Latest news with #UK-France
The National
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Why is the BBC not talking about Scottish concerns?
Welcome to this week's Media Watch! Remember you can get this newsletter for free in your inbox every week by clicking the banner above. Earlier this month, an Ipsos poll for STV showed that for Scots, immigration was not on their top 10 list of things which sway them at the ballot box. So in the newsroom on Friday when we were discussing ideas for the day, it seemed mighty curious the UK-France deal aimed at tackling small boat crossings across the Channel had been high up in the BBC Radio Scotland morning news agenda almost every day last week. Listening back, we found the build-up to the visit by French president Emmanuel Macron and the agreement itself had been in the Good Morning Scotland bulletin every day from Tuesday to Friday, and on two of those days it was considered the top story. In the Ipsos survey earlier this month, Scots had considered all sorts of subjects to be more important to them than this. Healthcare, education, crime, poverty, cost of living and housing were all of bigger concern. In focusing largely on whether the new 'one in, one out' deal would act as an effective deterrent, SNP MP Pete Wishart accused the BBC of presenting a 'skewed debate' on immigration to Scots which is contrary to their interests. READ MORE: BBC breached editorial guidelines in Gaza documentary, review finds 'When we get into the realms of a debate and discussion about immigration, what tends to come out the UK-led debate about this is absolutely totally contrary to Scotland's interests,' he said. 'All we hear about is curbing migration, what we can do to make life as difficult as possible for the poor souls that make it here, whereas Scotland, just to keep our population up – which is already at crisis levels – we are totally dependent on immigration. 'What the BBC are serving us is a debate which is skewed to be against the Scottish interests." The 'one in, one out' deal will see asylum seekers who arrive in England by small boats sent back to France, while allowing some in France to be sent to Britain if they have ties to the UK. On Friday's Good Morning Scotland programme, the focus was on critics who believe it will not be enough of a deterrent, with a clip of shadow home secretary Chris Philp (below) being played during the 8am bulletin where he called the scheme a 'gimmick'. (Image: Lucy North) That was followed by a five-minute interview with an expert in British and French immigration politics. She was asked about who will be selected to be returned, how big a deterrent 'this could actually be' and what action could be taken to reduce the 'pull factor' of the UK. The way this story was pushed by BBC Scotland seemed even stranger after speaking to Emile Chabal, a professor of contemporary history at Edinburgh University who has published widely on the politics of immigration. He told The National there is a 'stark difference' between how Scotland and England view the issue of immigration. READ MORE: BBC host takes issue with expert over 'Israeli concentration camps' 'From all the policy and research work we have over the last 10 to 20 years, we know that immigration is just a less salient issue for Scots in general,' he said. 'We know that the Scottish Government has a different approach to the question of immigration, which is often characterised as either pro-immigration or pro-certain kinds of immigration. There's certainly an idea that Scotland doesn't have enough people and therefore having more is not necessarily a problem. 'Both at a kind of popular and policy level, Scotland is different to England.' He went on: 'It seems clear to me that most Scots feel that immigration would be a positive thing for the Scottish economy and they feel it would be beneficial demographically for Scotland. This is especially true in perhaps rural areas in a way that it isn't in England where rural areas are often places which have a high degree of anti-immigrant sentiment.' Tom Chivers and Tom Mills – of the Media Reform Coalition – both said the way in which the small boats issue was focused on by BBC Radio Scotland was an example of the corporation 'reflecting the agenda of Westminster politicians' instead of honing in on what is important to its audiences. Mills, chair of the Media Reform Coalition and author of The BBC: Myth of a Public Service, said: 'Looking at news in Scotland is revealing I think because it shows the extent to which BBC news reflects the agenda of Westminster politicians and the right-wing national press, rather than the priorities of its audiences. 'In the end the BBC is accountable to politicians, not to its audiences. That's the root of the problem and it needs to change." News is news, of course, and the issue of immigration is clearly important to many people across the UK. But the BBC surely has regional radio stations for a reason, and the way this story was thrust on people driving to work – who are likely more interested in how much their food is costing or whether they can get a doctor's appointment – certainly does seem very telling about where the broadcaster's priorities lie.
