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The government has been questioned over “serious security concerns” following breaches involving both Suella Braverman and Liz Truss. The prime minister’s phone was hacked by agents allegedly working for Russia’s Vladimir Putin during the Tory leadership race, while the home secretary resigned after sharing a sensitive government document via her personal email but was reappointed to her role by Rishi Sunak within a few days. The former British army chief said the breaches by Ms Truss and Ms Braverman showed “poor discipline”. The Labor MP told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “We need to have proper answers about whether this was the first security breach by Suella Braverman. “There are also questions about whether he was investigated for other security leaks, including a case involving the security service and a case involving sensitive legal advice in Northern Ireland.” However, Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove insisted he was happy with the Home Secretary, calling her a “first-class, first-class politician” but adding that the government takes security issues “incredibly seriously” and has “very strong protocols”.
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Border Force immigration center bombed: The details
This morning, flammable objects were thrown at a Border Force migrant center in Dover. At 11.22am, Kent Police were called to The Viaduct after reports that two to three of the objects had started a fire at the Western Jet Foil – where migrants arriving in small boats are initially processed. Emergency services extinguished the fire. A minor injury was reported and the suspect was identified and located. The attacker was described as a white man wearing a striped shirt who drove into the center in a white Seat vehicle, Reuters news agency reported. The car was reportedly involved in an incident near the immigration processing center (PA) The man is said to have thrown petrol bombs with fireworks attached to them before killing himself, a Reuters photographer said. Police could not confirm reports that the suspect had died and said investigations were ongoing. Natalie Elphicke, the Conservative MP for Dover, said she was “absolutely shocked and appalled”. He said “tensions have risen” over the number of migrants arriving in the city. Lamiat Sabin30 October 2022 16:00 1667144437
Khan calls on ministers to act as London sleeplessness rises
The number of people sleeping rough in London has risen by almost a quarter, according to figures from City Hall and charities. A total of 5,712 people were sleeping rough in the capital between April and September, an increase of more than a fifth compared to the same period in 2021. It is understood these figures are selected statistics from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network commissioned by the Greater London Authority ahead of the full data release tomorrow (Monday). The same survey shows a 24% spike in homelessness between July and September compared to the same period last year, according to analysis by the charity Crisis. Sleeping rough in London has increased by more than 20%. (Nick Ansell/PA) Mayor Sadiq Khan is calling on the Government to take immediate action to tackle rising housing bills and costs amid a cost of living crisis to tackle the escalating homelessness problem. It calls for an immediate freeze on private rents, lifting of the benefit cap and promised reforms to housing laws, including an end to Section 21 evictions – so-called ‘no-fault’ evictions where landlords get their properties back in a short time and for no good reason. Crisis said the rise was largely driven by first-time rough sleepers, who account for more than half of the 3,628 homeless people in the July-September figures – suggesting the rising cost of living is pushing people into homelessness. Lamiat Sabin30 October 2022 15:40 1667143191
Minister to visit shot and overcrowded migrant centers
Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick is to visit Dover next week where a migrant processing center was bombed, constituency MP Natalie Elphike told LBC. Earlier today, a man bombed a reception center for migrants arriving in Britain in small boats across the English Channel. Police said up to three incendiary devices were thrown at the Western Jet Foil premises. A Reuters news agency eyewitness said the gunman drove to a nearby gas station and killed himself, but police have not confirmed the suspect’s death. Mr Jenrick will also visit the Manston migrant center in Kent after inspectors reported severe overcrowding and the Home Office confirmed there had been an outbreak of diphtheria – a potentially fatal disease. Lamiat Sabin30 October 2022 15:19 1667141519
Rishi Sunak’s bounce cuts Labour’s lead to 16 points, new poll shows
Rishi Sunak has helped his party launch a ratings battle in his first week as prime minister, according to a new poll. The latest Opinium poll shows Labour’s lead down six points from 27 to 16, with the Tories five back. Keir Starmer’s Labor now has the support of 44% of voters, compared to 28% for the Conservatives. While this would still result in a comfortable victory for Labor if repeated in a future general election, it represents a change in fortunes after the doomed premiership of Liz Truss. (REUTERS) Sam Rkaina30 October 2022 14:51 1667139416
Bomb attack targets migrants at processing center in Dover
A man bombed a migrant reception center with small boats in Kent. Police said up to three incendiary devices were set off at the Western Jet Foil facility in Dover, where asylum seekers are processed after being rescued in the English Channel. A Reuters news agency eyewitness said the gunman drove to a nearby gas station and killed himself, but police have not confirmed the suspect’s death. Members of the UK Army and Border Force put out a petrol bomb fire at the Border Force center in Dover (REUTERS) Sam Rkaina30 October 2022 14:16 1667136645
Tory MP calls for probe after Truss phone ‘hacked by Russia’
Conservative MPs joined calls for an investigation into a bombshell report that Liz Truss’ phone was hacked by Russian spies, as the government was accused of not taking national security seriously enough. Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove refused to deny a report that the former prime minister’s personal phone was hacked when she was foreign secretary – but insisted the government has “very strong protocols”. A leading security expert has told the Independent it is time for a judicial inquiry into the security of government communications – describing the use of personal phones as an “absolute mess”. (PA wire) Sam Rkaina30 October 2022 13:30 1667135745
The Homes for Ukraine program has been described as a “sea of incompetence” amid delays
A Homes for Ukraine sponsor hoping to host a colleague from Kyiv described the process as “a vast sea of incompetence and delays” as the Russian invasion passes the eight-month mark. According to figures up to October 24 from the Home Office, 101,200 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK under the scheme since it began in March after various application approvals and checks. But some have called for clarity on the program’s future, including groups that claim there is growing concern that it is being “tacitly scrapped”. Tom Hayes-Isaacs, 37, from Haringey, north London, and his husband James, 33, started the process to house a friend who runs an HIV charity in the Ukrainian capital on August 23 . They faced delays, including, they say, when the Home Office withdrew their friend’s visa application without telling her when she put an email address in the wrong box. Mr Hayes-Isaacs, who works in marketing for an HIV charity, told the PA news agency: “It was a very simple mistake. But instead of just calling her to fix it, they canceled her visa and didn’t tell her. “So he had to start the application from scratch. “The whole thing was just a huge sea of incompetence and delays.” Sam Rkaina30 October 2022 13:15 1667134845
Hammond says Sunak needs to be “very careful” with Braverman
Former Tory chancellor Philip Hammond said Rishi Sunak should be “very careful” about the messages his government “sends about the ministerial code” given that Suella Braverman is still in cabinet. Lord Hammond also expressed concern about the Home Secretary’s policy position on immigration, which he said needed to be relaxed to boost growth. Asked on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuensberg whether he thought it was right that Ms Braverman was still home secretary, Lord Hammond said: “I understand why the Prime Minister wanted to bring her back. I think he needs to be very careful about the messages he sends about the ministerial code. “I’m actually more interested in what he says about the internal politics of the Tory party and the tough decisions, because one of the tough decisions to get economic growth is to have a looser approach to work immigration.” Asked if he was happy she was still in power, he replied: “I’m worried about her political position on this issue.” (The Independent) Sam Rkaina30 October 2022 13:00 1667134009
Gove suggests HS2 investment will be reviewed before ‘painful’ Autumn Statement
Michael Gove has suggested capital investment for HS2 will be reviewed as he warned the government must make “painful” decisions. Ahead of their Autumn Budget, the Prime Minister and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt are said to be considering spending cuts and tax rises of up to £50bn to cover…
