Tory MPs backing Badenoch revealed they had been urging her to curb her confrontational style for the duration of the contest to ensure she gets over the line….reports Asian Lite News
Supporters of Kemi Badenoch have urged her to rein in her confrontational style to clinch the Tory leadership, with some Conservative MPs concluding they need to take “a big gamble” to restore their party’s fortunes as they replace Rishi Sunak.
The shadow communities secretary emerged from the only scheduled televised debate on GB News last week with most MPs believing she is still the favourite in what remains a close contest with Robert Jenrick. Party members have until the end of the month to cast their vote.
However, Tory MPs backing Badenoch revealed they had been urging her to curb her confrontational style for the duration of the contest to ensure she gets over the line. Badenoch is known to be uncompromising in her views and demands, having already stated during the campaign that some civil servants perform so badly they should be in prison. One senior MP backing Badenoch said they had urged her to tone down her approach to ensure she secures the post, in order to convince party members to take a risk and back her.
“Kemi is more popular with the membership. She’s seen as charismatic, but she’s also seen by some of us as abrasive,” they said. “I gave her some tough advice. She needs to be pragmatically ruthless and think about the issues she wants to fight on, because the election will be very different in three or four years.”
Another Badenoch ally said: “As Kemi said on GB News, she is happy to confront people who come after conservatives, but she won’t engage in blue-on-blue. Kemi wants to unite people around our core principles, rather than divide the party with more of the same easy promises that won’t get delivered.”
While some MPs remain alienated from the race, believing both candidates are too far to the right to forge a successful appeal to voters as a whole, some have opted to back Badenoch because they believe the party will need to make waves if it is to make an impression in opposition.
“I think she’ll turn herself into a bit of a Boadicea,” said an MP. “[Nigel] Farage will look a bit odd against her. She’ll be quite a character, and we need a character. We don’t need a technocrat at the moment. She is authentic. I think we’re taking a big gamble, but we probably will, because we think she’s going to cut through.”
Badenoch, who has opted not to announce significant new policies during the race, defended her combative approach last week, saying it was “doing what is right for our country – following our conviction, being brave and not being scared because whoever is going to mock us”. Ballots were sent to party members this week, with the winner to be announced on 2 November.
Sadiq Khan has written to every primary school in London urging them to counter the online misogyny of influencers…reports Asian Lite News
Combating the “pernicious influence” of misogynists such as Andrew Tate in primary schools is a vital part of teaching children about equality and respect, the mayor of London has told teachers.
Sadiq Khan has written to every primary school in London urging them to counter the online misogyny of influencers such as Tate through new classes and workshops that are being set up across the capital as part of plans to tackle violence against women and girls.
“It’s never too early to start educating young Londoners about the need to treat one another fairly and kindly,” Khan said. “There has never been a more important time to counter the pernicious influence of those who preach misogyny online. We must ensure that young people are clear what healthy and respectful relationships are about before they start seeing content from individuals like Andrew Tate online.”
The mayor’s office has launched a £1m toolkit to help teachers counter dangerous messages from influencers after research revealed that one in three young males have a positive view of Tate, a self-proclaimed misogynist, and one in 10 children have watched pornography by the time they are nine.
The toolkit, developed by the healthy relationships charity Tender, trains teachers how to run workshops, drama and interactive classroom sessions to teach nine- to 11-year-olds how to recognise and call out inequality and sexism.
Children will be taught to identify positive aspects of friendships and also look at potential red flags such as controlling behaviour, the misuse of pressure and power in relationships. Pupils will be taught what their rights are and where they can seek support.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said the content would be “age-appropriate” for primary-age children and would not cover sex or pornography.
Sex and relationships education has been compulsory in English schools since 2019. By May this year the previous government was looking to roll it back and had put forward new draft guidance to limit what children could be taught.
Experts argue that if the Labour government is to achieve its aim of halving violence against women and girls in a decade, investing in high-quality education is vital.
Susie McDonald, the chief executive of Tender, acknowledged that discussing gender inequality and healthy relationships could be difficult, but said primary school was a critical time for children to learn about communication, empathy and respect.
