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Tories received £50,000 donation from Hinduja group

Hinduja and his wife Kamal, along with their son Ajay and his wife Namrata, were cleared by a Swiss criminal court of more serious charges of human trafficking linked to their servants…reports Asian Lite News

The Conservative Party received a £50,000 donation from a firm linked to convicted billionaire businessman Prakash Hinduja, new figures show.

The Electoral Commission has revealed the Tories gained £225,587 from private donors in the last week of the general election campaign, bringing their total to £1.8m.

But the biggest single donation came from a firm called Westminster Development Services. According to Companies House, the property consortium is up to 50% owned by AMC Project Services Limited, which lists Hinduja as its owner. He was sentenced to jail last month in Switzerland, along with three of his family members, for exploiting domestic workers at their mansion in Geneva.

However, Hinduja and his wife Kamal, along with their son Ajay and his wife Namrata, were cleared by a Swiss criminal court of more serious charges of human trafficking linked to their servants.

The four family members were sentenced to between four and four-and-a-half years in prison, but their lawyers said they planned to appeal against the decision. A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Donations to the Conservative Party are properly and transparently declared to the Electoral Commission, openly published by them, and comply fully with the law.”

Elsewhere in the figures, the commission revealed Labour received more than double the donations of the Tories during the last week of the campaign between 27 June and 4 July.The party racked up £465,600 in those final days, and its entire campaign figure dwarfed its rivals, ending at £9.5m.

The largest donor to Labour in the last week was former professional poker player Derek Web, who gave the party £250,000, followed by both the GMB and Fire Brigades Union, which donated £100,000 each. The Liberal Democrats also received £156,203 as the campaign drew to a close, with £100,000 coming from food business GADF Holdings, while Reform UK clocked up £45,000, with £25,000 donated by businessman Philip Hulme.

Election rules mean registered political parties have to submit four weekly reports setting out donations and loans they receive above £11,180.

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Tories face potential wipeout

It comes as Rishi Sunak started a 48-hour tour in the battle bus on the campaign trail by stacking shelves at Morrisons, delivering a message that only 130,000 voters were needed to stop a Labour “supermajority”…reports Asian Lite News

Rishi Sunak is on the verge of leading the Conservative Party to the worst defeat in its 346-year history, according to a new poll for The Independent.

The Techne UK survey of 5,503 voters has given Labour a 19-point lead at 40 per cent – almost twice the Tories’ 21 per cent – with just one day of campaigning left to go.

While the Conservatives have gained two points from late last week, and Labour dropped one with Reform UK also losing a point to 16 per cent, the narrowing of the polls appears to be too little, too late for Mr Sunak after a disastrous campaign.

It comes as Rishi Sunak started a 48-hour tour in the battle bus on the campaign trail by stacking shelves at Morrisons, delivering a message that only 130,000 voters were needed to stop a Labour “supermajority”.

However, according to Techne, he will only be able to rely on four in 10 Tory voters who supported Boris Johnson in the 2019 election, representing a collapse in support for the party.

While Nigel Farage’s Reform has gone slightly backwards in this poll, the data reveals that the party has taken a quarter (25 per cent) of the previous election’s Tory vote, almost four times as many as Conservative supporters who switched to Labour (7 per cent).

If this is how the election pans out, the Tories would be only the third largest party on 66 seats, behind the Lib Dems on 70, while Labour would have a majority of 284, according to Electoral Calculus. Reform would get a foothold in parliament with six seats.

Techne chief executive Michela Morizzo warned that the poll contraction in favour of the Tories is “too little, too late”.

She said: “Our last Westminster tracker poll of this general election campaign has been delivered with a very large sample audience of 5,503 potential electors. While there has over the last week to 10 days been a small contraction in the Labour lead, it is clear from our final pre-election poll that the Conservatives are heading for a defeat.

“With ‘won’t vote’ hitting an all-time high of 26 per cent of the total electorate – an incredible 44 per cent won’t vote in the age group 18-34 years – I am absolutely sure we are heading towards a significant Labour majority and change of government.

“The question is: how many Conservative voters will stay at home on Thursday? This time, more than ever, voters will decide on the route to the polling station and I feel a big uncertainty on the final results. It’s not a question about Labour, which will certainly win, but what Conservatives will do and the impact the results will have on the future of the party.”

