Nigel Farage to take axe to 'woke' civil service as Reform sets out plan to 'phase out gold-plated' pensions

Sir Jim Ratcliffe backs Tory pledge to scrap Net Zero levies amid 'killing British industry' fears

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has backed Conservative proposals to eliminate carbon taxes, supporting Kemi Badenoch's pledge to abolish levies on emissions if the party returns to power.

The Ineos founder said he supported measures that would "keep the lights on" while delivering affordable and environmentally responsible energy "in a way that is practical and sustainable".

Mrs Badenoch unveiled the plans on April 2, stating that current carbon charges are "killing British industry and fatally weakening our national resilience".

The Conservative leader's proposals would remove the requirement for industrial firms to purchase carbon credits under the Emissions Trading Scheme.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

UK has discussed 'sanctions to bear down on Iran' with allies, says Yvette Cooper

Britain has discussed "sanctions to bear down on Iran" with its allies if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, Yvette Cooper has revealed.

The Foreign Secretary chaired a meeting with representatives of more than 40 countries on Thursday afternoon.

"Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz is a direct threat to global prosperity," Ms Cooper said. "The Strait is one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors."

She added: "Iran is trying to hold the global economy hostage in the Strait of Hormuz. They must not prevail. To that effect, partners today called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait and respect for the fundamental principles of freedom of navigation and the law of the sea.

"We discussed a number of areas of possible collective, coordinated, action: Increase international diplomatic pressure, including through the UN, to send clear and co-ordinated messages to Iran to permit unimpeded transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz and to comprehensively reject the imposition of tolls on vessels which seek to pass through.

"Explore co-ordinated economic and political measures, such as sanctions, to bear down on Iran if the Strait remains closed."

Former senior civil servant reveals 'four simple ways to fix the 'broken British state'

As Reform UK's Robert Jenrick announced Reform will consider whether new civil servants deserve immediate entry into "gold-plated pension" schemes, a former civil servant revealed to GB News four simple ways to "fix the "broken British state".

Speaking to the People's Channel earlier this week, Ameer Kotecha, an ex-Foreign Office mandarin who headed up the British Consulate in Russia between 2023 and 2025, shed some light on the inner workings of Whitehall, arguing: "There is a system that exists that doesn't harness talent."

Mr Kotecha identified some of the "low-hanging fruit" changes that would help transform Whitehall, and lamented a lack of focus on performance and a "jobs for life" culture as the first major issue in Whitehall.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE.

UK agree pharmaceutical deal with US 

Britain has today announced a deal with the US that will see UK-made pharmaceutical products enter the US without tariffs.

The agreement commits Washington to a zero tariff on British medical exports for at least three years.

An agreement was reached as part of a wider US-UK trade accord signed last year.

Peter Kyle, Business and Trade Minister, said the partnership would support Britain’s world‑leading pharmaceutical sector while protecting high‑skilled jobs, adding that it demonstrated the strength of the U.S.-British economic relationship.

'Every possible diplomatic, economic and co-ordinated measure,' will be used to open Strait of Hormuz, says Yvette Cooper

Yvette Cooper has insisted Iran will face "every possible diplomatic, economic and co-ordinated measure" in efforts to reopen the pivotal Strait of Hormuz.

The Foreign Secretary chaired a video call with counterparts and representatives from more than 40 countries on Thursday afternoon, regarding the Strait.

"We’ve taken a different view from the US from early on and we didn’t get drawn into offensive action in the Middle East, because we thought that there were real concerns about escalation risks, impact – including on the economy – and also the need for a proper plan," she told reporters.

Ms Cooper said Iran's "reckless strikes" on international shipping and efforts to "hijack the global economy" were hitting nations "from across the globe who played no part in this conflict".

"That’s affecting petrol prices and mortgage rates here in the UK, but also jet fuel across the world, fertiliser to Africa, and also gas to Asia," she added.

