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Category: UK News

  • UK private schools suffer 10,000 pupil drop

    UK private schools suffer 10,000 pupil drop

    The government has pledged to impose the 20 per cent tax from January, making the UK the only western country, apart from New Zealand, which taxes education…reports Asian Lite News

    Independent schools across Britain reported a drop of more than 10,000 pupils starting in September, with the starkest fall at the start of secondary school, ahead of the introduction of the Labour government’s VAT on tuition.

    The government has pledged to impose the 20 per cent tax from January, making the UK the only western country, apart from New Zealand, which taxes education.

    Boarding schools saw the highest drop overall, at 2.4 per cent on average, according to new figures from the Independent Schools Council (ISC). For day schools, there was a 1.7 per cent fall. But in Year 7, it was as much as 4.6 per cent.

    Schools in Wales have been hit the hardest, followed by those in Yorkshire and the South West. Smaller schools, with fewer than 300 pupils, and those charging the lowest fees saw the greatest drop.

    But even medium-sized schools have suffered badly, with one telling The National that it experienced a 10 per cent fall in the number of pupils in Year 7, the first year of secondary school. Several parents have already pulled their children out of Stafford Grammar School, in central England, according to the head teacher, with more having given notice for January, and some planning to see the year out before doing so to minimise the disruption for their children. The school has about 380 pupils.

    “In some instances, those who made the very immediate response to do that at the beginning of September said that they didn’t actually have a school place for their child,” said the school’s head teacher, Nick Pietrek. “For those parents who knew immediately that they wouldn’t be able to afford it come January and were already being pushed to the limits, they’d rather pay the fees in lieu and go in the hope they get their child into another school as quickly as possible. But none of those schools were open at the time because it was the summer holiday, so up to the beginning of September, they still had no school for their child. They were literally having to go to the schools directly. The local authority wasn’t able to help.”

    Their decision was motivated by the fact that the school informed parents it faced no choice but to pass on the full 20 per cent rise in January when the policy comes into force. “We had already budgeted and we’ve always worked on smaller margins in our fees. Nearly all of our revenue, almost 85 per cent, goes on salaries,” said Pietrek.

    “The only way it can be absorbed is by school lowering is fees. And unfortunately, being mid-year, we just can’t do that,” he said. The school hopes to be able to identify some efficiencies to prevent fees rising in September 2025, and possibly even reduce them, he said.

    Pietrek said the policy is a repeat of what took place in Greece in 2015, when it briefly imposed a 23 per cent tax on school fees. It was later forced to roll the policy back by the EU and following the closure of smaller schools, with pressure building up on the state sector. A comment was left on an article shared on his LinkedIn account from a Greek resident, who compared the policy’s failure with Labour’s push to introduce the charge. “And I think those same words apply here, really, it feels like a mix of incompetence and political obsession,” he said.

    About 600,000 children – or 6 per cent of UK pupils – are currently educated privately. Almost a fifth receive some form of SEND support, and more than a third receive help with their fees through scholarships or bursaries.

    The Independent Schools Council, which represents 1,4000 independent schools across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, is calling on the government to modify its plans and delay the implementation of the policy, in particular looking at the impact it will have on small schools, faith schools, and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

    “This data couldn’t be clearer – parents are already removing their children from independent schools as a result of the government’s plans to charge parents VAT. This is just the tip of the iceberg and the knock-on effect on schools is significant, with many small schools already at risk of closure,” said Julie Robinson, chief executive at ISC.

    “We want to work with the government to mitigate some of the biggest challenges of this policy, including looking at delaying the implementation of VAT, and seriously reviewing its impact on young people with special educational needs and disabilities.”

    ALSO READ: Migrant arrivals hit highest daily total this year

  • Reeves urged to end panic over pension tax raid

    Reeves urged to end panic over pension tax raid

    It comes as the Chancellor faces calls to limit the amount of tax-free cash that savers can withdraw from their pensions, a move which could raise £2bn for the Treasury….reports Asian Lite News

    “Petrified” savers are pulling money out of their pensions early amid fears of Rachel Reeves’s possible tax raid, wealth advisers have warned.

