Category Archives: POLITICS

Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns After Spending Bust-Up With Keir Starmer

Posted on by
Reply

Defence secretary John Healey has resigned following a bust-up with Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves over spending on Britain’s armed forces.

In a blistering letter to the prime minister, he said he had been left with “no other option” after disagreement over the government’s long-delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP).

As well as Starmer, he also accused the chancellor of blocking his pleas for more money for the Ministry of Defence.

He revealed that No.10 and the Treasury wanted to increase defence spending from 2.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) next year to just 2.68% in 2030 – well short of the 3% Healey wanted.

Healey said: “This new era for defence required further investment through the Defence Investment Plan.

“The excellent and extensive cross-government work that completed in January – overseen by you, me and the chancellor – confirmed the scale of the challenge and the rising demands on defence.

“Since then, you have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats.”

He said that “demands on defence have increased still further”, pointing to the Iran war, threats from Russia and escalation in the Ukraine conflict.

Healey said his resignation letter was one “I never expected to write, and I do so now with great regret and reluctance”.

He said the proposed DIP, which he was shown on Monday afternoon, “falls well sort of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time”.

“You know what defence needs,” Healey said. “You made the argument for this powerfully in your speech at the Munich Security Conference back in February.

“Without a DIP that meets the moment in this way, I am being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations, and could make the country less safe.

“After explaining to you that I would not be able to accept a DIP settlement that does not give our Forces the resources they need, I am now left with no other option than to submit my resignation as your defence secretary.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Share Button

‘Racist Thuggery’: Minister Condemns Violence In Wake Of Belfast Knife Attack

Posted on by
Reply

A minister has condemned the “racist thuggery” which erupted in the wake of a knife attack in Belfast.

Hadi Alodid, 30, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder over the incident, in which victim Stephen Ogilvie lost an eye.

Migrant families have been burned out of their homes in what has been described as “a 21st century pogrom”.

Asked on Sky News whether these were racist riots rather than protests, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said: “Well, if you are targeting people on the basis of the colour of their skin how else can you describe them

“That is racist thuggery, there’s no question about it at all.”

The minister said ethnic minority people in Northern Ireland were concerned about whether they would be targeted next.

He said: “We’ve had reports of people being stopped in their cars to be asked what their nationality is on their way to work, and this is completely unacceptable.”

In a statement on Wednesday night, Stephen Ogilvie’s family appealed for calm as they paid tribute to the contribution migrants make to society.

They said: “We have been left feeling disgusted by the scenes that unfolded yesterday across Northern Ireland in the wake of what happened.

“We want to make it absolutely clear that to do this in response is not supported by our family, and peaceful protest is only ever the way forward.”

The family added: “We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including from within our healthcare system and hospitality sector, and we depend on them to make our country work,” they said.

“We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility – do not do this in the name of our loved one as we do not share the same values.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

Reform Accused Of ‘Dragging Politics Into Gutter’ After Councillor Posts Fake Makerfield Poll

Posted on by
Reply

Reform UK have been accused of “dragging politics into the gutter” after one of the party’s councillors posted a fake opinion poll about the Makerfield by-election.

Sarah Mason claimed Reform and Labour are neck-and-neck on 44% each just over a week out from polling day on June 18.

The councillor's now-deleted tweet.
The councillor’s now-deleted tweet.

She later posted on X: “I thought I’d join in with the made-up polls.”

Mason admitted she had made up the poll.
Mason admitted she had made up the poll.

Mason, who is a councillor in Scarborough, has now deleted her original post after an online backlash.

According to the most recent poll in the seat, Labour’s Andy Burnham is 10 points ahead of Reform’s Robert Kenyon.

Reform’s campaign has been dogged by revelations about Kenyon’s social media history.

It emerged he had shared a series of sexist, anti-vaccine, anti-abortion and pro-Russia comments online over the years – including lewd remarks about presenter Carol Vorderman and confusing statements about whether he even voted for Brexit himself.

A Labour spokesperson said: “Reform are dragging politics into the gutter.

