Exclusive: Rishi Sunak Accused Of ‘Stuffing’ Public Meeting With Tory Members

Posted on 08/01/2024 by Boris Clair

Senior Tories were among the audience at an event billed as a public Q&A with Rishi Sunak, HuffPost UK has learned.

Councillors and party candidates had prime seats at this morning’s ‘PM Connect’ at Accrington Stanley Football Club’s ground in Lancashire.

Some of them could clearly be seen on the front row of the audience as the PM took questions from those present.

A Labour source said: “Our unelected prime minister first refuses to name the date he’ll hold an election. Now he’s stuffing voter events with his supporters. Rishi Sunak is running scared.

“The Tory record is a crashed economy, which left working people saddled with rocketing mortgages and bills. It’s no wonder he won’t face the electorate.

“No amount of stage management can cover up the public desire for change. It’s the power of the vote that Rishi fears.”

But a Conservative spokesperson said: “Around 200 people attended PM connect in Accrington this morning.

“It is hardly surprising that a small number of elected councillors were in attendance along with local candidates who wanted to see the PM.”

Tories Choose Partner Of Disgraced Ex-MP Peter Bone To Replace Him In Parliament

Posted on 07/01/2024 by Boris Clair

The Conservative Party has chosen the partner of former Tory MP Peter Bone to replace him in Wellingborough.

Bone was sacked by his constituents after a Westminster sleaze probe found him guilty of bullying and sexually harassing a member of his staff.

A by-election is now due to be held in the seat to replace him as the constituency’s MP.

Tory chairman Richard Holden announced on Sunday that the party had picked Helen Harrison, a Conservative councillor, as its candidate.

Bone, who was first elected in 2005, retained his seat in 2019 as the Tory MP with a majority of 18,540.

But the veteran backbencher was stripped of the Tory whip by the party following the report into his behaviour which saw him suspended from the Commons for six weeks in October.

That led a recall petition in his constituency which saw more than 13.2% of registered voters choose to dump him – higher than the 10% threshold needed to trigger a crunch by-election.

The by-election is another major headache for Rishi Sunak as Labour will be hopeful of pulling off a shock victory.

Westminster’s behaviour watchdog, the Independent Expert Panel, found that Bone had committed “many varied acts of bullying” and “sexual misconduct” against the staff member in 2012 and 2013.

“The bullying involved violence, shouting and swearing, mocking, belittling and humiliating behaviour, and ostracism,” the IEP said.

“This wilful pattern of bullying also included an unwanted incident of sexual misconduct, when the complainant was trapped in a room with the respondent in a hotel in Madrid.

“This was a deliberate and conscious abuse of power using a sexual mechanism: indecent exposure.”

Bone appealed the IEP’s initial decision, but it was dismissed.

MSNBC Host Gets Emotional Thanking Former D.C. Police Officer On Jan. 6 Anniversary

Posted on 07/01/2024 by Boris Clair

MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart cried as he began his interview with former D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone on Saturday, three years after the violent Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The host introduced Fanone, who sustained a heart attack as well as a traumatic brain injury after he was beaten and electroshocked by Trump supporters during the insurrection.

Fanone, in an interview with CNN just days after the attack, recalled rioters shouting “kill him with his own gun.”

Capehart said Fanone lived through a “harrowing assault” and has lived with “the consequences of that trauma” before pointing to the ex-officer’s recent interview with HuffPost where he described American voters as the “last line of defense when it comes to preserving democracy” and ensuring the peaceful transfer of power.

The host went on to introduce Fanone before his voice began to shake.

“Officer Fanone, I’m gonna try to get through this,” said Capehart as he fought back tears.

“Thank you for what you did three years ago today.”

Capehart later took to social media where he responded to a Mediaite story about the emotional on-air moment.

“And I’d do it again! ✊🏾,” Capehart wrote.

You can watch more of Capehart’s interview with Fanone in the video below.

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Rishi Sunak Blasted For ‘Selling Nonsense’ By Former Top Government Adviser

Posted on 07/01/2024 by Boris Clair

Rishi Sunak has been accused of “selling nonsense” to voters by a former top government adviser.

