Politics latest news: Channel migrant death 'stark reminder' of small boats danger, says No10

A small boat incident in the Channel that resulted in the death of a migrant serves as a “stark reminder” of the danger of the crossings and of the need to stop the journeys, Downing Street said.

One migrant has died while another was in a critical condition after a boat sank in the English Channel overnight.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister’s thoughts are obviously with all those who are affected. There is an ongoing French-led investigation, as you’ll have seen.

“It serves as a stark reminder of how dangerous these crossings are and just how crucial it is that we work together to stop the boats and clampdown on the organised criminal gangs that are fuelling it.”

Home Secretary James Cleverly said the Government “must and will do more” to stop the crossings.

You can follow the latest updates below and join the conversation in the comments section here. 

04:00 PM GMT

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03:35 PM GMT

Tory leaders past and present spread the Christmas spirit

‘Tis the season for political Christmas cards in Westminster.

Rishi Sunak has opted for a rather low-key offering, with a black and white image of him and his family walking their dog, Nova.

Festive hats have been drawn on Mr Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty while Nova has been given a reindeer make-over with antlers, a red nose and a carrot.

Boris Johnson’s card shows the former premier dressed as Father Christmas atop a ladder as he decorates a rather impressive Christmas tree while his son Wilf watches on.

Mr Johnson’s successor in No10, Liz Truss, decided on a traditional winter setting for her card as she posed in a chair in front of a roaring fire.

03:15 PM GMT

PM: 'Immigration must always benefit the UK'

Rishi Sunak said “immigration must always benefit the UK” as he pledged to end the “exploitation of our system”.

The Prime Minister also said he intended to continue to focus on making “long-term decisions” and “not the easy ones”.

He said in a lengthy Twitter thread: “Immigration must always benefit the UK. We need to end the exploitation of our system.

“That’s why we have announced a package to cut net migration, while ensuring the NHS and businesses have the talent they need to succeed.”

03:06 PM GMT

Under-16s could face limits on social media

Under-16s could be forced to ask their parents for permission before using social media under proposals being considered by Rishi Sunak.

Ministers are devising plans for a consultation on the potential harms to children from social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in the new year, which could lead to teenagers being forced to obtain their parents’ permission to set up an account.

You can read the full story here.

02:42 PM GMT

Biggest fall in NHS waiting lists in decade

NHS waiting lists have fallen amid fears that patients are dying before getting treatment.

The waiting list for appointments fell by 65,000 in October, from a record-high of 7.77 million the previous month, to 7.71 million.

It is the most, outside of a three-month period at the start of the pandemic, that the backlog has reduced in a single month since December 2011.

You can read the full story here.

02:20 PM GMT

Lord Cameron to face first grilling by MPs

Lord Cameron will face his first grilling by MPs since his return to the political frontline on Monday next week.

The Foreign Secretary will appear in front of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee from 1.20pm.

Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, is due to appear in front of the Liaison Committee on Tuesday afternoon.

The House of Commons will rise for its Christmas break on Tuesday.

01:51 PM GMT

Grant Shapps confirms UK sending aircraft carrier strike group to Japan in 2025

01:21 PM GMT

No guarantee from No10 that Rwanda Bill will be debated in January

Downing Street has failed to guarantee that the Rwanda Bill will return to the House of Commons in January.

The legislation has been described by the Government as “emergency” but it remains unclear when MPs will next be asked to debate and vote on it.

The Bill cleared its first Commons hurdle on Tuesday this week but it will have to navigate three more stages with MPs before being sent to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

Asked for a guarantee that the Bill will return to the Commons next month, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokeswoman said: “On that again, I think we said earlier in the week we will let the Leader [of the Commons] set out parliamentary business in the usual way so you will see updates from them on that.”

12:48 PM GMT

Sunak to meet Albanian and Italian premiers in Rome for talks

Rishi Sunak will hold a trilateral meeting with Italian premier Giorgia Meloni and Albania’s Edi Rama during a visit to Rome tomorrow.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said the talks “will be focused on our joint efforts to tackle illegal immigration and organised crime”, as well as “other shared challenges such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza”.

“As you’ve heard from the Prime Minister direct, he is clear that this is a shared global challenge and it is important that countries work together to address it, just as we are with Rwanda and with other like-minded countries such as Italy and Albania.”

Asked whether a deal to process asylum seekers in Albania could be up for discussion, she said: “The focus will be on our existing partnerships and work with both Italy and with Albania, and the work that’s already ongoing with them on illegal migration, and the returns deal, for example, with Albania that we already have.”