“They’re stooping to new lows online because they know Robert Kenyon isn’t fit to be an MP – yet they won’t admit it.

“Instead of spreading misinformation online they should be forcing their candidate to apologise to the public for the vile comments he’s made about women and disgusting false narratives he’s peddled over the Manchester Arena bombing.

“While Reform continues to be mired in scandal and they reach for desperate underhand tactics, Labour’s Andy Burnham is determined to deliver the investment and fairer future all communities across Makerfield deserve.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

Union Leaders Reject Nigel Farage’s Call For Them To Back Reform UK

Posted on by
Reply

Union leaders have slammed Nigel Farage after he called on them to ditch Labour and back Reform UK instead.

In a major policy announcement, he said Reform was now “the party of the workers”.

He urged trade unions to affiliate with Reform UK and for their leaders to attend the party’s annual conference in Birmingham in September.

Farage, who has not held a press conference since it emerged nearly two months ago that he received £5 million donation from a Thailand-based crypto billionaire, made the announcement in a video on X.

But the trade unions themselves immediately rejected his invitation.

They pointed out that Reform – which has seen several former Tory cabinet ministers defect to the party – voted against Labour’s attempts to strengthen rights for workers.

A GMB spokesperson said: “Mr Farage and his Reform MPs say one thing to workers and do another.

“They voted against sick pay and other essential safeguards. They even want to prevent people organising to make work better at places like Amazon.

“Now they want to stop low-paid working women getting access to their pension scheme.

“We see them for what they are – rebadged Tories after union members’ basic rights.”

Maryam Eslamdoust, the general secretary of the TSSA union, said: “The interests of working people are not safe in the hands of Reform UK, a party whose leaders want to protect their own interests at the expense of everyone else.

“A Farage-led government would rip up the Employment Rights Act and launch even worse attacks on workers’ rights than Thatcher.

“Union members will not be conned by this ridiculous and desperate gimmick from Farage.”

Labour MPs also hit out at Farage, with one saying he was “like a fox campaigning for better henhouse security.”

Alex Sobel, the Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, said: “Nigel Farage opposed Labour’s legislation to ban zero hours contracts and outlaw fire and rehire.

“It’s outrageous for him to seek to pose as a champion of workers’ rights, given his consistent hostility to trade unions.

“Reform UK has no interest whatsoever in promoting employment rights or of campaigning for a national living wage.

“This is pure opportunism from Farage, who would go further than Thatcher with anti-union legislation if he ever came to power.”

Posting on X, fellow Labour MP Luke Charters said: “Quite something from a bloke who voted to water down union rights and opposed day-one sick pay, parental leave, bereavement leave and protections from exploitative zero-hours contracts.

“Like a fox campaigning for better henhouse security.”

FBU general secretary Steve Wright said: “Nigel Farage is a Thatcherite who is an enemy of trade unions and has consistently opposed extending employment rights, as well as workers taking strike action in defence of their jobs.

“As a former Tory party member in the 1980s, Farage was a cheerleader for Thatcher’s war on the miners and the biggest onslaught on trade unions since the Second World War. As an MP, Farage opposed the introduction of Employment Rights Act to ban zero hour contracts and outlaw fire and rehire.

“Firefighters and other workers will see this ludicrous stunt for what is by a party led by multi-millionaires that is a threat to the working class.”

Share Button

Reform’s Nadhim Zahawi Slammed Over ‘Disgraceful’ Defence Of Kemi Badenoch Attack Ad

Posted on by
Reply

Nadhim Zahawi has been condemned over his “disgraceful” attempts to defend a Reform UK ad attacking Kemi Badenoch which has been widely criticised as misleading.

The former Tory, who defected to Nigel Farage’s party earlier this year, insisted there was nothing wrong with the controversial social media post, which was produced following the jailing of Henry Nowak’s killed.

The 18-year-old was handcuffed and arrested by police as he lay dying after being wrongly accused of racism by his killer, Vickram Digwa.