    Steven Levin, chief executive of wealth manager Quilter, has sent a letter to the Treasury claiming panic over this month’s Budget had prompted clients to take “knee-jerk decisions” that could jeopardise their financial security.

    He said: “We are witnessing more clients considering whether to withdraw their pension tax-free cash prematurely. The knock-on uncertainty around changes to pension tax reliefs, tax-free cash and possible amendments to pension contributions is causing anxiety and confusion for those trying to plan their financial futures.”

    The letter added: “A prompt statement from the Treasury, advising against changes to pension arrangements pre-Budget, would be highly beneficial.”

    It comes as the Chancellor faces calls to limit the amount of tax-free cash that savers can withdraw from their pensions, a move which could raise £2bn for the Treasury.

    Current rules allow savers aged 55 and over to withdraw 25pc of any pension in a tax-free lump sum, up to a maximum of £286,275.

    The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) this month urged Ms Reeves to reduce the maximum to £100,000, which would affect about one in five retirees.

    Wealth managers have warned that changes to tax-free withdrawals would be destabilising for those in their late 50s and early 60s who have already earmarked funds in their retirement plans, such as paying off their mortgage.

    Many are advising pension savers to avoid making hasty withdrawals, especially if they are planning to redirect the tax-free cash to a bank account with lower returns.

    Jason Hollands, of wealth manager Evelyn Partner, said: “More customers are getting in touch to ask about withdrawing money early. This has been fuelled by think tanks, such as the IFS, saying the lump sum should be slashed to £100,000.

    “This has petrified some people who might have been banking on tax-free cash to clear mortgages or reduce debt in the next few years. The Treasury says it can’t comment on fiscal plans ahead of the Budget, which is understandable. But it’s common for ‘sources close to Treasury’ to dampen down worries if it’s having an adverse impact. The sooner they set out the direction of travel the better. People need more clarity.”

    Tom Selby, of wealth manager AJ Bell, said: “When we commit money to a pension the deal is that we sacrifice spending power today in order to provide for ourselves in the future, with certain tax breaks on offer to sweeten the deal. Even the perception that the Government might renege on the terms of the deal risks people taking actions which may not be in their best interest.”

    He added that cutting tax-free cash was an “extremely unlikely” move, but the Chancellor needed to confirm that speculation is unfounded to “nip the issue in the bud”.

    ALSO READ: Migrant arrivals hit highest daily total this year

  • Migrant arrivals hit highest daily total this year

    Migrant arrivals hit highest daily total this year

    The crossings came the same day French authorities said four people, including a two-year-old boy, had died while trying to cross the Channel to reach the UK…reports Asian Lite News

    More than 900 people crossed the English Channel in small boats on Saturday – the highest daily total so far this year. According to the Home Office, 973 migrants arrived in 17 boats, bringing the total number for the year to 26,612 people in 503 boats.

    The crossings came the same day French authorities said four people, including a two-year-old boy, had died while trying to cross the Channel to reach the UK. The Home Office has said previously it was making progress in its bid to end dangerous small boat crossings, “which threaten lives and undermine our border security”.

    The previous highest daily total of arrivals in 2024 was 882 people on 18 June. While there were no recorded crossings in the first three days of October, on Friday, 395 migrants arrived in the UK after making the journey.

    The total number of arrivals in 2024 so far is now higher than at the same point last year, when 25,330 migrants had reached the UK. But it is still far lower than at the same point in the year in 2022, when 33,586 people had made the crossing.

    On Saturday, French authorities said the four people who died while attempting to cross the Channel were likely “trampled to death” in two separate boats that had engine failures. French interior minister Bruno Retailleau said the deaths were a “terrible tragedy”, adding that people smugglers “have the blood of these people on their hands”.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the deaths were “appalling”, and that “criminal smuggler gangs continue to organise these dangerous boat crossings”. Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said he was “absolutely determined” to tackle the smuggling gangs facilitating the crossings but would not commit to a timeframe for doing that.

