Conversation on assisted dying ends if bill voted down, says MP
If the bill to legalise assisted dying is thrown out by MPs later this month then “the conversation ends” on the subject, with dreadful consequences for many terminally ill people, the MP leading the process has said.Speaking at a press conference organised by supporters of the bill, which has its third reading on 25 April when MPs will vote on amendments, Kim Leadbeater said her colleagues in the Commons have a “duty as parliamentarians to change the law now”.The Labour MP dismissed the idea that if the bill was defeated, the subject could return as government legislation or a royal commission, noting the long gap between the last time assisted dying was debated in the Commons, in 2015, and her efforts.“What worries me is, if the bill doesn’t pass, the conversation ends, and that would be really dreadful for so many people, for so many reasons,” she said.A lengthy and sometimes gruelling committee stage in which a group of MPs considered amendments to the bill has already brought significant changes, including scrapping the requirement for a high court judge to scrutinise every case in favour of an expert panel.
In a last-minute concession just before the committee stage ended, Leadbeater proposed pushing back the earliest implementation of the law to 2029, two years later than envisaged.But the main element of eligibility remains the same, with assisted dying only available to terminally ill adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live.The third reading vote on 25 April carries some uncertainty, although the second reading vote in November passed with a majority of 55, prompting opponents of the bill to claim some MPs have changed their minds.Speaking at the same press conference in parliament with Leadbeater, Sir Max Hill, a former director of public prosecutions who backs the bill, said the “dial has turned” in terms of public opinion as he warned MPs against seeking a further delay.He said: “There is time for anyone on receipt of the republished bill to really consider it carefully – kicking this can down the road really is no solution for anybody.
”Leadbeater said criticism that scrutiny of the bill had been rushed was “utter nonsense”.Sign up to First EditionOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it mattersafter newsletter promotionAnother Labour MP, Marie Tidball, who was on the bill scrutiny committee and is a disability rights advocate, said she had been happy with an amendment to guarantee independent advocates to support people with learning disabilities, autism or mental health conditions, and that she would support it at third reading.Tidball said: “I can say, as someone who has looked at legislative scrutiny over the course of the last 20 years, this is the most extraordinary, deliberative cross-party process I’ve ever seen.”Some MPs, however, remain opposed.In a statement released by opponents of the bill in response to the press conference, the Labour MP James Frith called the bill “a mess, with significant issues of concern where there had been promises of scrutiny and improvement”.
China retaliates against Trump in trade war with 34% tariffs on US imports
Stock markets around the world plunged for a second day on Friday as China announced retaliatory tariffs of 34% on US imports, signalling a major escalation of a trade war ignited by Donald Trump and feeding fears of a global recession.“For all imported goods originating from the US, an additional tariff of 34% on top of the current applicable tariff rate will be imposed,” Beijing’s finance ministry said.China’s commerce ministry said that it would also impose more restrictions on the export of rare earths, which are used in hi-tech manufacturing such as batteries and electric vehicles. It added a further 16 US companies and organisations to its export control list, meaning that Chinese companies are restricted from doing business with them.China had previously promised “resolute countermeasures” against Trump’s tariffs, which slapped a 10% rate on all imports coming to the US, with extra levies for certain countries, including China
Japan-owned UK glass factory could shut if no buyer found, risking 250 jobs
A glass factory in Wigan that produces fibreglass for electric cars and wind turbines faces closure and the loss of 250 jobs unless its Japanese owner can find a new partner or a buyer.In the latest blow to Britain’s industrial base, Nippon Electric Glass (NEG) announced a “strategic review” of its composites business Electric Glass Fiber UK (EGF), which it expects to last approximately two months, putting about 250 jobs at risk.NEG said its UK composites arm had been “facing a challenging competitive environment with high prices for raw materials, energy, and logistics costs” that had led to “sluggish sales”.The company added: “This review is part of our ongoing efforts to recover performance.”The Wigan site produces fibreglass that is used to reinforce plastic for composites found in wind turbine blades and electric cars
US added 228,000 jobs in March despite Trump’s deep cuts to federal workforce
The US added 228,000 jobs in March, far more than expected, as the US economy shook off the blow from the Trump administration’s deep cuts to federal workers.The figure was up from an adjusted 117,000 jobs added in February. Unemployment rose slightly to 4.2%.Economists anticipated 140,000 jobs would be added in March 2025, a slight decrease from February and a continued decline from the monthly average of 167,000 jobs over the past 12 months
BP chair to resign amid pressure from shareholders over green agenda
The chair of BP has announced plans to step down from the struggling oil company after growing shareholder opposition derailed its net zero agenda.The oil company said on Friday that Helge Lund planned to leave his post “in due course” once a successor has joined the board, which would “most likely” be in 2026.His decision to step down from the role, which he has held since 2019, comes after the board was forced to reverse the company’s green agenda to defend it against Elliott, a feared New York hedge fund known for its attempts to shake up listed companies.Elliot began to build a multibillion-pound stake in BP earlier this year after growing dissatisfaction among shareholders over the company’s plan to curb its fossil fuel production in favour of green investments.It was widely expected that the activist investor would call for a boardroom shake-up at BP, including the ousting of Lund, who played a leading role in setting the green agenda that ultimately failed to convince shareholders
Global markets in turmoil as Trump tariffs wipe $2.5tn off Wall Street
Global financial markets have been plunged into turmoil as Donald Trump’s escalating trade war knocked trillions of dollars off the value of the world’s biggest companies and heightened fears of a US recession.As world leaders reacted to the US president’s “liberation day” tariff policies demolishing the international trading order, about $2.5tn (£1.9tn) was wiped off Wall Street and share prices in other financial centres across the globe.Experts said Trump’s sweeping border taxes of between 10% and 50% on the US’s traditional allies and enemies alike had dramatically added to the risk of a steep global downturn and a recession in the world’s biggest economy
IMF warns of ‘significant risk’ to global economy from Trump tariffs as markets plunge
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that Donald Trump’s implementation of swingeing tariffs poses a “significant risk” to the global economy, as stock markets were hit by a punishing worldwide sell-off by investors.Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the IMF, said it was important that the US and its trading partners avoided further escalating Trump’s trade war, while stock markets plunged on Friday as China retaliated against the tariffs.“We are still assessing the macroeconomic implications of the announced tariff measures, but they clearly represent a significant risk to the global outlook at a time of sluggish growth,” Georgieva said.“It is important to avoid steps that could further harm the world economy. We appeal to the United States and its trading partners to work constructively to resolve trade tensions and reduce uncertainty
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