MP under investigation by Labour after husband arrested in China spy probe

Husband of Labour MP released on bail after China spy probe arrest

Three political advisers have been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of spying for China, according to the Metropolitan Police.

David Taylor, 39 — the husband of East Kilbride and Strathaven MP Joani Reid — was detained alongside Matthew Aplin, 43, and Steve Jones, 68. The three men are suspected of assisting a foreign intelligence service.

Jones previously served as a special adviser to the Welsh Government, while Aplin is a former Labour press officer. Counter-terrorism officers arrested them at properties in London and Wales on Wednesday.

Following Taylor’s arrest, Reid said in a statement that she had no involvement in her husband’s business activities and had never seen anything that made her believe he had broken the law.

Taylor formerly worked as an adviser to Welsh Labour politicians and was previously a Labour candidate for the role of North Wales police and crime commissioner.

He was arrested in London, while Aplin was detained in Pontyclun in south Wales and Jones in Powys in mid-Wales.

Police carried out searches at the locations where the arrests were made, as well as at additional properties in London, East Kilbride and Cardiff.

All three men are accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service under Section 3 of the National Security Act. The legislation, introduced in 2023, is designed to target individuals suspected of acting against the UK’s national interests, police said.

They have since been released on bail until May while investigations continue.

Shabana Mahmood outlines 'firm but fair' asylum system overhaul as 100 Labour MPs rebel against Home Secretary

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has outlined her "firm but fair" plan to crack down on asylum seekers who break the law or work illegally in the UK.

Ms Mahmood today unveiled strict new rules banning foreign criminals from entering the UK in an effort to make Britain less attractive for illegal immigrants.

In a keynote speech at the Institute for Public Policy Research in London, the Home Secretary revealed Labour will end permanent refugee status.

Ms Mahmood also launched a pilot project to pay 150 families whose asylum claims had been rejected up to £40,000 each to leave the country voluntarily or face forcible removal.

She said: “The generosity of the British people will become conditional on those seeking asylum following the law, living by our rules and not working.

“Taxpayer-funded accommodation will be received in reserve for those who have no right to work and will otherwise be destitute, such as for any British citizen.

"Rights must come with responsibilities, and British taxpayers cannot be expected to fund the lives of those who refuse.”

47% of Britons say Keir Starmer is managing the UK’s response to the US‑Iran conflict badly

Further polling data from YouGov shows the British public are inclined to think Keir Starmer has managed the UK’s response to the US-Iran conflict badly, with 47 per cent saying so compared to 34 per cent who think he has managed it well.

Labour and Lib Dem voters (53-55 per cent) generally think the PM had managed the crisis well, while Green voters split 43 per cent to 38 per cent.

By contrast, the majority of Reform UK (81 per cent) and Tory voters (65 per cent) feel his efforts have been poor.

52% of Britons say Keir Starmer is managing the UK's relationship with Donald Trump badly

New polling data from YouGov has found 52 per cent of Britons say Keir Starmer is managing the UK's relationship with Donald Trump badly.

The data shows Labour and Lib Dem voters tend to think Starmer is still doing a good job at managing the relationship with Trump (48-53 per cent) while Greens tend to think he is doing a bad job (47 per cent), rising to 70 per cent and 86 per cent respectively for Tory and Reform voters.

Infuriated by the UK’s initial refusal to allow the US to use RAF bases for Iran strikes, Donald Trump launched a series of personal attacks on Starmer, mocking him as “no Winston Churchill”.

Keir Starmer has previously been praised for his seemingly unlikely ability to hold good relations with Donald Trump - no longer it seems, with most Britons now believing the is managing relations with Trump badly, and only 32% per cent disagree.

Home Secretary's asylum overhaul are 'aspirational', says Susannah Baker MBE

The Home Secretary’s speech at IPPR today announced plans to expand community sponsorship as part of new safe and legal routes for student refugees.

