Rishi Sunak considers restrictions on foreign students to curb migration - BBC

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By Chas Geiger

BBC News

Rishi Sunak is considering curbs on foreign students taking "low quality" degrees and bringing dependents, Downing Street said.

The PM's spokesman said the idea was being looked at after official figures showed net migration to the UK had climbed to a record half a million.

But they declined to define a "low quality" degree or to "pre-empt" any policy decisions.

A government migration adviser warned it would bankrupt many universities.

The Times has reported that plans to bring down numbers could include restricting admissions to top universities, as well as restricting visas for students' dependants.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has previously complained about foreign students "bringing in family members who can piggyback onto their student visa" and "propping up, frankly, substandard courses in inadequate institutions".

But moves to reduce foreign student numbers could meet resistance in other parts of Whitehall.

• UK net migration hits all-time record at 504,000
• Politicians tough on immigration but numbers rising
• Braverman: We have failed to control our borders

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last week insisted immigration was required to boost growth, adding that there had to be "a long-term plan if we're going to bring down migration in a way that doesn't harm the economy".

He said migration would be needed "for the years ahead - that will be very important for the economy".

The Department for Education could raise concerns over universities' funding if the number of high fee-paying international students is cut.

An adviser on immigration policy has warned some universities could go bankrupt if there is a clampdown on so-called "low-quality" degrees.

Chair of the government's Migration Advisory Committee, Professor Brian Bell, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this could "send many universities over the edge," particularly in poorer regions.

'Cash cows'

He said: "Most universities for most courses lose money on teaching British students and offset that loss by charging more for international students.

"If you close down the international route I'm not sure how the university continues to survive."

He said London, Cambridge and Oxford would continue to do well but "what about Newcastle, what about the north-east, the north-west, Scotland?"

He also warned that the policy could result in a "massive increase" in British students' fees to make up for the loss of foreign students' payments.

The National Union of Students (NUS) said it would be "laughable" if the government made it harder for international students to study in the UK, given the country's skills shortage.

It accused ministers of "starving" higher education of funds, while encouraging the exploitation of foreign students as "cash cows through astronomical fees and violent visa regimes".

Number of international students at UK universities

• 2016/17: 450,835 - 19.0% of total
• 2017/18: 469,160 - 19.4%
• 2018/19: 496,110 - 20.2%
• 2019/20: 556,625 - 22.0%
• 2020/21: 605,130 - 22.0%

Tuition fees paid by international students to UK universities

• 2016/17: £6.63bn - 37.3% of total
• 2017/18: £7.37bn - 38.7%
• 2018/19: £8.28bn - 40.8%
• 2019/20: £9.41bn - 42.9%
• 2020/21: £9.95bn - 42.4%

Source: The Higher Education Statistics Agency

Mr Sunak's official spokesman insisted the PM supported Britain's universities which were "some of the very best in the world".

But he was also "fully committed" to bringing overall immigration levels down, blaming "unprecedented and unique circumstances" for the record high.

The official said: "We're considering all options to make sure the immigration system is delivering, and that does include looking at the issue of student dependants and low-quality degrees."

Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney described the proposals as "stupid", and Education Minister Jamie Hepburn warned they would be "deeply damaging to Scotland's world-class university sector".

The Scottish National Party has consistently praised the contribution made by foreign students and other migrants to Scotland.

Official figures show around 504,000 more people are estimated to have moved to the UK than left in the 12 months to June 2022, up sharply from 173,000 in the year to June 2021.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the jump was driven by "unique" factors including visa schemes for Ukrainians and Hong Kong citizens, and students arriving from outside the European Union.

People arriving on study visas accounted for the largest proportion of long-term immigration of non-EU nationals, at 277,000, or 39% of the total, according to the ONS.

The government has promised to cut net migration - the difference between the numbers entering and leaving the UK.

Ms Braverman has said she wants to revive a repeatedly missed target to reduce net migration to below 100,000.

