“,”elementId”:”9f63ae3a-94e4-4fc2-a7b5-bbd396bf2dd9″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Yesterday opposition leaders demanded full disclosure of emails from her SNP account after the UK Covid inquiry released evidence from the public health expert Prof Devi Sridhar that Sturgeon offered to use her private party account for government business. Sturgeon told Sridhar: “Don’t worry about protocol”.
“,”elementId”:”238ce56d-8879-4b60-8614-18dcc0ce2479″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
In response, a source close to the former first minister said:
“,”elementId”:”677ef168-9a94-4087-9d6c-68ef0df5388d”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”
\n
Any emails relevant to the management of the pandemic received by Nicola to her private email were passed to the Scottish government so that they could be actioned and recorded appropriately.
\n
“,”elementId”:”06133fa0-5b69-4cee-bf22-c74ad5ce488d”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Yesterday Scottish Labour urged John-Paul Marks, the Scottish government’s permanent secretary, to establish whether or not emails on government business have been handed over to the inquiry. The Scottish government has not yet responded on his behalf.
“,”elementId”:”5c1fb4b7-637d-446e-880b-60b2eff3cc92″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
The Scottish Tories said Sturgeon should publish them – a demand she seems to have rejected.
“,”elementId”:”fb6490cc-3f26-44ff-a70b-413722468ecb”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader, said Sturgeon’s carefully-worded response was far from enough. She said:
“,”elementId”:”d8c3ddd8-aead-4828-acde-b9f705b7a974″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”
\n
The full disclosure of all communications is necessary and it’s for the inquiry to determine what is relevant.
\n
The former first minister has form here: during the Salmond inquiry [into the Scottish government’s handling of sexual misconduct allegations against him], the use of SNP emails to avoid scrutiny was mentioned. All SNP emails must be disclosed.
\n
And the former prime minister knows that government business should not be conducted in private email, and she was violating that rule.
\n
“,”elementId”:”ff5db608-3599-42df-8842-3ee448d92ec1″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.VideoYoutubeBlockElement”,”source”:”YouTube”,”originalUrl”:”https:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEoNgsMXSTM”,”elementId”:”3409234f-7365-4230-90e6-3b7dbd47c302″,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”width”:854,”embedUrl”:”https:/ /www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ZEoNgsMXSTM?wmode=opaque”,”role”:”inline”,”url”:”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEoNgsMXSTM”,”height “:480,”sourceDomain”:”youtube-nocookie.com”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1706177848000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay “:”05.17 EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1706178388000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”05.26 EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1706178034000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”05.20 EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”05.20″,”title “:” Sturgeon denies hiding emails related to coronavirus crisis from investigation”,”Contributor”:[{“name”:”Severin Carrell”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/contributor/2007/09/28/severin_carrell_140x140.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=268fdbe82024e185350f606ad4a8e90b”}],”primaryDateLine”:”Thursday 25 January 2024 05.26 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published Thursday 25 January 2024 04.24 EST”},{“id”:”65b22cb38f088600a74d2c1a”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Chris Philp, the policing minister, also said that within about a year the police might have technology that would enable them to scan people for knives as they walk down a street. He told GB News:
“,”elementId”:”d474e910-78ea-4bc3-89aa-50433ba24a3c”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”
\n
We’re also investing, in the Home Office, in some new technology. It’s not ready for deployment yet but I’m hoping in about a year it will be. That will enable people to be scanned for knives as they walk down high streets to take more knives off the street.
\n
“,”elementId”:”7af5f658-60eb-4cef-9d0c-d3ee988a6ff4″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1706175667000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”04.41 EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1706176201000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”: “04.50 EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1706176201000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”04.50 EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”04.50″,”title”:”Mr Phillip said the technology could allow police to scan people's knives. Said it should be available in 2025. They're walking the streets”, “Contributor”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Thursday 25 January 2024 05.26 EST”,”SecondaryDateLine”:”First published Thursday 25 January 2024 04.24 EST”},{“id”:”65b22c6e8f08560341ce8a81″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
In his morning interviews Chris Philp, the policing minister, said he wanted the police to feel “more confident” about using stop and search to tackle knife crime. He told BBC Breakfast:
“,”elementId”:”4f96db73-751e-4b8a-ae15-726cd113f236″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”
\n
I also want the police to be much more confident in using stop-and-search powers to stop people on the street when they’re suspected of carrying knives or drugs and performing a search ….
