THE Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has always been an ambitious outfit. After having done well in its first-ever election in Delhi in 2013, the party of Arvind Kejriwal came to power but thereafter, it failed to keep up the momentum. The party could not stay in power in Delhi for long and also did miserably in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. However, as people started to write off the party which vowed to fight corruption, the AAP made a solid comeback in the 2020 elections in Delhi. The party, however, has failed to expand its base beyond the national capital despite contesting in other states. On Monday (14), Kejriwal announced that AAP will contest in all 182 seats in Gujarat in next year’s Assembly elections. The party had contested the state elections in 2017 as well but failed to win any seat. Will its fate see a change this time?
Eastern Eye spoke to Rameshbhai Nabhani, a member of AAP Gujarat state committee and one of the party’s frontline organisers based in North Gujarat. An advocate by profession who lives in Palanpur in Banaskantha district of North Gujarat, Nabhani spoke on a range of issues about AAP’s plan for next year’s polls in Gujarat.
Aam Aadmi Party Gujarat state organisational member Rameshbhai Nabhani (Credit: Rameshbhai Nabhani)
Here is what he told EE over phone:
EE:Was there no formal AAP office in Gujarat before Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal went to the state on June 14 and launched the state headquarters or is it a new beginning for the party?
Nabhani: Yes, Kejriwal came to the state to launch the party headquarters. But it was also a way to showcase the fact that the AAP is a much stronger force now in Gujarat than what it was earlier. We will contest in all 182 seats this time. We have made our organisation much strong and it will deliver next year.
EE: What makes you feel that the AAP is now a much stronger force? In 2017, the party had a no show in the Assembly elections.
Nabhani: It may look like apparently that the AAP is a weak player in Gujarat but if you see its results in various district elections in the state, you will find that it has been winning some seats almost everywhere. Starting from winning 27 seats in this year’s Surat municipal corporation elections, the AAP has made significant gains in many other civic polls and that is an encouraging trend.
EE: So in a way, you are saying that the AAP’s good performance in the local polls makes you confident about its organisation and that it will deliver in the state elections next year?
Nabhani: Truly. We have worked hard on our city-level organisations. In times of the pandemic, we have reached out to people in more numbers and that has made people trust in us more. We have focused on small works and going from door to door to speak with people. This has helped us in improving our base.
EE: The AAP will have to fight not one but two big forces in the state polls in the form of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Opposition Congress which did well last time. Are you confident that the mission is achievable?
Nabhani: While the AAP is gaining trust of more and more people, the Congress is out of the mind of the common Gujaratis. People are also upset with the BJP, thanks to the Covid situation and rising prices. So, we have an advantage for sure.
EE: What are the main areas that you think the AAP could do well in the 2022 Assembly polls?
Nabhani: We are particularly confident about doing well in South Gujarat. In places like Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara, we are sure of doing well. But having said that, it is not that we can’t do it in the northern parts, like Mahesana.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah (Photo: REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis).
EE: Kejriwal said during his rally in Ahmedabad that Gujarat is not getting the due it deserves. He said in times of the pandemic, the state received an orphan-like treatment. He is saying it when the fact is the prime minister and home minister of the country belong to Gujarat? Will people buy this claim of the AAP leader?
Nabhani: What you are saying is certainly not incorrect. Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah definitely belong to Gujarat but I am afraid that they have run out of agenda now. The government at the Centre only has agenda like Hindutva and Mandir but those are not going to deliver in elections any more. The struggle of Gujarat is not reaching them anymore. The state leadership has also failed to play its role.
Family members and relatives carry the body of their loved one who died of the Covid-19 coronavirus at a crematorium in Ahmedabad on May 8, 2021. The AAP says it has reached out to people in times of the crisis and that has earned it trust. (Photo by SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images)
EE: Will anti-incumbency against the BJP, which is ruling Gujarat for more than two decades now, be the AAP’s main weapon?
Nabhani: No, we are not banking on anti-incumbency but our own work for the people. As we speak, our workers are working hard to reach out to people in these tough times. We have not rested once the second wave broke out and are helping people with oxygen cylinders and hospital beds. This is how we want to win the people’s trust and not just bank on anti-incumbency against another party’s government. Our agenda is our work.
EE: Why did the AAP fare so badly in the 2017 elections in Gujarat?
Nabhani: The party was still young and I acknowledge that we were not ready yet then.
EE: If the AAP wins the Gujarat elections, will it project a chief ministerial face?
Nabhani: 'Janata' (people) is our face. Once we do well in the elections, those issues will not be difficult to address.
Keir Starmer speaks during a reception for public sector workers at 10 Downing Street in London on July 1, 2025. (Photo by CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer faced the most serious test of his leadership on Tuesday (1) as his government’s flagship welfare reforms came under fierce attack from within his own party.