    ALSO READ: UK Govt ‘resolutely committed’ to its overseas territories, says Doughty

  • ‘Carrying pro-Hezbollah signs at protests a criminal act’

    ‘Carrying pro-Hezbollah signs at protests a criminal act’

    The Metropolitan Police made at least 17 arrests during the protests, including two individuals suspected of supporting banned organizations…reports Asian Lite News

    Science Secretary Peter Kyle has warned that displaying support for Hezbollah constituted a “criminal act.” Kyle said any show of support for the group, a proscribed terrorist group in the UK, should be punished after signs with pro-Hezbollah slogans were seen during a pro-Palestine demonstration in central London over the weekend.

    The Metropolitan Police made at least 17 arrests during the protests, including two individuals suspected of supporting banned organizations, Sky News reported.

    The force said it was “aware” of social media posts showing people “holding placards with messages of support for Hezbollah,” adding that the footage had been passed to specialized officers.

    Kyle appeared on the Sky News program “Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips” and stated law enforcement agencies had “the full support” of the home secretary, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the government “in doing what they need to do to make sure that criminal acts like that are tackled.”

    The protests come amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with Israel conducting targeted raids against Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran launching missiles into Israel.

    The Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks has led to more than 2,600 protests in the UK over the past year, resulting in 550 arrests.

    Political and faith leaders, including Starmer, have called for calm and rejected any incitement of hate, urging communities to unite ahead of the first anniversary of the Hamas attack that has seen around 42,000 people killed, according to Gaza health authorities.

    The prime minister, writing in The Sunday Times, said the “flames from this deadly conflict now threaten to consume the region,” adding “the sparks light touchpapers in our own communities here at home.”

    He continued: “During difficult times, our differences and diversity should bind us together more strongly, not drive us apart. But there are always some who would use conflict abroad to stoke conflict here. Since Oct. 7, we have watched vile hatred against Jews and Muslims rise in our communities. Any attack on a minority is an attack on our proud values of tolerance and respect. We will not stand for it.”

    On Saturday, tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered to march in central London to mark the passing of a year since the 7 October attacks in Israel. Groups of activists convened in two areas in central London on Saturday morning amid a heavy police presence – one in Russell Square, one in nearby Bedford Square.

    Organisers of the former said they planned to march to Whitehall, where attenders would listen to speeches – including from the former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf. According to organisers of the latter, they planned to “target” companies and institutions they say are “complicit in Israel’s crimes”, including Barclays and the British Museum.

    The Metropolitan police said the second march came across counter-protests at the junction of Kingsway and Aldwych and at the junction of the Strand and Trafalgar Square. The demonstrators blocked Tottenham Court Road by gathering outside a Barclays branch just after midday, with a sign held near the entrance reading: “Shame on those who looked away from the sadistic genocide of mainly children in Gaza and the West Bank.”

    Later they blocked Gower Street near the British Museum and police appeared to form a line to prevent the group meeting up with the other pro-Palestine march that began in Russell Square. They then gathered outside the British Library, chanting: “Yemen, Yemen make us proud. Turn another ship around,” and: “British Museum. Paint it red. Over 100,000 dead.”

    In Bedford Square, some were holding Lebanese and Iranian flags and banners stating: “We do not stand with genocide” and “Zionism is racism”, with many chanting: “Free, free Palestine.” In Edinburgh, thousands of people joined a similar demonstration, which included a silent march to commemorate all civilians killed. The event was organised by Scottish Friends of Palestine and the Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee.

    The Met said officers had made 17 arrests so far as part of a “significant” policing operation across the capital in response to planned protest and memorial events. Two people were arrested on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation, one of which included a protester wearing what appeared to be a parachute, and there were eight arrests on suspicion of public order offences, four of which were allegedly racially aggravated. Parachutes and paragliders were used by militants from Hamas to launch their aerial assault to enter Israel from Gaza last October.