The headline findings appeared to be confirmed by a Redfield and Wilton poll of 20,000 voters which also gave Labour (42 per cent) a 19-point lead over the Tories (23 per cent), with Reform on 16 per cent.

Philip van Scheltinga, Redfield and Wilton’s director of research, said: “A 19-per-cent lead for Labour just two days before election day is incredible.

“The Conservatives appear to have recovered a bit in the last week and a half, it is true, but they still have not improved relative to where they were before the election was called (their 22 per cent is one point less than they had on the first poll post-election announcement).

“Reform, meanwhile, has faltered a bit in the last week and a half, but it is still well up from where it was pre-Farage return.”

He added: “The election result will be devastating for the Conservatives. Given our polling only a week ago, it appears it could have been even worse, but that will be a very faint consolation.”

The Techne data also revealed the enormous political apathy among voters with more than a quarter (26 per cent) saying they will not vote, an increase of two points from last week. Most concerningly, almost half (44 per cent) of 18- to 34-year-olds have decided they will not vote in this general election.

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Tories face election gambling scandal

Sunak says any election candidates or officials found to have broken rules would be kicked out of the party…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Thursday he was “incredibly angry” after more Conservative Party figures were put under investigation over alleged bets placed on the UK general election date.

Facing questions on the growing scandal from an audience of voters on live television, the beleaguered leader said any election candidates or officials found to have broken rules would be kicked out of the party.

His comments came hours after the Conservatives’ campaign director stepped aside following reports that he and his wife, a Tory candidate in the July 4 election, were under investigation by betting regulators.

Last week, another would-be MP, Craig Williams, who was a Sunak ministerial aide, was also being probed for staking £100 ($127) on the date before it was called.

London police said Wednesday that one of the prime minister’s police security detail had been arrested for allegedly placing a bet on the date.

“I was incredibly angry… to learn of these allegations,” Sunak said of the cases involving his party officials.

“If anyone is found to have broken the rules, not only should they face the full consequences of the law, I will make sure that they are booted out of the Conservative Party,” he added.

The Conservatives confirmed earlier that campaign director Tony Lee had started “a leave of absence” and that the Gambling Commission was looking into “a number of individuals.”

The regulator did not name individuals but the BBC reported that Lee and his election candidate wife Laura Saunders were under investigation.

Her lawyers said she would “be co-operating with the Gambling Commission” and claimed the report infringed her privacy rights.

The commission had already said it was looking at the claims regarding Williams.

Political bets are allowed in the UK, including on the date of elections, but using insider knowledge to do so is against the law.

The inquiries heap further misery on Sunak, whose party has trailed Labour by about 20 points in the polls for nearly two years, making it odds on to be dumped out of office after 14 years.

Labour’s campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden wrote to Sunak arguing the claims showed “a pattern of behavior” by the Tories focused on making “a quick profit.”

Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer, tipped to become prime minister, has urged Sunak to withdraw support for those allegedly involved.

“It’s astonishing that we’re in this place… Rishi Sunak just needs to take action. He needs to account for exactly who knew what,” he said.

But at Thursday’s debate, Sunak insisted it was “right” that the probes were conducted “thoroughly” and “confidentially” before anyone is sanctioned.

“The integrity of that process should be respected,” he said.

Sunak announced the date of the election on May 22, in a rain-soaked statement outside Downing Street, taking his own party by surprise as he still had six months to call a vote.

Critics lambasted him for not using an umbrella and the campaign has hardly shifted the dial in his favor since, even with indications the British economy has turned a corner.

This week, he was ignored by a flock of sheep as he tried to feed them in southwest England while his personal ratings suffered after he left early from a D-Day 80th anniversary commemoration event. Two polls published on Wednesday predicted a record win for Labour, eclipsing even the landslide victory for Labour’s Tony Blair in 1997.

Pollsters YouGov said the Conservatives could slump to their “lowest seat tally in the party’s almost 200-year history.” Sunak could even become the first sitting prime minister to lose his own seat, according to a Savanta survey.

London police said a member of the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command, was held on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, then released on bail. The allegations against Williams came to light last week. He is alleged to have placed a bet on a July date for the election three days before Sunak called the vote.