“It’s imperative that children learn about healthy relationships and are supported to build positive attitudes and behaviours,” she said. “By challenging potentially problematic attitudes at their root, we can prevent a culture of abuse against women and girls.”
The full launch comes after a trial in which 230 teachers received training. According to research from Tender, 80% of teachers “reported increased confidence to support children and young people about healthy relationships” after using the tool.
Khan said City Hall was committed to a public health approach to combating violence against women and girls, pointing to £2m of funding for the mayor’s violence reduction unit, and the #HaveAWord campaign and allyship training in secondary schools.
The foreign secretary had been under pressure to take a tough line on a range of human rights issues with the Chinese foreign minister…reports Asian Lite News
David Lammy pressed his Chinese counterpart on human rights concerns and China’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during talks in Beijing, the Foreign Office has said. The foreign secretary had been under pressure to take a tough line on a range of human rights issues with the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, when the pair met on Friday during Lammy’s first visit to China since taking office.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the Foreign Office described the encounter as “constructive”, noting Lammy raised “a number of foreign policy and security matters”, including Chinese companies supplying equipment to the Russian military and the conflict in the Middle East.
It added that human rights were discussed, including in relation to the mistreatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, in China’s far west, and the detention of British national Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong.
But the statement made no direct reference to Taiwan. Earlier in the week, China held large-scale military exercises around the island, which Keir Starmer described as “not conducive to peace and stability”. During his visit to Beijing, Lammy also met Ding Xuexiang, the most senior of China’s vice-premiers and a close associate of the president, Xi Jinping.
Lammy said the UK government would bring “consistency” to relations with China, adding there had not been “sufficient contact” between London and Beijing under his predecessors, particularly on human rights issues.
Speaking to reporters in Shanghai on Saturday, he said the meetings were “the beginning of a process”, adding it had been important to “restart dialogue”. He said: “It’s only in dialogue that we can bring about better understanding and change. I believe what you need is more diplomacy, not less. That’s why it’s so important to be here as a UK foreign secretary and to keep coming back.
“And, of course, I was able to have dialogue with the Chinese on areas where we disagree, areas like Hong Kong, areas like Taiwan, areas like human rights in Xinjiang, we were able to have those conversations and raise difficult, challenging issues.”
Before travelling to China, Lammy had said it was important to speak “candidly” about “both areas of contention as well as areas for cooperation in the UK’s national interest”. But the government has distanced itself from comments Lammy made while in opposition in which he suggested actions against the mainly Muslim Uyghurs should be declared a genocide.
A Downing Street spokesperson said on Thursday that such decisions were for “competent courts”, adding: “We stand firm on human rights and we’ve been very clear that China continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain the Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities.”
Along with human rights and security concerns, the statement said Lammy raised a number of areas for “pragmatic, mutually beneficial cooperation” with Beijing.
These included the transition to green energy, international development, global health, the safe use of AI and promoting “secure and resilient growth” through trade and investment.
According to a statement by the Chinese government, Ding said China was “ready to work with the UK” to create “a more stable and mutually beneficial” relationship, and also stressed the need for “pragmatic cooperation”.
Lammy’s visit is the second by a British foreign secretary in two years, after a trip by James Cleverly in August 2023. That visit marked a slight thaw in UK-Chinese relations, with Cleverly becoming the first foreign secretary to visit the country since 2018.
He too had stressed the need for a “pragmatic” relationship with Beijing, but also raised concerns about human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
Britain deepens ties with Indonesia, South Korea
Foreign minister David Lammy will look to deepen Britain’s security cooperation with Indonesia and South Korea during his visit to the two Asian countries in which he is also expected to discuss the clean energy transition.
His visit to South Korea comes days after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused North Korea of preparing to send 10,000 soldiers to help Moscow’s war effort, raising U.S. concerns. NATO chief Mark Rutte has said there was no evidence of Pyongyang’s presence at this stage.
