Key occasions
Government says essential routes can be secure underneath bus services and products invoice
Vital bus services and products can be secure from unexpected cuts underneath new regulation, the Department for Transport (DfT) has introduced. As PA Media stories, councils in England will put strict necessities in position prior to “socially necessary” routes can also be modified or cancelled, the dep. mentioned. PA says:
This is aimed toward services and products to places corresponding to hospitals and colleges.
The measure is a part of the federal government’s bus services and products invoice, which handed its 2d studying within the Commons final evening.
This will result in an overhaul of buses, corresponding to via giving all native shipping government new powers to run their very own services and products.
The executive may even cut back one of the vital purple tape all in favour of bus franchising, together with lowering the minimal length between native spaces taking keep watch over of services and products and being allowed to begin operations.
UK water business wishes ‘fundamental reset’, overview unearths
The “deep-rooted, systemic” issues in the United Kingdom water business are the fault of businesses, the federal government and business regulators, in step with a much-anticipated overview, which used to be right away criticised for failing to counsel daring motion via sewage air pollution campaigners. Sandra Laville has the tale right here.
Minister rejects Badenoch’s declare that fantastic for guy who set hearth to Qur’an revives blasphemy regulations
Good morning. Public spending remains to be the dominant factor at Westminster, with the spending overview going down every week the next day, and debate nonetheless raging about how the federal government will fund its defence and welfare plans (even supposing the controversy is not such a lot whether or not there can be tax rises, quite how large they’ll be). But the Conservatives at the moment are looking to revive a tradition battle factor, accusing Labour of in impact the use of blasphemy regulation to give protection to Islam.
Kemi Badenoch has been responding to the case of Hamit Coskun, who used to be discovered to blame and fined £240 the day prior to this for a religiously irritated public order offence after he set hearth to a Qur’an outdoor the Turkish consulate in London. Sammy Gescoyler has the tale right here.
As Sammy stories, the pass judgement on, John McGarva, mentioned that Coskun’s movements have been “highly provocative” and mentioned he used to be “motivated at least in part by a hatred of Muslims”.
But, in feedback written up supportively via the Daily Mail in their splash, Badenoch mentioned the case must move to attraction. She mentioned:
De facto blasphemy regulations will set this nation at the highway to break. This case must move to attraction.
Freedom of trust, and freedom to not consider, are inalienable rights in Britain. I’ll protect the ones rights to my loss of life day.
Not for the primary time, Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, has driven this even additional, telling the Daily Telegraph:
This determination is unsuitable. It revives a blasphemy legislation that parliament repealed.
Free speech is underneath risk. I don’t have any self belief in Two-Tier Keir to protect the rights of the general public to criticise all religions.
John Healey, the defence secretary, used to be on media spherical accountability for the federal government this morning. Asked concerning the Tory claims via Sky News, Healey didn’t wish to communicate concerning the case itself, announcing this used to be a question for the courts. But he rejected the declare that blasphemy regulations have been coming again, telling Sky:
We don’t have blasphemy regulations. We don’t have any plans to reintroduce blasphemy regulations.
The National Secular Society is backing Coskun, and Humanists UK have additionally mentioned they’re focused on the day prior to this’s verdict.
But, in his ruling, the pass judgement on mentioned that burning a spiritual guide and making grievance of Islam or the Qur’an are “not necessarily disorderly”. McGarva went on: “What made [Coskun’s] conduct disorderly was the timing and location of the conduct and that all this was accompanied by abusive language.”
Here is the schedule for the day.
9.30am: Keir Starmer chairs cupboard.
10.15am: Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, offers proof to the Treasury committee.
11.30am: Shabana Mahmood, justice secretary, takes questions within the Commons.
Noon: Downing Street holds a foyer briefing.
2.30pm: Yvette Cooper, house secretary, offers proof to the Commons house affairs committee.
If you need to touch me, please publish a message beneath the road when feedback are open (generally between 10am and 3pm nowadays), or message me on social media. I will be able to’t learn the entire messages BTL, however when you put “Andrew” in a message aimed toward me, I’m much more likely to peer it as a result of I seek for posts containing that phrase.
If you need to flag one thing up urgently, it’s best to make use of social media. You can succeed in me on Bluesky at @andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social. The Guardian has given up posting from its reliable accounts on X however particular person Guardian reporters are there, I nonetheless have my account, and when you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I can see it and reply if important.
I to find it very useful when readers indicate errors, even minor typos. No error is just too small to right kind. And I to find your questions very fascinating too. I will be able to’t promise to respond to all of them, however I can take a look at to respond to as many as I will be able to, both BTL or now and again within the weblog.