The National
12-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Reform UK attack King Charles over comments in UK-France speech
In a speech marking President Emmanuel Macron's three-day state visit earlier this week, the monarch said that the UK and France 'face a multitude of more complex threats, emanating from multiple directions'. 'As friends and as allies, we face them together,' he went on. 'These challenges know no borders … the answer lies in partnership, and we – France and Britain – must help to lead the way. Our two nations share not only values, but also the tireless determination to act on them in the world.' He went on to say: 'Our security services and police will go further still to protect us against the profound challenges of terrorism, organised crime, cyber attacks and of course irregular migration across the English Channel.' Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron pictured at the UK-France summitSpeaking to Politico's Westminster Insider podcast, Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said he thought the King's speech had been 'unwise' – and that the late Queen Elizabeth would not have said the same as her son. 'The late Queen wouldn't have included any of that language about the boats,' Tice claimed. 'I think she would've been much more careful. 'I presume that it's different speech writers, but I just don't think that she would've ended up in that pickle.' The Reform MP further suggested that Charles may not have read his speech before delivering it – as Keir Starmer admitted to doing with his controversial 'island of strangers' speech in May. Tice said: 'I wonder whether [Charles] fell into the trap that Keir Starmer fell into by admitting that he didn't read his speeches beforehand. 'I just think it was unwise of the King to tread there. It's the role of the political class to debate that sort of thing.' READ MORE: Keir Starmer says he 'deeply regrets' using 'island of strangers' phrase Reform UK had not been invited to the state banquet with Macron, which Tice said was wrong. 'Of course we should [be there],' he told Politico. 'We are a serious part of the political debate and that just can't be denied.' Previously, Farage also criticised the King after the media was given advance details of his speech, including that he would say there are global challenges which 'know no borders'. Misquoting the speech, Farage told GB News viewers the monarch would tell the French delegation: 'No fortress can protect us, because between our countries, we know no borders.' Farage said he thought the speech would be a "mistake", adding: 'I'm not a Republican, I'm not in the habit of criticising the royal family. Perhaps he's been poorly advised. 'But actually, we are a fortress. We're an island. It gives us massive advantages, as it has done throughout the whole of history.'
The National
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
BBC slated for pushing small boat crossings as top Scottish story
The UK-France small boats return scheme agreed by Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron – and the build-up to it – has been part of the news bulletin at the top of the Good Morning Scotland programme every day since Tuesday. It was billed as the top story of the day on Wednesday and Friday, with the BBC focusing particularly on how critics are suggesting the new 'one in, one out' deal will not act as a sufficient deterrent on Friday. In an Ipsos poll earlier this month, immigration did not feature among the top 10 issues the Scottish public deem most important for swaying their vote. The top three issues were healthcare, the cost of living and public services. READ MORE: Explained: What France and the UK have agreed on small boats Veteran SNP MP Pete Wishart (below), the party's home affairs spokesperson, accused the BBC of serving Scots a 'skewed debate' on immigration which is contrary to their interests. He told The National: "The people of Scotland are much more concerned about the cost of living crisis and what's happening with welfare cuts. 'What we've seen from opinion polls is while people care about this [immigration and small boat crossings] it's not one of the major pressing concerns, so why the BBC continue to try and repeat this narrative is a matter for their editorial team. (Image: PA) "The other thing about this is when we get into the realms of a debate and discussion about immigration, what tends to come out the UK-led debate about this is absolutely totally contrary to Scotland's interests. 'All we hear about is curbing migration, what we can do to make life as difficult as possible for the poor souls that make it here, whereas Scotland, just to keep our population up –which is already at crisis levels – we are totally dependent on immigration. 'What the BBC are serving us is a debate which is skewed to be against the Scottish interests." The 'one in, one out' deal will see asylum seekers who arrive in England by small boats sent back to France, while allowing some in France sent to Britain if they have ties to the UK. The Prime Minister has called the deal 'ground-breaking' and insisted it would deter people from making the perilous crossing – but it has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups who say it is 'dehumanising' and will fail to prevent asylum seekers making life-threatening journeys to the UK. On Friday's Good Morning Scotland programme, the focus was on critics who believe it will not be enough of a deterrent, with a clip of shadow home secretary Chris Philp being played during the 8am bulletin where he called the scheme a 'gimmick'. That was followed by a five-minute interview with an expert in British and French immigration politics. She was asked about who will be selected to be returned, how big a deterrent 'this could actually be' and what action could be taken to reduce the 'pull factor' of the UK. READ MORE: Michael Shanks says cutting Scots' energy bills not worth 'trade-off' Tom Chivers, campaign co-ordinator at the Media Reform Coalition, said the prioritisation of the small boats issue this week was an example of BBC 'following the priorities of Westminster'. He said: "The BBC claims its reporting reflects the needs and interests of all its audiences. 'But instead of covering issues that matter to the Scottish public, far too often BBC Scotland follows the priorities of Westminster politicians and repeats them without any critical analysis. 