Tensions have also been running high on the Korean peninsula following a series of missile tests this year by nuclear-armed North Korea. “Our South Korean partners have stood side-by-side with us in defence of Ukraine whilst also working to preserve regional stability here on the Korean peninsula,” Lammy said in a statement issued by his office.
“It is a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of conflict, with North Korea supporting Russia and prolonging conflict on Europe’s borders whilst their illegal weapons of mass destruction programme threatens regional security.”
Lammy, elected in July after the Labour Party’s landslide win, was recently in China where he promised “consistency” in Britain’s approach to China and described his meeting with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi as “constructive”.
In Indonesia’s capital city Jakarta, Lammy is due to attend the inauguration of President-elect Prabowo Subianto on Sunday.
In a visit designed to further enhance Britain’s cooperation on security with South Korea and Indonesia – both of which are part of the G20 bloc of major economies – he is expected to visit South Korea’s heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone.
The couple suffered a number of health conditions, as well as “cognitive impairments”, for which they required several prescribed medicines…reports Asian Lite News
A pensioner died after mistaking her husband’s nearly “identical” box of medication for her own. A coroner issued a warning to the NHS after Sewa Chaddha, 82, accidentally ingested her husband’s drugs.
The couple suffered a number of health conditions, as well as “cognitive impairments”, for which they required several prescribed medicines.
Their prescription boxes were “identical” to each other aside from a small label with their names, which led to Mrs Chaddha accidentally ingesting her husband’s, an inquest heard. She died after days of mistakenly taking his diabetes medication.
Katy Thorne KC, the coroner, issued a report to pharmacy organisations across the country to address how there is “no guidance or policy” to follow when issuing medication to patients with cognitive impairments. Thorne suggested different coloured boxes should be used.
The inquest into the death of Chaddha, who lived with her husband in Slough, Berks, heard that she was found “collapsed” on the floor at home on May 5. “It was discovered that she had been taking her husband’s medication instead of her own for several days, including diabetes medication,” the coroner said.
The inquest heard the pensioner’s blood sugar levels were found to be “extremely low”. Chaddha was taken to the nearby Wexham Park Hospital, where she died as a result of ‘accidental ingestion of hypoglycaemic medication’.
The coroner concluded that while her death was “accidental”, it gave way to several “matters of concern”. Thorne, the assistant coroner for Berkshire, said Lloyds Pharmacy provided medication to the elderly couple who suffered a “cognitive impairment”.
“The two patients’ dosset boxes were identical to each other except for a small pharmacist’s label with small type with the relevant patient’s name,” the coroner said. “Mrs Chaddha used one of Mr Chaddha’s dosset boxes, rather than her own, for several days. Evidence was given at the inquest that there was no guidance or policy in place for Pharmacists to follow when issuing medication to patients with cognitive impairments, or if there was, it was not well disseminated among the pharmacist population. Evidence was given at the inquest that dosset boxes of different colours or labels with different colours were not routinely given to elderly or cognitively impaired patients living at the same address.”
The coroner sent the report to organisations including Slough Pharmacy, Berkshire Integrated Care Board, the Local Pharmacy Commission, the National Pharmaceutical Association and the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service.
Ukraine wants an immediate invitation to join Nato, with membership later, but in the transatlantic alliance this is widely seen as unrealistic…reports Asian Lite News
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged European leaders to issue an “immediate invitation” to Ukraine to join Nato as he pitched his “victory plan”, which he said would end the war in 2025 at the latest.
Addressing the EU’s 27 leaders at a Brussels summit, Ukraine’s president outlined his five-point plan, which urges allies to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons on military targets inside Ukraine’s occupied territories and Russia, as well as to help increase air defences.
Ukraine wants an immediate invitation to join Nato, with membership later, but in the transatlantic alliance this is widely seen as unrealistic.
“If we start now and follow the victory plan, we can end this war no later than next year,” Zelenskyy told EU leaders. A “deterrence package” on Ukrainian land, he said, “would either force Russia to participate in real peace negotiations, or allow for the destruction of their military targets”.
“Putin must just see that his political calculations are worthless,” he added.
