Tag: Boris Johnson

Categories
-Top News UK News

Amid anger, PM apologises for Christmas party blunder

“I apologise unreservedly for the offence that it has caused up and down the country and I apologise for the impression that it gives,” Johnson told parliament…reports Asian Lite News.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised and his adviser resigned on Wednesday after a video surfaced showing his staff laughing and joking about a party in Downing Street during a Christmas Covid-19 lockdown last year when such festivities were banned.

For more than a week, Johnson and his team have repeated that no rules were broken in late 2020 after the Mirror newspaper reported there had been several parties – including a wine-fuelled gathering of 40 to 50 people – to mark Christmas.

On Wednesday, he said he was furious about the video, which was shown by ITV late on Tuesday, but that he had been repeatedly assured there had not been a party.

Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer accused Johnson of “taking the public for fools”, while Ian Blackford of the Scottish National Party called for Johnson to resign.

It is the latest misstep by an administration that has been criticised for its handling of a sleaze scandal, the awarding of Covid contracts, the refurbishment of Johnson’s Downing Street flat and the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan.

With reports that the government could implement tougher Covid-19 measures as early as Thursday to try to slow the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant of the coronavirus, it could also persuade many people to ignore any new rules.

“I apologise unreservedly for the offence that it has caused up and down the country and I apologise for the impression that it gives,” Johnson told parliament.

Disciplinary action would be taken if it was found that rules were broken, he said.

“But I repeat … that I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged, that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken.”

He also pledged to “get on with the job”, accusing the opposition of trying to “muddy the waters about events or non-events of a year ago”.

In leaked footage aired by ITV on Tuesday, Allegra Stratton – who was then Johnson’s press secretary – was shown at a 2020 Downing Street rehearsal for a daily briefing laughing and joking about a reported gathering.

In the video, a Johnson adviser asked Stratton, “I’ve just seen reports on Twitter that there was a Downing Street Christmas party on Friday night – do you recognise those reports?”

Stratton, standing before British flags at an official Downing Street lectern, said, “I went home.” She then laughed and smiled. “Hold on. Hold on. Um. Er. Arh.” She appears lost for words and looks up.

Stratton, who was most recently the government’s COP26 climate summit spokesperson, tendered her resignation on Wednesday.

In a tearful statement, Stratton acknowledged that her comments “seemed to make light of the rules” and said she would “regret those remarks for the rest of my days”.

“I understand the anger and frustration that people feel,” she said, while not specifying whether a party took place.

ALSO READ-British Airways to launch digital vaccine passports

Categories
-Top News Politics UK News

Johnson’s ratings hit record low

There are also signs tensions between Johnson and Rishi Sunak are at risk of boiling over, with Treasury sources hitting out at Johnson for ‘blowing’ announcements including a huge £96billion rail upgrade, reports Asian Lite News

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson saw his personal ratings slump to a record low on Wednesday. The premier suffered another blow as a Savanta ComRes poll suggested the chaos is cutting through to voters, with his net favourability score dropping to minus 14. That was down from minus nine last month, and worse than during the bleak second coronavirus surge last autumn.

The research also showed Labour hanging on to the lead in overall support, although the advantage has narrowed from six points last week to two.

The findings emerged as Conservatives tried to bulldoze through the problems this afternoon by cheering Johnson to the rafters as he got to his feet for the weekly Commons clashes.

The baiting came after No10 was forced to insist the PM is ‘well’ following his rambling address to business leaders on Monday, and with claims a dozen MPs have sent no-confidence letters to the powerful 1922 committee, the report said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak. (Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street)

There are also signs tensions between Johnson and Rishi Sunak are at risk of boiling over, with Treasury sources hitting out at Johnson for ‘blowing’ announcements including a huge £96billion rail upgrade.

Senior Conservatives have been venting fury at a series of self-inflicted setbacks, demanding he brings in experienced big beasts to sharpen up his Downing Street team, the report added.

