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UK sanctions on Israel ‘fall far short’ of its obligations, legal experts say
Source: The Guardian
Original reporting
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BBC Politics
Political donors could face tougher residency rules
It comes after Reform received donations totalling £72m from two British crypto-billionaires who have both recently lived abroad.
The Guardian
Pensioners just above threshold shouldn’t pay income tax, says No 10 – UK politics live
PM’s spokesperson says those whose only income is the state pension should not pay income tax in this parliament despite the expected rise to £13,000 The Liberal Democrats have said that they will try to introduce a cap on the amount people donate to political parties by amending the representation of the people bill as it goes through the Lords. Lisa Smart , the Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson, said: We can’t keep playing whack-a-mole with each new attempt by Farage to sell out our democracy. Labour’s residency requirements aren’t good enough and the Conservatives simply sat on their hands whilst in power. For decades governments of both colours have stood by and done nothing. The scale of donations made to Reform in recent days is unprecedented in British politics and should deeply concern anyone who cares about the health and integrity of our democracy. We cannot afford to see the
BBC Politics
Unions urge ministers to soften planned changes to immigration rules
The home secretary wants to double the time it takes for most migrants to qualify for permanent residence.
The Guardian
Union leaders resist political donations cap after Reform given £72m
General secretaries say union funding is ‘cleanest money in politics’ and different to that from wealthy individual donors UK politics live – latest updates Trade unions have stopped short of backing a cap on political donations but called for further action on big money in politics, in a joint statement after Reform UK was given an unprecedented £72m from two donors . General secretaries have been split on a call for unions to back a specific cap on individual donors to political parties while protecting trade union donations, which the TUC said were the “cleanest money in politics” because it came from workers’ subscriptions. Continue reading...
BBC Politics
Unions warn against 'out of control' political spending
In a joint statement, unions say donations totalling £72m to Reform UK threaten the "integrity of democracy".
The Guardian
Polling turns politics into one big game. There are too many of them – and that does us no good | Jonathan Liew
Surely that’s the lesson the Reform polling furore should teach us. Politics should be about actually helping people, not mastering the line on a graph Solemn faces all round. We will listen. We will learn. We will hone and improve. Yes, it’s time for the latest bout of profound soul-searching in the UK polling industry following the allegations raised by the recent Channel 4 investigation that a polling firm reportedly failed to declare that three polls it published before the local elections in May were commissioned by Reform. By now these reckonings are becoming a regular occurrence in the wake of big elections: pollsters gather in a room, nibble biscuits, ritually self-flagellate, and pledge to learn all the right lessons from the electorate they’ve just catastrophically misread. Yet for all its very public ignominies, political polling is one of those rare and precious industries th