A Reform UK Councillor Has Been Suspended By The Party 3 Days After Being Elected

Posted on 04/05/2025 by Boris Clair

A Reform UK councillor has been suspended by the party just three days after being elected.

Donna Edmunds faces an investigation after it emerged she had previously vowed to defect to another right-wing party in the future.

She became one of Reform’s 677 new councillors when she was elected in Hodnet, Shropshire, on Thursday.

But in a post on X today she said: “This morning I woke up to an email from Reform UK Head Office advising me that I have been suspended from the party ‘pending an investigation’. Why? Because I urged people here on X to lend Reform their support for the short term – for Thursday’s elections – even if they felt they couldn’t for the long term.

“According to Head Office ‘this has brought the party into disrepute and damaged the interests of the party’.”

She then went on to criticise the party for kicking out Rupert Lowe MP and ditching its former deputy leader, Ben Habib.

Edmunds also shared a screengrab of a post she made on X last week in which she said: “I’m a Reform candidate. I’m waiting for Rupert and Ben to give us a real alternative and then I’ll defect. I’m far from being the only one.”

She added: “This campaign has been a difficult one. For every resident in my ward who supported Reform, I found another who wanted an alternative to the failed Tories and vindictive Labour, but couldn’t bring themselves to vote for a party who would behave so shamefully toward their own.”

<div class="js-react-hydrator" data-component-name="Twitter" data-component-id="2502" data-component-props="{"itemType":"rich","index":11,"contentIndexByType":1,"contentListType":"embed","code":"

Yesterday I woke up feeling very proud to be one of Reform’s 677 new councilors. This morning I woke up to an email from @reformparty_uk Head Office advising me that I have been suspended from the party \"pending an investigation.\"
Why? Because I urged people here on X to lend… pic.twitter.com/oiBFyeRh72

— Donna Rachel 🎗️ (@Donna_Rachel_) May 4, 2025

","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Donna Rachel 🎗️","author_url":"https://twitter.com/Donna_Rachel_","cache_age":86400,"description":"Yesterday I woke up feeling very proud to be one of Reform’s 677 new councilors. This morning I woke up to an email from @reformparty_uk Head Office advising me that I have been suspended from the party \"pending an investigation.\" Why? Because I urged people here on X to lend… pic.twitter.com/oiBFyeRh72— Donna Rachel 🎗️ (@Donna_Rachel_) May 4, 2025\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1272,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GqGmOibXMAIQckN.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":828,"title":"Donna Rachel 🎗️ on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/Donna_Rachel_/status/1919000042431512945","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"68173abfe4b0c86669215866","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/a-reform-uk-councillor-has-been-suspended-by-the-party-3-days-after-being-elected_uk_68173abfe4b0c86669215866","entryTagsList":"reform-uk,@ai_seo_headline","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":2},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"68173abfe4b0c86669215866","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"reform uk","slug":"reform-uk","links":{"relativeLink":"news/reform-uk","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-1\", \"entry_paragraph_1\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline\", \"entry_paragraph_2\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-2\", \"entry_paragraph_3\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-infinite\", \"repeating_dynamic_display\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>

Yesterday I woke up feeling very proud to be one of Reform’s 677 new councilors. This morning I woke up to an email from @reformparty_uk Head Office advising me that I have been suspended from the party “pending an investigation.”
Why? Because I urged people here on X to lend… pic.twitter.com/oiBFyeRh72

— Donna Rachel 🎗️ (@Donna_Rachel_) May 4, 2025

A Reform UK spokesman said: “The reason for her suspension is that she posted on social media that she intended to defect to another party. We will not comment further until the completion of the investigation.”

Here’s Why Lucy Powell’s Comments On Grooming Gangs Really Matter

Posted on 04/05/2025 by Boris Clair

Timing, as in good comedy, is vital in politics.

That’s why Lucy Powell’s comments on Friday night about the child grooming gangs scandal really matter.

The House of Commons leader lost her composure during an appearance on Radio Four’s political debate programme Any Questions.

It came after Reform UK campaigner Tim Montgomerie mentioned a Channel 4 documentary on the abduction and rape of vulnerable young girls by groups of men of mainly British-Pakistani backgrounds.

Powell interrupted to say: “Oh we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Let’s get that dog whistle out shall we, yeah?”