Rising discontent

Meanwhile, conservative MPs are increasingly worried about Boris Johnson’s competence and drive after he gave a rambling speech to business leaders and was accused of losing his grip over a series of key policies from social care to rail.

Senior members of his own party said they needed Johnson to get the government back on track after a disastrous two weeks amid dismay about his performance at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference, where he lost his place in his speech for about 20 seconds and diverted into a lengthy tangent about Peppa Pig, The Guardian reported.

The prime minister was also facing a substantial rebellion over his social care proposals, anger at the decision to scale back rail improvements for the north and frustration over the government’s failure to keep its promises on small boats crossing the Channel.

It caps a difficult fortnight for the prime minister after he admitted he “crashed the car into a ditch” in his handling of the Owen Paterson lobbying scandal, the report said.

Nervousness among Tory MPs about No 10 intensified after one Downing Street source told the BBC there was “a lot of concern inside the building about the PM — it’s just not working”, adding that the “cabinet needs to wake up and demand serious changes otherwise it’ll keep getting worse”.

A former cabinet minister also told the Guardian that there was “an accumulation of things building up, really relating to his competence and that is beginning to look very shaky” after a “pretty bad bloody fortnight”.
He said it was unlikely to result in a leadership challenge while the polls were still fairly even between the Tories and Labour, but it could be “problematic for him” if that changes when an election is looming.

Another senior backbencher said Johnson’s CBI speech had been a “mess” while a third Tory MP said: “Someone needs to get a grip. He is losing the confidence of the party.”

Johnson
Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Credits: No 10)

Speaking to the CBI conference, the PM also quoted Lenin and performed an impression of a car. Halting his speech led to an awkward 21 seconds of apologies and paper shuffling from the Tory leader.

Labour’s shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, called the speech “shambolic”. She added: “No one was laughing, because the joke’s not funny anymore.”
A senior Downing Street source told the BBC: “Business was really looking for leadership today and it was shambolic.”

They added there was “a lot of concern inside the building” about Johnson. “Cabinet needs to wake up and demand serious changes otherwise it’ll keep getting worse. If they don’t insist, he just won’t do anything about it.”

Categories
-Top News UK News

Boris facing lawsuit for backing Priti Patel

Johnson decreed Patel hadn’t breached the ministerial code even after his independent adviser found that the home secretary had not consistently met the high standards ..reports Ashis Ray

 Priti Patel, the Indian-origin British Home Secretary, has triggered a court case against Prime Minister Boris Johnsons decision last year not to dismiss her for alleged unacceptable behaviour with Philip Rutnam, a permanent secretary in the home office, who resigned on this issue.

Rutnam maintained he had been the target of “a vicious and orchestrated campaign against him”, and that Patel had been behind it.

On November 17 and 18, the high court in London will hear a petition filed by The Association of First Division Civil Servants (FDA), a trade union which seeks a judicial opinion on the legal validity or otherwise of the ministerial code.

Johnson decreed Patel hadn’t breached the ministerial code even after his independent adviser appointed for the purpose Alex Allan, following an investigation, found that the home secretary had “not consistently met the high standards expected of her”. His conclusion was she had violated the ministerial code, even if inadvertently.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel

Johnson, who is the final arbiter on the matter, however, refused to take the finding to a logical conclusion. Doing so would have meant sacking Patel.

The Guardian newspaper reported that the Prime Minister had texted a group urging them to “form a (protective) square around the Prittster (nickname for Priti)”. Even in a recent cabinet reshuffle, when there was considerable speculation that she might be moved to a lesser portfolio, this did not happen.

Allan resigned from his position after the bottom line of his probe wasn’t acted upon by Johnson. Furthermore, Rutnam had to be disbursed 340,000 pounds as a settlement and another 30,000 pounds as costs. This was not the first time that accusations of misconduct had been levelled against Patel and money to defuse the situation had had to be paid out by the British government.