    Three people were arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, three were arrested on suspicion of assault and one person was arrested on suspicion of breaching a Public Order Act condition. The force said the arrests were made when people tried to get past officers who had formed a cordon to stop any groups breaking away from the main protest.

    ALSO READ: UK Govt ‘resolutely committed’ to its overseas territories, says Doughty

  • Starmer reiterates call for ceasefire

    Starmer reiterates call for ceasefire

    The PM has called for unity in Britain and urged the nation to “unequivocally stand with the Jewish community”, as he reiterated calls for immediate ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks…reports Asian Lite News

    Keir Starmer has called for unity in Britain and urged the nation to “unequivocally stand with the Jewish community”, as he reiterated calls for immediate ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon on the anniversary of the 7 October attacks.

    The prime minister described it as “the darkest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust”, reflecting on the deaths of more than 1,000 people who were murdered by Hamas, including the young people massacred at a music festival, raped and brutally tortured in the aftermath.

    While he stood firm in his commitment to help “bring the hostages home”, he said “we must not look the other way as civilians bear the ongoing dire consequences of this conflict in the Middle East”.

    He continued: “We will not falter in our pursuit of peace and on this day of pain and sorrow, we honour those we lost, and continue in our determination to return those still held hostage, help those who are suffering, and secure a better future for the Middle East.”

    His comments come as the government earlier advised Israel to show “restraint”, while the prime minister had warned that “sparks” from the Middle East conflict could “light touchpapers in our communities at home”.

    A series of rallies and demonstrations took place over the weekend, with more expected to take place around the country on Monday.

    In London, the Met police said 17 people had been arrested after Saturday’s pro-Palestinian march in central London, as part of a “significant” policing operation in response to planned protest and memorial events.

    On Sunday afternoon, thousands of people arrived at a memorial event being held in London’s Hyde Park, organised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council and other groups. Supporters waved Israeli flags and placards with the faces of the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza as they chanted “bring them home”.

    The mother of the sole British hostage still in Gaza a year after she was taken by Hamas said her daughter has been “stripped of every human right” and remains “in hell”, as she called for her safe return.

    Mandy Damari spoke about her daughter Emily publicly for the first time, through tears, and called for the release of the 101 hostages who remained in Gaza, saying each one was someone’s child, grandchild, parent or grandparent.

    “How is it that she [Emily] is still imprisoned there after one year?” Damari said.

    “Why isn’t the whole world, especially Britain, fighting every moment to secure her release?”

    Also at the event was Tracy-Ann Oberman, the actor and playwright, who said “we must not forget our humanity”, adding it was “heartening” to see so many people in attendance.

    “I’m here today because it’s about memorial and remembrance,” she said. “It’s about remembering the terrorist attack on 7 October. It’s about remembering our dead and it’s about remembering our hostages, some of whom are still alive and who we desperately want to bring home.”

    The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said in a statement: “I know, like me, Jewish and Muslim Londoners – and Londoners of every religion and of no organised faith – have been left distressed and utterly heartbroken by the cycle of terror, bloodshed and suffering that has engulfed the region. Many of us have seen images, or read news reports, of the horrors on 7 October and in Palestine that will haunt us for the rest of our lives.”

    He repeated his call for a ceasefire and acknowledged the impact of the violence abroad has had on London’s communities. “We cannot allow conflict overseas to divide us here at home,” he said.

    In Waterloo a group of Jewish and Muslim women came together to mark the anniversary and to help “stop the hate on [Britain’s] streets”.

    Dubbed a “safe space” by organisers, the group of six Jewish women and six Muslim women shared their feelings of “exhaustion”, “pain” and “suffering”, often through tears, but were also keen to express their “hope” and “gratitude” that they felt had come from similar acts of unity.

