Newslinks for Tuesday 24th June 2025 | Conservative Home

Badenoch takes inspiration from Denmark on migrant integration

“Britain should require more “active integration” of migrants, Kemi Badenoch has said, as she drew inspiration from Denmark’s so-called “anti-ghetto” laws. The Conservative leader said she had “looked at” the Danish model and said it was “one of the things I’ll be talking about more”. In the Scandinavian country, social housing areas with high levels of deprivation and a “non-western” population above 50 per cent are declared “parallel societies”. Such a declaration can trigger requirements to reduce the amount of social housing in an area, including through evicting residents and demolishing or turning their homes into private housing. Restrictions can also be placed on who can move there. Badenoch said she backed “that sort of thing” when asked whether she would consider a similar policy. She said: “I think integration is not enough. I say assimilate, I think assimilation should be the target, and if people don’t assimilate, then they integrate. But we’ve had so many, so many people, so high numbers, people from lots of different places, which is not what immigration used to look like, and I think we need to move from passive to active integration.” – The Times

• Britain should follow Denmark’s forced eviction of migrants who refuse to integrate, says Kemi Badenoch – The Sun
• Kemi Badenoch opens door to ‘ghetto law’ – Daily Telegraph 
• Migrants kept in hotels despite losing claims for asylum – The Times
• Taking us for a ride. Small boat Migrants get 1k-a-week delivery rider jobs within hours of landing in UK as you fund their hotels – The Sun
• Badenoch: Tories are ‘the adults in the room’ – Spectator

Comment

• Kemi is displaying a Thatcherish readiness for political battle – Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph
• Kemi Badenoch deserves huge credit for her quiet forcing of Keir Starmer’s hand – Azeem Ibrahim – Daily Express
• From ‘sleeper agents’ snuck onto asylum boats, to cyber attacks and suicide drones… these are the terrifying tactics Iran is ready to unleash on Britain – Bob Seely Daily Mail

Starmer accused of ‘smoke and mirrors’ over £40bn defence spending pledge

“Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of “smoke and mirrors” over a new £40 billion defence pledge. The Prime Minister will on Wednesday approve a new Nato defence spending target of 5 per cent of GDP by 2035, at the alliance’s annual leaders’ summit in The Hague. By signing off the agreement, Sir Keir will effectively commit Britain to spending some £40 billion extra on defence each year. However, the Prime Minister will not announce any new money when he sets out his plans to meet the Nato demands.He will use previous promises combined with formerly planned infrastructure projects to claim Britain will reach 4.1 out of 5 per cent by 2027. However, he will still have to find the equivalent of 0.9 per cent of GDP to meet the overall target. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, said that Sir Keir’s spending pledge was “both unfunded and a decade away” despite “real and imminent” threats facing the UK. “Instead of using smoke and mirrors to inflate defence spending, Labour must get to 3 per cent this parliament and back our country’s defence with a fully funded plan.” – Daily Telegraph

• UK defence funding will hit 5% of GDP by 2035, Starmer to tell Nato summit – FT
• Nato members willingly increasing defence spending amid rising threat from Russia, says Rutte – Guardian
• Starmer’s defence pledge risks Britain’s credibility on world stage – Daily Telegraph
• Net zero and small boats costs to count towards 5% defence spending target –The i
• Keir Starmer to make 5% defence spending pledge at NATO summit – Daily Express
• Starmer vows to spend £40billion a year more on defence – but has no plan to fund it – The Sun
• Labour STILL can’t bring themselves to back Donald Trump’s strikes after Iran retaliated by launching missile barrage at US airbase in Qatar – Daily Mail
• Under Fire. Labour fails to back Donald Trump’s Iran strikes as Keir Starmer’s accused of sitting on ‘moral fence’ – The Sun

Comment

• Putin knows we are spreadsheet warriors – Wolfgang Munchau, Unherd
• The UK is a second-tier power – Starmer has no authority  – Kitty Donaldson, The i
• A Chinese ‘super-embassy’ in London would be a perfect symbol of British decline – Henry Hill, Daily Telegraph
• In a moment of crisis, spineless Keir Starmer is cowering. He is happy to keep his hands clean while his allies do the dirty work of keeping Iran in check… what an embarrassment – Dan Hodges Daily Mail

>Today

Where is Keir Starmer’s moral courage?

