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Britain Limps Back to the EU Fold

Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives a press conference at the European Political Community (EPC) Summit bringing together world leaders at Blenheim Palace. Picture by Tim Hammond / No 10 Downing Street

Britain is back in the EU fold to tackle its key issues of safeguarding borders, security, and economic growth. The caravan will march on despite the heckles from the Reform Party, Nigel Farage, and a section of Tories … writes Anasudhin Azeez

Here is bad news for the Brexiteers. Whether you like it or not, Britain is limping back to its roots to become part of the greater European family. The recent European Political Community meeting at Blenheim Palace indicates the new Labour government’s intention to be part of the European family rather than stay isolated as “Little Britain” to address two key issues threatening its existence: security and immigration. With Donald Trump swinging the US electorate to regain the White House, it’s a valid reason for Europe to consider self-reliance on security.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer took the initiative to host the fourth meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace, a place steeped in the memories of Sir Winston Churchill, a controversial figure for the children of the empire but an inspiration for Europhiles. The meeting of the European Union leaders and representatives from the wider European Community is bad news for hardcore Brexiteers like Nigel Farage and Rishi Sunak. However, they fail to recognise the ground realities regarding the broader issues of security and immigration plaguing the United Kingdom.

The meeting was held at the Palace in a cordial atmosphere. They discussed the economy, security, and immigration. However, the elephant in the room was President Trump and his resurgent MAGA campaign. Trump is now supported by charismatic Yale graduate J.D. Vance. The meeting discussed a scenario: if America suddenly tires of helping defend Europe and Russia strikes, then what? If Trump wins, it will be a 12-year reign of Trumpism. Vance is Trump’s heir apparent, and a sitting president has many advantages to retain power, provided he does not falter on security and the economy.

Vance embodies a badge of the true American story that will resonate with Rust Belt voters. He believes the American elites betrayed communities like his. International trade, he says, is one of the culprits: American jobs being shipped to China while fentanyl is shipped back to America. Communities sent their children to die in Iraq and Afghanistan. He sees aid to Ukraine and NATO membership in the context of such exploitation: American taxpayers being bled to fight foreign wars or subsidize European military underspending. He led the campaign in the US Congress to halt the $61 billion Ukraine aid package. Although it failed, it caused fateful delays, allowing Russia to capture Avdiivka and force Ukrainian troops to retreat miles from the Donetsk region.

Trump accuses Zelensky of fleecing Americans. Vance accuses Europe of fleecing US taxpayers’ money to safeguard their backyards. Vance is practically a Mini-Me of Trump.

The changed equations in the US are prompting Europe to rethink its defence strategies. Only the United Kingdom and France can lead the Europeans in defending themselves; they are the only serious military powers in Europe. Here is an opportunity for Starmer to shape Europe’s post-Brexit defense policy. But is it a good idea to do this through the EU?

Britain wants to reset its relationship with the EU and wider Europe, as well as address international and global issues. Eighty years on from the D-Day landings and the Liberation of France, the leaders remembered the immense common sacrifices both countries have made to defend their shared values and protect their societies. As fellow members of the G7, G20, NATO, and permanent members of the UN Security Council, the UK and France continue to work together to provide global leadership in an era of renewed geopolitical instability.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets French President Emmanuel Macron for the Anglo French Summit at Blenheim Palace. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street

They are now committed to continuing to invest in the European Political Community format to bring together Europe’s democracies and contribute to regional stability and security through political dialogue and concrete cooperation.

“We cannot let the challenges of the recent past define our relationships of the future,” said Starmer before the summit. “That is why European security will be at the forefront of this government’s foreign and defence priorities, and why I am focused on seizing this moment to renew our relationship with Europe.

“The European Political Community will fire the starting gun on this government’s new approach to Europe, one that will not just benefit us now, but for generations to come, from dismantling the people-smuggling webs trafficking people across Europe to standing up to Putin’s barbaric actions in Ukraine and destabilizing activity across Europe.”

Britain is back in the EU fold to tackle its key issues of safeguarding borders, security, and economic growth. The caravan will march on despite the heckles from the Reform Party, Nigel Farage, and a section of Tories.

