Suella Braverman latest: ‘not racist’ to want control over immigration – UK politics news

Jacob Rees-Mogg’s speech at the National Conservatism conference was interrupted by a protester.

Shortly after the Tory MP began speaking, a man joined him at the lectern and told the audience: “I would like to draw your attention to a few characteristics of fascism.”

The protester was then bundled off the stage.

Mr Rees-Mogg was expected to use his address at the gathering to criticise the government’s recent decision to scrap the repeal of EU laws.

High numbers of immigration are often a “good thing”, a trade minister has said.

Nigel Huddleston played down concern about figures due to show a record high for net migration.

Speaking to Times Radio, he said immigration should come down in the long run but that “every now and again we also need more people to come into the country, many people are coming in just for temporary reasons, for example, students, and that’s often a good thing”.

Sir Keir Starmer has said the government’s handling of the asylum backlog is “pathetic”, urging Suella Braverman to cancel her planned speech on immigration and “get back to the office”.

The Labour leader said between 1 per cent and 3 per cent of applications from those who arrive on small boats have been processed from last year, calling on the home secretary to make the logjam her priority.

Speaking on LBC, he said he agreed with the Archbishop of Canterbury that the Illegal Migration Bill was “impractical” and “wrong”.

He told listeners: “Suella Braverman, the home secretary, is today making a speech about what she thinks ought to happen on immigration. She is the home secretary.

“They’ve been in power for 13 years. This is like (Mikel) Arteta… doing a speech this afternoon on what Arsenal ought to do.”

Sir Keir added later: “This is pathetic. I’d say to the Home Secretary: stop the speech, cancel that, get back to the office and sort out the processing of these claims.”

Rishi Sunak has greeted Volodymyr Zelensky after the Ukraine president’s helicopter landed at Chequers.

“Welcome back”, the prime minister said in a post on Twitter, which included a photo of the two leaders in a warm embrace.

Earlier, Mr Sunak said it is a “crucial moment for Ukraine’s resistance to a terrible war of aggression they did not choose or provoke.”

“They need the sustained support of the international community to defend against the barrage of unrelenting and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily reality for over a year.”

A new package of laws the government claims will strengthen victims’ rights “isn’t worth the paper it’s written on”, a watchdog has said.

Claire Waxman, the victims’ commissioner for London, said the Victims and Prisoners Bill had been “hijacked by Dominic Raab” to increase government powers while diluting its original aims.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenksy has landed in the UK for a surprise visit to ramp up pressure on Rishi Sunak to provide his country with more military aid ahead of an expected spring offensive.

The president’s helicopter touched down at Chequers – the prime minister’s country retreat – earlier this morning with the pair due to hold talks soon.

Mr Zelensky also issued a new appeal to NATO on Monday to make a “positive political decision” on Kyiv’s membership drive at a July summit. He made the remarks in a video address to the Copenhagen Democracy Summit.

It comes as two of Russia’s military commanders were killed in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv’s forces renewed efforts to break through Russian defences in the embattled city of Bakhmut.

Read all the latest updates from the war here.

Senior Conservative MP Sir John Redwood has pushed for “big changes” in migration policy and refused to say whether Rishi Sunak should lead the party into the next election.

Asked whether he supported the prime minister on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday, Sir John said he was focused on “policy not on people”.

It comes ahead of a speech by home secretary Suella Braverman at the National Conservatism Conference later on Monday in which she is expected to push for lower migration.

Sir John said: “The current focus is on policy and I am an optimist. I think this Government could do well. It could make changes for the better.

“I and my colleagues are desperate for it to do so.

“It needs to make big changes on its attitude towards Brexit, on its attitude towards economic growth and on migration.”

The Ukrainian president will meet his “friend” the prime minister as part of a trip around Europe pressing leaders for more military aid.

Mr Zelensky said on Twitter: “The UK is a leader when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air.

“This cooperation will continue today. I will meet my friend Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations face-to-face and in delegations.”

More Britons should be trained as HGV drivers, fruit pickers and butchers so the UK does not have to rely on foreign workers to fill jobs, Suella Braverman will tell a Conservative conference on Monday.

Some of the home secretary’s cabinet colleagues have called for post-Brexit visa rules to be relaxed in a bid to boost the economy.

She is expected to tell the conference: “I voted and campaigned for Brexit because I wanted Britain to control migration. So that we all have a say on what works for our country.