Travellers to the UK will answer ‘suitability questions’ and undergo ‘automated border screening’ in new immigration plans July 21, 2022 Travellers to the UK will need to answer a set of “suitability questions” and have “automated border screening” without speaking to border force agents as part of the Home Office’s new immigration plans. Home Secretary Priti Patel set out the plans today as part of the country’s new “contactless” digital border. The Permission to Travel [...]
Met Police names Commissioner to replace Dame Cressida Dick while force is in special measures July 8, 2022 Former counter-terrorism chief Sir Mark Rowley has been appointed as the new Metropolitan Police Chief. The move comes after the resignation of former top officer Dame Cressida Dick, and the force being put into special measures over its failings. The Met was in particular criticised over the death of Sarah Everard, who was kidnapped raped [...]
Priti Patel lashes out against ‘scandalous’ ECHR decision blocking Rwanda migrant flight June 18, 2022 Priti Patel has lashed out against the “scandalous” European Court of Human Rights after it grounded the government’s first deportation flight to Rwanda. Speaking toThe Daily Telegraph, the home secretary said: “The opaque way this court has operated is absolutely scandalous. That needs to be questioned.” “They’ve not used this ruling previously, which does make you [...]
‘Appalling’: Prince Charles slams government’s Rwanda deportations June 11, 2022 “Appalling”: this is how Prince Charles has described the government’s plan to deport illegal UK migrants to Rwanda. The Prince of Wales, the Times first reported, lambasted the Home Office’s policy in private and said he feared it would overshadow this month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, which he is to attend. “He said he [...]
Humiliating setback for Priti Patel as government is forced to delay deportation flights to Rwanda May 19, 2022 The Government has been forced to delay its first deportation flights to Rwanda after campaigners lodged a legal campaign against the controversial policy. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last weekend that 50 asylum seekers have already been told they are due to be flown to the East African nation within a fortnight, which would be [...]
Police get free reign as Priti Patel permanently lifts all restrictions on use of stop-and-search powers May 16, 2022 Home Secretary Priti Patel confirmed she is planning to permanently lift restrictions placed on police in the use of stop-and-search powers as part of the Government’s strategy to tackle violent crime. In a letter to police forces on Monday, Patel announced the easing of conditions on the use of the tactics under Section 60 of [...]
Priti Patel looks to crack down on ‘criminal and disruptive guerrilla tactics’ of groups like XR, Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil May 11, 2022 Priti Patel is looking to end “criminal, disruptive and self-defeating guerrilla tactics” of environmental activists, including those who glue themselves to roads in protest of fossil fuels. The Home Secretary made the Public Order Bill announcement in the Queen’s Speech, which will try to stop “relentless reoffending and significant disruption by a selfish minority of [...]
Outrage as more than 150 British couples separated by Home Office visa backlog are ‘being kept in the dark’ May 11, 2022 It has emerged that more than 150 British couples are caught up in a backlog of visa applications and they have reportedly not been told how long delays might be. BBC News says British couples kept in separate countries by the backlog have contacted the broadcaster to raise the issue of delays, with complaints of [...]
Guardian and FT not welcome: Patel excludes major UK newspapers from trip to Rwanda April 26, 2022 Priti Patel’s Home Office reportedly excluded reporters from some of the UK’s biggest newspapers from joining her on a trip to Rwanda. The Financial Times, Guardian as well as the Mirror were not welcome during Patel’s visit to Kigali earlier this month, when the Home Secretary flew to Africa to sign the much-criticised asylum seekers [...]
Priti Patel faces Home Office walk-outs as migrants could be sent to Rwanda within ‘weeks’ April 16, 2022 The home secretary could have to battle walk-outs and transfer requests after criticism of a plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. In a bid to tackle Channel crossings, Priti Patel is heading an agreement with Rwanda that would send asylum seekers to the African nation. However, the Telegraph newspaper has reported mass discontent among [...]