Reynolds risks being fined ‘thousands of pounds’ over CV row as Starmer urged to ‘grow a backbone’

Keir Starmer’s Southport silence 'risked collapsing' Rudakubana trial after PM accused of 'hushing up' killer’s identity

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of putting the Southport murder trial at risk after being accused of "hushing up" details about teen killer Axel Rudakubana.

The Prime Minister, who claimed disclosing certain details "ran the risk the trial would collapse", was reluctant to provide clarity on Rudakubana's identity amid speculation the 18-year-old was a Muslim asylum seeker.

Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, warned withholding the information could have been "far more prejudicial" than making the facts public.

Writing for The Telegraph, Hall said: “The failure by the authorities to spell out basic and sober facts about the attacker led to contagious disinformation about a murderous Muslim asylum-seeker that stoked the ensuing riots."

Martin Daubney clashes with Labour MP over Starmer’s Ukraine ‘obsession’ as pensioners freeze

Watch the moment GB News host Martin Daubney clashes with Labour MP Mike Tapp over the Government’s “obsession” with Ukraine.

According to Martin, Keir Starmer and Labour’s top brass should be focusing their efforts on matters closer to home like Britain’s flailing economy and pensioners struggling with rising energy bills.

“Many people feel we can’t stop problems washing up on our shores, why are we still so obsessed with Ukraine?”, Martin asked.

Tapp said Martin was making a “false equivalence” as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could end up having a direct impact on Britain.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY

Labour Minister pictured on stage at glitzy London jazz club while claiming to be in Middle East 'pushing for peace deal'

A Labour Minister was pictured on stage at a glitzy London jazz club while claiming to be "pushing for a peace deal" in the Middle East.

Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer had been unable to answer an urgent Commons question on Gaza just before 1pm on Tuesday because he was "in the region pushing for a peace deal", according to Catherine West, the Indo-Pacific Minister who was filling in for him.

A Foreign Office source said Falconer was flying back from Turkish capital Ankara yesterday morning where he had been discussing the Gaza ceasefire - and didn't land in time in order to answer the urgent question.

But shortly after 3pm, business group SME4Labour shared images of its annual lunch - which began at around midday - at iconic jazz bar Ronnie Scott's in Soho, central London.

Angela Rayner's workers' rights bill to CRIPPLE growth in fresh setback for hard-working Britons

Angela Rayner's workers' rights Bill is set to bolster unions, harm jobs and cripple growth, employers have warned, in a fresh setback for Labour's attempt at hauling Britain's economy upwards.

UK firms say the Government has taken an "irreversible" step towards a more business-hostile Britain through fresh changes to the Employment Rights Bill - which include extending a ban on zero-hours contracts to cover agency workers and giving a new enforcement body more powers.

They also warned that Ministers had turned down almost all of their pleas to loosen the rules - and have said Labour's Bill will push businesses into a "thicket of regulation" which would "undermine the Government's own push for growth".

Under Rayner's Bill, union members will now have to pay into political funds - which contribute millions of pounds to Labour - unless they opt out in writing.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

House of Commons Speaker charged taxpayers £500 for 'extra suitcase' amid extravagant spending on first-class flights and luxury resorts

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle charged taxpayers more than £500 to take an extra suitcase on a lavish trip abroad as part of a six-figure, two-year campaign of foreign travels on the public purse.

The suitcase expense was claimed during a nine-day visit to South Africa and St Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic.

The revelation comes as part of a wider examination of the Speaker's travel expenses by the Daily Mail - which includes first-class flights and stays at luxury resorts.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Keir Starmer takes veiled swipe at JD Vance just moments into PMQs ahead of 'return to White House'

Sir Keir Starmer has taken a veiled swipe at US Vice President JD Vance after he implied that a potential UK-France peacekeeping force would consist of "20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years".

Addressing the Commons as he opened PMQs, Starmer said: "Tomorrow marks 13 years since six young British soldiers were on patrol in Afghanistan when their vehicle was struck by an explosive, tragically killing them all.

"Tomorrow also marks the 18th anniversary of the death of Benjamin Ready, a 22-year-old serving with 42 Commando Royal Marines, killed in Helmand Province in 2007.

