STEPHEN GLOVER: Starmer's bought a one-way ticket to Brussels - his 'youth mobility scheme' is just the first step to reinstating free movement
For many months, until a couple of weeks ago, Sir Keir Starmer and senior ministers have been reassuring us time and again that they had 'no plans' to introduce 'a youth mobility scheme', which would allow young Europeans to work, study or just lounge about in the UK for up to three years.
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The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
France halts Gaza evacuations over antisemitism row involving Palestinian student
France has suspended all evacuations from Gaza following an antisemitism controversy involving a Palestinian student recently admitted to the country. The move comes after it was revealed that Nour Atallah, a 25-year-old woman from Gaza, had posted antisemitic content on social media before being accepted into a prestigious French university. French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced the decision in Paris on Thursday. 'She must leave the country. She does not have a place in France,' Mr Barrot said in an interview with radio station France Info, without naming the student. He did not specify whether the student would be sent back to Gaza. He added that no new visas will be issued, and no new admissions from Gaza will take place until an investigation is conducted. The French and Israeli vetting of her before she arrived in France did not reveal the 'antisemitic and unacceptable' posts, Mr Barrot said. The temporary suspension will also see a review of all Gaza evacuees who have arrived in France so far. The scandal has triggered strong condemnation across France's political spectrum. Ms Atallah, who had been awarded a scholarship to study at Sciences Po Lille, faces expulsion from France after her university withdrew her accreditation. Her social media posts surfaced recently, containing antisemitic rhetoric and praise of Adolf Hitler. French authorities say a criminal investigation has been opened on the grounds of 'justifying terrorism and crimes against humanity'. French interior minister Bruno Retailleau wrote on X that he has requested legal action to be taken. ' Hamas propagandists have no place in our country,' he added. Since October, France has evacuated more than 500 people from Gaza, including children, journalists, and artists, as part of its ongoing humanitarian efforts. The incident has placed renewed scrutiny on the vetting procedures coordinated with Israeli authorities. A statement from Sciences Po Lille said the content of the student's post was 'in direct contradiction' with its values. '(Sciences Po Lille) fights against all forms of racism, antisemitism, and discrimination, as well as against any type of call to hatred, against any population whatsoever,' the university said on X on Wednesday. The French government has not said when evacuations might resume, promising a thorough review and strengthened protocols before any further admissions from Gaza will be considered.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Kemi Badenoch says she no longer identifies as Nigerian
Kemi Badenoch has said she does not see herself as Nigerian and no longer has a passport for the country she grew up in. The leader of the Conservative Party was born in the London suburb of Wimbledon but was raised in Lagos, Nigeria. When Nigeria's economy collapsed in the 1990s, Ms Badenoch, then aged 16, moved back to the UK to live with a family friend and continue her education. Speaking to former MP and television presenter Gyles Brandreth on the Rosebud podcast, Ms Badenoch said as most of her life has been in the UK, she "does not identify" as Nigerian. "I'm Nigerian through ancestry, by birth, despite not being born there because of my parents... but by identity I'm not really," the North West Essex MP said. "I have not renewed my Nigerian passport, I think, not since the early 2000s." Ms Badenoch added that her home is now where her family is, which includes her extended political family. On Nigeria, she said: "I know the country very well, I have a lot of family there, and I'm very interested in what happens there." "But home is where my now family is, and my now family is my children, it's my husband and my brother and his children, in-laws. The Conservative Party is very much part of my family - my extended family, I call it," she added. Ms Badenoch said on her return to Nigeria after her father, Femi, who was a GP with his own clinic, died, she faced a "big fandango" to get a visa. She also said her early experiences in Nigeria shaped her political outlook, including why she doesn't like socialism. "I remember never quite feeling that I belonged there," she added. Last year, Nigerian vice president Kashim Shettima accused Ms Badenoch of disparaging the country, adding that she has "every right to remove the Kemi from her name". The criticism came after Ms Badenoch spoke about her life and childhood in Nigeria during the Tory leadership race. A spokesperson for Ms Badenoch responded to Mr Shettima at the time, saying the Conservative leader was "not the PR for Nigeria".
ITV News
an hour ago
- ITV News
India rejects UK parliament report on transnational repression
India has launched a blistering counterattack against a UK parliamentary report that accused it of waging 'transnational repression' on British soil and misusing global policing tools like INTERPOL to silence political dissidents. In a strongly worded statement on India's foreign ministry denounced the allegations as 'baseless,' 'politically motivated,' and 'drawn from dubious and discredited sources.' 'The deliberate reliance on unverified inputs from proscribed entities with a long record of anti-India hostility calls into question the credibility and objectivity of the entire report,' said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, dismissing the claims as an orchestrated smear. The rare diplomatic rebuke was triggered by the release of a hard-hitting report titled 'Transnational Repression in the UK' on July 30 by the UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights — a powerful cross-party body comprising lawmakers from both the House of Commons and House of Lords. The report accuses multiple foreign governments of targeting exiled dissidents, activists, and journalists who have sought refuge in the UK, creating what it describes as a 'chilling effect' on diaspora communities. India was named among 12 countries, including China, Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, allegedly involved in such practices. While the report reserves its sharpest criticism for what it terms the 'three most flagrant perpetrators' — China, Russia, and Iran — India's inclusion, particularly the accusation of abusing INTERPOL's Red Notice mechanism for political ends, has sparked sharp pushback from New Delhi. The committee's findings draw heavily from evidence submitted by UK-based Sikh advocacy groups, including the Sikh Federation (UK) and Sikhs for Justice. These groups allege that Indian authorities have sought to weaponise international policing tools to harass and intimidate diaspora voices, especially those supporting the Khalistan separatist movement — a claim India has long dismissed as misinformation propagated by extremist elements. While the report has reignited debate within Britain over how to protect residents from foreign interference, India's sharp reaction signals a potential diplomatic flashpoint — particularly amid already sensitive ties following the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last year, which also raised questions around cross-border intelligence operations. As both countries navigate a delicate relationship shaped by strategic partnerships and domestic political pressures, the fallout from this latest allegation is likely to echo beyond Westminster and Raisina Hill.