It didn’t take long for her comments to provoke a backlash on social media, with Reform and the Tories both piling in as well.

A spokesman for Nigel Farage’s party said: “Lucy Powell’s abhorrent comments truly demonstrate how out of touch the Labour Party is.”

Of course, Powell’s remarks – for which she later issued an apology of sorts – would have ignited a fierce political row regardless of when she said them.

Labour has been heavily criticised for rejecting calls for a national inquiry into the scandal, preferring instead to promote investigations at a local authority level.

But it was the fact that her outburst came just hours after Reform UK – which has campaigned heavily on the issue – had won the local elections in England that made them so politically toxic for Labour.

As well as taking hundreds of council seats off the Tories, the right-wing party also showed that they can pull off stunning victories in traditional Labour areas like Durham and Doncaster.

With Reform also breathing down Labour’s neck in many of the areas where the grooming scandal took place, Powell’s words could almost have been deliberately chosen to cause maximum reputational damage to her party.

No wonder one senior figure in No.10 called them “appalling”.

According to The Sunday Times, education secretary Bridget Phillipson will be sacked at the next cabinet reshuffle, with Lisa Nandy also facing the axe along with her Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Senior Labour figures are now openly speculating that Powell’s neck is also on the chopping block.

“She shouldn’t be allowed on broadcast,” one told HuffPost UK, while another said: “What a car crash.”

For now at least, Downing Street appears to be backing Powell to ride out the storm.

Health secretary Wes Streeting offered up a stout defence of her on the broadcast round this morning, saying: “We all make mistakes. I’ve made mistakes in the past, I’m sure I’ll make mistakes in the future.

“The important thing is when we make mistakes, we own it, we apologise. That’s exactly what Lucy has done.”

But it would not be a surprise if, come the reshuffle, Powell finds herself on the backbenches.

How Keir Starmer Will Take A Leaf Out Of Margaret Thatcher’s Book After Labour Local Election Losses

Posted on 02/05/2025 by Boris Clair

Margaret Thatcher had a phrase she often repeated when challenged on her strident adherence to her unapologetically right-wing economic principles.

“There is no alternative,” the former Conservative prime minister would say to those who pointed out the social unrest and industrial devastation her policies were causing.

The initials of those four words led to Thatcher being given the nickname “Tina” by friend and foe alike.

She was rewarded with three election victories before finally being dumped when her MPs finally tired of her intransigence.

While he would not welcome the comparison, there is undoubtedly something Thatcheresque about Keir Starmer and his supporters’ response to Labour’s performance at the local elections.

“I’ve seen it suggested that we just scrap the fiscal rules so we can borrow and spend more – that’s just a recipe for higher interest rates,” said one of the PM’s allies.

“There’s no easy solution, it’s just hard work.”

Although Labour did manage to cling on to the mayoralties in North Tyneside, Doncaster and the West of England, the overall picture for Labour was one of bitter disappointment.

Nowhere typified this more than Runcorn and Helsby, where Labour saw their 14,700 majority wiped out by Reform UK’s Sarah Pochin, albeit by just six votes.

Meanwhile, Labour lost more than 100 councillors – most of them to Reform UK – confounding polling experts who had forecast they would make modest gains.

Nevertheless, the mood in 10 Downing Street is that the party must stick to the path it is currently on, regardless of the incoming fire.

“Because trust is so thin in politics we are taking all the downside because there is no upside to point to yet.””

– Labour source

One senior party source told HuffPost UK: “If we’d got six more votes in Runcorn, on top of the three mayoral wins, I’d be feeling quite positive overall.

“We’re a year into a long-term project, we’ve had to do lots of tough stuff and people are giving us a chance to get it done. But those six votes in Runcorn make a big difference to the mood.”

Another insider said: “We get it, we understand it, we’ve got to deliver real, tangible change. For example, we are doing stuff to clean up rivers but we’ve had to put up water bills to do it. Because trust is so thin in politics we are taking all the downside because there is no upside to point to yet.”

One cabinet minister pointed out that turning the country round takes time: “You can’t do it in an afternoon.”

But it was not hard to find Labour critics of the party hierarchy, however.

