Yesterday Guido revealed Richmond council was offering free swimming and gym lessons to asylum seekers. They’re not the only tax-hiking council to offer freebies…
Kingston council is offering a raft of discounts on sports for asylum seekers. As part of the council’s “Active Kingston” scheme to “create an inclusive environment,” if you are a care worker, on benefits, a pensioner or an asylum seeker, you get:
This scheme is funded by the council – which hiked council tax by 5% this year. Is it any wonder small boat crossings are up 50% on last year?
Tom Baldwin, author of Starmer’s hagiography, spoke to Times Radio:
Tom Baldwin: “I think he’d like to do something. He’s very dutiful and driven by service. That’s why he came into politics. I think that’s characterised his time as prime minister. He hasn’t always sought popularity or been good at being popular. But I think he has some of the necessary qualities that we actually do want in a prime minister. That resilience, that relentlessness, that ability to carry the weight and the job really does weigh very heavily on people and he carries that weight very, very well.”
Jo Coburn: “NATO Secretary-General?”
Tom Baldwin: “I think that’s something that he would be interested in. I think it probably requires Andy Burnham’s government to support him in that and these are some of the questions which Andy Burnham has to resolve quite quickly.”