Yvette Cooper slams Tories for Rwanda secrecy as she exposes 'true costs to taxpayers'

Yvette Cooper said the Tories planned to spend £10bn on the Rwanda scheme

PA
Oliver Trapnell

By Oliver Trapnell


Published: 22/07/2024

- 07:59

Updated: 22/07/2024

- 20:27

Follow below as GB News keeps you up to date with the latest politics updates from across the UK

  • Starmer to launch a new body to deal with Britain’s ‘fragmented and broken’ skills training system
  • Prime Minister praised Joe Biden after withdrawing from US presidential race
  • John Swinney to set out new Scottish Government funding for 'landmark' carbon capture and storage project
  • Jeremy Hunt apologises for failures in the UK’s pandemic preparations
  • Mel Stride confirms he is considering Tory leadership bid
  • Diane Abbott slammed Joe Biden and said his resignation was one of two "best things he ever did"
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JACK WALTERS

Yvette Cooper has slammed the Tories for their secrecy surrounding the Rwanda scheme and claims to have exposed the true cost to taxpayers.

The Home Secretary told the House of Commons that the "previous government had planned to spend over £10billion of taxpayers' money on the scheme.


She said: “I can report it has already cost the British taxpayer £700 million in order to send just four volunteers.

"Those costs include £290 million payments to Rwanda, chartering flights that never took off, detaining hundreds of people and then releasing them and paying for more than 1000 civil servants to work on the scheme.

“A scheme to send four people. It is the most shocking waste of taxpayers’ money I have ever seen.”

She added: “And most shocking of all, over the six years of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership forecast, the previous government had planned to spend over £10 billion of taxpayers’ money on the scheme.”

Tories confirm leadership election plan with crunch battle for top job to begin in days

The Tory Party will unveil its next leader on November 2 in plans devised by Conservative chiefs, a report has claimed.

Conservative MPs can get the ball rolling on the looming leadership contest from July 24, with nominations opening at 7pm.

Leadership hopefuls will need the backing of just 10 Tory MPs to reach the first round of voting.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL STORY

Labour vows to 'prioritise' migrants from 'safe countries' first in bid to end small boats crisis

The Government will “prioritise” processing asylum claims made by illegal immigrants from “safe countries”, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has been tipped to announce.

Cooper, who today claimed Rishi Sunak’s Government spent £700million on its Rwanda scheme, is expected to clear much of the backlog by addressing claims from migrants originally from India, Vietnam and Albania.

Asylum seekers from such countries have been warned they are far less likely to have their claims accepted.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL STORY

Cooper sets out plans to clear asylum backlog

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has set out serious plans to clear the asylum backlog.

Cooper will allow caseworkers to decide asylum claims that have been put on hold.

The Government hope the move is expected to deliver significant savings on asylum hotels and accommodation.

Cooper said: “People in the UK want to see strong border security, with a properly controlled and managed asylum system where our country does its bit alongside others to help those who have fled persecution, but where rules are properly respected and enforced, so those with no right to be here are swiftly removed.

“We will invest money saved from the Rwanda Partnership into a new Border Security Command instead. It will bring together the work of Border Force, the NCA, the Small Boats Operational Command, intelligence and security officers.

“We are immediately increasing UK officers’ involvement in Europol and the European Migrant Smuggling Centre. And we are immediately re-deploying Home Office staff away from the Rwanda Partnership into returns and enforcement to reverse the collapse in removals that has taken place since 2010.

“We need a properly run system where the rules are respected and enforced, and where we cut the costs for the taxpayer. It will take time to clear the asylum backlog and bring costs down and to get new enforcement in place to strengthen our borders and prevent dangerous boat crossings. But there is no alternative to serious hard graft to sort the chaos.”

'Not ever!' Starmer rules out leaving ECHR

Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out withdrawing the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Prime Minister told MPs: “There is no need to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

"That is not consistent with the values of that blood bond [after the Second World War] and so we won’t withdraw, not now, not ever.

“Because the basic fact is the priorities of the British people do require us to work across borders with our partners.

"A Government of service at home requires a government of strength abroad.”