Zelenskyy’s visit comes at a perilous moment for Ukraine, which is steadily losing ground to Russian forces in the eastern Donbas, ahead of a daunting winter that also brings the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House.
European Union flags fly outside the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium, on June 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong/IANS)
Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy described how he gave Trump a detailed account of the 1994 Budapest memorandum signed by Russia, the US and the UK, under which Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan agreed to give up their nuclear arsenals, inherited from the Soviet Union, in exchange for guarantees their sovereignty would be respected “within existing borders”.
In a rhetorical flourish he said Ukraine faced a choice between resuming nuclear weapons and Nato membership, adding: “We are not choosing nuclear weapons, we are choosing Nato, and I think that Donald Trump heard me.”
Zelenskyy declined to give further details of his conversation with the former US president, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in a day, without offering any explanation. Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, has set out a peace deal that would mean Kyiv giving up large swaths of occupied land to Russia.
The Ukrainian leader also said his intelligence services believed 10,000 North Korean soldiers were preparing to join the war on the Russian side, “a really urgent” matter he said he had discussed with the US president, Joe Biden.
Some North Korean officers are already thought to be on occupied territory in Ukraine. Zelenskyy suggested Putin was turning to allies to provide troops because he feared domestic mobilisation would prompt a public backlash.
The Ukrainian discussed the war with the leaders of 27 EU countries, mostly Nato members, before heading to the alliance headquarters to meet the secretary-general, Mark Rutte, and Nato defence ministers. He has already been to Washington, Paris, Berlin, Rome and London to make the case for his plan.
Rutte, who became the top civilian official at the 32-member alliance earlier this month, said he could not say when Ukraine would become a member. Nato’s members, he said, would have to study the plan in detail.
The US and Germany, the two largest donors of military aid to Kyiv, remain opposed to imminent Nato membership, fearing it would put the alliance on a collision course with nuclear-armed Russia. Many other Nato members view the demand for an immediate invitation as unrealistic.
In an attempt to get the US on side, Ukraine is offering, after the war, to replace US soldiers stationed in Europe with Ukrainian units trained to Nato standards. “After this war, Ukraine will have one of the most experienced and largest military contingents,” states the text of Zelenskyy’s peace plan. “By replacing certain US contingent with the Ukrainian contingent, the United States will be able to use its released troops to perform other security tasks outside Europe.”
Ukraine also has an uphill task to convince Germany. The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, arriving at the summit, said: “You know Germany’s position on the issues involved. This will not change.”
Zelenskyy also has to contend with Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s Russia-friendly prime minister and a serial disruptor of EU support for Ukraine. Before the summit Orbán described Zelenskyy’s victory plans as “more than frightening” and once again urged the EU to change its approach because “we are losing this war”.
Hungary is the obstacle to US participation in a $50bn international loan, backed by Russia’s frozen assets in the west, to help Ukraine stay financially afloat. Washington has said it will only participate if the EU agreed to extend its Russia sanctions to three years, rather than the current six-month rollovers. Hungary says it cannot make this decision until after the US election.
In an attempt to “Orbán proof” finance for Ukraine, the EU has already agreed to loan €35bn (£29bn), with the UK and Japan expected to make up the rest of the €46bn. But officials would prefer the US to join the plan, reducing the EU’s share of the liability.
Lithuania’s president, Gitanas Nausėda, urged western allies to support Ukraine to press the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, to the negotiating table: “Right now he thinks he is prevailing. He thinks Russia is pushing Ukraine to the corner. And this is the worst moment to start negotiations … because Russia feels to be the stronger side.”
The former Tory leader, 58, said the loss of Ivan – who had Ohtahara’s syndrome – was “completely transformational”…reports Asian Lite News
Former prime minister David Cameron has opened up about the death of his six-year-old son Ivan in 2009 – and described the “chaos” of caring for him while balancing a life in politics.
The former Tory leader, 58, said the loss of Ivan – who had Ohtahara’s syndrome – was “completely transformational”.
Cameron said: “Bringing up children is hard enough but if you have a child who is having seizures every day, is having to be fed through a tube and needs to be cared for all night as well as all day, who’s going in and out of hospital.
