31 March 2016

Week in Brief: UK

EU REFERENDUM: Among this week’s claims were

• that Brexit would increase the number of British expats returning from Europe as their right to health care and other benefits was thrown into doubt. Currently there are believed to be 1.2 million Britons living outside Britain but in the EU, and 2.9 million non-British Europeans living in Britain;
• that Spain might obstruct access to Gibraltar if Britain left the EU. Currently Spain is subject to EU rules under which it has to afford Gibraltar free movement of labour, capital and goods;
• that a decision to leave the EU would bear particularly heavily on young people. Nicky Morgan said that they would be left in limbo while Britain adjusted its position;
• that Britain would be more secure following Brexit. Penny Mordaunt, the Armed Services Minister, suggesting that membership of the EU restricted intelligence sharing after it emerged that Britain had not been told that Ibrahim El-Bakraoui, one of the Brussels bombers, was a known jihadist.  Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6, has pointed out that it is unlikely that any EU members will disrupt its security arrangements with the UK since Britain gives far more than it receives under those arrangements.

Vote Leave has apologised for incorrectly including two businessmen among the signatories of a pro-Brexit letter.

LABOUR PARTY: Chris Bryant, the shadow Leader of the House of Commons, has called for the Labour Party to eradicate anti-Semitism within its ranks. Referring to the contributions to socialism made by such figures as John Silkin and Manny Shinwell, he has warned against criticism of Israeli government policy spilling over into hatred of Jews and attacks on the existence of the state of Israel. His comments come at a time of widespread concern at the slowness of the party to expel activist Vicki Kirby following remarks made in 2014 and at allegations of anti-Semitic behaviour at the Oxford University Labour Club. Jonathan Arkush, the President of the Board of Deputies, has said that “most people in the Jewish community can’t trust Labour”. Both Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, have spoken out against anti-Semitism in the party.

Labour MPs Angela Smith and John Woodcock have called for a new leader of the party following dissatisfaction with the way in which it failed to hold the government to account over the budget.  It is unclear how any challengers will persuade the party membership to oust Mr Corbyn.

POLICE: The Home Office is to require police to collect information on road traffic stops to check for discrimination against racial minorities. Although use of “stop and search” has been reformed to prevent bias in street searches, a survey by You Gov suggests that some 7% to 8% of white drivers have been stopped in the last two years against 10% to 14% of drivers from racial minorities. The Home Secretary, Teresa May, said that she had not taken action over stop and search to see discriminatory practices elsewhere.

SAS DEPLOYMENT: Leaked discussions between King Abdullah of Jordan and US politicians indicate that the SAS may have been deployed against ISIS in Libya. The Foreign Office have not commented on the reports and SAS involvement has not been discussed in parliament where the Prime Minister has only promised a debate on the deployment of conventional forces.

ASYLUM: An interpreter who worked for the UK military in Afghanistan has been given leave to remain here, despite earlier attempts to repatriate him, in what may be a revision of Home Office policy in this area.

SECTARIAN MURDER: Police Scotland have confirmed that they believe that the recent murder of Asad Shah, a Glasgow shopkeeper and member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, alleged to have been carried out by a Sunni Muslim, was religiously motivated.  The Ahmadis, a peaceful sect within Islam, are hated by ultra orthodox elements and a message celebrating the murder has been posted on Facebook.

EDUCATION: The government’s proposal that all state schools should become academies has been attacked by local authority leaders from all three parties. The National Union of Teachers will ballot members on a nationwide strike on the issue.

The conference of the National Union of Teachers had voted to demand the cancellation of tests for primary schools on the basis that it is turning schools into exam factories. The union considers that the tests are inappropriate for young children.

The National Union of Teachers has voted that the government’s “Prevent” strategy should be withdrawn on the basis that it makes children less likely to confide in teachers. Although the strategy is designed to promote discussion and education about terrorism and to equip children to counter extremist arguments, the union says that it has the opposite effect with many children being unwilling to participate because of concerns that they or their parents will be reported. It appears that there has been over reporting of innocuous cases.

HEALTH: Junior doctors will walk out in the first ever all out strikes in the NHS on April 26 and April 27. The strikes concern the new contract being imposed by the Department of Health on junior doctors and follows a 48-hour stoppage on April 6. During the earlier stoppage junior doctors covered emergency work; on April 26 and 27, emergency cover will be provided by consultants.

IRANIAN VISIT: It is understood that Prince Charles is expected to visit Tehran later this year as part of the general thawing of relations with that country.

ENO: Mark Wigglesworth has resigned as music director of the English National Opera. The ENO, which suffered a number of high profile departures in 2015, is currently wrestling with a £5million reduction in grant. Mr Wigglesworth is believed to have clashed with Chief Executive Cressida Pollock over how cuts in expenditure should be made.

BOXING INJURY: Boxer Nick Blackwell collapsed after losing to Chris Eubank Junior at Wembley and is now an induced coma. It is understood that he is likely to make a good recovery.

BOYCOTT BOYCOTTED: The members of Yorkshire County Cricket Club have voted against Geoffrey Boycott’s return to the board. Boycott, who for many years played both for Yorkshire and England, said he would continue to support the club.

BOAT RACE: Cambridge won the 162^nd boat race by 2½ lengths in difficult conditions. In the women’s race the Cambridge crew was swamped by waves and, although the pumps refloated the boat, came in twenty-four lengths behind Oxford.

 

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