Reform sources have said they are holding talks with civil servants as the party prepares for Nigel Farage's possible success in the next General Election.
Party insiders suggested they are having secret discussions with sympathetic civil servants ahead of traps they claim "the establishment state" will use against them if they come into power, The i reports.
It comes as fresh polling data reveals Reform UK has established a commanding 15 per cent advantage over Labour, marking a stunning reversal of fortunes just over a year after Sir Keir Starmer's electoral triumph.
The new Find Out Now poll on voting intention puts Mr Farage’s party on 33 per cent nationally, up two points on last week.
Labour has slipped into second on 18 per cent, down one, just 13 months after the party's landslide victory.
The Conservatives have fallen even further, now third on 17 per cent, after losing two points.
Labour MPs call for major U-turn as they demand Rwanda-style deportations after axing
The Prime Minister is facing calls for a Rwanda-style deportation scheme
|GETTY
Labour MPs have called for a Rwanda-style deportation scheme as figures show the number of asylum applications has reached record highs.
Home Office data stated 111,804 people applied for asylum in Britain, up by 14 per cent compared to June last year.
It is the highest number for any 12-month period since records began in 2001.
Lucy Connolly set to sue police as she prepares to meet with Trump administration over 'free speech crackdown'
Lucy Connolly has said she is considering to take legal action against the police just one day after being released from prison.
The 42-year-old - who was jailed over a social media post after the Southport attack - said she believes the police were "dishonest" in what they said about her.
Discussing taking legal action, Mrs Connolly, who left HMP Peterborough on Thursday morning, said: “That’s something that I will be looking into."
David Lammy avoids fine over fishing trip with JD Vance
David Lammy and US Vice President JD Vance went fishing earlier this month
|REUTERS
The Foreign Secretary has avoided a fine after reporting himself for fishing without a licence with JD Vance.
David Lammy took the US vice-president fishing at his official country retreat in Chevening, Kent, on August 8 as he hosted Mr Vance at the start of a UK holiday.
It later emerged Mr Lammy did not possess the required licence for rod fishing, with a Foreign Office spokesperson blaming an “administrative oversight” and saying the minister had subsequently purchased a licence.
He also referred himself to the Environment Agency over the incident.
Anglers in England and Wales aged 13 or over must have a rod licence to fish for freshwater species such as carp and can face a fine of up to £2,500 if they do not.
On Friday, an Environment Agency spokesperson confirmed Mr Lammy would not be prosecuted but had received a formal warning.
They said: “Everyone who goes fishing needs a licence to help improve our rivers, lakes and the sport anglers love.
“As Mr Lammy has confirmed, we have issued a warning letter for fishing without a licence, in line with our enforcement and sanctions policy.”
Epping hotel owners plan to appeal against High Court order blocking housing of asylum seekers
Somani Hotels, the owner of the Bell Hotel in Epping, plans to appeal against the High Court order blocking the use of the hotel as accommodation for asylum seekers.
The company’s legal representatives said: “Somani Hotels Ltd has instructed its solicitors to appeal the injunction order of Mr Justice Eyre.
"There is no further comment at this time.”
Separately, it was revealed today the Home Office is also seeking to appeal against the interim injunction.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the closure of asylum hotels must be done "in a properly managed way", rather than "piecemeal court decisions".
David Lammy calls famine in Gaza City 'utterly horrifying' as he accuses Israel of causing a 'man-made catastrophe'
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has called the famine in Gaza City "utterly horrifying" as he accused the Israeli Government of creating a "man-made catastrophe".
Lammy said: "The confirmation of famine in Gaza City and the surrounding neighbourhood is utterly horrifying and wholly preventable.
"The Israeli Government's refusal to allow sufficient aid into Gaza has caused this man-made catastrophe. This is a moral outrage.
"The IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) report makes clear the sickening consequences, especially for children. The Government of Israel can and must immediately act to stop the situation deteriorating any further. It must immediately and sustainably allow unhindered food, medical supplies, fuel, and all types of aid to reach those who so desperately need them."
Israel's foreign ministry said there is no famine in Gaza, stating: "Over 100,000 trucks of aid have entered Gaza since the start of the war, and in recent weeks a massive influx of aid has flooded the Strip with staple foods and caused a sharp decline in food prices, which have plummeted in the markets."