“I can still remember the chaos… of you’re in hospital, then you’re back home, then you’re back again. I had just become an MP [when Ivan was born]. I remember turning up for debates in the House of Commons completely exhausted because I’ve been in St Mary’s Paddington [hospital] all night.
“I remember this great blessing of having your first child. In spite of all the difficulties he had with the seizures and cerebral palsy and everything – you still remember this beautiful, smiling boy that you would rest on your lap and look after and love. The extraordinary thing about grief is to start with, there’s nothing but black clouds. But after a while, happy memories do break through.”
Cameron, who resigned as prime minister after the 2016 Brexit referendum before returning for a stint as foreign secretary under Rishi Sunak, has recently started working with a joint US-UK venture that aims to develop 40 new treatments for rare diseases in the next decade.
The partnership between the University of Oxford and the Harrington Discovery Institute in Cleveland, Ohio sets out to bring together academia, pharmaceutical companies, philanthropy and venture capital, Lord Cameron has said. He will be the chair of the centre’s advisory council.
He said he believes Ivan’s life “could be very different” if he was born today, saying he and his wife Samantha “didn’t really get an answer” on Ivan’s condition.
“Back then, the first genome was being sequenced, the whole code of the human being – it took seven years and cost $2bn,” he said.
“Today, you can sequence a genome in an afternoon and it will cost you a few hundred dollars so we can see the full DNA, the genetic, biological makeup of a human being. That might not provide you with an answer but in some cases it will. There are thousands of different rare diseases, but about 80% seem to have a genetic base. There have been children born with those sorts of symptoms [that Ivan had] who’ve been identified through genomic medicine, who’ve had treatments, and that has improved their condition. There would be a very good chance that if Ivan was born today, and we immediately sequenced the genome, you could spot what was wrong, [and] that you might be able to take steps.”
Cameron also said he felt “lucky” that he and his wife “took the risk” of having more children after Ivan. They share two daughters and another son – Nancy, Florence and Arthur.
“At the time there was no genomics and genetic counselling back then,” he said. [It] was, ‘well, maybe it’s genetic, maybe it’s not’. Could be one in four, could be one in 1,000 – who knows? I’m lucky we took the risk. We have three happy, healthy children.”
The former prime minister also opened up about assisted dying, which MPs are set to vote on after a bill was introduced in parliament. He says he’s “got an open mind” and is “thinking about” the issue.
“I haven’t supported it before on the basis that I’ve always worried about vulnerable people being put under pressure,” he said. “Once you have some form of assisted dying, what’s the pressure put on people by relatives? I’ve always had that worry and concern.”
But his mind was changed “over the years of watching this debate and listening to the passionate arguments that people have put forward, having also known people with things like motor neurone disease and seen the deterioration and know how awful the end can be”.
In a wide-ranging interview, he also dismissed claims in Boris Johnson’s new book that Lord Cameron would “f*** him up” if he supported the Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum, saying: “That’s not my recollection.
The Minister will also speak of the UK’s ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Middle East….reports Asian Lite News
Anneliese Dodds will deliver her first major policy speech as Minister for Development, in which she’ll set out the new government’s vision for international development.
Addressing an audience at Chatham House, the Minister will set out a “new approach to development” and reaffirm the UK’s mission to create a world free from poverty, on a liveable planet. She will outline four key “shifts” needed to modernise the UK’s approach to development and restore its world-leading status:
Partnership – working with other governments, organisations, communities and individuals.
Multilateral reform – We will champion reform for a global, multilateral system that includes everyone, works for everyone, and is fit for the future – including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Harnessing UK expertise – We will be proactive about all that the UK has to offer the world – world-class universities, finance institutions, and expertise in leveraging private capital.
Growing opportunity for all – stating the power of international development to deliver shared benefits, for our partners and the UK.
The Minister will also speak of the UK’s ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Middle East. This includes a UK commitment to match fund the Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Middle East Humanitarian Appeal, launched earlier today, up to £10m. The appeal will provide life-saving interventions to those who need it most across Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.