    Organisers Julie Siddiqi, a Muslim, and Laura Marks, who is Jewish, are co-founders of the Nisa-Nashim Jewish and Muslim Women’s Network.

    Thousands also gathered in Manchester city centre for a pro-Israel march and rally, including Greater Manchester MPs Josh Simons and Christian Wakeford.

    The Met said it was likely that events and gatherings of various sizes would take place across London on Monday.

    Peter Kyle, a UK cabinet minister, speaking on the BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, said: “We do understand deeply what Israel has suffered in this year, but the only way forward is restraint, a ceasefire to create the space for a political solution, because this is getting more complicated. The war is deepening and it is not moving towards the peace that we need, so we are urging the steps that will take us towards that peaceful settlement”.

    ALSO READ: UK Govt ‘resolutely committed’ to its overseas territories, says Doughty

  • Heartfulness Hosts Event To Promote Peace In Manchester Community

    Heartfulness Hosts Event To Promote Peace In Manchester Community

    Over 100 local residents unite in meditation and yoga…reports Asian Lite News

    Heartfulness Manchester organized a free community event, “Yoga for Unity and Peace,” to foster peace and unity within the local community. The event took place in the Theatre Hall, The Fuse, Partington, M31 4BU, and was opened by the Mayor of Trafford Councillor Amy Whyte, accompanied by her Consort Reverend Sarah Hooks. Also present were dignitaries Mr. Aman Bansal (Consul and Head of Chancery of the Consulate General of India, Birmingham) and Mrs Rinku Bansal.

    “We believe that by fostering individual peace, we contribute to the overall harmony of our community,” says Naren Kumbeswaran (Heartfulness Coordinator for the North of England)) “This event is our way of supporting the Manchester community in finding balance amidst the stresses of modern life.”

    This event provided over 100 Manchester participants with an opportunity to: learn Heartfulness meditation techniques; participate in a guided yoga session; discover methods for cultivating peace in daily life; enjoy cafe with locally homemade food.

    “In response to the challenges of modern life, Heartfulness offers practical techniques for finding inner calm,” Sri Kamlesh D. Patel (Daaji), president and guide of Heartfulness, explains, “The first step is to still the turbulence of a restless mind and heart. Heartfulness practices bring us to a state where we can be peaceful under all circumstances.”

    The session included an introduction to Heartfulness practices, followed by yoga with certified trainer and Consultant at Tameside General Hospital Dr. Muthu Gourishankar, Heartfulness Relaxation, and Meditation led by Local Certified Trainer Elizabeth Gaye Stanley.

    Introducing the event, The Mayor of Trafford, Amy Whyte expressed “We are very much looking forward to promoting some inner peace and peace for our communities as well”; local participants reported “feeling lighter in their mind” following the experience and a follow on session is planned for the 12th October. If you are interested to join this or find out further information about Heartfulness Meditation please email event.registration@heartfulness.uk and find us at www.heartfulness.uk

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  • UK Govt ‘resolutely committed’ to its overseas territories, says Doughty

    UK Govt ‘resolutely committed’ to its overseas territories, says Doughty

    Keir Starmer defended the UK relinquishing control of the Chagos Islands …reports Asian Lite News

    The UK is “resolutely committed” to all of its overseas territories, the responsible foreign minister said, after Argentina vowed to gain “full sovereignty” of the Falkland Islands. Stephen Doughty said on Saturday that the sovereignty of the territories is “not up for negotiation”.

    Keir Starmer defended the UK relinquishing control of the Chagos Islands on Friday and said the agreement with Mauritius over the remote archipelago would achieve the “single most important thing” of securing the long-term future of a joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.

    Doughty, minister of state for Europe, North America and overseas territories, wrote on X: “British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar or any other of our Overseas Territories is not up for negotiation.

    “The Chagos Islands are a very different issue with a very different history. The UK remains resolutely committed to all our Overseas Territories.”

    Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, added on X: “UK Armed Forces support our Overseas Territories, protect sovereignty and operational capabilities and our commitment to them remains unwavering and resolute.”

    Argentina’s foreign minister, Diana Mondino, promised “concrete action” to ensure that the Falklands, the British-controlled archipelago that Argentina calls the Malvinas and claims as its own, are handed to Buenos Aires.

    She said: “Following the path we have already taken, with concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we will recover full sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands.” The Falklands’ governor, Alison Blake, has already sought to reassure residents that the UK’s commitment to the territory is “unwavering”.

    On Friday, Starmer was asked to guarantee that no other British overseas territories would be signed away, and he responded: “The single most important thing was ensuring that we had a secure base, the joint US-UK base; hugely important to the US, hugely important to us.

    “We’ve now secured that and that is why you saw such warm words from the US yesterday,” the prime minister added. The agreement over the continued UK-US military presence on Diego Garcia is expected to run for 99 years, for which Britain will pay an annual fee.

    ALSO READ: Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing

  • Hurricane to bring heavy rain next week 

    Hurricane to bring heavy rain next week 

    The Met Office has said it poses a threat of disruptive rain and wind for some after a mild weekend…reports Asian Lite News

    The UK is set to be blasted by strong winds and heavy rain next week as Hurricane Kirk moves across the Atlantic Ocean.

    The weather system strengthened into a category 4 storm on Friday and its remnants threaten to bring a spell of unsettled conditions, with temperatures forecast to fall.

    While the hurricane is expected to be downgraded by the time it reaches Europe, the Met Office has said it poses a threat of disruptive rain and wind for some after a mild weekend.

    Deputy chief meteorologist Chris Bulmer said the exact track and timing of low-pressure that Kirk will generate is yet to be determined, but added: “Across the UK, parts of England and Wales look to have the greatest risk of heavy rain and strong winds during Wednesday and Thursday.

    “However, a more southward track of this system, which is equally plausible at this stage, would see the most disruptive conditions impact France.”

    He added possible weather warnings “will be kept under review over the coming days”. As of Saturday afternoon, none have been issued by the weather agency.

    The Met Office said in its long-range forecast from 9 October to 18 October that Scotland and Northern Ireland “are more likely to quickly turn colder with showers, and the colder weather (perhaps some snow on Scottish mountains) will most likely gradually work its way south”.

    “A more settled interlude is then possible but further spells of wind and rain, again with a focus across southern areas, are likely to arrive from the west during the following week with temperatures returning to around average,” it said.

    This weekend, the UK is set for interchangeable weather, with sunny spells and showers. Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said Saturday will see showers over Northern Ireland and Scotland “generally easing across the Scottish borders by the time we reach the afternoon”.

    “Elsewhere, there’ll be plenty of that bright sunshine and it will be feeling warm and there will be lighter winds in that sunshine too,” she added. The forecast comes after much of the UK was hit by heavy downpours last month. Ten counties across England saw their wettest September on record, according to provisional Met Office data.

    For Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire, September 2024 was the wettest month the counties have experienced, in a series dating back to 1836. Overall, England had nearly twice its September average rainfall – with 95% more than would normally be seen in that month.

    ALSO READ: Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing

  • Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing

    Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing

    The body of the toddler was found in a boat on Saturday, and three adult immigrants were killed while seeking to reach British shores in another…reports Asian Lite News

    A two-year-old has been crushed to death and three other people have been killed in two attempts to cross the English Channel using overcrowded boats, French authorities say.

    “A child was trampled to death,” French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on X on Saturday. “… The smugglers have the blood of these people on their hands, and our government will intensify the fight against these gangs who enrich themselves by organising these deadly crossings.”

    The body of the toddler was found in a boat on Saturday, and three adult immigrants were killed while seeking to reach British shores in another boat, said Jacques Billant, prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region. A dinghy carrying the toddler issued a call for assistance on Saturday morning that was picked up by a French tow vessel, the Abeille Normandie. Officials said that from 8am to 9am [06:00 to 07:00 GMT], the vessel took 14 people on board, including the deceased.