Hunt blasts Labour over 'dubious' economic claims

Jeremy Hunt

Jeremy Hunt

GB News

Shadow Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has taken aim at Labour over what he describes as "dubious" economic claims.

Hunt told MPs: “The most dubious claim we have heard of all is this nonsense about the worst economic inheritance since the Second World War, which everybody knows is just a pretext for long-planned tax rises.”

The Shadow Chancellor added: “Instead of an economy where markets and the pound were facing meltdown, she has inherited one which the ONS (Office for National Statistics) said growth was going gangbusters.

"And since the election, that has been backed up by even more data.”

'Old habits die hard!' Starmer leaves Commons chuckling after mistakenly calling Sunak 'the Prime Minister'

PARLIAMENT TV

Sir Keir Starmer has left the House of Commons chamber chuckling after accidentally calling Rishi Sunak "the Prime Minister".

Starmer, who succeeded Sunak as Prime Minister following a landslide victory, said: "We must work with others and in relation to his particular point the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, old habits die hard."

Sunak, deputy opposition leader Oliver Dowden and Tory chief whip Stuart Andrew were all giggling after Starmer's slip up.

Nigel Farage's reaction to Biden exiting 2024 race 

Nigel Farage has given his reaction to Joe Biden's sudden decision to quit this year's Presidential election.

The Reform UK leader said that no matter who the Democrats put on the top of the ticket for November, Donald Trump would once again be elected to the White House.

The incumbent President made a surprise announcement on social media on Sunday as he confirmed he was no longer seeking re-election.

In a simple message, Farage said he "predicted this would happen."

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Diane Abbott slams Joe Biden and says resignation one of 'two best things he ever did'

Diane Abbott took aim at Joe Biden today as she claimed his resignation ranked in the "two best things he ever did".

The Labour MP said praise for the US President was "misplaced" as she criticised the 81-year-old's legacy in Gaza.

She wrote on social media: "The eulogies for Biden seem a bit misplaced. The two best things he ever did was beat Trump in 2020 and resign now.

"But just one word will forever sully any Biden legacy: Gaza."

In contrast to Abbott's comments, Prime Minister and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer praised the outgoing resident of the White House.

Speaking today, he added: "“I respect that decision that he has now made.

"Not an easy decision, but a decision that I know that he will have arrived at taking into account the best interests of the American people, and I look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency."

SNP in strong position despite election ‘setback’, Swinney claims

SNP in strong position despite election \u2018setback\u2019, Swinney claims

SNP in strong position despite election ‘setback’, Swinney claims

PA

John Swinney has said he was “deeply concerned” about his party’s poor electoral performance on July 4, which saw the SNP drop to just nine seats from 48 in 2019.

Senior party figures have called for a reset, including former SNP MP Mhairi Black, who urged the Scottish First Minister to be “real and brutal” about the challenges his party faces.

In one of his first interviews since the election, Mr Swinney said the General Election was just a “setback” and he pledged to win over voters in the 2026 Scottish Parliament vote.

He said: “The SNP remains in a strong position. We’ve lost parliamentary seats – that’s a setback.

“But we’ve got secure foundations and I intend to build on those in advance of the 2026 elections, and to make sure that there is an understanding and an appreciation of the formidable record of the Scottish Government in representing the people of Scotland.”

Swinney, who was visiting St Fergus’ Gas Terminal, near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, on Monday, added: “I’m deeply concerned about the implications of the election and the fact that I lost so many experienced and valuable parliamentary colleges.

“I have expressed publicly my sympathy with these individuals and to the staff who have been affected as a consequence.”

He added: “The SNP has got to look long and hard at the election campaign. That’s what we’re doing just now. Our party executive will consider off of these issues in early August and will reflect on the outcome of the election.

“We’re obviously engaging with party members about all of these questions. It’s important that we learn those lessons, identify what the challenges were in the election campaign, and most importantly, remedy those challenges.”

Eluned Morgan officially announces bid to replace outgoing Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething

Eluned Morgan has officially announced she is running to replace outgoing First Minister Vaughan Gething, who lasted just four months in the post.

The Welsh Health Secretary will be standing on a joint “unity” ticket with rural affairs minister Huw Irranca-Davies, who would become deputy first minister.