The Metropolitan Police revealed in their statement that they were alerted by the Gambling Commission on Friday regarding allegations involving an officer from the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command placing a bet. This command, a division of the Metropolitan Police, includes officers responsible for close protection duties for high-profile figures such as the prime minister and members of the royal family, requiring utmost discretion, as reported by NYT.

The matter has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the oversight body responsible for investigating serious allegations against officers in England and Wales.

In response to inquiries, the Metropolitan Police reiterated their commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability within their ranks. The incident has raised concerns about the conduct of officers in sensitive roles and underscores the importance of upholding public trust and integrity in law enforcement.

Prime Minister Sunak’s surprise election announcement and the subsequent fallout from the betting allegations have added a new dimension to the political landscape, prompting scrutiny and calls for clarity regarding the ethical standards expected of those in positions of public trust.

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Tory manifesto will include tax cuts, says Sunak

The Conservatives have also said they want to abolish National Insurance completely in the long term, when it is deemed affordable to do so…reports Asian Lite News

The Conservative manifesto will include tax cuts, Rishi Sunak has said. The prime minister said, “We’re going to keep cutting people’s taxes. You’ll see that in our manifesto tomorrow.”

Challenged over how he would fund his policies, Sunak said they would all be “fully funded and costed”. He insisted day-to-day government spending on public services would continue to increase ahead of inflation under a future Tory government.

But when pressed over whether certain departments would see cuts, he acknowledged “all governments prioritise within that.” In the spring Budget, the government announced a 2p tax cut to National Insurance for 27 million workers – matching another reduction set out in last year’s Autumn Statement.

The Conservatives have also said they want to abolish National Insurance completely in the long term, when it is deemed affordable to do so. The party’s manifesto, which is being launched on Tuesday and will outline what it plans to do if it wins the election, is expected to include a pledge to scrap stamp duty for first-time buyers of properties costing up to £425,000.

However, it is not thought to include anything on inheritance tax. Asked if the Tory manifesto would promise more tax cuts, Sunak said he wanted to build on the tax cuts “we have already started to deliver”.

Both the Tories and Labour have ruled out any increase to the rate of income tax, National Insurance or VAT. However, both parties have also said income tax thresholds will remain frozen until 2028. This means millions of people will be pulled into a higher tax band if their wages increase.

Sunak said his party’s policies would be paid for by clamping down on tax avoidance, which he said would raise £6bn, as well as reforming the welfare system and getting more people into work. However, the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies has said delivering the £12bn savings promised by the Tories by 2030 through reforming welfare “looks difficult to the extreme”.

The think tank has also warned whoever wins the next election will have to cut the scope of what the state provides or increase taxes to maintain levels of departmental spending. Asked if he would be honest with people that his plans would also mean significant spending cuts for many government departments, the prime minister said: “No, that’s not what our plans show.”

He said day-to-day spending on public services under a future Tory government would continue to increase ahead of inflation. But he added: “Of course, all governments prioritise within that.”

Sunak said he also wanted to focus on productivity in the public sector, which he said had fallen “considerably since Covid”. He added that increasing productivity to pre-pandemic levels would save £20bn and would make it possible to cut taxes.

Sunak was also challenged over his party’s record on housing. Asking if having your own home had got harder under a Tory government, the prime minister said: “It has got harder – and I want to make sure that it’s easier.

“And what we will do is not just build homes in the right places and do that in a way that is sensitive to local communities, but make sure that we support young people into great jobs so they can save for that deposit.” He added that “saddling young people with higher taxes” would make it harder for them to save for a deposit to buy a house and he wanted people to “keep more of their money”.

One recent report by the Building Societies Association found first-time buyers were facing the toughest conditions in which to buy a house in 70 years. It suggested home ownership among younger people has been in decline over the last 20 years.

Mortgage rates are relatively high compared with the last decade, and the cost of renting has also soared, making it harder for people to save. This means first-time buyers face the double challenge of raising enough for a deposit as well as being able to afford a mortgage.

