Rajeev Syal

London

Senior Reporter at The Guardian

I cover home affairs for the Guardian. If you have a potential story: [email protected]

Articles

UK wildfires expose ‘postcode lottery’ of firefighting resources, says union

6 days ago | msn.com | Rajeev Syal |Helena Horton

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UK wildfires expose ‘postcode lottery’ of firefighting resources, says union

6 days ago | theguardian.com | Rajeev Syal |Helena Horton

Wildfires across the UK during hot, dry springs and summers have exposed a “postcode lottery” of firefighting resources that must be addressed, the head of the Fire Brigades Union has said. Steve Wright, the general secretary, said public safety was at risk, and called for a statutory body to ensure that each fire and rescue service had enough staff and appliances.
Trans women arrested Britain’s railways to be strip-searched by male officers

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Rajeev Syal

Trans women arrested on Britain’s railways will in future be strip-searched by male officers in an updated policy after a landmark ruling by the supreme court. The British Transport Police said same-sex searches in custody would be conducted “in accordance with the biological birth sex of the detainee” under updated guidance for public bodies.
UK in talks with France about deal to swap people seeking asylum

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Rajeev Syal

The British and French governments are involved in early talks about a returns agreement that would involve both countries exchanging people seeking asylum. Officials have discussed a pilot scheme under which a small number of people who come across the Channel to the UK by irregular means would be sent back to France. The UK would look to accept from France a limited number of people who have a right to be in Britain, especially those with a case for family reunification.
Muslim prisoners in England more likely to be subjected to force, charity finds

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Rajeev Syal

Muslim prisoners are disproportionately subjected to force including pain-inducing techniques by jail staff, according to new data. Freedom of information requests found that in eight out of nine prisons with high Muslim populations, Muslim men were more likely than the average inmate to be confronted with batons, made to wear rigid bar handcuffs, or deliberately held in a painful position.
Hundreds of asylum seekers to be removed from hotels in England

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Rajeev Syal

Hundreds of people seeking asylum are to be removed within weeks from nine hotels across England as the Home Office seeks to show that it has got to grips with the issue. The crackdown will include the closures of a hotel in a village near Windsor Castle after claims of community tensions and racism, and hotels in the West Midlands and Cheshire that have been targeted by far-right activists.
Hundreds of asylum seekers to be removed from hotels in England

1 week ago | msn.com | Rajeev Syal

Microsoft Cares About Your PrivacyMicrosoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
Rise in ‘racist’ online comments by members of unions, says FBU leader

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Rajeev Syal

Trade unions are becoming increasingly concerned by a rise in “racist and bigoted” comments online from their own members and officials, the new leader of the Fire Brigades Union has told the Guardian. Steve Wright, the general secretary of the FBU, said internal inquiries into allegations of racism have uncovered dozens of cases where members have been found to use racist slurs or stereotypes, often regarding asylum seekers. Other unions have had similar incidents, he said.
UK needs annual migration plan to end incoherent policies, says thinktank

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Rajeev Syal

Ministers should introduce an annual migration plan to put an end to decades of “incoherent, disconnected and unpredictable” policies around work visas, according to a Whitehall thinktank. The Institute for Government (IfG) said that successive governments have put forward “reactive, kneejerk policies” formulated when politicians have been questioned by broadcasters over net migration figures.
Keir Starmer to unveil plans for police officers on foot to patrol every busy neighbourhood

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Rajeev Syal |Mimi Ibrahim |Vikram Dodd

Police officers on foot will patrol every busy neighbourhood at peak times as part of a set of community-focused measures to be unveiled by Keir Starmer. In an announcement billed as a return to an era of “bobbies on the beat”, the prime minister will also confirm that every neighbourhood in England and Wales will be given a named and contactable police officer. The plans are expected to be in place by July, and follow the government’s promises to restore confidence in community policing.