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Javid says new migration salary rules could vary region by region as May's £30k threshold shelved – live news | Javid says new migration salary rules could vary region by region as May's £30k threshold shelved – live news |
(32 minutes later) | |
Back in the Commons, Jeremy Corbyn is responding to Theresa May. | |
He starts by saying it is 10 years since John Bercow became Speaker. “Congratulations on the first 10 years,” he says. | |
He also sends his best wishes to John Prescott. | |
And then he turns to Iran. Last week the world was only minutes away from a US-Iran war, he says. He says the Iran nuclear deal should be defended. | |
Turning back to migration for a moment, Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury who is currently seems to be spending much of her time acting as Boris Johnson’s chief media spokesperson, has warmly welcomed Sajid Javid’s decision to review income thresholds for immigrants after Brexit. | |
This is right from @sajidjavid. We need proper control at our borders and an immigration system that allows those who will contribute to our country to come to the UK. https://t.co/8hq5gjztWR | |
Theresa May starts by wishing John Prescott a full recovery. | |
She says the EU summit focused on climate change, disinformation, the EU’s external relations, and what the EU calls its “top jobs”. | |
She says was there because the UK has agreed to continue contributing fully to EU discussions while it remains a member. | |
Theresa May is about to make a Commons statement on last week’s EU summit. | |
She may get quite a lot of questions about Brexit but, unless she decides to comment on the Brexit plans being floated by her two potential successors (which seems unlikely), it is hard to see what she might say that will qualify as news. | |
Here are two questions from below the line on a topic that is the subject of much chatter at Westminster at the moment - how the timing of a no confidence vote might interact with the article 50 process. | |
@Andrew - if the Johnson Government takes the UK to the precipice of no-deal a few days before Oct 31st and the British parliament votes them out in a no-confidence motion, what is the legal position with respect to an extension of Article 50? In these circumstances, can the EU extend Article 50 based on a vote in parliament or will the UK Prime Minister (in this case Boris Johnson) have to explicitly request the extension themselves? In these circumstances, can the Queen intervene by appointing a new PM or does the Queen have the power to request the extension herself if the Government has lost a no-confidence vote? | |
So a question for Andrew. | |
If some hard core Tory Remainers try to bring down the government voting with the opposition on a no confidence motion to stop no deal, will they have to do so before the minimum time allowed for a GE stays before the 31st October? | |
Can you see the point I'm making as if it is under the time allowed a GE means no active government to stop the UK leaving without signing the WA. We would leave by default if they brought the government down. Should add that even if the EU offer another extension wouldn't that be worthless as it would still have to go through Parliament. | |
It is not easy to answer these questions, because the article 50 process is unprecedented - no other country has every used article 50 to leave the EU - and the UK has never seen a no confidence vote lead to a general election under the procedure set out in the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. | |
But it is possible that a no confidence vote in September, followed by a 14-day wait to see if a new government could win a vote of confidence, followed by the calling of an election, which would have to take place 25 working days after the dissolution of parliament, would leave little or no time for the UK to request an article 50 extension before the 31 October deadline. | |
There is no provision for parliament to request an article 50 extension. The request to the EU would have to come from the PM. A responsible PM might make such a request in the event of a pending general election, to keep options for whoever won, but if Boris Johnson were in this position in September, he would probably argue that he was elected party leader and prime minister on a mandate to deliver Brexit by 31 October come what may. | |
I’m afraid the monarch has not had the power to sack the prime minister, and appoint another one, for at least a century, and probably longer. And she does not have the power to request an article 50 extension, even if she wanted one. | |
Labour is to examine the readiness of City firms to cut carbon emissions and invest responsibly to tackle the climate emergency, shadow chancellor John McDonnell said this morning. As my colleague Philip Inman reports, a review into City practices and how investments can be directed to promote technologies that cut carbon emissions will report by October as part of the party’s support for policies tied to the green industrial revolution. Speaking to City executives in central London, McDonnell said he also wanted the Bank of England to help monitor the City’s progress towards lower carbon emissions. This new responsibility would be on top of Labour’s plan to make the central bank also adopt policies that will boost the productivity of British firms. | Labour is to examine the readiness of City firms to cut carbon emissions and invest responsibly to tackle the climate emergency, shadow chancellor John McDonnell said this morning. As my colleague Philip Inman reports, a review into City practices and how investments can be directed to promote technologies that cut carbon emissions will report by October as part of the party’s support for policies tied to the green industrial revolution. Speaking to City executives in central London, McDonnell said he also wanted the Bank of England to help monitor the City’s progress towards lower carbon emissions. This new responsibility would be on top of Labour’s plan to make the central bank also adopt policies that will boost the productivity of British firms. |