ALSO READ-Labour rejects Tory’s National Service plan

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Labour rejects Tory’s National Service plan

Labour criticised the initiative, accusing the Conservatives of taking “desperate” measures after reducing the Armed Forces to their smallest size since the Napoleonic era…reports Asian Lite News

Labour has dismissed the Tories’ proposal to reintroduce National Service as a “headline-grabbing gimmick”, media reported.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a new scheme requiring school leavers to complete a 12-month military placement or volunteer one weekend per month to foster a “renewed sense of pride in our country.”

Labour criticised the initiative, accusing the Conservatives of taking “desperate” measures after reducing the Armed Forces to their smallest size since the Napoleonic era, the Telegraph reported.

Liz Kendall, the shadow work and pensions secretary, argued the proposal is an unfunded and superficial attempt to address deeper issues facing young people, such as the need for skills and employment opportunities, the Telegraph reported.

Kendall emphasised that elections should focus on the future rather than nostalgia for the past. The Tories hope this policy will distinguish them from Labour and bolster their image as the party capable of securing the UK’s defence.

No jail for those refusing national service plans

Teenagers would not be sent to jail for refusing to comply with the Tories’ proposed “mandatory” national service, said James Cleverly, the UK Home Secretary.

The Home Secretary said there would be no criminal sanctions for young people if they defied the plans under a Conservative government.

In an apparent pitch to older voters and those who may turn to Reform UK, the Conservatives said volunteering could include helping local fire, police and NHS services, as well as charities, tackling loneliness and supporting elderly people.

Touring broadcast studios on Sunday, Cleverly said the Tories would ensure the scheme “fits with different people’s attitudes and aspirations” after questions arose over whether teenagers would be punished for not taking part.

“There’s going to be no criminal sanction. There’s no one going to jail over this,” he told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme.

“This is about dealing with what we know to be the case, which is social fragmentation.”

“Too many young people live in a bubble within their own communities. They don’t mix with people of different religions, they don’t mix with different viewpoints.”

Opposition critics have dismissed the plans as unserious, with Labour saying the pledge would never come to fruition and amounted to “another unfunded commitment.”

The Prime Minister is seeking to draw a dividing line with Keir Starmer’s party on global security following his pledge to raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product by 2030.

Heightening his attack on Saturday, Sunak said voters would be left “at risk” with the Labour leader in Number 10 because Britain’s enemies would notice that he “doesn’t have a plan.”

Teenagers who choose to sign up for placement in the forces would “learn and take part in logistics, cyber security, procurement or civil response operations,” the Tories said.

The Conservatives said they would form a royal commission, bringing expertise from across the military and civil society to establish the details of what they described as the “bold” national service programme.

The party said this commission would be tasked with bringing forward a proposal for how to ensure the first pilot is open for applications in September 2025.

After that, it would seek to introduce a new “National Service Act” to make the measures compulsory by the end of the next Parliament, the party said.

It estimates the programme will cost 2.5 billion pounds a year by the end of the decade and plans to fund 1 billion pounds through plans to “crackdown on tax avoidance and evasion.”

The remaining 1.5 billion pounds will be paid for with money previously used for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), a key part of the Levelling Up agenda, which supports local charities and community groups, the Tories said.

Keir’s party pointed out that Lord David Cameron introduced a similar scheme – the National Citizen Service – when he was the Prime Minister.

Cameron’s announcement had no military component to it, instead encouraging youngsters to take part in activities such as outdoor education-style courses as part of his “Big Society” initiative.

A Labour spokesperson said: “This is not a plan – it’s a review which could cost billions and is only needed because the Tories hollowed out the armed forces to their smallest size since Napoleon.”

“Britain has had enough of the Conservatives, who are bankrupt of ideas and have no plans to end 14 years of chaos. It’s time to turn the page and rebuild Britain with Labour.”

Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson MP Richard Foord said: “If the Conservatives were serious about defence, they would reverse their damaging cuts to our world-class professional armed forces, instead of decimating them, with swingeing cuts to the number of our regular service personnel.”

“Our armed forces were once the envy of the world. This Conservative government has cut troop numbers and is planning more cuts to the size of the Army.”

“This would be far better spent reversing Conservative cuts to troop numbers.”

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Tories plan to bring back mandatory National Service

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he believed bringing back compulsory service across the UK would help foster the “national spirit” that emerged during the pandemic…reports Asian Lite News

The Conservative Party has said it would bring back mandatory national service if it wins the general election. It said 18-year-olds would have a choice of either joining the military full-time, or volunteering one weekend every month carrying out a community service.

