Questions over Tory peer’s support for nuclear company’s UK ambitions

A Conservative peer faces questions over her long-running support for a Canadian nuclear technology company hoping to develop the next generation of power stations in the UK.Olivia Bloomfield has acted in support of the company, Terrestrial Energy, since 2018, including in advisory roles for which she received share options.She organised for top executives of the company to meet ministers on two occasions in 2018. Later, while a whip in Boris Johnson’s government, she helped recruit two fellow peers to the company’s advisory board.Once Lady Bloomfield had stepped down from government, she was given share options, which could prove highly valuable later this year when Terrestrial Energy launches its shares publicly for the first time on an American stock exchange, with an estimated value of $1bn (£770m)

Assisted dying vote delayed by three weeks to give MPs time to consider changes

The next vote on legislation to introduce assisted dying in England and Wales has been delayed by three weeks to give MPs on all sides more time to consider its changes, the MP leading the issue has said.The bill, which has undergone a significant number of changes since the initial vote in November, will now return to the Commons on 16 May, instead of 25 April, for its report stage and votes if time allows.In a letter to parliamentary colleagues the day before Easter recess begins, Kim Leadbeater said she was “absolutely confident” that postponing the vote would not delay the bill’s passage towards royal assent.Labour MPs opposed to the legislation had raised concerns with the timing of the vote, fearing their colleagues would not have enough time to consider the bill’s changes during their final week of local election campaigning.There were also fears that the highly anticipated impact assessment has been delayed – it was initially planned to be published on Thursday, but will now come next week

UK politics: ‘All options on table’ for Scunthorpe steelworks, says Starmer, amid calls for nationalisation – as it happened

Keir Starmer has said all options should remain on the table for the future of British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant – amid reports that the government is “seriously considering” nationalising the plant.As PA Media reports, British Steel has launched a consultation on the proposed closure of blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant and the government has been talking to the company’s Chinese owner Jingye. There have been calls for temporary nationalisation amid fears of thousands of job losses.Asked about the Scunthorpe steelworks during his evidence to the liaison committee, Starmer said:We will keep talking. We have made an offer, but all options are on the table in relation to Scunthorpe

Reeves rejects calls for ‘buy British’ campaign in response to US tariffs

Rachel Reeves has declined to back calls for the UK government to launch a “buy British” campaign in response to Donald Trump’s tariffs, saying it would make Britain too “inward-looking”.However, Downing Street said the Cabinet Office was examining procurement rules and said there were already policies in place to incentivise using the government’s purchasing power for British companies.The chancellor and Downing Street said they would not be calling for British shoppers to do the same, despite a campaign from the Liberal Democrats. Canada launched a buy Canadian campaign in response to a 25% US tariff on Canadian imports.During Treasury questions on Tuesday, the Lib Dems’ deputy leader and Treasury spokesperson, Daisy Cooper, asked the government to “commit to a ‘buy British’ campaign as part of a broader national effort to encourage people to buy British here at home”

Labour MPs launch campaign for digital IDs to crack down on illegal migration

More than 40 Labour MPs from three influential backbench groups have called on ministers to introduce digital IDs, which they claim would boost productivity in delivering public services and crack down on illegal employment.The open letter – organised by the Rother Valley MP, Jake Richards – has been signed by the co-chairs of the Labour Growth Group, Chris Curtis and Lola McEvoy, as well as Jo White, who convenes the Labour Red Wall Group. Other signatories include Dan Carden and Jonathan Brash, members of the Blue Labour group of socially conservative MPs.The letter, which has been shared with the Home Office, Cabinet Office and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, has also been signed by some of the most prominent names in the 2024 intake, including MPs Polly Billington, Jess Asato, Mike Tapp, Joe Powell and Emily Darlington.Richards has been an outspoken advocate in parliament for the party to do more to tackle the threat of Reform UK and crack down on illegal migration

MPs expelled by Israel receive show of support from Commons colleagues

Cabinet ministers and more than 70 parliamentarians staged a show of solidarity with two MPs who were detained and barred from entry to Israel in what was the first time British MPs had been banned from the country.The health secretary, Wes Streeting, and the chief secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones, joined the photocall in Westminster Hall on Monday with the MPs, along with Hamish Falconer and housing minister Rushanara Ali. It was organised by the Rochdale MP Paul Waugh.In a statement in the Commons, Falconer said both were given clearance for entrance by Israel before travelling and said the ban “appears to have been taken on the basis of comments made in this chamber”, calling the treatment “unacceptable and deeply concerning”.He said the UK government had made that clear at the “highest level” in Israel and praised Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed for their dignity