Digwa, a British-born Sikh, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years at Southampton Crown Court last Monday.

Farage has said the case is an example of “two-tier policing” and anti-white discrimination.

The Reform ad showed a quote from 2020 in which Badenoch said “black lives do matter”, alongside a partial quote she gave this week in which she said “I don’t care about white lives matter”.

However, her full quote, which she gave in an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, was: “I don’t want to hear about Black Lives Matter. I don’t want to hear about White Lives Matter. Everyone matters.”

On Sky News on Sunday morning, presenter Trevor Phillips asked Zahawi if someone at Reform “is getting sacked” for the ad.

He replied: “In 2020, she said black lives do matter. In 2026, she says I don’t care about black lives matter or white lives matter. Why? Because she finds it hard to talk about a white boy who bled out on the street.”

But Phillips told him that was “clearly a misrepresentation of what she said”.

“Are you telling me that this is ok,” he asked in reference to the advert.

Zahawi said: “It’s her words, that’s what she said. Why is it so different when it’s a white boy, that we’re all so frightened of upsetting anyone?”

The presenter hit back: “This is not you at all. You’re doing what all the others do. You are inventing your own question and answering it.

“You’re not answering the question I asked you, which is ’is this a fair representation of what Kemi Badenoch said ir not?”

Zahawi said: “I would have more respect for Kemi Badenoch if she said ’by the way, in 2020 I was wrong.”

Social media users slammed the former Tory chancellor.

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

Keir Starmer Accuses Elon Musk Of ‘Trying To Whip Up Division’ In UK Over Henry Nowak Murder

Posted on by
Reply

Keir Starmer has accused Elon Musk of “trying to whip up division” in the UK over the murder of Henry Nowak.

The billionaire owner of X has made numerous posts on social media in recent days about the teenager’s tragic death.

Henry was stabbed to death by Vickrum Digwa, who then falsely told the police that he had been the victim of racism.

Eighteen-year-old Henry was then arrested and handcuffed by police as he lay dying.

Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years at Southampton Crown Court on Monday.

Musk has offered to fund a private prosecution against Hampshire Police over their conduct, which is now being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

But speaking on a visit to Yorkshire on Thursday, Starmer told Musk to keep out of British politics.

He said: “We need to assert who we are as a country because Musk again has been interfering in our politics in the last few days, trying to whip up division. That is not who we are in Britain.

“In Britain we are reasonable, tolerant people. When we have a terrible case like Henry’s case, Henry Nowak, we react calmly as his family has done.”

The PM also backed Labour MP Jess Assato, who is taking legal action against Musk’s xAI after she claimed its Grok tool was used to create fake images of her in a bikini.

Starmer said: “Jess Asato is absolutely right in the action she is taking. Disgusting images were created, in her particular case by Grok.”

In January, the prime minister went to war with X after the Grok bot allowed users to generate sexualised images of women and children.

Last year, Starmer also hit out at Musk’s “dangerous and inflammatory rhetoric” after the billionaire told a far-right rally that “violence is coming” to Britain.

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

Trump Official Wades Into Reform’s Irate Sky News Interview Over ‘White Lives Matter’

Posted on by
Reply

A member of Donald Trump’s administration has weighed in on Zia Yusuf’s tense Sky News interview over the Henry Nowak murder.

The 18-year-old student was stabbed repeatedly by Vickrum Digwa last December, who then told police attending the incident that he had been the victim of racism.

As Henry lay dying on the ground, and despite telling the officers that he could not breathe and had been stabbed, he was handcuffed and arrested.

Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years at Southampton Crown Court on Monday.

Reform leader Nigel Farage controversially claimed the case was proof of “two-tier policing” in the UK, insisted: “White lives matter, too”, and called for “pure cold rage” from the public in response.

Sky’s Cathy Newman asked Yusuf, who is Reform’s home affairs spokesperson, if he thought that was incitement from Farage.

But he bizarrely deflected by asking what her emotional response to the bodycam footage from officers attending the scene of Nowak’s death.