    French officials clarified that the incident was not a shipwreck and the deceased child was found inside the boat rather than in the water. The other passengers continued their journey.

    Another boat overcrowded with migrants also suffered engine failure off the coast of Calais in France, leading to panic. Some migrants fell into the sea and were rescued.

    Three people – two men and a woman aged about 30 – were then discovered unconscious at the bottom of the boat, Billant told reporters. The three were “probably crushed, suffocated and drowned” in the water at the bottom of the boat, the prefect said.

    British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the “appalling” tragedies. “It is appalling that more lives have been lost in the Channel today, including a young child, as criminal smuggler gangs continue to organise these dangerous boat crossings,” she said in a post on X.

    “The gangs do not care if people live or die – this is a terrible trade in lives.” Cooper said she was in touch with Retailleau, adding the two met this week to discuss “our determination to increase cooperation and law enforcement to pursue and dismantle criminal gangs”.

    The latest tragedies bring to 51 the number of migrants who have died trying to reach England from France so far this year, according to Billant. Eight people died in mid-September when their overcrowded vessel capsized while trying to cross the channel.

    Channel crossings to Britain by undocumented immigrants have ballooned since 2018, reaching 25,000 since the start of this year. The French and British governments have sought to stop the flow of these asylum seekers and migrants, who may pay smugglers thousands of euros each for the passage to England from France on board small boats.

    France’s new right-wing prime minister, Michel Barnier, said on Tuesday that the country needs a stricter immigration policy. He promised to be “ruthless” with people traffickers, who he said “exploit misery and despair” that push undocumented asylum seekers to risk trying to cross the channel and the Mediterranean.

    Stopping the small boat arrivals on England’s southern coast was a key issue in Britain’s general election in July with new Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing plans to deal with the influx of small boats crossing from France after scrapping the former Conservative government’s plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.

    Cooper has said the government aims over the next six months to achieve the highest rate of deportations of failed asylum seekers in five years.

    Last month, Starmer was in Rome to learn lessons from the Italians on migration, unapologetically trying to understand how Italy had achieved a 60% drop in Mediterranean small boat crossings over the past year.

    But this visit was also controversial. Because, even amid the pomp of a red carpet welcome and warm optics, it is important to remember that this is an issue that has brought two very different prime ministers from opposite ends of the political spectrum together.

    Some at home, even within Labour ranks, have voiced concerns about the new prime minister taking advice from Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government.

    But for Starmer, the argument is that illegal migration can only be stopped with the type of European cooperation he’s trying to achieve here in Italy. And so his defence is that he, or Britain, was being pragmatic – something the country has prided itself on in the past.

    However, he was far from clear on whether the UK was now about to adapt some of those controversial policies. There was agreement on trying to prevent people migrating in the first place, though not many would disagree with that position.

    Whatever the specifics, what is notable is that for Sir Keir this has to be about more than just international cooperation. With the worst year on record for deaths in the English Channel so far, it’s a mission that has become increasingly urgent.

    ALSO READ: India Can Convince Israel To Stop Escalation In Middle East, Says Iran

  • UK Parliament to consider assisted dying law  

    UK Parliament to consider assisted dying law  

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised earlier this year to give lawmakers a free vote on the issue, meaning Labour, which won an election in July, will not instruct its members how to vote…reports Asian Lite News

    British lawmakers will soon consider whether to give terminally ill adults a choice to end their own lives with medical assistance, after what proponents sayis a shift in public opinion since a similar measure was rejected a decade ago.

    Kim Leadbeater, a lawmaker from Britain’s governing Labour Party who won a ballot giving her the right to introduce a bill on a subject of her choice, confirmed on Thursday that she would present a bill on assisted dying on Oct. 16.

