Cardinal Vincent Nichols: I won't punt on pope, it's too intimidating
Apart from worrying about who to choose as the next spiritual leader for 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, Nichols, who is Archbishop of Westminster, was also not sure how he would get out of bed at the right time in the morning once a blackout is imposed on all electronic communications between the cardinals and the outside world.
'I'm puzzled as to how I'm going to wake up if they take my phone off
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The Guardian
12 hours ago
- The Guardian
Police warn of mass arrests if Palestine Action protest goes ahead
The controversy over the ban applied to Palestine Action deepened on Monday, with police warning of mass detentions if a demonstration goes ahead this weekend that could see more than 1,000 people carrying placards and posters expressing support for the group. The Metropolitan police made clear it would arrest anyone breaking terrorism laws, as Downing Street urged people not to attend any protest. But in a further challenge to the decision to proscribe Palestine Action, 300 left-leaning Jewish figures including the director Mike Leigh and author Michael Rosen will tell the prime minister in a letter on Tuesday that the ban was 'illegitimate and unethical'. Campaigners from the pressure group Defend Our Juries plan to descend upon Westminster in central London on Saturday carrying placards and posters expressing support for the group. They are protesting against Yvette Cooper's decision to ban the organisation last month after activists caused an estimated £7m of damage to jets at RAF Brize Norton. Defend Our Juries is asking those taking part to hold up signs saying 'I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action'. More than 200 people have already been arrested in response to the proscription last month. A Met police spokesperson said the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are attempting to put the overcrowded criminal justice system under further pressure. 'We are aware that the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people to turn out with the intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system,' they said. 'The Met is very experienced in dealing with large-scale protests, including where the protest activity crosses into criminality requiring arrests. Our officers will continue to apply the law in relation to Palestine Action as we have done since its proscription. Anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested.' Starmer's official spokesperson urged people not to attend. 'Any action that is in support of a proscribed group in the UK, of course we do not support and the court has confirmed their continued proscription status,' they said. 'The home secretary previously said that those who seek to support this group may yet not know the true nature of this organisation, but people should be under no illusion this is not a peaceful or non-violent protest group.' Sadiq Khan, who was vocal in urging Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state, declined to weigh in. A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: 'The policing of Saturday's planned protest by Defend Our Juries is an operational decision for the Metropolitan police.' On Tuesday, a delegation organised by Jewish Voice for Labour will deliver a letter signed by 300 Jewish figures to No 10 and Cooper urging a lifting of the ban on the group. Also signed by the human rights lawyer Geoffrey Bindman KC and the playwright Gillian Slovo, it will express 'horror' at the actions of Israel. The letter will say: 'We consider the proscription of Palestine Action to be illegitimate and unethical. It is time to end the government's hand-wringing over the level of slaughter and suffering in Gaza and the West Bank, mixed with tacit support to the Israeli state. The Met is sceptical of claims that thousands of people could turn up on Saturday. The force believes that a total in the low hundreds is more likely. Anyone arrested risks a terrorism conviction. At other events that led to mass arrests, the Met has arrested people, confirmed their identities and home addresses, and then quickly released them on bail so they could be dealt with later. Police resources will be stretched at the weekend as a large, separate pro-Palestinian march is also scheduled for Saturday and anti-immigration protests are expected. A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries denied any plot to overwhelm the police and the courts system, as reported in the Telegraph on Monday. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The campaign was not organised by Palestine Action, the spokesperson said, adding that a briefing document was available openly on the Defend Our Juries website. 'It's great the Telegraph is helping us to spread the word but there are serious inaccuracies in their story. We are not the ones planning to 'overwhelm' the system,' they said. 'If the Met exercises common sense and discretion and upholds its obligation to uphold the right of people to exercise their rights then nothing is being overwhelmed. 'It is a difficult position for Sir Mark Rowley [the Metropolitan police commissioner] to be in. Based on what has happened on previous occasions it would be surprising if no one is arrested but on the other [hand] everyone is going to be doing the same thing and it will be a challenge to arrest more than 500 people given that we think there are about 520 available police cells in London at any one time.' They believed Rowley would be factoring in last week's high court ruling giving permission to the co-founder of Palestine Action to bring a legal challenge to the home secretary's decision to ban the group. Other forces exercised discretion not to arrest people at similar protests in Derry, Edinburgh and elsewhere, they added. The protests would take place regularly in future, they said, adding that it was becoming 'a badge of honour' to be arrested. Defend Our Juries has held discussions with MPs about taking part but there was a reluctance on the basis of concerns it could lead to suspension from parliament. About 40 pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the Labour party headquarters on Monday evening. Campaigners held Palestine flags and chanted 'Shame on Keir Starmer, shame on the Labour party, shame on David Lammy' while banging steel pot lids outside the office in Southwark, London. One sign displayed by the group read 'We support the legal application to de-proscribe Palestine Action. Fight racism. Fight imperialism.' A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'The criminal justice system will always be ready to deal with sudden surges coming through the courts.' The Home Office did not respond to questions about the planned protest.
