Wes Streeting says nurses can REFUSE to treat patients 'if they're racist'

More than half of Britons think Parliament should be recalled for House of Commons to respond to riots

A new survey shows that 64 per cent of Britons think Parliament should be recalled to allow the House of Commons to respond to the riots.

Robert Jenrick accused of 'stirring up some of the problems' amid riot row

AngelaRayner has accused Robert Jenrick of “stirring up some of the problems” in recent days, after he suggested people who say “Allahu Akbar” should be “immediately arrested”.

Asked about the Tory former minister’s comments on Sky News, the Deputy Prime Minister replied: “People like Robert Jenrick have been stirring up some of the problems that we’ve seen in our communities.

“Actually, what we want to see is communities coming together, and the vast majority of the public want to see that.

“The Prime Minister is very clear that his number-one priority is to keep people safe and to keep our streets safe, and that’s why we’ve deployed the police to deal with the minority of people who think it’s acceptable to throw missiles at police, to attack police and attack hotels and attack businesses that are just trying to go about their daily lives.

“The public here have been afraid and scared by those minorities who have been shouting racist abuse, shouting abuse and hurling missiles at police.

“There’s no excuse for that and the police will do their exceptional job that they’ve been doing over the last couple of days to protect the public.”

Throwing missiles and attacking hotels is 'not the way we do politics', says Deputy Prime Minister

Speaking inside the Holiday Inn Express at Manvers, near Rotherham, which violent protesters stormed on Sunday, AngelaRayner said: “Coming on the streets throwing missiles at the police, attacking police, attacking hotels like this one here today is not a legitimate grievance.

“It’s not the way we do politics in this country and nobody should be condoning that.

“This is thuggery, this is violence, someone could’ve got seriously injured over the last couple of days and it’s no excuse for that, and people should stay away from it.”

'Justice is being served' with rioters already behind bars, says Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer said justice is being served with some rioters already behind bars as the Prime Minister sent a warning to those causing “violent disorder” on streets across the UK.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister’s message to anybody causing violent disorder on our streets is clear – you will feel the full force of the law – and today, we are already seeing justice being served.

“Within a matter of days, some of the criminals involved in these riots have been put behind bars.

“This is just the start, with over 400 arrests, 120 charged and more people being hauled in front of the courts every day, our criminal justice system is showing violent thuggery has no place on our streets.”

Tories SLAM Labour for ‘surrendering’ to unions over anti-strike law

The Conservatives have accused Labour of "surrendering" to trade unions after the Government confirmed it is scrapping an anti-strike law created last year.

The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 came in response to a spate of public sector strikes and placed requirements on how much continuing work would have to be done in certain sectors, including health, education and transport, during industrial disputes.

The previous Government never imposed any of the requirements despite the law coming into force.

Conservative shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake said: "By surrendering to their union paymasters, Labour is showing us who is really in charge. We put the interests of the British public first through our Minimum Service Levels Act, making sure that the militant unions could not cripple the railways, schools or the NHS.

"But Labour are placing access to emergency care and schools staying open at risk just to appease the unions. Angela Rayner should be focusing on the urgent issues the country is currently facing."

Deputy PM Angela Rayner, who is overseeing the change in policy, responded saying: "Attempting to clamp down on the fundamental freedom of working people has got us nowhere, and this was targeted at sectors who dedicate their lives to serving us all.

"That’s why we’re scrapping this pointless law and creating a new partnership between business, trade unions and working people through our New Deal. Repealing this legislation is the first part of our plan to reset industrial relations so they are fit for a modern economy."

Reeves to consider Canada-style pension model in UK

The Government is considering consolidating local government pension schemes to pool their £360 billion of resources into a model similar to that of Canada.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is meeting representatives of the so-called Maple Eight group of Canadian retirement funds in Toronto on Wednesday. Funds like the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and the Canada Pension Plan are significant infrastructure investors, from which Ms Reeves has said she wants UK schemes to learn.

England and Wales’ local government pension scheme is fragmented into 86 individual funds, across about six million members.

Just Stop Oil announces pause in action amid riots

A Just Stop Oil spokesman said in a statement: "Like the entire country, our community has been deeply disturbed by the events of recent days. Disturbed, but not surprised."

They added: "We recognise that the violence on our streets is endangering communities, particularly those of Muslims and people of colour. In accordance with our commitment to nonviolence, we will not stretch police resources, such that they are unable to protect communities most at risk.