    “I … strongly believe that we should give people facing the most unbearable end to their life a choice about what that end is like,” she wrote in The Guardian newspaper.

    The law is expected to allow mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with six months or less left to live to choose whether to end their lives, and allow medics to help them. Under current law, assisting suicide is punishable by up to 14 years in jail.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised earlier this year to give lawmakers a free vote on the issue, meaning Labour, which won an election in July, will not instruct its members how to vote. Other parties have also told their members they can vote according to their consciences.

    A number of lawmakers from all of Britain’s major parties remain sceptical, notably expressing concern that terminally ill patients who are vulnerable and feel they are being a burden to their families could face pressure to end their lives.

    “While I deeply respect the debate, I have yet to see legislation that fully addresses concerns around coercion or doubt,” Labour lawmaker James Frith wrote on X. “If a vote were held today, I would vote against assisted dying.”

    Those who accompany relatives choosing euthanasia in places such as Switzerland, where it has been legal since 1942, can now face prosecution in Britain for assisting suicide.

    In recent years, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and some U.S. states have legalised assisted dying under certain circumstances. Within the UK, the devolved parliament in Scotland, which sets its own laws on such matters, is considering similar legislation.

    Polling of 2,000 Britons published by research group Savanta on Friday showed 48% supported it, 21% opposed it, 22% say they neither support or oppose it and the rest don’t know.

    “This is a historic opportunity to bring about real change for dying people … The mood in Westminster has shifted dramatically, at last catching up with public opinion,” said Sarah Wootton, head of the campaign group Dignity in Dying.

    Starmer faces Commons vote on Chagos Islands handover

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be forced to hold a vote on the Chagos Islands amid fury over his decision to hand them over to Mauritius. The Government said on Thursday that the strategically important Indian Ocean archipelago would be transferred, after being in British hands since 1814.

    The Prime Minister immediately came under fire over the move, which was announced during parliamentary recess without MPs getting a say in the Commons. Robert Jenrick, the frontrunner to become the next Tory leader, said the Conservative Party must display its “staunch opposition to the principle of the agreement”.

    Mark Francois, the former Armed Forces minister said, “It’s appalling how Labour have deliberately announced their abject surrender over the Chagos Islands during a  Parliamentary recess.” A plane takes off while others stand on a runway

    He added: “This is even more pressing, before Argentina ups its rhetoric over the Falklands or Spain does over Gibraltar – we now need both of those other claims categorically refuted, on the floor of the House, early next week.”

    A Government minister on Saturday was forced to issue a statement on the territories after the Prime Minister on Friday did not rule out signing them away.

    Stephen Doughty, the minister for UK Overseas Territories, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar or any other of our overseas territories is not up for negotiation. “The Chagos Islands are a very different issue, with a very different history.”

    Labour claimed the deal would safeguard global security by ending a long-running dispute, which followed a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in favour of Mauritius in 2018.

    Robert Buckland, who represented the UK as solicitor general in the ICJ case, said the Government’s approach was “underhand”. The former justice secretary told The Telegraph that the decision “flies in the face of the evidence”.

    “The evidence I presented and saw did not get even close to Mauritius having a claim,” he added.

    Tom Tugendhat, the former security minister and Tory leadership contender, raised concerns about the implications for wider Western security of ceding the Chagos Islands.

    He said: “The islands’ Diego Garcia air base is not just strategically important – it sits in the middle of the Indian Ocean and operates as a fixed aircraft carrier giving us strategic reach over Afghanistan and eastern Iran and dominates the sea lanes and sits at the heart of a maritime conservation zone. That makes it a serious strategic prize for any global power. And without control over the outlying islands, we have less control over what happens next door.”

    Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, also expressed outrage at the decision, with the party planning to table an urgent question in the Commons on Monday. Farage wrote to David Lammy on Saturday to demand that a vote take place “at the earliest opportunity”, saying the way that the decision had been made meant MPs “from all parties remain in the dark about so many aspects of this decision”.

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