Farage slams Starmer as 'biggest threat to free speech' in British history by restricting civil liberties
Farage warned Starmer's Labour could "take away our liberties and our free speech"
PA
Sir Keir Starmer represents the "biggest threat to free speech" in UK history, Nigel Farage has said.
Farage lashed out again at the PM over his online response to unrest which has rumbled across England and Northern Ireland in the wake of the killing of three young girls in Southport.
Starmer has called out large social media firms for their role in allowing inciteful content to be spread on their platforms - and is weighing up imposing obligations on said firms to crack down on "legal but harmful" material.
But the Reform UK leader, speaking to the US's Fox News, said: "Nobody should use any social media platform to genuinely spread hate or incitement to violence, and that free speech rule I think all of us would support and agree with.
"But what we are allowed to do on social media, or should be allowed to do, is to speculate, is to ask questions, is to try and put facts out, to put facts out that wake up the rest of the community.
"When you're engaged in something like that, you can never, ever guarantee that what you say is 100 per cent true.
"Now, Starmer, by cracking down on that, poses, I think, the biggest threat to free speech we've seen in our history.
"I am very worried that the instincts of a left-wing Labour Party are to use this crisis to take away our liberties and our free speech, and this is going to have to be fought."
Angela Rayner 'turns back on Britons' as she axes plans to prioritise UK citizens over migrants on council house waiting lists
Angela Rayner has axed Conservative-era plans to prioritise British citizens over migrants in social housing applications.
The previous Tory Government had proposed reforms which would have barred recent arrivals from applying for council homes - which Labour's new Housing Secretary has now formally shelved.
Michael Gove's proposals had included a "UK connection test", which would have meant only people who had lived in the country for 10 years or more were eligible to join the 1.3million-household-long queue for council properties.
Badenoch backed as most popular shadow cabinet member by Tory grassroots
Kemi Badenoch sits atop several polls of grassroots Tories
PAShadow Housing Secretary Kemi Badenoch has been labelled the most popular Tory shadow cabinet member among grassroots Conservatives.
In a new "league table" compiled by ConservativeHome, the current favourite for party leader polls at a positive 45.1 per cent net satisfaction rating - outstripping senior Tories and leadership rivals alike.
Taking the grassroots' second and third places? Jeremy Hunt and James Cleverly, at 27.3 and 26.3 per cent, respectively.
Of the other leadership candidates in the shadow cabinet, Tom Tugendhat and Mel Stride are practically neck-and-neck, polling at 14.2 and 14 per cent respective ratings.
But this doesn't quite square with ConservativeHome's "next Tory leader" poll, from just days ago.
In that, the six leadership hopefuls poll as follows:
- Kemi Badenoch - 33 per cent
- Robert Jenrick - 19 per cent
- Tom Tugendhat - 10 per cent
- James Cleverly - 10 per cent
- Priti Patel - 8 per cent
- Mel Stride - 2 per cent
As for the party's current leader, Rishi Sunak sits at a net negative satisfaction rating of -3.9 per cent.
James Cleverly takes swipe at Nigel Farage as he issues scathing ultimatum to Reform leader
James Cleverly's comments immediately came under fire from Reform channels
PAShadow Home Secretary James Cleverly has taken a swipe at Nigel Farage as he issued a scathing ultimatum to Reform UK's leader.
Cleverly, who is running to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader, warned the Clacton MP needed to demonstrate that he wants to become a "serious politician" following the recent spate of riots seen across England and Northern Ireland.
Tory leadership contenders have been asked about Farage after Reform returned five MPs to the House of Commons, depriving Conservative candidates victory in dozens of other seats.
However, Farage has come under fire for his comments about "two-tiered policing".
Addressing Farage, Cleverly told Times Radio: "I think some of the things that he has framed as questions are clearly designed to generate traffic, generate digital content. And he needs to decide: Is he a politician, a serious politician, or is he a social media content creator?
"As politicians, we have a duty to think very, very carefully about what we do and very, very carefully about what we say."
In response, a Reform UK spokesman said: "Only those uninterested in reaching the public are uninterested in modern technology. This is the problem with the Tory party writ large."
