Another issue that could come up at PMQs is the publication of messages sent between former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and other ministers and officials at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The latest of these, published by the Daily Telegraph, suggest Matt Hancock supported threatening to block a disability centre in a Tory MP's constituency in a bid to get him to vote for the Covid tier system in England.
WhatsApp messages show Mr Hancock agreed to put pressure on James Daly, Conservative MP for Bury North, if he failed to vote with the government.
Hancock's spokesperson said: "What's being accused here never happened, demonstrating the story is wrong, and showing why such a biased, partial approach to the evidence is a bad mistake, driven by those with a vested interest and an axe to grind."
The messages, which the BBC has not independently verified or seen in their full context, were handed to The Telegraph by journalist Isabel Oakeshott.
Oakeshott, a longstanding critic of lockdowns, was given them while helping Mr Hancock write his book, Pandemic Diaries.
The BBC says it is having a "frank conversation" with Gary Lineker after the Match of the Day host tweeted critically about the government's asylum policy.
Lineker said the language in which the plan was set out was "not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s".
The BBC has impartiality guidelines and the corporation said Lineker was being "spoken to" about his responsibilities.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she was "disappointed" by the comments.
Anyone found to have entered the country illegally will also be blocked from returning or claiming British citizenship in future.
The measure is part of attempts to address an increase in the number of people arriving in the UK via Channel crossings each year, which rose from around 300 in 2018 to more than 45,000 in 2022.
Responding to a video message setting out the policy by Ms Braverman, Lineker tweeted: "Good heavens, this is beyond awful."
Told by another user he was "out of order", he added: "We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries.
"This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I'm out of order?"
It is not clear which language in particular Lineker was referring to, but Ms Braverman's video and accompanying tweet included the words "enough is enough" and "we must stop the boats".
Following the comments, the home secretary told BBC One's Breakfast: "I'm disappointed, obviously. I think it's unhelpful to compare our measures, which are lawful, proportionate and - indeed - compassionate, to 1930s Germany. I also think that we are on the side of the British people here."
The decade saw the rise to power of the Nazi party in Germany and persecution of Jewish people, leading to the Second World War.
Lineker, who has presented Match of the Day since 1999, is the BBC's highest paid star, having earned about £1,35m in 2020-21.
He has in the past been vocal about migrants' rights and has taken refugees into his home. He has also been critical of successive Conservative governments over issues including Brexit.
In October, the BBC's complaints unit found Lineker had broken impartiality rules in a tweet asking whether the Conservative Party planned to "hand back their donations from Russian donors".
The comment came after the then Foreign Secretary Liz Truss urged Premier League teams to boycott the Champions League final in Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.
In 2018, after BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew called on him to "keep your political views... to yourself", Lineker responded: "I'm the face of my own Twitter account. I'll continue to tweet what I like and if folk disagree with me then so be it."
The furore surrounding Lineker's latest remarks put pressure on the BBC, with director general Tim Davie having made impartiality a cornerstone of his leadership.
The broadcaster's editorial guidelines state that the organisation is "committed to achieving due impartiality in all its output" and that "public comments, for example on social media, of staff [or] presenters... can affect perceptions of the BBC's impartiality".
What will the new law mean?
People removed from the UK will be blocked from returning or seeking British citizenship in future
Migrants will not get bail or be able to seek judicial review for the first 28 days of detention
There will be a cap on the number of refugees the UK will settle through "safe and legal routes" - set annually by Parliament
A duty on the home secretary to detain those arriving in the UK illegally and remove them to Rwanda or a "safe" third country - this will take legal precedence over someone's right to claim asylum
Under-18s, those medically unfit to fly, or those at risk of serious harm in the country they are being removed to will be able to delay removal
Any other asylum claims will be heard remotely after removal
Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson said Lineker was "out of touch" and should stick to football.
Writing on Twitter following Lineker's comments on Tuesday, he said the presenter had "piped up again with his virtue-signalling nonsense".
"This is just another example of how out of touch these overpaid stars are with the voting public," he said. "Instead of lecturing, Mr Lineker should stick to reading out the football scores and flogging crisps."
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay said Lineker's comments were "foul, ill-conceived and disgraceful" and called on the BBC to sack him.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she did not agree with the comment, adding it is "entirely" a matter for the BBC when asked whether it should take significant action against him.
She continued: "He's somebody that's spoken out very strongly on lots of different issues, and people who feel strongly should be able to speak out and say the things that they feel."