ALSO READ: Starmer vows Ukraine support in low-key first PMQs

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Police officer suspended after airport kicking video

The footage showed a uniformed male officer holding a Taser over the man who was lying on the ground at Terminal 2 before kicking him twice at about 20:30 BST…reports Asian Lite News

A police officer has been suspended after a video circulated online of a man being kicked and stamped on the head at Manchester Airport.

An officer had been removed from all duties after a “thorough review of further information” of the incident, which took place on Tuesday, Greater Manchester Police confirmed.

The footage showed a uniformed male officer holding a Taser over the man who was lying on the ground at Terminal 2 before kicking him twice at about 20:30 BST.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who has met the home secretary over the incident, has appealed for calm. After the meeting, Yvette Cooper said she understood the “the widespread distress” the footage had caused, adding she had spoken to police about the “urgent steps” they are taking.

She said it was “essential” police had the trust of communities, and the public “rightly expect high standards from those in charge of keeping us safe”. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said it understood the “deep concerns” that had been “widely raised”.

The footage sparked a protest outside Rochdale police station on Wednesday night, with hundreds of people gathered, and chants of “shame on you” heard. In the build-up to the incident shown in the clip, a police spokesman said that firearms officers had been punched to the ground after trying to make an arrest following a fight in the airport.

There was a “clear risk” their weapons could be taken from them, the police spokesman said, adding all three had been taken to hospital, one with a broken nose. Four men were later arrested on suspicion of assault and affray, and all have since been bailed. It remains unclear what led to the incident, but Burnham said he thought there had been “an issue on a flight coming into Manchester”.

“When the flight landed, two individuals were waiting for their mum, who said there had been an issue,” he said. “She pointed somebody out and there was an altercation in the arrivals hall.”

He said those involved had been “followed by camera through the airport and then we get to the scene that people have seen in the car park area”. Burnham said he had seen “the full footage” that showed a “fast-moving and complicated situation in a challenging location – it’s not clear cut”.

“Time has been taken to get a clearer picture of what has happened,” he said, adding that an investigation needed to proceed now “in a thorough and measured way”. Anderson remarks on airport video irresponsible – Burnham Amar Minhas from Leeds was travelling through the terminal with his family when he saw officers approach the man to arrest him.

“They pinned him up against a wall”, he told the BBC, before another man tried to intervene and a fight broke out, with the pinned man throwing punches until he was Tasered to the floor, when the officer kicked him.

Prime Minster Keir Starmer has said he “completely understands” the public’s concern over the footage. Starmer said the home secretary was being kept updated. Former chief superintendent of the Met Police, Dal Babu, said the police actions were “appalling and unnecessary” and in his opinion racism played a part in the incident.

He said the men were arrested for affray and assault, not offences at the “serious end” like attempted murder, gross bodily harm, or malicious wounding.

“I think racism played a significant part in this,” he said, adding GMP had been “slow out of the block in understanding the seriousness” of the incident at a time when trust in police was “so low”. Outside view of Rochdale police station. A blue sign with a police badge says Rochdale Divisional Headquarters.  Crowds gathered to protest outside Rochdale police station on Wednesday night

The force said in its latest statement that it would “continue to meet” with Greater Manchester residents and elected representatives to discuss concerns raised about the footage.

It said it had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over the incident.

The MP of the man who was filmed being kicked told the House of Commons the video was “truly shocking and disturbing”.

ALSO READ-Climate activists paralyse air traffic at German airport

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Hate preacher Anjem convicted for leading terror group

Choudary’s licence conditions expired in July 2021 and it was nearly a year later in June 2022 when he hosted his first online lecture for ITS. He went on to hold about 40 lectures or classes for the group until April 2023…reports Asian Lite News

The Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary has been found guilty of directing the terrorist group al-Muhajiroun (ALM) and drumming up cross-border support for the banned organisation online.

After a trial at Woolwich crown court in south London, Choudary was convicted of having a “caretaker role” in directing ALM.

Prosecutors said Choudary directed the terrorist organisation for a significant period of time from 2014 onwards and encouraged support for the group by addressing online meetings of the New York-based Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS).

The 57-year-old, of Ilford in east London, gave lectures to ITS, which prosecutors said was “the same” as ALM.

Choudary came as close to becoming a household name as an extremist can get in the UK through his media appearances and controversial actions such as protesting at UK soldiers’ funerals. Security experts have claimed Choudary influenced dozens of British jihadists.