Priti Patel channels Thatcher as she vows to win back Tory voters
To win back the trust of the British people we must stand united on common ground with them.
— Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) August 12, 2024
Rather than dividing ourselves with labels, we need to listen to the public and use them as our compass.
We must show how our Conservative values and belief in freedom, enterprise and… https://t.co/vOyEddHBOv
Bev Turner fumes at Labour-run council over controversial swearing in street order
Bev Turner discussed the ruling which means Broadstairs, Kent residents will have to watch their languagePA/GB News
Bev Turner has hit out at a Labour-run council after it imposed a controversial new order which threatens fines of £100 for swearing in the street.
Thanet District Council adopted a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) that bans potentially "distressing" behaviour.
Speaking on GB News, Bev furiously hit out at the ruling which means any of the Kent coastal region’s 130,000 residents, or visitors, could be fined for "using language or behaviour causing or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any other person".
Robert Jenrick lays bare true cost of migrant crisis as he swipes at Starmer
Yesterday, 703 people came to the UK illegally.
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) August 12, 2024
Studies show each costs the taxpayer roughly £400,000 over their lifetime.
So the cost of not having a border for one day was £281 million.
Starmer’s decision to scrap, rather than strengthen, the Rwanda plan will be a disaster.
Starmer cancels planned summer holiday amid riots
Sir Keir Starmer has opted to cancel his planned summer holiday after riots gripped England and Northern Ireland.
The Prime Minister will instead work between Chequers and Downing Street.
A No10 spokesman revealed that the Prime Minister "is not alone on this", adding: "We have seen many having their leave cancelled."
Elon Musk issues chilling warning to Humza Yousaf as he accuses former SNP leader of 'being racist'
Elon Musk has issued Humza Yousaf with a chilling warning as he accused the former SNP leader of being “super racist”.
Musk took to social media to continue his crusade against leading British politicians, including Sir Keir Starmer.
The Tesla CEO was prioritising his spat with the Prime Minister but switched attention to Yousaf after the SNP MSP's appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on Thursday.
In his latest tirade against Yousaf, Musk said: “Legal discovery will show that however big a racist he’s been in public communications, he is vastly worse in private communications.”
Power struggle erupts in No10 as Sue Gray clashes with Starmer’s top adviser
Power struggle erupts in No10 as Sue Gray clashes with Starmer’s top adviserPA/MORGAN MCSWEENEYA power struggle has broken out in No10 between Sue Gray and Sir Keir Starmer's top adviser Morgan McSweeney.
Gray, who was brought in by Starmer after her stint as a senior civil servant, is at loggerheads with McSweeney after reportedly blocking the Prime Minister from receiving security updates.
A Whitehall source claimed Gray thinks "she runs the country".
A source told The Mail on Sunday: "It has got to the point where we have said that the PM needs to be given an intelligence briefing and Gray has said ‘tell me’. But we need to know that it has reached him."
However, Downing Street dismissed the accusations against Gray as "noises off from people who don’t know what they’re talking about".
McSweeney also disputes all the claims made about him.
However, Gray reportedly twice moved McSweeney's desk within No10 to move him further away from the Prime Minister's office.
GB News has approached No10 and the Labour Party for comment.
Cleverly rages against Labour as Starmer sent 'wrong signal' to Channel crossing migrants
Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly has raged against Labour after Sir Keir Starmer sent the "wrong signal" to Channel crossing migrants.
The Braintree MP, who is hoping to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory Party leader, said: "Since Labour have ditched our deterrent, more and more boats are crossing the channel with more and more people in them.
"They've sent the wrong signal, throwing the doors open instead of doing what is necessary to stop the dangerous crossings.
"The Government's phantom border command clearly isn't working.
"They need to get a grip and fast, otherwise the numbers will continue to climb."
Migrant crisis: More than 18,000 small boat migrants have crossed Channel so far this year
A picture of Channel crossing migrants arriving in KentPAMore than 18,000 small boat migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year, after the biggest single day of arrivals under the new Labour Government.
Official figures from the Home Office show 11 small boats made it into UK waters yesterday, carrying 703 migrants.
French authorities reported that two migrants died when their small boat got into difficulties seven miles from the port of Calais.
