POLITICS: Newslinks for Wednesday 31st December 2025 – USSA News

Meddling Euro judges take on Shamima Begum case

“Shamima Begum’s bid to return to the UK was revived after European judges challenged Britain’s stance in the jihadi bride’s case. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has formally told the Home Office to justify its decision to strip the ISIS fanatic of her British citizenship. Ms Begum’s lawyers branded the move an “unprecedented opportunity” as it paves the way for a fresh clash between the UK and Strasbourg. ECHR judges have asked the Government whether it broke human rights and anti-trafficking laws, Ms Begum’s key legal argument. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick told the Daily Express: “Under no circumstances should Shamima Begum ever step foot in the UK again. She chose to get into bed with ISIS terrorists and must now live with the consequences. We don’t need a foreign court in Strasbourg to tell us who can or can’t come into this country. This is yet another glaring example of why we must leave the ECtHR and take back control of our borders.” … The formal “communication” between the ECHR and Home Office will reignite fears Begum could eventually be allowed to travel back to the UK. It signals that Strasbourg believes Ms Begum’s human rights may have been breached. Many cases submitted to the court are thrown out before they reach this stage.” – Daily Express

• ISIS bride Shamima Begum could return to UK with help of European human rights judges – The Sun
• ‘The CHEEK!’ Shamima Begum could RETURN to Britain as EU judges lay down formal challenge to UK – GB News
• ISIS bride Shamima Begum’s bid to return to UK revived after European judges challenge Britain’s stance – LBC News

Abd el-Fattah set to keep British citizenship

“The Home Office will not strip the British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah of his citizenship because his “abhorrent” past social media posts do not meet the legal bar for such a sanction, government sources have said. Abd el-Fattah, who landed in London from Egypt on Boxing Day, has been at the centre of a political storm over social media posts he published more than a decade ago, including tweets in which he called for Zionists to be killed. Keir Starmer said he was “delighted” by Abd el-Fattah’s arrival on Friday after the British government helped secure the activist’s release from years in an Egyptian jail. However, the prime minister has since condemned the tweets and said he was unaware of them. Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, has also launched a review looking into “serious information failures” around the case, after successive Tory and Labour governments had lobbied for Abd el-Fattah’s release as a political prisoner… On Tuesday the activist faced fresh criticism from the Conservatives after his official Facebook account appeared recently to have liked a social media post suggesting “Zionists against Alaa Abd el-Fattah” were behind a “campaign” against him. The Home Office has not officially commented but government sources said the legal bar for revoking citizenship had not been met and the evidential case in relation to Abd el-Fattah had not changed for 12 years, during which he was granted citizenship.” – The Guardian

• Robert Jenrick blasts El-Fattah for ‘scripted and fake’ apology and demands his removal from Britain – GBNews
• Sister of ‘extremist’ Egyptian dissident who Keir Starmer welcomed to Britain praised ‘imagination’ of Hamas militants after 7 October attacks – Daily Mail
• Strip ‘extremist’ of citizenship before Egyptians do, Starmer urged – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

• Keir Starmer has just made us a laughing stock – will he ever put the UK first? – Tim Newark, Daily Express
• Britain Should Have Read the Tweets First – Helen Lewis, The Atlantic
• The case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah is a journalistic failure as well as a political one – Marc Goldberg, Jewish News
• People who won’t accept British values have no place here – Annabel Denham, Daily Telegraph
• The more celebrity supporters a cause attracts, the more likely it is to be terrible – Stephen Daisley, Daily Telegraph

> Today:

> Yesterday:

Labour’s wrecking ball continues

“A group founded by the King to campaign for pubs has written to Rachel Reeves expressing “anger” at the taxes she has imposed on the hospitality industry. Pub is the Hub, set up in 2001 to save pubs at risk of closure, is one of seven organisations warning that “eye-watering increases” in taxes will decimate the hospitality industry. It has accused the Chancellor of breaking her manifesto promise to replace the current business rates regime with a fairer system, “which has left the trade stunned”. The King set up Pub is the Hub as a non-profit organisation because he was concerned about the loss of rural pubs that were often the only remaining community amenity in their area. The organisation gives specialist advice to publicans on how they can diversify their business with the addition of a shop, café or Post Office to remain viable… But 25 years after the need to keep village pubs open was identified, at least one pub a day is predicted to close next year – resulting in “thousands of vital job losses that will be devastating for communities across the country”, the organisation’s letter says.” – Daily Telegraph

• Britain stuck at bottom of G7 for total investment – The Times
• Labour will destroy special forces, warn ex-SAS chiefs – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

• In rural Britain, Labour’s dug its own grave – William Hague, The Times
• This year has been disastrous for British industry. One man is to blame – Tony Lodge, Daily Telegraph
• In my 50 years writing about Britain’s finances, never have I been more shocked by the incompetence of a government. Labour have crippled the economy after a series of blunders and U-turns… and this is why it could get worse – Alex Brummer, Daily Mail

> Today:

News in brief:

• How one Egyptian activist accidentally exposed the British establishment – Ben Sixsmith, The Critic
• Britain’s free speech paradox: The law has become incoherent – Jonathan Sumption, UnHerd
• Tags for asylum seekers are a huge distraction – David Shipley, The Spectator
• AI needs to prove itself where it matters most – Steve Hare, CityAM

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