Susannah Baker MBE, Chair of the Community Sponsorship Alliance, said: "Named community sponsorship delivers exactly what the Home Secretary says she wants: a controlled, capped and community-led route that puts British communities in charge of offering protection. We've already seen it work with schemes like Homes for Ukraine.

“Communities up and down the country are ready and eager to help welcome refugees and play their part. If these reforms are meant to reflect Labour values, safe and legal routes must sit at the heart of the system, not remain aspirational while enforcement is operational.

“The Government keeps stating they will open new safe and legal routes like community sponsorship, but what we need now are the details - how many people communities will be able to sponsor, who will be eligible, how organisations involved will be resourced, and when new routes will become operational".

PM addresses the nation on Britain's role in Middle East conflict

Sir Keir Starmer said he was focused on “providing calm, level-headed leadership in the national interest” amid the war in the Middle East.

Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, the Prime Minister said he had chaired a Cobra meeting on Thursday morning, adding: “I know that people are worried sick about their family and friends who are caught up in this, about the impact on our lives and our economy, and about the potential for even greater escalation.

“They can hardly believe that, yet again, we are seeing missiles and drones falling and civilians in the firing line across the region.

“So, I want to reassure the British public about the action that we are taking while the region has been plunged into chaos.

“My focus is providing calm, level-headed leadership in the national interest.

“That means deploying our military and diplomatic strength to protect our people, and it means having the strength to stand firm by our values and our principles, no matter the pressure to do otherwise".

He also insisted the UK had been preparing for the possibility of conflict “long before” it began with Israeli and US strikes.

The UK is sending four additional Typhoon jets to join its operations in Qatar, Sir Keir Starmer said.

The Prime Minister said: “I can announce today that we’re sending four additional Typhoon jets to join our squadron in Qatar to strengthen our defensive operations in Qatar and across the region.

“Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities are arriving in Cyprus tomorrow".

Ed Miliband stands by oil and gas policy after Labour rebellion shot down

Ed Miliband has defended his policy on oil and gas, after US President Donald Trump earlier this week urged the UK Government to “open up the North Sea”.

The Energy Secretary told the Commons new North Sea exploration licences “are completely marginal to that basin and would make no difference to the prices set by international markets and paid by UK billpayers”.

He later said: “This Government has taken the decision to keep existing fields open for their lifetime, including through transitional energy certificates in our North Sea future plan as called for and welcomed by industry, and also the decision not to issue new licenses to explore new fields as the science tells us the right thing to do, because this Government will not ignore the biggest long-term threat multiplier to our security and stability that we face - the climate crisis.

"The lesson of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the lesson of recent days is that the only route to greater energy independence for Britain is our mission and we will double down on it, because every solar panel we install, every wind turbine we put up, every nuclear power station we build makes us more secure as a country and protects families and businesses from these kind of energy shocks.

“In an unstable world, we will keep driving for energy sovereignty and abundance with clean, homegrown power - we will not gamble with the British people’s money in the fossil fuel casino and ignore the lessons of the past".

Welsh election is a referendum on Keir Starmer's leadership, Nigel Farage says

The Senedd election in May has been referred to as a referendum on Keir Starmer's premiership by Nigel Farage.

The Reform UK leader, speaking at his party's Welsh manifesto election today said the vote would "end Labour's dominance" in Wales.

He told the event in Newport: “May 7 will end Labour dominance in Wales and in particular the Valleys.

“And, if we get this right, we will get rid of the worst Prime Minister any of us have seen in our lifetimes.

“It’s a Welsh election, but I’m afraid, whether you like it or not, it doubles up as a referendum on Keir Starmer’s premiership.”

Ever since devolution in 1997, Labour has led the Welsh government but recent opinion polls have seen the party slip into third below Plaid Cymru and Reform.

Keir Starmer to address the nation over Middle East war as EU countries join the defence of Cyprus

Sir Keir Starmer will provide an update on the unfolding conflict in the Middle East as Defence Secretary John Healey met his counterpart in Cyprus to ease tensions about Britain’s response to drone attacks on the island.

