Extra 400,000 people to be deemed unfit for work under Labour reforms

An extra 400,000 people could be signed off as unfit for work under Labour’s controversial welfare reforms, the government’s own figures show.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall declared ministers were being “ambitious for our people and our country” as she announced plans to slash £5bn from the benefits bill earlier this month.

Alongside the cuts, she pledged changes to the system designed to get the long-term sick back into work.

But the government’s own analysis of the impact of the changes show far more people will receive the top level of incapacity benefit by 2030 than previously thought.

This is because ministers scrapped Conservative plans that would have resulted in more of those with mobility and mental health problems looking for work.

Labour insists that their changes will ultimately get people back to work, once the impact of their £1bn employment support programme kicks in.

However, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has warned it has seen no evidence of how the reforms will boost employment.

The cuts to the welfare budget have prompted fury among many Labour MPs.

But Ms Kendall has insisted that they are necessary to fix a “broken” benefits system her party inherited from the last Tory government.

As part of her plans, she reduced the top rate of incapacity benefits for those deemed unfit for any work, saying the move was necessary to take away “perverse financial incentives that the Tories created, which actively encourage people into welfare dependency”.

Official estimates last autumn suggested their number would increase to 2.6 million by 2030 if nothing was done.

However, updated estimates in an impact assessment finally released last week show numbers will rise to 3 million by the end of the decade, despite the reforms which will halve the payment for new claimants.

Government sources told The Times, which first reported the story, that the main reason for the rise was that ministers had reversed planned changes to the work capability assessment, through which people qualify for incapacity benefits.

These would have required more people with mobility and mental health problems to take steps to prepare for work.

The OBR has previously estimated it would have meant around 450,000 fewer people in the top category of incapacity benefit by 2030, The Times reported.

Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, said: “It takes a particular level of incompetence to bring forward a welfare reform plan which leaves more people on out of work benefits and fewer people in work, according to the official forecasts.

“Labour inherited reforms which would have seen hundreds of thousands fewer people on long-term benefits where there are no requirements to take steps towards work. They have scrapped those principled reforms and instead chosen to rush through cuts to disability benefits designed purely to save the chancellor from breaking her fiscal rules.”

Missing couple’s mystery disappearance ‘out of character’, police say

A Dorchester couple’s failure to return home after visiting family in Essex has sparked concern, with police describing their disappearance as “out of character.”

76-year-olds John and Joan were last seen in the Clacton area on March 27 and are believed to have left Essex the following day.

While Dorset Police believe the couple returned to the Dorset area, they have not been seen at their home, and their current location remains unknown. Adding to the concern, the couple were travelling in a red Ford Kuga, registration HF74 KRO, which has also not been located. Police are urging anyone with information about the couple’s whereabouts or who may have seen their vehicle to contact them immediately.

Inspector Charlotte Lee said: “We understand it is very out of character for John and Joan to go missing like this, so we are keen to find them and make sure they are all right.

“I would urge anyone with information regarding their whereabouts to please make contact with us immediately. We also want to encourage anyone who comes across the vehicle described above to please report it to police.

“Finally, I would like to make an appeal directly to John and Joan, if you see this to please make contact with us or your family and let us know where you are. We all just want to check that you are OK.”

John is described as about five feet ten inches tall with a slim build. His short grey hair, tinged with red, is thinning on top, and he sometimes wears glasses.

Joan stands around five feet two inches tall with a larger build. Her blonde hair, now turning grey, reaches the nape of her neck.

Anyone with information should contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55250044523.

Heathrow bosses were warned of power failure risk days before shutdown

Heathrow bosses were warned of the risk of the failure of a power substation days before an electrical fire shut the airport for almost 24 hours, MPs have been told.

Nigel Wicking, chief executive of the Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee (HAOC), said: “I’d actually warned Heathrow of concerns that we had with regard to the substations and my concern was resilience.”

A fire broke out in a transformer within the North Hyde electrical substation in Hayes, north of Heathrow, late in the evening of Thursday 20 March. In the early hours of Friday morning, 21 March, the airport announced it would close until at least midnight – though later that evening, some flights were allowed to depart.