"These men fought and died for their country, our country, and across the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 642 individuals died fighting for Britain alongside our allies. Many more were wounded.

"We will never forget their bravery and their sacrifice and I know the whole House will join me in remembering them and all who served our country."

It comes as Starmer is set to return to the White House for crunch talks with Donald Trump, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a French Government spokeswoman.

Wes Streeting lashes out at 'big iftar outrage' as Health Secretary celebrates Ash Wednesday

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has lashed out at "outrage" over his attendance at a Ramadan event last night in a feisty social media post from Parliament.

Streeting, who attended the "big iftar" hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in Westminster Hall on Tuesday evening, was back in the building today to mark the beginning of Lent.

"Today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent," he said. "A time for reflection and repentance, of fasting and forgiveness, as we prepare for Easter.

"After the outrage towards the big iftar in Parliament yesterday, I doubt we'll see the same opprobrium directed at our service today!"

Streeting also hit out at critics yesterday, declaring on social media: "For those having a meltdown in my mentions: We had pancakes in Parliament today for Shrove Tuesday, and tomorrow I’ll be attending the Ash Wednesday service in chapel.

"Maybe consider giving up hate for Lent? Ramadan Mubarak from this Christian."

Downing Street denies 'White House return' reports in rebuke to French Government's 'wish'

Downing Street has said there are currently "no plans" in place for the Prime Minister to visit Washington DC alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

It comes after French Government spokeswoman Sophie Primas had said: "It is envisaged that President Macron might possibly go to Washington again with President Zelensky and his English counterpart."

Asked when the trio might visit Washington - and whether it would be within days or weeks - she said: "I don't have the information. I think it is in the short-term."

When asked whether there has been an invitation from the White House or whether the visit is a French wish, she replied: "It's a wish, I think."

Tice tears into 'Boriswave' as scale of migrant English proficiency revealed

Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice has launched into a scathing attack on the Tories' migration record - dubbed the "Boriswave" - following the news that almost one million migrants cannot or can barely speak English.

In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, Tice said: "After 14 years of total Tory failure on immigration, the chickens have come home to roost.

"Opening the floodgates to millions of new people has made integration into the British way of life almost impossible, and these statistics are testament to that.

"This is not only a cultural problem, but also piles extra pressure on public services, including the NHS, forcing them to fork out millions on translators which could be better spent on frontline staff."

READ THE FULL STORY ON BRITAIN'S MIGRANT CHAOS HERE

'Justice must be done... but I won't go into the details' - Starmer coy on Andrew Tate extradition

Sir Keir Starmer has vowed "not to go into the details" of a potential extradition of controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan from the US.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey asked: "Does the Prime Minister agree that people who are wanted by British police of such appalling crimes should stand trial in our country?"

Then, Davey pressed the Prime Minister on whether the Government would "request an urgent extradition of the Tate brothers".

Starmer replied: "This is a live issue as he'll appreciate... And therefore I'll tread carefully. But the principle is absolutely clear, justice must be done in all cases including in this case. But I won't go into the details because this is a live case as he knows."

Trump shuts off intelligence-sharing with Ukraine

Donald Trump has cut off the sharing of American intelligence with Ukraine, officials familiar with the matter have told the Financial Times.

In a move which could seriously hamper Volodymyr Zelensky's forces' ability to target their Russian invaders, Trump has turned off the tap - just hours after appearing to accept the Ukrainian President's olive branch.

Two officials confirmed to the newspaper that Washington had frozen intelligence channels with Kyiv.

However, one of said officials said the US is still sharing intelligence on Russia and Ukraine with its closest allies - including Britain.

'Of COURSE they're a reliable ally!' - Starmer slaps down Lib Dems as Davey warns of further Ukrainian deaths

Sir Keir Starmer has slapped down a warning from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey that Donald Trump may not be a reliable ally following his withdrawal of military support to Ukraine.

Davey warned that "more brave Ukrainians will die" as a result of recent moves by the White House - and minutes later, the Financial Times reported that the US had just moved to withdraw intelligence sharing from Ukraine.

He asked Sir Keir Starmer if he still thought Donald Trump was a reliable ally - and what his plan would be if Ukraine did not receivev a security guarantee from the Trump White House.