The Prime Minister will hold a press conference in Downing Street at 2pm today to address the nation.

It comes as Sir Keir and the Labour government have been slammed for their lackluster response to the conflict after the British base in Cyprus, RAf Akrotiri, was struck by Iranian drones.

Priti Patel slams 'weak and feeble' Foreign Secretary amid Middle East conflict

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has been branded “weak and feeble” by the Tories over her handling of the unfolding conflict in Iran.

In the Commons, Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel said: “We see reports of the Prime Minister being forced by his Cabinet into sitting on the fence, including by Britain’s weak and feeble Foreign Secretary.

“She has failed in her duty to stand up for Britain’s place in the world, failed to work with our allies to promote our national interests in the region, failed to provide the leadership needed to protect our military personnel, our bases and British nationals.

“This situation is shameful and embarrassing, and never in the history of this great nation has a government been so feeble at a time when our people and our allies are under assault".

Dame Priti also pressed the Government on when it will “ban the murderous Revolutionary Guards and bring forward the emergency legislation that we are all calling for”.

Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer criticised the language used by the opposition, adding: “The ministers of this country have been in the Foreign Office crisis centre since Saturday.

“I will not reflect on my own time as an official during previous crises, where the same was not said about foreign ministers".

Foreign Secretary attends Cobra meeting as peers criticise her absence from Commons

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is currently in the ministerial Cobra meeting discussing the situation in the Middle East, having been criticised for lack of appearance in the Commons of late.

Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer said: “I would just say about the Foreign Secretary, she was in this House throughout the week, including at Foreign Office orals on Tuesday. We covered these issues in some detail with the Prime Minister yesterday.

“The Foreign Secretary is currently in the ministerial Cobra discussing these issues. She will, of course, make herself available to the House as much as she possibly can.

“I would hope that my colleagues across the House would recognise that I speak a great deal in this House because of their interest in these issues, and I will continue to return when the Foreign Secretary is unable to".

Reform UK 'careful as possible' with vetting of members amid 'deep corruption' scandals within Labour

Asked what steps he was taking to make sure Welsh Parliament candidates are thoroughly vetted, Reform leader Nigel Farage said: “We are being as careful as we possibly can be through vetting, credit checks, criminal record checks.

“Wherever there are groups of human beings, you’ll get one or two that are not as they ought to be. That applies to every walk of life.

“Labour’s problem is they tried to say that ‘we are holier than thou’, that we are above all of this".

Labour party 'runs deep' with corruption, says Reform UK leader

Nigel Farage has claimed corruption within the Labour Party “runs deep” following the arrest of three men on suspicion of spying for China.

David Taylor, the husband of Scottish Labour MP Joani Reid, is among those accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service.

“The corruption within Labour from the Chinese Communist Party runs deep”, Mr Farage told Reform’s Welsh manifesto launch on Thursday.

Reform has struggled with questions over its candidates and elected officials in recent years, including former Welsh leader Nathan Gill, who admitted taking bribes in return for making pro-Russian statements and is now serving a 10-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Mr Farage said: “It is true that a former senior figure, very briefly in the party, from Reform Wales, did take foreign money and he’s in prison, as he should be.

“But from Labour we have had the moral high ground.

“We will not hear in this campaign another word of commendation or criticism from the hypocrites in the Welsh Labour Party".

Reform UK receive additional £3m bolster from ex-Tory donor

Ex-Tory donor Christopher Harborne has donated a further £3m to Reform UK on top of his whopping £9m last summer.

Nigel Farage’s party, which has been topping the polls for more than a year, brought in £5.5m in the last quarter of 2025.

The Harborne donations will bolster Reform UK in the runup to the May local elections, in which Farage will be hoping to make progress in Wales and across England where council seats are being contested.

Harborne, a Thailand-based aviation and crypto currency investor, previously gave £10m to the Brexit party to fund its 2019 election campaign, and £1m to the office of Boris Johnson after he resigned.

In contrast, the Conservatives brought in £4m in donations, the Liberal Democrats more than £2m and Labour almost £2m.