A spokesperson for the corporation said: "The BBC has social media guidance, which is published. Individuals who work for us are aware of their responsibilities relating to social media. We have appropriate internal processes in place if required.
"We would expect Gary to be spoken to and reminded of his responsibilities."
The corporation has also responded to previous criticism of Lineker by highlighting that he is not involved in its news or political output and is a freelance broadcaster, not a member of staff.
Related video: Three bodies found and two in hospital after group go missing in Cardiff
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A friend of the victims of the fatal Cardiff car crash has claimed it was members of the public who found them, not the police.
One friend, Tamzin Samuels, 20 was quoted as saying by Sky News: “I do think the police could have done a lot more in putting the helicopters out earlier. They only posted the appeal an hour before the girls were found.
“The search party found the girls before the police found the girls. I think that speaks volumes really, they had all that equipment, and we had cars when we were looking.”
'We found them before the police found them', friend of Cardiff crash victims criticises police
A friend of the victims of a fatal car crash in Cardiff has criticised the police search efforts, claiming members of the public found the vehicle before officers.
Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died after the Volkswagen Tiguan they were travelling in came off the A48(M) in the Welsh capital and crashed into trees.
Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, who were in the same vehicle, also suffered serious injuries and were taken to the hospital.
Police issued an appeal on Sunday and officers said the crashed vehicle was found in the early hours of Monday morning.
However, a friend of the three women claimed it was members of the public searching who found the car.
One friend, Tamzin Samuels, 20 was quoted as saying by Sky News: “I do think the police could have done a lot more in putting the helicopters out earlier. They only posted the appeal an hour before the girls were found.
“We found them before the police found them - we rang the police.
“The search party found the girls before the police found the girls. I think that speaks volumes really, they had all that equipment, and we had cars when we were looking.”
Girl injured in Cardiff crash ‘called for help but no one could hear’ as friends claim they found group
The bodies of Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, were pulled from the wreckage of the Volkswagen Tiguan in St Mellons, Cardiff on Monday morning – almost 48 hours after they were last seen.
Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, were found alive, having spent two days critically injured amid a police search.
Friend pays heartfelt tribute to Darcy Ross and Eve Smith
A friend of two Cardiff crash victims paid a heartfelt tribute to the girls on her social media.“I don’t really have the words right now. Darcy Ross I’m going to miss you little gypsy girl. You were one of a kind, I’m going to miss trying to ‘life coach’ you as you would’ve said. You were a real ray of sunshine especially on my bad days.”
Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died after the Volkswagen Tiguan they were travelling in came off the A48(M) in the Welsh capital and crashed into trees.
Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, who were in the same vehicle, also suffered serious injuries and were taken to the hospital.
The friend continued: “Eve Smith you were truly a beautiful young girl, who’s heart was made of gold just like your sister’s, give her a big hug for me and hold each other tight until the day we all have our turn and reunite.”
Tributes have been paid to the three people killed in a crash that left two others seriously injured.
Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died in the accident while Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, survived but remain in a critical condition, according to police.
All five were in a Volkswagen Tiguan that came off the A48(M) in Cardiff and crashed into trees.
ICYMI: Mother of Sophie Russon claims police told her to ‘stop ringing’ station for updates
The mother of one of the women --- who remains in critical condition after the crash --- has claimed police told her to “stop ringing” the station for updates.
Sophie Russons’s mother Anna Certowicz, 42, told the Daily Mail that something “must be wrong” after not having heard from her or her friends Eve Smith and Darcy Ross.
Ms Certowicz, 42, said she drove around the Gwent and Cardiff areas in a desperate search for her daughter.
She told the Daily Mail: “They didn’t seem to care. I had to drive to Cardiff to knock on doors myself because they were doing s*d all. They just didn’t seem to think it was worth investigating. It was so frustrating.
“I think they assumed that Sophie was hungover somewhere, but she’s a sensible girl who works in a bank and hasn’t taken a day off for three years.
“She’s not someone who’s out clubbing in Cardiff all the time. On Friday nights she’s more likely to be babysitting so other people can go out. She wouldn’t just vanish like this unless something was wrong.
“The police asked me to stop ringing but at the end of the day I’m a mum I’m going to worry. Her little sister is worrying too, she’s only 13 and she’s wondering where Sophie is.”
Police watchdog says it will assess if further action is needed over self-referral
The police watchdog has confirmed that it has received a self-referral from Gwent Police in connection with the fatal Cardiff crash.
A spokesperson for the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said: “We can confirm that Gwent Police have advised us that they are making a referral in connection with this tragic incident and we will carry out an assessment in due course to determine what further action may be required from us.”
