A summary of today's developments
The government survived the threat of a Tory rebellion during a five-hour debate on the illegal migration bill. Four amendments were rejected after a vote by MPs. These were regarding allowing individuals seeking asylum who claim to be victim of crime, human trafficking or deprived of their human rights to remain in the UK during their asylum process, introducing a safe passage pilot scheme, a provision for unaccompanied children asylum seekers coming from the EU to be allowed into the UK for the purposes of family reunion and the government creating reciprocal co-operation deals with the EU Member States regarding asylum seeker and illegal migration issues.
Stephen Kinnock, a shadow immigration minister, said Labour had its own plan to stop small boat crossings. The government’s plan would not work because it was not credible, he said.
Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members will be on strike throughout April, culminating with another all-out strike by 133,000 civil and public servants on 28 April. It means civil and public servants will be taking strike action from today until the end of April, with workers in the Passport Office on strike for five weeks until 6 May. Members working for Ofgem in Canary Wharf and Glasgow today announced six days’ strike action from April 10-14 and on 17 April.
During the statement on the antisocial behaviour action plan Kit Malthouse, the former policing minister, expressed concern that banning laughing gas could lead to supply being taken over by drug dealers.
As part of the anti-social behaviour action plan, the government will make organising begging networks an offence. It will also give the police and local authorities powers to stop people engaged in “intimidating” begging, “including obstructing shop doorways and begging by cash points”. Charities that help the homeless have criticised these plans.
And that brings day one of the debate to a conclusion.