\n
More does need to done, that’s why from April we’re going to be really stepping up these hotspot patrols.
\n
“,”elementId”:”4f72d4fa-de1c-41ba-b72a-1d5cfe13e7fd”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
He also claimed that “some Labour politicians, like Sadiq Khan [the London mayor] In particular, I don't think we can give the police the encouragement they need. ”
“,”elementId”:”8bbf9a6c-8a53-405a-8805-49f96062327e”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1706175598000, “blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”04.39 EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1706175912000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”04.45 EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1706175912000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”04.45 EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”0 4.45″,”title” :”Phillip says he wants police to be 'more confident' in using stop and search”,”Contributor”:[].[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Good morning. Labour and the Conservatives are in a bidding war over knife crime today, with Keir Starmer announcing or re-announcing various plans to deal with the problem on the day when the Home Office is laying legislation before parliament to ban zombie-style knives. Pippa Crerar has the details here.
“,”elementId”:”836cccf1-4211-43a8-8d34-ba1869b87852″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement”,”prefix”:”Related: “,”text”:”Starmer vows that Labour will ‘get a grip’ on knife crime”,”elementId”:”ebeca2a0-43d7-4ca1-9fec-de4daee4141e”,”role”:”thumbnail”,”url”:”https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/25/starmer-vows-labour-get-grip-on-knife-crime”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
You may think the government was meant to have banned them already. According to Labour, the government has made 16 announcements on this theme since 2015. But, as Chris Philp, the policing minister, admitted this morning, a previous crackdown contained a rather obvious loophole.
“,”elementId”:”bff4ac90-4f5f-46fd-87c7-e6059e28ad17″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
When the government legislated to ban zombie knives, it defined them as blades having a cutting edge, a serrated edge and “images or words that suggest that it is to be used for the purpose of violence”. When the legislation came into force, manufacturers came up with a cunning ploy to get round the ban; they just left off the images or logos.
“,”elementId”:”133acd1b-9da8-4c77-b0fc-0b96b3b1bb04″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
When asked why the legislation contained such an obvious flaw, Philp told LBC:
“,”elementId”:”f21fa641-477d-4173-a8cc-98ad39d1d9bc”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”
\n
I wasn’t responsible at the time. There was essentially a loophole where the knives that were banned in 2019 had to have threatening words or pictures on them … What happened then is the manufacturers responded by taking the words and pictures off … that, amongst other loopholes, is being closed.
\n
“,”elementId”:”1761134a-97b9-47a2-a99c-90c77ebee984″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
When it was put to him that it should have been obvious manufacturers would do this, he replied:
“,”elementId”:”9c2c1651-85ff-4747-a82a-0a0f52706ca6″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”
\n
That may be so. I can answer for what we’re doing now. This came to my attention and we’re fixing it today.
\n
“,”elementId”:”aa1e7087-fd23-48a2-b131-d3b5da0635bc”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Here is the agenda for the day.
“,”elementId”:”bab3b99e-7d9f-4c23-ae0d-49b1abb97c61″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
9.30am: Kemi Badenoch, the business and trade secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
“,”elementId”:”81d406b6-81d7-4b8e-aba8-3e5f6b35922b”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Morning: Keir Starmer is on a visit in Buckinghamshire.
“,”elementId”:”f3da3ad9-571b-436b-8304-df23732220ba”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
10am: Alister Jack, the Scottish secretary, gives evidence to the UK Covid inquiry in Edinburgh. Liz Lloyd, Nicola Sturgeon’s former chief of staff, follows him and Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s first minister, gives evidence at 2pm.
“,”elementId”:”56711caf-aad4-4000-99de-7165e888b7ea”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
10.30am: Penny Mordaunt, leader of the Commons, takes questions on next week’s business in the chamber.