Shabana Mahmood tells GB News that she is 'cracking on' with implementing immigration legislation

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has told GB News that she is "cracking on" with protecting Britain's borders as she outlined her plans for tackling immigration.

Speaking to GB News Senior Political Correspondent Katherine Forster, Ms Mahmood said: "I would say to you in terms of action is we're cracking on.

"I've been in the job for just over six months, it does feel a bit longer than that, but we made these announcements in November. We're cracking on with implementation. We're only just into March, we'll keep going.

"We will have primary legislation as well as secondary legislation and rule changes in the normal way for immigration rules that happen automatically twice a year, so we're cracking on with making the changes.

"I'd say to your viewers and others who are watching, judge us by our record and what we actually deliver".

POLL: Is the Government's migration crackdown a step in the right direction? YOU DECIDE

VOTE HERE

Conservative Government's treatment of armed forces was 'virtually criminal', says Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage has criticised the previous Conservative government, who he said “ran down our Armed Forces in a virtually criminal way”.

The Reform UK leader told a party conference in Newport that it did not take a “rocket scientist” to work out that the US would attack Iran.

“It’s been flagged for weeks and yet we have a Prime Minister incapable of making a decision,” Mr Farage said.

"I’m guessing it’s because Morgan McSweeney has gone. With McSweeney gone, we see that our Prime Minister is a follower and not a leader, that he and our reputation on the world stage is frankly going down the drain - and the sooner they’re gone and out of office, the better it’ll be for everybody".

Government swats down claims that paying migrants to leave acts as pull factor

The Home Secretary's new pilot trial for Danish style asylum seeker policy has come under fire, with exit payments interpreted by some as an incentive for migrants to COME to the UK in the first place.

On whether the pilot payments act as a pull factor, a government source said: “Our intelligence shows people smugglers charge between £15,000 and £35,000 per illegal migrant.

"As a result, the pilot to pay them to leave cannot act as a pull factor, because it costs more to get here in the first place.

"If they do not take this offer, the family will be forcibly removed".

Reform government would have migrants 'sent away and killed' claims Home Secretary

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said that under a "hard-right'" government, "those who have been here for decades, legally with settled status, will suddenly hear a knock on their door one night, bundled into the back of a van, separated from children and grandchildren and deported from this country that they have made home".

She barraged on Reform UK, saying that there was no way of achieving deportations to such a scale they want, "sending people back to a country that is not safe, and where upon return they could be killed".

Home Secretary praises Sadiq Khan amid 'misinformation' about turning city to sharia law

Shabana Mahmood criticised “misinformation” about sharia law relating to London, and praised Sir Sadiq Khan as she was questioned about Donald Trump’s rebukes of the city’s mayor.

The Home Secretary was asked about the US president’s broadside against the UK Government over its decisions on Iran, as well as his attacks on Sir Sadiq, his claim that London wants to turn to sharia law, and his comments about immigration.

“The US president will say some things that we agree with and others that we disagree with,” Ms Mahmood said.

“We are getting our immigration system under control. That is my job. That’s what I’ve been setting out today, and we will pursue that.

“Others can comment as they wish, but what I am motivated by is resolving problems for citizens in our country.

“And let me just say on Sadiq, I think he’s doing an excellent job as mayor of London and there is a lot of misinformation that is often put out about what’s happening in London, whether that’s on crime rates or whether that’s on things like sharia law, for example, which are just misinformation. That’s plain wrong.

“And I think that Sadiq is doing a good job, and the proof of that is the fact that, you know, he’s won a mandate from the people of London on three separate occasions.”

Foreign intelligence threat risks 'not receding' in Parliament, says Sir Lindsay Hoyle

Parliamentary staff have been warned that the risks from Chinese spying “are not receding” after the three men, including the husband of a Labour MP, were arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service.

In an email to staff on Thursday, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle wrote: “Yesterday, the Metropolitan Police Service arrested three individuals as part of an investigation into suspected National Security Act (2023) offences.

