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Tory councillor defects to Reform in Lee Anderson's constituency - 'The Conservatives are now all but extinct here'

A Nottinghamshire councillor has defected to Reform UK in Lee Anderson's seat of Ashfield. Cllr Dawn Justice, who represents the Underwood ward on Ashfield District Council, has quit the Tories to join Nigel Farage's party

Cllr Justice was first elected to Ashfield District Council in May 2023, defeating incumbent David Martin from the Ashfield Independents Party who also represents Selston on Nottinghamshire County Council. She now represents the first Reform UK Councillor on Ashfield District Council.

Her local campaign was supported by Ashfield’s MP, Lee Anderson, who similarly left the Conservatives to join Reform UK earlier this year and was re-elected as a Reform UK candidate in July.

Councillor Justice said: "I am greatly looking forward to working with Lee again and with the Reform Party. I see joining Reform UK as an exciting opportunity to make a real difference locally, where a fresh approach is needed to deliver the level of services local people deserve."

Lee Anderson MP said: "I am absolutely thrilled that Dawn has joined the People’s Army. She represents her Underwood residents incredibly well and they are lucky to have someone who works so hard for them every day. Working for the people is exactly what we are about at Reform UK, so Dawn will feel right at home with us.”

"The Conservatives are now all but extinct here in Ashfield, and we will replicate this across the country in May 2025."

Trump election victory gives West 'reason to be worried' says Green MP - 'a loose cannon America!'

A Green Party MP has expressed concern about the future of Ukraine following Trump's victory in the US election.

MP for North Herefordshire Ellie Chowns told BBC Question Time: "I've been left open-mouthed by them this week... We've really got reason to be worried about this move in America and particularly because these are really serious times, so we need serious people at the top at the most powerful country in the world.

"Ultimately any conflict has to come to a negotiated settlement in the end, but you've got to negotiate from a position of strength, and if we have Trump saying basically 'I'm happy to pull the rug out from underneath Ukraine,' that's a complete betrayal essentially.

"So I am genuinely worried about the direction of Trump and I think it is all the more important then that we do strengthen our relationship with our European partners, and that we stand up for our values as well and definitely not roll over in front of what could be quite a loose cannon America in the coming few years."

Labour MP blames slow economic growth on 'really long-term problems' 

The chairman of the Business and Trade Committee has called for the Government to enact "pretty bold and pretty quick measures" to fix the slow economic growth.

Labour MP Liam Byrne told the BBC the latest growth figures result from "really long-term problems in the British economy."

He said: "We need to raise the investment rate in the British economy, we have not been invest enough in infrastructure and skills and innovation for a long period of time. I’m afraid that catches up with you, especially if you’re now in this new world where so much of our trade is wrapped in red tape.

"We’re in quite a difficult position at the moment and we’re going to need some pretty bold and pretty quick measures from our Government."

Reeves vows to rip up City red tape as Chancellor sets sights on 'unlocking' £80bn from pension megafunds

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has vowed to rip up City red tape and "unlock" £80billion from new pension megafunds in a fresh push for economic growth.

Reeves, who delivered her first Mansion House speech last night, claimed altering the UK's regulatory model would make Britain's economy more dynamic and more competitive.

"It was right that successive governments made regulatory changes after the Global Financial Crisis to ensure that regulation kept pace with the global economy of the time but it is important that we learn the lessons of the past.

"These changes have resulted in a system which sought to eliminate risk taking. That has gone too far and, in places, it has had unintended consequences that we must now address."

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Reynolds slammed by furious Question Time audience -'It’s just not right!'

A woman has slammed Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds who asked whether the planned increase in taxes will harm the economy and how the Government can hope to encourage entrepreneurship with the raid.

Jill Harris said that while the National Insurance change has a limited effect on her business because she only has a small number of employees, she knows others who are impacted.

She said: “I have a friend who is a hairdresser and his costs are going to go up £2,000 a month as a result of the increase in the national minimum wage and also changes to National Insurance."

Reynolds was also confronted by a second audience member who blasted the Government’s plans as “just not right!"