'Across the UK the BBC's audiences deserve public interest news on issues that matter to our communities, and not simply regurgitation of government talking points as if they were the whole story." In the Ipsos poll published at the start of July, housing, schools and care for older and disabled people were all issues considered to be of more concern than immigration for Scots. Tom Mills, chair of the Media Reform Coalition and author of The BBC: Myth of a Public Service, said the broadcaster too often reflects the agenda of Westminster politicians and the right-wing press. He said: "The BBC gives a lot of attention to immigration in its reporting and this is usually justified by the levels of public concern on the issue, which UK-wide is high. 'But this concern obviously reflects the prominence it's given in the news media, including on the BBC. Meanwhile, on issues like health or housing, which are also major priorities for a lot of people, you never see the same attention and urgency. 'Looking at news in Scotland is revealing I think because it shows the extent to which BBC news reflects the agenda of Westminster politicians and the right-wing national press, rather than the priorities of its audiences. In the end the BBC is accountable to politicians, not to its audiences. That's the root of the problem and it needs to change." A BBC Scotland spokesperson: 'Across three hours, Good Morning Scotland provides the latest news from home and abroad, along with regular sport, travel and weather updates. "In choosing which stories to cover each day and the extent to which they're covered, our editors base their decisions on the editorial merits of all the stories at hand, looking at a variety of factors. We accept that not everyone will agree with each decision.'
Rhyl Journal
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Downing Street ‘confident' UK-France migrant returns deal complies with law
The UK is 'confident' the agreement complies with both domestic and international law and has discussed the plans with Brussels, Number 10 said on Friday. The one in, one out migrant return scheme set out by the Prime Minister and Emmanuel Macron is due to begin within weeks, but still needs final legal verification and consultation with Brussels. Asked whether the Government was concerned about the scheme potentially being held up in the courts, a Number 10 spokesman said: 'We've done a lot of work to make sure the system is robust to legal challenges, and of course, France is a safe country and a member of the ECHR. 'We're confident that this arrangement complies with both domestic and international law, and clearly… we've discussed these arrangements already with the (European) Commission.' The Prime Minister is holding talks with his Cabinet at an 'away day' at Chequers, his grace-and-favour Chequers country estate, on Friday after securing the agreement on Thursday. Ministers expect the commission to support the arrangement, Downing Street said, amid concerns among some European governments that migrants who have travelled to Britain could end up back on their territory. Under the pilot scheme, for each small boat migrant sent back across the English Channel an asylum seeker will be allowed to enter the UK from France under a legal route. By resetting our relationships across Europe, my government has made new levels of co-operation possible. For the first time, migrants arriving via small boat will be detained and returned to France — smashing the business model of people smuggling gangs. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 11, 2025 No details have been given about how many people will be covered by the pilot, but French officials had indicated it could initially be limited to about 50 a week – a small fraction of the weekly average this year of 782. Speaking to broadcasters on Friday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper declined to put a number on the scheme but she insisted it would 'fundamentally undermine' the people smugglers organising the crossings. Meanwhile, crossings continued in the Channel on Friday, with HM Coastguard confirming UK Border Force and RNLI vessels had been sent to respond to 'multiple incidents' involving small boats. At least 21,000 people have already made the journey since January, putting 2025 on course to be a record year for crossings. To those considering dangerous Channel crossings – there is now no guarantee you will remain in the UK. The UK-France pilot agreement undermines the business model of the criminal gangs who profit from endangering the lives of migrants. — Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) July 11, 2025 The returns scheme will be accompanied by a crackdown on illegal working in the UK as the Government attempts to address the 'pull factors' encouraging people to attempt the crossing from France. The Home Office said authorities would soon undertake 'a major nationwide blitz targeting illegal working hotspots, focusing on the gig economy and migrants working as delivery riders'. Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have already committed to ramp up facial verification and fraud checks over the coming months after being called in for talks with ministers. Mr Macron has repeatedly stressed the need for the UK to avoid attracting migrants, saying 'you should not underestimate the impact the situation has' in parts of northern France around Calais and Dunkirk. He said a third of illegal migrants entering Europe's Schengen border-free area sought to eventually reach the UK, and welcomed measures to tackle illegal work. Prominent figures including former head of MI6 Sir Alex Younger and former Labour prime minister Sir Tony Blair have made the case for digital ID cards to deter Channel crossings. Number 10 has publicly downplayed the prospect of introducing such a measure but said the Government was 'always looking for a range of solutions'. Asked on Friday why the proposal was not part of Government plans, a spokesman said: 'It is not Government policy. 'Our focus is on a huge rollout of e-visas, with more than 10 million of them already issued, clearly. 'As we demonstrated over the last couple of days, we are always looking for a range of solutions to both illegal migration and illegal working. But mandatory ID cards are not parts of our plans.' Sir Keir said the 'completely unprecedented' scale of the crackdown on illegal working would mean for cross-Channel migrants that 'the jobs they have been promised in the UK will no longer exist'.
