Newslinks for Wednesday 9th July 2025

Macron blames UK for migrant crisis

“Emmanuel Macron is demanding that Sir Keir Starmer make Britain less appealing to Channel migrants to secure a “one in, one out deal”.

The French president believes the UK bears the blame for record numbers of small boats crossing the Channel and has three key demands to reduce its “pull factors”. Mr Macron, who arrived in Britain on Tuesday for the first state visit by a European head of state since Brexit, was due to announce the new agreement with the Prime Minister at an Anglo-French summit on Thursday. A deal with Paris would allow Britain to legally return illegal Channel migrants to France for the first time since Brexit. But Sir Keir is scrambling to rescue the pact after five EU member states bearing the brunt of European arrivals raised concerns that a deal would see them forced to take more migrants. The Telegraph understands that Mr Macron wants Sir Keir to crack down on the UK’s black market for labour and welfare payments and make family reunification for genuine asylum seekers easier as conditions for the deal. An Elysée source warned that Mr Macron expected measures “addressing the root causes of the factors that attract people to the United Kingdom”, adding: “These causes must also be addressed by the British.”” – Daily Telegraph

• Macron blames Starmer for migrant crisis – UK is ‘El Dorado’ where it’s easy to work – Daily Express
• UK and France have ‘shared responsibility’ to tackle illegal migration, Emmanuel Macron says – SkyNews
• Macron offers to loan Bayeux Tapestry to Britain AGAIN as he’s accused of trying to stitch us up on migration – The Sun
• Starmer and Macron to meet at No 10 amid push for French help on small boats – The Standard

Comment:

• No friendly nation has done more to hurt Britain in last decade than Macron’s govt so why did we give him a banquet? – Harry Cole, The Sun
• Macron the snake has shown us nothing but spite – this circus shames Britain – Carole Malone, Daily Express
• Macron oozes charm with a hint of triumphalism as he seduces MPs – Tim Stanley, Daily Telegraph
• Macron charms Westminster – and piles pressure on Starmer – Kitty Donaldson, The i

Labour lacking teacher recruitment plan despite VAT raid

“The government lacks a coherent plan to recruit 6,500 new teachers or to stop experienced staff from being driven out by bad behaviour in the classroom, a report says. VAT on private school fees was supposed to pay for the extra teachers — one of Labour’s main election promises — but ministers have recently said this revenue would be spent on wider public services. The public accounts committee said it was unclear how the government would achieve its aim, and that it lacked suitable targets or sufficient evidence for how to improve teacher recruitment and retention. The cross-party group of MPs said in a report published on Wednesday that the Department for Education gave “no clear explanation” of how the pledge was calculated or how it would fill gaps. An estimated 12,400 more teachers will be needed in colleges alone by 2028-29, it added. The committee said: “It is worrying that the department does not have a clear baseline or milestones against which to measure progress and be held accountable over the coming years.”” – The Times

• Labour’s pledge of 6,500 teachers funded by private school VAT ‘lacks coherent plan’ – MPs – Daily Mail
• Labour has no clear plan to recruit teachers despite VAT raid – Daily Telegraph
• Department for Education ‘lacks coherent plan’ to address teacher shortage – Sky News

Thousands of defendants in England and Wales to lose right to a jury trial

“Thousands of defendants in England and Wales could lose the right to a jury trial under plans designed to save the criminal justice system from collapse. Sir Brian Leveson, a former judge asked by the government to come up with proposals to tackle a record courts backlog, said he had been forced to make recommendations he did not “rejoice in”. Historically, only defendants facing minor offences in a magistrates court have been denied the right to a jury trial, which has long been synonymous in England and Wales with the right to a fair trial. But if Leveson’s recommendations are implemented the right could be removed for offences such as sexual assault, racially or religiously aggravated strangulation, harassment and child abduction.” – The Guardian

• Jury trials scrapped for sex offenders to cut court backlogs – Daily Telegraph
• Fewer jury trials recommended to prevent ‘total system collapse’ – ITV News
• More trials with no jury will disadvantage people of colour, charities warn – The Guardian

Comment:

• Inside Robert Jenrick’s New Right revolution – Harry Lambert, The New Statesman
• Would scrapping jury trials save Britain’s broken courts? – David Shipley, The Spectator

News in brief:

• Forget left and right: Norman Tebbit was a working-class hero. Politicians now could learn much from him – Henry Hill, The Guardian
• London’s nighttime economy is crumbling. Yet the show must go on – Evelina Girling, CityAM
• The UK’s profligacy will soon collide with the markets – Dr Gerard Lyons, CapX
• HMP Westminster – Nicholas Boys Smith, The Critic
• Relying on Macron to tackle the migrant crisis is a fool’s errand – Gavin Mortimer, The Spectator