12:29 PM GMT

Time to ‘double down’ on support for Ukraine, says No10

Rishi Sunak believes that “now more than ever is the time to double down” on support for Ukraine, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister’s view is that now more than ever is the time to double down on our support so that Ukraine not only wins the war but emerges from it as a strong, sovereign and free country.”

The comments came in response to questions over EU support for Ukraine amid a row in Brussels over agreeing a financial package for Kyiv.

12:08 PM GMT

No10: Migrant death a ‘stark reminder’ of need to tackle small boats issue

A small boat incident in the Channel that resulted in the death of a migrant overnight serves as a “stark reminder” of the need to tackle the crossings, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister’s thoughts are obviously with all those who are affected. There is an ongoing French-led investigation, as you’ll have seen.

“It serves as a stark reminder of how dangerous these crossings are and just how crucial it is that we work together to stop the boats and clampdown on the organised criminal gangs that are fuelling it.”

11:54 AM GMT

Cleverly: 'We must and will do more'

James Cleverly said the Government “must and will do more” after a migrant died and another was left in a critical condition following the sinking of a boat in the Channel.

The Home Secretary said in a post on Twitter: “The incident in the Channel last night is a horrific reminder of the people smugglers’ brutality. 25,000 people have been averted from crossing this year – but we must and will do more.

“My thanks to all those involved in the rescue. Every boat stopped is a potential life saved.”

11:39 AM GMT

Almost a million households face 15pc council tax rise as two local authorities warn of bankruptcy

Nearly a million households face council tax rises of up to 15 per cent after two more local authorities announced they were at risk of effective bankruptcy.

Bradford Council and Cheshire East Council, both Labour-run, said on Thursday that they may have to issue a section 114 notice, meaning they are unable to balance their budgets by the end of the financial year.

They join councils including Birmingham, Nottingham and Woking which have already taken the draconian step.

Other authorities which have issued a section 114 notice have in the past been given permission by ministers to increase council tax by up to 15 per cent – adding hundreds to annual bills.

You can read the full story here.

11:17 AM GMT

UK Government confirms Channel small boat incident

A boat carrying more than 60 migrants capsized in the Channel off France overnight while attempting to reach Britain, with one person dead and another in critical condition, French maritime authorities said.

The UK Government has now confirmed the incident. A spokesman said: “We can confirm there has been an incident in the Channel involving a small boat in French waters that has tragically resulted in a loss of life.

“French authorities are leading the response and investigation. We will not be commenting further at this stage – our thoughts are with those involved and their families.”

You can read the full story here.

10:55 AM GMT

Starmer holds nine point lead over Sunak on best PM question

Sir Keir Starmer holds a nine point lead over Rishi Sunak on the question of who voters believe would make the best prime minister.

A new Savanta survey, conducted between December 8-10, put Sir Keir on 40 per cent and Mr Sunak on 31 per cent.

Support for both leaders had increased when compared to the company’s previous poll conducted between November 17-19.

Sir Keir was up by two point and Mr Sunak was up by three points. The percentage of respondents choosing the “don’t know” answer fell by five points to 28 per cent.

Savanta said it was Sir Keir’s eighth consecutive lead over Mr Sunak on the question of who would make the best premier.

10:30 AM GMT

Tory MPs voting to torpedo Rwanda Bill ‘never ever going to happen’

George Osborne said the idea that Tory Rwanda Bill rebels could vote to torpedo the legislation when it comes to the crunch in the new year is “for the birds”.

Dozens of Conservative MPs abstained on Tuesday as the Bill cleared its first of a number of hurdles in the House of Commons.

They have said they will be prepared to vote against the legislation if the Government does not strengthen it. But Mr Osborne said that is “never ever going to happen”.

The former chancellor told his Political Currency podcast: “I think there will be a bit more parliamentary drama when we get to what is called the committee stage and the report stage.

“But I think, a bit like what we saw this week, it will end up being nothing. And the idea that the Conservative MPs are going to vote against the third reading of the Bill which is when it finally passes the Commons, that is for the birds. That is never ever going to happen.”

10:06 AM GMT

Tory rebels ‘bottled it’ on Rwanda Bill vote, claims Ed Balls

Ed Balls said it looked like Tory Rwanda Bill rebels had “bottled it” after they criticised the legislation but then failed to vote against it earlier this week.

The former shadow chancellor told the Political Currency podcast he hosts alongside George Osborne: “They gave such an impression that they were going to defeat this Bill that when they then chose to abstain, it did actually look like they’d bottled it.”

