The Guardian, external says the home secretary’s plans to overhaul the asylum system have prompted “significant unease” among senior Labour aides and ministers, with at least one on “resignation watch”. Party insiders have told the i Paper, external that the success – or otherwise – of the changes will determine whether or not Labour wins the next general election. The Times, external describes the plans as a “significant escalation” of government action against illegal immigration. But the Daily Mail, external claims that Labour backbenchers and left-wing lawyers are poised to defeat them.
The Sun’s editorial, external also sounds a note of scepticism about the likely success of Shabana Mahmood’s plans. It says they are “doomed to failure unless she takes the only step that deep down she must know will end the crisis – quitting the flawed and outdated European Convention on Human Rights”. The Telegraph, external focuses on the government’s plan to stop issuing UK visas to people from three African countries which refuse to take back failed asylum seekers. The paper says the bans mirror a policy introduced by Donald Trump, and could in the future be applied to Iran, Bangladesh, and Somalia.
There is still plenty of pre-Budget speculation. The Times, external claims a new tax will be levied on tourists, which will allow metropolitan mayors to raise hundreds of millions of pounds for local services. The Telegraph, external claims a tax on milkshakes is being lined up, to make the public healthier. The Financial Times, external thinks online sports gambling is in the chancellor’s sights – but says that horseracing will be exempted.
The Mirror, external says all plaques bearing the name of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have been removed from the Falkland Islands. It says he was once hailed as hero there, but he has now been “erased” because of his links to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Times, external thinks there are signs that striking resident doctors in England are turning against their union, the BMA. It quotes a letter to hospital chiefs from the NHS chief executive, which says “there have been fewer doctors striking” in this walkout than in any of the 12 previous rounds of industrial action. The BMA has said striking is a last resort.