FDA General Secretary Dave Penman was quoted as saying: “The prime minister’s decision, which he said reflected the Home Secretary’s assertion that her actions were unintentional, also potentially allows ministers to avoid the consequences of their behaviour in future by pleading that it should be the intent of their actions which is important, not the consequences.

“The result is that civil servants’ confidence in challenging unacceptable behaviour from ministers has been fatally damaged.”

A recent poll of British civil servants discovered that 90 per cent of them had no faith in the ministerial code as a way of redressing grievances against errant ministers.

Last week, an independent committee on Standards in Public Life emphasised: “Meaningful independence is the benchmark for any effective form of standards regulation and current arrangements for the adviser still fall below this bar.”

The minister-civil servant relationship in India mirrors Whitehall, since India adopted the Westminster system of government at the time of its independence.

ALSO READ: Lockdown easing spurs UK GDP

ALSO READ: Indian Students Target UK, US & Canada

Categories
-Top News UK News

Johnson Facing Lawsuit For Backing Patel

Johnson decreed Patel hadn’t breached the ministerial code even after his independent adviser appointed for the purpose Alex Allan, following an investigation, found that the home secretary had “not consistently met the high standards expected of her”, a report by Ashis Ray

Priti Patel, the Indian-origin British Home Secretary, has triggered a court case against Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision last year not to dismiss her for alleged unacceptable behaviour with Philip Rutnam, a permanent secretary in the home office, who resigned on this issue.

Rutnam maintained he had been the target of “a vicious and orchestrated campaign against him”, and that Patel had been behind it.

On November 17 and 18, the high court in London will hear a petition filed by The Association of First Division Civil Servants (FDA), a trade union which seeks a judicial opinion on the legal validity or otherwise of the ministerial code.

Johnson decreed Patel hadn’t breached the ministerial code even after his independent adviser appointed for the purpose Alex Allan, following an investigation, found that the home secretary had “not consistently met the high standards expected of her”. His conclusion was she had violated the ministerial code, even if inadvertently.

Philip Rutnam

Johnson, who is the final arbiter on the matter, however, refused to take the finding to a logical conclusion. Doing so would have meant sacking Patel.

The Guardian newspaper reported that the Prime Minister had texted a group urging them to “form a (protective) square around the Prittster (nickname for Priti)”. Even in a recent cabinet reshuffle, when there was considerable speculation that she might be moved to a lesser portfolio, this did not happen.

Allan resigned from his position after the bottom line of his probe wasn’t acted upon by Johnson. Furthermore, Rutnam had to be disbursed 340,000 pounds as a settlement and another 30,000 pounds as costs. This was not the first time that accusations of misconduct had been levelled against Patel and money to defuse the situation had had to be paid out by the British government.

FDA General Secretary Dave Penman was quoted as saying: “The prime minister’s decision, which he said reflected the Home Secretary’s assertion that her actions were unintentional, also potentially allows ministers to avoid the consequences of their behaviour in future by pleading that it should be the intent of their actions which is important, not the consequences.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel

“The result is that civil servants’ confidence in challenging unacceptable behaviour from ministers has been fatally damaged.”

A recent poll of British civil servants discovered that 90 per cent of them had no faith in the ministerial code as a way of redressing grievances against errant ministers.

Last week, an independent committee on Standards in Public Life emphasised: “Meaningful independence is the benchmark for any effective form of standards regulation and current arrangements for the adviser still fall below this bar.”

The minister-civil servant relationship in India mirrors Whitehall, since India adopted the Westminster system of government at the time of its independence.

ALSO READ – Boris, Priti Visit Neasden Temple For Diwali

Categories
-Top News London News

Boris, Priti Visit Neasden Temple For Diwali

This was the Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s fifth visit to the Neasden Temple, reports Asian Lite News

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel celebrated the Diwali festival at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir- popularly known as ‘Neasden Temple’.