But the trained solicitor’s apparent ability to act just within the bounds of the law ended in 2016 when he was convicted of supporting Islamic State and he served half of a six-month prison sentence before being released on licence.

Choudary’s licence conditions expired in July 2021 and it was nearly a year later in June 2022 when he hosted his first online lecture for ITS. He went on to hold about 40 lectures or classes for the group until April 2023.

But unknown to Choudary, ITS was infiltrated by undercover law enforcement officers in the US, who were present at online lectures in 2022 and 2023, held over the Element messaging platform.

ALM was proscribed as a terror organisation in the UK in 2010, though it was said in court that the group had continued to exist under various names.

The conviction followed investigations by the Metropolitan police, the New York police department (NYPD), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Cmdr Dominic Murphy, the head of the Metropolitan police’s counter-terrorism command, said: “There are individuals that have conducted terrorist attacks or travelled for terrorist purposes as a result of Anjem Choudary’s radicalising impact upon them.”

During a press conference, Murphy added: “ALM’s tentacles have spread across the world and have had a massive impact on public safety and security.”

Rebecca Weiner, an NYPD deputy commissioner, said it was a “historic case”, describing Choudary as a “shameless, prolific radicaliser”.

She added: “It is usually the foot soldiers, the individuals who are brought into the network who go on to commit the attacks who are brought to justice.

“And it’s rarely the leader, which is what makes this a particularly important moment.”

Omar Bakri Muhammad, who founded ALM, was in prison in Lebanon between 2014 and March 2023, and Choudary stepped in and “filled the void”, the court heard.

Khaled Hussein, 29, who prosecutors said was a “follower and dedicated supporter” of Choudary, was also found guilty of membership of ALM.

Choudary was convicted of directing a terrorist organisation and addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation. He and Hussein will be sentenced on 30 July.

ALSO READ-Arab League condemns Israel over UNRWA terror tag

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Reeves to reveal ‘true scale of damage’ to economy  

When Reeves sets out the findings of her Treasury audit on Monday, she will also announce the date of the spending review and the budget in October…reports Asian Lite News

Rachel Reeves is expected to reveal a £20bn hole in government spending for essential public services on Monday, paving the way for potential tax rises in the autumn budget.

Labour sources said the blame lay with the Tory government, describing it as a “shocking inheritance” and accusing the former chancellor of “presiding over a black hole and still campaigning for tax cuts”.

They pointed to spending concerns on the asylum system, welfare, defence and prisons. However, work is still being done on the audit and the final figure of £20bn could shift as officials examine the spending commitments of each department.

When Reeves sets out the findings of her Treasury audit on Monday, she will also announce the date of the spending review and the budget in October.

Experts expect she will be forced to announce tax changes in the budget, with options including capital gains or inheritance taxes and slashing other tax reliefs. Reeves has ruled out changes to income tax, VAT, national insurance and corporation tax – the largest revenue raisers.

The prime minister, Keir Starmer, told business leaders this week that the public finances were “in the worst place since the second world war”.

A Labour source said: “On Monday, the British public are finally going to see the true scale of the damage the Conservatives have done to the public finances.

“They spent taxpayers’ money like no tomorrow because they knew someone else would have to pick up the bill. It now falls to Labour to fix the foundations of our economy and that work has already begun.”

Economists have predicted Reeves will “kitchen sink” the bad news about the economy, in an expected excoriation of the previous government’s record. The review is likely to conclude that existing spending plans are unsustainable and would require substantial cuts to public services, a position that economists had highlighted repeatedly before the election.

Presenting her Treasury audit to the Commons on Monday, the chancellor is expected to say her review has revealed state and privatised services at risk of collapse under current plans.

Further billions are also committed in schemes like compensation for victims of the infected blood scandal and of the Horizon failures at the Post Office. The Cabinet Office minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds, told the House of Commons on Thursday that final compensation payments to patients infected with contaminated blood products and bereaved partners will begin to be made by the end of this year.

On Monday, Reeves will also set out the government’s response to the public sector pay recommendations, which are about 3% higher than in current spending plans. Government sources have suggested she is minded to accept the independent pay bodies’ recommendations in full – a symbol of a new government approach – due to the costs of provoking potential further industrial action.