“The Security Minister, in his statement to the House yesterday afternoon, confirmed that these arrests relate to foreign interference activity targeting UK democracy".

He reminded MPs’ staff to review guidance issued last autumn on how to identify and report foreign state activity targeting Parliament.

“Recent cases have shown that foreign state actors still rely on traditional methods to obtain information, including through recruiting of people to form relationships and provide information,” Sir Lindsay said, urging staff to report any “unusual approach” to the Parliamentary Security Department.

“Foreign state actors also commonly target electronic devices and communications to gather information. Simple steps can be taken to make it much harder for devices to be hacked and information to be stolen. Everyone should be taking these steps to make ourselves a harder target.”

He also wrote that “you are a critical part of our defence against foreign state activity”.

“The risks are not receding. We all need to take action to make Parliament and the parliamentary community more resilient to foreign state espionage and interference".

Britain's reputation 'down the drain' says Nigel Farage

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said Britain finds itself “humiliated”, with its reputation “frankly going down the drain” after failing to join US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

He told a party conference launching Reform’s Welsh manifesto ahead of Senedd elections in May that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was “incapable of making a decision”, describing him as “a follower and not a leader”.

“If there was one big justifiable reason why we should have supported the Americans and supported the Israelis on day one, if this war stops Iran from getting a nuclear bomb, it will have been worth it,” Mr Farage said.

“What did our prime minister do? He said to the Americans ‘you cannot use military bases in the United Kingdom and you can’t use Diego Garcia'.

“Then he says ‘we will put fighter jets in the sky in a defensive capacity’, and now we learn that Ed Miliband led the sort of left-wing revolt in Cabinet and we find ourselves humiliated.

“What was for centuries the greatest naval nation on Earth is now unable, for up to a fortnight, to send a Type 45 to Cyprus to defend British sovereign territory".

Concerns Labour could lose key London seats to flanking 'fringe' parties

Fresh fears have emerged for the Labour Party that it could lose London seats in the 2029 General Election.

The recent success of the Greens in the Gorton and Denton by-election, appointing Hannah Spencer as the party's fifth MP with an overwhelming majority of more than 4,000, has kickstarted the fresh wave of concern.

The Greens' appeal to urban professionals, young Muslims and the economically disaffected poses an undeniable threat across the nation, with sights set on seats in London, once Labour’s strongest heartland.

Polls suggest London Labour could lose half its 1,100 councillors at the approaching May local elections, with the 58 Greater London MPs no safer come 2029.

As two party politics dwindles, Labour has found themselves flanked from both sides - losing voters and support to The Greens from the left, and Reform from the right.

Reform UK have identified the surge in support for the Greens, with many predicting the 2029 General Election will see these two parties as frontrunners.

Following the Gorton and Denton by-election, Green Party leader Zack Polanski told ITV News: "The battle lines have been drawn. The next general election will be between Reform UK and The Green Party".

Home Secretary takes swipe at Reform's 'small, dark, ethnonationalism'

Shabana Mahmood says that without "restoring order to our borders," Labour will give way to a populist right-wing government, in a swipe at Reform UK.

"When fearful people turn inwards, their vision of this country narrows and their patriotism turns into something smaller, something darker, and ethnonationalism emerges.

"The idea of a Greater Britain gives way to the lure of a little England and other voices. Voices to the far-right take hold.

"If the left does not secure our borders, the hard right will be given the chance to try, and they will not be restrained by values like ours," she says.

100 Labour MPs criticise Home Secretary's asylum clampdown

Not all Labour MPs are happy with the home secretary's latest clampdown on asylum rules, as announced in detail this morning.

Led by Folkeston MP Tony Vaughan, 100 MPs have written to Shabana Mahmood expressing concern.

They say her plans "undermine integration and community cohesion," which could "result in poorer outcomes for hundreds of thousands of people".

They've highlighted capping settlement routes, creating uncertainty for people having to have their status renewed every 30 months, and the potential to push children into poverty by removing mandatory support as parts of the reforms that do not align with "Labour values".