South Wales Guardian
11-07-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Downing Street ‘confident' UK-France migrant returns deal complies with law
The UK is 'confident' the agreement complies with both domestic and international law and has discussed the plans with Brussels, Number 10 said on Friday. The one in, one out migrant return scheme set out by the Prime Minister and Emmanuel Macron is due to begin within weeks, but still needs final legal verification and consultation with Brussels. Asked whether the Government was concerned about the scheme potentially being held up in the courts, a Number 10 spokesman said: 'We've done a lot of work to make sure the system is robust to legal challenges, and of course, France is a safe country and a member of the ECHR. 'We're confident that this arrangement complies with both domestic and international law, and clearly… we've discussed these arrangements already with the (European) Commission.' The Prime Minister is holding talks with his Cabinet at an 'away day' at Chequers, his grace-and-favour Chequers country estate, on Friday after securing the agreement on Thursday. Ministers expect the commission to support the arrangement, Downing Street said, amid concerns among some European governments that migrants who have travelled to Britain could end up back on their territory. Under the pilot scheme, for each small boat migrant sent back across the English Channel an asylum seeker will be allowed to enter the UK from France under a legal route. By resetting our relationships across Europe, my government has made new levels of co-operation possible. For the first time, migrants arriving via small boat will be detained and returned to France — smashing the business model of people smuggling gangs. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 11, 2025 No details have been given about how many people will be covered by the pilot, but French officials had indicated it could initially be limited to about 50 a week – a small fraction of the weekly average this year of 782. Speaking to broadcasters on Friday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper declined to put a number on the scheme but she insisted it would 'fundamentally undermine' the people smugglers organising the crossings. Meanwhile, crossings continued in the Channel on Friday, with HM Coastguard confirming UK Border Force and RNLI vessels had been sent to respond to 'multiple incidents' involving small boats. At least 21,000 people have already made the journey since January, putting 2025 on course to be a record year for crossings. To those considering dangerous Channel crossings – there is now no guarantee you will remain in the UK. The UK-France pilot agreement undermines the business model of the criminal gangs who profit from endangering the lives of migrants. — Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) July 11, 2025 The returns scheme will be accompanied by a crackdown on illegal working in the UK as the Government attempts to address the 'pull factors' encouraging people to attempt the crossing from France. The Home Office said authorities would soon undertake 'a major nationwide blitz targeting illegal working hotspots, focusing on the gig economy and migrants working as delivery riders'. Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have already committed to ramp up facial verification and fraud checks over the coming months after being called in for talks with ministers. Mr Macron has repeatedly stressed the need for the UK to avoid attracting migrants, saying 'you should not underestimate the impact the situation has' in parts of northern France around Calais and Dunkirk. He said a third of illegal migrants entering Europe's Schengen border-free area sought to eventually reach the UK, and welcomed measures to tackle illegal work. Prominent figures including former head of MI6 Sir Alex Younger and former Labour prime minister Sir Tony Blair have made the case for digital ID cards to deter Channel crossings. Number 10 has publicly downplayed the prospect of introducing such a measure but said the Government was 'always looking for a range of solutions'. Asked on Friday why the proposal was not part of Government plans, a spokesman said: 'It is not Government policy. 'Our focus is on a huge rollout of e-visas, with more than 10 million of them already issued, clearly. 'As we demonstrated over the last couple of days, we are always looking for a range of solutions to both illegal migration and illegal working. But mandatory ID cards are not parts of our plans.' Sir Keir said the 'completely unprecedented' scale of the crackdown on illegal working would mean for cross-Channel migrants that 'the jobs they have been promised in the UK will no longer exist'.