She said it was “heartbreaking” – but pointed out that his family have asked for Henry’s death not to be used for more division.

When Yusuf asked again for the presenter’s response, she had to remind him: “I’m interviewing you!”

The two then clashed over Reform’s repeated use of “white lives matter” as the senior politician continued to side-step direct questions about racism against Black and ethnic minorities from police.

Yusuf eventually said it was “unacceptable for anyone to be discriminated against” – but went on to attack Newman for the “premise” of her questions.

He also admitted that he has not spoken directly to Henry Nowak’s family, despite their requests for no political point scoring.

Sarah B Rogers, the US under-secretary of state for public diplomacy, responded to a clip of their tense exchange on X – and took Yusuf’s side.

Ignoring Farage’s call for “pure cold rage”, Rogers wrote: “I will answer Cathy’s question: stating effectively ‘this video should outrage you’ is nowhere near incitement under any lucid standard.

“Moreover, it is true.”

This is not the first time Rogers has weighed into UK rows, accusing the UK of parroting Russia for considering a ban on X, and mocking prime minister Keir Starmer and his then-chief of staff over Christmas.

Newman later responded to the interview on X, writing: “Well that was fiery. Shame you couldn’t be on the sofa [Zia] but glad we got to chat (though I think you might have asked as many questions as I did!)”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

Nicola Sturgeon: ‘I’m Serving A Sentence For A Crime I Did Not Commit’

Posted on by
Reply

Nicola Sturgeon has told the BBC she is “serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit” in relation to her ex-husband’s embezzlement of SNP funds.

Peter Murrell, chief executive of the Scottish National Party between 2001 and 2023, pleaded guilty to taking more than £400,000 from the SNP this week.

He has been charged with embezzling funds from the party between August 2010 and October 2022.

Arrested in 2023 and charged in 2024, Murrell has been remanded in custody and is set to be sentenced at the end of June.

He made a series of extravagant purchases while he was SNP chief, including a £124,550 campervan for his own personal use.

His then-wife Sturgeon was also arrested in 2024 and questioned by detectives, but was never charged with any offences.

The former first minister of Scotland and ex-SNP leader has faced a barrage of criticism after she claimed she was completely unaware of her then-spouse Peter Murrell’s crimes.

Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Sturgeon said: “A lot of women find themselves blamed for the men of the actions in their lives – I’m not going to contribute to that in a sense that I am responsible for somebody else’s crimes.”

She added: “I believe strongly in that accountability, but I am not responsible for the crimes my former husband committed and I’m not going to apologise for somebody else’s crimes.”

But BBC presenter Kuenssberg pointed out that Sturgeon was still leader of the party when Murrell was taking funds from the party, and asked if she therefore beared responsibility.

“He perpetrated a crime on the SNP,” the ex-first minister said. “By definition, that includes me as party leader.

“He misled, he deceived. He is serving and will be serving a sentence for a crime he committed.

“I’m out here, feeling as if I’m serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit.”

Asked why she only gave “no comment” responses to the police when she was arrested, Sturgeon said: “I was in a state of near collapse. I was terrified, I was bewildered, I was in a state of high stress and anxiety.”

She said her lawyer told her not to answer questions “in such a state of stress”, and that she prepared a detailed statement afterwards.

Sturgeon also insisted she was unaware that her husband had bought the campervan.

“My mother and father’s house has a driveway in front where we would park our car and then we would go into the house,” she said.

“Where the motorhome was was round the side of the house, which was not immediately visible in the way that we went into the house.”

She said: “I genuinely, genuinely, don’t have any conscious memory of seeing that motorhome.

“If I saw it I probably would have assumed it was a neighbour’s. My mother and father-in-law were in their mid-80s, it wouldn’t have crossed my mind that it was theirs and why would it have crossed my mind that it was the SNP’s, that Peter had bought it?”

She said it was “never” discussed, adding: “I genuinely do not recall seeing it in a way that I registered it and thought, ‘oh there’s a motorhome’.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

Top Tory Humiliated With Brutal Makerfield Poll Putting Conservatives In Last Place

Posted on by
Reply

A senior Conservative was left red-faced on Sunday when presented with the results of an opinion poll of the Makerfield voters.