"Moving the goalposts for settlement after people have spent years building a life here undermines our sense of fair play," they write.

However, they do acknowledge "the need to improve how the asylum and migration system functions.

"We must inject greater order and control, fairness, value for money and contribution into the system in order to earn back public trust".

Mahmood to DOUBLE migrant settlement qualifying period

There must be a path to settlement and citizenship to those who come here legally with the intention to contribute, says Mahmood.

She is calling for the qualifying period for settlement to be doubled, from five to 10 years, and that migrants must have ancestry of working and paying tax, a higher standard of English and no criminal record, she confirms.

Privilege of living in Britain 'must be earned', Home Secretary says

Shabana Mahmood's speech continues, saying: “Restoring control at our borders is not a betrayal of Labour values”.

She says the UK must attract high-skilled workers, and that “the privilege of living in this country forever must be earned”.

"We must restore fairness to our migration system" she confirms, adding that the UK will always offer shelter to genuine refugees.

She highlights that the UK has welcomed refugees from Hong Kong and Ukraine, with new planned refugee safe and legal route for students, and soon another for workers.

Working class taxpayers 'deserve fairer deal', says Mahmood

Ms Mahmood says that working class communities and those seeking a better life deserve a fairer deal.

She says that the values of "fairness" and a "recognition that the dice are loaded against working class communities" needs to be accepted.

The pressure on the taxpayer "is vast" adds the Home Secretary.

"Hard working people across this country engaged in a daily struggle to make ends meet" are watching the state fail to stop boats in the channel whilst also putting illegals into hotels.

She says "it doesn't look fair, because it is not fair".

Mahmood says we must be "honest about the scale" of low skilled migration, and that the UK has never had so much low skilled immigration in such a short period of time - an "affront" to the principles of fairness she is pushing for.

She added that the asylum system must not be abused by people smugglers, and brands rival parties, the Green Party and the Reform UK as "extremes".

Mahmood kicks off speech with words on Labour's identity

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has opened her speech saying she will set out government ppans to tackle the asylum crisis.

She says "It is a time when who we are, and what we stand for, is contested - sometimes bitterly."

Ms Mahmood adds that she has been told "be more Labour" on the issue, and that she agrees.

"More Labour doesn't mean more green, just like more Labour doesn't mean more Reform," she says it means "understanding the Labour party has always been a broad church".

Zia Yusuf blasts Mahmood's plans, saying illegal immigrants 'win £40,000' 

Reform UK's home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf has blasted Shabana Mahmood's migrant crackdown plans after she announced failed asylum seekers would be paid to leave.

He said: "So, Labour went to Denmark, worked out illegal migrants need a deterrent to stop them coming here, and they announce that those that come here illegally will now win £40,000".

Labour's migrant fix slammed from both sides as Green and Reform bash plans

Reform's home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf said Labour is "taking the British people for mugs".

He said: "Thousands more have crossed the channel illegally already this year and will get free hotel accommodation at taxpayer expense.

"All Labour are doing with this announcement is doubling down on that. Reform will deport every single migrant here illegally".

Meanwhile, the Greens said they "recognise the great contribution that migrants and refugees make to British society" and urged the government to "treat everyone with dignity rather than treating them harshly for political gain".

A Green spokesperson said: “The Green message of a fair and managed migration system, and urgent action to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, is resonating, and Labour are panicked.

"To all those that contribute so much to their families, communities and country, even as Labour turn their back on you, we want you to know that we see you and we value you".

Labour set to pay illegal migrant families up to £40,000 to leave Britain

Labour is launching a new Denmark-inspired pilot paying up to £40,000 to failed asylum seeker families to leave the country swiftly, according to reports.

The aim of the trial is to save taxpayers' money spent on housing migrants in Britain, with hopes it could save the Government up to £20million a year.

The scheme is inspired by Denmark's approach to the migrant crisis, where the nation pays migrant families up to £30,000 to leave – a number the Home Office are looking to beat to further incentivise exits, LBC reports.

