Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s address to the UN General Assembly
Sadiq Khan today repeatedly refused to be drawn on if he supports Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to change the Labour Party’s leadership election rules.
Under the controversial proposals Labour would ditch the one member, one vote system and replace it with an electoral college system which would give MPs and unions a stronger say in future leadership contests.
Mr Khan was asked on three occasions if he supported the alterations suggested by Labour but said that “internal party rules isn’t at the fore of my mind”.
Meanwhile, former prime minister Gordon Brown lambasted ministers for an upcoming cut to universal credit, adding that he had never seen a government act “so callously”.
He also called the withdrawal of the £20-a-week uplift “more economically illogical, socially divisive and morally indefensible than anything I have witnessed in this country’s politics”.
It comes as Boris Johnson has told leaders at the UN the world is not “indestructible” and that the upcoming climate summit in Glasgow is “the turning point for humanity”.
The prime minister was addressing the General Assembly in the early hours on Thursday in the final act of his US visit, where he also discussed the Covid-19 pandemic and trade.
We will push ‘rogue regime’ of Iran ‘as far as we can’ for release of Zaghari-Ratcliffe, says Jacob Rees-Mogg
Jacob Rees-Mogg said the Government will push the “rogue regime” of Iran “as far as we can” for the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
Shadow Commons speaker Thangam Debbonaire said: “Today marks the 2,000th day of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s detention in Iran. Outside, a demonstration is taking place to raise awareness of her case, of Anoosheh Ashoori’s, and of countless others imprisoned there.
“When will the Government bring them home?”
Commons Leader Mr Rees-Mogg replied: “I hope she is assured to note that the Foreign Secretary (Liz Truss) raised this issue and said that it was quite inexcusable for Nazanin to still be detained by the Iranian authorities as one of the first things she said as Foreign Secretary.
“I think it is extremely reassuring that the Government is publicly saying that this must happen, but there are limits to the power of the Government in forcing rogue regimes to doing what we want and that has been the case for too long.
“But it is inexcusable Nazanin is still held and the Government will push the Iranian authorities as far as we can.”
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 12:43
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s address to the UN General Assembly
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 12:30
Ex-Labour MP Keith Vaz engaged in ‘sustained and unpleasant’ bullying, inquiry finds
Former Labour MP Keith Vaz was responsible for “sustained and unpleasant” bullying of a parliamentary clerk, a House of Commons inquiry has found.
A two-year inquiry into Mr Vaz carried out by an independent expert panel (IEP) found his bullying had a “real and enduring psychological impact” on a member of staff, writes The Independent’s Adam Forrest.
The ex-MP for Leicester East “should be ashamed of his behaviour”, said the panel – which also ruled that his eligibility to hold a pass allowing for members access to parliament should never be restored.
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 12:20
Ending Troubles prosecutions in Northern Ireland ‘could breach international law’, Council of Europe warns
The UK may be about to breach international law with its controversial plan to end all Troubles-era prosecutions in Northern Ireland, the Council of Europe is warning
The controversial plans – which would also end all legacy inquests and civil actions from the conflict – appears to be an unconditional amnesty, its human rights commissioner says.
In a letter, Dunja Mijatović tells ministers they “might bring the United Kingdom into conflict with its international obligations, notably the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)”.
The Independent’s deputy political editor Rob Merrick reports.
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 12:10
Tory MPs call for Government to reduce or abolish VAT on energy bills
The Government should reduce or abolish VAT on energy bills, two Conservative former ministers have told the House of Commons.
Christchurch MP Sir Christopher Chope said: “Why don’t we reduce VAT on fuel as a temporary measure?
“We did it for the hospitality industry, which was badly affected by Covid-19. Why don’t we abolish VAT for consumers on fuel now?”
He was followed by the MP for Harlow, Robert Halfon, who told the Commons: “I am sure the Conservative answer to this is to reduce VAT on energy bills, something that was pledged by those who support Brexit in the EU referendum.
“He will say it is up to the Treasury to decide, but he is very persuasive. He believes in tax cuts and I know if he went to see the Chancellor, he would ensure that we will get VAT cuts on energy bills.”
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng replied: “As he knows, I see the Chancellor on a regular basis and I am delighted to inform him that these conversations tend to be confidential.”
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 11:57
Sadiq Khan refuses to back Keir Starmer over Labour leadership rules
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has refused to back Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to end the one member, one vote system which elected Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.
Labour mayor was asked three times if he supported Sir Keir’s proposal to replace existing rules with a return to an electoral college system, which would give MPs and unions a much greater say.
But Mr Khan three times spurned the chance to back the party leader. “I’ve got to be frank, as the mayor of London, internal party rules isn’t at the fore of my mind,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
The Independent’s Adam Forrest has the details.
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 11:38
Northerners will be hardest hit by soaring energy prices, Kwarteng acknowledges
People living in the north will be hit hardest by soaring energy prices this winter, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has acknowledged.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell (York Central) told the Commons: “The rise in energy prices will disproportionately impact people living in the north because it is colder during the winter in the north.
“So what assessment has he made of the regional disparities and how is he going to mitigate against that?”
Mr Kwarteng replied: “I think the honourable lady raises a very fair point and clearly, in terms of the gas price, the single most important determinant of it is the weather, and she’s absolutely right.
“That’s why we’ve got schemes like the Warm Home Discount and that’s why we’re absolutely focused on protecting the most vulnerable customers, wherever they are in the UK.”
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 11:29
‘I have never seen a government act so callously’: Gordon Brown condemns universal credit cut
Gordon Brown has fiercely condemned ministers for the upcoming cut to universal credit, suggesting he has never seen a government act “so callously”.
The former prime minister said the withdrawal of the £20-a-week uplift on 6 October could not come at a worse time for struggling households, which face the prospect of rising food and energy costs, writes The Independent’s Rory Sullivan.
“I have never seen a government act so callously and with so little concern for the consequences of their actions on the poorest in our society,” he said.
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 11:15
Second MoD data breach compromising safety of Afghan interpreters emerges
A second data breach at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) could have compromised the safety of dozens more Afghans, it has emerged.
The details of 55 Afghan citizens who might be eligible for relocation to the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) were mistakenly made public in an email, rather than being hidden to shield their identities, according to the BBC.
This comes shortly after the defence secretary Ben Wallace launched an investigation into how a similar error – affecting more than 250 people – was made.
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 11:00
Ed Miliband tells MPs the Government has been ‘complacent’ about the gas crisis
Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband said the Government had been “far too complacent” about the gas crisis, after he made warnings earlier in the week.
The Labour MP, speaking in the House of Commons, added: “Events since have unfortunately borne this out: complacent about the crisis in the market, complacent about the impact on families, complacent about the cost of living crisis.
“He pretended on Monday and again today that it was normal for a number of suppliers to go down each winter, but what we are dealing with is far from normal – 8,000 customers losing their suppliers yesterday alone, 1.5 million in the last six weeks.”
Mr Miliband also quoted from a letter energy regulator Ofgem sent to the Government 18 months ago warning about “systemic risk to the energy supply as a whole”.
The MP said: “It said the usual Ofgem mechanism, the supplier of last resort, may not be possible, and it went on, the failure of medium and large suppliers would need to be handled via a special administration regime, placing significant burden and costs on Government.
“We are seven days from the cut to Universal Credit. This is the last time a Government minister will be in the House to explain to millions of families why it is plunging them further into fuel poverty. Instead of warm words or platitudes, can he now tell the British people how he can possibly justify this attack on their living standards?”
Joe Middleton23 September 2021 10:56
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