This was the Prime Minister’s fifth visit to the temple. Johnson was greeted in a traditional Hindu manner with auspicious marks of welcome and goodwill before being taken on a brief tour of the stone temple complex, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha said in a statement.

Neasden
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Home Secretary Priti Patel visit Neasden Temple during Diwali. (ALL PICS: Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street)

Patel was similarly welcomed upon her arrival at the temple earlier and joined the UK Prime Minister to offer a fruit basket at the central shrine of the mandir’s inner sanctum, where they spent several minutes absorbing the peace and intricate architecture.

Thereafter, the distinguished guests proceeded to view some exhibits summarising Neasden Temple’s nationwide Covid-19 relief efforts – an initiative inspired by Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS).

The global Hindu leader had issued a call in March 2020 for all BAPS volunteers to serve the elderly, needy and vulnerable in local communities, and to ensure that everyone remained informed, safe and supported throughout the pandemic.

They later met some of these volunteers, including keyworkers keeping the nation safe and mobile, men and women who prepared and delivered food to the vulnerable, and the team keeping communities connected and informed through online services.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Home Secretary Priti Patel visit Neasden Temple during Diwali. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street

Sharing some of his impressions from his visit, Johnson said: “What His Holiness [Pramukh Swami Maharaj] has contributed to the United Kingdom has been incalculable. I see it here today at the Neasden Temple. I have been here many times, but I don’t think I have ever been here at a time when the Neasden Temple has been so central to the life of the whole of the London community.”

Patel said: “The Temple has been at the forefront of every single activity in the local community, but also at a time of a national crisis which, of course, the pandemic was.”

Before departing, Home Secretary Patel further spoke about the “incredible work” of the Mandir, which the Prime Minister lauded as “an absolutely perfect representation of community spirit in action”.

Sanjay Kara, a BAPS trustee in the UK, shared, “It was an honour to have the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary join the local community of British Hindus to celebrate Diwali at Neasden Temple. We offer our prayers that they can serve the public ably and look forward to working with them in support of our great nation.” (ANI)

  • Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Home Secretary Priti Patel visit Neasden Temple during Diwali. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street

ALSO READ – Glittering Diwali at India Pavilion

Categories
-Top News UK News World News

1 Minute To Midnight On Doomsday Clock: Johnson at COP26

Picture by Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

The UK Prime Minister said the anger and impatience of the world will be uncontainable “unless we make this COP26 in Glasgow the moment when we get real about climate change”, reports Asian Lite News

“If we don’t get serious about climate change today, it will be too late for our children to do so tomorrow,” UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told leaders at the start of the COP26 World Leaders Summit in Glasgow.

“Humanity has long since run down the clock on climate change. It’s one minute to midnight on that doomsday clock and we need to act now,” Johnson said.

He said the anger and impatience of the world will be uncontainable “unless we make this COP26 in Glasgow the moment when we get real about climate change”

COP26
Picture by Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

He said “we can get real on coal, cars, cash and trees.”

“We have the technology to deactivate that ticking doomsday device not all at once. I am afraid it is too late for that. But one by one and with ever greater speed and efficiency we can begin to close down those billions of hydrocarbon combustion chambers that you find currently in every corner of the planet,” he added.

Johnson has said that the developed world must recognise the special responsibility they have to help everybody for the green industrial revolution.

“As we look at the green industrial revolution, it is now needed around the world. We in the developed world must recognise the special responsibility we have, to help everybody else to do it,” Johnson said while addressing the COP-26 World Leaders Summit here.

Picture by Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

Underlining that for 200 years, the industrialised countries were in complete ignorance of the problems that they were creating, Johnson said: “We now have a duty to find those funds – 100 billion dollars a year that was promised in Paris by 2020 but which we would not deliver until 2023.”

The UK prime minister also spoke about James Watt. He said that it was here in Glasgow 250 years ago, that Watt came up with a machine that was powered by steam that was produced by burning coal.

“We brought you to the very place where the doomsday machine began,” Johnson said.