They have received a groundswell of support from across the Labour benches, including from Gething’s rival in the last leadership race, Jeremy Miles.

Their announcement on Monday comes after Gething was forced to announce his resignation as First Minister and Welsh Labour leader last week, after four members of his cabinet quit en masse in criticism of his leadership.

No other candidates have announced their intention to run, with Baroness Morgan automatically becoming Welsh Labour leader if that remains the case by Wednesday.

However, she would not become First Minister until she is confirmed in a vote in the Senedd.

If no one else stands, the Welsh Tories have said they will ask for the Welsh Parliament to be recalled from its summer recess to enable Baroness Morgan to take over.

Starmer urged to stand firm as PM hit by first rebellion just weeks into new job

Sir Keir Starme r and Kim JohnsonStarmer urged to stand firm as PM hit by first rebellion just WEEKS into new jobPA

Keir Starmer has been urged to stand firm as he could be facing his first rebellion just weeks into his new job as Prime Minister.

As many as 19 Labour MPs could be willing to trigger a Commons vote to scrap the two-child benefit cap which critics claim is leading to children falling into poverty.

Starmer has so far refused to ditch the cap, as he claims it would be unaffordable.

Headed by Kim Johnson, the 19 MPs have tabled an amendment to the King’s Speech calling for the change.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle will decide whether it is selected for debate this week.

Former Labour Home Secretary Lord Blunkett has urged Starmer to stand firm as he claims parents must take responsibility for choosing to have bigger families.

He told the Telegraph: “There’s been given the impression that there’s been a massive increase in child poverty because of it, but that doesn’t stack up because the number of families with more than two children who are not entitled must be still relatively small.

“So firstly, I think people should address the facts rather than the emotion.”

Blunkett added that scrapping the cap would certainly be a “partial solution” but would not address the “underlying causes” of child poverty.

He said parents should “think seriously” about whether they can afford to have more than two children because the Government was not “an ATM machine”.

WATCH: 'Schools have had ample time to prepare': Bridget Phillipson doubles down on Labour's private school tax raid

Starmer admits there is 'no silver bullet' to end child poverty as MPs threaten to rebel

Sir Keir Starmer speaking at Farnborough Internatial Airshow

Starmer admits there is 'no silver bullet' to end child poverty

PA

Keir Starmer said there is “no silver bullet” to end child poverty but that “it’s good that we’re having a debate” about the two-child benefit cap as he faces growing pressure for the measure to be dropped.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the “passion” of Labour MPs considering rebelling over the continuation of the policy that affects some 1.6 million children.

Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow, Starmer said: “I’m not surprised that there’s a real passion about this in the Labour Party, you’d expect there to be.

“Child poverty is something that we need to eradicate. And there’s a very strong feeling in the Labour Party, Labour movement about that.”

He added: “There is no silver bullet. If there was a silver bullet it would have been shot a very long time ago.”

Scotland announced £10.9m funding boost for ‘burgeoning’ space sector

Scotland’s “burgeoning” space sector is to receive a funding boost worth almost £11million from the UK Govenrment.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray announced the cash support as he met with firms to hear about their “pioneering” projects.

He said: “Scotland is a major player in the international space industry and I am delighted the UK Government is continuing to back the sector with £10.9million in funding for these five Scottish projects.”

Sadiq Khan demands £25bn from Starmer to fund re-election promises

Sadiq Khan

Sadiq Khan demands £25bn from Starmer to fund re-election promises

GB News

Sadiq Khan has demanded the new Labour Government give him £25billion to fund his re-election promises.

Despite having an existing £21billion a year budget, the London Mayor is calling for the eye-watering sum from the taxpayer to fund commitments made in his re-election manifesto. Having ruled out most tax rises during Labour’s subsequent General Election campaign, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will face pressure from the Mayor to instead find the sum through additional borrowing.

The London Mayor was re-elected in May, promising to recruit 1,300 police officers, build 40,000 council homes, freeze TfL fares and make free school meals permanent if he and a Labour Government were both elected.

