Category: News Story

STORY

The Government has said social landlords and courts will be given new powers to remove domestic abuse perpetrators from social housing under the Social Housing Bill, which returned to Parliament for its second reading. Ministers said the measure is intended to stop victims being forced to leave their homes in order for action to be taken against an abuser.

The Bill would allow courts to transfer a joint tenancy into the victim’s sole name or require landlords to provide suitable alternative accommodation where remaining in the property is not appropriate. The Government said the legislation would also close a loophole that allowed perpetrators in joint tenancies to serve a Notice to Quit and leave victims at risk of homelessness.

The legislation also includes major changes to Right to Buy rules, including extending the minimum tenancy period from three to ten years, reducing discounts and exempting newly built social and affordable homes from the scheme for 35 years. Ministers said the reforms were part of a wider effort to protect social housing stock alongside the Government’s £39 billion investment in social and affordable housing.

STORY

Herefordshire Council has brought day-to-day oversight of highways and public realm services back under council control, marking the start of a new delivery model for roads, drainage, street lighting, street cleansing, green spaces and winter gritting. The authority said the change had taken effect today, with works to be delivered through a new partnership with M Group and a framework of approved local contractors.

The council said the change followed careful mobilisation work intended to avoid disruption as its previous contract with Balfour Beatty Living Places came to an end. The authority said the new framework would allow it to appoint local contractors for schemes of different sizes, with a stated aim of improving value for money while supporting local employment and skills development.

Councillor Dan Hurcomb, cabinet member for local engagement and community resilience, said bringing control back in-house would allow the council to focus on better roads, well-maintained spaces and a service responding more quickly to local needs. M Group said it had spent months preparing for the transition and would be investing in plant and fleet as part of the new arrangement.

STORY

EU home affairs ministers are due to discuss the state of the Schengen area, the implementation of large-scale border IT systems and the progress of the migration pact when they meet later this week. The agenda includes the Entry/Exit System and ETIAS, both intended to strengthen the management of the EU’s external borders.

Ministers will also take stock of the migration pact and discuss the external dimension of migration. That is likely to include cooperation with non-EU countries, returns and efforts to reduce irregular migration before people reach EU territory.

The meeting comes as migration remains one of the most politically difficult issues in the Union. Governments are trying to make the new pact operational while avoiding fresh divisions between frontline states, destination countries and member states more sceptical of common EU action.

STORY

The European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee is due to vote on proposals for the review of EU excise duties on tobacco and related products. The work is linked to the EU’s target of a “tobacco-free generation” by 2040.

The recommendations cover newer products including e-cigarettes, as well as raw tobacco. The debate reflects the difficulty of updating EU tax and public health rules at a time when nicotine markets are changing more quickly than the legislation designed to regulate them.

Any changes to tobacco excise rules would have implications for public health, national tax revenues and cross-border sales. Member states have differing tax systems and public health priorities, meaning the file is likely to require careful negotiation.

STORY

The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee is due to vote on reports assessing the latest developments in the EU membership application process for Ukraine and Moldova. The votes are part of Parliament’s continuing scrutiny of enlargement policy as the bloc considers how to manage future expansion.

The draft report on Ukraine praises the country’s efforts to strengthen democratic institutions during wartime, while also calling for further improvements on the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Moldova’s report is expected to highlight its progress with EU-related reforms while warning of continued malign Russian interference.

The votes come as enlargement remains one of the most strategically important questions facing the EU. Brussels is trying to maintain momentum for candidate countries while also confronting the institutional and budgetary consequences of taking in new members.

STORY

European Parliament and Council negotiators are expected to try to reach a deal on the long-running reform of EU air passenger rights. The talks will cover issues including compensation thresholds, pre-filled claim forms and hand baggage allowances.

The existing EU air passenger rights regime has been in force since 2004, but the proposed update has been repeatedly delayed because of divisions over how far the rules should go. Airlines have argued for clearer and more workable rules, while MEPs have pressed for stronger consumer protection and simpler compensation procedures.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola is due to take part in the conciliation committee for the file on Tuesday. Any agreement would be closely watched by travellers, airlines and consumer groups across the bloc.

STORY

European Parliament and Council negotiators are due to try to reach an agreement on updated EU rules for returning third-country nationals who do not have the right to remain in the bloc. The talks form part of the EU’s wider effort to make its migration and asylum system more effective after years of political pressure over irregular arrivals and low return rates.

The return regulation is politically sensitive because it sits at the point where migration control, fundamental rights and relations with non-EU countries all meet. Governments have repeatedly called for faster returns, while parliamentary groups and campaigners have warned that any new powers must be accompanied by safeguards and proper legal oversight.

The negotiations come during a week in which migration is again high on the Brussels agenda. Home affairs ministers are also expected to discuss the implementation of the migration pact, the external dimension of migration and the future legal status of displaced people from Ukraine.

STORY

Jeremy Hunt has used a new interview to reflect on the personal cost of political life and to argue that Britain still faces deep economic challenges. The former Chancellor, now on the Conservative back benches, said politics had made him a poor husband, father and friend, according to The Times.

Hunt also used the interview to discuss his new book on the British economy and the need for long-term reform. He criticised both Conservative and Labour failures, while arguing that the country’s economic problems required difficult choices on taxation, welfare, pensions and productivity.

His comments add to the wider debate over whether either main party has a credible plan for growth. Although Hunt is no longer in frontline politics, his intervention will be read in the context of Conservative attempts to rebuild after defeat and Labour’s own internal argument about economic direction.

STORY

The House of Commons and House of Lords are due to return on Monday 1 June after the Whitsun recess. UK Parliament’s business papers showed that neither House was sitting on Sunday 31 May, with Commons business scheduled to resume at the start of the new week.

The return of Parliament will bring ministers back under direct scrutiny after a period dominated by Labour leadership speculation, questions over public spending and continuing pressure on Government delivery. The House of Commons has listed business for the week of 1 to 5 June, with MPs expected to return to the usual pattern of debates, questions and committee work.

The timing is awkward for the Government, as the national political agenda has moved quickly during recess. Ministers are likely to face questions on the rail public ownership programme, Labour’s internal divisions, economic policy and the continuing consequences of recent local and devolved election results.

STORY

Wes Streeting has set out a series of policy positions that put him at odds with both Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Tony Blair. In an interview reported by The Independent, the former Health Secretary said Labour should consider cutting national insurance and issuing new North Sea oil and gas licences.

Streeting also criticised Starmer’s leadership, saying voters did not have an emotional connection with the Prime Minister and that the Government had a problem of substance as well as presentation. He said Labour should stick to its manifesto commitments on Europe in the short term, while still supporting the UK’s eventual return to the European Union.

His comments come ahead of a possible Labour leadership contest later this year and after he resigned from Government to prepare for a challenge. Streeting also criticised elements of Blair’s recent intervention, arguing that the former Prime Minister’s approach did not sufficiently address inequality and the political forces driving public discontent.