Politics LIVE: Keir Starmer to sign 'free and open trade' declaration with EU in direct rebuke to Donald Trump

Two urgent questions tabled to Yvette Cooper and David Lammy - follow live

A pair of urgent questions on Irish band Kneecap and the situation in Kashmir are set to be tabled to the Commons from 12.30pm today.

Tory MP Mark Francois is set to ask Home Secretary Yvette Cooper if she will make a statement on the alleged incitement to murder MPs by the Irish Republican group Kneecap.

And Labour's Gurinder Singh Josan will be asking Foreign Secretary David Lammy whether he will make a statement on "the killing of 26 people in Pahalgam, Kashmir and the increasing tensions between India and Pakistan".

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

Nigel Farage branded 'the ultimate snake oil salesman' by Scottish Labour chief in furious meltdown to union bosses

Nigel Farage has been branded "the ultimate snake oil salesman" by Scottish Labour boss Anas Sarwar in a furious address to unions.

Just days after a controversial "anti-Reform" summit made headlines in Scotland, Sarwar has now taken aim at the "rise of the politics of division" - which he claimed Farage "embodies".

Speaking to trade union leaders in Dundee, he blasted the "rise of the politics of division, embodied by the ultimate snake oil salesman and easy answer politician, Nigel Farage and Reform UK".

Sarwar added: "We shouldn’t sit in some kind of comfortable bubble here in Scotland, thinking that somehow we're immune to the politics of division or the politics of the far-right or the politics of Reform UK."

Reform UK secures SIX-POINT lead over Tories as clock ticks on local elections

Reform UK has surged to a six percentage point lead over the Conservatives in a breakthrough new poll for Nigel Farage's party - just two days before England heads to vote in the local elections.

New data from pollsters at YouGov has placed Reform in a distant first place, with 26 per cent of Britons indicating they would vote for it if an election were held tomorrow.

Three points behind Reform sits Sir Keir Starmer's Labour on 23 per cent, ahead of the Tories on 20.

And responding to the poll, both Farage himself and chairman Zia Yusuf have issued a bullish three-word message: "Britain wants Reform."

Rachel Reeves plots nanny-state 'milkshake tax' to curb obesity as Britons face price hikes

Rachel Reeves is plotting to introduce a so-called milkshake tax in an attempt to curb Britain's obesity levels, it has been claimed.

The Chancellor has drawn up plans to impose levies on milk and yoghurt-based beverages for the first time.

Reeves is said to have concluded that the products have a damaging impact on public health, with obesity rates jumping from just 14.9 per cent in 1993 to 28.9 per cent in 2022.

And now, experts warn the decision could drive prices up... but by how much?

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Kemi Badenoch refuses to rule out SCRAPPING state pension triple lock

Kemi Badenoch has refused to rule out scrapping the state pension triple lock under a potential future Conservative Government.

The Tory leader said that "it has always been Conservative policy to have the triple lock" - and has been for the last 14 years.

"I have not changed that," she told LBC. "When we change policy, I have a big speech and, you know, like the one I did on net zero, and we announce it.

"Now we have to look across the board at so many things - taxes, what's going to happen with pensions, pension legislation, so let's do the detailed work on that and then say what the policy is going to be. But as of now, no, there's no change to the triple lock."

In response, a Labour spokesman blasted: "Kemi Badenoch couldn't be clearer: under her Conservative Party, the door is open when it comes to cutting the state pension."

Back in January, she had told the same broadcaster that the Tories could means-test the triple lock, sparking a vicious row - and an official Conservative denial.

Her spokesman, at the time, vowed that the party had "always protected" the policy.

Nigel Farage issues dire net zero warning after Spain and Portugal plunged into blackouts

Nigel Farage has issued a dire warning over net zero following mass blackouts across Spain and Portugal - which is still taking its toll on the Iberian peninsula today.

The Reform UK leader said: "The power outage in Spain is a warning.

"Right now, the UK is importing 21 per cent of our electricity - as renewables are only producing 13 per cent. This net zero madness must end and only Reform will do that."

WATCH IN FULL: Shadow Policing Minister Matt Vickers speaks to GB News Breakfast

Shadow Policing Minister Matt Vickers spoke to GB News Breakfast this morning - with grooming gangs and Kneecap among the top talking points.

You can watch his interview with Eamonn Holmes and Ellie Costello in full here.

Kneecap apologises to Amess and Cox families after 'kill your local MP' chant

Irish rap group Kneecap has issued an apology to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess following the emergence of footage which appears to show one member saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."

Members Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh said they "reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual".

They said footage had been deliberately taken out of context and was being "exploited and weaponised".

The band has also claimed it is facing a co-ordinated smear campaign after speaking out about the conflict in Gaza, and insisted it has never supported Hamas or Hezbollah and it condemned all attacks on civilians.

"To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt," the band's statement said.

"Kneecap's message has always been - and remains - one of love, inclusion, and hope. This is why our music resonates across generations, countries, classes and cultures and has brought hundreds of thousands of people to our gigs. No smear campaign will change that."

Yvette Cooper brands Irish rap trio Kneecap a 'DISGRACE' over vile 'kill your local MP' chant

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has branded Irish rap group Kneecap a "disgrace" for allegedly calling for the death of Tory MPs.

