Politics LIVE: Outrage as Steve Reed tells Britain's farmers: 'We know you're in it for the money'

Sadiq Khan faces Reform UK ribbing over London's mobile phone theft epidemic - 'They can't all be in Louise Haigh's drawer!'

Sadiq Khan has been subjected to a ribbing at the hands of Reform UK in his last Mayor's Question Time of 2024.

Asking the Mayor about London's phone theft epidemic at City Hall, the party's London Assembly member Alex Wilson said: "52,000 phones can't all be in the bottom of Louise Haigh's desk drawer!"

Haigh, the disgraced ex-Transport Secretary, had resigned in late November after admitting she falsely told police her own phone had been stolen in 2013.

Starmer places confidence in Bangladesh-investigated MP Tulip Siddiq

Sir Keir Starmer has confidence in Tulip Siddiq, the minister who has been named in a Bangladeshi anti-corruption probe, Downing Street has indicated.

Siddiq has "denied any involvement in the claims" accusing her of involvement in embezzlement, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said - and will continue to maintain her responsibility as a minister overseeing UK anti-corruption efforts.

Pressed on whether there was any conflict of interest in Siddiq's involvement in a 2013 Bangladeshi deal with Russia over a nuclear power plant and her ministerial role, the spokesman said: "I can't speak to events that happened prior to a minister's time in Government."

He added that there was a "very clear declaration process" for ministers - which had been followed.

Siddiq is understood to not have been formally contacted by the relevant Bangladeshi authorities.

Bank of England HOLDS interest rate at 4.75 per cent

The Bank of England has decided to keep the base rate at 4.75 per cent in todays Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

The decision follows the UK inflation figures yesterday which showed an increase in November for the second month in a row.

Six members of the MPC preferred to keep the base rate at 4.75 per cent, while three voted for a 0.25 percentage point reduction.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Starmer accused of reigniting 'Brexit wars' as PM poised to 'bend the knee' to Brussels - 'Outrageous!'

Sir Keir Starmer is gearing up to "bend the knee" to Brussels and reignite the "Brexit wars", Kemi Badenoch has warned.

Yesterday, the Tory leader claimed that the Prime Minister "is about to give away our hard-won Brexit freedoms", while Labour "are punching the British people in the face".

But now, she has poured scorn on the Prime Minister's upcoming talks with EU bigwigs as part of his "relations reset".

Badenoch told The Sun: "Now Keir Starmer is preparing to bend the knee to Brussels. When Labour negotiate, the UK loses. I won't let them get away with it."

She also tore into Starmer for "voting against getting Brexit done at every opportunity" - and issued a dire warning over Britain's independence under a "reset" relationship, too.

"His new deal will give up Britain's independence and allow foreign judges to make our laws again - trying to hide the catastrophic effects of his new taxes and regulations," she said.

"Four years ago I said Labour 'always take the knee'. Inflation-busting pay rises to unions. Paying to give up the Chagos Islands.

"Now Keir Starmer is preparing to bend the knee to Brussels."

Steve Reed branded 'heartless' after accusing Tories of 'weaponising personal tragedy' of farmer suicide

Environment Secretary Steve Reed has been branded "heartless" by Shadow counterpart Victoria Atkins after accusing her of "weaponising a personal tragedy" to make a political point.

Atkins had told the Commons: "In recent weeks, a farmer took himself off to a remote part of his farm and killed himself.

"The message he left his family, who wish to remain anonymous, is that he did this because he feared becoming a financial burden to his family because of changes to inheritance tax."

This is the "human cost" of Labour's inheritance tax hikes, Atkins said.

Reed replied: "I send my heartfelt sympathies to that family but I think it is irresponsible in the extreme to seek to weaponise a personal tragedy of that kind in this way.

"Where there is mental ill health then there needs to be support for that, and this Government is investing in it.

"She knows from the last year for which data is available that the vast majority of claimants will pay absolutely nothing following the changes to APR (agricultural property relief)."

Atkins hit back in her follow-up question, telling him: "How heartless and also how extraordinary that the Secretary of State is more discomforted by being presented with the facts of the consequences of his policy than the reality of what this policy ensures."

