Daily Update – September 3rd

Politics Live

4:20pm – Anti-vax protests attempt to break into MHRA office

3:45pm – Lindsay Hoyle confirms that parliament will return as normal

Speaker of the House Lindsay Hoyle has confirmed that parliament will no longer have any pandemic related rules.

3:16pm – Warning on refugee funding shortfall

Councils have called for extra funds to be offered “urgently” to help house Afghan refugees.

Labour’s shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said it was “deeply worrying” that the government was “failing to step up and play its role in providing national coordination, leadership and support”.

2:04pm – Supply chain problems continue

Brexit-caused supply chains continue to be an issue as IKEA is the latest major retailer to complain about shortages.

Earlier this week Wetherspoons owner Tim Martin warned there was a beer shortage, whilst the owner of Iceland supermarkets said Christmas could be cancelled.

12:50pm – Increase taxes rather than national insurance to fund social care, says Hunt

Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that the government should increase taxes rather than national insurance in order to fund adult social care.

The government is due to announce a 1% increase in national insurance rates.

But in an interview with Radio 4, Hunt said: “Since older people are the biggest beneficiaries, it’s fair they should make a contribution.”

11:42am – Government plans to ban laughing gas

Priti Patel has said she will “take tough action” on possession of nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) for recreational use.

This is despite the facts that there were no deaths related to the drug last year.

It has been met with heavy criticism, with some saying we should be moving away from the war on drugs rather than adding extra items to it.

Cristopher Snowdon from the Institute for Economic Affairs said: “If it was dangerous, we wouldn’t give it to pregnant women. It is the mildest ‘drug’ imaginable and should be re-legalised for recreational use.”

10:40am – Foreign affairs select committee announces full inquiry into Afghan withdrawal

Following their interrogation of foreign secretary Dominic Raab, the foreign affairs parliamentary committee has announced a full inquiry into the botched Afghan withdrawal.

The defence committee have announced a similar inquiry, but the government are against launching their own.

9:30am – What happens when the Queen dies?

An interesting little thread here by Politico summarising what happens when the Queen dies.

8:35am – Today’s main headlines

  • Ministers call for increases to social care funding
  • Raab visits Pakistan to help with Afghan refugee crisis
  • Councils call for clarity on refugee housing plan

8:20am – Newspaper headlines

  • The Daily Telegraph: Tax rise for 25m to pay for social care – The Telegraph reports that the prime minister is due to announce a national insurance tax rise to pay for adult social care, going against their manifesto pledge.
  • Daily Express: Millions to get booster jabs – The Express looks at the expected decision to start offering booster jabs to people in the next few weeks
  • i: Vaccines for 12-year-olds a step closer – The i follows a similar story, instead saying that vaccines will be rolled out for school children in the coming months.
  • The Guardian: West ‘has no coherent plan’ for Afghan refugee disaster – The Guardian looks at comments that say the West has not planned with how to deal with Afghan refugees following the fall of Kabul.

8:00am – Welcome back to another day of Politics Live!