Politics LIVE: Nigel Farage not holding constituency surgeries amid concerns over knife attacks

Labour councillor caught in illegal backstreet brothel sex den becomes leader of his local council

A Labour councillor who was caught in an illegal brothel has been promoted to the leader of his local authority.

New leader of Merthyr Tydfil Borough council in south Wales, Cllr Brent Carter, was present at a backstreet brothel in 2015 when police raided the property.

During the hearing, the court was told that Carter - who was a Labour councillor at the time - was found "covered in lipstick" inside the property.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Reform UK conference marks party’s 'coming of age'

Nigel Farage has said Reform UK’s annual conference in Birmingham this weekend, "marks the coming of age" of the party.

The Party says it now has more than 70,000 members - meaning it is holding its largest ever conference with ticket sales more than four times last year’s figures.

Farage is expected to make a speech at 4pm which will see him issue a "clarion call for change".

Starmer scraps EU sticker scheme

Plans to place stickers reading 'Not for EU' on British produce have been scrapped.

The proposals, which had been drawn up by the previous Conservative government, would have required all meat, fish and dairy products in Britain to carry labels indicating they could not be sent to the EU.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Commons Speaker would advise MPs to take advice from Parliament’s security team and 'do so safely' if they asked him for advice on holding surgeries

Following NigelFarage’s claim that he had been advised not to hold in-person surgeries by the Speaker’s Office, the Commons Speaker said: "As a constituency MP in Chorley, I hold regular surgeries myself with constituents – and whenever a Member asks for my advice on this matter, I always say that if you are going to hold constituency surgeries make sure you take advice from the Parliamentary Security Department – and do so safely."

A House of Commons spokesperson said: "The ability for MPs to perform their parliamentary duties safely, both on and off the estate, is fundamental to our democracy.

"The Parliamentary Security Department (PSD), working closely with the police, offer all MPs a range of security measures for those with offices or surgeries in their constituencies – helping to ensure a safe working environment.

"We do not comment on individual MPs’ security arrangements or advice because we would not wish to compromise the safety of MPs, parliamentary staff or members of the public, but these are kept under continuous review."

Speaker’s Office and Parliament’s security team have 'no recollection' of telling Farage that he should not hold in-person surgeries in his constituency

Sources said that neither the Speaker’s Office and Parliament’s security team would have advised any MP not to hold a surgery because this would interfere with their democratic duties, but would instead have offered security advice on how measures could be taken to ensure their safety.

There is no record of such advice ever having been given to Farage, it is understood, in contrast to his claim earlier on Thursday that he had been told by the Speaker’s Office not to hold physical surgeries.

Tories hail ‘humiliating U-turn’ on woodburning stove restrictions

The Scottish Government has dropped restrictions on the installation of woodburning stoves in newbuild homes or conversions.

The Scottish Conservatives, who campaigned against the regulations, described the move as a “humiliating U-turn”.

Regulations, known as the New Build Heat Standard, came into effect at the start of April, meaning new homes and buildings are not allowed to use direct-emission heating systems including gas or oil boilers.

In May, then climate action minister Gillian Martin announced a review in relation to concerns.

On Thursday, the current climate action minister, Alasdair Allan, wrote in a letter to council bosses that the restriction on heating systems such as woodburning stoves would be temporarily dropped.

He added: “The review is now concluding and we will implement the outcome of this by the end of December 2024.”

Tory deputy rural affairs spokesman Jamie Halcro Johnston said: “This long overdue climbdown by the SNP on their deeply flawed ban is a welcome move.

“Sustained pressure from the Scottish Conservatives – including when I held a member’s debate in Parliament – as well as from our rural and island communities has now forced ministers into a humiliating U-turn.

“The consequences of imposing such a ban on installing woodburning stoves in new homes would have been devastating for those that rely on them, especially when there are periods of extreme weather.

“However, with the lifting of this ban still only temporary, the Scottish Conservatives will continue to urge the SNP to do the right thing and make it permanent.”

Ministers hear from local leaders on impact of child poverty across the country

Local leaders have laid bare the stark challenges that must be overcome to tackle child poverty in their communities as they met with the new Child Poverty Taskforce today.

Co-chairs Liz Kendall, Work & Pensions Secretary, and Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, heard powerful testimony from representatives from some of the worst affected areas in the country, including the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, to ensure regional experiences are at the heart of the Taskforce’s work.

With almost one in three children living in poverty in the North East, the Taskforce learnt of wide-ranging and bold measures being rolled out in the region – including grants to help parents with childcare and welfare advisors in schools that have so far saved £2.3million for 730 vulnerable families.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall MP said: “This Government will not rest until we have driven down child poverty in every part of our country, using all the levers at our disposal. Local leaders are at the front line in tackling this issue, with bold ideas and new approaches.

“We are determined to learn from their experience about what works in delivering the changes our country needs. Together, we will confront the scar of child poverty and give every child the best start in life.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP said: “Poverty constrains every part of a child’s life and blights our communities. Tackling it is crucial if we are to break down the barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances of every child.