Baronness Casey – who served as the UK’s first Victims Commissioner – said she was “angry and upset” at the prime minister.

It came after Sunak gave an interview to BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.

He was quizzed over his Rwanda deportation scheme, taxes, welfare spending and when he would call an election.

Asked for her opinion on the PM’s answers, Casey told the programme: “I feel a bit sad actually. We are in just the most extraordinary place in our country.

“I didn’t take from that any sense there’s an acceptance that things are as bad for people as they are. Things are really bad for an awful lot of people out there.”

She added: “Spin is such a dangerous thing.

“You’re in this invidious position where the guy is running into the general election, he’’s probably quite a decent bloke, he seems to be quite an alright chancellor, despite all of the terrible things.

“And there he is selling nonsense. It just rang hollow.”

Casey said she had been hoping Sunak would show “some acceptance” that people in the UK were feeling “pretty low”.

Sunak had told the programme he was going to “stick to the plan” because it was “starting to work”.

“I genuinely believe we’ve turned a corner,” he said. |“The country is now pointing in the right direction.”

Florida Resort Abruptly Cancels Marjorie Taylor Greene’s January 6 Event

Posted on 05/01/2024 by Boris Clair

A Florida resort scheduled to host Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for what organisers claimed would be a small book signing abruptly cancelled it on Thursday after learning the gathering was actually meant to commemorate the third anniversary of the deadly January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

Westgate Resorts’ Kissimmee, Florida, location said the Osceola Republican Party made no mention of January 6 when they pitched the event, instead describing it as a book signing for Greene’s memoir.

“Please be advised that Westgate was not made aware of the purpose of this event when we were approached to host a book signing,” the resort said in a statement. “This event has been cancelled and is no longer taking place at our resort.”

Despite the cancellation, the Osceola County Republican Party was still selling tickets to the event as of Friday morning.

The tiered tickets range in price from $45 to $1,000, with “Super VIPs” at the highest level receiving “a special private briefing on J6 and DC in a closed-door session.”

Osceola County Republican Party chair Mark Cross told The Hill on Friday he was unaware Westgate had dropped them. Cross said he believed Democrats were ultimately to blame for “calling people and lying about the purpose of the event”.

Asked by NBC News about the cancellation during a campaign event for former President Donald Trump in Iowa, Greene called the question “stupid” and told the outlet, “I really don’t understand the point of your question. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Tory MP Chris Skidmore Quits With Blast At Rishi Sunak Over ‘Climate Crisis’

Posted on 05/01/2024 by Boris Clair

Tory MP Chris Skidmore has said he will resign the Conservative whip and stand down as an MP “as soon as possible” as he blasted Rishi Sunak’s record on climate change.

The former energy minister triggers a by-election for his Kingswood seat in Gloucestershire as he quit in protest at plans to issue more oil and gas licences,

Skidmore, who led the government’s net zero review, argued new legislation called the offshore petroleum licensing bill “would in effect allow more frequent new oil and gas licences and the increased production of new fossil fuels in the North Sea”.

He was not planning to stand as an MP in the next election, expected later this year, as his constituency will be abolished under boundary changes.

“I can no longer stand by,” he said on X. “The climate crisis that we face is too important to politicise or to ignore.”

He added: “I can also no longer condone nor continue to support a government that is committed to a course of action that I know is wrong and will cause future harm. To fail to act, rather than merely speak out, is to tolerate a status quo that cannot be sustained. I am therefore resigning my party whip and instead intend to be free from any party-political allegiance.”

Skidmore continued: “The climate crisis that we face is too important to politicise or to ignore. We all have a responsibility to act when and where we can to protect the future: I look forward to devoting my time in 2024 and beyond to making the future a better place, in whatever capacity I can.”

A Tory party source said: “Self-regarding claptrap from a man more interested in burnishing his credentials as an eco-lobbyist than his constituents.”

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

Trump Asks Court To Find Jack Smith In Contempt, In Further Bid To Delay January 6 Trial

Posted on 04/01/2024 by Boris Clair

Former President Donald Trump asked the district court judge overseeing his trial for his actions leading up to January 6, 2021, to hold special counsel Jack Smith in contempt of court, according to a filing submitted on Thursday.

