HonestRED

The brutal, senseless murders of Bebe, Elsie and Alice marked one of the darkest moments in our country’s history. The report today is truly harrowing and profoundly disturbing. It sets out systematic failures that led to this terrible event. I’ve been overwhelmed by the bravery and determination of their families and while nothing will ever bring these three little girls back, I’m determined to make the fundamental changes needed to keep the public safe. I will do everything I can to honour the memory of Bebe, Elsie, and Alice.

Labour is *actively seeking* a fight over Brexit with Reform and the Conservatives The government wants the power to sign Britain up to EU single market rules without the need for a normal parliamentary vote They want to use secondary legislation - so-called Henry VIII powers - to allow for alignment on food standards and carbon emissions Labour says that Reform and the Tories are 'stuck with the ghost of Brexit past' and are 'happy with the 'broken status quo' 'We're making a sovereign choice to agree deals to reduce trade barriers - where Parliament gets to have a say 'It will lower costs for businesses and get rid of the Brexit paperwork tax that adds to the cost of the weekly shop. 'Reform and the Tories are stuck with the ghost of Brexit past, happy with the broken status quo. But in a world of rising global tensions, we need politicians who can build bridges rather than burn them'

This is exactly what we need and I will happily give evidence. When I arrived at the Home Office in September 2022, the number of work and study visas issued the previous year had already exceeded 1,000,000. The Boriswave was flooding the country. This was a catastrophe. I went into government with a clear plan to cut net migration. If we moved quickly, we could bring the numbers down before a General Election, I hoped. Yet I was blocked repeatedly by Conservative Prime Ministers and Conservative Cabinet Members. I kept working to persuade, to push, to lobby, to get changes. I managed to secure the first set of changes (on student dependents) in May 2023. These were the first ever changes to begin the reversal of the Boriswave. Not nearly enough, but a start. I did not give up. I continued to lobby for the fuller set of changes (salary threshold increase, lower caps etc) but was constantly blocked by the Chancellor, Health, Education, Business and Agriculture departments, and the PM. It became one of my big disputes with the PM, and one reason he dismissed me. The PM eventually introduced some of my proposed changes after I left office. But it was all too little, too late. I will stand by my record any day.

The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is deeply damaging. Getting global shipping moving is vital to ease cost of living pressures. The UK has convened more than 40 nations who share our aim to restore freedom of navigation. This week the UK and France will co-host a summit to advance work on a coordinated, independent, multinational plan to safeguard international shipping when the conflict ends.