Work-based Immigration

Debate between Karen Bradley and Jim Shannon

Monday 26th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dame Karen Bradley]

I thank the Chair of the Liaison Committee for her support allowing us to conduct this work. She makes an important point, and I am sure that many of us have enjoyed eating and drinking in the high-end, excellent restaurants in her constituency. We ensured that experts in the areas were involved in the evaluation committee, but it is a point that we will come back to during our work.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Chair of the Committee for her recommendations and for the hard work that the Committee does. When it comes to work-based immigration, has the Committee had the opportunity to look at seasonal visas for those in the fishing sector? The right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) and I have been pushing the Minister for some time to agree seasonal visas for the fishing sector. Previous meetings with Ministers would seem to suggest a way forward. I am ever mindful that this life is about solutions and opportunities. These people do not want to come to live here; they just want to come for a short period of time, earn money and send it home—and go home as well. Has the right hon. Lady had the opportunity to look at that?

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Debate between Karen Bradley and Jim Shannon

2nd reading
Friday 11th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dame Karen Bradley]

I will give way to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), and then to the previous sponsor of the Bill, the hon. Member for Spen Valley (Kim Leadbeater), and then I will make progress.

[Jim Shannon]

I quote the story of one of my constituents, a motor neurone disease sufferer. He said that, if he had had the option of assisted dying two years ago, he probably would have taken it. But, in his words, “I would have missed out on the most fulfilled two years of my life and the knowledge that I can have more moments like this ahead of me.” His words are, “Please don’t do this, life is worth living.” Does the right hon. Lady agree?

[Dame Karen Bradley]

The hon. Gentleman makes a very important point.

Maccabi Tel Aviv Fan Ban

Debate between Karen Bradley and Jim Shannon

Thursday 26th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dame Karen Bradley]

That would be a question for West Midlands police, but my hon. Friend is right. There obviously is a role for artificial intelligence in many areas of public life, including policing, but when any of us searches for something and artificial intelligence provides information, we should not neglect to double-check the information, click on the links it provides or make sure that we talk to the right people about it.

The West Ham match that was cited as part of the reason for banning away fans and for tensions being identified never happened. Why did someone not pick up the phone to the Metropolitan police and ask what its experience had been at this fictitious match? They would pretty quickly have discovered that the match never took place and that it was not a genuine fixture.

I do hope that West Midlands police and all police forces have learned lessons from this. I must say, I have spoken to other forces that have been incredibly helpful, including the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, who came in front of the Committee. They have been clear that they would not allow this to happen. I do hope that West Midlands police has learned its lesson.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I first of all thank the Chair of the Committee for the report. Sport is always a method of bringing people together, but on this occasion it failed miserably as a result of the conduct of certain police elements that distorted the occasion of a Maccabi Tel Aviv football match. What did the Committee say should happen to those in senior roles who did wrong or who deliberately thwarted the law?

[Dame Karen Bradley]

My hon. Friend is right that sport has a role to play in bringing us together. We have just seen at the winter Olympics the joy that the athletes feel and the sense of pride in the country at the success of Team GB. It is one of those areas where there should not be political tensions or issues. It should be viewed joyfully, and fans should be allowed to enjoy their teams playing. That is something that we do so well in this country, and that is why this incident is such a stain on us. Throughout the years we have managed to facilitate away fans attending games and enjoying those fixtures in a safe way. Football is not what it was in the past; it is a family game now. I go to football matches with my son all the time. I enjoy the atmosphere and I enjoy the fact that it is somewhere families can be. It is a great shame that that did not happen.

The hon. Member asks specifically about senior members of the police. The then chief constable has now retired, but once the conduct inquiry has completed, further action might be taken.