£570m cost of Erasmus is ‘money coming back to UK’, says minister – UK politics live

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Tories claim rejoining Erasmus is sign of 'pro-EU ideology' and accuse Labour of 'worrying disregard' for Brexit vote

The Conservative party has now issued a response to the news that the UK is rejoining the Erasmus scheme. (See 8.51am.) In a statement Alex Burghart, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, said:

The UK re-joining Erasmus was a big Brussels demand, and Keir Starmer has seemingly caved in to the EU without getting anything in return for our £500m – just like he did over our fishing rights.

The Erasmus scheme is drastically more expensive than the Turing Scheme introduced after Brexit, which benefited more British people. Turing was a global programme rather than a scheme based on a blank cheque for Brussels. Scrapping it in favour of Erasmus poses serious questions about whether this government is really focused on opportunities for young Brits, or instead on re-entangling Britain with EU programmes at any price.

Rejoining Erasmus, reopening costly energy integration, and edging back into EU regulatory frameworks looks less like pragmatism and more like pro-EU ideology. The British people voted in 2016 to take back control, and Labour’s approach shows a worrying disregard for that democratic decision.

Net migration to UK could rise to 300,000 by end of decade, says government adviser

Net migration to the UK could rise to around 300,000 by the end of the decade, a leading government adviser has said. Prof Brian Bell, the chair of the migration advisory committee, said the overall migration figure will jump “in the medium term” from the current level of 204,000 as the numbers of overseas students and workers rise again. As Rajeev Syal reports, Keir Starmer’s election manifesto pledge is to reduce net migration, as Labour heads towards a general election campaign where immigration is expected to be a major issue.

The Treasury has put out a news release about the issuing a licence to get the £2.5bn that has been frozen since the sale of Chelsea FC to be released for the people of Ukraine.

Explaining what will happen now, the Treasury says:

Since the sale of the club in 2022, the UK Government has tried to agree a way forward with Abramovich and his company, Fordstam Ltd. The government will consider any proposal from Abramovich to voluntarily donate the multi-billion-pound proceeds to Ukraine.

Under the terms of the licence, proceeds must go to humanitarian causes in the country while any future gains can be spent more broadly on victims of conflict worldwide. In neither case can the funds benefit Abramovich or other sanctioned individuals.

It is now time for Roman Abramovich to act. Once a charitable foundation is established, the proceeds from the sale can be transferred in accordance with the terms authorised by today’s OFSI [Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation] licence. However, should he fail to act, the money will remain frozen and the government will consider all options, including pursuing the matter in court.

Starmer rejects Labour MP's claim that changing settlement rules for health workers 'profoundly un-British'

During PMQs the Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan said that changing settlement rules for health workers from overseas was “profoundly un-British”.

He said:

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been contacted by a number of constituents who work in the health and care sector because they are concerned about the proposed changes to the rules surrounding indefinite leave to remain.

These individuals came to this country to do a job we asked them to do, and then we decided to change the rules halfway through the process.

Does the prime minister agree that if we are to be a proud, rules-based nation, going back on our word to people who are contributing to our society and building lives here is not only just unfair, it’s also profoundly un-British?

At the moment people who come to the UK to work can normally applied for settled status – the right to stay for good – after five years. But instead the government is increasing the baseline waiting period to 10 years, with individuals having to wait longer or shorter depending on a range of factors, such as the salary they get, or the benefits they have received.

And Starmer replied:

We’re replacing a failed settlement system with one that is fair and recognises contribution. It is right to apply more stringent controls, and we’re currently consulting on the right approach.

I do recognise the huge contribution of those working in our NHS, and will not change the rules for those who already have settled status.

PMQs - snap verdict

That felt like a going-through-the-motions PMQs. Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch engaged in a relatively wide-ranging ding-dong, covering a range of topics, but there was no real bite to any of it, and it felt as if both leaders, and their teams, had spent a bit more time than necessary dreaming up Christmas jokes. By the end, a lot of MPs were probably in Grinch mode – fed up with it all. One problem was that there was only one gag that was excellent – Starmer’s about Reform UK – and it came right at the start.

You can tell it was a good joke, because it is still funny the second or third time you hear it.

