New Conservative leader tackles immigration, new plans and past failures in first big policy speech
“Kemi Badenoch has said that migrants could lose access to benefits under a future Conservative government as she admitted that her party got it wrong when it was in government. The Tory leader said that the Conservative Party must accept that it made mistakes by allowing migration to hit record levels when it was in office.She said that she shared public anger over the issue and pledged to rebuild trust with voters ahead of the next election as she vowed to learn from past mistakes. In a speech in central London, Badenoch said that the Tories would look at stripping migrants of access to benefits and public services.” – The Times
- Badenoch: Tories failed on migration – Daily Telegraph
- How Kemi Badenoch will change the Tories immigration policy as she declares Britain is ‘not a hotel – it’s our home’ in first major policy speech as Conservative Party leader – Daily Mail
- Badenoch admits Tory migration failures – Spectator
- Sadiq Khan gives taxpayer cash to campaigners who want a world without borders – Daily Telegraph
Comment
It is time to tell the truth on immigration – Kemi Badenoch CapX
Today on ConHome
Kemi should stay focussed on ‘a broken government system’ but on fixing it for the Conservatives not Labour
Prime Minister pushes to get Chagos deal through before Trump becomes President
“Sir Keir Starmer is trying to rush through a treaty giving away the Chagos Islands before Donald Trump becomes US president. It comes amid mounting speculation that Mr Trump could oppose the deal to hand over the islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, which was backed by Joe Biden. While the US is not directly involved in the decision, its support is critical because it has a military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands. Senior Republicans have been critical of the deal… There are concerns it could harm US national security because Mauritius is an ally of China. Boris Johnson…has added to the growing clamour against the deal, saying it is driven by “Lefty b——-” – Daily Telegraph
- Keir Starmer’s Chagos Islands deal on brink of collapse – The Times
- “Allies don’t betray !” …Nigel Farage slaps down BBC Newsnight in fiery clash – Express
David Cameron comes out in support of assisted dying bill day before crucial vote
“Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton revealed he has changed his mind and now supports a bill to legalise assisted dying, arguing that it would help bring about a “meaningful reduction in human suffering”. Writing in The Times, the former prime minister says that he previously opposed changing the law because he feared that “vulnerable people could be pressurised into hastening their own deaths”. He now accepts the argument that it is “not about ending life, it is about shortening death”, adding that his concerns have been allayed by safeguards in (the bill).” – The Times
- Cameron becomes first former PM to back assisted dying – The i
- Ex-supreme court president backs assisted dying law change – Guardian
- Leadbeater suggests fear of being a burden is ‘legitimate reason’ for dying – Daily Telegraph
Comment
David Cameron: Why I’m now backing assisted dying – The Times
I’ve seen too many bad deaths – Unherd
Assisted dying aligns with Tory principles – Andrew Mitchell Daily Telegraph
Tories need to trust the people on assisted dying – CapX
Are assisted dying polls skewed by loaded questions? – Unherd
Esther Rantzen attacks Wes Streeting’s ‘vocal opposition’ to assisted dying laws – as she makes last-ditch appeal to MPs ahead of crucial vote on bill – Daily Mail
Today on ConHome
Assisted Dying is too important for a short debate and shorter speeches
Prime Minister is warned not to follow ICC ruling to arrest Netanyahu
“Sir Keir Starmer will have “hell to pay” if he helps arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, a leading Trump ally tells The Sun. The International Criminal Court issued a war crimes warrant for the Israeli leader last week with the PM suggesting he could be nicked if he came to London. But now a powerful Washington figure and friend of the President-Elect warns doing so would see Britain cut out by the new White House. Dr Kevin Roberts, the boss of the influential Heritage Foundation, hit out: “there will be hell to pay for any international leader buying into this bulls**t”. The Washington-based think tank has close ties to the incoming Trump team and is helping shape policy” – The Sun
- Lammy: I would seek Netanyahu arrest if he came to UK – Daily Telegraph
- France may not enforce ICC arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu – FT
- France backtracks on ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu – Daily Telegraph
‘Massive attack’ on Ukraine’s power network under way as war enters another winter
Ukraine’s power infrastructure was “under massive enemy attack” on Thursday, the country’s energy minister said, after a nationwide air raid alert was declared due to incoming missiles. “Once again, the energy sector is under massive enemy attack. Attacks on energy facilities are taking place across Ukraine,” German Galushchenko said in a Facebook post. National power grid operator Ukrenergo had “urgently introduced emergency power cuts”, he added, as temperatures across the country dropped to freezing. Ukraine’s military said earlier Thursday that an air raid alert had been declared across the country “due to a missile threat” in a message on Telegram. Missiles were detected headed for Kharkiv, Odesa and eight other regions, according to other messages from the air force. “Kharkiv, go to the shelters!” it warned” – Guardian
- UK already at war with Putin, ex-defence minister Ellwood warns – The i
- Unidentified drones continue to fly over US military bases in UK – The Times
- The dismal state of British defence – The Critic
- How UK troops could keep peace between Putin and Zelensky if Trump gets his deal – The i
Army cadets at risk after budget slashed by 50pc, chiefs warn
“The Army Cadet Force is at risk after its budget was cut by 50 per cent, the group’s chiefs have warned. The organisation teaches secondary school children skills from camping and community volunteering to first aid. The programme, which is funded by the Ministry of Defence, aims to bolster social mobility and mental and physical health of its cadets. A total of 371 Army cadet forces operate in schools across the UK, with 222 in state schools in England alone. But a real terms cut of more than £20 million in government funding since 2020 has led to a reduction in the activities and training already on offer for children and has driven volunteers out of the organisation.” – Daily Telegraph
Today on ConHome
Labour must reverse its plans to cut vital funding for state school cadets Mark Francois
An FBI ‘most wanted’ suspect is found hiding out in Welsh village
“This is the remote and idyllic Welsh beauty spot where one of the FBI’s ‘most wanted terrorists’ was finally traced, more than 20 years after going on the run. To the handful of neighbours with whom he shared a wooded hillside above the stunning Conwy Valley with views into the foothills of Snowdonia, he was known as Danny. Since he bought the £425,000 detached bungalow with a Nationwide mortgage in August last year, most locals have only exchanged sufficient words with the new arrival to establish that he is American – and enjoyed vegan food, judging by burger and noodle packaging spilling out of his bins” – Daily Mail
- ‘It’s a sleepy little place’: disbelief in north Wales after dramatic arrest of US terror suspect – Guardian
News in Brief
The British scientists working for China – Unherd
The SAS have been betrayed in the name of human rights – Spectator
Bitcoin is thriving: is this the future of money? – CapX
I hope you didn’t sign that petition – Rod Liddle Spectator
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