The party is proposing a Royal Commission to consider the details but would plan for the first teenagers to take part in September 2025. The cost is expected to be around £2.5bn per year.

Under the plans, young people could choose a full-time, 12-month placement in the armed forces or UK cyber defence, learning about logistics, cyber security, procurement or civil response operations.

Their other option would be to volunteer one weekend per month – or 25 days per year – in their community with organisations such as fire, police and the NHS.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he believed bringing back compulsory service across the UK would help foster the “national spirit” that emerged during the pandemic.

Sunak said: “This is a great country but generations of young people have not had the opportunities or experience they deserve and there are forces trying to divide our society in this increasingly uncertain world. I have a clear plan to address this and secure our future. I will bring in a new model of National Service to create a shared sense of purpose among our young people and a renewed sense of pride in our country.”

The prime minister said the move would help young people to learn “real world skills, do new things and contribute to their community and our country”.

The Conservatives said the move would help ensure young people who are unemployed or not in education or training, and those disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system, are diverted away from “lives of unemployment and crime”.

The party said national service would provide “valuable work experience” and “ignite a passion for a future career in healthcare, public service, charity or the armed forces”.

A Labour Party spokesperson called the announcement “another desperate £2.5 billion unfunded commitment from a Tory Party which already crashed the economy, sending mortgages rocketing, and now they’re spoiling for more.

“This is not a plan – it’s a review which could cost billions and is only needed because the Tories hollowed out the armed forces to their smallest size since Napoleon,” the spokesperson said.

Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson Richard Foord MP accused the Tories of cutting troop numbers.

Foord said: “If the Conservatives were serious about defence, they would reverse their damaging cuts to our world class professional armed forces, instead of decimating them, with swingeing cuts to the number of our regular service personnel.”

“Our armed forces were once the envy of the world. This Conservative government has cut troop numbers and is planning more cuts to the size of the Army.”

National service was introduced in 1947 after World War Two under Clement Attlee’s Labour government.

It meant men between the ages of 17 and 21 had to serve in the armed forces for 18 months.

The mandatory national service scheme came to an end in 1960.

In May 2015, Prince Harry advocated his support for the return of national service saying the Army had been important for him.

A number of European countries, including Sweden, Norway and Denmark, already have a form of conscription for their armed forces.

Conscription requires young men and women to serve for a limited time in uniform. It means that some of the population will have had some military training – and can then be assigned to reserve units should war break out.

Cuts in the British Army have seen its size fall from more than 100,000 in 2010 to around 73,000 as of January 2024.

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Tory MP suspended over alleged misuse of funds

The amount eventually escalated to £6,500, sourced from the personal savings of Menzies’ office manager, reimbursed from campaign donations…reports Asian Lite News

The Conservative Party finds itself embroiled in controversy as one of its Members of Parliament, Mark Menzies, faces suspension over allegations of mishandling campaign funds. Menzies, who represents the Fylde constituency in Lancashire, has been accused of soliciting funds from his former campaign manager under dubious circumstances.

The Times reports that Menzies claimed to have been detained overnight in a flat by unidentified individuals whom he referred to as “bad people,” prompting his urgent plea for financial assistance.

As a result of these allegations, Menzies has been stripped of the party whip pending the outcome of an investigation into the matter. However, he vehemently denies the accusations, stating to the Times that he strongly disputes them and maintains his innocence.

According to the newspaper’s account, Menzies contacted his former campaign manager in December, requesting £5,000 to resolve the purported life-threatening situation he found himself in. The amount eventually escalated to £6,500, sourced from the personal savings of Menzies’ office manager, reimbursed from campaign donations.

Reports suggest that Menzies justified his actions by expressing fear of potential consequences if he refused to comply with the demand for funds. Although he offered to repay the money, he claims to have been dissuaded from doing so by local Conservative Party officials who controlled the account from which the funds were withdrawn.

This incident is not an isolated one, as the Times reveals a pattern of similar requests made by Menzies in the past, including one four years prior, where he sought £3,000 from campaign funds to cover medical expenses, with no repayment made thereafter.

