Tourists urged not to visit UK as Starmer struggles to get grip of riots

First Conservative Party leadership hustings announced

The first Tory Party leadership hustings has been announced for August 17.

According to organisers, the "majority" of the six candidates have confirmed their participation.

Candidates will not appear together - as "this will not be a head to head/'blue on blue'."

Liz Truss warns Tory party could 'die' as she rejects calls for 'unity'

Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe earlier today, the former Prime Minister replied "yes" when asked if it could "effectively die" amid a threat from Reform UK.

She added that her party could make room for Nigel Farage and rejected calls from candidates trying to replace Rishi Sunak as leader that "we need unity" and "need to dampen things down".

"I think that's completely wrong - that's not where the country is," she said.

Priti Patel takes swipe at Nigel Farage’s ‘irrelevant’ comments on ‘appalling’ riots

Dame Priti Patel has taken a swipe at Nigel Farage after the Reform UK compared recent riots to Black Lives Matter protests.

Patel, who has described Farage as a “friend”, put pressure on the Clacton MP by rejecting his claim about “two-tier policing”.

Farage argued two-tier policing has become widespread after releasing a letter urging Sir Keir Starmer to recall Parliament.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

International warning issued as 'violence assumes dangerous proportions' across Britain

The wave of riots in the UK has trigged travel alerts in Nigeria, Malaysia and Indonesia.

It comes after more than 420 people were arrested after violence erupted amid a knife attack on children attending a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.

All three countries issuing warnings are either Muslim majority countries, or countries with large Muslim populations.

The Indonesian embassy in London has advised its citizens in the UK to avoid large crowds and increase their vigilance.

Nigeria’s ministry of foreign affairs warned that the violence had “assumed dangerous proportions” and there was “an increased risk of violence and disorder occasioned by the recent riots in the UK”.

Keir Starmer 'appalled by Huw Edwards' 'abhorrent' actions

Sir Keir Starmer is "appalled" by Huw Edwards' "abhorrent actions" after the BBC veteran pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography, No10 has revealed.

The Prime Minister's official spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister was shocked and appalled by the abhorrent actions.

"The Culture Secretary also spoke to this over the weekend and made very clear that she thought he ought to return his salary.

"She also spoke to the director-general last week who committed to looking at all options in respect of that issue and obviously that is an issue for the BBC to take up with the individual in question.”

Edwards, 62, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.

The father-of-five admitted to receiving seven Category A pictures, the most severe, 12 Category B images and 22 Category C images.

Keir Starmer unveils new 'standing army' to tackle riots as he vows to 'ramp up' response

Sir Keir Starmer has announced he plans to utilise a "standing army" to deal as violent unrest continues to grip the country.

The Prime Minister, who was speaking after convening an emergency Cobra meeting this morning, is facing pressure to recall MPs as Nigel Farage also accused the UK of "two-tier policing".

Starmer said: "There were a number of actions that came out of the meeting. The first is we will have a standing army of specialist officers, public duty officers, so we will have enough to deal with this where we need them.

"The second is we will ramp up criminal justice. There have already been hundreds of arrests. Some of them have appeared in court this morning.

"I've asked for the early consideration of the earliest naming and identification of those involved in the process, who will feel the full force of the law."

Starmer also stressed the criminal law applies to social media users as well as those involved in riots across the country.

Addressing the use of a "standing army", Starmer added: "In relation to the police, I am absolutely clear that we will have the officers we need, where we need them to deal with this disorder.

"That is why the 'standing army has been set up, specialist officers, ready to be deployed to support communities."

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL STORY

Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley RIPS microphone out of reporter's hand as he's quizzed on response to riots

Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley grabbed a journalist's microphone when asked: "Are you going to end two-tier policing?"

Rowley's surprising outburst came as the Prime Minister called the emergency Cobra meeting after a weekend of violence saw rioters set fire to migrant hotels.

The meeting brought together ministers, civil servants, police and intelligence officers.

WATCH THE FULL CLIP BY CLICKING HERE

Starmer holds emergency Cobra meeting after weekend of violence saw rioters set fire to migrant hotels

Sir Keir Starmer has concluded an emergency Cobra meeting amid concern about violent protesters continuing to wreak havoc across the UK, No10 has confirmed.