The phrase ‘Labour Government’ appeared in the Mayor’s manifesto nearly forty times, with Sadiq Khan asking Londoners to “imagine what a Labour Mayor and Government could do together”.

Sadiq Khan’s demands from Government over the next four years include £500million a year for Transport for London, a least £250million a year for the Metropolitan Police Service, a one-off ‘emergency’ payment of £2.2billion for housing, and an additional £4.9billion a year to fund affordable housebuilding.

Despite being given £9billion by the previous Conservative Government to fund 140,000 homes, the number of homes built in London has recently fallen to record lows.

Neil Garratt AM said: “The vast majority of the manifesto commitments Sadiq Khan was re-elected on depended on a Labour Government being elected. Will Rachel Reeves now give in and fund the Mayor’s demands with £25billion of additional borrowing?

"We welcome long-term investment in our city, but Londoners should not forget that Mayor Khan already has a £21billion annual budget that he has not spent prudently.

“We should be very cautious about the taxpayer having to pick up Sadiq’s tab down the road and what demands will come next.”

John Healey shows off new laser weapon capable of 'neutralising targets at speed of light'

Britain's new laser weapon system

Britain's new laser weapon system

MoD

Meeting with industry leaders and defence apprentices on the first day of Farnborough International Air Show, Defence Secretary John Healey announced a £6.5billion complex weapons partnership and ground-breaking trials of a laser weapon fired from a British Army vehicle.

The renewal of a complex 10-year weapons partnership with MBDA, who manufacture the Storm Shadow missile used on Ukraine’s front line, will deliver battle-winning complex weapons faster and at lower cost.

The contract will also support more than 5,500 jobs across the North-West, East of England and the South-West, as well as thousands of other jobs in UK’s supply chain.

The Defence Secretary also revealed that scientists and engineers have successfully fired a laser weapon from a British Army vehicle, in a first for the UK.

The ground-breaking trials, conducted at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) range in Porton Down, saw the laser weapon neutralise targets at the speed of light from more than 1km away, with each shot costing less than a cup of tea.

The Raytheon-developed laser weapon could be mounted onto various armoured vehicles to defeat a range of drones, helping protect soldiers from aerial threats.

Defence Secretary, John Healey said: “Farnborough International Air Show showcases the best of British industry and how a vibrant industrial base keeps us all safe and contributes to UK economic growth.

“As Defence Secretary, I want to take the politics out of national security so where there is important work begun under the previous government, we will take it forward in the interest of national security.

“That is why we are renewing important partnerships with industry and continuing to push technological boundaries. This will drive prosperity and create skilled jobs across the country.”

Green Party row erupts after message praising Joe Biden

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer has sparked outrage from her own members after praising Joe Biden upon his decision not to standing the 2024 Presidential Election.

The Bristol Central MP faced a backlash with Green members criticising the US President over the conflict in Gaza.

Denyer wrote: "I wish President Biden well and thank him for his many years of public service.

"This cannot have been an easy decision for him. But to take a decision that is personally difficult, but that is in the public interest, is a true sign of leadership."

Reacting, Green councillor Joe Lever said: "We don't need to say these things."

Adam Pugh said: "For the record, Carla doesn’t speak for me and she doesn’t speak for a huge chunk of the Green Party. This is a horrendously bad take.

He added: "Some of us have worked too damn hard to have our leadership come and undermine us and humiliate us like this."

Meanwhile, activist and commentator Owen Jones added: "Joe Biden has armed and facilitated the mass slaughter of innocent people.

"I hope the Green Party co-leader reconsiders this tone deaf statement, retracts it, and agrees to meet with British Palestinians whose relatives have been butchered with US bombs."

Most Britons think two-child benefit cap should remain in place

Starmer vows to 'transform' how UK trains young people

\u200bSir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer set out his plans to training for young people and adults

GB NEWS

Sir Keir Starmer said the new Skills England organisation would transform the relationship between businesses and the education system.

Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow he said it was “another marker of the future”.

The Prime Minister said it was “the launch of a new organisation that we hope will transform not just how we train our young people and adults, but also the relationship between business and education system”.

