Relatives of British officials working in the embassy in Israel have left the country. But, as PA Media reports, this has led to questions about why other Britons in Israel have not been advised to leave the country. PA says:
Today’s Cobra meeting (see 1.26pm) comes amid confusion over whether British nationals should remain in Israel after the Foreign Office withdrew family members of embassy staff from the country.
The Foreign Office said the withdrawal was temporary and a “precautionary measure”, with staff remaining at both the embassy in Tel Aviv and the consulate in Jerusalem.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: “Our embassy in Tel Aviv and consulate in Jerusalem remain fully staffed and continue to provide consular services to those who require assistance.”
But Downing Street would not say whether British nationals should attempt to leave the country.
Asked whether British nationals should leave Israel, a Number 10 spokesman would only say that the government’s “key message” was to “follow the advice of local authorities on staying close to shelter”.
Britons have already been advised against all travel to Israel, and those already in the country have been urged to register their presence with the embassy.
The Number 10 spokesman added: “This is a fast-moving situation. We are keeping all our advice under constant review and the FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] continues to plan for a variety of developments as you would expect.”
The decision to withdraw family members of embassy staff comes as Israel’s air campaign against Iran entered its sixth day, with jets striking the Iranian capital Tehran overnight.
At its post-PMQs lobby briefing Downing Street said that, although the government is calling for reform of the European convention on human rights (see 9.19am), it is committed to remaining signed up to it.
Asked about Shabana Mahmood’s speech, a No 10 spokesperson said:
Our immigration white paper sets out new plans through legislation to tighten the application of article eight on the ECHR, giving courts the clarity they need so our immigration rules are no longer abused
The lord chancellor is making broader point that now is the time for countries to work together to ensure the ECHR can evolve to meet the challenges facing modern policies.
It should be for parliament and the government to decide who has the right to remain in our country.
But the ECHR underpins critical international agreements … with Germany and France on tackling illegal migration. It underpins the Belfast/Good Friday agreement. So that’s why the government has been clear that Britain will remain a member of the ECHR.
The Ministry of Justice has now published the text of Mahmood’s speech on its website. I will post extracts from it soon.
Yesterday Keir Starmer told reporters that he did not believe President Trump would join Israel in attack Iran. A few hours later Trump posted a message on social media saying he was not going to kill Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “at least not for now”, suggesting that a US attack on Iran was not entirely being ruled out.
At the post-PMQs lobby briefing, asked if Starmer was still confident that Trump would not join the conflict, a No 10 spokesperson said:
You have the PM’s words but the position remains that we want to de-escalate the situation, we want to de-escalate rather than escalate.
We are clear that de-escalation is the right outcome for the Middle East, we are conscious, as the PM has said, that this has an impact on the lives of people in the United Kingdom. That is why the prime minister’s been focused in recent days at the G7 on de-escalation and we will continue to be focused on de-escalation.
This is an extremely fast-moving situation and we are working with partners to reiterate the need to return to diplomacy.
Keir Starmer will chair a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee this afternoon to discuss the security situation in the Middle East, PA Media is reporting.
In her first response to Chris Philp, Angela Rayner thanked him for the “tone” of his question, which was about the grooming gangs inquiry and relatively non-partisan. It sounded as if she might even have meant it. But after that it all went down hill rapidly. Philp used his second question to revive the ‘Keir Starmer smeared rape gang victims’ charge – a smear about a smear which the evidence does not support, but which plays well on GB News etc. And after that Philp devoted the rest of his questions to small boats and asylum policy. The exchanges were entirely predicatable, and the points raised (on both sides) were largely crude, negative and unenlightening. Unfortunately, given the saliance of the small boats issue, this is what politics may well end up being like from now until the next election.
Rayner and Philp both set out their respective parties’ position reasonably effectively, but without any flair or surprises. Philp certainly did a better job than Alex Burghart, the last shadow minister to serve as a Kemi Badenoch stand-in, and maybe he will be invited back. He sounded like a slightly under-powered version of his leader; not quite as haughty or harsh, but just as hardline. She won’t feel upstaged. Rayner did not manage the sort of impressive win she has pulled off at PMQs in the past, but no one on her side will be complaining either.
Just as Starmer does when he is in the Commons on Wednesdays, Rayner fended off most of the asylum questions with a reminder of the Tories’ own damning record. Mostly this works every time (just ask Sky News – see 11.42pm). But at some point that will stop. Nick Timothy, who is one of the cleverer attack merchants on the Tory benches, had a more difficult question for Rayner on immigration.