“This task cannot be achieved alone and I’m grateful to local leaders on the frontline for their invaluable insight on the challenges families are facing, and the innovative approaches they're using to tackle them.”

David Lammy urged to explain ‘ignorant’ stance on ethnic cleansing

Shadow FCDO Minister Alicia Kearns has urged Lammy to clarify his stance from his ‘vanity blog’. ‬

‪Alicia Kearns MP said: “Words matter as Foreign Secretary, especially when opining on conflict.

‪“Contradicting long standing UK policy in a vanity blog is totally inappropriate and throws into question the Foreign Secretary’s judgement.”‬

‪“David Lammy needs to urgently clarify the Government’s policy on Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a serious matter - over 100,000 people have been displaced from their homes.‬

‪“The Conservative Party believes encouraging Azerbaijan and Armenia to agree a historic peace treaty is a diplomatic priority, with provisions made for displaced ethnic Armenians to resettle safely in Nagorno-Karabakh.”‬

European court rejects complaint from former Tory MP over lobbying probe

A Tory former Cabinet Minister’s complaint over how the UK Parliament investigated his conduct has been rejected by the European Court of Human Rights.

Owen Paterson, an ardent eurosceptic, was found to have breached lobbying rules and faced the prospect of a 30-day suspension from the House of Commons before he quit as an MP in 2021.

Paterson complained to the European court that his “good reputation” had been damaged by the public finding and the process followed to investigate and consider the allegations against him had “not been ‘fair’ in many basic respects”.

He argued his right to privacy was breached under the European Convention of Human Rights, which he previously said the UK should quit.

But the court unanimously declared his application “inadmissible” in its decision announced on Thursday.

Nigel Farage's statement in full after giving up ownership of Reform UK

Reform UK has come of age. I am giving up control of the party to its members. pic.twitter.com/cz8yU5fIi2

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) September 19, 2024

David Lammy sparks diplomatic row after ‘ignorant’ blog post

David Lammy has been slammed as “callous and ignorant” after writing in a recent blog post that Azerbaijan has been able to “liberate” territory in a conflict described as an ethnic cleansing.

The Foreign Secretary’s view that the Nagorno-Karabakh region has been “liberated” stands in contrast to the official stance of the British Government.

Last September, a senior British ambassador slammed Azerbaijan’s use of force after violence restarted in its ethnic and territorial conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

READ CHARLIE PETERS' FULL EXCLUSIVE STORY HERE

Brexit blunder to delay rollout of new Border Force fleet as costs balloon to £300m

Britain’s replacement Border Force fleet will not be ready until 2030 at the earliest and is set to cost six times more than its original budget after a Brexit blunder.

Plans to replace five cutters and six patrol boats used to protect UK borders and pick up migrants in the Channel are set to see costs balloon to £300million.

The error is an unintended consequence of post-Brexit trading rules that were designed to boost free trade when Britain withdrew from the EU.

Although the rules stipulate that Government contracts must be open to international competition, then-Trade Secretary Liz Truss failed to exclude the construction of civilian ships from the list of contracts.

She instead signed that the only exemption to the rule would be for warships in an echo of the EU’s terms of accession to the World Trade Organisation.

The Home Office admitted to The Times that in order to confine the contract to British shipyards, the Government department chose to reconsider the design of the vessels to incorporate some military modifications.

However, the Home Office said making the change would be expensive.

Security experts told the publication that the delay in procuring the new fleet was putting national security at risk as the boats need replacing due to emergency repairs putting some of them out of service.

​Some prisoners released early as part of efforts to ease overcrowding have not been fitted with electronic tracking device

Several offenders released on license said they had not been fitted with an ankle tag - with one describing it as "a disaster waiting to happen" reports BBC News.

One probation officer said the delays in the tags being fitted appeared to be due to a shortage of tags, while the Ministry of Justice said it was due to a backlog of former prisoners.

The MoJ blamed security contractor Serco - which manages the prison tagging system - for the delays. Serco said it was working to reduce the numbers waiting for tags. Prisons minister Lord Timpson is having what the MoJ described as an urgent meeting with Serco about the issue later this afternoon.

Reynolds says Israel arms restrictions were 'fair, proportionate, and consistent with international law'

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said restrictions on UK arms exports to Israel are "fair" and "proportionate."

The UK suspended some arms export licences to Israel earlier this month over concerns the country is violating international humanitarian law in Gaza. Reynolds said the existing arms rules still allow Israel to “defend itself” against Lebanon.

He added that the decision on ending about 30 of some 350 arms export licences to Israel “falls to me” and that he takes “personal responsibility” for explaining the impact.

He told LBC: "The findings that were passed to me from the Foreign Office, from the Foreign Secretary, that there was a risk that Israel was not complying with international humanitarian law in relation to detainees and access to aid, mean that I have to act.