Trump’s filing claims that Smith, who is prosecuting the former president in a DC federal court, is in violation of a stay order put in place by Judge Tanya Chutkan after the prosecutor submitted new pretrial filings during the ongoing stay period.

The stay order was put in place after Trump appealed a previous decision by Chutkan rejecting Trump’s assertion of absolute immunity from criminal prosecution. That appeal will be heard by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on January 9. Smith’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The argument Trump puts forward in his filing is that Smith’s motions are filled with “partisan rhetoric” that “mirrors the Biden Administration’s dishonest talking points”. Since Trump is relieved of having to respond by the stay order, “the prosecutors seek to weaponise the Stay to spread political propaganda”.

Like many Trump-related legal motions, this filing is likely little more than a bid to buy time. Since his multiple indictments for trying to steal the 2020 election and illegally taking classified documents, Trump has engaged in a legal battle to delay his trials as much as possible, since he would become immune from prosecution, and even have the power to dismiss federal charges, if he were to win the 2024 election and take office again.

Former President Donald Trump asked a district court on Jan. 4 to hold special counsel Jack Smith in contempt of court.

Trump faces four charges in the trial, including conspiracy to defraud the country by lying about election fraud, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding for planning to derail the counting of electoral votes on January 6, obstruction of an official proceeding for the attempt to do so, and conspiracy against rights for his efforts to threaten people’s right to vote.

It’s one of four separate legal battles the former president is facing: two related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, one regarding his alleged mishandling of classified documents, and one relating to his 2016 hush money payment to a porn star.

The request that Smith be held in contempt revolves around the prosecutor’s continued filing of pretrial motions during the stay period where Trump is relieved of the “burdens of litigation”. That relief means that Trump need not respond to motions filed by the prosecution until the appeal is concluded.

The prosecution’s continued motions, Trump argues, place an ongoing burden of litigation on him, in contravention of the stay order.

The pretrial filings Trump accuses Smith of improperly submitting are known as motions in limine, which state what evidence or arguments should be held inadmissible during the trial. The court previously ordered Smith to file these motions by January 9, which is also the date Trump’s appeal is slated to be heard by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

Smith’s motions aim to hold that filing deadline, which Chutkan said may still stand, depending on the appeal verdict, in her stay order.

With Trump asking the court to rule that the prosecution’s motions be withdrawn, and that they be forbidden from submitting any more filings until the stay is lifted, the contempt request can be seen as Trump’s effort to tie up Smith’s motions and further delay the trial if he loses his appeal.

Why Has Rishi Sunak Suggested He’s Waiting Until Autumn For A General Election?

Posted on 04/01/2024 by Boris Clair

British politics is slowly returning after the Christmas break, and speculation is growing over when the eagerly-anticipated general election will take place after comments made by Rishi Sunak.

What did Sunak say?

The prime minister announced on Thursday his “working assumption” was he would delay going to the country until the “second half” of 2024.

His comments suggest the election will be held in either October or November, as had been widely expected. But it comes following speculation Sunak could decide to call the election for May.

While he did not categorically rule out a spring poll, Sunak told broadcasters: “My working assumption is we’ll have a general election in the second half of this year.”

Labour, which have consistently held a 20-point poll lead over the Tories, seized on the remarks as a sign he had “bottled” facing the British public and accused Sunak of “squatting” in Downing Street.

Rishi Sunak has yet again bottled giving the British public their say.

He’s squatting in Number 10 because he’s too weak to face the country. pic.twitter.com/IcCn5MEq8Y

— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) January 4, 2024

What do we actually know?

In Britain, each electoral term is supposed to last five years. Then prime minister Boris Johnson called the last general election in December 2019, meaning meaning the latest possible date for the country to go to the polls would be January 2025.

But in reality, and ever since the establishment of fixed terms in 2011, the five-year gap between polls is not what happens in practice.

Under the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022, a prime minister has the power to call an election earlier than the deadline – all voters would have to wait for is the 25 days between a PM making a “request” to the King to dissolve parliament (and as a constitutional monarch, the King Charles could not reject it) and polling day.

