Chris Philp has written to Attorney General Richard Hermer after a Virgin Atlantic passenger was sentenced to just 15 months for threatening to rape and kill a stewardess on a flight from Heathrow.
Salman Iftikhar said the air hostess would be dragged out of her hotel room, gang raped, and set on fire.
The Shadow Home Secretary referred the case for review under the Unduly Lenient Scheme, warning that if he doesn’t, it would be "yet another example of two-tier justice under this Government."
Philp wrote that the victim said she had to take 14 months off work as she was "traumatised by the threat of being gang raped."
The Tory MP highlighted that Iftikhar only received a 15-month sentence, less than half of Lucy Connolly’s 31-month sentence.
He wrote: "Iftikhar made over 100 sickening threats, including of gang rape, directly to Ms Walsh personally, face to face, and to other members of the cabin crew’s faces and has multiple previous convictions.
"I am sure you agree that this cannot be right. Given the severity of the threats and the vile language used by Iftikhar, I believe his sentence should be reconsidered and increased and I urge you to refer his case for review under the Unduly Lenient Scheme, which covers the offences for which Iftikhar was convicted."
Salman Iftikhar admitted to making threats to kill and racially aggravated harassment, in relation to the air hostess.
More than 2,000 small boat migrants cross Channel illegally since France deal started
GB News captured the moment a migrant boat was escorted by the French into British waters
| GB NewsMore than 2,000 small boat migrants have crossed the English Channel illegally since the France returns deal came into operation last Wednesday, GB News can reveal.
It comes a day after this channel confirmed more than 50,000 migrants had crossed in the 13 months since Sir Keir Starmer came to power.
The figure is now almost 50,700 after a further 426 migrants crossed from France on Tuesday, according to GB News provisional figures.
In total, since the UK-France partial returns deal came into operation less than a week ago, 2,019 small boat migrants have arrived in UK waters.
Under the deal, it is believed that just around 50 of that more than 2,000 figure will be earmarked for return back to France.
Labour's approval rating lowest score to date
Fresh YouGov data has yet again shown Labour's dwindling popularity after the Government's net approval rating plummeted to -55.
It is Labour's lowest score to date.
The data comes from Saturday to Monday and shows that 13 per cent approve of the Government and 68 per cent disapprove.
JD Vance to meet with Robert Jenrick and not Kemi Badenoch
The US Vice-President is set to meet with Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick during his family holiday in the Cotswolds, it is understood.
What was meant to the a UK holiday, seems to be more of a working trip with JD Vance having met with Foreign Secretary and friend David Lammy on the day of his arrival.
Jenrick is expected to meet Vance for a one-on-one meeting.
However, Tory Leader Kemi Badenoch will not be meeting up with Vance with the Tories saying their schedules couldn't align.
Labour has 'serious plan' to stop illegal small boat crossings, Home Office says
After the total of migrant crossings surpassed 50,000 people, the Home Office has insisted they have a "serious plan" to tackle the small boat crisis.
"We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security," a Home Office spokesman said.
"The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay, and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.
"That is why this government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage."
Conservatives highlight Labour's 'record-breaking failure' as illegal Channel crossings surpass 50,000 for the year
The Conservative party has come out swinging, declaring "Labour's short time in office has delivered the worst illegal immigration crisis" in the history of the UK.
"Over 50,000 people have crossed the Channel since they have taken power," a statement read.
"Labour has scrapped Conservative deterrents and created the conditions for chaos, with the British people paying the price."
The Conservatives claimed only five per cent of people crossing had been removed from the country, meaning 95 per cent had remained - with "many in taxpayer-funded hotels".
"Labour promised to end the use of hotels - but the number has only gone up since the election, another broken promise," the statement continued.
"Labour’s first act in office was to repeal key planks of the Illegal Migration Act, weaken age assessments, restore illegal migrants’ path to citizenship, and scrap the Rwanda removals framework.