The day was marked by emotional speeches, last-minute concessions, and a deep sense of division among Labour MPs, many of whom said the proposed changes would push vulnerable people into poverty
The atmosphere in the House of Commons as tense, with about 50 Labour MPs expected to vote against the bill, reported The Times.
The government, aware of the scale of the rebellion, was reportedly considering further concessions, including delaying the most controversial measures until after a full review of the welfare system.
One of the most contentious points was the introduction of a four-point threshold for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) eligibility, which critics said would deny help to those unable to wash or dress below the waist from November 2026
Marie Tidball, one of the only MPs with a visible physical disability, delivered a moving speech, saying, “It is with a broken heart that I will be voting against this bill today. As a matter of conscience, I need my constituents to know I cannot support the proposed changes to PIP as currently drafted. Low-level support like PIP helps disabled people, keeping us out of the dark corners of hospitals, prisons and social care settings.”
She warned that the changes could put about 150,000 people into poverty.
Apsana Begum, MP for Poplar and Limehouse, has announced she will vote against the bill, citing deep concerns about its impact on disabled people.
Apsana Begum
Begum said, “When it comes to people’s lives and wellbeing, there can be no compromise. Politics should serve people – not the other way around.” She criticised the planned £3.5 billion cuts to disability benefits, calling them unacceptable.
The MP expressed strong opposition to what she described as a “two-tier system” that would force disabled people into greater hardship.
Begum also pointed out the anxiety felt by disabled constituents in her area, who have already endured years of austerity and hardship. “I say to them: I am with you,” she declared.
She also condemned other welfare measures such as the two-child limit and the “poisonous narrative” that blames people for their poverty. “My constituents voted for an end to austerity. They want a welfare system that supports people, not one that pushes into poverty,” Begum said.
“That’s why I’m voting against this cruel Disability Benefit Cuts bill”
Rebecca Long Bailey, a former Labour leadership contender, echoed these concerns. She said the planned cuts “will still push hundreds of thousands of vulnerable sick and disabled people into poverty,” adding that “existing claimants will live in fear that if the situation changes and they are reassessed, they could lose everything under the new system.”
Long Bailey criticised the government for rushing the bill through without proper consultation, warning that it would worsen human rights violations already highlighted by the United Nations
Dame Meg Hillier, who had initially led efforts to block the bill, withdrew her amendment after the government agreed to a “staggered approach.”
She told the Commons, “Divided parties do not hold power or government. If we want to power our government, if we want to see our values in this country, we have to vote for this today.” Yet she admitted that “there is still a lot to be done” to protect disabled people and those seeking work
Meanwhile, the government’s climbdown last week was prompted by a major revolt from Labour MPs who argued the original proposals went too far. More than 120 MPs had signalled their willingness to rebel, forcing ministers to water down the changes.
The new plan means the stricter criteria for sickness and disability benefits will only apply to new claimants, not those already receiving support
Secretary of state for work and pensions, Liz Kendall, presented the revised bill to parliament, but newly released government data estimated that even the watered-down reforms could push an extra 150,000 people into poverty.
This left some Labour MPs still reluctant to back the bill, with backbenchers exposing “so many holes in the government’s plans,” as one put it
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds told Times Radio, “We’re all trying to find a way to protect the most vulnerable people and get people back into work if they need it,” defending the government’s approach.
However, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch rejected the bill outright, calling it “a fudge” and saying, “A fundamental and serious programme to reform our welfare system is required, and this bill is not it."
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Letby, from Hereford in western England, was charged in 2020 after a series of deaths in the hospital's neo-natal unit.
POLICE on Tuesday said they had arrested three senior staff members at the hospital where nurse Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies. The arrests were made on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
The investigation was launched in 2023 at the Countess of Chester Hospital (CoCH) in northwest England, following Letby’s conviction and life sentence for killings that took place between 2015 and 2016.
Arrests part of wider criminal probe
Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes said the three individuals were "part of the senior leadership team at the CoCH in 2015-2016" and were arrested on Monday.
He confirmed they were held on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and have been released on bail.
Hughes said the arrests were the first under the wider criminal investigation into the hospital’s handling of the baby deaths. He added that the arrests had no impact on Letby’s convictions.
Letby case and ongoing review
The case drew national attention during trials held in 2023 and 2024. Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others.
Letby, from Hereford in western England, was charged in 2020 after a series of deaths in the hospital's neo-natal unit. She has maintained her innocence throughout.
According to the prosecution, she attacked the premature babies—usually during night shifts—by injecting air, overfeeding with milk, or using insulin.
In February, a panel of international experts said the evidence used to convict her was flawed. They suggested the babies may have died due to natural causes or poor medical care.
Letby’s legal team has submitted an application to the independent Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to examine if there was a possible miscarriage of justice in her two trials.
