Tag: News Story

STORY

Airlines and airport groups have urged the European Commission to suspend the EU’s new biometric border system during the peak summer travel period. Industry bodies warned of delays, queues and disruption at airports handling large numbers of non-EU travellers.

The system requires non-EU travellers to provide fingerprints and photographs. Aviation groups say capacity problems have created operational pressures and want flexibility to suspend checks when border control capacity is exceeded.

The issue is particularly relevant to British travellers because the UK is outside the EU and its citizens are covered by the new arrangements. Any disruption during the summer travel period could increase political pressure on both EU institutions and national border authorities.

STORY

The European Union has introduced a €3 customs fee on low-value e-commerce parcels, in a move expected to affect platforms including Shein, Temu and AliExpress. The measure targets the rapid growth in parcels entering the EU under the previous low-value exemption.

The change is intended to address unfair competition, consumer risks and pressure on customs systems. EU officials have argued that the surge in small parcels has increased the burden on customs authorities and made it harder to enforce safety and consumer protection rules.

Import costs are expected to become more visible to consumers, with a more detailed customs regime due to follow in 2028. The policy is likely to be closely watched by retailers, delivery firms and online platforms operating across the European market.

STORY

Ireland has begun its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union. The presidency gives Dublin responsibility for steering the Council’s work and helping to shape the agenda across a period dominated by Ukraine, competitiveness and wider geopolitical pressures.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the opening in Dublin and urged the EU to keep its promises on accession talks. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland would commit fully to the role during a geopolitically important period for the bloc.

The presidency will give Ireland a higher-profile role in managing EU business and building agreement between member states. It will also be watched closely in London because of Ireland’s importance in UK-EU relations and its influence on post-Brexit cooperation.

STORY

The Scottish Affairs Committee has agreed that its chair should write to relevant Scottish Parliament committees about potential joint working on matters relating to the embezzlement of funds from the SNP. The correspondence will be published on the Committee’s website in due course.

The move follows earlier committee activity on the issue, including correspondence with the Electoral Commission, the Speaker and the Clerk of the House. The committee’s latest step indicates continuing Westminster scrutiny of the implications for party finance and public confidence.

Any joint working would involve sensitive questions about the relationship between Westminster and Holyrood oversight. The case has raised wider issues about transparency, governance and how political parties manage internal financial controls.

STORY

MPs will also debate a petition relating to support for the ceramics industry on Monday 6 July. The Petitions Committee scheduled the debate after campaigners called for further support for British manufacturing jobs and skills.

The petition calls for the British Industry Supercharger to be expanded to include the ceramics sector. Supporters argue that high energy costs continue to place pressure on manufacturers, particularly in areas where ceramics remains an important employer.

The debate will give MPs another opportunity to discuss energy costs and industrial support for energy intensive industries. Ministers are expected to face questions about whether current schemes provide enough help for firms competing with overseas producers facing lower costs.

STORY

MPs will debate a petition calling for people convicted of terrorism offences to be barred from standing for elected office. The Westminster Hall debate is scheduled for Monday 6 July and will be opened by John Lamont on behalf of the Petitions Committee.

The petition calls for people convicted of terrorism offences in the UK or abroad to be disqualified from standing for election. It has attracted more than 200,000 signatures, ensuring parliamentary consideration of the issue.

The debate is expected to focus on the balance between democratic rights, public safety and public confidence in elected office. Ministers will be asked to set out whether the Government believes existing disqualification rules are sufficient or whether further restrictions should be introduced.

STORY

The House of Commons sat from 11.30am, with questions to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology before Prime Minister’s Questions at midday. The schedule also included Westminster Hall debates and other parliamentary business.

The sitting took place during a politically unsettled period, with Starmer preparing to leave office and Burnham expected to take over as Labour leader and prime minister. That placed routine parliamentary scrutiny against the backdrop of a wider transition in Government.

MPs used the day’s proceedings to press ministers on defence spending, public services and the Government’s legislative programme. The parliamentary timetable is likely to remain dominated by questions about the leadership transition and the policy priorities of the incoming administration.

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The Government has said it is seeking to boost services exports as part of trade discussions with China. The Department for Business and Trade highlighted the Joint Economic and Trade Commission and linked events involving Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao.

Ministers said the talks were intended to support British exporters and improve commercial opportunities. The China-Britain Business Council welcomed the visit and said it had supported the Export to China event, which focused on areas where British firms could expand.

The discussions come within the wider political sensitivity of UK-China relations. Ministers are attempting to pursue trade opportunities while managing concerns about national security, human rights and China’s growing influence in strategic sectors.

STORY

Former Home Secretary Amber Rudd has been appointed to lead an independent review into prison safety and security. The Ministry of Justice said the review would examine violence, drugs and organised crime in prisons as part of wider work to reform the estate.

Justice Secretary David Lammy said the review would support efforts to make prisons safer and better at cutting crime. The announcement comes as ministers continue to face pressure over prison capacity, rehabilitation and safety across the prison system.

The review will be watched closely by prison governors, unions and campaigners, who have warned about overcrowding, staff shortages and rising violence. Its findings are expected to influence future decisions on security, rehabilitation and how ministers manage the long-running prisons crisis.

STORY

The UK is seeking to reschedule a summit with the European Union as ministers continue efforts to deepen post-Brexit cooperation. Nick Thomas-Symonds, the UK’s EU negotiator, said closer ties with the bloc were crucially important in the current global environment.

Talks are continuing on areas including agri-food arrangements, youth mobility and emissions trading. The Government has presented the reset as a practical attempt to improve trade and security cooperation while remaining outside the EU’s single market and customs union.

The expected change in prime minister has added a further political dimension to the talks. Ministers are seeking to reassure EU partners that the transition from Starmer to Burnham will not derail the reset, while opposition parties continue to scrutinise whether Labour is moving too close to Brussels.