The COP26 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) kicked off here on Sunday under the Presidency of the UK partnering with Italy.

It brings all parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also participating in the event. (ANI)

ALSO READ – Climate Finance: UK pledges additional 1 bn pounds

Categories
-Top News India News UK News

Modi Meets Johnson At COP26 Climate Summit

Picture by Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

PM Modi met members of the Indian community in Glasgow on Monday to strengthen people-to-people bonds between the two countries ahead of the climate summit, reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met his British counterpart Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the 26th session of the Conference of Parties (COP-26).

PM Modi reached Glasgow on Sunday to participate in the COP26 meeting.

He met members of the Indian community in Glasgow on Monday to strengthen people-to-people bonds between the two countries ahead of his participation in the 26th session of the Conference of Parties (COP26).

Modi
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the COP26 Summit. Picture by Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

At COP26, the world leaders are expected to work to achieve the completion of Paris Agreement implementation guidelines, mobilisation of climate finance, actions to strengthen climate adaptation, technology development and transfer and keeping in reach the goals of limiting the rise in global temperatures.

The high-level segment of COP-26 is titled the World Leaders’ Summit (WLS) and the Summit is attended by heads of state/government of more than 120 countries.

Indian diaspora hails Modi’s outreach

Members of the Indian community on Monday appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outreach to the diaspora in Glasgow during the 26th session of the Conference of Parties (COP-26).

PM Modi today met several Indian community leaders and Indologists in Glasgow to strengthen people-to-people ties.

Picture by Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

“Strengthening our people-to-people bonds. Indian community members and Indologists gather in Glasgow to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.

Dr Vipin, who met Prime Minister Modi, said that even though they don’t live in India, the Indian diaspora have aspirations for India.

“I am not only speaking on behalf of the Indian Diaspora of Scotland and Indian diaspora all over. We love Modi ji. Even though we don’t live in India, we have hopes and aspirations and dreams for the country. In Modi, we see a leader, who will take us there,” he said.

Another member of the diaspora thanked Modi for popularising Yoga all over the world. “Because of him, more and more people have started doing Yoga. It has been recognised all over the world which is wonderful. He is an amazing Indian leader and he has really really put India on top of the list,” said Manjulika.

Pam Ghosal, the first Indian woman elected in Scotland, said that it’s fantastic to see Prime Minister Modi is here in Glasglow at COP 26 amongst all the world leaders.

“It’s very important that we all come together and make sure there is some kind of resolution to take this world forward much more environmentally. …all leaders are coming together to keep that one commitment together,” Ghosal said.

“I think we need to make sure that we have only one world we have here, one earth. We have to make sure that we all have a responsibility to play a part here including the India Prime Minister coming here in Glasglow,” she added. (with inputs from ANI)

Categories
-Top News UK News USA

Terrorism failed to shake our belief in freedom: Johnson

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’s address to commemorate victims of 9/11 attacks will be played at a memorial event at the Olympic Park in east London today, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the horrific 9/11 attacks, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the terrorists behind attacks in the United States failed “to shake our belief in freedom and democracy.”

In a message to mark the 20th anniversary, the prime minister said that while the terror threat remained, people refused “to live in permanent fear”, the BBC reported.

“That we are coming together today – in sorrow but also in faith and resolve – demonstrates the failure of terrorism.”

Johnson
A woman mourns the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Qin Lang/IANS)

On September 11, 2001, the United States faced the deadliest terrorist attack in its history. A total of 2,977 people were killed in the terror attacks. In a span of just 102 minutes, both towers of New York’s World Trade Center collapsed after planes hijacked by Al Qaeda operatives crashed into them.

In the prime minister’s address, which will be played at a memorial event at the Olympic Park in east London on Saturday, he said recent events in Afghanistan had only strengthened people’s belief in freedom and democracy.

“Twenty years ago, September 11 2001 became, in President Roosevelt’s words after Pearl Harbor, a ‘date which will live in infamy’,” the BBC quoted Johnson as saying.