(With inputs from AFP)
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Uber Eats and Deliveroo will tighten ID checks, including facial verification, to curb illegal migrant work after UK government pressure. (Photo: Getty Images)
FOOD delivery companies Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have agreed to strengthen security measures, including facial verification checks, to prevent irregular migrants from working through their platforms, following criticism from the UK government.
The announcement came after the Labour government summoned the three firms for a meeting in response to a report by The Sun which exposed how some migrants were bypassing rules and working illegally in the gig economy sector.
Although the companies already have controls to verify workers’ legal right to work in the UK, the Home Office said "there continues to be abuse in the sector" through account sharing.
Facial verification checks to be expanded
According to the government, many asylum seekers who cross the Channel and await decisions on their asylum claims are using verified delivery driver accounts rented from others to work illegally. These individuals do not have the legal right to work while their claims are pending.
The Home Office said the delivery platforms have “agreed to increase the use of facial verification checks” to ensure “only registered account holders can work off their platforms.” The companies also committed to “combat illegal working”.
“We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to illegal working across the board,” said Border Security and Asylum minister Angela Eagle.
Immigration pressure and proposed legislation
Prime minister Keir Starmer has faced pressure from the anti-immigration Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage to reduce irregular migration. A new immigration bill currently before parliament seeks to expand police powers against smuggling networks and tighten work eligibility controls.
Since January, over 19,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats to reach the UK from France, marking a record number for this point in the year despite efforts to deter such journeys.
French officials, including former interior minister Gerald Darmanin, have said that the availability of illegal work opportunities in the UK continues to act as a pull factor for migrants making the crossing.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Joseph has chaired several BRIT Awards shows and was an executive producer of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning 2015 documentary Amy.
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS (RSA) has announced the appointment of David Joseph CBE as its next chief executive officer. He will take over the role in September, succeeding Andy Haldane.
Joseph previously served as chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK for 17 years. During his time at the company, he oversaw its transformation into a global exporter of British music and worked with several major international artists.
He began his career in advertising before moving into music, where he held roles in artist development and label management. He became chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK in 2008.
Alongside his commercial career, Joseph has been involved in a number of social and cultural initiatives. In 2019, he launched Universal Music’s Creative Differences initiative, which produced the first industry handbook for supporting neurodiversity in the workplace. The handbook has been adopted by more than 200 organisations globally.
He is a founding board member of Julie’s Bicycle, a group focused on climate issues in the cultural sector, and served on the National Council of Arts Council England for eight years. In 2013, he collaborated with Baroness Doreen Lawrence to mark the 20th anniversary of Stephen Lawrence’s murder through the Unity project. He also serves as Chair of the Grenfell Foundation.
Joseph has chaired several BRIT Awards shows and was an executive producer of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning 2015 documentary Amy.
RSA Chair Sir Loyd Grossman said: “David’s commitment to effecting social change, his compassion and his commitment to nurturing people is exemplary.
“We are thrilled that David will join us in the autumn, knowing that he will foster a collaborative and caring culture that speaks to our fellows, partners, staff teams and the wider world. These qualities make David superbly placed to lead the RSA into its next vital phase, and we are thrilled to have him on board.”
Commenting on his appointment, Joseph said: “The RSA has a remarkable heritage and untapped potential. At a time when fresh thinking and collective action are urgently needed across the globe, the RSA is uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change - uniting its rich tradition of arts, creativity and policy influence with the energy of its global Fellowship to spark ideas that shape society. I’m excited to join such a talented organisation where we will build a bold new chapter together.”
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People take part in a protest against disability welfare cuts on June 30, 2025 in London. (Photo: Getty Images)
DOZENS of Labour MPs are expected to vote against the government’s welfare reforms despite recent concessions aimed at easing opposition.
The government had initially planned to tighten eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (Pip) but later said the stricter rules would only apply to new claimants from November 2025.
Ministers also promised a review of the Pip assessment process, in partnership with disability organisations, due to conclude by autumn 2026.
More than 120 Labour MPs had signed an amendment to block the legislation, though a revised amendment supported by 39 MPs and backed by disability charities remains active.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told the BBC her party would oppose the bill, saying, “The benefits bill is too high. It was £40bn just before Covid. It is now projected to be a £100bn by 2030. And what Labour is doing is not making any savings at all.”
Labour MP Olivia Blake, who opposes the reforms, told BBC Newsnight, “I strongly believe that these kind of punitive measures of cutting welfare are not going to have the outcomes that we've been told they will.”
According to Department for Work and Pensions modelling, the revised proposals could push 150,000 people into poverty by 2030, down from an earlier estimate of 250,000.
Sir Stephen Timms, who will lead the review, told BBC Newsnight the government’s measures would help reduce poverty and make Pip more sustainable.