Siddique<\/span><\/p>\n Haroon Siddique is the Guardian\u2019s legal affairs correspondent.<\/em><\/p>\n Lawyers for the Home Office have said they will not seek to appeal to the supreme court against the decision to grant permission for a judicial review of the ban on Palestine Action, meaning the hearing will go ahead next month.<\/p>\n Defend Our Juries, which has been organising demonstrations opposing the ban, said the home secretary\u2019s legal team wrote in a letter that it would not request permission to appeal to the UK\u2019s highest court, which, if allowed, could have significantly delayed the judicial review.<\/p>\n Three court of appeal judges, led by the lady chief justice, last month upheld high court judge Mr Justice Chamberlain\u2019s decision to grant the Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori a legal challenge to the group\u2019s proscription under the Terrorism Act.<\/p>\n They also granted two further grounds on which to challenge the legality of the ban, in addition to the two already granted by Chamberlain.<\/p>\n Palestine Action, which predominantly targeted the UK sites of the Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems and companies that do business with it, was proscribed in July, after the then home secretary Yvette Cooper said it had \u201ca long history of unacceptable criminal damage\u201d. It was the first direct action protest group to be banned under UK anti-terror laws, placing it in the same category as the likes of Islamic State and Boko Haram.<\/p>\n More than 2,000 people have been arrested for alleged support of Palestine Action, mainly at mass events where people held placards saying \u201cI oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.\u201d<\/p>\n Yesterday Defend Our Juries announced that 18 towns and cities will engage in an 11 day long succession of further protests ahead of \u2013 and during \u2013 the judicial review.<\/p>\n The grounds which have been deemed to be reasonably arguable at judicial review are:<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.50 EDT<\/p>\n That was a job done PMQs for Kemi Badenoch. She arrived determined to get Keir Starmer to say something that will stand up headlines saying that in the budget Labour may break its manifesto promises not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT, and she did not have to try very hard. Starmer made no serious effort to pretend this wasn\u2019t an option.<\/p>\n Readers sometimes question the value of reporting as significant evasive \u2018refused to rule out\u2019 answers by politicians. They can get written up, sometimes misleadingly, as confirmation that something is going to happen. But, until the politicians (compulsory truth drugs) bill becomes law, evasive answers are often all we have to go on and what they do tell you, very clearly, is when politicians are keeping their options open. It is possible that Rachel Reeves won\u2019t raise income tax (or national insurance, or VAT \u2013 but an income tax rise is the most likely out of these three) in the budget. But it seems that the final decision has not yet been taken, and that abandoning the manifesto is an option.<\/p>\n Badenoch won\u2019t be winning scoop of the year for this. It has been clear from about 9.30am on the Sunday of Labour conference, when Starmer responded to a question about the manifesto commitments with a weird line about how the manifesto \u201cstands\u201d, that something was up. Ministers used his confusing line all week, but Darren Jones, the Cabinet Office minister, gave the game way when he explained the wording by saying: \u201cThe manifesto stands today because decisions haven\u2019t been taken yet.\u201d There was fresh confirmation of the Treasury\u2019s thinking last week when the Guardian published a story saying Reeves is considering raising income tax.<\/p>\n But Badenoch did manage to put the government\u2019s equivocation on this up in lights at PMQs, and that counts as a success.<\/p>\n (PMQs would have been more interesting if, instead of focusing on whether Starmer will break the manifesto commitments, there had been a debate instead about whether he should. Are these the best taxes to raise? Is there an alternative? Would the economic gain offset the harm done to faith in the political process when a party breaks a manifesto pledge? These are all good questions but, while PMQs is ideal for gotcha political ambushes, it is not the place for enlightment.)<\/p>\n Later Starmer also refused to rule out extending the freeze in income tax thresholds. This non-answer did not really register, because almost all budget commentators have been assuming for weeks that an extension of the current freeze is already a certainty.<\/p>\n After the tax question, the Starmer\/Badenoch exchanges descended into the usual ding-dong on the economy. It was predictable, and inconclusive. Starmer\u2019s withering verdict on the Tory economic legacy is still convincing, but the further we get from the 2024 election, the more these arguments start to lose a little of their bite.<\/p>\n PMQs was also interesting for Stamer\u2019s gratuitious (and inaccurate) drive-by aimed at the Green party, and its policy on Nato in his first answer. That is best explained by yesterday\u2019s YouGov polling.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n I have beefed up the earlier posts with the Starmer\/Badenoch exchanges about tax. You may need to refresh the page to get the updates to appear.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Caroline Voaden<\/strong> (Lib Dem) asks the PM to arrange for Totnes to get a banking hub.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says he will ensure Voaden gets a meeting with the relevant minister.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Janet Daby<\/strong> (Lab), who represents Lewisham East, says she is wearing black to commemorate a victim of knife crime in her constituency. She asks what the government is doing about this problem.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says the police and crime bill gives the police more powers to deal with this.