"So countries across the world being impacted, and that’s why we’re so determined to see every possible diplomatic, economic and co-ordinated measure to get the strait reopened."

When asked whether Washington was still an ally, she said: "We want to see the conflict resolved, concluded, as rapidly as possible, because, frankly, that’s what’s best for the cost of living here in the UK."

She continued: "And look, our job is to take decisions in the UK national interest. That’s what this Government will do, not based on any other country’s priority or anything in terms of the US or other countries, but actually what’s in the UK’s national interest."

BMA chief slams Labour for not acting 'in patient's best interests'

A senior member of the British Medical Association (BMA) has blasted the Government for failing to act "in patient's best interests" as the fallout over pay and jobs continues.

Callum Parr, the deputy chair of the union's Resident Doctors Committee, told Sky News: "We've got a dispute about pay and jobs. Ultimately, it's down to the government to put forward an offer that deals with both.

"Our committee didn't feel that it addressed either of those issues."

He added: "They should be doing what's best for patients.

"I don't believe that this is in patient's best interests. I think we should be training doctors to become consultants.

"Those aren't the actions of good-faith negotiators."

Wes Streeting wrote to the union this afternoon, saying it is "not too late" to call off the strike. He added that the BMA has yet to come up with a counteroffer.

The strikes are still set to take place over a six-day period after the Easter break.

Teaching union boss says union members are throwing their support behind Greens 

The leader of Britain's biggest education union has said the Green Party now has the largest support from the union’s members, adding leader Zack Polanski offers "a vision of education built on possibility rather than scarcity."

Speaking to delegates at the National Education Union (NEU) annual conference in Brighton, General Secretary Daniel Kebede said many teachers who placed their hope in Labour "now feel that hope slipping away."

Schools are "running on empty", the general secretary said, “not by accident, but by political choice”.

He added: "I don’t want this Government to fail. I want this Government to listen. I want it to understand where it has gone wrong, and to recognise what it must do if it is to honour the hopes of those who voted for change."

Jeremy Corbyn's Your Party to back 250 local election candidates come May

Your Party is to back some 250 local election candidates this May as part of a bid to take seats in Labour boroughs.

The majority of candidates who have backing from Jeremy Corbyn’s corner will stand as independents, or as part of a local slate, according to the strategy.

Among Your Party’s target areas are the London Borough of Redbridge, which includes most of Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s Ilford South constituency, the London Borough of Newham, and Bradford, West Yorkshire.

In Tower Hamlets, which has been run by local party Aspire since 2022, elected mayor Lutfur Rahman described an alliance with Your Party as “a real opportunity to replace more Labour-led councils with administrations rooted in and accountable to their communities”.

Mr Corbyn, a former Labour leader and the Islington North MP, said: “These elections are the beginning of the fightback against austerity, privatisation and fear.

“All across the country there will be community independent groups offering an alternative to the despair of Labour and the division of Reform.

“We are proud to support those candidates and groups standing up for redistribution, inclusion and peace.

“People in power underestimate the power of people at their peril, and arrogance in office always comes back to bite you in the end".

Labour peer praises UK's capacity for dialogue among 'important' EU power bloc during Iran crisis

Labour peer Baroness Ashton of Upholland, who has negotiated with Iran in the past and was special adviser for nuclear talks with the country, said Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper’s meeting with a coalition of countries today is “positive”.

Lady Ashton, who was also the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said it is about the “capacity to convene and actually have the dialogue with different countries”, adding that Europe is an “important power block”.

She said: “A small, short conversation with a group of countries doesn’t take you to serious conclusions, but it does give you a sense of direction of travel".

Asked whether the UK or any European country could negotiate tankers going through the Strait of Hormuz while the US is still bombing Iran, she said: “I think it’s very difficult to imagine that Iran is going to want to differentiate in that particular granulated way between individual nations.

“They’re much more likely to say to Europe: if you’re serious about wanting this, you’ve got to pressurise the US, you’ve got to pressurise Israel.