Labour to launch review of City's progress on emissions | Labour to launch review of City's progress on emissions |
Theresa May still has a month left to serve as prime minister, but already her policy agenda is being shredded. A relative hardliner in Tory terms on immigration, she pushed hard for a high salary threshold for skilled workers coming to the UK after Brexit and, when the government’s white paper on immigration was published in December, it proposed a rule saying migrants would have to be earning £30,000 a year to qualify as a skilled worker for a five-year visa. As a concession to the Treasury and the business department, which wanted a more open regime, it was agreed that this threshold would be subject to consultation. | Theresa May still has a month left to serve as prime minister, but already her policy agenda is being shredded. A relative hardliner in Tory terms on immigration, she pushed hard for a high salary threshold for skilled workers coming to the UK after Brexit and, when the government’s white paper on immigration was published in December, it proposed a rule saying migrants would have to be earning £30,000 a year to qualify as a skilled worker for a five-year visa. As a concession to the Treasury and the business department, which wanted a more open regime, it was agreed that this threshold would be subject to consultation. |
Sajid Javid, the home secretary, has now published details of that consultation – and his announcement strongly applies that the salary thresholds in the white paper are going to be abandoned. He is also floating the idea of having different salary thresholds for different areas of the country. This is from the Home Office news release. | Sajid Javid, the home secretary, has now published details of that consultation – and his announcement strongly applies that the salary thresholds in the white paper are going to be abandoned. He is also floating the idea of having different salary thresholds for different areas of the country. This is from the Home Office news release. |
The home secretary Sajid Javid has today asked the migration advisory committee to review and advise on salary thresholds for the future immigration system, which will start to take effect from 2021. | The home secretary Sajid Javid has today asked the migration advisory committee to review and advise on salary thresholds for the future immigration system, which will start to take effect from 2021. |
The migration advisory committee previously recommended that we should retain the existing minimum salary thresholds in the future immigration system, which includes paying experienced workers at least £30,000, and new entrants (including recent graduates) at least £20,800. | The migration advisory committee previously recommended that we should retain the existing minimum salary thresholds in the future immigration system, which includes paying experienced workers at least £30,000, and new entrants (including recent graduates) at least £20,800. |
The home secretary has asked the migration advisory committee to consider how future salary thresholds should be calculated, the levels of salary thresholds, whether there is a case for regional salary thresholds for different parts of the UK, and whether there should be exceptions to salary thresholds, for example because they’ve newly started the occupation or because they work in an occupation in shortage. | The home secretary has asked the migration advisory committee to consider how future salary thresholds should be calculated, the levels of salary thresholds, whether there is a case for regional salary thresholds for different parts of the UK, and whether there should be exceptions to salary thresholds, for example because they’ve newly started the occupation or because they work in an occupation in shortage. |
A final decision would be taken by the next Tory MP (assuming the Conservatives stay in power). But Javid will be making this announcement knowing that both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt are much more relaxed about immigration than May. | A final decision would be taken by the next Tory MP (assuming the Conservatives stay in power). But Javid will be making this announcement knowing that both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt are much more relaxed about immigration than May. |
