Displaying items by tag: minister resigns

Labour and social security minister Marta Feito Cabrera has resigned following widespread backlash over her comments denying the existence of poverty and homelessness in Cuba. Speaking in the National Assembly, Feito claimed that those seen begging were merely ‘disguised’ and that street workers and recyclers lived ‘easy’ lives funded by untaxed income. Her remarks provoked outrage from citizens and leaders alike, including the president, who criticized the lack of empathy and said that the revolution should not leave anyone behind. Amid Cuba’s worsening economic crisis, due partly to the longstanding and widely criticised US sanctions (recently tightened by Donald Trump) but also to fuel shortages and inflation, many are struggling to access basic needs. Feito’s resignation was accepted after she ‘acknowledged her errors’. The incident has sparked renewed debate on the government's handling of poverty, inequality, and transparency.

Robert Jenrick has resigned as the UK's immigration minister due to disagreements about the Government's new proposed Rwanda legislation, which he believes does not offer sufficient protections to end legal challenges that hinder the scheme. He stated that he found the proposal inadequate for successful implementation, describing it as ‘a triumph of hope over experience’. Sunak expressed disappointment, emphasising the risk of collapsing the scheme by entirely excluding the courts. The Rwanda option, aimed at deterring Channel crossings by asylum seekers, has faced delays and legal challenges, with no transfers as yet. The new bill seeks to circumvent the UK Supreme Court's ruling against the plan by limiting the applicability of the Human Rights Act (HRA) and other laws. However, it stops short of overriding the entire HRA and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as some Conservative MPs desired. Labour's Yvette Cooper criticised the chaotic situation, highlighting the government's struggles. The bill’s potential success seems uncertain amid legal challenges and political divisions within the Conservative party.