Starmer FLIES to Olympics despite vow to use more train transport after Eurostar put plans in chaos
Sir Keir Starmer has flown to Paris
PA
The Prime Minister was forced to changed his travel plans after French rail networks were hit by what the French premier has said were co-ordinated acts of sabotage.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said Sir Keir Starmer was meant to be travelling on the Eurostar to Paris ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony, but flew to France instead due to the the disruption and delays.
It comes as the Labour leader has urged people going to Paris for the Olympics to heed the travel advice after what appeared to be co-ordinated vandalism caused disruption to Eurostar services.
The spokeswoman added: "Obviously the situation is concerning, and like the statements you’ve seen from the French, it is also incredibly frustrating for people travelling to attend the Games and the Olympic ceremony.
"The Prime Minister would urge people to continue to follow the travel advice and the statements from the travel operators."
Bibby Stockholm migrants claim 'hope has returned' after Starmer axes barge
An asylum seeker on board the Bibby Stockholm has today claimed “hope had returned” after Sir Keir Starmer axed the migrant-holding barge.
The 26-year-old Yemeni man celebrated the decision and claimed he wanted to fulfil his dream ambition of working in British cybersecurity.
“I am excited about the future as I hope that I will be granted asylum so I can work in cybersecurity.”
He added: “It was so sad and terrible to see the people who had been here longer and how it was getting them down.
“But on Tuesday we had the meeting and were told that the Bibby was closing and they would speed up our interviews.”
Majority of Brits think Labour likely to increase taxes, poll shows
💰In June, we asked voters how likely they thought it would be for a Lab govt to increase a range of taxes after the election.
— Savanta UK (@Savanta_UK) July 26, 2024
Our research suggested that some tax rises (such as capital gains and inheritance tax) may have been "priced in" by voters.
14-16 June
2,050 UK adults pic.twitter.com/I4u9azYIVs
Starmer sends well wishes to Team GB in Paris Olympics
Good luck @TeamGB.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) July 26, 2024
The whole country is behind you.#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/W8OuXzK1dP
Mel Stride says there would be 'no place' for Nigel Farage in Tory Party if he wins leadership race
Mel Stride says there would be 'no place' for Nigel Farage in Tory Party if he wins leadership race
PA
Mel Stride has said there is "no place" for Nigel Farage in the Conservative Party if he wins the race to become the next Tory leader.
The Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions entered the race to replace Rishi Sunak today.
When asked by The i whether Nigel Farage would be welcome in the party if he were in charge, Stride plainly said: "No".
"Nigel Farage is a very clever, very talented politician but he is absolutely bent, as he has said, on destroying the Conservative Party - that is a party I love, I grew up with, I've been a member of for most of my adult life."
"And no, no formal deals like that."
"But that's not the same thing as saying, that we mustn't respect and reach out to those who are voting Reform. And we absolutely must do that."
Reeves expected to unveil a black hole of around £20billion
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to set out the results of the spending audit she ordered Treasury officials to produce. A Labour source said the update later today will reveal "the true scale of the damage the Conservatives have done to the public finances."
Labour has previously ruled out lifting income tax, VAT, national insurance and corporation tax, however changes to capital gains or inheritance levies may be on the table.
The Labour source said: "On Monday, the British public are finally going to see the true scale of the damage the Conservatives have done to the public finances. They spent taxpayers’ money like no tomorrow because they knew someone else would have to pick up the bill.
"It now falls to Labour to fix the foundations of our economy and that work has already begun."
Sir Keir Starmer forced to fly to Paris after train delays
Sir Keir Starmer has flown to Paris
PA
The Prime changed his travel plans after French rail networks were hit by what the French premier has said were co-ordinated acts of sabotage.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said Sir Keir was meant to be travelling on the Eurostar to Paris ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony, but flew to France instead due to the the disruption and delays.
Britain to drop challenge to arrest warrant for Netanyahu
Labour has announced it is dropping the Government's challenge of the International Criminal Court's (ICC) jurisdiction to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson told reporters the new Government would drop the query "in line with our long-standing position that this is a matter for the court to decide on.
"The Government believes very strongly in the rule of law, both internationally and domestically, and the separation of powers."
It comes as Novara Media reports Labour intends to publicise, and follow, advice it has commissioned from officials that is expected to recommend the UK halts some, if not all arms exports to Israel.
Former SNP MP blasts party - 'Opposition is where the SNP are heading at present'
Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry
PAEx-Edinburgh South West MP Joanna Cherry wrote in The National: "The enormity of what happened to the SNP vote at the General Election must not be ignored.
“The SNP need urgently to address what has gone wrong and what led to this huge drop in our vote, or we will suffer another rout at the 2026 Holyrood election...I don’t sense any great appetite on the part of the leadership of the party to do this properly.”