Variable salary thresholds for different parts of the UK would be a policy with particular significance for Scotland, which is much more dependent on immigration than other parts of the UK. The SNP-led Scottish government has for years been saying that it should have control over immigration policy in Scotland. At an event last week Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, said that getting more power over immigration would be her top demand in terms of extending devolution. She also revealed that, at the recent D-day commemoration event, Johnson was joking with her about what might be needed to “buy you guys off” (ie to quash the demand for independence). | Variable salary thresholds for different parts of the UK would be a policy with particular significance for Scotland, which is much more dependent on immigration than other parts of the UK. The SNP-led Scottish government has for years been saying that it should have control over immigration policy in Scotland. At an event last week Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, said that getting more power over immigration would be her top demand in terms of extending devolution. She also revealed that, at the recent D-day commemoration event, Johnson was joking with her about what might be needed to “buy you guys off” (ie to quash the demand for independence). |
Jeremy Hunt has stepped up his criticism of Boris Johnson for avoiding media scrutiny in the Tory leadership campaign, calling it “disrespectful”, as another minister said Johnson could be brought down by his own MPs if he pushed for a no-deal Brexit. | Jeremy Hunt has stepped up his criticism of Boris Johnson for avoiding media scrutiny in the Tory leadership campaign, calling it “disrespectful”, as another minister said Johnson could be brought down by his own MPs if he pushed for a no-deal Brexit. |
Boris Johnson’s refusal to face public scrutiny as he runs for the Conservative party leadership has prompted Sky News to cancel a televised debate this week. | Boris Johnson’s refusal to face public scrutiny as he runs for the Conservative party leadership has prompted Sky News to cancel a televised debate this week. |
John Griffin, one of the Conservative party’s most generous donors, has joined a growing chorus of demands for Boris Johnson to explain why police were called to his home after an altercation with his partner. | John Griffin, one of the Conservative party’s most generous donors, has joined a growing chorus of demands for Boris Johnson to explain why police were called to his home after an altercation with his partner. |
The People’s Vote campaign has criticised plans published by the Alternative Arrangements Commission for an alternative to the backstop as unworkable. In a statement responding to the report (see 12.27pm) issued by People’s Vote, the Labour MP Owen Smith said: | The People’s Vote campaign has criticised plans published by the Alternative Arrangements Commission for an alternative to the backstop as unworkable. In a statement responding to the report (see 12.27pm) issued by People’s Vote, the Labour MP Owen Smith said: |
The idea of trying to replace the Northern Ireland backstop with so-called ‘alternative arrangements’ has already been tested to destruction. There is no political will to do so from either Ireland, the rest of the EU or most importantly the people of Northern Ireland, particularly those living on or near the border. This new report does nothing to address that crucial underlying point. | The idea of trying to replace the Northern Ireland backstop with so-called ‘alternative arrangements’ has already been tested to destruction. There is no political will to do so from either Ireland, the rest of the EU or most importantly the people of Northern Ireland, particularly those living on or near the border. This new report does nothing to address that crucial underlying point. |
Talk of vague ‘technological solutions’, special economic zones or checks away from the border still fail to meet the basic test for a durable solution to this intractable problem. It needs to have the consent of both the people of Northern Ireland and of the Republic of Ireland – those who it will affect the most. And it’s clear it doesn’t have that consent on either side of the border. | Talk of vague ‘technological solutions’, special economic zones or checks away from the border still fail to meet the basic test for a durable solution to this intractable problem. It needs to have the consent of both the people of Northern Ireland and of the Republic of Ireland – those who it will affect the most. And it’s clear it doesn’t have that consent on either side of the border. |
The Alternative Arrangements Commission is nothing more or less than a desperate attempt to make a square peg fit into a round hole in order to try and hold the warring factions of the Conservative party together. The future of Northern Ireland is too important to be treated like this. The only way to a deliver a lasting and stable solution to this problem is to give the public the final say. | The Alternative Arrangements Commission is nothing more or less than a desperate attempt to make a square peg fit into a round hole in order to try and hold the warring factions of the Conservative party together. The future of Northern Ireland is too important to be treated like this. The only way to a deliver a lasting and stable solution to this problem is to give the public the final say. |
The Brexit party is to launch a formal legal challenge against the result of this month’s Peterborough byelection, where it was narrowly beaten by Labour, claiming that allegations of corruption connected to postal votes need to be investigated. | The Brexit party is to launch a formal legal challenge against the result of this month’s Peterborough byelection, where it was narrowly beaten by Labour, claiming that allegations of corruption connected to postal votes need to be investigated. |
Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, has put forward the prospect of a coalition with the Conservative party to ensure the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and offered Johnson his support following his row with his partner. | Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, has put forward the prospect of a coalition with the Conservative party to ensure the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and offered Johnson his support following his row with his partner. |
Nick Clegg, Facebook’s head of communications, has dismissed allegations that misuse of the social network influenced the EU referendum result. | Nick Clegg, Facebook’s head of communications, has dismissed allegations that misuse of the social network influenced the EU referendum result. |
The former deputy prime minister John Prescott has been admitted to hospital after having a stroke, prompting messages of support from current and former Labour leaders. This is from Jeremy Corbyn. | The former deputy prime minister John Prescott has been admitted to hospital after having a stroke, prompting messages of support from current and former Labour leaders. This is from Jeremy Corbyn. |
My thoughts are with my good friend @JohnPrescott and his family and friends at this difficult time. I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery. I'd like to thank the paramedics and hard-working staff at Hull Royal Infirmary. We know John loves our NHS and today the NHS loves him pic.twitter.com/hYw0POD0u3 | My thoughts are with my good friend @JohnPrescott and his family and friends at this difficult time. I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery. I'd like to thank the paramedics and hard-working staff at Hull Royal Infirmary. We know John loves our NHS and today the NHS loves him pic.twitter.com/hYw0POD0u3 |
Ken Clarke, the Tory pro-European, has reaffirmed his willingness to vote against the government in a no-confidence debate to stop a no-deal Brexit. Asked about this possible scenario on The World at One, he said: | Ken Clarke, the Tory pro-European, has reaffirmed his willingness to vote against the government in a no-confidence debate to stop a no-deal Brexit. Asked about this possible scenario on The World at One, he said: |
It depends on the circumstances at the time and what whoever is prime minister is putting forward as the policy he is going to pursue. | It depends on the circumstances at the time and what whoever is prime minister is putting forward as the policy he is going to pursue. |
But I am not going to vote in favour of a government that says it is going to pursue policies which are totally incompatible with everything the Conservative party has stood for under all those prime ministers for the decades that I have been in parliament. | But I am not going to vote in favour of a government that says it is going to pursue policies which are totally incompatible with everything the Conservative party has stood for under all those prime ministers for the decades that I have been in parliament. |
Here is a source from the Jeremy Hunt camp responding to the news that Sky has cancelled the leaders’ debate planned for tomorrow because Boris Johnson has refused to attend. (See 11.07am.) The source said: | Here is a source from the Jeremy Hunt camp responding to the news that Sky has cancelled the leaders’ debate planned for tomorrow because Boris Johnson has refused to attend. (See 11.07am.) The source said: |
Bottler Boris and his complacent campaign have shown they can’t trust their candidate to turn up and perform. | Bottler Boris and his complacent campaign have shown they can’t trust their candidate to turn up and perform. |
David Henig, the former civil servant who now heads the UK Trade Policy Project, has written a Twitter thread with a good commentary on the Alternative Arrangements Commission conference. (See 12.27pm and 12.35pm.) It starts here. | David Henig, the former civil servant who now heads the UK Trade Policy Project, has written a Twitter thread with a good commentary on the Alternative Arrangements Commission conference. (See 12.27pm and 12.35pm.) It starts here. |
Today I'll attend a conference arranged by the 'Alternative Arrangements Commission' - even though I've been critical of the work of some of those involved in the past. They invited me though, and we need proper dialogue to solve our Brexit issues. pic.twitter.com/97uDZDrtI5 | Today I'll attend a conference arranged by the 'Alternative Arrangements Commission' - even though I've been critical of the work of some of those involved in the past. They invited me though, and we need proper dialogue to solve our Brexit issues. pic.twitter.com/97uDZDrtI5 |
Today’s Evening Standard, which is backing Boris Johnson for the Conservative party leadership, is splashing on a story based on a picture apparently showing Johnson making up with his girlfriend, Carrie Symonds. | Today’s Evening Standard, which is backing Boris Johnson for the Conservative party leadership, is splashing on a story based on a picture apparently showing Johnson making up with his girlfriend, Carrie Symonds. |
Today’s @EveningStandard as a picture of the happy couple emerges pic.twitter.com/Yjxa99Ng9B | Today’s @EveningStandard as a picture of the happy couple emerges pic.twitter.com/Yjxa99Ng9B |
My colleague Owen Jones thinks that, in the light of the way the Johnsonites have been complaining about “Corbynista curtain-twitchers” and the like (see 10.35am), this is an example of hypocrisy. | My colleague Owen Jones thinks that, in the light of the way the Johnsonites have been complaining about “Corbynista curtain-twitchers” and the like (see 10.35am), this is an example of hypocrisy. |