The former chancellor Jeremy Hunt is said to have believed that pay demands would have eaten all of the Conservative government’s fiscal headroom – one of the key reasons for Rishi Sunak calling an early election as it became clear there could be no promised tax cuts.

Reeves is expected to make it explicit that she believes her predecessor deliberately did not act to address the looming spending shortfall. “Jeremy Hunt is going to have a lot of explaining to do,” said one source.

She will make references to how she will address the pressures in her speech on Monday, but frame it as the first in a two-stage process that will be followed in the October budget with work kicked off by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The economist Michael Saunders, a former external member of the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee, said the Reeves review could be used to “justify significant extra tax hikes, perhaps an extra £10bn-£25bn”.

He said in a report this week: “We suspect the Reeves review will conclude that a more realistic and sustainable outlook is likely to require a mix of higher public spending, greater headroom versus the fiscal rules and a more plausible path of fiscal tightening over the five-year forecast period.

“Any political costs from higher taxes could be outweighed by the scale of Labour’s majority and, using the cover of the review, putting the blame on the weak fiscal position left by the previous Conservative government.”

Tax-raising options on offer to Reeves include generating about £3bn a year, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, by limiting inheritance tax relief on agricultural and business assets, bringing pension pots within inheritance tax and removing the capital gains uplift on inherited assets

But the targeting of inheritance assets or pensions savings in particular is extremely contentious and is likely to draw heavy criticism from the Conservatives.

As well as setting out the major gaps in public spending projections, which experts had already said were likely to require austerity-level cuts, Reeves will highlight wasted opportunities for growth, including planning and investment.

ALSO READ-Chancellor Reeves to bring back housebuilding targets

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Starmer vows Ukraine support in low-key first PMQs

Commons votes have been held on most armed interventions since the 2003, but there is no legal requirement for PMs to get approval from MPs…reports Asian Lite News

Keir Starmer had a gentle introduction to Prime Minister’s Questions, as Rishi Sunak asked him to continue the UK’s support for Ukraine. Their first Commons exchanges since the election were dominated by agreement on the need to continue sending military aid.

Sunak, who is due to be replaced in November, avoided asking about any of Labour’s domestic priorities after its landslide election win. But Starmer was forced to defend the government’s approach to tackling poverty after a rebellion on the two-child benefits limit.

On Tuesday, he suspended seven Labour backbenchers after they backed an SNP call for the limit to be scrapped.

The move was a sign of the new PM’s authority after winning a huge working majority, but risks further widening a rift with MPs on the left of the party. Starmer was greeted with a huge cheer from his own side as he arrived for his first PMQs since entering Downing Street earlier this month.

Continuing a theme since his election drubbing, Sunak cracked a self-deprecating joke that he was “not the first person” British athletes heading to Paris for the Olympics would want to consult on how to win.

It elicited pitying sighs from Labour’s enlarged cohort of MPs, struggling to fit on the green benches on the government side of the House of Commons.

He then used his six questions to ask Starmer about Ukraine and national security issues, subjects where the two main parties are heavily aligned, in a sign he may have wanted to avoid further Labour attacks on the Tories’ record.

Labour ministers have spent the weeks since the election laying into the state of public services and their financial inheritance, after returning to power for the first time since 2010.

It was a theme Starmer continued at PMQs, telling MPs his government had “inherited” lots of crises, with “failure absolutely everywhere”.

Sunak pressed the prime minister to continue discussions with Saudi Arabia about joining a joint project with Italy and Japan to build a new fighter jet, adding it was a “crucial sovereignty capability”. Starmer said he wanted to build on “progress” in talks on the Tempest jet programme, which he described as “really important”.

The prime minister has sidestepped questions about whether a recently-launched review could see the UK end its participation in the project, amid reports there are concerns among officials about rising costs.

Starmer also said he wanted to maintain “unity” on support for Ukraine, after Sunak asked whether he would respond to new requests for weaponry. Sunak also said the Conservatives would support the Labour leader if he deemed it necessary to take military action without consulting Parliament.

Starmer supported multiple rounds of strikes against Houthi sites in Yemen under the last government, and did not join the Lib Dems, SNP and Plaid Cymru in calling for Parliament to get a vote on the military action.

Commons votes have been held on most armed interventions since the 2003, but there is no legal requirement for PMs to get approval from MPs.

