Tory woes compounded as ex-deputy leader Lord Heseltine says party has ‘no appeal’ to him

Lord Heseltine has said he would find it very difficult to vote for anyone who backs Brexit, hinting at his displeasure at the current state of the Tory Party.

Speaking on GB News, he told Camilla Tominey that no party “has appeal” to him.

He bemoaned the immigration debate that he believes is focused on “stoking up human indignation and resentments” and called for a party to show support for rejoining the European Union (EU).

Asked by Camilla who he would vote for, he admitted to giving a “cop out answer” as he referenced his inability to take to the ballot box given his title.

Psychic eagle who predicted England's Euro 2024 win picks General Election winner

A psychic eagle has predicted who will win the upcoming General Election and it might bring jitters to candidates across the country.

African tawny bird Honey, who correctly guessed England would defeat Serbia in the Three Lions' opening Euro 2024 clash, was given sight of both leaders before selecting the winner.

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Sunak claims Labour would UNDO progress on trans policy - 'Loopholes will be exploited'

Rishi Sunak has suggested Labour’s policy on gender recognition would undo progress on the issue, claiming it would create “loopholes that would be exploited by bad faith actors”.

Speaking to journalists in Edinburgh, the Prime Minister said: “What I’ve seen from the Labour Party is they’re going to undo all the progress that we’ve made on this issue, undermine the protections that we’ve put in place for women’s rights and their safety and security.

“And create loopholes that will be exploited by bad faith actors.”

He said Labour had never “properly cared or understood this issue”.

Labour has plans to amend the process for changing gender if elected.

It is understood that a medical diagnosis would still be required to apply for a gender recognition certificate but the sign-off would come from one specialist doctor rather than a panel.

The party would remove the need for those who want to change their gender to provide proof they have lived as that gender for two years after diagnosis.

Instead, they would introduce a two-year “reflection period” after the application for the certificate.

Nigel Farage rages at Sadiq Khan after black cab taxis BANNED from flying England flag during Euros

Nigel Farage has slammed Sadiq Khan after London cabbies were banned from flying England flags during the European Championships in Germany.

The Reform UK leader, who is seeking to enter the Commons as the MP for Clacton, accused the London Mayor of "hating England" after TfL warned the capital's 125,000 taxi drivers face harsh penalties for flying flags.

In a four-word social media post, Farage said: “Khan really hates England.”

TfL announced its ban over, which includes other symbols and flags, amid concerns it could distract drivers and other road users.

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Starmer: Tory investigation into gambling is an attempt to knock the story 'into the long grass' 

Sir Keir Starmer said Rishi Sunak’s parallel investigation into election gambling allegations was an effort to knock the story “into the long grass” and showed a “total failure of leadership”.

“He’s announced an investigation, an investigation designed for one purpose, which is to knock this in the long grass to the other side of the election,” Sir Keir said during a stump speech at Northampton Town Football Club.

An investigation should already have been done, Sir Keir said, adding: “It would take half an hour. Who knew? Did you place a bet? That’s it.”

He added: “The desperation over this betting story that’s going around – it goes to the heart of what the Tories have become when their first instinct in relation to a general election is not how to serve the country, how do I get the message out, it’s how quickly can I get to the bookies and make some money.”

Sunak attacks Labour's gender recognition policy

Rishi Sunak has said Labour’s policy on gender recognition would create “loopholes that would be exploited by bad faith actors”.

Speaking to journalists in Edinburgh, he said: “What I’ve seen from the Labour Party is they’re going to undo all the progress that we’ve made on this issue, undermine the protections that we’ve put in place for women’s rights and their safety and security.

“And create loopholes that will be exploited by bad faith actors.”

He said Labour had never “properly cared or understood this issue”.

Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross, who was also at the media huddle, said the reaction from JK Rowling recently showed “how out of touch Labour are with this issue”.

Sunak defends election timing - 'It's the right moment'

The Prime Minister has said he believes he got the timing of the General Election right.

During a media huddle in Edinburgh, he was asked if he would have wanted more months to make his case.

He said: “No – The most important job I had when I was Prime Minister was to restore economic stability back to our country after what has been a really difficult few years with Covid and the war in Ukraine.

“My priority was bring inflation down, because inflation was eating into everyone’s pay packets, their savings, making everyone feel the challenges of the cost of living.”

He said the UK economy grew faster than others in the G7 in the first quarter of the year.

Sunak added: “That’s why it’s the right moment, now that we have that foundation, for the country to consider what future it wants.”