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2022-11-25 17:22:15Z
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Sharing pornographic deepfakes to be illegal in England and Wales - BBC

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By Monika Plaha & Joseph Lee

BBC News

A planned new law would make sharing pornographic deepfakes without consent a crime in England and Wales.

Tackling the rise in manipulated images, where a person's face is put on someone else's body, is part of a crackdown on the abuse of intimate pictures in the Online Safety Bill.

This law would also make it easier to charge people with sharing intimate photos without consent.

Prosecutors would no longer need to prove they intended to cause distress.

In some cases under the existing law, men have admitted sharing women's intimate images without consent, but have not been prosecuted because they said they did not intend to cause any harm.

The government says around one in 14 adults in England and Wales say they have been threatened with their intimate images being shared against their will.

It also says there are growing global concerns about technology being used to create fake pornographic images and video, with one website which creates nude images from clothed ones receiving 38 million visits last year.

In August, BBC Panorama exposed a network of men on the social media site Reddit who traded women's nudes online - including some which had been faked - as well as harassing them and threatening them.

The Law Commission said reporting such as this, along with campaigners' calls for stronger laws, helped to make a "compelling case" to government for reform.

It outlined recommendations earlier this year to ensure all examples of deliberately taking or sharing intimate images without consent are illegal.

The government said some of these - including specific laws against "downblousing", installing hidden cameras, and threatening to share someone's intimate images - would be dealt with in future legislation, but it did not offer any timescale.

• Inside the secret world of trading nudes
• Deepfaked: ‘They put my face on a porn video’
• Make downblousing criminal offence, say law chiefs

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had promised to criminalise downblousing, a term for taking photos down a woman's top without her consent, in this summer's Tory leadership contest. The move would bring it in line with an earlier law against "upskirting".

Announcing the measures, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said the government accepted there were gaps in the law and it needed to adapt to the changing use of technology.

He said he wanted to "give women and girls the confidence that the justice system is on their side and will really come down like a ton of bricks on those who abuse or intimidate them".

Ayesha - not her real name - told Panorama in August how videos secretly filmed by a partner and faked images of her were being shared on Reddit, driving her to try to take her own life.

She told the BBC that the new announcement gave her hope that police could take action and the harassment she experienced would finally end.

"It will make a massive change to my life and to many other lives as well. We'll be actually able to live and to breathe in peace without having to be scared," she said.

Kate Isaacs, a deepfake porn victim and campaigner, successfully sought the removal of a deepfake video of her friend.

She then discovered that a Twitter user had created a fake video of her in retaliation.

She told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I went on Twitter, and the notification came through. I went onto the video, and it looked like me having sex. It was an interview I'd done with the BBC that they'd taken and superimposed onto this porn video.

"I had given advice to so many survivors on what you should do if you become a victim of this crime. But I just froze, and didn't follow any of my own advice. I think it was just too scary to comprehend and process at the time."

Ms Isaacs said that there needs to be more than a change in the law to tackle the issue.

"I think it's deeply rooted in society at this point. We don't have time. The technology is running 1,000 miles quicker than we are."

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One deepfake porn creator told the BBC earlier this year that the risk of prosecution could make him stop.

"If I could be traced online I would stop there and probably find another hobby," he said.

The Ministry of Justice also said it was looking at whether it could give the victims of intimate image abuse the same anonymity as the victims of sexual offences are granted, in line with the Law Commission's recommendations.

Prof Clare McGlynn at Durham University, an expert in image-based sexual abuse, told the BBC the changes were "a testament to the courage of women who have been speaking up", but added that it was "absolutely vital that anonymity is granted immediately".

"Victims tell us that not being able to be anonymous means they are more reluctant to report to the police and it means cases are more often dropped," she said.

