From 2h agoKey events17m agoJames Cleverly says he is ‘particularly sorry’ to mother of Manchester Arena attack victim over Martyn’s Law2h ago’There will be no return to austerity under a Labour government,’ says Rachel Reeves4h ago18-year-old would not be jailed for refusing ‘mandatory’ national service, says ministerFilters BETAKey events (3)Rishi Sunak (5)James Cleverly (4)Rachel Reeves (3)17m ago07.33 EDTJames Cleverly says he is ‘particularly sorry’ to mother of Manchester Arena attack victim over Martyn’s Law
James Cleverly has said he is “particularly sorry” to the mother of a victim of the Manchester Arena bombing attack for being unable to introduce Martyn’s Law before the general election.
Figen Murray, whose son Martyn Hett was among the 22 killed in the 2017 blast at the Ariana Grande concert and has been campaigning to get the law passed, said she felt “misled” by Rishi Sunak this week.
Murray said she felt “let down” after the prime minister told her on Wednesday, just hours before he called the election, that he would introduce the legislation before the parliamentary summer break.
Martyn’s Law would require venues and local authorities in the UK to have training requirements and preventive plans against terror attacks.
Asked whether the government would apologise to Murray, Cleverly told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme: “Of course we’re sorry that not all the legislation has passed, and I’m particularly sorry that we weren’t able to get Martyn’s Law on the statute books before the general election.
“But when I discussed with the family and the campaign group that it might straddle a general election, that if we re-entered government we would prioritise this to get it on because it has taken longer than we would have wanted.
“And I said there is cross-party support, and I said I cannot envisage a world where this is not enacted, even if it is delayed because of a general election.”
Sunak said on Friday he had not deceived Murray because he could still honour the commitment, telling journalists accompanying him on his whistlestop two-day tour of the four nations: “I said by summer recess and that will still be possible. The election is in the first week of July. Parliament will reconvene immediately after that, so there will still be time to bring that law in before summer recess, and that’s what I remain committed to doing.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer avoided making a guarantee that his party would bring it to parliament before the summer recess, but said he would introduce the law “as a priority” should he replace Sunak in Number 10.
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Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has insisted he still has “one more big card to play” and confirmed plans to stand in the future as an MP candidate, despite feeling “extremely disappointed” by Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a general election on 4 July.
The Reform UK honorary president…
2024-05-26 06:38:57
Article from www.theguardian.com