Despite Menzies’ assertions of innocence, the allegations have triggered an internal investigation by the Conservative Party. The party has remained tight-lipped about the details of the probe, maintaining the confidentiality of the process. Menzies, for his part, has refrained from further comment on the matter, citing the ongoing investigation.

ALSO READ-Labour commits to Tory childcare expansion plan

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Labour commits to Tory childcare expansion plan

Phillipson said last month that Labour would not commit to the £4bn plan, saying the government risks “crashing the childcare system” due to a lack of places for parents with struggling providers…reports Asian Lite News

Labour will back the childcare expansion plan being rolled out by the government if it wins the next general election. Shadow education minister Bridget Phillipson has said Labour will not remove any entitlements promised to families “in the future”.

The government announced an expansion of free childcare to all children under five in England in last year’s Budget.

There are three phases of expansion, with the final one in September 2025.

Previously, 30 hours of free childcare was available for working parents with children aged three and four, although that is limited to 15 hours a week if at least one parent earns more than £100,000.

From 1 April, working parents with two-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare and that will be extended to nine-months from September this year.

From September 2025 the third phase will see hours of free childcare doubled to 30 hours a week for eligible parents.

Previously, Labour has said the expansion “would not be reduced” if the party takes power in a general election expected to take place in 2024. The party also commissioned a review of childcare, led by former senior Ofsted figure Sir David Bell, in October.

Phillipson said last month that Labour would not commit to the £4bn plan, saying the government risks “crashing the childcare system” due to a lack of places for parents with struggling providers.

That sparked an attack by education secretary Gillian Keegan, who claimed a Labour win could put the scheme “at risk”.

In a letter to her Labour counterpart, Keegan wrote: “Parents have told me that they are now uncertain whether they should go back to work, grow their families, or take a promotion, because they don’t know if they will still have this childcare provision.

“Will the Labour party commit to supporting our policy of giving working parents 30 hours free childcare a week from when their child is nine months old to when they start school?

“If not, how would you make up for the 60,000 fewer people in work that our policy will support?”

Phillipson responded with a letter of her own, promising a reformed childcare system that will “stand the test of time”.

“I am delighted to see the Conservatives have finally woken up to the importance of childcare after 14 years of smashing the system to pieces,” she wrote.

“As we have made abundantly clear, Labour will not be removing any entitlements offered to families now or those promised to them in the future. Your suggestion to the contrary is an outright lie – and the public will not believe a word of it.”

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Ministers face Tory revolt over plans to criminalise rough sleeping

On Monday, Kevin Hollinrake, a business minister, refused to say whether he supported the plans…reports Asian Lite News

Ministers are facing a revolt from their own MPs over plans to criminalise homelessness in upcoming legislation.

Under proposals that form part of the UK government’s flagship crime bill, police in England and Wales are to be given powers to fine or move on rough sleepers deemed to be causing a “nuisance”.

The move has infuriated many Conservative MPs, about 40 of whom have warned whips they will vote against the measures, the Times reported.

Bob Blackman, the Tory MP who is coordinating the rebellion, told the paper: “A lot of colleagues believe that the bill as it stands is completely unacceptable because it would have the effect of criminalising people who have no choice but to sleep on the streets. We are urging ministers to think again.”

On Monday, Kevin Hollinrake, a business minister, refused to say whether he supported the plans.

“I believe that those things are not within my auspices,” he told Times Radio. “I’ll be interested to see the legislation as it goes through. And what the prime minister has planned.”

The proposals form part of the criminal justice bill, which is going through the House of Commons and is due to become law before the general election.

They were announced by the former home secretary Suella Braverman and would give police and local authorities powers to act against “nuisance rough sleeping” in England and Wales. Rough sleepers could be moved on, fined up to £2,500 or imprisoned.

Senior Tory MPs on the left and right of the party, including the former leader Iain Duncan Smith and the One Nation caucus chair, Damian Green, have signed amendments to the legislation to remove the plans to criminalise rough sleeping.

Critics say the legislation is so broadly drawn that someone could be considered a nuisance for sleeping in a doorway, being deemed to have an excessive smell or looking as though they intend to sleep rough.