Anneliese Dodds, Minister for Development, said, “his government is restoring Britain’s voice on the world stage and ensuring we are once again a global leader on international development. We will take a new, modern approach to development as we pursue our mission to create a world free from poverty on a liveable planet. We will work with others, in good faith, to build genuine partnership, underpinned by respect for other governments, organisations, communities, and individuals.”
Minister Dodds will outline how the UK government is working to make development and diplomacy work hand in hand. She will stress the critical importance of development, not only for those most in need around the world, but also for people in the UK.
The Minister will address the key challenges the UK and its partners face when it comes to development, from conflict and climate change to environmental degradation and racial and gender inequality. She will discuss the government’s strategy to tackle these issues within the context of a challenging political and fiscal environment.
The Minister for Development, is expected to say, “Our country is brimming with talent and brilliance. We are home to research and innovation on everything from nutritious and resilient crops, to new medicines and vaccines, cleaner mining, and emerging technologies. We are determined to put this talent and commitment to work, making sure we can connect British expertise and British solutions with international partners, in the spirit of collaboration and partnership.”
The 41-year-old childminder called for “mass deportation now” and added: “If that makes me racist, so be it.”…reports Asian Lite News
The wife of a Conservative councillor has been jailed for 31 months after calling for hotels housing asylum seekers to be set on fire. Lucy Connolly, whose husband serves on West Northamptonshire Council, posted the expletive-ridden message on X on the day three girls were killed in Southport.
The 41-year-old childminder called for “mass deportation now” and added: “If that makes me racist, so be it.” Judge Melbourne Inman KC told Birmingham Crown Court the sentence for these offences was intended to “punish and deter”.
The hearing was told Connolly, of Parkfield Avenue in Northampton, sent a WhatsApp message on 5 August joking that the tweet to her 10,000 followers had “bitten me on the arse, lol”. Connolly previously admitted intending to stir up racial hatred.
Opening the case, prosecutor Naeem Valli said Connolly also sent a message saying she intended to work her notice period as a childminder “on the sly” – despite being de-registered. Valli added: “She then goes on to say that if she were to get arrested she would ‘play the mental health card’.”
The court heard Connolly, who had no previous convictions, also sent another tweet commenting on a sword attack, which read: “I bet my house it was one of these boat invaders.” Another X post sent by Connolly – commenting on a video posted by the far right activist Tommy Robinson – read “Somalian I guess” and was accompanied by a vomiting emoji.
Connolly appeared before the court via a video link to HMP Peterborough while her husband, councillor Raymond Connolly, watched the proceedings from the public gallery.
Liam Muir, defending, said Connolly had lost a child in horrific circumstances and was distinguished from other offenders using social media in that she had sent the tweet at the heart of the case before any violence against asylum seekers had started.
Muir told the court: “The horrendous way in which she lost her son, being turned away from the health service, can only have a drastic detrimental effect on someone. Whatever her intention was in posting the offending tweet, it was short-lived and she didn’t expect the violence that followed, and she quickly tried to quell it.”
Passing sentence, Judge Inman told the court that Connolly’s tweet – which was read 310,000 times – was “intended to incite serious violence”. “When you published those words you were well aware how volatile the situation was,” he said. “That volatility led to serious disorder where mindless violence was used.”
Connolly wore a blue short sleeve top and appeared emotionless for most of hearing, pushing her hair back at times. The judge, considering the mitigation, noted Connolly’s previous good character and that she did not repeat her statement.
Connolly was ordered to serve 40% of her 31-month sentence in prison before being released on licence. Det Ch Supt Rich Tompkins, head of crime and justice at Northamptonshire Police, said he hoped the sentencing demonstrated “that the police take reports of this nature seriously”.
“We will do everything we can to help our communities feel safe and protected from fear of violence,” he added.
“If you have been a victim of a hate crime, please contact us so we can investigate it. No one should be targeted for who they are.”
Tory MP criticised for Badenoch children comment
A veteran Conservative MP has sparked outrage after saying he would not support Kemi Badenoch to be the Tory party leader because she is “preoccupied with her own children”.