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2022-11-25 08:41:52Z
CBMiLGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy90ZWNobm9sb2d5LTYzNjY5NzEx0gEwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvbS9uZXdzL3RlY2hub2xvZ3ktNjM2Njk3MTEuYW1w

Nurses to strike for two days before Christmas - BBC

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By Nick Triggle

Health correspondent

Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are to strike for two days next month in what is set to be their biggest walkout in the NHS's history.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced strikes on 15 and 20 December in its pay dispute with the government.

Nurses will still provide emergency care, but routine services will be hit.

The RCN said it had been given no choice after ministers would not reopen talks, but the government said the 19% pay rise demanded was unaffordable.

RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: "Ministers have chosen strike action.

"Nursing staff have had enough of being taken for granted, enough of low pay and unsafe staffing levels, enough of not being able to give our patients the care they deserve."

• Record number of nurses quitting the NHS

Under trade union laws, the RCN has to ensure life-preserving care is provided during the strikes, which will last from 8am to 8pm.

This is likely to mean some urgent cancer services, urgent tests and scans and ongoing care for vulnerable patients will be protected alongside A&E and intensive care - although it will be up to local health bosses and union leaders to negotiate exact staffing levels on strike days.

But it seems almost certain the walkout will increase the backlog in non-urgent hospital treatment - a record seven million people are already on the waiting list in England.

Louise Ansari, from the Healthwatch England patient watchdog, said she was "concerned" about the impact on this group of patients.

Taking strike action makes me sad

Hospital nurse Shaun Williams only started working as a nurse a year ago.

He said the thought of striking makes him sad, but he is prepared to do it.

"I am sorry we are having to do this.

"But we are doing it for the right reasons, we are doing it for patient safety.

"You are running on reserves most days. We do not have enough staff and because of the lack of nurses, patients are at risk.

"Unless we pay nurses more we are not going to attract people or keep people."

And he says unless the situation changes he may even quit nursing.

GP services, however, will be unaffected as nurses working in practices were not entitled to take part in the ballot.

And because a series of individual ballots were held at NHS trusts and boards rather than one national ballot, nurses at more than 40% of England's hospitals, mental health and community services are not entitled to strike because the turnout was too low in those votes.

However, walkouts can happen at all of Northern Ireland's health boards and in all-but-one in Wales, the Aneurin Bevan.

Staggered action

What is not clear yet is just how many of the services where strike action can take place will see walkouts.

It is possible the RCN could stagger the action so some services go on strike in December, with others to follow suit next year if the industrial action continues.

It is seen by the union as a way of limiting the disruption to patients, while keeping the pressure on the government.

Individual NHS trusts and boards will not find out until next week whether they will see walkouts on the two dates, because that is when the formal notices will go out.

The RCN has called for a rise of 5% above the RPI inflation rate, which currently stands at above 14%, but no UK nation has offered close to that.

In England and Wales, NHS staff, including nurses, have been given a rise of at least £1,400 - worth about 4% on average for nurses.

In Northern Ireland, nurses are yet to receive a pay award because there is no working government.

Strike action has been suspended in Scotland however after the government there made a fresh offer worth more than 8% for a newly-qualified nurse. More senior nurses are being offered less.

'Strike last thing patients need'

During the ballot, the results of which were announced two weeks ago, the RCN had argued this year's below-inflation pay award came after years of squeezes on nurse's salaries.

Starting salaries for nurses in England are currently just above £27,000, rising to nearly £55,000 for the most senior nurses.

But England Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the RCN's demands were not affordable, adding he "deeply regretted" union members would be taking action.

He pointed out the government had met the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body in giving its award.

And it followed a 3% pay rise last year, in recognition of work during the pandemic, despite a public-sector pay freeze.

"Our priority is keeping patients safe. The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to minimise disruption and ensure emergency services continue to operate," he added.

The Welsh government said it was unable to enter pay talks without extra funding from the UK government.

Labour shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said talks should restart - although he would not commit to paying the above-inflation pay rise the RCN was seeking.

"Why on earth is the health secretary refusing to negotiate with nurses? Patients already can't get treated on time, strike action is the last thing they need yet the government is letting this happen. Patients will never forgive the Conservatives for this negligence."