The Prime Minister, who condemned the attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, is promising rioters will feel the "full force of the law".

Unrest erupted across much of the UK over the weekend, including in Middlesbrough and Belfast.

Counter-protesters also gathered in major hotspots for confrontation, with up to 300 masked people shouting "Allahu Akbar" in Bolton.

A Cobra meeting was held after a sixth day of violence following the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport.

The meeting brought together ministers, civil servants, police and intelligence officers.

During a televised address on Sunday, Starmer warned protesters will "regret" taking part.

He said: "People in this country have a right to be safe, and yet we've seen Muslim communities targeted, attacks on mosques.

"Other minority communities singled out, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on the police, wanton violence alongside racist rhetoric, so no, I won't shy away from calling it what it is: far-right thuggery."

Patel joins Farage in calling for MPs to return to debate violent protests

The violent disorder we are witnessing on our streets is unacceptable.

As Home Secretary I brought forward much stronger protections against disproportionate protest and disorder. The Government must act again and now.

Parliament and the public need reassurances that the… pic.twitter.com/qJ24INtCo7

— Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) August 5, 2024

Dame Priti Patel has written to Sir Keir Starmer to urge the Prime Minister to recall the House of Commons.

The former Home Secretary, who also addressed her letter to Yvette Cooper and Lucy Powell, labelled the protests as "unacceptable and shocking".

She concluded: "In view of these circumstances, I trust you will consider making the necessary arrangements with the Speaker of the House of Commons to enable it to be recalled."

Government rule out recalling MPs and bringing in army to tackle disorder

Two Government Ministers have rejected Nigel Farage's call to recall Parliament and bring in the army to quell violent disorder.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who is expected to join Sir Keir Starmer at today's Cobra meeting, said: "That's not what we're doing right now."

Defence Secretary John Healey also categorically rejected deploying the army, adding: "South Yorkshire Police were strongly supported by police forces from West Yorkshire, from Cheshire, even the British Transport Police came."

Starmer must ignore Remainers and take 'full advantage' of Brexit, ex-No10 aide claims

Sir Keir Starmer must ignore Remainers wanting to rejoin the Single Market and take "full advantage" of Brexit, a former No10 adviser has claimed.

Dr Gerard Lyons, who advised Liz Truss during her brief stint in Downing Street, made the plea in a paper for the Centre for Policy Studies.

He said: “The Government needs to have the confidence to stand its ground on remaining outside of EU institutions.

“Rejoining the EU, its single market or its customs union will not provide a solution to the UK’s growth challenge and should not be part of any pro-growth strategy, despite the recent clamour from some for this.

"The major challenges facing the UK have long predated Brexit and solutions are not reliant on being in the EU.”

Nigel Farage 'appalled by riots' as he demands urgent Parliament recall: 'Need to debate population explosion'

Nigel Farage has called for MPs to return to Parliament as riots continued across England over the weekend.

Farage, 60, voiced his dismay at the unrest after hundreds of protesters were arrested and dozens of police officers were injured.

The Reform UK leader also accused officers of "two-tier policing" as he called for a debate on the "population explosion".

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL STORY

Farage is a 'friend' but I won't let him 'destroy' the Tory Party, says Patel

Dame Priti Patel has vowed to now let her pal Nigel Farage "destroy" the Tory Party if she becomes Conservative leader on November 2.

The former Home Secretary, who joins six other leadership hopefuls, has been a "friend" of Farage for years.

Patel and Farage were recently snapped dancing at the 2023 Conservative Party Conference.

The pair, who now both represent Essex seats in the House of Commons, were also on the same side of the Brexit debate.

However, given Reform UK's breakthrough on July 4, Tory leadership hopefuls have been pushed to win back support from the populist party.

Patel told The Telegraph: "There’s a distinction between getting on with someone and recognising the fact that his mission was to destroy the Conservative Party. I will not allow that to happen."

The Witham MP's comments come after GB News reported that Reform UK's ex-deputy leader Ben Habib was supporting Patel's leadership bid.