Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 9 April 2023

1. Home Office ‘can’t prove small boats claim’

The Home Office has admitted it has no evidence to back one of the core justifications for its crackdown on small boat crossings. In 2021, the-then home secretary, Priti Patel, told MPs that “70% of individuals on small boats are single men who are effectively economic migrants”. In December last year, her successor, Suella Braverman, backed the claim. When asked via a Freedom of Information request for evidence to support the assertion, the Home Office admitted it had none. Campaigners said the claim was “deployed to demonise and dehumanise”.

2. Ross slapped down by Tory HQ

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has caused a row by saying supporters should vote for Labour at the next election to oust the SNP. Speaking to The Telegraph, Douglas Ross said that Tory voters in Scotland should “do what is best for the country” and support “the strongest candidate to beat the SNP” in their constituency, even if it means voting Labour. A party spokesman in London said the suggestion was “emphatically not the view of the Conservative Party” and that Scottish voters should support the Tories “wherever they are standing”.

3. Israel bombs Syria

Israel said its military jets have struck a Syrian military compound, radar systems and artillery posts “in response to rockets fired from Syria”. The Israel Defense Forces insisted that it had begun bombing targets after three rockets were launched toward Israel from Syria, one of which landed in the southern Golan Heights. The “first barrage” of rockets occurred late Saturday, with three more rockets fired towards Israel early Sunday, said Haaretz.

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4. Women giving birth later in life

More than five women aged 50 and above gave birth every week in the three years up to 2021, reported The Telegraph. At least nine women aged 60 and over have had babies in English hospitals since 2019. The British Fertility Society said that IVF delays caused by the Covid lockdowns helped fuel the rise of middle-aged mothers. The average age of women giving birth hit a record high of 30.9 in 2021 as young people put parenthood on hold in favour of pursuing careers and financial stability.

5. Labour ‘to continue dirty tricks’

The Observer said the shadow home secretary was not consulted about the release of a widely criticised Labour advertisement that claims Rishi Sunak does not believe adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison. Labour sources said that, despite being in charge of the party’s crime policy, Yvette Cooper “had nothing to do with” the controversial ad. Labour plans to keep “dirty tricks” going until the next election, said The Sunday Times.

6. Trump drops controversial hire

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has “backed out” of a plan to hire a “right-wing extremist” after the job offer “set off a furious row in MAGA world”, said The Independent. Trump reportedly told aides to give Laura Loomer, a “proud Islamophobe”, a role in his re-election campaign, despite concerns over her “long history of bigoted remarks”, said the New York Times. Loomer said “it’s a shame” that Trump is “surrounded by some people that run to a publication that is notorious for attacking him in order to try to cut me at the knees”.

7. China launches Taiwan drill

Beijing has launched a 72-hour military exercise using warships and fighter jets to encircle Taiwan in response to a meeting between the island’s president and Washington. The drills were announced after Taiwan’s President, Tsai Ing-wen, returned from Los Angeles, where she met US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Dubbed United Sharp Sword, the drills “involve exercises in the Taiwan Strait to the north and south of the island as well as in the sea and airspace to its east”, said Al Jazeera.

8. Book makes new Queen claims

A new book claims that the late Queen insisted a “military-style exercise” was put in place during her Platinum Jubilee so that no one could see her using a wheelchair. Although Queen Elizabeth “didn’t feel strong enough” to attend the final celebrations of the Jubilee weekend, Prince Charles implored his mother to make a “massive effort” to attend and she agreed, on the condition no one saw she was using a wheelchair. The claims are made in Robert Jobson’s book Our King.

9. French and Germans avoid UK

Tourism bosses believe that French and German tourists are beginning to avoid the UK because of post-Brexit restrictions on travelling with identity cards. Previously EU citizens could use ID cards to enter the UK, but since October 2021 they have needed a passport. Less than half the population of France and Germany hold a valid passport. In 2016, Germans ranked the UK as the 7th best place to visit, and French people ranked it 9th. By 2022, the UK had fallen to 16th and 14th respectively.

10. Will Premier League dump Sky?

The Premier League is considering ditching its partners Sky Sports and BT Sport and broadcasting games on its own platform. The Mirror said it’s “likely” there will be just one more multi partner deal before Premier League bosses “cut out the middle men and run the show themselves”. Such a move would “devastating” for Sky which has “helped build the Premier League to the financial colossus it is today after joining forces at its inception in 1992”, said the paper. However, it would be a “licence to print money” for the League, it added.