Sir Christopher Chope told ITV News that the frontrunner in his party’s leadership race would be unable to commit to the role of leader of the opposition as she has young children.
Chope said he would support Badenoch’s opponent, the former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, adding: “I myself am supporting Robert Jenrick because I think he’s brought more energy and commitment to the campaign, and being leader of the opposition is a really demanding job.
“Much as I like Kemi, I think she’s preoccupied with her own children, quite understandably. I think Robert’s children are a bit older, and I think that it’s important that whoever leads the opposition has got an immense amount of time and energy.”
Both candidates have three children. Badenoch’s youngest is five and Jenrick’s is eight.
Chope’s comments were quickly condemned by members of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties, with Jenrick also distancing himself from them.
Liz Jarvis, the Liberal Democrat MP, tweeted: “Diminishing women’s ability to play leading roles in public life because they have young families is an attitude that should be in the distant past.”
Helena Dollimore, a Labour backbencher, posted: “I thought nothing could shock me about the state of the Conservative party, but that was before I had to sit through Christopher Chope MP opining about whether mothers can lead political parties.”
Her Labour colleague Stella Creasy added: “This is why we urgently need paternity leave sorted. Because until people start wondering if dads get distracted by their kids as much as they do mums, we will always have dinosaurs walk amongst us … or in this case on the modernisation committee in parliament …”
A spokesperson for Jenrick also disowned Chope’s comments, saying: “Rob doesn’t agree with this. He’s raising three young daughters himself.”
Badenoch, who herself attracted criticism after appearing to suggest maternity pay was “excessive”, is the current favourite in the Tory leadership election and will go head-to-head with Jenrick in a televised event on GB News on Thursday evening.
Chope denied his comments related to Badenoch being a woman. Speaking later in the day to Times Radio, he insisted they were justified.
“I repeat the point which I was making before, and that is that Kemi has got a young family and so it’s less likely that she’s going to be able to spend as much time as is required as somebody who hasn’t got the commitments of a young family,” he said.
“Now, that’s not suggesting she’s unsuited or anything like that to be the leader of the opposition. And I just think there’s a lot of mischief-making going on here.
“All I’m saying is that one of the candidates has got a younger family than the other one. And has also got a record of wanting to spend more time with her family than engage in going to far-flung constituencies.”
There was widespread anger over misogyny in politics this summer after it emerged that the US Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance had launched an attack on “childless cat ladies”.
In 2016, the Conservative party leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the race after she appeared to suggest that being a mother gave her an advantage over her rival Theresa May, who had no children.
Three years earlier, the Ukip politician Godfrey Bloom sparked controversy by saying that a room debating women in politics was “full of sluts” after two of his colleagues admitted they did not clean behind their fridge.
Attending his first NATO Defence Ministerial, the Defence Secretary signed up to a range of multinational long-term projects…reports Asian Lite News
NATO allies could be set to use Britain’s launch vehicles and space ports, following new work that will see the alliance start work to rapidly deploy assets to space.
With adversaries attempting to maximise their advantages in space, Defence Secretary John Healey MP signed a letter of intent, which will see NATO allies work closer on government and commercial space launch capabilities.
Attending his first NATO Defence Ministerial, the Defence Secretary also signed up to a range of multinational long-term projects, from virtual training to drone procurement.
Friday and Saturday (Friday 18 October, Saturday 19 October) the Defence Secretary will attend the G7 Defence Ministers meeting. The meeting, hosted by the Italian Presidency of the G7, in Naples, will see the Defence Secretary meet with his G7 opposite numbers.
On the margins of the G7, Mr Healey will also attend a meeting of the Global Combat Air Programme, with his Italian and Japanese counterparts. The space cooperation announcement will see the UK help develop NATO’s space capabilities.
Known as the STARLIFT programme, it will build space launch capabilities across the alliance and will see the UK, alongside our allies and commercial partners, create a network of space launch capabilities across the alliance.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said, “By developing these cutting-edge technologies, we are setting up our Armed Forces for the battlefields of the future, and creating significant opportunities for British industry. Our Government’s commitment to NATO is unshakeable. Together with our partners, we will ensure the collective security of our citizens and strengthen our alliance for decades to come.”