"Their own Border Surrender Bill gives illegal arrivals the same rights as those who follow the rules.
"Meanwhile, Labour has cut the Home Office budget in real terms and has no plan for dealing with the rising numbers. Their 'solution' is a migrant swap scheme with France which the ex-head of Border Force has said won’t make a dent."
Rachel Reeves hails Northern Ireland 'absolutely crucial' for the UK’s growth prospects
Rachel Reeves visited Belfast
|PA
Northern Ireland is "absolutely crucial" for the UK’s growth prospects, the Chancellor has said during a visit to Belfast.
Rachel Reeves made her first trip to the province as Chancellor and was asked whether she considers Northern Ireland to be an "economic basket case".
As part of her trip, Reeves visited the filmmaking facilities at Studio Ulster and also paid tribute to Northern Ireland’s defence sector.
Studio Ulster, which sits on the shores of Belfast Lough, was officially opened in June in what has been termed the world’s most advanced virtual production facilities spanning 75,000 square feet.
Home Office confirms More than 50,000 migrants have crossed the Channel on small boats since Sir Keir Starmer came to power.
The Home Office has confirmed more than 50,000 migrants have crossed the Channel on small boats since Sir Keir Starmer became prime minister.
It comes after GB News revealed the grim milestone yesterday.
More migrants have attempted the crossing today and are heading towards Britain, GB News understands.
Labour has been struggling to make an impact on the record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel, with more arrivals expected to come with the warm weather.
Nicola Sturgeon hints at leaving Scotland for London... after years of campaigning for freedom from England
Nicola Sturgeon has suggested she is eyeing up a move to London
|GETTY
Nicola Sturgeon has suggested she is eyeing up a move to London despite years of campaigning for Scottish freedom.
Scotland’s former first minister also admitted that sometimes she feels like she "can't breathe freely in Scotland" because of public attention.
Sturgeon told the BBC’s Newscast podcast: "This may shock many people to hear, but I love London.
"Just for one thing and another. I'm spending a reasonable amount of time in London at the moment, so yeah. Maybe a bit of time down here and who knows.
"Suffocating is maybe putting it too strongly, but I feel sometimes I can't breathe freely in Scotland."
'It is who I am!' Kemi Badenoch tells GB News she would 'personally intervene' if she saw a shoplifter in action
Kemi Badenoch has declared she would likely take action against shoplifters if she witnessed theft, following a rapid assessment of the situation.
Speaking in an exclusive sit-down interview with Christopher Hope on GB News, the Conservative leader confirmed her willingness to intervene directly, saying: "After a very quick risk assessment, probably yes. That’s the sort of person I am."
Kemi Badenoch demands Labour 'makes life less comfortable' for asylum seekers as she tells GB News 'it is just not right'
Kemi Badenoch has said it is time to "make life less comfortable" for asylum seekers during an exclusive interview with GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope.
The Conservative leader claimed the current system is “not working” and proposed the use of detention centres and migrant camps as a deterrent.
She said: "When we had migrant hotels, we had men, women, and children in there. What we are seeing now is all-male hotels. That is not what asylum seeking looks like.
"There is a problem when we are seeing all men turning up on these boats. I don't think just plonking them in the heart of a community is the right thing."
Speaking on what the treatment of migrants when arriving in Britain, the Conservative leader added: "Make life less comfortable, but more importantly, keep our communities safe.
David Lammy drawn into Labour sleaze row and faces possible legal action over Foreign Office secondments
David Lammy is facing possible legal action
|GETTY
David Lammy is facing possible legal action over proposals to invite staff from the oil firm Shell and the defence firm BAE Systems to work inside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The Foreign Secretary first suggested the scheme in March, in a speech at the Chambers of Commerce, where he argued the FCDO would have to undergo a "sustained cultural transformation" to fully represent the interests of business.