“,”elementId”:”26c2c02d-ca8e-434a-a854-655d8bedf871″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
11am: Mark Drakeford, the outgoing Welsh first minister, takes part in a Q&A at the Institute for Government thinktank.
“,”elementId”:”74f1eb54-6d09-4de3-88eb-cf475f1dc19c”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.
“,”elementId”:”09910fa1-bb83-4685-8b0a-f5d5b321146f”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
After 11.30am: Karen Bradley, the chair of the Commons procedure committee, makes a Commons statement on her committee’s proposal for David Cameron to be questioned by MPs in the chamber.
“,”elementId”:”60cb872c-3d34-4736-bb40-cf15b47f4c77″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Afternoon: Rishi Sunak is on a visit in Yorkshire.
“,”elementId”:”af8aef28-b8b2-4e51-92ad-c4f3b142887d”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
If you want to contact me, do try the “send us a message” feature. You’ll see it just below the byline – on the left of the screen, if you are reading on a laptop or a desktop. This is for people who want to message me directly. I find it very useful when people message to point out errors (even typos – no mistake is too small to correct). Often I find your questions very interesting, too. I can’t promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either in the comments below the line; privately (if you leave an email address and that seems more appropriate); or in the main blog, if I think it is a topic of wide interest.
“,”elementId”:”ac3d7783-8f4d-4efc-aacb-63b69e14c5ff”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1706174671000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”04.24 EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1706175937000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”: “04.45 EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1706174671000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”04.24 EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”04.24″,”title”:”Police Minister Chris Phillip said earlier crackdowns on zombie knives had Admitted that there was an obvious loophole.”,”Contributor”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Thursday 25 January 2024 05.26 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”Initial publication date Thursday 25 January 2024 04.24 EST”}],”filterKeyEvents”:false,”id”:”key -events-carousel-mobile “}” config=”{“renderingTarget”:”Web”,”darkModeAvailable”:false}”>
important events
Sturgeon denies hiding emails related to coronavirus crisis from investigation
Severin Carell
nicola sturgeon has denied hiding emails related to the coronavirus crisis from the Scottish National Party's personal account and said emails “related to the management of the pandemic” had been handed over.
Yesterday, Britain's coronavirus inquiry published evidence from public health expert Professor Devi Sridhar that Ms Sturgeon had offered to use her private party account for government business. Opposition leaders demanded full disclosure of emails from her SNP account. Ms Sturgeon told Ms Sridhar that she “doesn't have to worry about protocol”.
In response, a source close to the former prime minister said:
All emails relating to the management of the pandemic received by Nicola through her personal email have been passed on to the Scottish Government to ensure they are properly addressed and recorded.
Yesterday, Scottish Labor called on John-Paul Marks, the Scottish Government's permanent secretary, to clarify whether emails relating to government business had been handed over to the inquiry. The Scottish Government has yet to respond on his behalf.
The Scottish Conservatives urged Ms Sturgeon to publish them, but she appears to have rejected the request.
Jackie Bailey Scottish Labor's deputy leader said Ms Sturgeon's carefully worded response was far from enough. she said:
Full disclosure of all communications is required and it is an investigation to determine what is involved.
Former prime minister submitted forms during Salmond investigation [into the Scottish government’s handling of sexual misconduct allegations against him], the use of SNP emails to avoid scrutiny was mentioned. All SNP emails must be disclosed.
And the former prime minister knows that government business should not be conducted in private email, and she was violating that rule.
Last night ITV published a new poll conducted by YouGov for Labor. Fabian SocietyThis shows that Labor's lead in the top 150 targeted seats is even larger than its lead nationally. The poll shows Labor has a 24-point lead nationally (Lab 46%, Conservative 22%), but in battleground seats it has a 34-point lead (Lab 52%, Conservative 18%).
