This blog is now closing, thanks for following. You can read our full report here: MPs back illegal migration bill by 289 votes to 230
A summary of today's developments
Suella Braverman failed to offer statistical evidence to back her claim that migrants crossing the English Channel are linked to “heightened levels of criminality” as the government’s immigration legislation cleared the Commons. The home secretary said people arriving in the UK in small boats have values which are “at odds with our country” ahead of MPs debating the Illegal Migration Bill. Asked later whether she had figures to support the statement, she said it was based on information she had gathered from police chiefs. It came as senior backbench Tories, including former prime minister Theresa May and ex-party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, voiced concerns in Parliament about the impact the Government’s flagship immigration reforms could have on modern slavery protections. But the Bill cleared the House of Commons without any drama in the votes after MPs gave it a third reading by 289 votes to 230, majority 59. The five amendments to the Bill were rejected in votes by MPs.
The government suffered a fourth defeat on its Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, after peers argued it had no right to legislate for Scotland and Wales on devolved matters like health and education. The House of Lords voted by 213 to 184, majority 29, to restrict the provisions of the Bill to England only. The crossbench amendment was backed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
Department of Health officials “raised concerns” about Steve Barclay’s alleged conduct towards civil servants, the Guardian has been told. Sources said the civil servants had informally complained to Chris Wormald, the department’s permanent secretary, about the way they believe they and colleagues have been treated by the health secretary. They said senior civil servants in the department had privately referred to “bullying” and other “bad behaviour” by Barclay towards his staff since he joined the Whitehall department in July last year. The alleged conduct is denied by Barclay’s allies. The department said it had not received any formal complaints over the behaviour of its ministers, but did not deny being alerted to concerns informally in the way sources described.
Lee Anderson, the deputy Conservative chair, and a member of the Commons home affairs committee, questioned Sir Mark Rowley, the commissioner of the Metropolitan police. They clashed on various issues, and Rowley told Anderson he was being “offensive” after Anderson said the Met would be better off without him.
Andrew Bridgen MP has been expelled from the Conservative party. The Conservatives suspended Bridgen in January for spreading misinformation about Covid vaccines and comparing their impact to the Holocaust.