Both South Wales Police and neighbouring force Gwent Police, who were leading the missing persons investigation prior to the discovery of the car, said they have referred themselves to the IOPC “in line with normal procedure”.
Friend pays heartfelt tribute to Darcy Ross and Eve Smith
A friend of two Cardiff crash victims paid a heartfelt tribute to the girls on her social media.“I don’t really have the words right now. Darcy Ross I’m going to miss you little gypsy girl. You were one of a kind, I’m going to miss trying to ‘life coach’ you as you would’ve said. You were a real ray of sunshine especially on my bad days.”
Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died after the Volkswagen Tiguan they were travelling in came off the A48(M) in the Welsh capital and crashed into trees.
Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, who were in the same vehicle, also suffered serious injuries and were taken to the hospital.
The friend continued: “Eve Smith you were truly a beautiful young girl, who’s heart was made of gold just like your sister’s, give her a big hug for me and hold each other tight until the day we all have our turn and reunite.”
With snow forecast this week, motorists are once again being reminded to give gritting vehicles time and space while they are out on National Highways’ roads network.
The message comes with more cold weather and snow forecast this week by the Met Office, and where conditions determine gritting vehicles need to go out, they will spread salt where needed.
It also follows the recent Know the Zones campaign launched by National Highways to help road users understand the blind spots HGV drivers face from passing and overtaking vehicles.
Darren Clark, Severe Weather Resilience Manager at National Highways, said:
As our gritting teams go out to spread salt on the roads, our message is simple to all road users: ‘Please be patient and give us the time and space to do what we need to do to keep you safe.
If you are going to pass us, please do so courteously, pass us safely and legally, or even better, if you are able to stay back, you will actually help the salt on the road activate even more quickly by crushing and breaking it into the road surface which benefits everyone.
It’s worth remembering too, we are not gritting all the time. Some of our fleet may come off at particular junctions or return to depots while other vehicles take over, lowering any inconvenience to motorists. We are once again totally committed to working around the clock on these seasonal operations to keep all road users safe and thank everyone in advance for their patience and understanding.
A new plan to ban refugees arriving in the UK by small boats from today from claiming asylum will push the boundaries of international law but will not break it, a senior Tory has said.
Home Secretary Suella Bravermanis set to publish long-promised legislation on Channel crossings on Tuesday that she has admitted "pushes the boundaries of international law".
Ms Braverman will ask for this to apply from the moment she unveils the proposals in the Commons to avoid people smugglers "seizing on the opportunity to rush migrants across the Channel", a government source told Sky News.
She is expected to say that under the new illegal migration bill, asylum claims from those who travel to the UK in small boats will be inadmissible.
Arrivals will be removed to a third country and banned from ever returning or claiming citizenship.
Former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland said while Ms Braverman has said the legislation will push the boundaries of international law, it will not go as far as breaking it.
He told Sky News' Kay Burley at Breakfast: "I've had assurances that the government isn't seeking to break international law - that's its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, the Refugee Convention."
Sir Robert said without that it would be "a bit of a free for all for everybody to try and do their own thing" as he acknowledged other countries in Europe and around the world are also struggling with illegal immigration.
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He added that he will be looking at the new legislation for exceptions to allow, for example, women from Iran who refuse to wear the hijab or a refugee coming from a war-torn part of the world "who clearly is coming for the right reasons to be able to seek asylum here in the UK".
Sir Robert admitted there has been "a lot of over-promising and under-delivering" on small boat crossings but thinks Rishi Sunak has the right approach in going "one step at a time" and not just relying on UK legislation but taking action internationally "to avert the problem from reaching the Channel in the first place" such as talks with the French.
Image:Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman will unveil the plan in full on Tuesday. Pic:UK Government
Refugee charities have already described the plans as "costly and unworkable"and said they "promise nothing but more demonisation and punishment" of asylum seekers.
Writing in The Sun, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the UK has a "proud history of welcoming those most in need".
But he claimed that those arriving in small boats were doing so via "safe, European countries", and were not "directly fleeing a war-torn country" or "facing an imminent threat to life".
Government 'pushing boundaries of international law'
Critics say the UK has "comprehensively shut down" legal routes for refugees to come to the UK.
"It will mean that those who come here on small boats can't claim asylum here," he added.
Despite plans such as forcibly removing asylum seekers to Rwanda being mired in legal challenges, ministers were expected to approach the limits of the European Convention on Human Rights with the new legislation.