🚨New
Labor has a key target of 150 seats, leading the Conservatives by 34 points. @thefabians analysis
This is 10 points higher than the national average 👀
GB
🌹Lab 46%
🌳Con 22%
Target seats
🌹Lab 52%
🌳Con 18%
💻9pm Live @itvpeston
📺10:45pm @ITV #Peston pic.twitter.com/LMJDTeVKpb
— Peston (@itvpeston) January 24, 2024
\n\n”}}” config=”{“renderingTarget”:”Web”,”darkModeAvailable”:false}”/>
Voting details are below. Report of this Fabian Society.
Philip says technology should be available by 2025 to allow police to scan people walking on the street with knives.
chris philippeThe police minister also said that within about a year, police could have technology that would allow them to scan people walking on the streets for knives. He told GB News:
We are also investing in some new technology at the Home Office. It's not ready for implementation yet, but I'm hopeful that it will be ready within a year. This will allow people to be scanned with knives as they walk down the high street, getting more knives off the streets.
Mr Philip says he wishes police would have “more confidence” in using stop and search.
in a morning interview chris philippeThe Police Minister has said he wants police to have “more confidence” in using stop and search to tackle knife crime. He told BBC Breakfast:
We also want police to be more confident in using their stop and search powers to stop and search people suspected of carrying knives or drugs on the street…
More needs to be done. For this reason, we plan to seriously step up patrols of hotspots starting in April.
He also claimed that “there are Labor Party politicians like Sadiq Khan”. [the London mayor] In particular, I don't think we can give the police the encouragement they need. ”
Police Minister Chris Phillip admitted there were glaring loopholes in previous zombie knife crackdowns.
good morning. Labor and the Conservatives are locked in a battle over knife crime today, with Keir Starmer setting out a range of plans to tackle the issue on the day the Home Office introduces a bill in Parliament to ban zombie knives. Announced or republished. Pippa Creral Details can be found here.
You might wonder if the government was already planning on banning them. According to Labor, the government has made 16 announcements on the subject since 2015. chris philippeThe Police Minister this morning admitted there were obvious loopholes in the previous crackdown.
When the government enacted a law banning zombie knives, that defined them as a knife with a cutting edge, a serrated edge, and “images or words suggesting it will be used for purposes of violence.” Once this law came into effect, manufacturers came up with cunning strategies to circumvent the ban. I just omitted the images and logos.
When asked why the law contained such obvious flaws, Mr Philip told LBC:
I wasn't responsible at the time. There was an inherent loophole in the knife that was banned in 2019 that required it to have threatening text or pictures on it…What happened then was that manufacturers responded by removing the text or pictures. …Among other loopholes, that is being closed.
When I asked him if it should have been obvious for the manufacturer to do this, he replied:
Might be so. I can answer what we are doing now. I noticed this problem and fixed it today.
The agenda for the day is:
9:30am: Minister for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch answers questions in the House of Commons.
morning: Keir Starmer is visiting Buckinghamshire.
10 am: Scottish Secretary Alistair Jack gives evidence to the UK coronavirus inquiry in Edinburgh. He will be followed by Nicola Sturgeon's former chief of staff Liz Lloyd, and Scotland's first minister, Humza Yousaf, will give evidence at 2pm.
10:30am: House of Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt takes questions on next week's agenda on the floor.
11am: Mark Drakeford, the outgoing First Minister of Wales, takes part in a Q&A at the Institute think tank.
11:30am: A lobby briefing session will be held at Downing Street.
After 11:30am: Karen Bradley, chair of the House of Commons Procedures Committee, issued a statement in the House of Commons about the committee's proposal to subject Prime Minister David Cameron to questioning by MPs in the House of Commons.
afternoon: Rishi Sunak is on a visit to Yorkshire.
If you would like to contact me, please try the “Send Message” feature. If you are reading on your laptop or desktop, it will appear just below the signature line, on the left side of your screen. This is for those who want to send messages directly. I find it very helpful to have people point out mistakes (including typos) in messages. No mistake is too small to be fixed. I often find your questions very interesting as well. I can't promise to reply to everything, but I'll do my best to reply in the comments section below that line. Privately (if you feel it is appropriate to leave your email address). Or on your main blog if you think it's a topic of widespread interest.