“They’re much more likely to see this in a sort of bargaining way, and that’s not necessarily a negative thing, because it also means that those countries have to be prepared to show that they themselves are willing to do things to try and de-escalate this situation, whatever those things are".

Kemi Badenoch brandishes ex-Reform staffer's comments on Grenfell 'disgraceful'

Reform’s ex-housing spokesman’s comments on Grenfell Tower were “disgraceful” and the party lacks “composure”, Kemi Badenoch has said.

Asked whether she thought Reform should've sacked Simon Dudley, the Tory leader told reporters: “I said at the beginning of this year that Nigel Farage was doing my spring cleaning, a lot of these people who have gone to Reform are problematic people.

“All of these defectors, they are his problem now. They are flip-flopping all over the place on all sorts of policies. I think people can see that the Conservative Party is the only serious party.

“Dealing with issues like Grenfell requires a composure and a professionalism that is simply lacking with Reform. All we’re seeing from them seeing them is chaos.

“That was a disgraceful comment. You can’t just say everyone dies when a tragedy occurs. You want to know that you have got a government that’s going to be taking those issues very seriously, and the Conservative party are the only credible alternative to the Labour Government right now".

Steve Reed demands Reform apologise for appointment of now axed staffer

Steve Reed has said Nigel Farage should apologise for appointing Simon Dudley as Reform UK’s housing spokesman.

The Housing Secretary said: “Simon Dudley’s disgusting comments about those who died in Grenfell Tower show what a shameful failure of judgment it was for him to have been appointed as Reform’s housing spokesperson.

“Reform’s first instinct was to defend him, not sack him, and they had to be dragged kicking and screaming into finally doing the right thing.

“Nigel Farage should apologise to the victims’ families for putting Dudley in such a senior position in the first place".

'London is broken, London is lawless', says Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage has said recent unrest in Clapham is evidence of the “societal breakdown” which led him to stand for Parliament in the first place.

Teenagers arranged to meet in south London on Saturday and Tuesday as part of so-called “link-ups” using social media apps including TikTok and Snapchat, before they surged into shops.

Around 100 officers responded to antisocial behaviour on Tuesday evening, according to the Metropolitan Police, and five people were assaulted, including four police officers.

Mr Farage has urged people not to blame social media for the disorder, instead saying people who “behaved in such an appalling, frightening and intimidatory manner” were at fault.

“I’m afraid London is broken,” the Reform UK leader said at a press conference today.

“London is lawless.”

Foreign Secretary in talks with more than 40 nations over Strait of Hormuz fallout

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned “Iranian recklessness” for “hitting global economic security” in talks with a coalition of more than 40 countries aimed at reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane for oil.

Britain is seeking to lead a diplomatic initiative, including countries such as France, Germany and some Gulf nations, to restore access to the maritime route being throttled by Iran in retaliation for the US-Israeli campaign against it.

It comes after US President Donald Trump said countries that rely on the strait should “build up some delayed courage” and “just grab it”, and suggested that after the Iran conflict was over, the critical waterway would “just open up naturally”.

In a video call with counterparts, the Foreign Secretary said: “In today’s meeting, we are focusing on the diplomatic and international planning measures, including collective mobilisation of our full range of diplomatic and economic tools and pressures, reassurance work with industry, insurers and energy markets, and also action to guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers, and effective coordination that we need across the world to enable a safe and sustained opening of the strait".

She hit out at Tehran after “over 25 attacks on vessels in the strait, and there are some 20,000 trapped seafarers on some 2,000 trapped ships”.

She said: “Iranian recklessness towards countries who were never involved in this conflict is not just hitting mortgage rates and petrol prices and the cost of living here in the UK and in many different countries across the world, it is hitting our global economic security".

Nigel Farage defends Donald Trump in Iran war - 'His instincts are not to do this'

Nigel Farage has said he is not “angry” with the US president for entering into a Middle East war, adding it is “difficult listening to the press conferences sometimes” to work out what Donald Trump’s motivation was.