Sunak: Tories can still make progress in Scotland at the General Election

Rishi Sunak has said the Conservatives can still make progress in Scotland at the General Election, saying: “The future of the country is at stake.”

Speaking to journalists in Edinburgh, the Prime Minister said: “Douglas (Ross) and I are confident that we’re going to make good progress here in Scotland and that’s because people are responding very positively to the choice that’s in front of them.

“A vote for the Scottish Conservatives means that you’re going to have your taxes cut, in contrast to the SNP making this the high-tax capital of the UK already and Labour storing up thousands of pounds of tax rises for working people.”

Mr Sunak said the Tories gave an “unequivocal” backing to the North Sea energy industry.

He continued: “We’re fighting hard for every vote in every seat. I’m doing that here in Scotland, across the country. Because I want everyone to understand the importance of this election.

“The future of our country is at stake and if people don’t vote Conservative then they are going to be faced with yet more focus on the wrong things in Scotland.”

Furious Farage hits back at Russia outrage and says even the POPE agrees with him

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has hit back at critics over his comments about Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Farage blasted the claims that he was "defending" Putin, telling the crowd he "would never, ever defend Putin".

He said: "I think his behaviour in Ukraine and elsewhere has been reprehensible".

Hitting out at the world leaders, the Reform leader claimed that they have "no knowledge of history" and "our leaders had no knowledge of Russia's psychology".

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Tories 'resemble organised betting ring', says Farage

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the Conservatives seem to “resemble something of an organised betting ring”, as he predicted the allegations linked to betting on the General Election date “will get worse”.

Speaking in Kent, Farage said: “There’s been a fifth person named this morning but I bet you that’s the tip of the iceberg because all we’ve seen is the Betfair data because it’s available online. I wonder how many people were running into betting shops with £100, £200, £500 – this scandal will get worse.”

He went on to joke: “But I hear that Rishi Sunak is on the verge of doing something very decisive about it – I understand this afternoon he’ll announce we’re leaving the Gambling Commission.”

Farage said the allegations were the “most massive distraction” from discussing immigration on the election campaign.

After highlighting small boat crossings in the Channel, he said: “Remember I went out four years ago, again and again, into the Channel to highlight what was going on, to say you might as well put a sign on the white cliffs of Dover saying ‘everyone welcome’.”

He added: “I warned that huge numbers would come, I even said there might be an invasion, which is of course the rudest word you could possibly use in BBC land, but now 4,000 boats and 128,000 people later, it does look like it’s been an invasion to me – and it’s mostly young men.”

Sunak confirms Tories have launched gamble-gate probe

CCHQ is carrying out its own inquiry into betting on the July 4 election and will pass on any findings to the Gambling Commission and “we will act on any findings from that”, Rishi Sunak says.

The Prime Minister said he was unable to speak much more on the allegations at this time in order to not jeopardise all the different investigations taking place.

As well as the investigations being carried out by the Gambling Commission and CCHQ, the Met Police are holding their own probe after an officer on Sunak's close protection team was accused of putting his own bet on the timing of the election.

Sunak: Only Scots Tories have the 'courage to stand up to the nationalists'

Rishi Sunak said only the Scottish Conservatives have the “courage to stand up to the nationalists” as he launched the Scottish Tory manifesto.

The Prime Minister said: “It’s only Douglas (Ross) and his team that have been prepared to properly stand up to the SNP, standing against both Nicola Sturgeon’s gender recognition reforms and the dangerous hate crime act. It shows you that only the Scottish Conservatives have the courage to stand up to the nationalists.”

He added: “If the SNP win the majority of seats at this election, they will treat that as a mandate to carry on campaigning for independence for another five years… A vote for the Scottish Conservatives is a vote to put this issue to bed, to move past these tired and stale arguments and to go forward united and together.”

Jeremy Hunt forced to delete image after claims he broke electoral law

Jeremy Hunt has deleted a picture of his wife's postal ballot, posted to social media, after claims he broke electoral law.

The Chancellor, who is the Tory candidate for Godalming and Ash, uploaded a picture of his wife Lucia casting her vote for the Conservatives in their family home.

He captioned the picture: "Marriage safe… got the wife’s vote."

The picture was deleted by Hunt just hours later, after social media users pointed out it may have been a breach of electoral law.

Major parties 'ignoring big challenges' over taxation, warns IFS 

The director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), Paul Johnson, has accused the major parties of "ignoring big challenges" when it comes to taxation and the size of the state.

He warned that huge decisions over the size and shape of the state will need to be taken by the next government.

Addressing a manifesto analysis briefing in Westminster, Johnson said taxes are at the “highest level ever” in the UK yet public services are struggling.