"I set the scope of the limitations, the restrictions that we put in place. I did so to restrict those licences to the conflict in Gaza, making sure that Israel can still be in a position to defend itself against Hezbollah and Lebanon.”

He added: "The decision we took was fair, was proportionate, was consistent with international law, and fundamentally what we need, what everyone needs in the Middle East, is a ceasefire in that conflict."

Itinerary revealed for Reform UK conference in Birmingham

A Reform UK spokesperson said: "James McMurdock MP will talk about how an ordinary citizen can go from talking to friends to engaging from the Green Benches in a mere two months. Thurrock to Westminster and the possibilities of hope and change.

"Lee Anderson MP will talk about how passion for place, and caring for that place - in his case Ashfield - stands us all in good stead for the future.

"Rupert Lowe MP will be talking about how our Constitution is under threat as never before as those who care not for our culture and history aim to mangle it to serve their short term fashionable ends. Richard Tice MP will talk about a series of cults have ripped apart our economy, the most powerful that of the multi-trillion dollar industry that is Net Zero.

"Nigel Farage MP will, as he always does, issue a clarion call for change."

David Lammy accused of wasting taxpayer funds on 'woke virtue-signalling'

David Lammy has been accused of wasting taxpayer funds on "woke virtue-signalling" after bisexual flags were seen flying outside the Foreign Office.

The flags, flown to symbolise Bisexual Awareness Week were spotted in the courtyard of the Grade I-listed headquarters in Westminster.

The Foreign Office is seemingly the only Government building seen with the flags which are marked by pink, purple and blue banners.

A Tory party spokesman told the Mail: "Labour have revealed their real priorities when it comes to foreign affairs

"In an incredibly dangerous, unstable world the first and foremost job of the Foreign Office must be standing up to those who threaten us.

"Labour ministers should be ­flying the flag for Britain abroad, not spending taxpayers' money on woke virtue-signalling."

Diane Abbott slams Keir Starmer over Israel stance

Diane Abbott has claimed that Keir Starmer is giving his "allies" a free pass on anti-Semitism.

In an autobiography, the Labour MP claimed that “a purely factional approach is adopted on the charge of anti-Semitism by this leadership”.

In her memoir, A Woman Like Me, which was published today, Abbott claimed she was unfairly singled out by the Prime Minister.

She wrote: “We have seen repeatedly that allies of the current leadership are treated very differently when it comes to allegations of anti-Semitism, as compared to the Left in the party and the critics of the current leadership.

“It is widely discussed in Labour circles and beyond that a purely factional approach is adopted on the charge of anti-Semitism by this leadership, and one of the cases most invoked to prove its factionalism is the way I have been treated, many months after my original letter to The Observer.”

WATCH: Immigration: The Truth - the changing face of Britain - a GB News documentary

A new GB News documentary - which you can watch for free online - explores the truth about UK mass immigration.

WATCH THE FULL DOCUMENTARY HERE

Rayner: Backing for new deals is ‘first step of devolution revolution’

Four new devolution deals in England have been supported by the Government as ministers seek to shift more decision-making powers away from Westminster.

The proposals include electing regional mayors for Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire in May 2025, with the new leaders having control over transport, housing, skills and investment in their areas.

Combined county authorities would also be established for both Devon and Torbay and Lancashire in early 2025, and they would be given responsibility for adult education.

The agreements are subject to parliamentary approval and local consent, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government added.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “This is only the first step of our major ambition to drive forward our devolution revolution, and ensure we empower more communities and strengthen the existing powers of our brilliant mayors.”

Welsh Labour minister defends cuts to winter fuel payments for pensioners

The Welsh Labour Government has defended cuts to winter fuel payments for pensioners.

Conservative members of the Senedd called for the Welsh Government to back their demands for Winter Fuel Payments to be restored to all pensioners during a debate on Wednesday.

The Tories warned that the cut could lead to more pensioners dying, with around 400,000 households in Wales likely to lose up to £300 per person.

But Welsh Labour minister Jane Hutt defended the move, insisting there was a hole in the public purse and “difficult decisions are now being taken”.

Public overestimates how much of UK immigration is from asylum seekers – study

The public vastly overestimates how much asylum seekers account for in UK immigration, leading to “skewed perceptions” that make the debate on migration “unbalanced”, according to new research.

A survey found that, on average, respondents thought those seeking asylum represent 37 per cent of total immigration when actually they accounted for only around 7 per cent in the year ending in June 2024.

More than one in five (22 per cent) thought asylum makes up more than half of the UK’s total immigration, according to findings from the Immigration Attitudes Tracker by British Future and Ipsos.

Half of those surveyed expect net migration to go up over the next 12 months, while only 12 per cent said they thought it would fall.

Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think tank, said a drop in net migration over the next year could give Sir Keir Starmer “breathing room”.

He said: “Most people will be surprised to see net migration falling over the next 12 months.

“PM Keir Starmer will exceed public expectations, giving him breathing room to reshape the government’s approach – though [former Home Secretary] James Cleverly may argue that he deserves the credit.”