Morning briefing Monday 13th July

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0:36This is Times Radio's morning briefing on Monday the 13th of June. I'm Chris Dabbs. A fast-moving murder investigation into the death of former Minister Anne Whittacombe has shifted to South Yorkshire following the arrest of a 28-year-old man in Rotherham. The 78-year-old politician was found dead with serious head injuries at her Dartmoor home on Thursday, with police believing she was attacked the previous afternoon. CCTV footage has now emerged appearing to show a man leaving an address linked to the suspect on the morning of the killing, placing a foot-long wooden stick into a car before driving off.

1:11A substantial police presence remains in Rotherham as forensic teams search the property. Officers stress they're not looking for anyone else and have found no evidence to suggest the horrific attack was terrorism-related or politically motivated. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has been accused of exploiting Ms. Whittacombe's murder for political propaganda purposes. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is considering a major compromise on immigration to appease backbenchers and the incoming Andy Burnham administration. Up to 1.6 million migrants who arrived since 2021 could be exempted from controversial plans to double the qualifying period for permanent residency from five years to a decade.

1:51Under the After proposed concessions, these foreign workers would still secure indefinite leave to remain after five years, but would face significantly longer waiting times before they can access state benefits or welfare support. Labour MP and member of the Home Affairs Select Committee Dr Peter Prinzi told us that he believes that keeping the period as is for those already here would be the right thing to do. The issue was that a lot of people came here in the so-called Boris way, more than a million people arrived and these people are getting to the point now where they are due to get indefinite leave to remain which is you know five years after they arrived and the proposal originally was that this would be extended for another five years and it seemed very unfair for people who are already in the system to suddenly have to find themselves you know having to wait yet another five years.

2:42Breast cancer charities have slammed what they call an inexcusable postcode lottery that leaves patients in England, Wales and Northern Ireland blocked from accessing the life-extending drug Enhirtu. Campaigners say thousands are missing out on a treatment already available in Scotland and 26 European nations. Health officials at NICE say price deadlocks are being renegotiated under new cost-effectiveness rules. The government has announced a£250 million funding boost to increase policing in Jewish communities following a rise in anti-Semitic attacks. The three-year investment will fund over 500 additional officers across England and Wales, boosting high visibility patrols and specialist security outside synagogues and schools.

3:26There are more on these stories throughout the day on Times Radio.

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