Israelis killed in Iranian strike moments before supposed ‘ceasefire’

“Seven people were killed in an Iranian air strike on southern Israel moments before a ceasefire between the two countries was due to come into effect. The Telegraph understands there are multiple casualties in Beersheba, the largest city in Israel’s Negev desert. It comes as Donald Trump declared on Monday night that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran had been agreed. The truce was scheduled to come into force at 7am local time (5am BST) today. However, whether the ceasefire has officially taken place is unknown, as both sides have continued to exchange strikes overnight. Mr Trump said an official “end” to the war would take place 24 hours after the truce. Mr Trump brokered the ceasefire deal in a call with Benjamin Netanyahu, who agreed to the truce so long as Iran did not launch further attacks. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Iran’s agreement to Mr Trump’s proposal.” – Daily Telegraph

• ‘Regime change’ or peace: Donald Trump’s head-spinning Iran policy – FT
• Explosions ring out across the Middle East as clock ticks down to ‘complete ceasefire’ announced by Trump: Blasts hit from Israel to Iraq – and Iran’s Foreign Minister denies any deal has been done – Daily Mail
• Will Khamenei accept that its over? – Spectator
• Trump ceasefire: Deal looks dead as Iran fires waves of missiles at Israel – Daily Express

Comment

• David Lammy has nothing to say – Madeline Grant, Spectator

Palestinian Action still set to be proscribed as a terror group despite angry protest

“Iran could be funding Palestine Action, Home Office officials claimed, after Yvette Cooper announced there would be a vote on whether to proscribe it as a terror group by the end of next week. The home secretary said she had decided to ban Palestine Action after a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage” culminating in its “disgraceful attack” at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Friday. The move, which will be voted on by both houses of parliament next week, would place Palestine Action alongside terrorist organisations including al-Qaeda, Isis and Hamas and make it illegal to be a member or invite support of the group with a maximum punishment of 14 years in jail. Palestine Action described the move as “unhinged” as hundreds of supporters took part in a protest in central London, where scuffles broke out with police and 13 people, including counter-protesters, were arrested.” – The Times

• Does Palestine Action’s cash trail lead all the way to Iran? Probe launched into group in the wake of clash between police and protesters on the streets of London – Daily Mail
• Palestine Action activist poses with handgun on social media – The Times

Comment

• We live in a country where acts of sabotage by thugs are tolerated by the authorities to further ‘politically correct’ causes – and this is why Keir Starmer is to blame – Richard Littlejohn, Daily Mail

Nigel Farage dismisses criticism of Reform’s ‘Robin Hood’ policy

“Nigel Farage has dismissed claims that his non-dom policy will cost £34 billion, despite saying he is “not clever enough” to respond to criticism from tax experts. The Reform leader rejected criticism of his “Robin Hood” policy as “completely off-the-wall nonsense” after warnings it would deter skilled migrants without attracting many billionaires. Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, attacked the policy as “a massive tax cut for foreign billionaires” and warned that public services would have to be cut to pay for it as Labour seized on Farage’s most detailed policy announcement since taking the lead in the polls. Farage insisted that “tens of thousands of people will come to the United Kingdom” as a result of a policy, which would allow non-doms to pay a one-off fee of £250,000 to avoid ever paying UK tax on overseas earnings.” – The Times

• The areas where Reform’s non-dom tax plan could impact most, mapped – The i
• Nigel Farage announces plan to give low-paid workers £600 or more tax-free every year – Daily Express
• Wealthy flee UK in record numbers after non-dom tax overhaul – The Times

Comment

• Wily Nigel Farage has over-reached with the ‘Britannia Card’ – Eliot Wilson The i
• Farage is falling ever further into the world of fantasy economics – Matthew Lynn, Daily Telegraph

News In Brief

• Britain needs more people willing to ‘just do stuff’ – Lawrence Newport, CapX
• How likely are US boots on the ground in Iran? – Tom Rogan, Unherd
• What can right-wing authors do? – Emily Shroeder, The Critic
• Will Iran seize this moment for revolution? – Jonathan Sacerdoti, Spectator