Tag Archives: Politics

Ruth Davidson Has Backed James Cleverly To Be The Next Conservative Leader

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Ruth Davidson has endorsed James Cleverly’s campaign to be the next Conservative leader.

The former Scottish Tory boss said the shadow home secretary had the “pragmatism, optimism and confidence” needed to succeed Rishi Sunak.

Her comments are a major boost for Cleverly, who is one of six candidates vying to become the next Tory leader in the wake of the party’s shattering general election defeat.

Writing in the Sunday Times, Davidson said his experience as a former foreign secretary, home secretary and Tory chairman made him the ideal person for the job.

She said: “We need to pick a leader who can demonstrate and communicate the unity, pragmatism, optimism and confidence we must have to start winning again… for me the standout choice to take us forward is James Cleverly.

“A military man who understands duty and service. A business man who knows how to run organisations. A big hitter, holding two of the great offices of state at the Home Office and Foreign Office. A pragmatist who can unite all sections of the party.”

Davidson said Cleverly had “both rallied world leaders to Ukraine’s cause as foreign secretary and rallied local constituency activists during his time as party chairman”.

She added: ” He knows that we must look outward to rebuild, not turn in on ourselves.

“As leader, he will keep the Conservative Party a broad church, knowing that’s where success lies. And his appeal has breadth, too, enabling us to win back voters that we lost to Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Reform.”

The other candidates for Tory leader are Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat, Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel and Mel Stride.

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Keir Starmer Warns Social Media Is Not A ‘Law-Free Zone’ After Sadiq Khan Reveals Concerns

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Keir Starmer signalled that a firmer crackdown on social media may be in the works after the London mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his concerns.

After a week and a half of far-right riots – partially driven by social media disinformation and online conspiracy theories – Khan said the government has “very swiftly” realised the Online Safety Act needs to be amended.

The mayor added: “I think it is not fit for purpose.”

The Online Safety Act became law last October, and allows regulator Ofcom to fine social media companies up to £18m or 10% of their global turnover if they do not take illegal content off their platforms.

However, these fines will not come into effect fully until 2025.

On Friday, the prime minister was asked for his response to Khan’s comments.

He said: “I do agree that we’re going to have to look more broadly at social media after this disorder, but the focus at the moment has to be on dealing with the disorder and making sure that our communities are safe and secure.”

Starmer added: “This is not a law-free zone. And I think that’s clear from the prosecutions and sentencing. Today we’re due sentencing for online behaviour.”

Two people linked to inciting the violence seen all over the UK in the last few days online have now been jailed.

The PM continued: “That’s a reminder to everyone that whether you’re directly involved or whether you’re remotely involved, you’re culpable, and you will be put before the courts if you’ve broken the law.”

He said tech bosses should be “mindful of the first priority, which is to ensure that our communities are safe and secure”.

Starmer did not directly mention the boss of X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk, who has been in a war of words with the PM over the riots.

He responded to various clips of extremists clashing with the police, claiming “civil war in inevitable” in the UK and pushing conspiracy theories like “two-tier policing”.

Khan, one of the most high-profile Muslim politicians in the UK, also told the Guardian on Thursday that he felt “triggered” by the racist riots.

He said: “I’m somebody who grew up in the 1970s and 80s and experienced the National Front and the BNP and I thought that’s behind us.

“Like a lot of people of my generation, I felt triggered by the events of the last couple of weeks in particular.”

Khan has regularly faced abuse online too – but he noted it was not “realistic” to boycott any social platforms.

“One of the ways we can address people’s fears is using the medium that’s used by citizens and that is social media platforms.” he said.

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Mexico Says It Will Not Arrest Putin if He Visits The Country, Despite Plea From Ukraine

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Mexico has just rejected Ukraine’s request to arrest Vladimir Putin if he visits the North American country later this year.

The Russian president may defy the international arrest warrant out against him and attend the inauguration of Mexico’s next president in October.

Kyiv asked Mexico to arrest him if he did turn up when president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum is sworn in.

It comes after Sheinbaum’s team invited Putin to the ceremony, along with all countries it has a diplomatic relationship with.

After all, Putin appears to be on positive terms with the incoming president.

When Sheinbaum was elected in June, he called her to congratulate her and said the country was a “historically friendly partner of Russia in Latin America”.

Outgoing Mexican president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, told reporters at a press conference on Thursday that the country would not arrest Putin if he did visit, adding: “We can’t do that. It’s not up to us.”

The remark comes after Ukraine’s Mexican embassy wrote to the central government on August 7.

“We hope the Mexican government is aware that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal with an arrest warrant against him,” the embassy said in a statement.

It pointed to the UN’s International Criminal Court has accused Putin of war crimes and of personal responsibility for the abduction of children from Ukraine.

The warrant was issued last year, months after Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine.

But the effectiveness of the ICC ruling relies on international cooperation.

While Russia is not a signatory of the ICC, Mexico is.

If Mexico chooses not to follow the ICC ruling, then Putin may be empowered to travel further afield in the future.

That would mean the Russian president can enjoy more international freedom, despite being accused of war crimes.

