Tag Archives: Politics

Putin Ally Can’t Even Explain Own Bizarre Theory About West’s Ongoing Support For Ukraine

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A senior figure within Vladimir Putin’s government has once again been pushing the Kremlin’s conspiracy theories about the West – but this time, she could not even explain the logic behind them.

The Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed the West is “not interested” in its own citizens and instead wants to “escalate” the Ukraine war on Wednesday.

According to Russian state news agency TASS, she said: “They are not interested in the lives of their own people, the development of the economy, solving problems that are on the agenda of both the European continent and the whole world.

“They are interested in the escalation of the conflict and the continued use of the Kyiv regime and Ukraine for their own interests.”

She then added: “But what are these goals? It’s a good question to ask them.

“All this testifies to the aggressive attitude of the western European allies of the Kyiv regime, their maniacal desire to escalate the conflict at any price.”

According to Zakharova, it’s clear that the European Commission’s €150bn rearmament programme is “direct proof” they want to take the war to the next level.

The Kremlin spokesperson is overlooking that the west has actually tried to avoid being drawn directly into conflict with Russia for the last three years.

European allies have been investing and arming Ukraine to try and halt Putin’s land grab encroaching further into the continent.

Russia currently controls 18% of Ukrainian territory and has so far refused to agree to any long-term ceasefire deals.

The war could also end if Putin decided to pull his troops out of Ukraine.

US president Donald Trump has also tried to put pressure on both sides to end the war – even if it means resolving it on Putin’s terms – but Moscow keeps coming up with new conditions for peace.

Despite bombarding Ukraine consistently since invading in February 2022, Putin’s ambassador to the UK also accused Kyiv of intensifying the war last week after Ukraine deployed more than 100 attack drones across Russia.

Speaking to Sky News, Andrei Kelin said this was a “serious escalation” and claimed the UK had helped orchestrate the attack.

Keir Starmer’s spokesperson told reporters: “We’ve been round this a few times this week, we just don’t comment on operational matters.”

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Rachel Reeves Announces £39 Billion Housing Boost As She Vows To ‘Renew’ Britain

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Rachel Reeves will announce plans to spend nearly £40 billion building affordable homes in a bid to solve the UK’s housing crisis.

The chancellor will outline details of the cash boost in the spending review on Wednesday.

It will be seen as a major victory for Angela Rayner, the deputy PM and housing secretary, who has been locked in a battle with the Treasury for more funding for her department.

Under the plans, £39bn will be spent over the next 10 years on a social and affordable homes programme, which works out at £3.9bn a year.

The last five-year programme, which comes to an end in 2026, was worth £11.5bn, or £2.3bn a year.

A government source said: “The government is investing in Britain’s renewal, so working people are better off.

“We’re turning the tide against the unacceptable housing crisis in this country with the biggest boost to social and affordable housing investment in a generation, delivering on our commitment to get Britain building.”

Reeves will confirm plans to spend billions on new transport links in the north and Midlands, and fund the completion of a new nuclear power station at Sizewell C.

The NHS and Ministry of Defence are expected to be the big winners in the financial settlement, with other departments facing real terms cuts to their budgets as Reeves tries to balance the nation’s books.

The chancellor will tell MPs: “This government is renewing Britain, but I know too many people in too many parts of the country are yet to feel it.

“My task – and the purpose of this Spending Review – is to change that.

“To ensure that renewal is felt in people’s everyday lives, their jobs, their communities.

“So that people can see a doctor when when they need one, know that they are secure at work and feel safe on their local high street.

“The priorities in this Spending Review are the priorities of working people. To invest in our country’s security, health and economy so working people all over our country are better off.

That is what this Spending Review will deliver.”

She will add: “I have made my choices. In place of chaos, I choose stability. In place of decline, I choose investment. In place of retreat, I choose national renewal.

“These are my choices. These are this Government’s choices. These are the British people’s choices.”

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UK Government Sanctions Two Israeli Ministers Over ‘Extremist’ Gaza Comments

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The UK government has sanctioned two Israeli ministers for inciting “extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will be subject to a travel ban and asset freeze under the measures announced by Britain alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.

The move has been condemned by the Israeli government, which said it was “outrageous”.

Both men belong to right-wing parties which help to prop up Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile coalition government.

Smotrich has campaigned against allowing aid into Gaza, and also supported the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.

Ben-Gvir has called for Gaza’s people to be resettled from the territory.

In a joint statement with the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, foreign secretary David Lammy said: “We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution and will continue to work with our partners towards its implementation.

“It is the only way to guarantee security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long term stability in the region, but it is imperilled by extremist settler violence and settlement expansion.

“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. These actions are not acceptable. This is why we have taken action now – to hold those responsible to account.

“We will strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of the remaining hostages by Hamas which can have no future role in the governance of Gaza, a surge in aid and a path to a two-state solution.”

A No.10 spokesman said: “These sanctions apply to the individuals in their personal capacities, not their ministries and departments.

“Ben-Gvir and Smotrich do not speak for all Israeli people … and have a long history of dangerous extremist and inflammatory views.

“As the Israeli ambassador to the UK has said in recent interviews, their statements in their ministerial capacities do not even represent government policy.