What’s influencing the date?

As it’s in his gift to choose, Sunak is clearly likely to pick a date most favourable to him and his party. And since Labour holds a commanding poll lead, he isn’t going to rush the country to the ballot box when there’s still time to steal a win – however unlikely that currently looks.

His decision could be based on not just whether he can snatch an unlikely victory from the jaws of defeat, but also under the grimest projections if he can reduce the number of seats the Tories lose and prevent a 1997-style Labour landslide (or worse).

So what is affecting that choice?

The next big political fixture is the spring budget, when chancellor Jeremy Hunt could magic up some tax and spending commitments that sit well with the electorate. It was the announcement of the March 6 fiscal event that prompted speculation of an spring budget, and a blitz of crowd-pleasing promises could yet encourage Sunak to go early.

But his words on Tuesday suggest he doesn’t think this will be enough.

Other than pushing taxpayers’ money around, he may be on the lookout for something to materialise, and that could lead the country to waiting until the last minute. Three areas in particular will be on his radar: the economy, immigration and an apparent lack of enthusiasm for the Labour alternative.

A positive story around the economy could be possible if the UK manages to avoid a recession in 2024 as inflation cools to more normal levels. But it may be too late to reverse voter antipathy towards the Tories given how Liz Truss crashed the economy, and high mortgage rates continue to hurt homeowners.

Sunak’s “stop the boats” pledge has been central to his pitch to voters since becoming Tory leader, and any sense that he has been able to curb the number of small boats crossing the English channel may be something he can stitch a better narrative out of.

He may hope to combine an uptick on either or both of these with the argument Keir Starmer isn’t the answer to Britain’s problems – but perhaps even January 2025 isn’t enough time to make this strategy work.

Israel-Hamas War: How The Violent Conflict Is Already Reaching Across The Middle East

Posted on 03/01/2024 by Boris Clair

The Israel-Hamas war has spilled out into the wider Middle Eastern region recently, with at least three areas now where violent skirmishes could escalate.

While the focal point of the crisis is still the Palestinian territory of Gaza, friction between Israel and its neighbouring nations have sparked fears that the whole region could be embroiled in war.

The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has even warned that unless this war ends soon, “the entire Middle East might end up in flames”.

As the complex crisis is about to head into its third month, here’s a look at where hostilities have risen – and why.

Lebanon

According to Beirut, an Israeli drone strike targeted a Hamas office in the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, killing seven people.

The deputy leader of Hamas’ political bureau who was also involved Hamas’ military, Saleh al-Arouri, was killed.

However, Israel has not taken direct responsibility for the attack. Senior advisor to Netanyahu Mark Regev just referred to “whoever did this” and said it was “not an attack on the Lebanese state”.

Back in November, the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu warned in November that Israel would “operate against Hamas leaders wherever they are”.

But, after Tuesday’s attack, he only described the move as a “surgical strike” against Hamas – and stopped short of actually taking responsibility for it.

It comes as tensions between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have been increasing for months.

Hezbollah, known to be sympathetic to Hamas, has been designated a terrorist organisation by Western countries, Israel, the Gulf Arab countries and the Arab League.

Hezbollah said that it was a “serious assault on Lebanon” and a “dangerous development in course of the war between the enemy and the axis of the resistance” which will “not go without a response or punishment”.

Lebanon’s PM, Najib Mikati, said the explosion was a “crime” which “aims to drag Lebanon into a new phase of confrontation with Israel” – but discouraged Hezbollah from responding themselves.

Former UK ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher told the BBC this was a “moment of real jeopardy” as al-Arouri was a “big fish” and “taking him out in the heart of Hezbollah territory is a big deal”.

Some reports have suggested that Egypt, a key mediator in the Israel-Hamas negotiations along with Qatar, has suspended mediations due to the attack but there’s been no official confirmation.

Red Sea

The Red Sea shipping route is still too dangerous for many companies to use after a spate of attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen who support Hamas – and have Iran’s backing.