He said: “Despite the high tax levels, spending on many public services will – on current plans – likely need to be cut over the next five years unless taxes are raised further or government debt raises ever upwards.”

On how such a situation has emerged, Johnson said: “The answer is in large part a £50 billion increase in debt interest spending relative to forecasts and a pretty big growth in the welfare budget over the last few years. We’ve also got rising health spending, a defence budget which for the first time in decades is going to grow not shrink, and the reality of demographic change and the need to transition to net zero.

“Add in low growth and the after-effects of the pandemic and the energy price crisis and you’ve got a pretty toxic mix for the public finances. The two manifestos of the main parties essentially ignore these big challenges, these big facts that huge decisions over the size and shape of the state will need to be taken, that those decisions will, in all likelihood, mean higher taxes or worse public services.

“You simply wouldn’t guess from looking at their prospectuses or listening to the promises. They failed to even acknowledge some of the most important issues and choices facing us for a very long time. As the population ages these choices are not going to get easier.”

JK Rowling leaves Labour's Wes Streeting feeling 'pretty depressed' over stance on trans rights

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said he feels "pretty depressed" over JK Rowling's criticism of Labour’s stance on transgender rights.

The author has accused the party of "abandoning" women concerned about transgender rights.

Responding, Streeting said he feels "Pretty depressed, to be honest".

He added: "I have a lot of respect for JK Rowling both in terms of what she’s done for children and literacy but also the work that she’s done campaigning for women and in particular violence against women and girls.

"I think that we’ve clearly got more work to do to rebuild trust with people that we’ve lost on this issue."

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Nigel Farage announces birth of first grandchild - 'A healthy boy!'

Nigel Farage has announced the birth of his first grandchild, saying a "healthy boy" was born yesterday evening.

Posting on social media, the Reform UK leader said: "Starting the week on a high. My first grandchild was born yesterday evening. A healthy boy!"

The Reform candidate for Clacton has two daughters and two sons.

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Farage dubs Johnson 'a liar and a hypocrite' as Russia row escalates

Nigel Farage has hit back at Boris Johnson after the former prime minister accused the Reform UK leader of a “morally repugnant” repetition of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s justification for the invasion of Ukraine.

Farage tweeted: “Boris, you are a liar and a hypocrite.

“I am glad you are no longer Prime Minister of this country.”

In his post on X, he included two newspaper articles from 2016 and 2022 headlined “Boris blames EU for war in Ukraine” and “Boris Johnson blamed EU for Russia’s 2014 attacks on Ukraine and was branded ‘Putin apologist'”.

Chris Heaton-Harris unable to say how much the Ulez charge is

Chris Heaton-Harris was unable to say how much motorists get charged daily for driving a vehicle that does not meet the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) standards in London.

The Northern Ireland Secretary told LBC: “Forgive me for not being able to answer this question, but I’m a protected person, which means that police have been driving me since I got this job.”

Pressed on the issue, he added: "I don’t know how much Ulez costs. I could probably have asked… I should have asked one of the Met Police guys who drives me around because they would definitely have been able to tell me.”

The Ulez charge is £12.50 a day.

Labour to 'deliver 700,000 urgent dentistry appointments'

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said “people are literally pulling their own teeth out” because it is so difficult to see an NHS dentist.

Streeting said a Labour government would “deliver 700,000 urgent dentistry appointments to help stabilise the system”.

The shadow health secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “People are literally pulling their own teeth out or ending up in A&E departments in pretty bad shape.”

He added that Labour would “get the British Dental Association in to start the process of long overdue contract reform”.

“Because I think what will shock people, especially those who’ve either paid through the nose for private dentistry, or have been priced out altogether, is that last year there was a £400 million underspend in the NHS dentistry budget”.

Johnson blasts Farage for 'ahistorical drivel'

Boris Johnson has hit out at Nigel Farage for suggesting the West provoked the invasion of Ukraine, dubbing his comments "morally repugnant".

The former PM took to social media, saying: "This is nauseating ahistorical drivel and more Kremlin propaganda. Nobody provoked Putin. Nobody 'poked the bear with a stick'. The people of Ukraine voted overwhelmingly in 1991 to be a sovereign and independent country. They were perfectly entitled to seek both Nato and EU membership.

"There is only one person responsible for Russian aggression against Ukraine – both in 2014 and 2022 – and that is Putin. To try to spread the blame is morally repugnant and parroting Putin's lies."

This came after Farage said said: "If you poke the Russian bear with a stick, don't be surprised if he responds."