Farage promises to 'sweep away Establishment stooges' after Labour told to clamp down on donations amid Musk rumours

Nigel Farage has vowed to "sweep away" "Establishment stooges" after the Electoral Commission urged Labour to strengthen rules on foreign political donations to Britain.

With rumours of an Elon Musk splurge on Reform UK still looming, Labour and the Tories are "terrified", Farage said.

Writing on social media this morning, he said: "Once again the Electoral Commission prove themselves to be Establishment stooges.

"Both Labour and the Tories are now terrified of Reform and Elon Musk.

"Never mind peerages for donations or the millions given to them by foreign businessman via UK companies in the past.

"This old order needs to be swept away."

Labour battles Reform UK for allies across the Atlantic as Starmer's top aide meets team Trump

Sir Keir Starmer's top aide Morgan McSweeney travelled to Florida to meet Donald Trump's transition team, The Sun revealed late last night.

Alongside the Downing Street chief of staff, National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell - overseeing the surrender of the Chagos Islands - made the trans-Atlantic trip, before Nigel Farage and Nick Candy met the President-elect's top allies on Monday.

The duo met with Trump's own incoming chief of staff Suzy Wiles at his transition HQ last week before heading to Washington DC to meet Mike Walz, his incoming National Security Adviser.

The No10 pair discussed Donald Trump's plan for peace in Ukraine, the threat of China and the conflict in the Middle East.

A source said the talks had "warmth about the UK, and commitment to maintaining strong working relationships".

'INSANITY!' Jenrick fumes as migrant drug boss allowed to STAY in Britain

Robert Jenrick has voiced his fury after a migrant drug baron was granted permission to stay in Britain despite having been convicted of his party in a major heroin supply plot.

The 70-year-old Turkish drug baron, who was jailed for 16 years over the plot, won his right to remain in Britain on human rights grounds after successfully arguing that returning to Turkey would violate his right to family life.

And now, the Shadow Justice Secretary has said: "The latest insanity. How can anyone defend this?"

Labour MP risks being targeted by Bangladeshi government in 'spurious' embezzlement investigation

Labour's Tulip Siddiq risks being targeted by the Bangladeshi government in a embezzlement investigation, according to local media reports.

Siddiq, the Hampstead and Highgate MP, is the niece of recently-ousted Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina - and faces allegations of helping to illegally siphon off £5.2billion which had been ring-fenced for infrastructure projects in the south Asian state.

Bangladesh's anti-corruption commission is said to have told local news outlets on Tuesday that it had opened an investigation into the allegations - but Labour sources have cast them down, despite the risk of a diplomatic row if authorities follow through.

The Telegraph reports that Labour Party insiders labelled the allegations "spurious claims" and said Siddiq had not been contacted over the matter.

'The public have a right to be angry' as water bills surge, Steve Reed says

The British public "have a right to be angry" amid a surge in water bills, Environment Secretary Steve Reed has said.

The average bill will rise by a total of £157 - or 36 per cent - over the next five years, according to regulator Ofwat.

A senior Ofwat director said the hike was "needed to safeguard the health of our rivers, our seas and our waterways, to improve the resilience of our water supplies... and to get companies to really raise their game on their day-to-day performance."

But Reed vowed: "The public are right to be angry after they have been left to pay the price of Conservative failure.

“This Labour Government will ringfence money earmarked for investment so it can never be diverted for bonuses and shareholder payouts. We will clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good."

Health Secretary claims pensioners will be 'BETTER OFF' this winter after Labour axe £300 pensioner perk

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has claimed that pensioners will be "better off" this winter - despite Labour's slashing of the winter fuel allowance.

Asked if the Department of Health and Social Care had done an impact assessment into potential deaths, Streeting said: "Because of the choices that the Chancellor has made, particularly on protecting the state pension through the triple lock - even taking into account the decisions she's taken on winter fuel allowance - pensioners will still be better off this winter than they were last winter, and will be better off next winter further still.

"ne of the reasons it gives me confidence to stand by that assertion is she has protected winter fuel allowance for the poorest pensioners and put in place financial support, which I think will make a real difference."

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