Hold on, isn’t this entirely spontaneous and non planned photograph Stasi interference into people’s private lives? https://t.co/LrVMffuQ7r | Hold on, isn’t this entirely spontaneous and non planned photograph Stasi interference into people’s private lives? https://t.co/LrVMffuQ7r |
These are from my colleague Lisa O’Carroll, who has been attending the Alternative Arrangements Commission conference this morning. | These are from my colleague Lisa O’Carroll, who has been attending the Alternative Arrangements Commission conference this morning. |
Northern Ireland Retail Consortium director, Aodhán Connolly said the Alt Arrangements economic freezones would create borders within borders. This wd not comply with the Dec 2017 joint report to avoid "hard border, including any infrastructure or related checks and controls" | Northern Ireland Retail Consortium director, Aodhán Connolly said the Alt Arrangements economic freezones would create borders within borders. This wd not comply with the Dec 2017 joint report to avoid "hard border, including any infrastructure or related checks and controls" |
Shankar Singham: Says the UK and the EU were wrong to interpret the December 2017 report as saying there shd not be infrastructure anywhere in NI. "we don’t think that’s a valid interpretation - we don’t think that’s a valid interpretation. " | Shankar Singham: Says the UK and the EU were wrong to interpret the December 2017 report as saying there shd not be infrastructure anywhere in NI. "we don’t think that’s a valid interpretation - we don’t think that’s a valid interpretation. " |
Shanker Singham is a member of the commission, and a pro-Brexit trade expert. | Shanker Singham is a member of the commission, and a pro-Brexit trade expert. |
Shankar Singham asked about how alternative arrangements will tackle smuggling. Points out there is "considerable amount of smuggling on the EU’s external borders now and in their internal borders". | Shankar Singham asked about how alternative arrangements will tackle smuggling. Points out there is "considerable amount of smuggling on the EU’s external borders now and in their internal borders". |
Alternative Arrangements Commission point out that Ireland is no stranger to special economic zones - Shannon Free Zone near Shannon Airport is the biggest such zone in EU | Alternative Arrangements Commission point out that Ireland is no stranger to special economic zones - Shannon Free Zone near Shannon Airport is the biggest such zone in EU |
Irish delegate Cathal Lee, former Fianna Fail staffer tells AAC conference that this conversation about alternative arrangements should have been held in "March, April 2016" to explain to voters Irish border was complicated | Irish delegate Cathal Lee, former Fianna Fail staffer tells AAC conference that this conversation about alternative arrangements should have been held in "March, April 2016" to explain to voters Irish border was complicated |
As my colleague Lisa O’Carroll reports, the Alternative Arrangements Commission, which was set up to look at ways of managing the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit to avoid the need for the backstop (which would effectively keep the UK in the customs union), has published an interim report today. There is a 35-page summary here (pdf), and the full 203-page interim report is here (pdf). | As my colleague Lisa O’Carroll reports, the Alternative Arrangements Commission, which was set up to look at ways of managing the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit to avoid the need for the backstop (which would effectively keep the UK in the customs union), has published an interim report today. There is a 35-page summary here (pdf), and the full 203-page interim report is here (pdf). |
On the Today programme this morning Greg Hands, the former international trade minister and one of the co-chairs of the commission, said the ideas in the report were a viable alternative to the backstop. He said he thought it would be possible to negotiate this with the EU before 31 October, although he said it would take up to two to three years to introduce these alternative arrangements. He went on: | On the Today programme this morning Greg Hands, the former international trade minister and one of the co-chairs of the commission, said the ideas in the report were a viable alternative to the backstop. He said he thought it would be possible to negotiate this with the EU before 31 October, although he said it would take up to two to three years to introduce these alternative arrangements. He went on: |
We think it is possible to have this. We will be publishing next month an alternative arrangements protocol that could be inserted either into the withdrawal agreement or into any new form of Brexit that might be negotiated by the next UK prime minister. | We think it is possible to have this. We will be publishing next month an alternative arrangements protocol that could be inserted either into the withdrawal agreement or into any new form of Brexit that might be negotiated by the next UK prime minister. |
Hands accepted that, for traders in Ireland, his plans would not amount to “no change” from the status quo. But the proposals would avoid a hard border, he said. | Hands accepted that, for traders in Ireland, his plans would not amount to “no change” from the status quo. But the proposals would avoid a hard border, he said. |