The Guardian
13 hours ago
- The Guardian
Police warn of mass arrests if Palestine Action protest goes ahead
The controversy over the ban applied to Palestine Action deepened on Monday, with police warning of mass detentions if a demonstration goes ahead this weekend that could see more than 1,000 people carrying placards and posters expressing support for the group. The Metropolitan police made clear it would arrest anyone breaking terrorism laws, as Downing Street urged people not to attend any protest. But in a further challenge to the decision to proscribe Palestine Action, 300 left-leaning Jewish figures including the director Mike Leigh and author Michael Rosen will tell the prime minister in a letter on Tuesday that the ban was 'illegitimate and unethical'. Campaigners from the pressure group Defend Our Juries plan to descend upon Westminster in central London on Saturday carrying placards and posters expressing support for the group. They are protesting against Yvette Cooper's decision to ban the organisation last month after activists caused an estimated £7m of damage to jets at RAF Brize Norton. Defend Our Juries is asking those taking part to hold up signs saying 'I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action'. More than 200 people have already been arrested in response to the proscription last month. A Met police spokesperson said the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are attempting to put the overcrowded criminal justice system under further pressure. 'We are aware that the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people to turn out with the intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system,' they said. 'The Met is very experienced in dealing with large-scale protests, including where the protest activity crosses into criminality requiring arrests. Our officers will continue to apply the law in relation to Palestine Action as we have done since its proscription. Anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested.' Starmer's official spokesperson urged people not to attend. 'Any action that is in support of a proscribed group in the UK, of course we do not support and the court has confirmed their continued proscription status,' they said. 'The home secretary previously said that those who seek to support this group may yet not know the true nature of this organisation, but people should be under no illusion this is not a peaceful or non-violent protest group.' Sadiq Khan, who was vocal in urging Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state, declined to weigh in. A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: 'The policing of Saturday's planned protest by Defend Our Juries is an operational decision for the Metropolitan police.' On Tuesday, a delegation organised by Jewish Voice for Labour will deliver a letter signed by 300 Jewish figures to No 10 and Cooper urging a lifting of the ban on the group. Also signed by the human rights lawyer Geoffrey Bindman KC and the playwright Gillian Slovo, it will express 'horror' at the actions of Israel. The letter will say: 'We consider the proscription of Palestine Action to be illegitimate and unethical. It is time to end the government's hand-wringing over the level of slaughter and suffering in Gaza and the West Bank, mixed with tacit support to the Israeli state. The Met is sceptical of claims that thousands of people could turn up on Saturday. The force believes that a total in the low hundreds is more likely. Anyone arrested risks a terrorism conviction. At other events that led to mass arrests, the Met has arrested people, confirmed their identities and home addresses, and then quickly released them on bail so they could be dealt with later. Police resources will be stretched at the weekend as a large, separate pro-Palestinian march is also scheduled for Saturday and anti-immigration protests are expected. A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries denied any plot to overwhelm the police and the courts system, as reported in the Telegraph on Monday. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The campaign was not organised by Palestine Action, the spokesperson said, adding that a briefing document was available openly on the Defend Our Juries website. 'It's great the Telegraph is helping us to spread the word but there are serious inaccuracies in their story. We are not the ones planning to 'overwhelm' the system,' they said. 'If the Met exercises common sense and discretion and upholds its obligation to uphold the right of people to exercise their rights then nothing is being overwhelmed. 'It is a difficult position for Sir Mark Rowley [the Metropolitan police commissioner] to be in. Based on what has happened on previous occasions it would be surprising if no one is arrested but on the other [hand] everyone is going to be doing the same thing and it will be a challenge to arrest more than 500 people given that we think there are about 520 available police cells in London at any one time.' They believed Rowley would be factoring in last week's high court ruling giving permission to the co-founder of Palestine Action to bring a legal challenge to the home secretary's decision to ban the group. Other forces exercised discretion not to arrest people at similar protests in Derry, Edinburgh and elsewhere, they added. The protests would take place regularly in future, they said, adding that it was becoming 'a badge of honour' to be arrested. Defend Our Juries has held discussions with MPs about taking part but there was a reluctance on the basis of concerns it could lead to suspension from parliament. About 40 pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the Labour party headquarters on Monday evening. Campaigners held Palestine flags and chanted 'Shame on Keir Starmer, shame on the Labour party, shame on David Lammy' while banging steel pot lids outside the office in Southwark, London. One sign displayed by the group read 'We support the legal application to de-proscribe Palestine Action. Fight racism. Fight imperialism.' A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'The criminal justice system will always be ready to deal with sudden surges coming through the courts.' The Home Office did not respond to questions about the planned protest.