Following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s comment this week that she was “angry” with Mr Trump, the Reform UK leader said: “I’m not angry with him for starting this war if - and by the way, he’s been elected saying no more endless foreign wars. His instincts are not to do this.

“And this is not something he’s been arguing since he was president - he’s been making these arguments for over 20 years, way before he was in politics, asking questions about open-ended wars.

“So what is it? OK, Israeli encouragement, I understand that. You know, the Israelis are there and Iran wants to obliterate them and kill them all, so I can understand why Israel would want to do something like this.

“What persuaded Trump to do it? What was the key motivation? And it’s difficult listening to the press conferences sometimes to work that out.

“If the goal of removing Iran as a nuclear power is achieved, the world will have been done a massive favour even if there are some quite big short-term costs - and there are big short-term costs but ones that we should never have allowed ourselves to be so vulnerable on".

Nigel Farage on Iran: 'We couldn't do it anyway, we haven't got a Royal Navy'

Sir Keir Starmer was “right” to not commit the UK to direct military involvement in the war with Iran, Nigel Farage has suggested.

The Reform UK leader made the comment during a press conference in Westminster.

Mr Farage said the UK had been “all over the place” on the Middle East, before adding: “It seems that the Prime Minister has upset the Americans. He’s upset the Cypriots. He’s upset much of the Middle East.

“Whilst he may be right not to commit us militarily to direct involvement, the truth is we couldn’t do it anyway. We haven’t got a Royal Navy.”

Asked if he believed the Americans would abandon their allies to attempts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Mr Farage said: “You asked the question - would it be fair, is it fair that we need the Straits of Hormuz opened?

"I wouldn’t for a minute think that the Americans would walk away from that".

Reform vow to protect public pensions with sweeping cuts to welfare

Nigel Farage has said Reform UK would keep the triple lock for state pensions, saying the party could afford it “many, many times over” thanks to cuts to the welfare bill to be unveiled in two weeks’ time.

The Reform leader also defended his previous ambivalence about the policy guaranteeing increases in line with inflation, earnings or 2.5 per cent.

He leader told a press conference: “When I said the jury’s out on the triple lock and what we would decide to do on this and with many other issues too, if I could just interpret that into simple English, what I meant was the jury’s out. Not that I’d made my mind up either way.

“And we have discussed it, and we have debated it, and we’ve decided it’s going to stay.

“For me, what decided it was: number one, there are a lot of older pensioners who got their pensions before 2016 who are really pretty disadvantaged by the current system.

“Secondly, that the people to whom pensions are being paid, in vast majority - certainly compared to a younger generation today - are those that have actually worked and paid into the system.

"And we are very much the party of alarm clock Britain - those that work and therefore should reap rewards later in life.

“But the third and most decisive reason is that within the next two weeks, we are going to announce the biggest cuts to the benefits bill ever seen in the history of this country.

"So when questions get asked in a minute, how can you afford it? Well, we can afford it many, many times over".

'No longer a spokesman for the party' - Farage speaks out on housing chief axe

Nigel Farage has sacked Simon Dudley as his party’s housing spokesman after he said the Grenfell Tower fire was a “tragedy” but that “everyone dies in the end”.

Asked at a press conference whether Mr Dudley would be sacked, Mr Farage replied: “That’s already happened".

When he was asked to clarify what had happened, the Reform UK leader said: “He’s no longer a spokesman for the party".

Mr Farage added: “He’s not a spokesman for the party - that has been dealt with".

Nigel Farage sacks Reform UK’s housing chief after ‘shameful’ Grenfell remarks

Nigel Farage has sacked Reform UK's housing chief from his position following remarks about the Grenfell Tower disaster that the PM branded "shameful".

Simon Dudley, a former executive at Homes England and the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, acknowledged the 2017 west London blaze was a "tragedy" but added: "Sadly, you know, everyone dies in the end. It's just how you go, right?"