Lammy said: "Today I have written to the CEOs of some of the UK’s largest firms offering to send diplomats on placements to each of them, building on existing examples of placements at firms like Barclays and Octopus Energy, and offering each of them the opportunity for members of their teams to spend time gaining experience in the FCDO."
However, the minister has since been warned of a potential conflict of interest and "improper influence" within the Government.
The 'dreamy' Cotswolds farmshop visited by JD Vance that offers award-winning produce and countryside 'indulgence'
Daylesford Farm in the Cotswolds has been described as 'beautiful' and 'dreamy'
|Daylesford Organic
Donald Trump's second-in-command, JD Vance, chose an exclusive British farmshop for a family outing during his trip to the Cotswolds.
Vance arrived at Daylesford Farm to enjoy a meal with his wife, Usha, and their three young children.
The US Vice President's family, including eight-year-old Ewan, five-year-old Vivek, and three-year-old Mirabel, dined in a secluded room at the establishment dubbed 'the UK's poshest farmshop'.
Record number of non-UK nationals are unemployed as nearly 1.3m foreigners claim Universal Credit
The number of non-UK nationals out of work has hit a record high, with nearly 1.3million foreign nationals now claiming Universal Credit.
Foreign nationals accounted for 21.5 per cent of all unemployed individuals between January and March 2025.
The ONS figures, based on the Labour Force Survey, show that between the three months, 346,000 non-UK nationals were unemployed - the highest number on record.
In July 2025, there were 1.298 million foreign nationals claiming Universal Credit, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Of these, 524,598 were receiving in-work Universal Credit, while 759,375 were out-of-work claimants.
'We warned Labour' Kemi Badenoch SLAMS latest unemployment figures
| X
The leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has slammed Labour's record on unemployment.
The UK’s unemployment rate held steady at 4.7 per cent in the three months to June, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Taking to social media, the leader of the opposition wrote: "Unemployment is up again. The tenth month in a row.
"We warned Labour that their Jobs Tax would mean more people out of work. They have squeezed businesses.
"But they are not done. Tax rises are coming this autumn. We are the only party committed to living within our means."
Zelenskyy thanks European leaders for their 'clear support of our independence'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked European Union nations following their collective declaration earlier today.
The 26 member states affirmed their backing for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as issued a caution against excluding Kyiv from discussions regarding its future, ahead of anticipated negotiations scheduled for Friday in Alaska.
The Ukrainian warned that Moscow was "not preparing to end the war" but rather organising "new offensive operations."
Zelenskyy specifically acknowledged the European nations' "clear support of our independence [and] territorial integrity."
Hungary was the sole EU member state not to endorse the declaration.
Number of migrants crossing channel is 'wholly unacceptable' says Labour Skill Minister Jacqui Smith
The number of people crossing the Channel illegally in small boats is "wholly unacceptable", Education Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith tells GB News.
Asked about the 50,000 people who have crossed the Channel since Labour came to power, she told the People's Channel: "That's why it's really important that we crack on with the progress that we've been making the French deal, as you talked about, the additional 300 staff that just last week were able to start with the National Crime Agency, so that we can get to the people who are making the money out of this trade.
"We can arrest more people. We have had some arrests in the last month, and we can stop the criminals who are the ones that are exploiting desperate people and causing the sorts of levels of crossings of the Channel that we've seen which are wholly unacceptable, not quite as high as in 2022 but I know that that's no comfort at the point at which we're seeing those sorts of numbers.
"And of course, we're also taking additional legislation through Parliament to give even stronger terrorism-type powers to the police to be able to deal with this problem.”
Asked about people-smuggling gangs, she said: "That's why we need both the international work that we've been doing, we have, we've got the deal with France, but we've also been working, for example, in Germany, to help, to encourage the Germans to change the rules with respect to tackling where the boats are actually supplied from.
"It's why we need those sorts of anti-terror type organised crime powers that enable you to get to the people wherever they're operating, to be able to tackle the criminals who are benefiting from this."