Ros Jones had only been re-installed as mayor of Doncaster for a few minutes before she was telling the BBC precisely why Reform UK had come within 700 votes of removing her from office.

“I think national government needs to look and see what people are saying,” she said.

“I wrote [to Starmer] as soon as [scrapping] the winter fuel allowance was mooted and I said it was wrong.

“The results tonight demonstrate that they need to be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street and actually deliver for the people, with the people.”

The decision to increase National Insurance payments for employers, as well as slash disability benefits, were two more policies which had cost Labour votes, Jones said.

A former MP said the winter fuel allowance decision is coming up on doorsteps “time and time again”.

He said: “I think they’ve got to do something to show voters that we get it and we’re listening. Overturning the winter fuel policy would make a huge difference to how the government is perceived in the country.”

Those on the left of the party also accused the PM of pandering to Reform and demanded an urgent change of direction.

“This really highlights how fragile Labour’s electoral coalition is”

– Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta

Neal Lawson, director of the campaign group Compass, said: “Labour are squandering their general election victory – people in Runcorn voted for change and instead Labour are giving them more of the same. It’s paving the way for Reform.

“Labour need to understand that if people want Reform’s policies then they will vote for Reform – and if they can close the gap this much in 11 months, imagine what it might be in five years.

“What should terrify Labour strategists in Runcorn is that the Green vote went up – even though Green voters knew this might let Reform in. Labour is simply not progressive enough to win even tactical support.”

Simon Fletcher, who was campaigns and elections adviser to Starmer during his first year as opposition leader, told Byline Times: “Now we can see with the real clarity of votes at the ballot box what the consequences are of a Labour government that responds to the economy’s deep-seated problems with yet more cuts to pensioners’ winter fuel payments and attacks on disabled people.”

Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta, said Labour’s strategy is understandable, but still represents a huge gamble.

“Labour have a really difficult job knowing what to do about Reform,” he said. “They could adopt a more populist right-leaning strategy, but they risk alienating core voters to the Lib Dems and Greens. This really highlights how fragile Labour’s electoral coalition is.

“It’s interesting that Starmer’s decision is to double down on the existing strategy; that probably makes sense as evidence of not panicking, and overly pivoting to worry about Reform, but it’s still a risk as reform are such an unknown quantity.”

Labour figures are consoling themselves with the fact that, if anything, Kemi Badenoch had an even worse night than Starmer.

The Tories lost more than 500 councillors and a swathe of councils as they were caught in a Reform UK and Lib Dem pincer movement.

A Labour source said: “Reform have done well but the Tory vote has totally collapsed.

“The usual way back into government is to acknowledge what you got wrong, change and then put that change to the country. And if that failed, you at least had a base you could rely on. I think the Tories are beyond that.

“Without a serious course correction they could actually fall to pieces. 150 years of the most successful party in the western world and they are on the verge of disappearing.”

A government minister said: “The big fight at the general election will be between Labour and whatever happens on the right. Are we seeing the demise of the Tories or will they fight back?”

One former Conservative cabinet minister said that after just six months as party leader, Badenoch is already on borrowed time.

“She’s got a year to turn it around,” he said. “The one thing saving her right now is that there’s nobody else who could do it.”

JD Vance Says The Russia-Ukraine War ‘Isn’t Going Anywhere’

Posted on 02/05/2025 by Boris Clair

Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that the minerals deal the US signed with Ukraine is a sign of “good progress” but conceded the war is unlikely to end in the near future.

It comes after President Donald Trump stressed he wants to broker a peace agreement between the two countries.

Trump had pledged to end the war within one day of getting sworn into office during his 2024 presidential campaign, but recently said he was merely exaggerating.

In an interview with Fox News, Vance praised his boss for getting the two sides to reveal their demands for ending the war, but said it will ultimately be up to Russia and Ukraine “to come to an agreement and stop this brutal, brutal conflict.”

“It’s not going anywhere,” Vance said. “It’s not going to end anytime soon, and I think for the Ukrainians, yes, of course, they’re angry that they were invaded. But are we going to continue to lose thousands and thousands of soldiers over a few miles of territory, this or that way? I hope both of them come to their senses.”

While Vance seemed to acknowledge Russia was responsible for the war breaking out, he did not seem to share Kyiv’s concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions exceed Ukraine’s borders.