Starmer replied: "We work very closely with the United States on defence, on security and on intelligence.

"We have done for many, many years, they're intertwined - and of course they're a reliable ally. We're operating on that basis every day across the world, as he knows."

More on the FT's intelligence report to follow...

Starmer confirms UK-US trade talks underway in major Brexit breakthrough - but can't resist swipe at Tories' 'black hole'

Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that UK-US trade talks are underway - just days after he and Donald Trump hinted at the same during the Prime Minister's trip to Washington DC.

Starmer said he and the President "agreed our teams would indeed sit down rapidly to talk through an economic deal and that is what they're doing".

"I was pleased in the meeting that we had last week that we discussed an economic deal, and agreed that our teams would indeed sit down rapidly to talk through an economic deal.

"That is what they're doing, because, as she rightly say,s that is far better than getting drawn into conflict in relation to tariffs."

Kemi Badenoch said she was glad that the talks had begun - but warned that Britons were worried about economic security.

"People are hurting... Will he now change course so we have the economic security we know we need for our national security?" she asked.

Starmer then jabbed: "We were doing so well", before adding: "What we inherited was insecurity in our economy. We inherited a £22billion black hole, and we have now turned that around and got the highest investment coming into our economy."

He added: "That's the difference between stability with Labour and instability with the party opposite."

Donald Trump 'committed' to Nato Article 5, Starmer says

Donald Trump is "committed" to Nato Article 5 - which ensures that if one member country is attacked, all others will come to its aid - Sir Keir Starmer has said.

"I'm pleased to inform the House that on Thursday last week we did discuss security guarantees. The President made absolutely clear his commitment to Article 5 of Nato, absolutely clear that he will have our backs because of the relationship between our parties, and that our teams will sit down together to talk through security guarantees.

"I've spoken to him three times since then on the telephone, because it is vitally important that we work with the US, with Europe and with Ukraine because it is important to ensure that if there is a deal, it has security guarantees in place."

He had been responding to Kemi Badenoch's questioning over whether he was "taking steps" to persuade Trump to hand Ukraine a security guarantee.

She said: "The objective of his visit to Washington was to get that US security guarantee for Ukraine, and I commend his efforts in his very difficult task, but nonetheless on Monday the US withdrew military aid for Ukraine.

"Can he update the House on the steps he is taking to persuade America that is also in their national interest to provide a security guarantee?"

Badenoch: US-Ukraine divisions 'only serve Putin'

Divisions between the US and Ukraine "only serve Vladimir Putin", Kemi Badenoch has warned - as the Prime Minister faces growing pressure to step up as a "bridge" between the two countries.

She said: "Divisions between Ukraine and the US only serve Vladimir Putin. President Zelensky is right to try and rebuild his relationship with President Trump.

"He is keeping a cool head under very difficult circumstances and I was glad to see President Trump receive his letter positively. What is the Prime Minister doing to help rebuild their relationship after a challenging week?"

Sir Keir Starmer replied: "Well, she's absolutely right that we need to do everything we can to ensure that the US, Europe and Ukraine are working together on lasting peace.

"I'm doing everything I can to play my part in that, in regular contact with all of the key players at the moment, including talking to President Zelensky yesterday afternoon."

Starmer begins with tribute to soldiers killed in Afghanistan following JD Vance row

Sir Keir Starmer has begun PMQs by paying tribute to British soldiers who died fighting alongside Britain's allies in the Middle East.

It follows a row with US Vice President JD Vance, who on Monday night implied that a potential UK-France peacekeeping force would consist of "20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years".

British politicians have demanded an apology from the VP after he dismissed Starmer's offer of troops to help maintain peace in Ukraine if a deal to end the war is reached...

PMQs about to begin - follow live

Sir Keir Starmer's first Prime Minister's Questions since his trip to Washington DC - and the subsequent fallout - is about to begin.

We'll bring you live updates as they come in...

Starmer, Macron and Zelensky 'to head to Washington for crucial Trump talks', France says

Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could travel to Washington DC for crunch talks with Donald Trump, a French Government spokeswoman has said.

"It is being considered whether President Macron could travel to Washington again with President Zelensky, along with his British counterpart... in the short term," spokeswoman Sophie Primas said.