More than 1,400 flights were diverted or cancelled by the shutdown, affecting a quarter of a million passengers.

Mr Wicking heads the body representing more than 90 airlines using the UK’s busiest airport.

The airlines’ representative told the transport select committee that he first raised the issue on 15 March “following a number of, a couple of incidents of, unfortunately, theft, of wire and cable”.

He said the loss of power “on one of those occasions, took out the lights on the runway for a period of time”.

“That obviously made me concerned,” he said.

Mr Wicking spoke to the chief operating officer and chief customer officer two days before the fire closed Heathrow.

A Heathrow spokesperson said: “The incident Mr Wicking referred to had no relation to the North Hyde substation – it did not involve the three main incoming power supplies to the airport. This issue related to a minor substation, of which there are 250 at the airport.

“We were well aware of that incident before Mr Wicking raised it. Our contingencies were stood up and the incident was resolved quickly, resulting in no impact to passengers journeys.”

A Heathrow source said: “To draw a comparison between these incidents is irresponsible.”

The airport’s chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, also took questions from MP 12 days after the shutdown. He insisted Heathrow had no choice but to shut down due to safety concerns.

He said: “When we cannot guarantee and have full visibility and confidence that we can operate the airport safely then we cannot operate the airport.”

“The only thing we could have done worse than that would have been to let passengers travel from an unsafe airport. That is not an option and we cannot compromise on that.

“If we had not done that, we would have had thousands of passengers stranded at the airport. High risk of personal injury. Gridlocked roads around the airport.”

“The risk of having literally tens of thousands of people stranded at the airport where we had nowhere to put them, we could not process them, would have been a disastrous scenario which we could not look into – and which, by the way, was also agreed by the airlines on the day.”

Mr Woldbye said the “unprecedented” event triggered the need to “power down maybe 1,000 systems and switch back on 1,000 systems”. He said it involves “a very complicated process that you need to execute in a certain sequence” and that the systems were restored “as fast as we possibly could”.

The command and control system “worked exactly right,” he said – adding that to create a fully resilient electrical system would cost upwards of £1bn.

As airlines sought to get their schedules back on track, the chaos dragged on for days.

Mr Wicking said airlines had lost between £60m and £100m as a result of the closure. He rejected the notion that airlines should finance increased resilience, saying: “We already pay enough for Heathrow. I don’t think we should be paying more for further resilience. The resilience should have been there in the first place.”

The airlines’ representative also said that carriers had pressed the airport to be allowed to fly the 100-plus diverted aircraft to Heathrow as soon as possible, to get passengers, planes, pilots and cabin crew in the right place.

He said that Terminal 5 was “fine to operate” from 10am onwards – about 12 hours before it eventually opened for departures – and that UK Border Force was fully staffed for processing inbound passengers.

“I don’t think there was any reason for T5 not to be open. T5 felt they were absolutely ready.”

Mr Woldbye rejected the possibility, saying: “We did that as fast as we could with regard to the safety of passengers.”

Heathrow, and the many businesses its activities support, particularly in west London, also lost millions of pounds as a result of the shutdown.

The wider harm to the UK economy – in terms of inbound tourism and reputational damage – is incalculable.

The emotional impact for the 250,000-plus passengers whose flights were cancelled or diverted was also immense, with some people missing important family events including weddings and funerals.

The Heathrow CEO confirmed a rumour in aviation circles that at one point during the shutdown, more than 1,000 people joined a call on Microsoft Teams. He said: “In one call we maxed out, more than 1,000 people. We have rectified that already. That will not happen again.”

He added that Heathrow’s communication with airlines had received “only very positive feedback”. He said: “Some of them have written to us saying that the communication given to them during the incident was first class.”

But Nigel Wicking, representing the airlines, said: “I think there’s something to be investigated there as to whether Heathrow should be more consumer and customer aware. There’s often conversations that ‘there’s Heathrow customers and there’s the airline customers’.

“But in the end, they’re all the travelling public and we need to make sure that all the appropriate parties are communicating with that community and they’re well informed as to where things are going to be.”