This line – and the various other anti-Farage, anti-Reform UK jibes shoehorned in by the PM at almost any opportunity – do confirm that Starmer is now much more focused on Reform as the threat, not the Conservative party. But we all knew that. In Downing Street they read the polls too.

Newswise, the main announcement was the one about Roman Abramovich and his £2.5bn, which the government wants to appropriate for humanitarian causes in Ukraine. But the details are murky, and it is not entirely clear if the money will actually be released, or why the government did not intervene earlier. No 10 are holding their post-PMQs briefing, and we might get a clearer picture once that is over.

Starmer rejects call from Corbyn for meeting to discuss Palestine Action-linked hunger strikers

Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, says in the Commons yesterday a justice minister refused his request for a meeting about the eight Palestine Action-linked hunger strikers. They are all remand prisoners, he says.

Since then a further prisoner has been taken to hospital. He asks again for a meeting to discuss what he says are the regular breaches of the conditions that should apply to hunger strikers.

Starmer says there are laws and procedures in place for dealing with hunger strikes in prison, and he says the government is following them.

John Whittingdale (Con) asks Starmer to cancel his proposed trip to China if Jimmy Lai is not released.

Stamer condemns the conviction of Lai, but does not comment on the proposed trip.

Starmer joins those saying Farage should apologise to fellow pupils who recall him being racist to them at school

Starmer says he has a message for Nigel Farage in the lounge.

Christmas is a time for forgiveness. It’s never too late to apologise to people.

That is a reference to this story.

Andrew Snowden (Con) uses his question to make a series of Christmas-themed jokes about Labour’s performance.

Starmer says Snowden asked people for ideas for a question. He says he submitted a suggestion. He wanted Snowden to ask about the 6,000 jobs safeguarded by Labour in his Fylde constituency.

He seemed to be referring to this announcement.

Antonia Bance (Lab) makes a point about Nigel Farage not being there. Some MPs point out that he is watching from the gallery. (See 12.03pm.)

Starmer says Farage is in the lounge. He says the Reform UK leader likes to get away early to his home in France. He says Farage went to the US and actively called for sanctions against the UK.

Ben Maguire (Lib Dem) says residents in Cornwall were poisoned by water in the 1980s, and he says South West Water poisons his constituents with their sewage dumping. He asks for a meeting to discuss all water poisoning cases.

Starmer says the 1980s case was a terrible scandal, and he agrees to set up a meeting.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, urges Starmer to enjoy his Christmas, because it will be his last in No 10.

Starmer says Scotland would be better of being led by Anas Sarwar, not by the SNP.

UK will transfer £2.5bn of Abramovich cash to Ukraine fund, Starmer says

Jessica Elgot has more details of the announcement from Starmer about £2.5bn being set aside from the sale of Chelsea FC for Ukrainian causes. She says:

The Russian billionaire sold Chelsea in 2022 under pressure from the British government after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich was granted a licence from the UK government to sell Chelsea as long as the money was spent supporting the victims of the Ukraine war. The proceeds were placed in a UK bank account controlled by Abramovich’s company Fordstam.

Since then, the money has been frozen amid deadlock in negotiations with Abramovich over whether the money should be spent exclusively in Ukraine or whether it can go outside the country as well.

The government has promised to establish a foundation to disburse the money, headed by Mike Penrose, the former head of Unicef UK.

Ministers have stressed that they have tried for many years to agree terms with Abramovich and seek his cooperation in the transfer of the funds. Starmer said the government was prepared to take Abramovich to court in order to access the money.

And here is the story.

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, asks the government to commit to a comprehensive strategy to protect Jewish people in Britain.

Starmer says up to £28m has been set aside to protect Jewish places. He is proud to do that, but sad that it is needed. The government is looking at giving the police new powers. And it is tackling antisemitism in the NHS.

Davey says the patients were facing a winter crisis before today’s strike. Patients are being left on trolleys. Some people have died on trolleys. Will the PM approve a mass vaccination programme to stop people going to hospital with flu, and will he address the care crisis.

Starmer says more than 17 million patients have been vaccinated this year. But he wants to drive that up.