This will only be the second time RCN members have been on strike.

In 2019, nurses in Northern Ireland walked out over pay, while nurses who are members of Unison in England walked out in 2014 over pay.

A host of other major health unions, including Unison, the Royal College of Midwives, GMB and Unite, have all started balloting members.

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2022-11-25 00:00:02Z
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Dominic Raab: Deputy PM says he has 'behaved professionally at all times' and denies breaking ministerial code after bullying allegations - Sky News

Dominic Raab has insisted he has "behaved professionally at all times" despite facing growing allegations of bullying and intimidating behaviour.

Yesterday, a number of the deputy PM's former private secretaries told the BBC they were preparing to submit formal complaints about his behaviour.

Newsnight was also told that Mr Raab used his personal email account for government business at two separate departments - once as recently as 2021.

But Mr Raab said: "I have always adhered to the ministerial code, including the use of my iPhone."

He added that he had "always been careful to protect the integrity of any communications" he has.

Politics latest: PM committed to reducing immigration

Asked whether he had been informed that more senior officials who worked most closely with him on a daily basis had submitted complaints, Mr Raab said: "I have behaved professionally at all times.

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"And I am the one that when the complaint came in a matter of days ago, the first that had ever come against me since I have been a minister since 2015, [I] called for an independent inquiry and I look forward to dealing with it fully and transparently rather than dealing with anonymous comments in the media.

"I have always adhered to the ministerial code, including my use of my iPhone."

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Asked how this did not constitute breaching the ministerial code, the deputy PM replied: "It is very clear, I took advice on it. I am confident in that."

Probed on reports that senior civil servants told him not to use his personal phone for government business, Mr Raab dismissed the claims as "anonymous speculation".

He added that he had "always taken advice" on how to conduct communications and, when asked why he used his personal phone for some things, replied that it was "entirely legitimate and in line with the guidance that we have".

"I haven't broken the ministerial code, I am confident, in any of the ways you are asserting," Mr Raab said.

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1:17

Raab challenged over bullying allegations

Earlier today, Downing Street said Rishi Sunak still had full confidence in his deputy despite the fresh allegations.

If lodged, the allegations by the former private secretaries could be included in the investigation into Mr Raab being carried out following two formal complaints of bullying by senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC.

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner has called for Mr Tolley's investigation to "immediately be expanded".

Mr Raab denies all allegations of bullying made against him, but last week asked the PM to launch an inquiry into his own conduct.

If the deputy PM is found to have broken the ministerial code, he could be forced to resign.

Explainer: What has led to the deputy PM being investigated?

Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain has demanded an investigation into Mr Raab's use of his personal email account for government business.

"It is only right and proper the cabinet office investigate these reports and determine immediately if overseas enemies could have seen national secrets sent by Dominic Raab," she said.

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8:14

Bully claims 'open secret'

But Downing Street backed Mr Raab and rejected suggestions the investigation would be a whitewash, despite Mr Sunak's ability to reject its findings.

The spokesperson also defended Mr Raab over his email use, telling reporters: "Ministers are able to use various forms of communication.

"As long as they take heed of that guidance, there is not a binary restriction on use of personal email addresses."

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2022-11-24 19:47:24Z
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Police text 70000 victims in UK's biggest anti-fraud operation - BBC

Metropolitan Police

By Tom Symonds

Home affairs correspondent, BBC News

Detectives have begun contacting 70,000 people suspected of being victims of a sophisticated banking scam.

The Metropolitan Police is sending text messages to mobile phone users it believes spoke with fraudsters pretending to be their bank.

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described an "enormous endeavour" in gathering evidence after the discovery of an online fraud network.

There have been more than 100 arrests so far, and one man has been charged.

People who receive a text message in the next 24 hours will be directed to the Action Fraud website to register their details as officers build cases against suspects.