09:45 AM GMT

Labour want taxes to fall ‘in the long run’

Labour want to see taxes on working people fall “in the long run”, the party’s chairwoman said this morning.

Anneliese Dodds told Sky News: “Of course in the long run we do want to see taxes going down on working people. We have been totally unambiguous about that.

“But what we also need to see is a proper plan for growth. We have not had one from the Conservative Government.”

09:22 AM GMT

Early general election ‘last thing’ voters want, says Tory MP

A Tory MP suggested an early general election is the “last thing” that voters want and it “won’t happen”.

Richard Graham, the MP for Gloucester, told GB News that an early election is “not on the cards”.

He said: “I don’t think there is any logic that says we should have a general election… a general election is due by the end of January 2025 so we have got a long time to go.

“This Government has got a lot to do and we are getting on with doing it. When I go out and knock on doors, the last thing anyone says to me is ‘let’s have some more uncertainty, let’s have a general election tomorrow’. So that is not on the cards and it won’t happen.”

09:01 AM GMT

UK economy in ‘good place’, insists minister

The UK economy is in a “good place”, a minister insisted this morning despite a slowdown in October and persistently high interest rates.

Andrew Griffith, the science minister, told Sky News: “Well, the economy didn’t, as everybody forecast, go into recession. The UK economy has been remarkably resilient and at the same time we have reduced inflation.

“So you have to look at these things in the balance. I think where we have got to at the end of this year economically is a good place. We will always prioritise responsible decisions for the long term.”

His comments came after the Bank of England said it was keeping interest rates at 5.25 per cent - a 15-year high - and after official data showed the economy shrank by 0.3 per cent in October.

08:46 AM GMT

Science minister admits ‘passions are high’ among Tories over Rwanda Bill

Andrew Griffith said that there are “passions that are high” within the Conservative Party over how best to implement the Government’s Rwanda migrant flights policy.

The science minister was asked this morning during an interview on Sky News if he intended to encourage Tory Rwanda Bill rebels to focus on other potentially more important issues like the economy in the new year.

He said: “I think it is always good and the right thing to do actually, we are sent to parliament to focus on things that matter to ordinary people, that is the economy.

“But it is also their experience of public services and one of the reasons it is so important and it is a real political divide in this country, on our side of course there are passions that are high about the exact mechanism, but all of us agree on the importance of cracking down on uncontrolled immigration.

“That is a key divide because this week once again Labour voted against our measures to protect our public services, protect our taxpayers, by getting the right balance between the needs of the economy… but also protecting people’s experience of public services, making sure that they can get the GP or their child into the local school because it is not overwhelmed by an unsustainably high level of immigration.”

08:32 AM GMT

Just Stop Oil holds protest outside Sir Keir Starmer’s home

Just Stop Oil protesters were last night ordered to leave the area outside Sir Keir Starmer’s London home.

A group of activists gathered to sing what they described as “climate criminal” Christmas carols as they demanded Sir Keir commit to cancelling all new oil and gas drilling licences in the UK.

They delivered a letter to the Labour leader which stated: “How do you want to be remembered Keir? As the ghost of Christmas past? Or as the man who gave us a future? It’s time for action, not words.”

Metropolitan Police officers ordered the group to disperse.

08:21 AM GMT

Sunak ‘called the bluff’ of Tory Rwanda Bill rebels, says Osborne

Rishi Sunak “held the line” and called the bluff of Tory Rwanda Bill rebels by failing to grant them major concessions, George Osborne said.

The former chancellor told his Political Currency podcast: “I think to Rishi Sunak’s credit, he held the line and he called their bluff, he didn’t really change anything…but he stuck to his guns and then won pretty handsomely.

“And the one thing those mafia families should never do is threaten to go to the mattresses and then lie down in bed.”

08:15 AM GMT

George Osborne: Tory rebels 'overreached' on Rwanda Bill

George Osborne claimed Tory Rwanda Bill rebels “overreached” by criticising the legislation and then failing to vote against it earlier this week.

The former chancellor told his Political Currency podcast: “I thought the Conservative rebels overreached… they were threatening to withhold their support and they were demanding concessions from the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister didn’t give them any.

“He gave them a tiny, tiny, very thin ladder to climb down… and he held the line and as a result, they blinked. And that’s not good.

“That’s not good if you’re trying to demonstrate the power of the Conservative right. It’s a really good example of that classic political mistake of issuing a threat that you’re not prepared to carry out.”

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