Home Office minister Alex Norris MP said those whose claims fail are being "removed at a record level", but the UK still has too big of a supported population, causing issues with migrants housed in hotels.

READ MORE HERE

Home Secretary set to outline new 'firm but fair' asylum pilot in speech today

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood is due to give a speech later today to detail the new “firm but fair" asylum system trial.

As the government seeks to empty asylum hotels, claimants who break the law, work illegally or are found to have means to live without support, will be likely to lose support payments.

It comes after the reveal that Labour will be paying failed asylum seeker families up to £40,000 to leave Britain, in an attempt to save the taxpayer money from the £158,000 it costs to house them.

There are about 30,600 people awaiting asylum claims living in roughly 200 hotels across the UK, and 107,000 people receiving asylum support, the Home Office said.

Andy Burnham calls on Left to unite against Reform as PM's rival laments absence of 'big figures'

A rival of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged the Left to unite in combating Reform ahead of the forthcoming May local elections and looming 2029 General Election.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has expressed concern over the fragmentation between progressive parties — including Labour, the Liberal Democrats, Green Party, Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru.

A week after Labour's loss in Gorton and Denton to Zack Polanski's Greens, Mr Burnham said the result demonstrated the "depth of the chasm" between Westminster and the public.

He also lamented the absence of "big figures" in Westminster after being blocked from standing in the crunch by-election battle.

Mr Burnham said: "The time has most definitely come for a serious conversation about our political system and its pervading culture, particularly so in the aftermath of the Gorton and Denton by-election.

“This is getting extremely dangerous, and change in our political system and culture is desperately needed".

Defence Secretary arrives at RAF Akrotiri amid criticism from Cypriot officials

Reports confirm Defence Secretary John Healey has arrived on Cyprus.

Mr Healey has travelled to the island amid criticism from Cypriot officials over how Britain has acted to defend it from drone attacks linked to the war in the Middle East.

Labour MP among three arrested for allegedly aiding Chinese intelligence released on bail

Three men, including the husband of a Scottish Labour MP, who were arrested on suspicion of spying for China have been released on bail, the Metropolitan Police said.

The arrests of the three men - aged 39, 43 and 68 - were carried out by counter-terrorism officers at addresses in London and Wales yesterday as they were accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service.

The husband of a Scottish Labour MP was one of three men facing questioning by police last night after being arrested on suspicion of spying for China.

Following the arrest of her spouse David Taylor, Joani Reid MP, who sits on the Home Affairs Select Committee, said she had “never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law”.

The policing operation came as Security Minister Dan Jarvis told MPs that Chinese officials in the UK and Beijing have been given a dressing down, adding that the investigation relates to “foreign interference targeting UK democracy”.

PAYING failed asylum seekers to leave is 'absolutely the right thing to do', says Home Office minister

Speaking on the migrant crisis with GB News breakfast this morning, Home Office minister Alex Norris MP, said those who's claims fail are being "removed at a record level".

He added: "We still have too big of a supported population, that means we have the issues that we have with hotels.

"That means we are seeking, for those who can work and have means, they should pay for their upkeep - just as my constituents do and as your viewers do.

"Similarly, we have people, a cohort of people, who failed their application and appeal and do not have prospect of settlement in this country but aren't leaving".

Mr Norris was questioned on Shabana Mahmood's planned trial to pay failed asylum seeker families up to £40,000 to leave the country swiftly, mimicking legislation in Denmark.

"We do offer financial inducements for people to leave" he added, claiming that essentially paying people to leave the country would save taxpayer money, as the average family put up in a hotel costs the taxpayer £158,000 - significantly more than the offer to leave.

The pilot hopes to save some £20 million, "easing the burden on the taxpayer and relieving strain from public services".

"It is absolutely the right thing to do".

Calls for OFFENSIVE action in Middle East as Kemi Badenoch's tirade on PM continues

Kemi Badenoch has said the UK should take offensive action against Iran after UK bases were attacked.