Meanwhile, Russia’s war against Ukraine has been rumbling on for more than two years.

According to reports, Putin was furious that Ukrainian forces breached the Russian border earlier this week, calling it a “major provocation”.

Kyiv has not commented on the alleged attack.

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Police Arrest Labour Councillor For Allegedly Saying Far-Right Protesters Should ‘Have Their Throats Cut’

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Police have arrested a Labour councillor who allegedly said far-right protesters should all have their throats cut has been suspended by the party.

Ricky Jones is accused of making the comment at an anti-racism rally in Walthamstow, east London, on Wednesday night.

A video of the rally shows a man saying: “They are disgusting Nazi fascists and we need to cut all of their throats and get rid of them all.”

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “Officers have arrested a man aged in his 50s at an address in south-east London.

“He was held on suspicion of encouraging murder and for an offence under the Public Order Act. He is in custody at a south London police station.”

A Labour spokesperson said: “This behaviour is completely unacceptable and it will not be tolerated. The councillor has been suspended from the party.”

It means Jones has had the Labour whip removed and will now sit as an independent councillor while an investigation by the party is carried out.

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Donald Trump Teases ‘Major Interview’ With Elon Musk

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Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he will sit for a “MAJOR INTERVIEW” with billionaire Elon Musk next week as the race for the White House heats up.

“ON MONDAY NIGHT I’LL BE DOING A MAJOR INTERVIEW WITH ELON MUSK — Details to follow!” Trump wrote.

“I am making some donations to America PAC, but at a much lower level and the key values of the PAC are supporting a meritocracy & individual freedom,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in late July. “Republicans are mostly, but not entirely, on the side of merit & freedom.”

Musk was also reportedly one of those who privately pressed Trump to select Senator JD Vance (Republican, Ohio) as his running mate.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, Trump claimed he had an apparent change of heart on electric vehicles because of Musk. Musk is the CEO of Tesla, one of the biggest EV companies in the world.

“I’m for electric cars, I have to be because Elon endorsed me very strongly,” Trump told a rally in Atlanta on Saturday.

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Russian Government Spokesperson Has A Rather Unhelpful Take On UK Riots – And Brits’ Right To Protest

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A top Russian politician in Vladimir Putin’s government has weighed in on the far-right riots in the UK, claiming people “have every right to express their disagreement” with the government.

Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry, took aim at Downing Street rather than the anti-immigration extremists who have caused chaos up and down the country over the last week.

In a statement released on Russia’s ministry of foreign affairs’ website, she claimed the British government was paying “lip service to what it called the democratic principles” after home secretary Yvette Cooper told police to be as “tough and harsh as possible”.

More than 400 protesters have been arrested in the last week with many charged for their connection to the disorder.

It comes after social media misinformation incited looting, arson, disorder and violence up and down the country.

Zakharova said: “It is now up to the UK authorities and police to stay within the confines of the law.”

It’s worth remembering there is an international arrest warrant out against Putin for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Still, Zakharova claimed: “It must be recalled that people have every right to express their disagreement with the government policies.

“In this context, Russia calls on London to refrain from any unjustified or unproportionate [sic] use of violence against protestors and ensure their right to freedom of assembly.”

Russia actually has a history of violently suppressing early signs of dissent itself.

Moscow even arrested peaceful protesters who held up blank pieces of paper shortly after Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Zakharova also claimed: “Russia is known for opposing and never allowing itself to meddle into the domestic affairs of other countries.”

Moscow has, over the years, been accused of interfering in major events in other countries, including the last UK general election and the ongoing Paris Olympics.

Russia has repeatedly denied such accusations, though.

Zakharova continued: “This is why our country refrains from lecturing others on ways of overcoming their internal challenges and crises.

“On the contrary, it is the Western countries, led by the United States, who act this way.

“They would have been better off paying more attention to their own challenges instead of seeking to undermine stability around the world.”

The UK, along with Ukraine’s other Western allies, has been providing military aid and financial support to Kyiv to protect it against Russia’s land grab over the last two and a half years.

Moscow has subsequently taken aim at the West repeatedly, often threatening to deploy its nuclear weapons.

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Elon Musk Hits Back At Keir Starmer As War Of Words Over Riots Intensifies

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Elon Musk has hit back at Keir Starmer as the war of words between the pair intensified.

The prime minister slapped down the billionaire tech boss for claiming “civil war is inevitable” in the UK in the wake of the far-right riots which have taken place across the country in the past week.

The PM’s official spokesman said: “There’s no justification for comments like that and what we’ve seen in this country is organised illegal thuggery which has no place on our streets or online.

“We’re talking about a minority of thugs that do not speak for Britain and in response to it we’ve seen some of the best of our communities coming out to clean up the mess and disruption.

“You can tell from that the prime minister doesn’t share those sentiments.”

But responding to a video posted on X by Starmer on Monday afternoon in which he said the government “will not tolerate attacks on mosques or on Muslim communities”, Musk replied: “Shouldn’t you be concerned about attacks on all communities?”

The clash came after the PM chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee on the riots.