The UK will sign a letter of intent to share virtual simulator training across NATO, allowing Allies to train and work together without the need for a physical deployment, saving time, resources and money.
The UK has agreed that NATO will create a single test network to enable allies to use different munition types, such as 155mm, on various artillery systems. This will ensure greater flexibility in joint operations.
The Defence Secretary also confirmed that the UK will take part in a project to develop cutting-edge drones. The UK has played a key role in sending thousands of drones to Ukraine, where we have seen first-hand the vital role they have played in fighting back against Putin’s forces.
NATO allies will work together to develop these unmanned platforms which will gather intelligence, surveillance and deliver strike capabilities. UK participation also helps to integrate the MQ-9B/Protector uncrewed aircraft capability into the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force and defence of the High North and Arctic region. The UK’s participation in these ambitious projects underline our unshakeable commitment to NATO.
The new Covenant is designed to harness the knowledge and expertise of voluntary, community, social enterprises…reports Asian Lite News
The creation of a ‘Civil Society Covenant’ will usher in a new era of partnership between government and civil society and help tackle some of the country’s biggest challenges, the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary will announce today.
The new Covenant is designed to harness the knowledge and expertise of voluntary, community, social enterprises (VCSEs) and charities to deliver better outcomes for communities right across the country.
Civil society occupies a unique place in public life by providing support to those in need, binding communities together and helping drive growth. Across the country, there are countless examples of what partnership between civil society and government can achieve, including youth activities to support vulnerable teenagers and tools to support people into work.
The new Covenant will build a new partnership between government and civil society based on trust and mutual respect. Crucially, it will unlock the dynamism, innovation and trusted reach of civil society across communities, helping to deliver the defining missions of this government; driving economic growth and opening up opportunity to all.
As a first step, a Covenant Framework has been developed in consultation with key civil society bodies, including the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO).
The inclusion of key representative organisations recognises the expertise civil society offers in tackling disadvantage, driving cohesion, supporting democracy and community voices both at home and abroad.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy will chair a roundtable discussion with civil society leaders at 10 Downing Street today to launch the Covenant Framework. This will be followed by a reception hosted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to welcome leaders from a range of civil society organisations. Attendees will represent civil society from across the four nations, including grass roots charities and social enterprises covering a range of diverse communities.
Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer said, “To fix the foundations of our country we need a fundamental reset of the relationship between government and civil society. That is why we’re building a new partnership with the sector to tackle the complex social and economic challenges we face as a country. By harnessing the dynamism, innovation and trusted reach of civil society organisations, we can boost growth and deliver better outcomes for communities right across the country”.
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said, “The Covenant paves the way for a new era in the relationship between government and civil society — one that recognises the critical role the sector plays as a trusted partner in achieving shared goals for the benefit of communities across the UK. Voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises all understand the challenges being faced every day in our villages, towns and cities and the government wants to work hand-in-hand with them to help fix them — changing lives for the better.”
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) CEO, Sarah Elliott said, “We are proud to be working with the Government on the Civil Society Covenant. This foundational moment resets the relationship between government and civil society, ensuring the expertise of charities and social enterprises are central to decision making. We look forward to continuing our work with partners across the sector to achieve this vision.
Four key principles will form the basis of the Covenant Framework: transparency, recognition, participation and partnership. They will act as a starting point for wider engagement across Government, the public sector and civil society.
Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) CEO, Jane Ide said, “ACEVO welcomes the government’s commitment to work together to develop a Civil Society Covenant which aims to redefine our relationship for the benefit of the people, causes and communities we serve. Effective leadership relies on collaboration, trust, and mutual respect — values that underpin this Covenant. Civil society leaders are essential partners in realising this vision and ensuring its principles are upheld.”
The initiative aims to improve Government and civil society’s ability to tackle complex social and economic challenges by uniting the unique capabilities of the two to facilitate better outcomes for communities which would otherwise be impossible to achieve in isolation.