Meanwhile, the US and Ukraine signed the much-anticipated rare earth minerals deal this week following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s face-to-face chat with Trump in Rome on Saturday. Kyiv hopes the minerals agreement will help maintain its long-term security as it continues to fight Russia.

Vance said the signing of the deal amounted to “good progress” and expressed optimism, but said it was hard to be confident that peace can be achieved, stressing that the US can only do so much to help the two countries come to a settlement.

“That’s not something even President Trump can do for them,” Vance said.

Trump has previously said Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s elite are reportedly worried that the minerals deal will give the US an incentive to side more closely with Ukraine in peace negotiations, according to The Washington Post.

Trump has embraced the Kremlin’s talking points on the war, but has recently issued some criticism of Putin over Moscow’s latest attack on Ukrainian cities, questioning whether the Russian leader is committed to stopping the conflict.

But Trump has also touted his relationship with Putin, claiming the Russian leader holds him in high regard.

“Let’s say he respects me,” Trump told ABC News. “And I believe because of me he’s not gonna take over the whole” of Ukraine.

Social Media Erupts Over Trump’s Dismissal Of Mike Waltz

Posted on 01/05/2025 by Boris Clair

Waltz’s departure from the Trump administration comes weeks after The Atlantic reported that he accidentally added a journalist to a group chat in which highly sensitive national security matters were discussed.

Naturally, there was snark to spare on social media after Waltz’s dismissal.

Ironically, the announcement that Waltz was leaving the Trump administration came just hours after he appeared on Fox News to heap praise on the much-beleaguered secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth.

Michael Waltz Leaving Trump Administration Following War Plan Group Text Fiasco: Reports

Posted on 01/05/2025 by Boris Clair

National security adviser Michael Waltz is reportedly leaving the Trump administration following a bombshell report in The Atlantic that revealed he accidentally added a reporter to a group chat discussing highly sensitive national security matters.

Trump himself confirmed the development on social media on Thursday afternoon, adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be assuming Waltz’s responsibilities in an interim capacity.

His imminent departure, alongside that of his deputy Alex Wong, comes after he inadvertently invited Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg to join a group thread with senior administration officials, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, on encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss upcoming military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

In the days since, more stories have emerged about security concerns in his department. The week after the Atlantic story dropped, Politico reported that Waltz’s team regularly set up Signal chats to coordinate work on Ukraine, China, Gaza, Middle East policy, Africa and Europe. Politico sourced the news from four people who have been personally added to Waltz’s Signal chats.

The Washington Post also found that Waltz used his personal Gmail account for government communications and that one of his senior aides used it to discuss sensitive military positions and powerful weapons systems relating to an ongoing conflict.

And earlier, Wired uncovered a Venmo account apparently belonging to Waltz that was open to the public until the magazine asked his office about it, potentially giving adversaries a way to target people connected to him.

National security adviser Mike Waltz on a visit to Greenland on March 28.

Trump and the White House initially stood by Waltz after the Atlantic story broke.

“Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,” the president told NBC News.

And White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement: “President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.”

Waltz even suggested that Goldberg may have hacked his way into the Signal chat.

“I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but of all the people out there, somehow this guy who has lied about the president … he’s the one that somehow gets on somebody’s contact and then gets sucked into this group,” he said on Fox News.

“I don’t text him. He wasn’t on my phone, and we’re going to figure out how this happened,” he continued.

Waltz, a retired Army Special Forces officer and war veteran, has been a close ally of Trump and supported his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The former GOP congressman from Florida won reelection in November but resigned from Congress after he was picked to serve as Trump’s national security adviser. During his time in the House, he served on several committees related to national security.

Waltz also worked for the Pentagon and advised then-Vice President Dick Cheney on counterterrorism in the George W. Bush administration.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

‘Muddled And Misleading’: Why Tony Blair’s Criticism Of Net Zero Misread The Room

Posted on 30/04/2025 by Boris Clair

Tony Blair sent a shockwave though Labour circles this morning after he appeared to criticise the push to achieve net zero by 2050.

In a foreword to a report by the Tony Blair Institute, the former prime minister said political leaders know that the debate around the policy “has become irrational”.

