Farage plots to force Starmer to hold ECHR vote as Reform leader predicts ‘easy’ victory

Douglas Ross lashes out at 'calculating b*****ds' who plotted against him

Douglas Ross has lashed out at “calculating b*****ds” who plotted to topple him as Scottish Tory leader.

Ross, 41, admitted the attacks on his position left him a “bit paranoid”.

The referee-turned-politician, who became leader unopposed following Jackson Carlaw’s short-lived stint heading up the Tories north of the border, claimed some MSPs never wanted him to take on the SNP.

Despite confronting his Conservative critics, Ross claimed he was powerless as they denied any wrongdoing and he could not prove otherwise.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL STORY

Labour urged to 'get a proper grip' on migration with latest plan by former MP

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has been scolded for her "hot air" plans to deport more than 14,000 illegal migrants and foreign criminals by the end of the year.

Cooper outlined the latest on Labour's pledged crackdown in Parliament, vowing to take "strong and clear steps to boost our border security", with a new Border Security Command.

FULL STORY HERE

Robert Jenrick would bring Boris back to Cabinet

Ex-Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has vowed to bring Boris Johnson into his Cabinet if he became Tory leader and returned the Conservative Party to power.

Jenrick, who is running to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader, told The Telegraph: "With respect to Boris Johnson, the Conservative Party right now needs all of its talent involved.

"And so if Boris wanted to return to Parliament, I would be pleased to welcome him.”

He added: “I think what we need are the best people who are available in the Conservative family to be on the pitch, supporting us to be a strong opposition, holding Keir Starmer to account for all of the failings that we already see, and ultimately winning the next general election.

“And if Boris wanted to be part of that, I’d be delighted.”

Reform critics left fuming as Farage makes return to 'glorious' Clacton

A glorious day in Clacton!☀️ pic.twitter.com/GpM4uHIiTt

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) August 21, 2024

Nigel Farage has left Reform UK's critics fuming after posting a snap showing his return to "glorious" Clacton-on-Sea.

The Reform UK leader posted a photo with the pier behind him, writing: "A glorious day in Clacton."

Farage broke his electoral hoodoo to represent voters from the Essex seaside town on July 4.

However, critics have claimed the Reform UK leader has prioritised trips to the US, including for the Republican National Convention last month.

A Reform UK supporter wrote on social media: This is going to boil the p**s of so many leftists and I am here for it."

Yvette Cooper vows to REVERSE illegal migration surge in just six months after ditching Rwanda deal

The Home Secretary has announced a new package of measures to crack down on illegal migration as part of Labour's manifesto pledge to "smash the gangs".

Yvette Cooper - alongside the PM - had canned the Tories' Rwanda deportation plan on their first day in office - but with Channel crossings close to reaching 20,000 people this year alone, the Government has been forced to play its hand.

In Cooper's plans sit a litany of measures aimed at shoring up "immigration enforcement and returns activity" - and she talked up Sir Keir Starmer's much-hailed European "relations reset" amid a continental effort to shore up borders and sea crossings.

The measures include the hiring of 100 dedicated intelligence officers and investigators by the National Crime Agency to specifically target smuggling gangs and increased detention capacity at Immigration Removal Centres to boost deportations.

There's a special emphasis on illegal workers in the UK - with a Home Office statement calling out "unscrupulous employers".

The statement drew attention to what it called a "new intelligence-driven illegal working programme" which is set to target, investigate and enforce penalties on those who employ illegal migrants.

Cooper said: "We are taking strong and clear steps to boost our border security and ensure the rules are respected and enforced.

"Our new Border Security Command is already gearing up, with new staff being urgently recruited and additional staff already stationed across Europe.

"They will work with European enforcement agencies to find every route in to smashing the criminal smuggling gangs organising dangerous boat crossings which undermine our border security and put lives at risk.

"And by increasing enforcement capabilities and returns, we will establish a system that is better controlled and managed, in place of the chaos that has blighted the system for far too long."

Revealed: True cost of Britain's foreign aid as cash thrown at Chinese regions richer than the UK

British taxpayers are funding arts, infrastructure and tech projects in regions wealthier than parts of the UK, a damning new study has revealed.

As part of the Government's overseas aid budget, diverted through universities and 'Quangos', Britons are shelling out for projects like an all-female traditional opera in Shanghai, a rural crafts exhibition in Shenzhen in southern China, and a temporary cycle lane in Mexico City.

Some UK Government funding is flowing towards Ordos City, also in China - a city richer than 69 regions of the UK, and one that sits in the world's second-largest economy.

Read the full story HERE.

Starmer warned union plans will cripple Britain

Sir Keir Starmer is thought to be under pressure to abandon his plans to ramp up the power of trade unions.

Business leaders are said to be urging the Prime Minister to reconsider amid concerns his proposals will stall economic growth.

The Prime Minister wants to restore the right for unions to force companies to negotiate with them even if only a minority of staff support the move. Other proposals would also see unions being given the "right to access" offices to recruit new members.

A Labour source told The Times that Starmer was facing pressure to scale back his plans.

They said: "The danger is you give the unions too much power and before you know it you start putting people off from investing in the UK. They need to be very careful."

Rachel Reeves tax hike fears after new borrowing figures released

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing further challenges ahead of her first Budget this autumn after official figures revealed Government borrowing jumped by far more than expected last month.

The Office for National Statistics said public sector net borrowing stood at £3.1billion last month – £1.8billion more than a year ago and the highest July borrowing since 2021.

The total for July was £3billion more than predicted by Britain’s official forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility, and higher than the £1.1billion most economists were pencilling in.

The figures will increase concern that the Chancellor will hike taxes in October in order to balance the books.

Reform UK demands Cooper set deadline for improvements 

Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice has reacted to Labour's crackdown on illegal immigration with scepticism that the Government's plan will work.

He's called on Yvette Cooper to adopt his own strategy if her efforts fail.

"Home Sec ⁦Yvette Cooper⁩ talks tough on removals of illegals," he wrote on social media.

"Anyone optimistic? She has refused my call to set time limit on smash gangs strategy before adopting ⁦Reform UK's⁩ strategy of pick up and take back."

Politics LIVE

Welcome back to GB News' Politics LIVE blog.

We'll be updating this page throughout the day with live politics updates as they come in.