Anti-immigration protesters face off against anti-racism protesters
Anti-immigration protesters face off against anti-racism protesters
|PA
Immigration protesters have come face-to-face with anti-racism demonstrators in Portsmouth City Centre.
Police have been watching people protest peacefully outside council offices, with demonstrators holding up a flag reading: "Born in England, Live in England, Die in England".
Counter protesters have been holding up placards reading: "Refugees Welcome, Celebrate Diversity."
One immigration protester who prefers to remain anonymous said: "Family homes are being turned into houses of multiple occupancy. We have to live in an area where there are more and more new immigrants.
"Also, my husband was attacked by a Muslim who hated Christians, and this is where I take a stand."
Yvette Cooper says the closure of asylum hotels must be done 'in a properly managed way'
Yvette Cooper says the closure of asylum hotels must be done 'in a properly managed way'
| GETTYHome Secretary Yvette Cooper said the closure of asylum hotels must be done "in a properly managed way", rather than "piecemeal court decisions".
The Home Secretary said: "We agree with communities across the country that all asylum hotels need to close, including the Bell Hotel, and we are working to do so as swiftly as possible as part of an orderly, planned and sustained programme that avoids simply creating problems for other areas or local councils as a result of piecemeal court decisions or a return to the kind of chaos which led to so many hotels being opened in the first place.
"That is the reason for the Home Office appeal in this case, to ensure that going forward, the closure of all hotels can be done in a properly managed way right across the country without creating problems for other areas and local councils."
Chris Philp calls the Home Office's appeal bid 'completely wrong'
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp has called the Home Office’s appeal bid "completely wrong".
Mr Philp said: "The Epping Bell Hotel injunction has been a victory for local people, led by a Conservative council working hard for their community.
"This is the difference Conservatives in local Government deliver. In opposition, Labour worked hand-in-glove with activist lawyers to sabotage Conservative immigration plans. In Government, nothing has changed.
"It is completely wrong that the Labour Government is taking legal action to keep open the Bell Hotel. The Government isn't listening to the public or to the courts.
"Instead of trying to keep illegal immigrants in expensive hotels, the Conservatives would remove all illegal arrivals, put in place a real deterrent and ensure towns like Epping are never put in this position again."
Home Office to appeal against Eppling asylum hotel ruling
The Home Office will seek to appeal against the High Court’s refusal to allow it to intervene in the case of a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Epping | GETTYThe Home Office will seek to appeal against the High Court's refusal to allow it to intervene in the case of a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Epping, security minister Dan Jarvis has confirmed.
Epping Forest District Council were successful in their bid for an interim injunction to stop migrants from being housed at the Bell Hotel.
The successful injunction meant that the hotel's owner, Somani Hotels Limited, has to stop housing asylum seekers there within 14 days of the ruling.
Met Police arrest 100 people and seize dozens of weapons in major operation ahead of Notting Hill Carnival
Police in London have arrested more than 100 people and seized dozens of weapons in a major operation aimed at preventing a repeat of the serious violence that occurred at the Notting Hill Carnival last year.
Multiple police units, including some armed officers, seized 11 firearms and more than 40 knives.
Including the 100 arrests, some 266 people now either have police bail or probation licence conditions banning them from turning up at the west London Carnival.
Ed Davey calls for Elon Musk's bid to supply UK home energy to be blocked
Ed Davey calls for Elon Musk's bid to supply UK home energy to be blocked
|PA/REUTERS
Sir Ed Davey has told ministers that Elon Musk's company, Tesla, should have its application to supply energy to UK homes blocked on national security grounds.
The Liberal Democrat leader suggests that giving the car manufacturer a step into the British energy market would be a "gravely concerning move considering Elon Musk's repeated interference in UK politics".
Tesla applied in July for a licence to supply power to UK homes, as it waits to be granted by regulator Ofgem.
Mr Davey wrote to the energy secretary Ed Miliband voicing his concerns.
Pension tax raid looms for retirees as Rachel Reeves flirts with cutting 25 per cent tax-free relief
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is understood to have been approached by Treasury officials with a plan to launch a stealth tax raid on pensions as part of her upcoming Autumn Budget.