Labour veteran admits party is 'too frightened to talk about immigration' in wake of violent riots
A Labour grandee has accused Sir Keir Starmer’s party of being “too frightened” to talk about immigration in the wake of the recent riots engulfing England and Northern Ireland.
Dame Margaret Hodge, who stood down as the MP for Barking ahead of July 4, instead urged Starmer to adopt positive discourse about immigration.
However, the 79-year-old insisted Labour should control borders and encouraged Starmer to accept frustrations about the situation.
Hodge told The Guardian: “We are all at fault that we’ve always been too frightened to talk about immigration. If you’re a politician, you have a voice."
Is free speech under threat in Britain? VOTE NOW
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said last month that the Government is to stop further commencement of the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act.
The bill ensures that higher education providers and student unions protect freedom of speech and academic freedom and allows individuals to bring a legal case against their institution if it fails to protect their right to free speech.
However, Phillipson says Labour may repeal the bill, which was given Royal Assent in May last year.
Is free speech under threat in Britain?
‘Visible to anyone outside the M25!’ Matt Goodwin lets rip at claim multiculturalism ‘is working’ after UK riots
Political commentator Matt Goodwin has hit out at the claim multiculturalism “is working” in a furious rant on GB News, saying it is one of the root causes for the unrest we have seen across Britain.
He joined Andrew Doyle on Free Speech Nation to discuss the havoc sparked by the killings of three girls attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.
Goodwin argued Sir Keir Starmer needs to address the underlying issues in order to avoid such a scenario happening again.
“I think we have this rather ridiculous debate among columnists and elites in this country, which is, ‘multiculturalism is a success story’”, he said.
Tugendhat accuses pacifists of being 'silent' on Russia's 'murder, rape and torture'
These pretend pacifists are silent on Russia’s murder, rape and torture of civilians.
— Tom Tugendhat (@TomTugendhat) August 12, 2024
They don’t want to stop the war, they want our enemies to win. https://t.co/iI8iQLzSA8
Tom Tugendhat has accused pacifists of being "silent" on Russia's "murder, rape and torture".
The former Security Minister, who served in the Armed Forces, said: "These pretend pacifists are silent on Russia’s murder, rape and torture of civilians.
"They don’t want to stop the war, they want our enemies to win."
Tugendhat, who is running to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader, made the comments in response to Stop the War's post which alleged Ukraine was "escalating" war with Vladimir Putin.
Whitehall woke row erupts as £1.7m of taxpayers' money spent on diversity networking
Another woke row has erupted in Whitehall after £1.7million of taxpayers' money was spent connecting civil servants with colleagues of the same race, religion or sexuality.
The Civil Service found hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent each year on hundreds of diversity networks.
Many of the grounds act as forums for minority groups to discuss experiences of working in Whitehall.
However, others were founded to support civil servants with serious health conditions, such as cancer and disabilities.
Starmer releases statement with Macron and Scholz warning Iran against attacking Israel
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (left) and President of France Emmanuel Macron during a bilateral meeting at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire
PA
Sir Keir Starmer has released a joint statement warning Iran against attacking Israel.
The Prime Minister, who penned the statement alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, made the intervention amid growing tensions in the Middle East.
Despite war between Israel and Hamas raging on, Iran vowed to seek revenge for the assassination of October 7 mastermind Ismail Haniyeh.
The statement said:"We, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, welcome the tireless work of our partners in Qatar, Egypt and the United States towards an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
"We endorse the joint statement of HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, President Sisi and President Biden calling for the immediate resumption of negotiations.
"We agree that there can be no further delay. We have been working with all parties to prevent escalation and will spare no effort to reduce tensions and find a path to stability.
"The fighting must end now, and all hostages still detained by Hamas must be released.
"The people of Gaza need urgent and unfettered delivery and distribution of aid.
"We are deeply concerned by the heightened tensions in the region, and united in our commitment to de-escalation and regional stability.
"In this context, and in particular, we call on Iran and its allies to refrain from attacks that would further escalate regional tensions and jeopardise the opportunity to agree a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
"They will bear responsibility for actions that jeopardise this opportunity for peace and stability.
"No country or nation stands to gain from a further escalation in the Middle East."