Prisoners could earn Texas-style points for early release as ministers look to reduce the UK’s prison population.
Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, is expected to visit the US state later this year to see if Britain can learn from its measures to reduce inmates and cut reoffending, according to The Times. Prisoners in Texas can earn credit for good behaviour and get points by participating in courses aimed at tackling drugs and other underlying causes of reoffending.
Elsewhere, the UK, US, France and other allies have called for a 21-day ceasefire to be implemented along the Lebanon border with Israel, with hopes the three week pause in fighting would also open up space for potential for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Follow the i live blog for updates.
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UK announces £5m aid package for Lebanon
PM to fly to Brussels for Brexit ‘reset’ talks
Plans for Texas-style prison reforms
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Inside ‘shell-shocked’ Government as battle looms on benefits and workers’ rights
By Arj Singh, Chloe Chaplain, Kitty Donaldson, Will Hazell
While Sir Keir Starmer’s rapturous reception at Labour conference on Tuesday helped the party move on from rows over winter fuel, freebies, and Sue Gray that threatened to overshadow the gathering in Liverpool, insiders are warning there is more trouble ahead.
The “painful” Budget on the horizon next month, which is expected to include tax rises and difficult spending decisions, is the most obvious hurdle facing the Prime Minister and his team, who will be pulling out all the stops to ensure it lands without triggering a major backlash.
But there are other icebergs looming, with the promise in Starmer’s speech to legislate to clamp down on welfare fraud sparking almost immediate warnings that he faces another potentially bruising battle with MPs who have already found the cuts to pensioners’ winter fuel allowance and the refusal to lift the two-child benefit cap difficult to stomach.
Read more here.
Starmer to pledge ‘global leadership’ at UN summit
Sir Keir Starmer will address world leaders at the UN General Assembly today and attempt to woo US business chiefs as his visit to New York continues.
The gathering of world leaders at the UN comes as the Middle East teeters on the brink of all-out war.
The Prime Minister will use his speech to say the UK is returning to “responsible global leadership” because it is in British interests to address problems around the world.
“War, poverty and climate change all rebound on us at home. They make us less secure, they harm our economy, and they create migration flows on an unprecedented scale,” he will say.
His speech on Thursday follows an intervention at the UN Security Council on Wednesday in which he said Vladimir Putin was treating his own citizens as “bits of meat to fling into the grinder” in the conflict.
He said Russia, which like the UK is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, was behind the “greatest violation of the (UN) charter in a generation”.
“I wonder how Russia can show its face in this building,” he added.
UK announces £5m aid package for Lebanon
A £5m aid package provided by the UK will help provide medical supplies, fuel and emergency workers in Lebanon, the Government has announced.
Development minister Anneliese Dodds announced the money for Unicef in Lebanon in response to rising tensions in the region, with Israel and Hezbollah targeting each other with rockets in recent days.
It comes after 700 troops were deployed to Cyprus on Tuesday, alongside existing Royal Navy ships in the Eastern Mediterranean, in case of an emergency evacuation.
Royal Air Force aircraft and helicopters are also on standby, with a UK presence at RAF Akrotiri near Limassol in Cyprus.
“The situation in Lebanon is deeply concerning,” Dodds said.
“While we continue to urge British nationals to leave and have launched our ‘register your presence portal’ to aid their departure, the UK will always be a strong supporter of the Lebanese people.
“That is why we are providing £5m to Unicef to support civilians who have been displaced and are facing a humanitarian emergency.
“We need to see an immediate ceasefire from both sides to prevent further civilian casualties and ensure that displaced people can return to their homes.”
The UK Government has estimated approximately 4,000 to 6,000 British nationals remain in Lebanon.
PM to fly to Brussels for Brexit ‘reset’ talks
The Prime Minister will fly to Brussels for talks with European Commission head in an effort to “reset” EU-UK relations post-Brexit, Downing Street has announced.
Sir Keir Starmer will travel to meet the European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen next week after both visited the US.
It is the latest move in the PM’s diplomatic blitz since taking office. He has visited Germany, France, Ireland, the US, Italy – and will now head to Brussels – signifying the new Government’s priorities in terms of building diplomatic allegiances.
Starmer and von der Leyen met in New York, at the meeting of the UN General Assembly, where they were pictured having what looked like a close one-to-one discussion. No 10 said they were discussing the “EU-UK reset”.
Tweeting after the meeting, Starmer said: “I want to reset our relationship with the EU and make Brexit work for the British people.”
He said he was “looking forward to visiting Brussels next week to start discussions” with the commission president.
Von der Leyen said: “Good to see you in the margins of the UN General Assembly. Looking forward to welcoming you at the EU Commission in Brussels next week to discuss the reset of EU-UK relations.”
The EU has proposed a youth mobility scheme for 18-30 year-olds as part of a deal with the UK but the PM has pushed back on any suggestion of a return to freedom of movement, in any kind.
i revealed this week that EU is poised water down its initial proposals to make them more palatable for the new PM.
Plans for Texas-style prison reforms
Good morning and welcome to our live blog.
Texas-style prison reforms that would allow inmates to reduce their sentences by taking part in workshops are being considered by ministers, according to The Times.
Labour is drawing up plans for a system that would allow inmates to earn points by taking part in classes aimed at tackling the root causes of reoffending such as drug use.
The proposals, based on the system used in Texas, will include education and vocational workshops as well as rehabilitation sessions.
Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, plans to visit the US state this year as she looks at whether similar schemes could be effective in England and Wales.
Prisoners’ release dates are currently determined by the risk they pose to the public.
The reforms implemented in Texas led to the prison population falling by 15 per cent from 2007 to 2023, allowed the state to close 16 jails and save an estimated $2bn (£1.5bn).
Reoffending rates fell by about 30 per cent during the same period.
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