“Their agenda and actions undermine the interests of Israeli people, including security, many Israelis see this.

“So, today, with our international partners, we have announced measures against those ministers in a personal capacity.”

In a statement, the Israeli government said: “It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures.”

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Rachel Reeves Agrees To Spend £14 Billion On New Nuclear Plant

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Rachel Reeves has agreed to spend £14 billion of taxpayers’ money on a nuclear plant at Sizewell C.

The chancellor will announce the move, which is part of her spending review, at the GMB Congress on Tuesday.

It is expected to create 10,000 jobs, including 1,500 apprenticeships.

Energy secretary Ed Miliband said the project, which will be the first new nuclear plant to open in the UK since 1995, will help to usher in “a golden age of clean energy abundance”.

Sizewell C was one of eight potential sites for new nuclear plants identified in 2009, when Miliband was last energy secretary.

However, the project was never completed during 14 years of Tory government.

It is expected that the plant will come on stream in the 2030s.

Reeves said the announcement showed that Labour was “investing in Britian’s renewal”.

“We are creating thousands of jobs, kickstarting economic growth and putting more money people’s pockets,” she said.

Miliband said: “We will not accept the status quo of failing to invest in the future and energy insecurity for our country.

“We need new nuclear to deliver a golden age of clean energy abundance, because that is the only way to protect family finances, take back control of our energy, and tackle the climate crisis.

“This is the government’s clean energy mission in action – investing in lower bills and good jobs for energy security.”

The Hinkley Point C nuclear plant, in Somerset, is under construction and is expected to produce enough power for about six million homes when it opens, but that may not be until 2031.

The government is also due to confirm one of Europe’s first small modular reactor programmes and will invest £2.5 billion over five years in fusion energy research as part of plans to boost the UK’s nuclear industry.

GMB regional secretary Warren Kenny said: “Nuclear power is essential for clean, affordable, and reliable energy – without new nuclear, there can be no net zero.

“Sizewell C will provide thousands of good, skilled, unionised jobs and we look forward to working closely with the Government and Sizewell C to help secure a greener future for this country’s energy sector.”

But Alison Downes of the ‘Stop Sizewell C’ group said ministers had not “come clean” about the full cost of the project, which the group have previously estimated could be some £40 billion.

“There still appears to be no final investment decision for Sizewell C, but £14.2 billion in taxpayers’ funding, a decision we condemn and firmly believe the government will come to regret,” she said.

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Zia Yusuf Says Reform Would Deport All Illegal Immigrants – But Nigel Farage Has Said That’s ‘Impossible’

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Reform UK’s former chairman has said the party would deport all illegal immigrants, despite Nigel Farage previously saying it was “impossible”.

Zia Yusuf made the pledge in his first broadcast interview since returning to a senior role in the party.

He stunned Westminster by resigning as chairman on Thursday, only to return to the fold 48 hours later. Yusuf is now heading up Reform’s equivalent of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

On Radio 4′s Today programme this morning, he said: “Reform will deport every illegal immigrant in this country.

“I want to be crystal clear about what my position is, and Reform UK’s position is, which is we will deport everybody who is here in this country illegally, which is roughly about 1.2 million people.”

But that put him at odds with Farage, who last year declared that mass deportations could not be done.

Asked by GB News if he supported removing all illegal immigrants, he said: “It’s impossible to do. Literally impossible to do.

“For us, at the moment, it’s a political impossibility.”

Asked if it was his ambition to be able to do it, Farage replied: “No. So it’s pointless even going there.

“It’s a political impossibility, we simply can’t do it.”

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Reform UK Mocked After Zia Yusuf Returns Just 48 Hours After Quitting

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Reform UK have been mocked after Zia Yusuf returned to the party fold just 48 hours after quitting as chairman.

He stunned Westminster on Thursday by dramatically quitting after becoming embroiled in a row over whether or not burqas should be banned.

In a post on X, he said: “I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.”

But in an equally-stunning development, Yusuf announced on Saturday evening that he was returning to the party, albeit in a different capacity.

He said in another post on X: “Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.”

Claiming his resignation was “a decision born of exhaustion”, Yusuf added: “I know the mission is too important and I cannot let people down. So, I will be continuing my work with Reform, my commitment redoubled.

“Reform has come a long way since I was appointed chairman, and has moved from ‘startup’ to ‘scaleup’. Given this, and that we have now won power at a local level, I will focus on a new role. I will be running the UK DOGE team to fight for taxpayers, as well as working on party policy and representing it in the media.

“I will continue to give all my time to the most important project of my life, getting a Reform government elected with Nigel as prime minister.”

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Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.

After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single… pic.twitter.com/gPRjpMGdeS

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 7, 2025

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Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.

After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single… pic.twitter.com/gPRjpMGdeS

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 7, 2025

But the about-turn was immediately ridiculed by Reform’s political opponents.

Labour chair Ellie Reeves said: “Reform’s revolving door shows that the party is all about one person – Nigel Farage.

“Zia Yusuf’s humiliating hokey-cokey is laughable, but there is nothing funny about Farage’s £80 billion in unfunded commitments.”

A Lib Dem spokesman said: “It looks like Reform are playing musical chairman.”

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