Sir Mark told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the Met was contacting mobile numbers that were connected to the fraudsters for longer than a minute, suggesting a fraud or attempted fraud had taken place.

The scam involved fraudsters calling people at random, pretending to be a bank and warning of suspicious activity on their account.

They would pose as employees of banks including Barclays, Santander, HSBC, Lloyds, Halifax, First Direct, NatWest, Nationwide and TSB.

The fraudsters would then encourage people to disclose security information and, through technology, they may have accessed features such as one-time passcodes to clear accounts of funds.

As many as 200,000 people in the UK may have been victims of the scam, police said, with victims losing thousands of pounds, and in one case £3m.

The 70,000 people being contacted are connected to calls made by individuals known to police, Sir Mark said, and their evidence could be used to prosecute cases.

Genuine messages from police will be sent on Thursday or Friday, detectives said. They said the messages would direct victims to the Metropolitan Police website which would ask people to register with Action Fraud. Any other texts should be regarded as fraudulent themselves.

iSpoof breakthrough

The mammoth cyber fraud operation began when police in the Netherlands bugged a website that allowed fraudsters to make anonymous phone calls from spoof numbers, posing as bank employees.

The iSpoof website, which has since been taken down by the FBI, crucially allowed scammers to access one-time passcodes and passwords, detectives said.

One-time codes, often delivered through text messages, have become a standard security measure for most online banks in recent years.

Det Supt Helen Rance, from the Met's Cyber Crime unit, said victims would not have known the phone call was coming from iSpoof.

"The person on the other end of the line can be very convincing," she said.

"This is an absolutely devastating crime for so many people. They must be worried, I really feel for them," she said.

Fraudsters paid between £150 and £5,000 a month in bitcoin to use the iSpoof service, contacting, at times, 20 people a minute, primarily in the USA, UK, Netherlands, Australia, France and Ireland.

So far, police believe £48m may have been stolen by criminals using iSpoof. This figure is likely to rise. Those behind the service are allegedly earning £3.2m and living "lavish" lifestyles.

A notice on the website says that it has been taken down by the FBI.

Det Supt Rance said the investigation remained active.

Metropolitan Police

Police believe 59,000 potential suspects may have used the iSpoof service, but are prioritising those in the UK who have spent at least 100 Bitcoin to get access, believing they were anonymous.

Early in November they raided an address in east London and arrested a man alleged to be behind iSpoof.

In other raids, 120 people thought to have used the service for fraud have been taken into custody.

Det Supt Rance warned other criminal "enablers" will have taken over to provide services to fraudsters.

"Undoubtedly they will go to another website," she said.

A 34-year-old man, Teejai Fletcher, has been charged with making or supplying articles for use in fraud and participating in the activities of an organised crime group.

He will appear at Southwark Crown Court on 6 December.

What to do if you become a scam victim

Call your bank directly, checking its website for the correct number to ring. If the fraud involved any of your personal information, consider signing up for a Protective Registration with fraud prevention organisation Cifas, which costs £25 for two years.

Change your passwords for any accounts that have been compromised due to fraud - and any that use the same password. Set up two-factor authentication wherever possible to provide another layer of protection.

Being scammed can take a huge toll on mental health. Mind and Victim Support have confidential helplines that provide support to consumers who have been hit.

Do you believe you've been scammed by fake callers? Have you received a notification of fraud from the police? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Upload pictures or video
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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2022-11-24 12:12:46Z
1642084327

Independence referendum: Scottish government loses indyref2 court case - bbc.co.uk

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By Stuart Nicolson

BBC Scotland News

The Scottish government cannot hold an independence referendum without the UK government's consent, the Supreme Court has ruled.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wants to hold a referendum on 19 October next year.

But the court ruled unanimously that she does not have the power to do so because the issue is reserved to Westminster.

The UK government has refused to grant formal consent for a referendum.

Court president Lord Reed said the laws that created the devolved Scottish Parliament in 1999 meant it did not have power over areas of the constitution including the union between Scotland and England.