The Reform figure argued that building safety provisions introduced after the fire represented "regulation which is not working", and claimed the regulatory approach had become disproportionate.

"So the pendulum has just swung too far the wrong way," he said.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Ed Davey echoes Donald Trump's call for UK to step up and tackle Strait of Hormuz gridlock

Sir Keir Starmer must “step up” with plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Sir Ed Davey has said.

Answering questions at a press conference, the Liberal Democrat leader said: “The Prime Minister needs to show an alternative".

Mr Davey said he agreed with President Donald Trump, who previously urged Britain to "build up some courage" to free up the key oil and gas shipping route.

"He’s incapable, he’s not smart enough to bring this to an end, and we’ve got to see an end to the fighting", Mr Davey continued.

“He’s shown that he can’t, is not smart enough to deal with the Straits of Hormuz challenge, which will remain according to the President, and that’s where the Prime Minister needs to step up.

"We’ve had some good first steps. We’re going to need an international coalition from Europe, from the G7, from the Gulf countries, and others, to do the diplomatic heavy lifting that the president is incapable of doing.

“And if we can get the Straits of Hormuz open, that will be the biggest benefit to British people, not just in petrol and diesel, but energy bills.

“So that should be the target, but I’m afraid Donald Trump himself has cut himself out. He’s put the special relationship on life support. I regret that, but that’s what Donald Trump has done".

Sir Ed suggested the Prime Minister should use “stronger language” against the US leader, adding: “He shouldn’t be given prizes and baubles as he insults our troops, insults our country, and wages his idiotic war".

Lib Dem leader calls for flurry of travel cost reform to improve Britain's rail and road

Sir Ed Davey has called for a 10 per cent cut in rail fares and a fuel duty cut by 10p a litre.

At a press conference, the Liberal Democrat leader said: “A tank of petrol now costs £11 more than it did before Trump’s war. A tank of diesel is £23 more every time you fill up.

“That is the Trump tax on driving, the Farage tax on driving, the Badenoch tax on driving, and it’s hurting families and businesses across the country.

“This extra Trump-Farage-Badenoch tax is the last thing - businesses, families, pensioners - people need help now, and that’s what we’re calling for today - action now to tackle the cost of Trump’s war and keep Britain moving".

Sir Ed called for a 10 per cent cut in rail fares and a £1 cap on bus fares, and continued: “On electric vehicles, our plan will make them cheaper to run, starting by cutting VAT on public charging, coupled with a review to bring down unfair network costs that drivers ultimately have to pay too".

He said taking action on petrol and diesel prices, cutting fuel duty “now, not by 1p, not by 5p, by 10p a litre”, was “especially important today as people set off to join families and friends for the Easter weekend - 21 million trips - the busiest weekend on British roads in years”.

Pressure mounts on Reform to sack housing chief amid Grenfell comment backlash 

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “If Nigel Farage has an ounce of decency, he will sack his housing chief immediately.

“These disgraceful comments about those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire are beyond the pale and it is completely untenable for Simon Dudley to continue in his position".

Green Party MP Sian Berry added: “Reform has sunk to a new low and shown a real disrespect to the victims of Grenfell.

“Anyone who has any awareness of what Grenfell residents went through, in fact anyone with any empathy or humanity, will find these comments truly abhorrent.

“Nigel Farage must sack Simon Dudley for this disgusting outburst.

“That Reform would want to scrap key safety regulations brought in after the horrific Grenfell fires tells you everything you need to know about the party".

Reform UK defends staffers' Grenfell Tower comments, slamming 'overly burdensome' building safety regulations

A Reform spokesman said: "Homes must, of course, be built safely.

"However, overly burdensome building safety regulations can stifle house building, meaning targets are missed and the waiting list for homes grows longer at a time when we need more.

"Simon's comments on Grenfell reflected his broader point that the regulatory pendulum has swung too far in response to the tragedy.