The home secretary says we should judge our success in smashing the gangs by whether the number of Channel crossings falls. But under this government, the numbers are up by more than 30%. So by which date should we judge the home secretary? And if she fails, will she be fired?
Rayner said the Tory record had been “abysmal”. But she would not go near trying to predict when small boat numbers might go down, for obvious reasons.
Adam Thompson (Lab) asks what the government will do to improve maths education. He recently came across a 61-year-old man who said he had counted £7bn of government spending, when it was only £27m. What will be done for people like Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, who cannot add up?
Rayner says Reform’s sums don’t add up. She says the government is investing in skills boot camps.
Thompson was referring to a Byline Times report saying that Reform is massively exaggerating the amount it says can be saved by getting rid of government DEI (diversity, equality and inclusion) initatives. In his story Josiah Mortimer says:
Nigel Farage’s party faces embarrassment today as new figures appear to discredit Reform UK’s claims about ‘wasteful’ public sector spending on diversity schemes.
Farage’s party has repeatedly claimed that it could save £7bn a year by scrapping government spending on ‘DEI’ programmes – representing diversity, equality and inclusion schemes designed to reduce discrimination and create more welcoming, representative workplaces.
But new government figures – which have yet to be refuted by the far-right party – show that just £27m was actually spent on so-called DEI measures in 2022-23 by the civil service – suggesting leader Nigel Farage’s claims are off by a factor of about 250.
The civil service spend amounts to less than a penny a week per person living in Britain.
Peter Fortune (Con) asks about a private school which he says is closing because of Labour’s VAT on fees policy.
Rayner says she supports all schools that give a good education, but she backs the policy because it will mean state school pupils get a decent education.
Joe Powell (Lab) says it is eight years since the Grenfell Tower fire. Will the government set up some independent oversight so that inquiry recommendations are followed up?
Rayner says the the government will introduce a duty of candour; she knows this is important to Grenfell Tower victims, she says.
Andrew Pakes (Lab) asks Rayner to confirm that places like Peterborough (his constituency) are now top of the government’s agenda.
Rayner says she can confirm govenrment funding for a new city centre area and a refurbished station for Peterborough.
Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru) says Welsh farmers are taking “hit after hit” from government policies on tax and trade deals. Will the government compensate them?
Rayner says Plaid Cymru did not support Wales when it voted against extra money for the Welsh government.
Edward Leigh (Con) says the settlement policy on the West Bank is not in Israel’s interests. He says the Palestinian people deserve their own homeland.
Rayner says the government has sanctioned settlers. And it is pushing for a two-state solution.
Kirith Entwistle (Lab) asks about a constituent waiting for a social home. When will the government’s spending on this make homes available?
Rayner says the government inherited a “dire” situation. It is spending much more on this.
Nick Timothy (Con) says says Channel crossings are up 30%. When will they start to fall? And if they don’t, will the home secretary be fired.
Rayner says the Tories have not backed Labour’s measures on this. And she says Timothy should apologise for the Tories’s record on this, which was “abysmal”.
Pete Wishart (SNP) asks if Labour MPs who vote against the disability cuts will lose the whip?
Rayner does not address the question, and instead just argues Labour’s record is better than the SNP’s.
Jodie Gosling (Lab) asks about a decision to remove fire engine cover for Nuneaton.
Rayner says the fire minister will discuss this with Gosling further. But this is a matter for Warwickshire county council, now led by Reform. Nigel Farage should explain why Reform are cutting services, she says.
Sarah Champion (Lab) says victims of grooming gangs are being denied compensation for technical reasons.
Rayner says victims deserve support. She says the government is making it easier for them to get compensation in the civil courts.
Daisy Cooper, the deputy Lib Dem leader, says the Lib Dems were proud to lead the campaign against the Iraq war in 2003. Given the reports President Trump might join a war against Iran, can the government rule out the UK following?
Rayner says the UK agrees with Trump that Iran must not have nuclear weapons. But the government wants a diplomatic approach, she says.
The one thing I will say is we agree with President Trump that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon, but we’ve been consistent in urging Iran to engage in the diplomatic process and work with the United States, and we continue to support that diplomatic approach.
Cooper asks about the proposed Pip cuts. Analysis suggests 1.3 million disabled people could lose some support.
Rayner says Labour is the party of work. Those who want to work should be able to work. And those who can’t should be protected, she says.
Rayner says the government is fully committed to a Hillsborough law. It is focusing on getting the measures right.