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Alison Griffiths<\/strong> (Con) says the government is piling pressure on business that makes it harder for them to grow.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says the small business plan was widely praised by the small business sector.<\/p>\n The Tories won\u2019t say if they would reverse the budget tax rise for business last year, he says.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Daniel Zeichner<\/strong> (Lab) says in the US there are many scientists who want to leave. What is the government doing to get them to come to the UK.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says the immigration white paper includes plans to get more of the world\u2019s brightest graduates to come to this country.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Graham Stringer<\/strong> (Lab) asks Starmer if he will give Shabana Mahmood the resources she needs to make the Home Office work properly.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says Mahmood is bearing down on the challenges the Home Office faces, most of the inherited from the Tories.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Mike Wood<\/strong> (Con) asks for a guarantee that there will be no extension of the freeze in tax personal allowances. He says it means pensioners are increasingly affected.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says the freeze was introduced by the Tories.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.37 EDT<\/p>\n Ian Lavery<\/strong> (Lab) says the big banks have been allowed to abandon high streets. Yet they made more than \u00a340bn in profits last year. They are \u201cdrowning in cash\u201d, he says. Will the government set up a review of face to face banking.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says he knows how important face to face banking is. The government is going to roll out 350 banking hubs. He says 180 have opened already. And 350 is not the limit.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says the Turkey jets deal will safeguard 20,000 jobs. Reform UK would be \u201ca nightmare on defence\u201d because they would not be trusted by Nato because they are Putin-friendly, he says.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n James McMurdock<\/strong> (independent) says he has seen the best and worst of the NHS this week \u2013 swift care for his daughter, but a long wait for a customer at a restaurant who needed an ambulance. He asks for help for Basildon hospital.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says McMurdock was elected as an MP for Reform UK, who would dismantle the NHS and charge people to see GPs.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Davey<\/strong> asks if Starmer is willing to change the UK\u2019s Brexit deal with the EU, as well as just complaining about it.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says, at the summit with the EU earlier this year, there was an agreement for closer relations in 10 areas. And that is \u201can iterative process that we will continue into next year\u201d, he says.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Ed Davey<\/strong>, the Lib Dem leader, echoes what Starmer said about Jamaica. And he pays tribute to Prunella Scales, saying he is probably not the only MP with a Faulty Tower boxset.<\/p>\n He asks about Nathan Gill, the former Reform UK leader in Wales, who pleaded guilty to taking bribes to make pro-Russian statements in the European parliament. Gill was a trusted confidante of Nigel Farage, he says. He calls for an inquiry into Russian interference in UK politics.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says Russian interference is a serious problem. He says Reform UK would be \u201can absolute disaster for our defence\u201d. He goes on:<\/p>\n We are trusted member of Nato. We wouldn\u2019t be a trusted member member if we\u2019re Putin-friendly.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> urges all sides in the Middle East to back President Trump\u2019s peace plan.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says Starmer is just making things up.<\/p>\n She says he is blaming the last government, Brexit, the OBR. With Starmer, it is always someone else\u2019s fault.<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says the Tories were kicked out of office because they broke the economy.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Labour MPs unhappy about being told to abstain on Farage’s 10-minute rule bill proposing ECHR withdrawal Labour MPs have been told to abstain if there is a vote on Nigel Farage\u2019s 10-minute rule bill to take the UK out of the European convention on human rights, Peter Walker reports. I\u2019m told Labour MPs have been<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[3004,18243,142,3375,4309,9300,134,132,414,124,17050,1156,2315,18244],"class_list":{"0":"post-31294","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics","8":"tag-10minute","9":"tag-abstain","10":"tag-bill","11":"tag-echr","12":"tag-farages","13":"tag-furious","14":"tag-labour","15":"tag-live","16":"tag-mps","17":"tag-politics","18":"tag-proposing","19":"tag-rule","20":"tag-told","21":"tag-withdrawal"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31294"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31294\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/31295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Tightening Pip benefit eligibility could save \u00a39bn a year, say Reform<\/h2>\n
Reform UK government in London would pose ‘existential threat’ to Scottish devolution, John Swinney says<\/h2>\n
Labour MPs unhappy about being told to abstain on Farage’s 10-minute rule bill proposing ECHR withdrawal<\/h2>\n
Judicial review of Palestine Action ban to go ahead next month, after Home Office gives up trying to stop case being heard<\/h2>\n
PMQs – snap verdict<\/h2>\n
Starmer declines to rule out extending freeze on tax allowances<\/h2>\n
Starmer condemns Reform UK as ‘Putin-friendly’, as Ed Davey calls for probe into Russian interference in UK politics<\/h2>\n