Monday, December 2, 2024

The home secretary delivered a low-key statement to the House of Commons on legal and illegal immigration. She was able to sweep aside the attempt by Chris Philip, her Conservative shadow, to suggest that Labour's record in the past five months was worse than the Tories' over 14 years. 

I thought she was just as unconvincing on dealing with the small boats as her Tory predecessors, but she did have two advantages. First, she has signed a deal with the government of Iraq that will allow failed asylum seekers to be returned; second, she has already raised the number of returns to countries such as Vietnam from the low levels inherited from the Tories. 

Edward Leigh, the long-serving Tory MP, agreed with her that the Tory government's failure on immigration was "unconscionable", but asked an awkward question: what is the deterrent for migrants coming from countries that are even less safe than Iraq? She didn't really have an answer. 

Written by John Rentoul

Following the departure of Louise Haigh, 37, who is now the youngest full member of the cabinet?

Answer at the bottom of today's email

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Keir Starmer will chair the cabinet's weekly meeting. Later he will meet the Greek prime minister and try to avoid the traditional row over the Elgin Marbles.

Rachel Reeves's Treasury team will answer Commons questions from 11.30am. The chancellor herself will address the Great Northern Conference in Hull at 4.45pm. Her Budget will again be in the spotlight when the Conservatives vote against the Bill to raise employers' national insurance contributions.

Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, will announce new measures to give stalking victims more protection. 

George Robertson, the Labour peer and General Sir Richard Barrons, former deputy chief of the defence staff, who are heading the government's defence review, will be questioned by the defence select committee.

Peter Kyle, the technology secretary, will be quizzed by the science committee at 2.30pm. At the same time, Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, will appear before the justice committee.

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Quiz answer: Bridget Phillipson, education secretary, 40; Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, 38, attends cabinet

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