Elsewhere, Starmer was forced to defend the government’s strategy to tackle child poverty after he suffered a rebellion over the two-child benefit cap. The policy, introduced by the Conservatives in 2017, prevents almost all parents from claiming Universal Credit or child tax credit for more than two children.

Labour’s landslide election win has led to renewed calls for it to be scrapped from some MPs, charities and anti-poverty campaigners – but the government has said it will not make an “unfunded” commitment to do so.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called on Sir Keir to change course, noting former Labour PM Gordon Brown’s support for a change in policy.

The prime minister replied that his government was taking steps to reduce poverty through its plans for primary school breakfast clubs and abolishing no-fault evictions for private renters.

ALSO READ-Starmer orders review of ‘hollowed out’ armed forces

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Climate activists paralyse air traffic at German airport

The government has just passed a tougher penalty for obstructing air traffic, which is pending parliamentary approval, with prison sentences of up to two years instead of a fine…reports Asian Lite News

Climate activists temporarily brought air traffic at Cologne/Bonn Airport in western Germany to a complete standstill on Wednesday.

Five members of the ‘Last Generation’ had entered the airport grounds through a fence and glued themselves to the runway. According to the airport operator, further delays and flight cancellations are to be expected during the course of the day despite the removal of the protesters.

The police have filed criminal charges for violation of the Assembly Act, dangerous interference with air traffic, and trespassing.

The government has just passed a tougher penalty for obstructing air traffic, which is pending parliamentary approval, with prison sentences of up to two years instead of a fine.

With the action, the climate activism group was trying to put pressure on the German government to sign a ‘Fossil Fuel Treaty’ with international partners, a joint agreement to phase out fossil fuels by 2030, the ‘Last Generation’ said on social media platform X.

As an election promise, the country’s governing parties in 2021 declared their intention to phase out coal by 2030. However, the plan has so far only been adopted for the most populous federal state, North Rhine-Westphalia, with experts doubting it is to be implemented in time.

At the international level, the Group of Seven (G7) countries, including Germany, agreed for the first time at the end of April on a common time frame for the complete phase-out of coal, aiming for implementation by the mid-2030s.

The ‘Last Generation’ has been polarising in recent years with road traffic blockades that caused much resentment among the population. At the beginning of 2024, they changed their strategy, shifting to “increasingly confront those responsible for climate destruction directly in future”.

ALSO READ-India Advances on Climate Action: Economic Survey

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Modi and UK’s Lammy Discuss Free Trade Agreement

Visiting India in his very first month as Foreign Secretary, Lammy called India as the “emerging superpower of the 21st century”, the largest country in the world with 1.4 billion people and one of the fastest growing economies in the world…reports Asian Lite News

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday as both countries continue to unlock the full potential of their growing partnership in diverse fields.

“A pleasure to meet UK FS David Lammy. Appreciate the priority accorded by PM Keir Starmer to broaden and deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Remain committed to elevating the ties. Welcome the bilateral Technology Security Initiative and the desire to conclude a mutually beneficial FTA,” PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.

Visiting India in his very first month as Foreign Secretary, Lammy called India as the “emerging superpower of the 21st century”, the largest country in the world with 1.4 billion people and one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

“An honour to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The UK and India share a unique living bridge that enriches both our countries. We are working together to accelerate climate action while creating opportunities for British and Indian businesses,” he wrote in his reply to PM Modi’s post on the social media platform Wednesday evening.

Lammy also called on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar as both held bilateral discussion on strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

This is the first high-profile visit from London after the formation of Labour Party government under the leadership of British PM Keir Starmer, earlier this month.

“Our Free Trade Agreement negotiations is the floor not the ceiling of our ambitions to unlock our shared potential and deliver growth, from Bengaluru to Birmingham. We have shared interests on the green transition, new technologies, economic security and global security,” the UK Foreign Secretary said before his arrival in the Indian capital.

He also underscored the importance of the Living Bridge between the UK and India, highlighting that it represents the 1.7 million people with Indian heritage that have made their home in the UK and make an exceptional contribution to British life.

Earlier in the day, the UK Foreign Secretary met business leaders to emphasise how both countries are working together on shared ambitions such as cutting-edge science to encourage innovation, boost trade, and improve the livelihoods of working people in both countries.

The government led by Keir Starmer remains keen on harnessing and unlocking the true potential of the UK-India partnership, asserting that it will not only deliver prosperity for the people of India and the UK but also for the rest of the world.