He said it was “a plan to make sure that we’re training young people, not just for any business, but for the businesses that exist in their communities, the skills that you and they need to take each other forward”.

Starmer arrives at Farnborough International Airshow

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at the Farnborough International Airshow in Hampshire, where he will make a speech on skills training.

The Prime Minister was greeted by the chief executives of plane-maker Airbus and aerospace manufacturer Rolls-Royce, Guillaume Faury and Tufan Erginbilgic.

He then met a group of apprentices from the two companies in front of a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330-900 jet which has Rolls-Royce engines.

'We can get back in a single term' - Mel Stride outlines plan for Conservative Party redemption

Conservative MP Mel Stride told GB News this morning that he is confident the Tories can be back in power after a single term in Opposition.

Watch the full interview above.

New polling suggests Conservatives' time in power to be marked by Brexit, Partygate and Liz Truss disaster

Mel Stride confirms he is considering Tory leadership bid

Mel Stride told GB News he is considering a bid for the Tory leadership

GB NEWS

Mel Stride told GB News this morning that he’s not ruling out running for Conservative Party Leader.

The Central Devon MP said he is considering running after colleagues urged him to stand.

The shadow Work and Pensions Secretary is a well-regarded figure across the parliamentary party, and emerged as one of its leading communicators during the general election campaign.

While the MP for Central Devon would be an outside bet to lead the party, supporters of his believe he would steady the ship, even if he were to serve on an interim basis.

"I haven't ruled that out and I haven't ruled it in," he told GB News.

"We don't yet know what the contest holds. The party board is going to come forward shortly, I think, with the process, and I will finally take a decision at that time.

"some colleagues have been speaking to me about that possibility and it's something that I'm weighing up.

SNP to join Labour rebels in revolt on two-child benefit cap

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has urged Scottish Labour MPs to support a move to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

The party has tabled an amendment to the King’s Speech calling for the cap to be axed in what Flynn is describing as a “test” of the new Labour Government’s pledge to deliver real change for the country.

The Government has said it will set up a taskforce to deliver a strategy to tackle child poverty but Flynn has previously described this as a “cynical attempt to kick the issue into the long grass”.

Flynn said ahead of today’s debate: “We’ve worked constructively with other groups in Westminster to deliver a cross-party movement to scrap the child benefit cap but, sadly, no Labour MP from Scotland appears willing to join these efforts.

“Anas Sarwar and his Labour MPs in Scotland have said the cap should go, and our amendment gives them the opportunity to put those words into action – it’s a fairly easy test for them to pass should they wish to do so."

Keir Starmer praises Joe Biden after withdrawal from US presidential race

Starmer and Biden

Starmer praised Joe Biden for withdrawing from the US presidential elections

PA

Keir Starmer has praised Joe Biden for making a decision based on what he believed to be in “the best interest of the American people” after the US president withdrew his bid for re-election.

Biden said on Sunday that it was “in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down”.

Responding to Biden’s decision, Starmer said: “I respect President Biden’s decision and I look forward to us working together during the remainder of his presidency.

“I know that, as he has done throughout his remarkable career, President Biden will have made his decision based on what he believes is in the best interests of the American people.”

Starmer to launch Skills England to tackle ‘fragmented and broken’ training system

\u200bKeir Starmer speaking at a press conference during the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock

Starmer to launch Skills England to tackle ‘fragmented and broken’ training system

PA

The Prime Minister is to launch a new body today to deal with Britain’s “fragmented and broken” skills training system.

Skills England, which was included in Labour’s manifesto, is intended to ensure training provision is aligned with the needs of the economy.

It will bring together central and local Government, businesses, trade unions and training providers to better understand the nation’s “skills gap”.

Starmer said: “Our skills system is in a mess, which is why we are transforming our approach to meet skills needs over the coming decades.

“They will help to deliver our number one mission as a Government, to kickstart economic growth, by opening up new opportunities for young people and enabling British businesses to recruit more home-grown talent.

“From construction to IT, healthcare to engineering, our success as a country depends on delivering highly skilled workforces for the long-term. Skills England will put in place the framework needed to achieve that goal while reducing our reliance on workers from overseas”.

You may like

This Liveblog has now been closed.