He also said that the government’s plan to phase out fossil fuels is “doomed to fail”, in what was seen as a dig at Downing Street’s flagship policy to reduce net carbon emissions to zero in the next 25 years.

Keir Starmer is known for sharing many values with New Labour and has taken advice from his predecessor, meaning Blair’s words were a major blow to No.10.

The Tony Blair Institute quickly tried to downplay the split, and claimed the current government has the “right” approach – but it was too late.

The damage was already done, and the story swept through the country, and even secured a mention in PMQs.

Here’s a look at why Blair’s comments completely missed their mark.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer with Tony Blair

A win for Labour’s opponents

Although Blair himself has emphasised the importance of addressing the climate crisis, his words appeared to validate concerns from climate sceptics.

For instance, Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that the party has “newfound fans like Tony Blair” who agree with their anti-net zero policy – although he admitted he was “teasing”.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson adopted the same tone in PMQs when he told Starmer his net zero policy “is not only bad, it is mad” – and claimed even Blair agrees.

Of course, Blair’s former political secretary John McTernan suggested the opposite to Times Radio, saying the ex-PM was just explaining “grievance is the energy source for populist movements”.

He claimed that he was encouraging politicians to engage with “people’s feelings” to deter support for groups like Reform UK – not that Blair was against net zero altogether.

While the former PM might be winning backing from Labour’s opponents, those affiliated with the party said otherwise.

Unite the Union issued a firm warning that Blair’s net zero intervention must be a wake up call for government.

General secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite is not against net zero but it will not be achieved without serious investment in new jobs.

“Unite has warned time after time, that all the rhetoric about a joined up industrial strategy and future jobs must be backed up with serious investment that actually delivers. What is Labour waiting for? The time to act is now.

“If they fail to do this, then Labour cannot expect workers to support their net zero plan.”

To make matters worse, Blair’s intervention came just before local elections in 23 councils and the Runcorn by-election – the current government’s first big test since it won a landslide in July.

Net zero is not the main concern

Blair’s remarks were also criticised for being “misleading” amid the already hotly-contested climate debate.

An organisation which promotes debate on climate policy, the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit said: “Given the clarification the TBI has had to issue, this seems like a bizarre case of naivety on how parts of the media and politicians might misinterpret some of the statements in the foreword.”

The Blair government’s former climate guru, Nicholas Stern – now chair of the Grantham Research Institute – called Blair’s report “muddled and misleading”.

“The UK’s leadership on climate change, particularly the elimination of coal from its power sector, is providing an influential example to other countries,” Stern continued.

“So, too, its climate change legislation and its Climate Change Committee. If the UK wobbles on its route to net zero, other countries may become less committed. The UK matters.”

Stern, who launched a landmark report on climate change in 2006 under Blair’s government, found the costs of inaction outweigh the costs of action.

PM Keir Starmer, center, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, right, and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband

He warned that the report “downplays the science in its absence of a sense of urgency and the lack of appreciation of the need for the world to achieve net zero as soon as possible”.

Meanwhile, Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on climate change at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said: “This report provides weak analysis and the wrong solutions. It fails to recognise that the longer it takes to reach net zero emissions in the UK and around the world, the more that households and businesses will suffer from growing impacts of climate change.”

He added that the challenge is to “accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, not to slow down”.

Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group, said the report set up a “false binary” between climate strategies of either phasing out fossil fuels or investing in new low-cardon technologies.

And even the Social Market Foundation’s Theo Betram – a former special adviser to Blair – wrote on X that his old boss had “got it wrong on net zero” and his words “has only served to help populist opponents” of the policy.

There also appears to be limited public support for Blair’s take.

A recent YouGov poll found 61% of people either strongly support or somewhat support the government’s commitment to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

Overshadowed climate warnings

Then there’s the fact that Blair’s intervention overshadowed fresh warnings from the government’s climate watchdog, too.

The Climate Change Committee – the statutory adviser on the issue to the government – published a report today calling for Downing Street to go further and faster on climate action, particularly with flood defences.

Chair Lady Brown said: “We are seeing no change in activity from the new government, despite the fact that… it’s clear to the public that the current approach just isn’t working.

“The country is at risk, people are at risk, and there is not enough being done.”

Brown also warned that there were already too many cuts to flood defences, adding: “I can’t be clear enough about our message: we cannot wait to take action.”

