Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Fury at Tory bid to protect Army vets
Labour ‘throw open door’ on adult learning Visa cash raid on EU medics Faragedrops candidates in Tory seats in Johnson ‘deal’ U-turnafter peerage offer & Trump’s call to team up
THE Conservative pledge to change the law to protect Army veterans from legal action has drawn widespread criticism here.
The leaders of Sinn Fein and the Democratic Ulster
Party condemned the move and there was a warning it could create a “moral equivalence between veterans and the terrorist”.
Under the proposals, a Tory government would amend the Human Rights Act so it does not apply to events that took place before it came into force in 2000 including deaths during the Troubles.
Sinn Fein president Mary-lou Mcdonald said it was outrageous anybody would propose to create further hardship and frustration for families seeking justice.
DUP leader Arlene Foster echoed that concern, saying: “What we want to see is vexatious claims against veterans being dealt with and we have supported that right throughout the process.
“But we cannot have a situation where anybody who has committed a heinous crime is actually just swept aside in an effective amnesty and we will not support that in Parliament.”
Ulster Unionist assembly member and retired Army captain Doug Beattie said it risked creating “a moral equivalence between veterans and the terrorist”.
However Defence Secretary Ben Wallace insisted: “This isn’t an amnesty, because if people haven’t been investigated and they haven’t had an inquest, then of course, they won’t be able to avail themselves of that. This is about repeated and vexatious claims.”
SHADOW Education Secretary Angela Rayner will today unveil plans to end the skills shortage by letting adults study for free.
Labour analysis reveals the number of adults achieving qualifications in basic skills has plummeted since 2011 – and is at its lowest point since 1996.
It comes as economic growth is at its lowest rate in almost a decade, underlining the need for a skilled workforce.
Ms Rayner said: “Labour will throw open the door for adults to study. We will make free education a right to ensure we have the skills we need.”
Under the proposals, any adult without A-levels or equivalent could do them at college for free.
Adults would also be entitled to six years of study for diplomas and degrees, while workers get paid time off for education.
A total 14,358 disadvantaged teens quit sixth form or college last year. Labour blamed it on the £30 Education Maintenance Allowance being axed in 2011 for a less generous bursary scheme.
TORY immigration plans will earn the Home Office a £337 profit on every EU medic coming here to work in the NHS.
Under the new NHS visa, workers, who at the moment pay nothing, would pay £464. The the cost to the Home Office of processing a visa application is £127, leaving a £337 profit.
They will also have to pay a £400-a-year charge imposed on foreign citizens using the NHS.
Lib Dem Christine Jardine said the Tories had gone to “new lows” as the “nasty party”.
NIGEL Farage and Boris Johnson have entered into a general election “pact” to deliver a Donald Trump-inspired Brexit.
The Brexit Party chief yesterday announced his MP hopefuls would withdraw from the 317 Conservative-held seats up for grabs. He vowed to “concentrate our total effort” on winning Labour seats where voters opted to quit the EU.
Mr Farage said he changed his mind after the PM promised on Sunday to deliver a harder Brexit.
Jeremy Corbyn accused the pair of striking a “Trump Alliance” after the US president urged them to “get together” earlier this month.
The Labour leader said: “Donald Trump told Nigel Farage to make a pact with Boris Johnson. Today, Trump got his wish. This Trump alliance is Thatcherism on steroids and could send £500million a week from our NHS to big drugs companies. It must be stopped.”
Mr Farage, campaigning in Hartlepool, Co Durham, yesterday, revealed he was offered a peerage on Friday night, 48 hours before his U-turn. He denied it was behind his decision to stand down candidates, and vowed to turn down the offer.
It comes after Mr Trump said in an interview with Mr Farage this month: “I’d like to see you and Boris get together because you would really have some numbers.”
Mr Johnson, on a visit to Wolverhampton, said he had “absolutely not” done a deal. A senior Tory source said: “There is no agreement or pact with Nigel Farage”.
The PM said: “I’m glad there’s a recognition that there is only one way to get Brexit done and that is to vote for the Conservatives.”
It is understood that talks have previously taken place between major donors to their two parties.
Campaigners had warned that fielding Brexit Party candidates