She said she is not currently considering a Holyrood run herself, and warned: “Opposition is where the SNP are heading at present.”
Robert Jenrick blasts labour for 'lying' to voters on tax
Conservative MP and leadership candidate Robert Jenrick has reacted to Labour's plans to warn of a financial blackhole, accusing ministers of "lying" to the public.
He said: "Labour's 'discovery' of a ‘£20bn shortfall’ is a ruse to raise your taxes.
"They promised no new taxes on working people. They could see the books when they made the promise.
"All they will ‘reveal’ next week is they were lying."
Pride event mocks milkshake attacks on Farage
Nigel Farage's milkshake attack has been made into a game at Chesterfield PrideSWNS / GettyA gay pride event has landed itself in hot water after "making a mockery" of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
Chesterfield Pride organisers Stand Up to Racism have been forced to defend their decision after creating a "milkshake game" at their event, which urged punters to "toss a milkshake" at a cardboard cutout of the party leader.
Condemning the game, Farage said that while he is "all for mockery and a good laugh", he suggested that the game "goes too far".
Mel Stride tells GB News he will 'unite' the Tories
Mel Stride launched his leadership bid this morning
GB NEWS
Conservative MP Mel Stride has told GB News he can be the person to "unite" the Tories, as he throws his hat in the ring to become the next leader of the Conservative Party.
Speaking to GB News this morning, Stride said: "We've got to go deeper into the centre ground. We've got to become that party that has a broad appeal for competency in government that channels aspiration, opportunity, all of the things that conservatism has traditionally been about and for which there will always be a strong appetite amongst people, if we can get the right platform together.
"And I believe that I am the leader that can bring us together as a party to fashion a unified programme that can appeal broadly, that will take time and a huge amount of work. But I believe I've shown in my track record that that's just the sort of thing that I can do."
Health watchdog 'not fit for purpose' warns Wes Streeting
Wes Streeting said the CQC was "not fit for purpose"
PA
England’s health and social care watchdog is “not fit for purpose”, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said, pledging immediate action to restore public confidence.
Streeting was reacting to an independent review into the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the body that monitors and inspects all health and adult social care providers to ensure safety and quality standards.
It identified “significant internal failings” affecting its ability to identify poor performance at hospitals, care homes and GP practices.
Streeting said he was “stunned by the extent of the failings” revealed in the report.
He said: “When I joined the department, it was already clear that the NHS was broken and the social care system in crisis.
“But I have been stunned by the extent of the failings of the institution that is supposed to identify and act on failings. It’s clear to me the CQC is not fit for purpose.
“We cannot wait to act on these findings, so I have ordered the publication of this interim report so action can begin immediately to improve regulation and ensure transparency for patients.
“I know this will be a worrying development for patients and families who rely on CQC assessments when making choices about their care.
“I want to reassure them that I am determined to grip this crisis and give people the confidence that the care they’re receiving has been assessed.
“This Government will never turn a blind eye to failure.”
Mel Stride confirms he's running for Tory leader
Mel Stride has become the fourth Conservative MP to announce they are joining the race for the party’s leadership.
The former work and pensions secretary made the announcement overnight and said he was already fully nominated, having received enough backing from colleagues to formally enter the contest.
Tory MPs must be backed by 10 colleagues in order to met the threshold to officially be a leadership candidate.
Stride retained his seat by just 61 votes at the General Election.
So far Tom Tugendhat, James Cleverly and Robert Jenrick are the only other people to put themselves forward in the race to replace Rishi Sunak but more names are expected to emerge over the weekend.
Labour accused of 'corrupting' women's sport with trans stance
Labour's Lisa Nandy has been accused of "making a mockery" of women's sport after suggesting that there could be some circumstances in which trans athletes could compete in women's sport.
The Culture Secretary claimed that individual sports "should decide whether or not biological males should compete against women".
She added: "We ought to respect the fact that they're far more expert in making those judgments and decisions than we are."
He comments have been criticised by former Olympic athlete Mara Yamauchi for for contributing to the "corruption of women's sport".
Reeves accuses Tories of spending taxpayer money 'like no tomorrow'
Rachel Reeves said that Labour will 'fix the mess'
PA
Asked about the black hole at a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Brazil, the Chancellor said: "I’ll give a statement to Parliament on Monday, but I have always been honest about the scale of the challenge we face as an incoming Government, and let me be crystal clear: we will fix the mess we have inherited.”
The Labour source said: “On Monday, the British public are finally going to see the true scale of the damage the Conservatives have done to the public finances.
"They spent taxpayers’ money like no tomorrow because they knew someone else would have to pick up the bill. It now falls to Labour to fix the foundations of our economy and that work has already begun."