Government news and campaigns

UK/Iraq border security pact to target smuggling gangs.

A world-first security agreement has been reached between Iraq and the UK government to target people smuggling gangs and strengthen border security co-operation.

The UK will also support Iraq law enforcement to tackle other serious organised crime, including countering narcotics.

Read more here.

Government restoring order to “broken” immigration system.

The government has made clear its commitment to bring down historically high levels of net migration as new statistics released today show net migration grew almost 5 times higher in the space of 4 years to a record level of almost one million and is still 4 times higher than it was before the pandemic.

Read more here.

UK opens pre-travel requirement to non-Europeans.

The UK Government is introducing Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for millions of visitors who pass through the UK border every year, including six million from the USA, Canada, and Australia. From today all eligible non-European visitors can apply for an ETA and will need one to travel to the UK from 8 January 2025.

Read more here.

Crackdown on illegal party drugs crossing the border.

Over 90 tonnes of illegal drugs have been seized by Border Force so far this year, a 92% increase on the year before, including 19 tonnes of cocaine.

Read more here.

New measures to protect victims of domestic abuse.

Providing vital protection to victims, for the first time all types of domestic abuse will be covered – including physical, psychological, stalking, and coercive control. The new Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Orders will also be handed out by all courts (family, civil, and criminal), meaning more perpetrators will be forced to live under restrictions. 

They will initially launch in Greater Manchester, three London boroughs and with the British Transport Police. They will also be used in Cleveland and North Wales from early 2025 ahead of a national rollout.

The Domestic Abuse Protection Notices can be issued by the police immediately following any incident of abuse, providing protection straight away and giving police time to apply for a Domestic Abuse Protection Order to secure longer term protection for the victim.

Read more here.

PM pledges joint action to keep women and girls safe at night.

Reiterating his personal commitment to halve violence against women and girls, the Prime Minister confirmed that his government will make spiking a new criminal offence. This sends a clear signal that this is a crime, and perpetrators should feel the full force of the law, empowering victims to report offences and giving them confidence the justice system will support them.

Read more here.

Rogue employers will be banned from hiring overseas workers.

Shameless employers who commit serious offences will be banned from hiring overseas workers as part of a government crackdown on visa abuse and prevent exploitation.

Delivering on a key manifesto commitment, businesses that repeatedly flout visa rules or commit serious employment breaches, such as not paying the National Minimum Wage, will be barred from hiring overseas workers. 

Read more here.

Seven-year ban for director of Turkish restaurant who hired illegal workers.

The owner of a former Turkish restaurant in Cambridgeshire has been banned as a company director for seven years after employing three illegal workers.

Read more here.

Lord Hanson Black Friday message on “Stop! Think Fraud”

Lord Hanson, Minister for Fraud, posted this tweet, delivering his message on avoiding fraud this Black Friday and into the festive season.

Stakeholder campaigns

Safer London – See Beyond launch: A toolkit for supporting young women in custody.

See Beyond is a toolkit that provides recommendations, guidance and resources for criminal justice sector professionals and practitioners to support young women who have been exploited into harmful behaviours.

Join us online on Wednesday, 4th December, 11:00am – 12:00pm to learn about the toolkit’s development and hear from a Safer London caseworker who will share insights from their work, underscoring the importance of focusing on safeguarding rather than criminalisation.

Register for the event here.

See Beyond is supported by the Barrow Cadbury Trust.