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips showed shadow home secretary Chris Philp the findings from a Survation survey of 369 people set to vote in the crunch by-election.

The graph showed put the Conservatives in last place on 2% in the constituency.

The Green Party were just in front on 3%, the Liberal Democrats on 4%, Restore Britain on 7%, Reform UK on 40% and Labour in the lead on 43%.

Phillips said: “Before 2024, you used to come second between 20 and 30% of the vote.

“Now there are three parties that could describe themselves as being of the right, or centre right, and you – you’re the official opposition – you’re the least popular of the three!

“Reform, Restore, Conservatives.”

Pointing to the graph, he said: “Look, there are the Tories, down there at the bottom. What the heck happened?”

Sky News' graph of the Survation opinion poll
Sky News’ graph of the Survation opinion poll

The Tory MP replied: “By-elections are very strange things. You’ve got this weird dynamic where Andy Burnham is running as a Labour candidate to basically kick out Keir Starmer.

“So this by-election is idiosyncratic, it’s incredibly unusual.”

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is hoping to win the Makerfield seat so he can challenge the prime minister’s leadership.

Phillips said: “But people of the right aren’t going to you. They’re going to Reform, they’re going to Restore, which is a party almost nobody has even heard of.

“They are polling better than you are! What has happened to the Tories?”

“Let’s just see what the actual result says,” Philp replied, claiming this was “just one little poll in one constituency in very unusual circumstances”.

He said: “If you take the [national] polls as a whole, we’re often in second place, Kemi is rated as the best leader and you can see that we’re the only party holding the failing Labour Party to account.”

Philp also noted that it takes time to “rebuild trust” with the public following their unpopular 14-year stint in government.

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

‘What Is Wrong With Labour?’ Trevor Phillips Scorches Minister Over Glaring Issue Within Party

Posted on by
Reply

Sky News’ Trevor Phillips asked a senior minister what is “wrong” with Labour as he tore into the party’s lack of female leaders.

Labour is currently in turmoil as speculation of a coup mounts.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is campaigning as the party’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election.

If he wins and becomes an MP, he is expected to challenge Keir Starmer’s leadership, sparking a contest which ex-health secretary Wes Streeting has already vowed to join.

Senior female party figures, like former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, are yet to say if they would partake in any leadership race.

Interviewing work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden on Sky News, Phillips said: “There’s a shadow contest going on. The Labour Party’s not going to have a female leader. It’s bizarre.

“This is not something you could say of any self-democratic party, most of the centre-right parties in Europe [have had a female leader] – the Tories have had four!

“Genuinely, what is about the Labour Party that makes it, as far as I can see, incapable of having a serious female contender for leadership?”

McFadden said that was a “good and serious point”, though he rejected claims there was any contest coming on right now as no one has formally challenged the prime minister.

But he added: “If there is a contest, then why should it just be with the people who so far have been mentioned?”

Phillips said: “What’s wrong with the Labour Party?”

“The Labour Party’s not perfect, like any other organisation,” McFadden replied. “There are wonderful women politicians in the Labour Party, many of them are capable of leadership, and if we ever are in a position of a contest, why wouldn’t they put themselves forward?”

Phillips’ question comes after Jess Phillips told the Hay festival this week that her party is sexist for having no permanent female leaders in its history.

The MP for Birmingham Yardley, who resigned as the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls earlier this month, said: “Like all institutions [Labour] is a bit sexist”.

She added that “every institution that every single person in this room works for is led by the patriarchy”.

However, she disputed the idea that just having a woman in power would improve the UK.

“I have to say, the idea that a woman leads and it makes it better for women is not one that I’ve recognised in this country,” she said.

“My mortgage went up by a thousand pounds a month, cheers Liz [Truss]. I shouted at her, every time I saw her, the amount that she now owed me. She has not paid me back.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button