Angela Rayner waters down housing restrictions AGAIN in scramble to hit targets_D
Angela Rayner has watered down housing restrictions on new homes as Labour scrambles to hit its building targets.
The Housing Secretary vowed to build 1.5 million new houses by the end of the decade but is currently running well behind the target.
Under current guidelines, new builds must be within double the footprint of the existing building on a site and at least half of the previously undeveloped part of a plot must be left unbuilt on.
The changes mean plans to build in gardens can be bypassed where “additional development can be accommodated without harm to the overall character of the area, and taking into account the availability of infrastructure”.
Sir James Cleverly, the shadow Housing Secretary, told the Telegraph: “Labour have doubled down on their all-out assault on the green belt, and now they are returning to garden grabbing.
“Blocks of flats are set to be crammed into the suburbs, eating up green space and fundamentally altering the character of local communities.”
It is the second set of restrictions to be eased by Ms Rayner, who previously made radical changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Protections of Britain’s protected green belt were eased to give a default yes to all new housing within walking distance of a railway station.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “We have made changes which recognise that in many places, there is potential for more development, to support thriving neighbourhoods, improve access to jobs and services, and make the best use of land within our towns and cities.
“Our changes will help more homes to be built where they are needed, while stopping unsuitable development. Local people will still be able to have their say, and councils must take those views into account.”
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Labour accused of lobbying EHRC to force through ‘unworkable’ Islamophobia definition
Labour has been accused of lobbying the Equality and Human Rights Commission to force through an “unworkable” Islamophobia definition, despite the body opposing it.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed that the EHRC will not adopt the new definition of Islamophobia introduced earlier this year.
The aim of the new definition is to reduce Islamophobia, but it has faced backlash over concerns it could contradict free speech.
Following an FOI request from The Times, the EHRC said that during an “informal discussion with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the question of whether the Commission would consider adopting the definition was raised.”
Baroness Falkner of Margravine, who headed the watchdog from 2020 until November of last year, has accused Labour of pursuing the definition to win over the Muslim vote.
Baroness Falkner told The Times: “The reports that the government has secretly tried to get the EHRC – the regulator for freedom of expression – to sign up to its entirely unworkable ‘definition’ show how ideological they are. They have been warned again and again that this definition will restrict speech and legitimate criticism of a religion or culture.
“They didn’t consult EHRC, which has responsibility for protecting our hard won freedoms and which repeatedly warned them of the implications of this definition.
“If they really want to restrict our freedom of expression, they should come up with a proper legal definition and see if they can get that through parliament, instead of adopting underhand tactics, presumably in pursuit of a Muslim vote which they have, for far too long, taken for granted.”
Labour Minister vows war on social media companies following deadly car crash
Luke Pollard has said the government has already spoken to the social media companies
| GB NEWS
Defence Minister Luke Pollard has said the government has already spoken to the social media companies following a collision which claimed the lives of seven people, including two police officers.
PC Matthew Blades, 38 and PC Tom Clough, 37, were killed after a vehicle drove the “wrong way” down the A66 near Middlesbrough.
The two officers and five men were pronounced dead at the scene after colliding in the early hours of yesterday morning near South Bank.
It emerged that at least two of the young men in the vehicle had previously posted videos on the platform showcasing reckless driving and high-speed police pursuits
The Defence Minister said: “It’s right that the police have time to investigate what’s happened, but I think there are steps that we can take immediately.
“The government has already spoken to the social media companies, telling them to take down that horrendous content that you rightly say is celebrating dangerous driving on our roads.
“It’s already illegal to drive down the wrong side of the road in the United Kingdom, and we’ll learn the lessons from the police investigation, but we want that content removed online.
“I think it should be for social media companies, who have often argued that they can police themselves.
“Turn off the algorithm that incentivises and shares this type of illegal content.”
Andy Burnham arrives in Ukraine for first time as PM
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has agreed to provide Ukraine with blueprints to produce long-range missiles
| REUTERS
Andy Burnham arrived in Ukraine and has agreed to provide it with blueprints for producing long-range missiles.
The Prime Minister is set to announce during his first trip to Ukraine that he will allow European defence firm MBDA to declassify information on UK components for the long-range Scalp missile, the French-produced version of the UK’s Storm Shadow.
The “deep precision strike” missiles use shared French and British technology, and Ukraine and France are looking to set up local assembly lines to produce them in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister is visiting Kyiv on his first foreign trip to mark Ukraine’s independence day and signal the UK’s continued support for the country under his administration.
He arrived this morning and is set to chair his first meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing, set up by the UK and France to support Ukraine under his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer.
The Prime Minister will also take part in Independence Day events and accept an award on behalf of the British people recognising the UK’s support.
Mr Burnham is set to assure Ukrainians of the UK’s backing and reiterate that Russia’s threats only strengthen British resolve.
Moscow recently threatened “consequences” over the reported use of British drones by Ukraine in its recent ramping up of deep strikes into Russia’s mainland.
Mr Burnham said: “On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes.
“I am proud of the contribution our country has made to Ukraine and I want the Ukrainian people to hear it directly from me that our support will not waver. After all, Ukraine’s security is our security.”
Reform pledge to overhaul social housing to place British-born families ‘at the front of the queue’
Reform UK are set to unveil fresh plans to overhaul the social housing system in the UK by prioritising British-born youth over foreign nationals and asylum seekers.
Under these plans, British-born workers under 35 will be “placed at the front of the queue”, with priority given to married couples with children in a bid to ease the difficulties of getting on the housing ladder.
The party claims priority will also be given to veterans, and social housing will be prioritised for British nationals who are in work – standing on the view that social housing should “not be a reward for welfare”.
Reform UK have earlier committed to removing foreign nationals from social housing entirely, pledging to evict them after a short grace period.
The move is expected to free up hundreds of thousands of social homes, with estimates that 540,000 are currently occupied by foreign nationals.
The party highlight how, of the 1.3 million currently on waiting lists, some 15 per cent are foreign nationals – around 195,0000 households.
Majority of Britons say free speech has deteriorated under Labour, bombshell new poll finds
Liberty’s Akiko Hart (second to left) said Sir Keir Starmer had failed to show ‘leadership and consistency’ on free speech | GETTYThe majority of Britons believe their confidence in the Government’s ability to protect free speech has deteriorated under Labour, a new poll has found.
Some 51 per cent said their confidence in the Government to protect their right to express views, even when those views disagree with the Government, had worsened over the past two years, according to polling commissioned for civil rights organisation Liberty.
Just 10 per cent of Britons believed their free speech rights had improved, the polling carried out by Deltapoll for Liberty revealed.
Liberty laid blame on the Home Office, citing travel bans for activists hoping to speak in the UK, the mass arrests of Palestine Action protesters and tougher approaches to protest laws.