"As he explained, there is a fine balance between overregulation - which can slow the delivery of new homes - and ensuring that more homes are built safely without too much red tape".

PM calls for sacking of Reform staffer after insensitive comments on Grenfell Tower fire

Sir Keir Starmer has urged Nigel Farage to sack Reform UK’s housing spokesman over comments about the Grenfell Tower fire.

Simon Dudley, a former executive at Homes England and the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, said the deadly blaze was a “tragedy” but that “everyone dies in the end”.

The Prime Minister posted on X: “Shameful. Nigel Farage should do the decent thing and sack him".

Kemi Badenoch says Donald Trump's Nato fractures are a 'gift' to 'western enemies'

Donald Trump’s signals of a division within the Western alliance are a “gift” to Russia and Iran, Kemi Badenoch has said.

The US president criticised the UK and threatened to quit Nato in response to the perceived lack of support for his military action in Iran.

Tory leader Mrs Badenoch told BBC Breakfast: “I think that we need to make sure that we do not give gifts to countries like Russia or Iran, making it seem as if there is a split in the Western alliance.

“What President Trump’s words are, is creating that. If they see that the Western countries are squabbling, that’s a gift to them.

“That’s a gift to Russia and Iran and other enemies. We need to show that the Western alliance is still strong.

"I certainly disagree with anything that looks like it’s undermining Nato".

PM condemns 'appalling action' in Strait of Hormuz with European Commission President

Sir Keir Starmer spoke to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen yesterday.

Detailing the discussion, a Downing Street spokesman said: “They condemned Iran’s appalling action in the Strait of Hormuz, which is holding the global economy hostage.

"They agreed allies must come together and work on a viable plan for full freedom of navigation to resume when circumstances allow.

“They then discussed their shared ambition to further strengthen the partnership between the UK and the European Union, and the need to continue strong support to Ukraine.

“They agreed to keep in close contact as this important work progresses in the lead-up to the next UK-EU Summit".

David Miliband says UK 'has to improve engagement with EU'

David Miliband, the former foreign secretary who leads the International Rescue Committee, has said that the UK should improve its engagement with the European Union.

It comes after Donald Trump said he was considering pulling out of Nato after allies did not join his war against Iran.

Mr Miliband said "hunkering down" and waiting two-and-a-half years for a new American president is not a viable option.

“We should hold as firmly to those aspects of the American Alliance that we can sustain", he told BBC Radio 4, "but obviously our geography is with Europe, and we’re going to have to sustain and improve dramatically our engagement with the European Union and other European countries.

"And we’re going to also have to think globally about the kind of alliances that are important for Britain".

"We’ve got to take the sort of action that I think the Prime Minister was beginning to describe in his comments yesterday about our relationship with Europe. That’s the starting point. It can’t be the ending point".

'No current supply issues' for fuel in the UK says business minister

Business minister Kate Dearden has assured consumers that there are “no current supply issues” for fuel in the UK, and said people can continue filling up their cars.

Speaking to Sky News, she said: “There are no current supply issues.

“But, of course, we are assessing the situation and governments, of course, plan for contingencies as well".

She added: “People should, over the Easter weekend, continue to fill up their cars and take those journeys, if they are going for a short trip abroad over the coming days, or whatever plans they have".

Asked about decisions by other Governments to try and save fuel, she said the UK’s situation is “different”.

US and EU relationships 'equally important' to UK says business minister

Business minister Kate Dearden has said the UK’s relationships with the US and EU are “equally important” after the Prime Minister called for closer ties with Europe.

It comes after Donald Trump said he was considering pulling out of Nato after allies did not join his war against Iran.

Speaking to Times Radio, Ms Dearden said the closer relationship with Europe is “important for people’s cost of living”.

However, she added: “But that doesn’t mean that we are picking sides between the US and the EU, we really recognise that both those relationships are equally as important, not just for our economy, but for our national security as well.”

She added that the Government was not looking to rejoin the single market.