"Therefore, we are pausing our nonviolent resistance until the immediate threats to safety have been dealt with appropriately."

UK pledges £6million in aid for Gaza

International development minister Anneliese Dodds has pledged a package of food, water, health, education and wellbeing support for Gazans.

The former Labour party chair is visiting Jordan to meet ministers and discuss how the UK and its ally can work together on brokering a peace in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

She said: "Now is the time for calm, if we are to achieve lasting peace and stability in the Middle East. It is in no-one’s interests for tensions to escalate and spread across the wider region.

"We are seeing the humanitarian impact of conflict on Gazans. This new UK support will provide a lifeline for vulnerable families, giving them access to basic food and water during a desperate time."

The Gaza health ministry said more than 39,677 Palestinians have been killed and 91,645 have been injured in Israel's military offensive in Gaza since October 7.

New Welsh First Minister expected to announce cabinet positions

Eluned Morgan is expected to appoint Wales' new health secretary later as well as the new counsel general, or chief legal adviser.

Morgan is also set to confirm Huw Irranca-Davies as deputy first minister.

Speaking after being sworn in yesterday, she said: "I think it’s a milestone for the women of Wales. I hope now that young girls, in particular in Wales, can see a reflection of themselves and can aspire to any job in the country."

Communities minister Jim McMahon issues warning to rioters breaking the law - 'they will be dealt with'

He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: "There is no grounds at all for anybody in the country to go out there and believe that they have to self-defend either premises or a local community.

"The police force have the resources they need to provide on-the-ground support, there is co-ordination taking place with local councils, as I said, and the local community groups as well."

He added: "To be clear, it doesn’t matter what the cause or motivation is – if somebody breaks the law and causes damage and intimidation, they will be dealt with."

Sadiq Khan urges people to 'check on friends' following riots

The Mayor of London said on social media: "I am in constant touch with the Met, City Hall and the police are working closely with community leaders and local organisations to protect targeted buildings and places of worship, as well as provide reassurance for Londoners.

"I know the shocking scenes have left many Muslims and minority ethnic communities scared and fearful, so I ask my fellow Londoners to check on their friends and neighbours and show them that care and compassion is what Londoners are all about.

"In London, we have zero-tolerance for racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism or any form of hate and we pride ourselves on being open, diverse and welcoming of all faiths and backgrounds. It’s woven deeply into the fabric of our great city and is why those who seek to divide our communities will never win."

Nigel Farage refuses to apologise over Southport claims

The Reform UK leader denied stoking the violent disorder seen across England and Northern Ireland. It comes after he took to social media hours after the Southport attack to question whether the attacker was known to the police.

He told LBC: "I condemn all acts of political violence. At no point in the last 30 years have I ever encouraged political violence. I have nothing to do with any form of street violence.

"The reason the Southport riots were as bad as they were was we weren’t told the truth.

"There were some stories online from prominent folks with a big following, Andrew Tate, suggesting that the man had crossed the channel on a boat in 2016. I asked a very simple question, was this man known to the security services."

Murdo Fraser enters Scottish Tory leadership race

In a post on social media, the MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife said the party needs "real change", but said he will not seek to split the Scottish Conservatives from their UK-wide counterparts as he did in a previous leadership run in 2011.

in a video posted on social media, he said: "This party, our party, has let us all down. You, its members, were let down by Boris Johnson over partygate, you were let down by Liz Truss’s mini-budget, you were let down by Rishi Sunak at D-Day.

"And yes, I’m sorry to say, you were let down by Douglas Ross and his team.

"So now, our party must change, and change cannot be continuity in a fancy wrapper – our party needs a leader who will reach every corner of it, change it and hold it together all at the same time."

Fraser is the sixth candidate to enter the race, alongside Russell Findlay, Brian Whittle, Meghan Gallacher, Liam Kerr and Jamie Greene.

TUC general secretary welcomes new law -'time for a new, grown-up era of industrial relations'

Paul Nowak said: "Public services work best when governments listen to and engage constructively with their workforces.

"The TUC and countless experts repeatedly warned the previous Conservative administration that its vindictive minimum service levels were unworkable and would only worsen and prolong disputes.

"It speaks volumes that not one single employer to date has issued a work notice ordering staff to break a strike.

"They, too, can see how toxic these laws are. The new Government is right to repeal this spiteful legislation. It’s time for a new, grown-up era of industrial relations."