But Blair’s remarks overshadowed her points on the environment.

As she later told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme: “My concern is that people might take away a message from that report that we should do adaptation instead of mitigation, and that is absolutely the wrong message.

“We need to do adaptation, because even if we get to net zero by mid-century, there’s still a huge amount of climate change to come, and we need to be ready for that. But we can’t adapt to everything.”

Tony Blair Accused Of ‘Mimicking Nigel Farage’ Over Net Zero Comments

Posted on 30/04/2025 by Boris Clair

Tony Blair has been accused of trying to “mimic Nigel Farage” after claiming the government’s attempts to tackle climate change are “doomed to fail”.

The former prime minister said Labour’s attempts to achieve net zero by 2050 would only have a “minimal” impact on global warming.

His comments, in the foreword to a report by the Tony Blair Institute, triggered an angry backlash from No.10.

A source told HuffPost UK: “Net zero is a growth opportunity, and as the PM said last week at the energy summit, we are already seeing the benefits.”

Labour insiders are also furious that his comments emerged on the eve of the local elections, handing the Tories and Reform UK ammunition to attack the party.

In an attempt to defuse the row, the TBI insisted that its report supported what the government is doing on climate change.

A spokesperson said: “The report is clear that we support the government’s 2050 net zero targets, to give certainty to the investors and innovators who can develop these new solutions and make them deployable.

“People support climate action, and it is vital that we keep the public’s support for how we do it.”

But Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party, said: “Tony Blair has decided to mimic Nigel Farage on net zero and sounds like he is speaking on behalf of petrol-states like Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan for whom he has lobbied for more years than he was prime minister.

“It is vital that the government distance itself from this latest dodgy dossier from Blair.”

She added: “Labour must not allow yesterday’s man to drag us back into the dark ages. The government must press ahead with the drive towards clean energy and the green economy and all the advantages that will bring in creating good quality jobs, cutting energy bills and creating a healthier society.”

A spokesman for Keir Starmer also defended the government’s backing for net zero.

He said: “The PM has said previously that we will deliver net zero in a way that treads lightly on people’s lives, not telling them how to live or behave.

“We are focused on our mission to be a clean-energy superpower.”

Even Reform UK Voters Are Getting Sick And Tired Of Donald Trump

Posted on 29/04/2025 by Boris Clair

Even Reform UK voters are growing sick and tired of Donald Trump, according to a new poll marking his 100th day in office.

The US president’s favourability has declined in Britain since his inauguration in January.

But his fall in popularity is even more pronounced among Reform backers – who were previously his biggest supporters in the UK.

According to the More in Common think-tank, when he re-entered the White House at the start of this year, Trump’s net favourability rating among all British voters was minus 36.

With Labour voters that figure stood at minus 42, while with Tories it was minus 27.

However, Reform UK voters gave him a net favourability rating of plus 31. Barely three months later, however, that figure has plummeted by 30 points to just plus 1.

Among British voters as a whole, it has fallen by 8 points to minus 44.

The findings may explain why Reform leader Nigel Farage – a close ally of Trump – has become noticeably more critical of the president in recent weeks.

He said Trump’s plan to end the war in Ukraine “rewards Putin too much”, and has also hit out at the tariffs the president has imposed on virtually all imports to America, including from the UK.

<div class="js-react-hydrator" data-component-name="Twitter" data-component-id="5136" data-component-props="{"itemType":"rich","index":12,"contentIndexByType":1,"contentListType":"embed","code":"

🇺🇸100 days into the 2nd Trump presidency and his approval among Brits has fallen further since his inauguration to -44. The biggest drop is among Reform UK voters who previously gave Trump positive net approval of 31 and its now just 1. pic.twitter.com/gv4SAYq7YE

— Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) April 29, 2025

","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Luke Tryl","author_url":"https://twitter.com/LukeTryl","cache_age":86400,"description":"🇺🇸100 days into the 2nd Trump presidency and his approval among Brits has fallen further since his inauguration to -44. The biggest drop is among Reform UK voters who previously gave Trump positive net approval of 31 and its now just 1. pic.twitter.com/gv4SAYq7YE— Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) April 29, 2025\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1150,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GptRsfJW0AAFuVi.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1588,"title":"Luke Tryl on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/LukeTryl/status/1917215988241625288","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"6810f4bee4b0b1eab34a6c94","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/even-reform-uk-voters-are-getting-sick-and-tired-of-donald-trump_uk_6810f4bee4b0b1eab34a6c94","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,reform-uk,@ai_seo_headline","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":5},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"6810f4bee4b0b1eab34a6c94","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"news/donald-trump","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/donald-trump"},"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/donald-trump/"},{"name":"reform uk","slug":"reform-uk","links":{"relativeLink":"news/reform-uk","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-1\", \"entry_paragraph_1\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline\", \"entry_paragraph_2\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-2\", \"entry_paragraph_3\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-infinite\", \"repeating_dynamic_display\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>

🇺🇸100 days into the 2nd Trump presidency and his approval among Brits has fallen further since his inauguration to -44. The biggest drop is among Reform UK voters who previously gave Trump positive net approval of 31 and its now just 1. pic.twitter.com/gv4SAYq7YE

— Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) April 29, 2025

Meanwhile, 67% of Brits believe Trump’s return to the White House has been bad for the world, 61% think it has been bad for the UK and 57% say he has been bad for America.

<div class="js-react-hydrator" data-component-name="Twitter" data-component-id="2230" data-component-props="{"itemType":"rich","index":15,"contentIndexByType":2,"contentListType":"embed","code":"

67% of Brits think Trump has been bad for the world, 16% good. 59% bad for the UK, 17% think he’s been for UK good. And for the USA 57% think he’s been bad and 27% think he’s been good. pic.twitter.com/4IHx1TXVxR

— Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) April 29, 2025

","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Luke Tryl","author_url":"https://twitter.com/LukeTryl","cache_age":86400,"description":"67% of Brits think Trump has been bad for the world, 16% good. 59% bad for the UK, 17% think he’s been for UK good. And for the USA 57% think he’s been bad and 27% think he’s been good. pic.twitter.com/4IHx1TXVxR— Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) April 29, 2025\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_hide_thread":{"label":"Hide previous Tweet in conversation thread","value":true},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":645,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GptRyqAWkAE2DsY.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1024,"title":"Luke Tryl on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/LukeTryl/status/1917216005132009756","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"6810f4bee4b0b1eab34a6c94","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/even-reform-uk-voters-are-getting-sick-and-tired-of-donald-trump_uk_6810f4bee4b0b1eab34a6c94","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,reform-uk,@ai_seo_headline","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":5},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"6810f4bee4b0b1eab34a6c94","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"news/donald-trump","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/donald-trump"},"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/donald-trump/"},{"name":"reform uk","slug":"reform-uk","links":{"relativeLink":"news/reform-uk","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-1\", \"entry_paragraph_1\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline\", \"entry_paragraph_2\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-2\", \"entry_paragraph_3\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-infinite\", \"repeating_dynamic_display\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>

67% of Brits think Trump has been bad for the world, 16% good. 59% bad for the UK, 17% think he’s been for UK good. And for the USA 57% think he’s been bad and 27% think he’s been good. pic.twitter.com/4IHx1TXVxR

— Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) April 29, 2025

WellnessMaster

Get The Latest News on Holistic Wellness

Tag Archives: Politics

A Reform UK Councillor Has Been Suspended By The Party 3 Days After Being Elected

Here’s Why Lucy Powell’s Comments On Grooming Gangs Really Matter

How Keir Starmer Will Take A Leaf Out Of Margaret Thatcher’s Book After Labour Local Election Losses

JD Vance Says The Russia-Ukraine War ‘Isn’t Going Anywhere’

Social Media Erupts Over Trump’s Dismissal Of Mike Waltz

Michael Waltz Leaving Trump Administration Following War Plan Group Text Fiasco: Reports

‘Muddled And Misleading’: Why Tony Blair’s Criticism Of Net Zero Misread The Room

A win for Labour’s opponents

Net zero is not the main concern

Overshadowed climate warnings

Tony Blair Accused Of ‘Mimicking Nigel Farage’ Over Net Zero Comments

Even Reform UK Voters Are Getting Sick And Tired Of Donald Trump

Trump’s First 100 Days: All The Times The US President Has Made Life Difficult For Starmer So Far

Ukraine

Defence

Tariffs

Trade deals