Starmer said they agreed to set up a “standing army of duty officers” to swoop on any trouble that flares up.

Those arrested for taking part in the violence will be immediately named and shamed, the PM said, while they will also “feel the full force of the law” when they appear in court.

In a swipe at social media firms that spread misinformation and allow right-wing messages to be shared to millions of people, Starmer said: “The criminal law applied online as well as offline and I am assured that is the process that is being followed.”

Nearly 400 people have so far been arrested for taking part in the riots, with that number expected to rise in the days ahead.

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Keir Starmer Announces New National Violent Disorder Unit To Tackle Rioters

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Keir Starmer has just announced a new national violent disorder unit to address rioters after meeting with police chiefs this afternoon.

The group will look to increase intelligence gathering and sharing on potential unrest and “extremist troublemakers” from across the ideological spectrum.

The unit will be part of the national police operations centre, although the financial details of the group are yet to be firmed up.

The prime minister’s decision comes after a surprise wave of far-right protests sprung up this week in response to the Southport knife attack on Monday.

Starmer said the violent demonstrations were the “actions of a tiny mindless minority” and slammed “far-right hatred”.

“These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community, and we must have a police response that can do the same,” he said in a televised press conference.

He said the “violent disorder, clearly whipped up online” was crime, not protest.

He added that the government would take “all necessary action to keep our streets safe.”

Violent demonstrations in Southport, Hartlepool and London – just outside the gates to Downing Street – claimed to be motivated by the horrific stabbings in Merseyside earlier this week where three girls under the age of 10 died.

The 17-year-old suspect, now publicly named as Cardiff-born Axel Rudakubana, has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.

Before his identity was confirmed, social media misinformation had galvanised far-right protesters who chanted, “stop the boats” and threw missiles at the police during the riots.

The judge took the unusual decision of naming a suspect who is under 18 in an effort to stop the spread of misinformation “in a vacuum”.

Rudakubana is also set to turn 18 on Wednesday, August 7.

Starmer said his meeting with police chiefs was held to “pull together our response, response both to the immediate challenge which is clearly driven by far-right hatred, but also all violent disorder that flares up whatever the apparent cause or motivation”.

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Liz Truss Says She Is A ‘Victim’ Of An Attempt ‘To Sabotage My Administration’

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Liz Truss has described herself as a “victim” of “sabotage” almost two years after her party kicked her out of 10 Downing Street.

The former prime minister lost her job after just 49 days in office once she unveiled £45bn of unfunded tax cuts in her mini-Budget, a move which sent the markets into turmoil.

She also lost her seat in the general election last month.

But speaking to The Daily Telegraph’s podcast, the Daily T earlier this week, Truss once again refused to accept responsibility for her fiscal policies.

Explaining why her radical plans to reduce taxes had to be dropped so suddenly in 2022, she said: “I knew, and I was directly threatened with this, that there could potentially be a meltdown in terms of the government not being able to fund its own debt.”

“And I couldn’t risk that,” she said, saying that was “more important to me than me keeping my job”.

She said “powerful people” including the governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey and members of the Tory Party “undermined me”.

Truss continued: “For the good of the country, I had to remove myself from office.

“That doesn’t mean I think they were right to do that.

“I was the victim, frankly, of an attempt to sabotage my administration by people who didn’t agree with my policies.

“That was the issue, and what I am saying – and why I am speaking out now – is unless we fix that accountability problem we have in Britain, is we are not going to be able to get proper conservative policies, like lower taxes, supply-side reform, and cutting the size of government.

“Because we have institutions that do not believe in those policies and are prepared to sabotage a government that tries to implement them.”

Truss then said, “I am not responsible for people’s mortgages going up,” – and blamed the Bank of England instead, as the independent institution is responsible for the country’s monetary policies.

It’s worth noting the Bank actually had to intervene to stabilise the pensions market after the mini-Budget.

Truss has tried to repeatedly to redeem her reputation in recent months.

She even slammed the current government after civil servants named her in the official briefing notes for the King’s Speech last month.

Her name was subsequently removed from the notes on the gov.uk website – but that has not stopped Labour politicians from criticising her.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves blamed the economic struggles of the UK on Truss’s premiership on Thursday.

Speaking after the Bank of England finally lowered interest rates for the first time in four years, she maintained that the British economy’s foundations are still unsteady.

Reeves said: “Millions of people are still paying higher mortgage rates after the Conservatives’ mini-Budget less than two years ago that sent interest rates and mortgage rates soaring.”

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Rachel Reeves, \"Homeowners will welcome this cut in interest rate\"

\"But millions of people are still paying higher mortgage rates after the Conservative Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng budget less than two years ago that sent interest rate and mortgage rates soaring\"

\"I have been… pic.twitter.com/DOSB2wnB4c

— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) August 1, 2024

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Rachel Reeves, “Homeowners will welcome this cut in interest rate”

“But millions of people are still paying higher mortgage rates after the Conservative Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng budget less than two years ago that sent interest rate and mortgage rates soaring”

“I have been… pic.twitter.com/DOSB2wnB4c

— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) August 1, 2024

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