Footage has recently emerged of the group at a November 2023 gig - which appears to show one member saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."

And following a backlash led by Kemi Badenoch yesterday, Cooper told Times Radio this morning that "the things that they’ve been reported to be saying" are "a total disgrace".

She added: "It's dangerous to make these sorts of comments whether it is terrorist organisations or whether it is about the safety of MPs, when we have seen two MPs killed in recent years."

'Bogus gay asylum seekers' queueing up to claim right to stay in Britain by buying 'proof of homosexuality'

The Home Office has been warned that dozens of "bogus gay asylum seekers" are attempting to win the right to stay in Britain every day.

Veteran LGBT rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has warned that his charity is being contacted by as many as 30 "fake homosexuals" every single day - who he warns are systematically seeking "evidence" they are gay to remain in the UK.

Small donations from Pakistani men to the Peter Tatchell Foundation have soared in a bid to secure membership cards or "proof of homosexuality" - and he told the Mail he was forced to write to Home Office immigration chief Joanna Rowland in January as a result.

"It has come to our attention that some asylum applications from South Asia have referenced the Peter Tatchell Foundation in support of their claims to secure asylum," he wrote.

"For the past 18 months, we have noticed almost daily donations of less than £3, sometimes as many as 30 in a single day.

"It is apparent many of these donors are likely asylum applicants. We have also received emails from some of these 'donors' requesting membership cards or letters for their asylum applications."

Tatchell told the newspaper: "Of the hundreds of genuine refugess the Peter Tatchell Foundation has helped secure asylum, I am not aware any have been exposed as fraudulent. The people we help have gone on to become model members of the community, contributing to the UK economy.

"Any suspicious requests for help are promptly investigated and blocked.

"These waves of 15-30 small donations raised our concerns. They correspond to people who soon afterwards request membership cards and letters of support for asylum claims."

The Home Office said in response: "We take all claims of abuse of the immigration system extremely seriously, and where found, we will robustly challenge it."

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Yvette Cooper pushes to knock down 'obstacles' to deporting migrant sex offenders as she takes aim at courts

Yvette Cooper has vowed to knock down "obstacles" to deporting migrant sex offenders after introducing plans to change the law to prevent them from being able to claim asylum.

Asked whether sex offenders could be stopped from using the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to appeal against their removal, the Home Secretary told Times Radio: "Of course, there are often other obstacles that are put in the way of different kinds of returns and removals, but that's why we're working so hard to seek to remove those.

"But the first step is to remove somebody's entitlement to asylum protection in the first place if they have committed these serious crimes."

She also said she believes "it is possible to change the way" that courts interpret the ECHR's controversial Article 8 - which grants people the right to a family life, and has prevented a litany of criminals from being kicked out of Britain.

"I do believe it is possible to change the way in which Article 8 is being interpreted.

"Because in practice, what's happening is it's partly about the way in which our laws are operating, it's about the way... there's been a bit of an abdication of responsibility to set down the way in which our laws should operate, and too much has been left to ad-hoc decisions by the courts.

"But look: That review is under way at the moment. We will bring forward the conclusions."

Keir Starmer heaps praise on freshly-elected Canadian PM Mark Carney

Sir Keir Starmer has heaped praise on Mark Carney following his Liberal Party's election victory overnight.

Starmer hailed Canada as the "closest of allies, partners and friends" - and said he was looking forward to a G7 summit in the country in June.

His full statement reads: "Congratulations to Mark Carney on your election victory. The UK and Canada are the closest of allies, partners and friends. With your leadership, and personal ties to the UK, I know the relationship between our two countries will continue to grow.

"Our partnership is based on shared history and values, with a shared sovereign, and I look forward to strengthening our ties following our successful meeting in Downing Street last month.

"We will work together to deepen our economic relationship to deliver security for hardworking people in the UK and Canada - which we were both elected to do.

"I welcome your leadership on international issues, and I know we will continue to work closely on defence, security, trade and investment as we look ahead to the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis in June."

Downing Street hits back at 'free and open trade' reports ahead of key EU summit - 'We REJECT it!'

Downing Street has hit back at reports that Sir Keir Starmer's impending "free and open trade" declaration is a rebuke to Donald Trump.

The draft is said to make no explicit mention of the US President - despite its direct attack on trade restrictions, which include his highly controversial tariffs.

A Government spokesman said: "The Government rejects the premise that it must choose between our European and American allies."

Our top story: Nigel Farage teams up with Labour peer in bid to force Keir Starmer into grooming gangs public inquiry

Labour peer Maurice Glasman has joined forces with Nigel Farage to back a parliamentary Bill which calls for a statutory inquiry into the abuse gangs scandal.

Alongside a slew of Tory frontbenchers, the cross-party group will demand a national public inquiry into the crisis.

The coalition of a Labour peer with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK may set off alarm bells in Labour HQ ahead of this week's local elections.

And backing the bill, Lord Glasman said: "The gangs are still operating. The British public expect action so the police and other services finally get a grip of this disgrace.

"I support an Inquiry to get to the truth and improve how all parts of the state deal with sexual abuse of children."

And in a further boon to Nigel Farage, GB News also understands that multiple Labour MPs have given their support to the Bill in principle - but are wary of publicly breaking with the frontbench...

READ THE FULL STORY HERE