Reports suggest the Chancellor has been presented with a proposal which could see the maximum tax-free pension withdrawal from its current £268,275 limit to as little as £40,000.
Ms Reeves is examining these options as she searches for tax-generating revenue streams to address a public finance shortfall exceeding £50billion.
Scottish Conservative RESIGNS from party as he leaves party with a 'heavy heart'
Scottish Conservative RESIGNS from party as he leaves party with a 'heavy heart'
|PA
Scottish Conservative MSP Jeremy Balfour has resigned from the party and will now sit as an independent.
In his resignation letter to party leader Russell Findlay, Mr Balfour said he believes the Scottish Tories have "fallen into the trap of reaction politics".
He noted that any "positive, proactive agenda for real change" has been denied, and resigns from the party with a "heavy heart".
He said: "I no longer feel that the party has a positive platform to offer the people of Scotland."
Mr Balfour will now stand as an independent MSP and represent his constituents in the Lothian region.
Shadow Home Office Minister backs people 'peacefully making their voices heard' as anti-migrant hotel protests planned for weekend
Shadow Home Office Minister, Katie Lam, said she supports "people peacefully making their voices heard and views known", ahead of anti-migrant hotel protests planned for this weekend.
Speaking to GB News Breakfast, she said: "I think what we have seen is local people peacefully making their voices heard and views known.
"Whilst that continues to be the case, then I think in a democracy, we should all welcome.
"We are seeing parents, we are seeing mums, how worried they are walking home at the end of the day."
The Shadow Home Office Minister said that if these protests "tip into violence", it could be a problem for the police, but emphasised that "lots of them have not".
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW FROM THIS MORNING ABOVE
Wave of protests to target dozens of migrant hotels across the weekend
Several anti-immigration protests are set to be held outside migrant hotels over the coming days.
It is believed that demonstrations will be held in areas including Chichester, Cannock, Wakefield and Tamworth over the next three days.
Stand up to Racism, is preparing for more than a dozen protests to take place, telling activists on social media it is "crucial we show up in our numbers across the country".
It comes after a High Court judge granted an interim injunction blocking the housing of asylum seekers at the Bell Hotel in Epping.
Army spends £118million on air defence missile systems
Army spends £118million on air defence missile systems
|PA
The army has purchased additional air defence missile systems, capable of shooting down cruise missiles and drones, the Ministry of Defence has said.
Costing £118million, the spending will double the number of British-made Land Ceptor systems available.
The system will be manufactured by MBDA in Bolton, which the Government said will support 140 jobs.
Defence minister Luke Pollard said: "We are delivering on the strategic defence review by equipping our armed forces with state-of-the-art equipment to help keep us safe. Doubling our deployable Sky Sabre capability will strengthen the UK's air defences, protect UK forces abroad, and deter our adversaries.
"Through this investment, we are supporting over 100 jobs across the UK, with more to come."
Diane Abbott reveals she told Jeremy Corbyn NOT to set up 'Your Party'
Diane Abbott has revealed she told Jeremy Corbyn not to set up the hard-left 'Your Party'
| PADiane Abbott has revealed she told Jeremy Corbyn not to set up the hard-left "Your Party" as it would struggle to get a foothold in Britain.
Ms Abbott, a fierce Corbyn ally and his former Shadow Home Secretary, said at the Edinburgh Book Festival: "There were people around Jeremy encouraging him to set up a new party, and I told him not to.
"It's very difficult under first-past-the-post system for a new party to absolutely win.
"If it wasn't first-past-the-post, then you can see how a new party could come through, but I understand why he did it."
Ms Abbott was suspended by the Labour Party for the second time in July following a fresh antisemitism row.
Party officials are reportedly weighing up candidates to replace her in her Hackney North & Stoke Newington seat.
RECAP: Labour membership collapses under Keir Starmer as hundreds of thousands desert party
Labour Party membership has plummeted by almost 200,000 in a hammer blow to Sir Keir Starmer's party.
Figures published on Thursday showed the party had lost another 37,215 members over the course of 2024, around 10 per cent of its total membership at the start of the year.
By the end of 2024, Labour’s membership stood at 333,235.
This is significantly down on its recent peak of 532,046 at the end of 2019, just after the party lost the General Election under former leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
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