The Independent
16 hours ago
- The Independent
Why has Kemi Badenoch fallen out with Liz Truss?
Dearie me, they're at it again. Former Tory leader Liz Truss and current Tory leader Kemi Badenoch are involved in another nasty spat, mainly about the infamous mini-Budget introduced by then Prime Minister Truss in September 2022. Badenoch has invoked that calamitous – and deeply Conservative – fiscal event in an otherwise routine attack on the government. Truss, ever ready to defend her record, because no one else will, has hit back and told Badenoch she's wrong and needs to do some more thinking, a particularly hurtful jibe when Badenoch thinks herself one of the brainier kids in the Westminster playground. Amusing and mildly diverting as it may be, this minor row also tells us some much bigger things about the Tory dilemma. What did Badenoch say? That Labour is even more incompetent than Truss was: 'For all their mocking of Liz Truss, Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have not learnt the lessons of the mini-Budget and are making even bigger mistakes. They continue to borrow more and more, unable and unwilling to make the spending cuts needed to balance the books.' Is that new? Not really. Only a few weeks ago, the shadow chancellor, Mel Stride, evicted from ministerial office by Liz Truss when she formed her short-lived government, laid into the mini-Budget and apologised for it. Badenoch, meanwhile, has said she doesn't know whether Truss is still in the Conservative Party, and implied she doesn't really care either way. She's long let it be known she'd prefer Truss to just go quiet for a while. Badenoch has also been disobliging about the Sunak administration 'talking right but acting left'. But Sunak, like Johnson, May and Cameron, has, so far, preferred to ignore the present controversies and policy shifts, such as Badenoch's 'net-zero sceptic' stance. What's the Truss defence? The usual – her supposedly brilliant plan to turbocharge the British economy was thwarted by a terrible econo-bureaucratic blob and those, to the visionary Truss, idiots at the Bank of England. But increasingly she is having to adapt her line because of attacks from her own party (if she is indeed still in it), which means slagging off the administrations that came before her – Cameron, May, Johnson – and after, Sunak and now Badenoch's performance as leader of the opposition: 'It is disappointing that instead of serious thinking like this, Kemi Badenoch is instead repeating spurious narratives. I suspect she is doing this to divert from the real failures of 14 years of Conservative government in which her supporters are particularly implicated.' Er... weren't they both members of these dreadful governments? Yes. Truss continuously from 2012 to her ousting in 2022, and Badenoch from 2019 to 2024. Indeed, it was Truss who promoted Badenoch to the cabinet as international trade secretary. Neither showed much dissent, publicly or privately. Why are they scrapping? Neither wants to take responsibility for their own failures as a party leader, and that can inevitably lead to blame throwing for their disastrous showing at the election, and subsequently. But all politicians in all parties who find themselves thrashed by the voters are faced with this excruciating dilemma as they enter the wilderness of life in opposition: Do they denounce the record and policies of the government they were apparently happy to be a part of? Or do they defend their record instead? Do they agree with the voters' verdict or not? And if they want to, or have to, admit 'mistakes', are they going to be big or smaller ones? How to play it? By ear – there are no hard rules. Back in the 1970s, Margaret Thatcher, as leader of the opposition, did well out of renouncing most of what the Heath government had done because it ended in such chaos, and Thatcher was (like Badenoch today) a relatively junior cabinet member who could claim some innocence. In due course, because public opinion had shifted during the Blair years, David Cameron found that he'd have to criticise Thatcher herself, so he declared that 'there is such a thing as society' and told his fractious party to 'stop banging on about Europe'. Ed Miliband, after Labour's defeat in 2010, never seemed able to make up his mind about whether the Brown administration (in which he served) had failed, and, if so, how and why. Try as he might, Nick Clegg could never grovel sufficiently for what he did on tuition fees in the coalition government, and the Lib Dems were so punished at the 2015 general election that they were left with eight MPs compared to the 56 elected in 2010. At the moment, the Conservative-led government of 2010 to 2024 has few friends and many critics, the most vociferous being some of its leading lights. In this respect, the party is behaving more like Labour traditionally does after a defeat. Thus, after the 1974-79 Labour government fell from power, it was attacked by the Bennites on the Labour left for being too right-wing, and by the social democrats on the right for being too left-wing. Eventually, the long passage of time made arguments about pay policy, union power and unilateralism irrelevant. One day, when people have forgotten who Truss and Badenoch were, they may be ready to give the Tories a hearing. But, with Farage on their right flank, with no qualms about slagging off the last government, the Conservatives may not have the luxury of time to settle their differences and focus their attacks on him.