The rebels claim to only aim to disrupt ships going to and from Israel, but some civilian vessels have been under threat.

The US also says Houthi rebels have fired two missiles at commercial vessels recently.

There is also a chance there global prices could rise in a few weeks because of the cost of re-routing vessels around the southern-most tip of Africa if the Red Sea becomes completely inaccessible.

Iran

Today’s unexplained explosions in the Middle Eastern country, which supports militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, have raised further concerns that the crisis is going to escalate.

Explosions killed more than 100 people during a ceremony to mark the four year anniversary of the killing of an Islamic Revolutionary Corps general, Qassem Soleimani. He was assassinated by a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020.

There is no evidence yet to suggest Israel was behind these attacks, but as the BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner suggested, it will “inevitably raise tensions in the region”.

Iranian officials have also weighed in on the killing of the top Hamas official, blaming Israel for its “cowardly terrorist operations”.

Gaza

This is still the main focal point for the war and the death toll continues to rise.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, more than 22,000 people have been killed since October 7, when the war began.

Although some Israeli troops have been withdrawn from Gaza, the adviser to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Mark Regev, suggested this did not mean the violence was winding down. He told Sky News on Tuesday that the war is “a marathon not a sprint”.

Comments from the Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, that emigration from Gaza needs to be encouraged so that Israeli settlers can return to the area and “make the desert bloom” have added to fears that the government wants all Palestinians to leave Gaza.

According to UN estimates, 85% of the Gaza population – 1.9 million people – have been internally displaced since the war broke out.

Meanwhile, Hamas is still holding more than 100 hostages in Gaza.

Hamas’ leader Ismail Haniyeh has said that the remaining captives taken in October will only be released under conditions set by the militants.

They have previously said no hostages will be released until the war ends, while Israel do not want a permanent ceasefire.

What else is happening?

Israel is contesting South Africa’s genocide accusation at the International Court of Justice.

Tensions remain high in the West Bank too, with the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas recently warning that the territory could “implode”.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called for other countries to step in to resolve the ongoing crisis.

Speaking at an event in Lisbon on Wednesday, he said: ”If this tragedy doesn’t end soon, the entire Middle East might end up in flames.”

Meanwhile, Turkey has arrested 33 people for suspected spying for Israel.

Trump Fans Aren’t Happy Green Day Slammed The ‘MAGA Agenda’

Posted on 01/01/2024 by Boris Clair

During the band’s performance on New Year’s Eve, lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong changed a line from its hit “American Idiot” from “I’m not a part of a redneck agenda” to “I’m not a part of the MAGA agenda.”

As you can see from the clip below that the crowd cheered at the lyric change.

But the “Make America great again” believers reacted to Green Day’s “MAGA agenda” dis by having a mega tizzy on social media.

Trump fans attempted to shade the band as “sellouts,” “losers” and “pro big government.”

However, many people who were pro-Green Day and/or anti-MAGA were quick to point out that the band has made no secret about its politics and that the song was written as a critique of George W. Bush’s presidency.

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Exclusive: Rishi Sunak Accused Of ‘Stuffing’ Public Meeting With Tory Members

Tories Choose Partner Of Disgraced Ex-MP Peter Bone To Replace Him In Parliament

MSNBC Host Gets Emotional Thanking Former D.C. Police Officer On Jan. 6 Anniversary

Rishi Sunak Blasted For ‘Selling Nonsense’ By Former Top Government Adviser

Florida Resort Abruptly Cancels Marjorie Taylor Greene’s January 6 Event

Tory MP Chris Skidmore Quits With Blast At Rishi Sunak Over ‘Climate Crisis’

Trump Asks Court To Find Jack Smith In Contempt, In Further Bid To Delay January 6 Trial

Why Has Rishi Sunak Suggested He’s Waiting Until Autumn For A General Election?

What did Sunak say?

What do we actually know?

What’s influencing the date?

Israel-Hamas War: How The Violent Conflict Is Already Reaching Across The Middle East

Lebanon

Red Sea

Iran

Gaza

What else is happening?

Trump Fans Aren’t Happy Green Day Slammed The ‘MAGA Agenda’