Farage kicked off Reform’s six-week ‘crime campaign’ on Monday. Expect the party to hold several press conferences over recess…
In the meantime, Reform HQ has been focusing its efforts on Wales and Scotland. Yesterday, they posted ads for two new policy advisers and two press officers focused on the devolved nations. A Westminster-based policy adviser role is also up for grabs. A Welsh policy capability will be useful in heading off attacks from Labour and Tories there…
A Reform spokesperson said: “Whilst Labour debate Palestine, we are serious about winning in Wales. Catch up, Keir.” Guido is told more roles to “shape policies” will open up soon. Unlike in CCHQ, these new hires will be paid…
Wandsworth Council, which last week announced half-price e-bike rentals for asylum seekers, has been using funds from schemes intended to be used only to house Ukrainian and Afghan refugees to give freebies to asylum seekers. Are you surprised…
The council’s ‘Sanctuary Strategy’ runs from this financial year to 2026/27 and support’s the council’s work to hand out funds to asylum seekers and groups interacting with them. To that end it stated in its plan documents:
“The council has created a £1.7 million fund to support the delivery of the actions contained in this strategy, drawing on funding it receives from a range of sources to support refugees and asylum seekers including funding from the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy, and European Social Fund.”
Council releases say the plan was “created in collaboration with refugees, asylum seekers and local groups.” As part of the Asylum Freebiegate series Guido can reveal the fund hands out grants to groups who apply for it in order for them to supply freebies. Here are some examples of approved grants:
- “Wellbeing sessions including counselling, yoga, gardening and befriending.” – £9,950
- “Fortnightly art-based workshops” to “improve mental health and wellbeing and inspire positive change in individuals.” – £9,846
- Training for “asylum seekers facing persistent digital exclusion.” – £10,000
- “Funding a Project Officer to assist Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees to meet demands, obligations and expand capacity.” – £10,000
This is on top of direct council offerings from the funds including half-price weddings, gym and swim schemes, a fishing permits, and courses offered by Putney School of Art and Design. The council has also hired “two dedicated refugee and resettlement roles within the corporate policy team who have responsibility for coordinating activity across the council.” Gravy train…
The strategy also promises to this year “review Council Tax discount entitlements for refugees, asylum seekers and those hosting refugees or asylum seekers under the community sponsorship model.” Council tax benefits for asylum seekers and the landlords who agree to host them at the expense of private renters…
Just last month Wandsworth announced it was handing out more taxpayer-funded grants including for the “Children’s Books in Wandsworth Libraries” to “build a collection of books and resources on themes of migration and refugee experiences to help young people understand sanctuary and migration.” A key aim of the ‘sanctuary’ plan is to “continue to embed sanctuary seekers and celebrate their history and stories in arts and culture programmes.” It’s not stopping…
Funding intended for Ukrainians was not ringfenced when it was distributed by DHLUC, nor were councils required to report on what it was actually being spent on until last year. Wandsworth is not the only one…
The International Monetary Fund has produced a new report on the UK economy this afternoon in which it warns that taxes will have to go up. Quelle surprise…
The report from the tax-and-spend-happy organisation was written on 1 July but only published today. The IMF hilariously praises Reeves’ now-watered down welfare reforms:
“Unless the authorities revisit their commitment not to increase taxes on “working people,” further spending prioritization will be required, to align better the scope of public services with available resources. The authorities have already embarked on this process through recent reforms to incapacity and disability benefits, but other avenues for savings need to be considered. In particular, the triple lock could be replaced with a policy of indexing the state pension to the cost of living, as recommended in previous Art. IV reports. Access to public services could also depend more on an individual’s capacity to pay, with charges levied on higher-income users, such as copayments for health services, while shielding the vulnerable. There may also be scope to expand means testing of benefits.”
State pension indexing is political suicide as apparently are any other money-saving measures Reeves looks to go ahead with. Taxes it is, then…
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Foreign Secretary David Lammy appeared on James O’Brien’s LBC show this morning despite calls for O’Brien to resign over an antisemitism row. On Tuesday, O’Brien uncritically read out a claim alleging Jewish children in the UK are taught that “one Jewish life is worth thousands of Arab lives” and that “Arabs are cockroaches to be crushed.” He added he’d read the comments in “good faith”…
The Board of Deputies of British Jews branded the remarks “unacceptable and highly offensive,” and demanded LBC take O’Brien off the air. Despite the furore, Lammy has gone ahead with his appearance. He told O’Brien he was “reassured” the UK isn’t complicit in Israel’s actions in Gaza, insisting “we aren’t sending anything the IDF could use.” Probably not the wisest media choice for the Foreign Secretary…
Guido News Editor Max Young appeared on GB News’ Patrick Christys Tonight to discuss the website’s recent coverage freebies handed out to asylum seekers on a wide basis across the country. This scandal is only growing…
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree MP backing Andy Burnham, told Times Radio there wouldn’t be trouble from the markets under Burnham:
“The markets will have to fall in line.”