Lammy will travel to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Laos on Thursday, which will also see participation of EAM Jaishankar.

ALSO READ-FTA in focus during Lammy’s flying Delhi visit

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Eluned Morgan to Be Next First Minister of Wales

Morgan, 57, will wait for the Senedd to reconvene during its summer break to be officially confirmed as the first Minister. After that, she will also be the first woman to lead Wales…reports Asian Lite News

Eluned Morgan has become the new Welsh Labour leader and is set to be the next first Minister of Wales, the party confirmed.

As Health Secretary of Wales, Morgan secured the support of almost all Labour members of the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, and has been confirmed as the only candidate to become Welsh Labour leader, Xinhua news agency reported.

“I am truly honoured to become the first woman to lead Welsh Labour and to be put forward as our party’s nominee to become the next first Minister of Wales,” she said on Wednesday in a statement.

“At this pivotal time for our country, strength, stability, and unity will be my guiding principles. I want to ensure that everyone in Wales has the opportunity and ability to fulfill their potential,” Morgan added.

Morgan, 57, will wait for the Senedd to reconvene during its summer break to be officially confirmed as the first Minister. After that, she will also be the first woman to lead Wales.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Eluned Morgan’s appointment is “fantastic news” for both Wales and the Labour Party.

“Eluned brings with her a wealth of experience and track record of delivery and, as the first woman to lead Welsh Labour, she is already making history,” he said in a statement.

“We have been given a strong mandate to deliver change for working people, and I look forward to working hand-in-hand with Eluned to deliver on our promises to Wales and Britain,” he added.

Wales’ First Minister Vaughan Gething announced his resignation last week after losing a vote of no-confidence in his leadership.

Since assuming office four months ago, Gething had been under mounting pressure over a controversial 200,000-pound ($259,000) donation to his leadership campaign. However, he denied wrongdoing and said he had never compromised his integrity.

ALSO READ-Starmer heads to Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales to reset ties 

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UK’s Largest Ahmadiyya Gathering on the Horizon

The convention will be headed by Hazrat Mirza Masroor, the worldwide Head and Caliph of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community….reports Asian Lite News

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the UK announced on Tuesday that they will hold the largest gathering of the Muslim community from July 26-28 this year at Alton, Hampshire.

A statement by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Press (AMCP) revealed that this year’s convention, titled ‘Jalsa Salana 2024’, will be aimed at emphasising prayers for global peace and will urge the international Muslim community to play a role in reducing international volatility.

The convention will be headed by Hazrat Mirza Masroor, the worldwide Head and Caliph of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

In the statement released by the AMCP, Ahmad stressed that the current global tensions make it imperative for Muslims to turn back to their Creator to embody values of peace and tolerance.

In a statement, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, worldwide Head and Caliph, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said, “As Muslims, we pray five times a day, and in each prayer, it is incumbent upon us to recite the first chapter of the Holy Qur’an. In its second verse, Allah the Almighty proclaims that He is the Lord of all the Worlds and of all people. He is not just the Provider and Sustainer of Muslims, but He provides for, and sustains Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, and indeed people of all religions and beliefs.”

In his statement, he added, “According to my belief, it is not possible to fulfil the rights of Allah the Almighty or attain His nearness without fulfilling the rights of our fellow human beings and all of God’s creation. True Muslims, therefore, live their lives peacefully and seek to propagate peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding in society.”

The convention is expected to gather over 35 thousand participants from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The event will serve as a platform for spiritual renewal and the promotion of global peace.

The convention will include a powerful ceremony where attendees will link hands in a gesture of unity, signifying their desire to elevate their spiritual standards and to fulfil the rights of all humanity.

Additionally, Rafiq Hayat, UK President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, emphasised the role of faith in overcoming adversity. “Our convention is a reminder that our duty as Muslims is to be loyal, peaceful, and dutiful citizens,” he said. “Through our motto, ‘Love for All, Hatred for None,’ we aim to build stronger, more cohesive communities and promote peace and tolerance in society.”