“We need to do what we can to stop the ability for these attacks to take place,” the Tory leader told BBC Radio 4.

“I think that we should look at what our allies in the region are saying. Even if we’re not talking about Iran, Cyprus feels that we have not been helpful.

"It is extraordinary that Bahrain and Kuwait in the UAE are publicly criticising us - they think that we’re abandoning them.”

“If your principle is, we will only wait until we are attacked rather than dealing with imminent threats properly, then we will be in a lot of trouble.”

Asked about concern over her enthusiasm for British involvement in the bombing of Iran, Mrs Badenoch said: “Being realistic is not gung ho. I don’t want a wider war.

“But sometimes the best way to de-escalate a situation is to try and finish it quickly, rather than let it drag out because you don’t want to get involved".

Not halting Visas until now was 'a mistake', Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat tells GB News Breakfast

Tom Tugendhat, Conservative MP for Tonbridge, spoke to GB News Breakfast this morning, commenting on the Middle East conflict, migrant crisis, and Chinese influence in Westminster.

Speaking on Sir Keir Starmer's response to the US and Iran conflict, he said: "I see absolutely no reason why we didn't have assets in the region, why we didn't have type-45 destroyers in the region, to protect our citizens and our allies.

"It's baffling to me, we knew this was coming for a number of weeks", he added, placing the MP among a sea of others who have criticised the Prime Minister's "lackluster" response.

Speaking on the Home Secretary's decision to halt study Visas of nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, he commented: "What Shabana Mahmood is doing on Visa changes is quite frankly something we should've done before".

He noted how these powers have lied with the Home Secretary for a number of years, and that it was a mistake for her predecessors to not initiate this move, amid concerns over study Visas being used to claim asylum.

Yesterday police arrested three individuals alleged of being involved with Chinese intelligence gathering, with close ties to Westminster.

Whilst avoiding discussing the active, ongoing case, Mr Tugendhat said: "It's a reminder that Britain itself should be more robust".

Defence Secretary heads to Cyprus as Government make moves in Middle East conflict

Defence Secretary John Healey is reportedly travelling to Cyprus amid the war between Iran and the US.

Mr Healey is expected to arrive on the Mediterranean island later today.

It comes as Britain’s base at RAF Akrotiri has been the target of drone attacks since the war began, prompting the deployment of HMS Dragon from Portsmouth to defend the region.

Ed Miliband 'spearheaded' Labour rebellion to US action in Iran after pushing 'pacifist' case

Ed Miliband is said to have spearheaded Labour's rebellion against US military action in Iran after reportedly pushing a “pacifist” case against Britain’s involvement.

Opposition to British participation in the conflict - including preventing the US from using RAF bases and the joint US-UK facility at Diego Garcia - was backed by Mr Miliband, Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper.

The Energy Secretary allegedly voiced strong objections to the impending US strikes during a National Security Council meeting on Friday, which had been called to discuss the potential impact of the conflict on Britain’s energy supply.

According to The Telegraph, he presented a "petulant, pacifist, legalistic, and very political" case against strikes on Iran and any UK involvement, relying on legal advice from Attorney General Lord Hermer.

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Reform takes the fight to Plaid Cymru to claim Wales

Reform UK says it would “put Wales and Welsh communities first” with changes to social housing and the scrapping of foreign aid spending if it wins May’s Senedd election.

The party, led by Nigel Farage, is expected to be one of the main contenders alongside Plaid Cymru in the Welsh parliamentary elections on May 7.

The party will launch its election manifesto in Newport, unveiling a suite of policies, including scrapping the default 20mph speed limit and ending Wales’ status as a Nation of Sanctuary.

Reform Wales leader Dan Thomas called the manifesto - which includes a promise to build an M4 relief road - a “blueprint for real change".

“These promises put Wales and Welsh communities first, and unlike the pledges put forward by other parties, these are deliverable,” he said.

“Armed with this blueprint, we have all the building blocks to end a generation of decline here in Wales".