'Deport, deport, deport!' Rupert Lowe's three-word plea after vile grooming gang members jailed

Rupert Lowe has issued a three-word plea following the news that Two grooming gang members in Rotherham have been handed a pair of decades-long prison sentences.

Ivorian national Romauld Stefan Houphouet, 37, and Zimbabwean Absolom Sigiyo, 42, who both lived in the Yorkshire town,were found guilty of raping two 15-year-old girls countless times between 2011 and 2012 - and were given 20 and 18-and-a-half years in prison respectively.

In response, Reform UK's Rupert Lowe said bluntly: "Deport, deport, deport."

READ THE FULL STORY ON THE ROTHERHAM GROOMING GANG HERE

Owning images of Muslim women without their hijab should be a criminal offence, Labour MPs propose

Possessing images of Muslim women without their hijabs should be made a criminal offence, a group of Labour MPs has said.

The Commons' Women and Equalities Committee said pictures of a Muslim woman without a religious headscarf taken without her consent should be considered "non-consensual intimate images" - and treated as harshly as child sex abuse material.

At the moment, the committee says, English law defines an "intimate" image as one which shows its subject fully or partially nude, engaging in a sexual act or going to the toilet.

But now, the Labour-led group has claimed that "abuse can also include material that is considered 'culturally intimate' for the victim, such as a Muslim woman being pictured without her hijab".

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Service jobs slashed at highest rate since pandemic in ANOTHER headache for Reeves

Service sector firms cut jobs at the highest rate since 2020 last month as companies were forced to contend with weak demand and growing costs.

The S&P Global UK services PMI survey scored a tepid 51 in February - slightly up from 50.8 in January.

Any reading above 50 means a sector is in growth, while a score below this means it is shrinking.

Tim Moore, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said services firms had seen a "clear loss of growth momentum since last autumn" - when Rachel Reeves introduced her first Budget as Chancellor.

He said: "Worries about the near-term economic outlook and the impact of rising payroll costs contributed to another slide in business optimism.

"Less upbeat business expectations and another month of sharply rising input prices led to net job shedding across the service economy in February.

"Employment has now decreased for five months in a row. Aside from the pandemic, this represents the longest period of falling employment since early 2011."

'British diplomacy saved the US-Ukraine relationship' - Starmer's 'hard truths' hailed by security experts after Zelensky extends olive branch to Trump

Sir Keir Starmer's efforts to push Volodymyr Zelensky to praise the US have been hailed by Henry Jackson Society executive director Alan Mendoza.

Earlier, it emerged that Starmer delivered "hard truths" to Volodymyr Zelensky before the Ukrainian President extended an olive branch to Donald Trump following their White House row last Friday.

And now, Mendoza has hailed Britain's role into breathing life back into the beginnings of a peace deal in war-torn Ukraine.

"President Trump's speech last night proved that keeping calm and carrying on, rather than hysterical hyperventilating, is the best response to eruptions in Trumpland," he said.

"On Friday, the US-Ukraine relationship was dead. Now, after some superb British diplomacy and President Zelensky's bold demarche, it has renewed life.

"It's our job now to keep the momentum going to fully re-engage the US in a bid to end the war on fair terms."

Labour told to 'get a grip on immigration' as ONE MILLION migrants 'can barely speak English'

Labour has been urged to "get a grip on immigration" after it emerged that almost one million migrants either cannot speak English well or cannot speak it at all.

New data, handed to the Conservatives by the UK Statistics Authority last month, shows that almost 150,000 migrants are unable to speak the language whatsoever.

And while the majority of over-16s from abroad can speak English - 51.6 per cent say it is their main language - more than 930,000 cannot.

Some 8.6 per cent, or 794,332 people "cannot speak English well", The Sun reports, while 1.4 per cent, or 137,876 cannot at all.

Reacting to the figures, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "It beggars belief that so many people in the country can’t speak English... It shows Labour needs to get a grip on immigration, and fast."

But Labour has long blamed the Conservatives for a string of migration failures...

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Double blow for Rachel Reeves as Chancellor forced to slash spending by £10 BILLION - as business confidence slumps 

Rachel Reeves is to be told to slash spending by almost £10billion after it emerged the Chancellor's financial headroom has been wiped out entirely.