Listen to Simon Calder’s podcast about the hearing into the Heathrow shutdown

Celebration destination: Enjoy life’s biggest moments in the Caribbean

With its turquoise-coloured waters, reliably blue skies, and unparalleled natural beauty, the Caribbean is one of the most desirable destinations for a special getaway. From Antigua to Saint Vincent, St Lucia and Barbados, each island offers something a little different – whether you’re looking for a romantic honeymoon retreat, the perfect place to celebrate a milestone birthday, or a fun spot to enjoy a week (or two) of active pursuits with family and friends.

Sandals’ all-inclusive, adult-only resorts are the perfect way to enjoy the islands in luxurious surroundings. Dotted across the Caribbean, each resort has its own unique identity while staying true to the five-star Sandals ethos. But which one do you choose for your own personal celebration?

Here we look at a range of celebrations worthy of an unforgettable holiday and the perfect Sandals resorts to enjoy them in.

If you like your holidays to be as adventurous as they are relaxing, you’re sure to love the many activities offered at Sandals Grande Antigua and Sandals Saint Vincent. Explore the ocean bed with Sandals’s very own comprehensive PADI® Certified scuba diving programmes, and see beautiful reefs and shipwrecks up close alongside the professional supervision of PADI® certified staff and Newton dive boats. There’s also a wealth of water sports available including kayaking and paddleboarding or, if dry land is more your thing, why not spend your days playing beach volleyball, croquet, and tennis? All activities are included at either resort making your trip hassle free and flexible.

If you’re looking for somewhere to make a real occasion of a celebration or simply hide away on a romantic getaway, the Royal Barbados resort is one of Sandals’s most elegant options. The resort offers an extra level of extravagance that makes every day an unforgettable experience – from swim-up suites, Rolls Royce transfers from the airport when you stay in select suites, to a rooftop pool and restaurant, and catamaran cruises. There’s even a bowling alley if you fancy some good old-fashioned fun, or an alternative option for a date night.

On the beautiful island of Curaçao, lies the Sandals Royal Curaçao resort nestled within the heart of Leeward Antilles. The resort has plenty of opportunity for more intimate stays in its seaside butler bungalows complete with private pools and soaking tubs, while private cabanas and local tours leave you plenty of options for making an anniversary or birthday feel extra special. The parties around the pool or on the beach also make this a fun destination for celebrating a loved one.

Jamaica plays host to a number of Sandals resorts that make the perfect destination for honeymoons and group trips alike. The Sandals Royal Caribbean, for instance, offers over-the-water private villas complete with glass floors, hammocks and butler service, on the resort’s own private island. Ocean-view and swim-up rooms also offer a first-class experience for groups and friends spending time together. Alternatively, it’s hard to imagine a more romantic stay than at Sandals South Coast, where you can stay in spectacular, luxurious overwater villas arranged in the shape of a heart, offering an unmatched connection to the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea and rich marine life below.

Meanwhile, the Sandals Ochi resort in Jamaica offers the best of both worlds for honeymooners and party goers (or those wanting to enjoy both) with private butler villas, white sand beach, and 11 unique bars. Its vibrant atmosphere is ideal for those wanting to relax and party during their stay.

While every Sandals resort offers a luxurious experience, if you’re really looking to splurge and treat yourself, the re-imagined Sandals Royal Bahamian should be on your wishlist. Located in Nassau in the Bahamas, it has everything you could dream of from a holiday destination. Swim-up suites with butler service will help you leave the stresses and strains of everyday life behind, while pristine-white beaches, an award-winning Red Lane spa and 10 specialty restaurants will make your stay as enjoyable as it is relaxing. A short trip by boat will also take you to the Sandals private island with its own bar, restaurant and pool. Luxury adventure tours around the island will also make exploring the rest of the island easy and convenient.

St Lucia is one of the most beautiful and picturesque islands of the Caribbean, and our top destination for visiting with parents. Resorts such as the Grande St Lucian sit on their own peninsula with 360 degrees of volcanic mountains and crystal-clear ocean views to enjoy. As such, it’s the perfect place for making mum or dad feel truly appreciated. In addition to five grande pools, there’s also a Cap Estate Golf & Country Club for serious parental bonding time, not to mention a range of outdoor activities including reading road trips where guests meet children from the island, Catamaran sunset cruises, and carnival experiences.