These issues are the responsibility of the UK Parliament, he said, and in absence of an agreement between the two governments the Scottish Parliament is therefore unable to legislate for a referendum.

He also rejected the Scottish government's argument that any referendum would simply be "advisory" and would have no legal effect on the union, with people only being asked to give their opinion on whether or not Scotland should become an independent country.

• LIVE: UK's senior judges rule on Scottish vote power
• The judgement is clear but not what Sturgeon wanted
• Read the full Supreme Court ruling

Lord Reed said: "A lawfully held referendum would have important political consequences relating to the union and the United Kingdom Parliament.

"Its outcome would possess the authority, in a constitution and political culture founded upon democracy, of a democratic expression of the view of the Scottish electorate.

"It is therefore clear that the proposed Bill has more than a loose or consequential connection with the reserved matters of the Union of Scotland and England, and the sovereignty of the United Kingdom Parliament."

Responding to the outcome, Ms Sturgeon said she was disappointed but respected the ruling of the court, and stressed that the judges do not make the law and only interpret it.

She added: "That is a hard pill for any supporter of independence, and surely indeed for any supporter of democracy, to swallow."

The first minister told a media conference that a referendum remained her preferred option, but in the absence of an agreement the SNP would use the next UK general election as a "de facto referendum" in an attempt to demonstrate that a majority of people in Scotland support independence.

The "precise detail" of how this would work will now be a matter for the party to debate, she said, with a special conference to be held in the new year.

Ms Sturgeon said: "We must and we will find another democratic, lawful means for Scottish people to express their will" and accused the UK government of "democracy denial".

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A series of pro-independence rallies were held in towns and cities across Scotland on Wednesday evening, with Ms Sturgeon addressing a crowd that gathered outside the Scottish Parliament.

She told the rally that the independence movement would now become "Scotland's democracy movement".

Recent opinion polls have suggested that the country is essentially split down the middle on the independence question, but with a very narrow majority in favour of staying in the UK.

However the SNP and Greens form a pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the "clear and definitive ruling" from the Supreme Court.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, he said: "The people of Scotland want us to be working on fixing the major challenges that we collectively face, whether that's the economy, supporting the NHS or indeed supporting Ukraine.

"Now is the time for politicians to work together and that's what this government will do."

Downing Street later said Mr Sunak will seek to avoid another referendum while he is prime minister.

His press secretary told reporters: "I think that would be something that we would look to do."

She added that there had been a "once-in-a-generation referendum not too long ago and that result should be respected".

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Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there was not a majority in Scotland for either a referendum or independence, but there was a "majority in Scotland and across the UK for change".

The case was referred to the Supreme Court by Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, the Scottish government's top law officer.

Ms Bain said at the time that she did not have the "necessary degree of confidence" that Holyrood would have the power to pass legislation for a referendum without UK government consent.

She said the issue was of "exceptional public importance" and asked the UK's top court to provide a definitive ruling.

The court heard two days of legal arguments from both the UK and Scottish governments last month, with its ruling being delivered just six weeks later - earlier than many experts had expected.

The independence referendum in 2014, in which voters backed remaining in the UK by 55% to 45%, was possible because the UK government agreed to temporarily transfer the necessary powers to the Scottish Parliament to allow the vote to be held through what is known as a Section 30 order.

Clarity was what Nicola Sturgeon asked for and clarity is what she now has from the UK Supreme Court.

The judges have made clear that the law does not allow Holyrood to legislate for an independence referendum without Westminster's agreement.

That means there will not be an indyref2 on 19 October 2023, as the Scottish government had planned.

SNP ministers will accept the judgement and respect the law. A wildcat ballot in the Catalan-style is not an option.

A legal referendum can only happen if the first minister somehow persuades the prime minister to abandon his opposition.

There's little prospect of that happening in the short term, so the renewed campaign for independence just became a longer haul.

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2022-11-23 17:56:21Z
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