“On a crystal clear morning, terrorists attacked the United States with the simple goal of killing or maiming as many human beings as possible, and by inflicting such bloodshed in the world’s greatest democracy, they tried to destroy the faith of free peoples everywhere in the open societies which terrorists despise and which we cherish.”

He said that “precisely because of the openness and tolerance of the United States” almost every nationality and religion were among those murdered that day, the report quoted Johnson.

“But while the terrorists imposed their burden of grief and suffering, and while the threat persists today, we can now say with the perspective of 20 years that they failed to shake our belief in freedom and democracy; they failed to drive our nations apart, or cause us to abandon our values, or to live in permanent fear,” he added.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the horrific 9/11 attacks, commemorated the lives of 2,977 people who lost their lives on the day twenty years ago.

“To the families of 2,977 people from more than 90 nations killed on September 11, 2001, in New York City, Arlington, Virginia and Shanksville, Pennsylvania and a thousand more who were injured. America commemorates you and your loved ones,” Biden said in a video message posted on the Twitter account of the US President.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during an event at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua/IANS)

He also said this tragedy highlights how even at our most vulnerable, unity is our greatest strength.

Biden also lauded forces who risked and gave their lives in and after the attacks.

“We honour the firefighters, police officers, EMTs and construction workers, doctors and nurses, faith leaders, service members, and all of the everybody people who gave their all to rescue, recover and rebuild,” he added.

Earlier, the White House informed that Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

ALSO READ – In a first, 9/11 anniversary marked without troops in Afghanistan

Categories
-Top News UK News

MPs to vote on Johnson’s manifesto-breaking tax rise

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it will raise £12bn a year which will be used to tackle the health backlog caused by the Covid pandemic and boost social care, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

The House of Commons will vote later on whether to raise National Insurance to fund health and social care, a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled the manifesto-breaking historic reform plans.

Johnson said it will raise £12bn a year which will be used to tackle the health backlog caused by the Covid pandemic and boost social care, the BBC reported.

He described the plan, which includes capping care costs in England at £86,000, as “reasonable and fair”.

From April 2022, the government will introduce a new, nation-wide 1.25 per cent Health and Social Care Levy, ringfenced for health and social care. This will be based on National Insurance contributions (NICs) and from 2023 will be legislatively separate, the government has announced.

To ensure everyone contributes fairly, all working adults, including those over the state pension age, will pay the levy and the rates of dividend tax will also increase by 1.25% to help fund this package.

Sir Keir Starmer

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described the plan is a “sticking plaster”, while leaders in social care have warned the plan will not address current problems, BBC reported.

The government is investing £36 billion will be invested in the health and care system over the next three years, to ensure the long term resource.

Speaking in the House, Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said: “You can’t fix the Covid backlogs without giving the NHS the money it needs. You can’t fix the NHS without fixing social care, you can’t fix social care without removing the fear of losing everything to pay for it, and you can’t fix health and social care without long-term reform. The plan I am setting out today will fix all of these problems together.”

The pandemic put unprecedented pressure on the NHS. The number of patients waiting for elective surgery and routine treatment in England is now at a record high of 5.5 million. According to the government, this could reach 13 million by the end of the year if left unchecked.

Before the pandemic, nine out of ten were waiting fewer than 25 weeks in England. This has now risen to 44 weeks, it said.

To fix this, the NHS needs to be able to offer more appointments, operations, and treatments. Rather than simply plugging the gaps, new, innovative practices must be pushed forward so patients continue to receive the best possible care, it added.

The new funding is expected to fund an extra 9 million checks, scans, and operations. The NHS long term plan committed to increasing activity year on year. In recognition of pressures from Covid, this will now increase to 110% of the planned activity levels by 2023/24.

“We’re tackling the NHS backlog and taking decisive action to fix our broken social care system,” Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said. “This significant £12bn-a-year long-term increase in public spending will improve people’s lives across the UK – but our health and social care systems cannot be rebuilt without difficult decisions.”

