Justice secretary says UK will remain a party to the European convention on human rights but new bill with strengthen freedom of speech
- Johnson ‘hasn’t lifted a finger’ to solve rail strikes, says Starmer
- Largest teaching union threatens strike action
- UK inflation rises to 9.1%, its highest rate in 40 years
- Brexit is making cost of living crisis worse, new study claims
Moderna has announced that it will open a vaccine research and manufacturing centre in the UK. In a visit to mark the announcement, Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said:
We all saw during the pandemic the differences that cutting edge vaccines and treatments can make and we all particularly saw that the mRNA technology has been very transformational. It has literally saved millions of lives over the last couple of years.
And that’s why I’m thrilled to announce this new partnership between the UK government and Moderna, where Moderna will established here in the UK, a global R&D facility with over £1bn for investment in this cutting edge technology, and also a huge manufacturing centre, their largest outside of the US, and so this is a great investment in the UK, and gives huge confidence to our life sciences sector already leading in Europe.
Labour has accused the Conservatives of not being fully up-front with pensioners as the government today appeared to add a “get-out clause” to the triple lock policy.
Thérèse Coffey, secretary of state for work and pensions said in March “yes, I do make that commitment” when asked about whether the state pension will rise by the Triple Lock for the remainder of this parliament.
The chancellor Rishi Sunak also committed to the triple lock in his cost of living statement earlier this month.
However, during a debate in the House of Commons today, Coffey said she “cannot make any declaration about the rises in benefits […] and that is because I am required by law to undertake a review of the benefits once a year”.
Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary, had asked the secretary of state whether she would “resile from her position to uprate pensions and benefits in line with September’s inflation”.
The chairman of the justice select committee has expressed concerns over “restrictions” on the way parliament is able to interpret cases in the government’s plan for a British bill of rights.
Conservative MP Sir Bob Neill told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that “some change” to the Human Rights Act “is appropriate”.
He said: “There are some sensible things in it. Having a filter process in our UK legislation to prevent unmeritorious claims getting off the ground at a very early stage is sensible.
“When those cases eventually get to Strasbourg, there is no reason why we shouldn’t do it earlier on.
“And I think, you know, protecting the public, making sure that’s there is sensible, but I do have concerns about undue restrictions on the way in which parliament is able to interpret cases on an individual basis.”
Transport secretary Grant Shapps has accused Mick Lynch of “wasting time making false claims in the media” after the union boss accused him of wrecking negotiations.
He said in a statement: “This is a total lie from the RMT and its general secretary. I have had absolutely nothing to do with either the issuing of a letter from Network Rail, the employer, to the RMT - or any request to withdraw it.
“I understand that the letter makes no mention of 2,900 redundancies, but I do know it confirmed Network Rail would be introducing desperately needed reforms for the industry after the union chose strike action instead of further talks.
“The RMT continues to deflect from the fact that the only people responsible for the massive public disruption this week is them.
“I want to urge Mick Lynch and his members to stop wasting time making false claims in the media and instead return to the negotiating table so an agreement can be reached.”
Sir Keir is understood to be waiting until the end of the industrial action before instructing chief whip Alan Campbell to deal with any disciplinary issues relating to the strike, PA reports.
Following PMQs, a Labour spokesman said Campbell would make a decision in the “next few days”.
He would not be drawn on what form any action might take, but said “the chief whip is aware of Keir’s wishes”.
“I think the right way is for the process to go ahead as it should, and that is for the chief whip to speak to the individuals concerned,” he added.
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