Theresa May

Coalition confusion over EU human trafficking directive

After giving the concrete answer of ‘no’ when asked whether the government would be signing the European directive on human trafficking just three months ago, is the coalition on the brink of doing an about turn? Last month, Home Office minister Lynne Featherstone told the Commons that the coalition had “decided not to opt in to the European directive at the moment”; yet last week, Solicitor General Edward Garnier seemed certain that the directive had in fact already been signed.

Home secretary forced to “water down” immigration speech

The Financial Times reports today that home secretary Teresa May was forced to “water down” her first major speech on immigration last week, after an intervention from Downing Street and business secretary Vince Cable. Unnamed sources within the government told the FT that May’s original speech was “over the top” – with particular objections to passages which attacked the level of Tier 1 visas.

Tory tax credit policy in disarray

Theresa May appeared to contradict George Osborne this morning on tax credits. But the Conservative’s figures don’t add up – their policy would save £352.5 less than they estimate.