Writing in the Daily Express, Ms Braverman admitted the plan "pushed the boundaries of international law".
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2:31
'People smuggling is just another job'
Government still committed to Rwanda deportations
Under the new legislation, a duty will be placed on the home secretary to remove "as soon as reasonably practicable" anyone who arrives on a small boat, either to Rwanda or a "safe third country".
According to The Times, this will take precedence over human rights and modern slavery claims, and there will be new powers to mass detain arrivals.
Mr Sunak spoke to Rwanda's President Paul Kagame before unveiling his plans, and pledged to continue working with him to ensure their stalled project works.
The government has paid more than £140m to the east African nation for deportations, but no flights forcibly carrying migrants to the capital of Kigali have taken off because of legal challenges.
The PM will also meet France's President Emmanuel Macron on Friday to discuss further cooperation that will be required to reduce boat crossings.
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2:16
Decmeber: Braverman defends Rwanda policy
'Unworkable and costly'
Several Tory MPs welcomed the news that a new bill was imminent, but Labour raised doubts about the legality and feasibility of the bill and the Liberal Democrats said ministers had drawn up "another half-baked plan".
The Immigration Services Union representing border staff also said the plans are "quite confusing" and do not seem "possible" without the Rwanda policy functioning.
Almost 3,000 migrants have made unauthorised crossings of the English Channel already this year.
Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon said the plans "shatter the UK's long-standing commitment under the UN Convention to give people a fair hearing regardless of the path they have taken to reach our shores".
"It's unworkable, costly and won't stop the boats," he added.
ondon is heading into its coldest spell of the year with a yellow snow and ice warning in place for the capital – as temperatures plunge across the UK.
The Met Office warning was put in place across the capital and a large part of southern England and Wales from 9pm on Monday until 10am on Tuesday.
Roads and railways could be affected by “difficult travel conditions”, the Met Office warns.
Yellow snow warnings have also been issued across part of northern England and Scotland, where the Met Office warns temperatures could reach below as -10C, and 10cm of snow could fall.
In the capital, the Met Office forecasts a maximum temperature of 4C on Tuesday and Wednesday with lows of 0C. Snow is forecast to fall on London early on Wednesday morning - raising the threat of a difficult rush-hour commute.
Londoners were warned of a “very cold start” to Wednesday when temperatures could feel more like -3C.
Tuesday and Wednesday are forecast to bring periods of rain, sleet and light snow, before turning milder with rain and stronger winds on Thursday and Friday.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a cold weather alert and has placed north-east England, north-west England and Yorkshire under a level three alert, with the rest of England at level two.
A level three alert means there is a 90 per cent chance of severely cold weather, icy conditions or heavy snow, which could increase the health risk to vulnerable patients, the NHS said.
All areas are under alert between 1am on Monday and midnight on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued yellow warnings for snow and ice across Scotland and England’s north east coast as Arctic air moves over the country and down to northern England, possibly leading to the coldest temperatures of the year so far.
It said Tuesday night could be the coldest of the year so far with the mercury tipped to drop to minus 15C in some sheltered Scottish glens, especially where there is fresh snow cover.
The lowest temperature recorded in the UK so far this year is minus 10.4C, which was recorded at Drumnadrochit near Inverness in the Highlands in the early hours of January 19.
The wintry conditions could lead to up to 10cm of snow on higher ground in Scotland and 5cm at lower levels.
The Met Office warns the cold weather could disrupt travel, with “some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services”.
From midnight on Sunday, the yellow warnings of snow and ice spread to north-western England and north-eastern Scotland, and creep further down the east coast as far as Hull on Tuesday.
Meteorologist Honor Criswick said: “We are expecting a few more snow shower outbreaks into this evening and seeing a bit more snowfall early on, which is why the warning was brought forward.
“We are expecting pretty cold conditions and snow showers over the next few days across Scotland and northern parts of England.
“Temperature wise, we could possibly see lows of minus 10C in the sheltered glens and higher ground across northern Scotland on Monday night, so it’s going to be feeling quite cold and the breeze is picking up a little bit so will be feeling rather chilly.
“Potentially we could see some of the coldest temperatures so far this year. The lowest we have seen was in January at minus 10.4C, so we could see something turn lower than that.
“We are expecting between 5cm and 10cm of snow across higher ground, so if we see more accumulations on lower ground of between 2cm and 5cm we could see some travel disruption on Monday into Tuesday.”