Treasury sources have claimed the "world has changed" since the October Budget - when the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said Reeves would have £9.9billion available to spend against her self-imposed borrowing rules.

That £9.9billon is now set to vanish due to rising trade tariffs around the world, and higher inflation and borrowing costs in the UK.

The Treasury will today inform the OBR of impending "major measures" - or changes to tax and spending - with welfare cuts and Civil Service "efficiency reforms" expected to follow.

It comes as the Adam Smith Institute has published a damning business confidence survey, which warns that over three quarters of British businesses have "low or very low" confidence in the UK economy.

75 per cent of those surveyed found that Labour's taxes on profits were a major concern, followed by inflation and energy costs on 71 per cent and 64 per cent, respectively.

Starmer delivered 'hard truths' to Zelensky before Ukrainian President U-turned to call for peace, officials say

Sir Keir Starmer delivered "hard truths" to Volodymyr Zelensky before the Ukrainian President changed tack and called for a US-backed peace, The Telegraph reports.

Government officials told the newspaper that Starmer advised Zelensky on what Donald Trump would want to hear to get talks back on track after Friday's infamous US-Ukraine White House row.

Shortly afterwards, the Ukrainian premier took to social media to hail Trump's "strong leadership", walk back on their row as "regrettable", and pledge to "come to the negotiating table" with America.

"It is time to make things right," Zelensky said. "None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer.

"My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts."

Rishi Sunak backs down on 'Stop The Boats' slogan - 'It was too stark!'

Rishi Sunak has said his "Stop The Boats" anti-illegal immigration slogan was "too stark" in a major row-back from the former Prime Minister.

Sunak told the BBC the wording was "too stark... too binary" - and that while the drive to stop the small boat crossings was justified, he "probably should have put those priorities... in a better context for exactly how challenging it was".

"Our generosity is limitless, and our compassion is limitless, but our resources are not," he added.

"[Illegal migration] is just fundamentally unfair, and fairness is central to our national character, and when people see this happening, I think it undermines that sense of fairness on which our society, our way of life, is based on."

'Labour has showed whose side they're on!' Shadow Business Secretary rages over workers' rights Bill - but gleeful unions celebrate

Angela Rayner's workers' rights Bill will "take Britain back to the 1970s", Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith has warned.

Reacting to the Deputy Prime Minister's latest round of amendments to the Bill, Griffith said: "Labour's jobs-killing Bill will take Britain back to the 1970s.

"Only business creates growth. But by refusing to listen to businesses and bending the knee to the unions, Labour has showed whose side they are on."

Meanwhile, unions have hailed the changes.

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said it was "what working people and decent employers have been waiting for", while GMB counterpart Gary Smith said it was "far from perfect" but a "massive step forward".

While the TUC's Paul Nowak said the "common-sense reforms" would "deliver better pay, security and respect for millions of workers up and down the country".

Yesterday's top stories: Labour tops polls, Farage 'to scrap inheritance tax', Starmer celebrates Ramadan

Reform UK poised to become official opposition - but Labour RETAKES polling lead after Starmer steps up on Ukraine

Labour has retaken the lead in a national poll following Sir Keir Starmer's triple-header week of hiking defence spending, travelling to the White House and bolstering support for Ukraine.

Pollsters at YouGov surveyed Britons across Sunday and Monday - and the party of Government has gained two percentage points to leapfrog Reform UK to first place.

Keir Starmer marks Ramadan by attending 'big iftar' as PM reflects on 'difficult time for Muslims'

Sir Keir Starmer has celebrated Ramadan at what he described as a "difficult time for Muslims in the UK" during an iftar event held in Parliament.

The Prime Minister attended "the big iftar" hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims on Tuesday evening.

Nigel Farage vows to 'completely scrap inheritance tax' if Reform UK win next election

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has launched a scathing attack on the Climate Change Committee as he offered fresh support to the farming community, warning that the "rural economy is under threat".

Farmers across Britain have descended on Westminster today in a "pancake rally" against Labour's inheritance tax raid, as the Government's war on farmers has so far yet to see a U-turn.