The convention will feature delegates from various spheres, including civic, religious, and political, and the event will be broadcast worldwide. By bringing together people of diverse backgrounds, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community seeks to foster dialogue, education, and efforts to combat ignorance and hatred. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Clash of hybrids leaves Pakistan in tatters

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Labour suspends seven rebel MPs  

Ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell was among the Labour MPs who voted for an SNP motion calling for an end to the two-child benefit cap, which prevents almost all parents from claiming Universal Credit or child tax credit for more than two children…reports Asian Lite News

Seven Labour MPs have had the whip suspended for six months after voting against the government on an amendment to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

Ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell was among the Labour MPs who voted for an SNP motion calling for an end to the policy, which prevents almost all parents from claiming Universal Credit or child tax credit for more than two children.

McDonnell backed the SNP motion alongside Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana.

MPs rejected the SNP amendment by 363 votes to 103, in the first major test of the new Labour government’s authority.

Losing the whip means the MPs are suspended from the parliamentary party and will now sit as independent MPs. Nearly all of the rebels were allies of the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who now sits as an independent MP and put his name to the SNP motion.

In a statement on social media, Sultana said she would “always stand up for the most vulnerable in our society”, adding that scrapping the cap would “lift 33,000 children out of poverty”.

Burgon said he was “disappointed” by the decision to suspend him, explaining that “many struggling families” in his Leeds East constituency had raised the cap with him.

Begum said she had voted against the cap because it had “contributed to rising and deepening levels of child poverty and food insecurity for many East End families”.

Byrne, meanwhile, said the “best way” to help his Liverpool West Derby constituents living in poverty was to scrap the cap. Before the vote, McDonnell said: “I don’t like voting for other parties’ amendments, but I’m following Keir Starmer’s example as he said put country before party.”

The decision to remove the whip is an early show of force from the new government. This is their first rebellion. Even though it is a small one, Labour whips are trying to send a message to MPs that dissent will not be tolerated in votes.

However, there are many more Labour MPs who are opposed to the two-child benefit cap. Many hope the party will make a decision in the coming months to scrap it.

A government source said Labour’s policy on the two-child benefit cap had been agreed going into the election – and the manifesto commitments made by Labour were clear. The government has said it is not prepared to make “unfunded promises” by abolishing the cap.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said there was “no silver bullet” to end child poverty but acknowledged the “passion” of Labour MPs on the issue.

The rebellion marks another moment of pressure from Labour politicians on the government to scrap the cap. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham have also backed calls for a change.

“The evidence is plain that it really does cause harm,” Burnham said on Tuesday. But he also called for party unity and said the government should be given “time and space” to come up with a plan to reduce poverty. The government had received a “terrible economic inheritance”, he added.

Kim Johnson and Rosie Duffield were among 19 Labour MPs to sign another amendment calling for an end to the cap – which was ultimately not put to a vote.

Several prominent critics of the cap, including Ian Lavery and Nadia Whittome who both signed rebel amendments, abstained on the vote. Labour veteran and Mother of the House Dianne Abbott did not take part in the vote due to “personal reasons” but in a statement said she was “horrified” MPs had been suspended “when removing the cap is supposed to be party policy”.

Emma Lewell-Buck, Labour MP for South Shields, who put her name to a rebel amendment, said she did had not voted against the government because “none of the votes taking place tonight would have resulted in scrapping the cap”.

In a social media post she said: “There will be an Autumn Budget soon and I know myself and other colleagues will be working constructively with the Government to make scrapping the cap part of it.”

Despite the rebellion, Sir Keir easily saw off the first major test of his government – passing the King’s Speech.

Separately Labour defeated an attempt by the Conservatives to insert an amendment to the King’s Speech promoting Tory policies on defence spending, illegal migration and cutting inflation by 384 votes to 117.

A Lib Dem-tabled amendment which sought to commit the government to focus on crises in the health and social care system, sewage dumping and electoral reform was defeated by 382 votes to 85 – despite receiving support from Reform UK, the Green Party and parties from Wales and Northern Ireland.

Opposition parties customarily try to amend the King’s Speech to include their priorities for the next parliament, though they almost never succeed. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the government could not tackle the “dire inheritance” from the Conservatives overnight.

However, she said Labour was “determined to make a huge difference” on tackling childhood hardship.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank has estimated that removing it would eventually cost the government £3.4bn a year, roughly 3% of the total budget for working-age benefits.

On Monday, Johnson, who has led Labour calls for the policy to be scrapped, said the government should set out a “clear timetable” for doing this.

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