Hollinrake insisted the proposals were only one part of a wider government strategy to get people off the streets. “That’s just part of the things we’re looking to do in terms of making sure that people don’t sleep on the streets and that’s not right, we want to provide the resources for people, housing, improving the number of refuges people can sleep in, and the amount of social housing and affordable housing, which we’ve done,” he said.

“I think [there are] about 700,000 more affordable homes than there were in 2010, so significant progress we have made in terms of these kinds of issues. But nevertheless, there’s a lot to do and it’s important we’ve created ways to try and deal with those issues.”

Polly Neate, the chief executive of the homelessness charity Shelter, said on X the plans were “cruel and nonsensical” and sought “to punish people for ending up on the streets”.

Matt Downie, the chief executive of Crisis, another homelessness charity, said: “It is a cruel and counterproductive idea. It must not be allowed to pass. I’m hugely grateful to the MPs on all sides that have worked with us to stop it.”

The Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said: “The heartless proposals in the criminal justice bill risk bringing back the Vagrancy Act by the back door. The government should listen to their own backbenchers and take a compassionate approach to tackling homelessness, instead of stigmatising and criminalising rough sleepers.”

While she was home secretary, Braverman branded rough sleeping a “lifestyle choice” and declared that “we cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents occupied by people, many of them from abroad”. Her remarks triggered outrage from Conservative MPs and she was sacked less than two weeks later after Rishi Sunak accused her of making statements he had not approved.

The broad nature of the criminal justice bill has led MPs to use the legislation as an opportunity to attach other proposals, including banning conversion practices and decriminalising abortion in England and Wales.

ALSO READ-Tory rebels warn Sunak on poll date

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Tory rebels warn Sunak on poll date

Downing Street sources have moved to play down speculation that a summer election could be on the cards, stressing that going to the ballot box in the autumn remains the aim…reports Asian Lite News

Tory rebels have warned Rishi Sunak off holding a June general election, claiming they would launch a fresh move to oust him as leader if that month was picked.

Downing Street sources have moved to play down speculation that a summer election could be on the cards, stressing that going to the ballot box in the autumn remains the aim.

Central to that argument is the improving economic picture, with inflation and possibly interest rates likely to be lower and economic growth higher at the end of the year than now.

But the idea of a June election, which would have to be called by early May if it is to happen, has spooked some critics of the Prime Minister on the Tory backbench.

One Conservative MP told The Telegraph of a June election: “If he does that, the letters will go in before he gets to see the King.

“Colleagues don’t want an election yet. They’re trying to be as loyal as they can, but they think it will be political suicide. Someone’s clearly floating a June election to stop the plotters. He would obviously prefer to be ousted by the election than fellow MPs.”

Another said: “It would be disastrous. It would cause a move against the PM. There is an increasing view that he’s just not up to it. People are thinking ‘we are not having you lead us into the next election’.”

Since the start of the year, the Prime Minister has been saying publicly that he expects the vote to be held in the second half of the year, though he has avoided being categorical. He did earlier in March say that the general election would not be held on May 2, the same day as the local elections.

That comment was widely seen as a sign that a spring election was being ruled out, since sending voters back to the polls a few weeks after the local elections could risk a backlash.

But focus has now turned on whether a surprise summer general election, perhaps in June or early July, could be on the cards. Sunak’s allies accept that if Tory MPs try to force him from office that could trigger an early vote, but otherwise autumn remains the working assumption.

The argument for calling the election in the summer is that the Tory vote share, which has been ticking downwards this year, could fall even further if Number 10 waits until the autumn.

Politicians usually avoid calling elections at the height of summer since Britons often head away for their holidays, making turnout hard to predict.

But on Thursday figures at the top of the party moved to play down the idea of a June election.

A senior Tory source said, “I think everyone needs to enjoy a long weekend and have a cold shower. We have been working on the assumption of Oct/Nov for over a year and I’ve not seen anything to suggest that’s changed.”

Only a small number of advisers and trusted figures are expected to be in the loop about Mr Sunak’s real thinking about when to call the election.

With there being a political incentive to retain an element of surprise and keep the Labour Party guessing, it is difficult to say with confidence exactly what date is being planned.

But the widespread expectation within Westminster among government insiders and MPs of all political stripes is that the election will be called for either October or November.

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