“The new Health and Social Care Levy is the necessary and responsible thing to do to protect the NHS, sharing the cost between businesses and individuals and ensuring those earning more pay more,” he added.

Meanwhile, Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid said: “Our nurses, doctors and care workers have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic in our hour of need. But the pandemic has taken its toll – waiting times are longer than ever before and social care is under even greater pressure.”

He added: “This additional funding is a critical investment in our country’s future – it will give the NHS the extra capacity it needs to get back on its feet and is a vital first step in the reform of our broken care system.”

ALSO READ-Anti-Taliban protest in London enters second week

READ MORE-Unemployed Londoners offered free training to secure jobs

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan UK News

Ready to work with Taliban if needed: Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has defended Dominic Raab who has come under fire for his handling of the Afghanistan situation, reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday Britain would work with the Taliban if needed after the militants capture of Afghanistan, and defended his foreign minister who has come under fire for his handling of the situation.

“What I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution for Afghanistan, working with the Taliban, of course if necessary, will go on,” Johnson told media.

Asked if he still had confidence in Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab who has faced calls for his resignation from opponents for his response to the crisis, he said: “Absolutely”.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was forced to go on the defensive on Friday after it emerged that a phone call between him and his counterpart in the now-collapsed Afghan government failed to take place as the Taliban stormed towards Kabul over the weekend.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab

In a statement, Raab insisted the government was “working tirelessly” to help people flee Afghanistan as he sought to defend his response to the crisis in the region.

“The whole government has been working tirelessly over the last week to help as many people evacuate from Afghanistan as possible. The UK Government’s overriding priority has been to secure Kabul airport so that flights can leave,” Raab said.

With specific reference to the missed phone call that has dominated headlines in the UK media over the past few days, the minister said: “On Friday afternoon, 13 August, advice was put to my Private Office (around 6pm Afghan time) recommending a call to the Afghan Foreign Minister. This was quickly overtaken by events. The call was delegated to a Minister of State because I was prioritising security and capacity at the airport on the direct advice of the Director and the Director General overseeing the crisis response. In any event, the Afghan Foreign Minister agreed to take the call, but was unable to because of the rapidly deteriorating situation.”

Boris Johnson
Military personnel are deploying to assist with the drawdown of British nationals in Afghanistan. (Credit Crown Copyright_Ministry of Defence)

Over 1,600 evacuated

Since Saturday, the UK has evacuated 1,615 people, including 399 British nationals and their dependants, 320 embassy staff, and 402 Afghan nationals who worked for the UK government in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the government has announced £5m for local councils in England, Scotland and Wales offering to house Afghans who have arrived under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) programme.

Under the scheme, Afghans who face threats from the Taliban having work for the UK in Afghanistan, have been allowed to come to the UK.

New arrivals from Afghanistan will be offered a first dose of a Covid vaccine and “rapid access to support for mental wellbeing”.

The government has said it will also provide “appropriate clothing” and toys for the children to keep them entertained.

Kabul airport now open to civilian air traffic. (XinhuaIANS)

A separate resettlement scheme has also been set up to relocate up to 20,000 Afghans over the long term with Home Secretary Priti Patel emphasising that the majority of those should be women and girls and persecuted minorities.

Meanwhile, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said Raab’s defence “simply doesn’t add up.”

“It should have been an absolute priority to speak to the Afghan government and set out the immediate actions necessary to ensure the safe evacuation of Britons and Afghans,” she added.

On Friday, Raab attended a virtual Nato meeting where the members emphasised the need for an “inclusive” government in Afghanistan and urged the Taliban to uphold human rights.

Raab said: “The UK’s immediate priorities are working alongside our Nato allies to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe-haven for terrorists, ensuring that life-saving humanitarian aid can reach those who need it most, and working with international partners to safeguard stability in the region.”

ALSO READ – Afghan political leaders in Islamabad oppose Taliban govt