Discover Sandals’s full range of Caribbean resorts here

What does Marine Le Pen’s conviction mean for France and Europe?

Marine Le Pen, de facto leader of French far-right party Rassemblement National (RN), is banned from contesting any public election for five years after being found guilty of embezzlement.

She says she will appeal but this will take time and possibly puts her planned bid for the French presidency in 2027 out of reach.

Her unexpected conviction has been met with a fierce backlash from allies across the world, notably including President Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni, prime minister of Italy. Viktor Orban, prime minister of Hungary declared on social media “Je Suis Marine!”.

France, already unstable after the snap parliamentary elections last summer, now has the prospect of public protests in support of Le Pen.

What did Marine Le Pen do wrong?

A glib answer would be that she got caught. She was arraigned on charges of embezzling funds from the European parliament, of which she was a long-term member, for more than a decade. She did not personally benefit from any such activity, but it was found that she had diverted monies intended to be used for her work as an MEP into her cash-strapped political party. This was against the rules and a criminal act, but experts on the ways of the European parliament attest it is a not uncommon practice across the political spectrum.

Her supporters say she is the victim of a conspiracy by the French state to prevent her bid for power in 2027. Her critics argue that, whatever other people were up to, she is not above the law.

Certainly not immediately. The injunction against her standing for election doesn’t affect her status as a member of the French parliament, and the four-year nominal jail sentence would only begin after she has exhausted all the possible legal avenues to lift the ban or reverse the verdict.

Even if she is unsuccessful, she wouldn’t be incarcerated: she would serve two years under surveillance wearing an ankle bracelet, and then a two-year suspended sentence provided she stays out of trouble. She is also liable now for a €100,000 fine.

Hard to say, but it could take so long, and be such a distraction, that it effectively takes her out of the running for the Elysee Palace.

Yes. It comes after Romanian courts cancelled a dubious election marred by Russian interference and as the former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, faces trial for conspiring to overthrow his freely-elected successor.

Only Trump has bucked the trend, making a remarkable comeback after his 6 January 2021 insurrection and now the beneficiary of a Supreme Court decision granting him wide immunity from prosecution in the pursuit of his official duties.

It is huge. Le Pen was the favourite to win the 2027 contest, and already holds an effective veto in the French parliament, and, thus, on President Emmanuel Macron’s domestic agenda. She has made him a lame duck at home, and she had high hopes of succeeding him.

As the European Union’s second largest economy after Germany, now exercising its traditional role as political driving force in Brussels, France matters.

Le Pen probably would not now try to lead France out of the EU – that would likely mean a referendum – but she and her numerous far-right allies across the continent and in the European parliament, could steer it in a radically different direction. The populist/nationalist/far-right hold power or exercise influence in most EU member states, notably Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia and Finland – with the AfD in Germany now the official opposition. It would not take much to turn the EU into some sort of Trumpian power.

With Le Pen out of the running for the French presidency, it is much less likely Europe will fall into the hands of extremists.

Yes, and she could easily run the government from the back seat if another RN politician won. The problem for the RN is that her long political career and her profile mean that she’s much the best – possibly the only – credible candidate they offer. The nominal leader of the RN, Jordan Bardella, is a 29-year old protégé of Le Pen and close to the family; but he lacks experience and few have much confidence in him as a candidate for the next president of the republic.

On the other hand the right-wing backlash from the Le Pen judgment might actually galvanise her movement and propel it to success. Certainly the RN will remain a significant parliamentary bloc, which spells a prolonged period of “immobilisme” if the presidency is held by some more centrist figure – remembering that Macron cannot again.

Provided Le Pen remains barred, in a stronger position. Le Pen and her various political vehicles have long been sympathetic to Vladimir Putin and would be unwilling to commit French forces in the east. As for Brexit, Le Pen would be unwilling to grant any special treatment to the UK, in trade or in defence.