Areas affected by the warnings could experience power outages, delays to road, rail and air travel, icy surfaces and some rural communities may be cut off by the freezing conditions.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: “During periods like this, it is important to check in on family, friends and relatives who may be more vulnerable to the cold weather, as it can have a serious impact on health.
“If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65, it is important to try and heat your home to at least 18C if you can.”
Refugees who cross the Channel in small boats from Tuesday could face detention and deportation under a new migration law that Labour and charities have called “unworkable” and “cruel”.
In an acknowledgment that the law will prompt a fresh rush of refugees across the Channel, the Home Office is seeking to make the illegal migration bill apply retrospectively from the day it is introduced to parliament, the Guardian has been told.
Suella Braverman, the home secretary, will ask for the proposed law to be applied from the moment she stands up in the Commons on Tuesday. The move follows criticism from unions that the legislation could result in an increase in trafficking across the Channel as refugees attempt to reach the UK before it is passed.
A Home Office source said: “If parliament passes the bill, the measures will be retrospective and apply from the date of introduction. That’s to stop people smugglers seizing on the opportunity to rush migrants across the Channel to avoid being subject to the new measures.”
Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, said the plans would “fuel the service” for people smugglers, at least in the short term, “who could tell would-be arrivals that they needed to travel soon”.
Braverman is expected to say that under the new law, asylum claims from those who travel to the UK in small boats will be inadmissible, and the arrivals will be removed to a third country and banned from returning or claiming citizenship.
Details about how the policy will be implemented are scarce, with previous efforts to tighten procedures – such as the policy to send people to Rwanda – mired in legal challenges.
On Monday evening, a Downing Street spokesperson said Rishi Sunak had spoken to Rwanda’s president ahead of Braverman’s statement.
The prime minister and Paul Kagame “discussed the UK-Rwanda migration partnership and our joint efforts to break the business model of criminal people smugglers and address humanitarian issues”, the spokesperson said.
“The leaders committed to continue working together to ensure this important partnership is delivered successfully.”
Keir Starmer accused Sunak of electioneering. As more people seeking refuge in the UK arrived across the Channel in chilly conditions on Monday, the Labour leader said the plans echoed previous announcements made to shore up support before local elections. More local elections are due in England in May.
“We had a plan last year which was put up in lights – ‘it’s going to be an election winner’. These bits of legislation always seem to come when we’ve got a local election coming up,” he told LBC Radio.
“It was going to break the gangs – it didn’t. Now we’ve got the next bit of legislation with almost the same billing. I don’t think that putting forward unworkable proposals is going to get us very far.”
Starmer was referring to the government’s Nationality and Borders Act, last year’s attempt to tackle the problem by bringing in a two-tier system that reduced the support available to people seeking asylum by irregular means.
Several senior Conservatives have expressed concern about the proposed new law, claiming that the current “safe and legal routes” should be expanded.
Tim Loughton, a Tory member of the home affairs select committee, said the measure would only “speed up deportations for those who are deportable”, instead of giving the Home Office power to deport anyone and everyone who makes it to the UK via a small boat.
He told the Guardian: “The primary success [of the legislation] will be as a deterrent factor if it is clear you will automatically have no right to claim asylum if you come via [small boats],” adding that Sunak should ensure that safe and legal routes are expanded.
In a further development, Braverman has vehemently denied claims that when she was attorney general in 2020 she advised against proposals to circumvent human rights laws.
Informed sources have told the Guardian that when ministers were working on the Sovereign Borders Act, which later became the Nationality and Borders Act, Braverman advised against attempting to find a way of sidestepping the European convention on human rights (ECHR).
“Suella did not want to help on derogation of the ECHR. In fact she produced advice that said it was not possible and would be in breach of an international treaty. Now she seems to say it is possible,” a source said.
But Braverman’s office hit back at the claims. A source said: “This is absolute drivel. The legal parameters at the time were clear. The then attorney general worked within those on behalf of the government of the day.”
Sir David Normington, a former permanent secretary at the Home Office, said it was “highly doubtful” that people would stop arriving in small boats because it was illegal.
“These are people many of whom are desperate. They have fled from persecution, and being told that there’s been a change in legislation in the British parliament, I don’t think is going to make a big difference to them,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
The courts have rejected previous plans to deport to Rwanda people entering the UK on small boats, but No 10 and the Home Office are proposing to insert a “brake” on human rights legislation in an attempt to stop legal challenges.
The bill will be published before a key summit between Sunak and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, on Friday. It is understood Sunak will seek a substantial increase in beach patrols to stop refugees leaving French shores.