Tory frontbencher confirms 'potential' camps as migrant crisis reaches fever pitch
Tory frontbencher Matt Vickers confirmed that the Conservatives would look at "potential" migrant camps as a solution to fears of public safety in communities.
Vickers told the People's Channel: "The last Government got this wrong in many ways, but they were doing something about it. They were looking at that deterrent. They were reducing the number of hotels. But the reality is it's gone up. It hasn't gone up a little bit. It's gone up by 51 per cent with Starmer in office. That is huge.
"You can't integrate people on that scale. And the reality is that these aren't women and children. They're largely, very largely, groups of lone men. So she said we should look at all the options on this.
He added: "Firstly, how we accommodate these people when we're here looking at the potential of camps, asking the questions, seeing what the community thinks of that.
"The only way to solve this problem is for those people to know when they get on that boat that they've got no chance of staying. We need to remove these people. If you break into this country, you should be detained. You should be removed. We need to take away all the pull factors that make these people make the decision to get in those boats."
'More than 200 crossing today' Mark White gives fresh update on small boat crossings
Over 250 migrants in five small boats are currently in the Channel, heading towards Britain, GB News understands.
It comes after GB News revealed that more than 50,000 small boat migrants have now crossed the English Channel illegally since Sir Keir Starmer came to power.
The shockingly high figure was reached on Monday when a further 430 migrants made the journey from France.
The news will make grim reading for the Prime Minister, who has been struggling to make an impact on the record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel.
UK unemployment remains at 4.7 per cent - highest level since 2021
The UK’s unemployment rate held steady at 4.7 per cent in the three months to June, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.
This was unchanged from the rate recorded in the three months to May.
UK average regular earnings growth stayed at five per cent in the three months to June, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Once inflation is taken into account, that means workers are 1.5 per cent better off in real terms than they were a year ago.
Keir Starmer set to speak to Donald Trump and European leaders before US-Russia meeting
Keir Starmer set to speak to Donald Trump
|GETTY
The Prime Minister is set to join a call with European leaders and Donald Trump on Wednesday, ahead of the US president’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The call, which German Chancellor Friedrich Merz organised, will include Volodymyr Zelensky amid international concerns that Ukraine has been excluded from peace talks.
Starmer warned on Monday that peace "must be built with Ukraine, not imposed upon it", as it was confirmed that the Ukrainian President will not be present in the US-Russia meeting on Friday.
Trump said he would speak to Zelensky following the summit and suggested a meeting between the two warring nations' leaders could be arranged.
The US president has also signalled he thinks Ukraine might need to cede territory in order to end the conflict, stating there is likely to be “some land-swapping going on”.
In a joint statement earlier this week, the leaders of Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission said: “Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny.
The statement read: "Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force."
Labour faces new "cronyism” allegations following £5million contract awarded to donor
Emily Middleton is the (temporary) Director General for Digital Centre Design at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
|GOV.UK
Labour faces new "cronyism” allegations following the award of a £5 million Government contract to an organisation by its former employee.
Director General in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Emily Middleton, previously worked at Public Digital and is overseeing the company's biggest Government contract to date.
In total, the firm has received £10.2 million in state contracts since Labour's electoral victory.
Middleton earns over £125,000 in her new role, whilst sitting on the programme board that supervises the Test, Learn and Grow initiative.
Government names technical colleges to train 40,000 construction workers
The Government has named 10 technical colleges across England, which will train 40,000 construction workers, in an effort to fulfil their manifesto pledge of building 1.5 million new homes before the next general election.
The Department for Education’s planned £100million investment in training workers will aim to help tens of thousands of builders, bricklayers, electricians, carpenters, and plumbers, many of whom are already in the industry, to get improved skills as ministers by 2029.
The Department for Education have also put a focus on reducing its reliance on foreign labour, previously announcing they have set a target to train 60,000 construction workers.
A further 100,000 construction workers will be recruited by the Construction Skills Mission Board annually by the end of the Parliament.