Angela Rayner 'does a runner' from pro-Palestine protesters as Deputy PM forced to abandon by-election campaign
Chris Hope grills Keir Starmer on whether PM is 'panicking' over threat of Reform UK
GB NEWS
Angela Rayner has downplayed suggestions she "did a runner" from a group of pro-Palestine protesters during a campaign event in Scotland.
The Deputy Prime Minister was in South Lanarkshire, ahead of the Holyrood by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse next week when the group of protesters appeared outside with Palestine and Scottish Socialist Party flags outside what appeared to be Scottish Labour’s campaign office,
Rayner accompanied Davy Russell, the by-election candidate for Scottish Labour, and party leader Anas Sarwar around the constituency.
The group of protesters chanted at the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne "Rayner, Rayner, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide."
One of the protesters with a megaphone shouted "Rayner’s done a runner" and "runaway Rayner" when it emerged the deputy Prime Minister would not be stopping at the office.
When asked about the protest, Rayner told Sky News: "The protesters regarding the dire situation in Palestine I completely understand.
"Davey Russell, our local candidate here, is fighting hard for this seat, and he’ll be here long after the by-election, and has been serving his community for 45 years."
Pressed if she had ran away from the protesters, she said: "You didn’t see me doing a runner. There was no running. What we were doing is campaigning as we always expected to do around here. I’m out on the streets as it is now, and I’ll be knocking on doors."
Labour has come under fire from pro-Palestinian groups for its stance on the war in Gaza, with former party leader Jeremy Corbyn set to introduce a bill to Parliament next week calling for an inquiry into British involvement in Israeli military operations in the heavily bombarded enclave.
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Labour allowing 'guilty councils' investigate grooming gangs says Kemi Badenoch
Kemi Badenoch has accused Labour of permitting "guilty councils" to choose whether to investigate their own grooming gang scandal
The Conservative leader wrote in The Telegraph: "In some cases, councils actually turned a blind eye to the abuse and colluded with police to keep this scandal under wraps.
"Local inquiries require potentially guilty councils to choose to investigate themselves. Indeed, it was only after Labour lost control of the council in Oldham that the council requested an inquiry."
Mark Francois in heated rant after Lord Hermer's 'despicable' Nazi comments - 'My father fought for this country!'
Conservative MP Mark Francois has launched a furious attack on Labour's Attorney General Lord Hermer, calling his Nazi comparison "utterly beneath contempt" and "despicable".
Speaking to GB News, Francois rejected suggestions that Lord Hermer's comments were merely "clumsy", insisting the Government's senior law officer "knew full well what he was saying" when he compared calls to leave the ECHR to 1930s Germany.
Mark Francois told GB News: "What the Attorney General, the Government's senior law officer, has said is not clumsy.
'Get a backbone!' Keir Starmer urged to sack Lord Hermer as fury at 'Nazi ECHR spat' erupts
Sir Keir Starmer should sack his Attorney General over his controversial comments comparing critics of the European Convention on Human Rights to Nazis, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has claimed.
In a response to Lord Hermer's grovelling apology, the Leader of the Opposition said: “From refusing to fight the case against Kneecap, to advising the government to hand over £30billion and our territory in the Chagos Islands, Lord Hermer has shown appalling judgment time and again.
"Now he’s calling people who disagree with him Nazis. This isn’t just embarrassing, it’s dangerous. Hermer doesn’t understand Government. He believes in the rule of lawyers, not the rule of law.
"If Keir Starmer had any backbone, he’d sack him. But will he risk upsetting his old friend and former donor? I doubt it."
Labour says it has sold its remaining shares in NatWest Group
Labour has confirmed it will sell its remaining shares in the Natwest group
PAThe Treasury has confirmed it has sold its remaining shares in NatWest and confirmed a £10.5 billion loss to taxpayers since the bank was rescued during the 2008 financial crisis.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, said: "Nearly two decades ago, the then Government stepped in to protect millions of savers and businesses from the consequences of the collapse of RBS.
"That was the right decision then to secure the economy and NatWest’s return to private ownership turns the page on a significant chapter in this country’s history.
"We protected the economy in a time of crisis nearly seventeen years ago, now we are focused on securing Britain’s future in a new era of global change."
Downing Street confirms to GB News the Prime Minister stands by Lord Hermer over 'Nazi' comments
A spokesman from Downing Street has confirmed to GB News that Sir Keir Starmer will stand by Lord Hermer over his "Nazi" comments.
The Attorney General caused outrage earlier today after comparing critics of the European Convention on Human Rights to Nazis.
John Swinney says he is willing to debate Nigel Farage ahead of 'two horse race' by-election
First Minister John Swinney has thrown down the gauntlet to Reform leader Nigel Farage as he dismisses the threat of Scottish Labour in a key upcoming by-election.
The SNP leader was speaking ahead of next week’s Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, something he described as a two-horse race between his party and Reform, waving away Labour’s chances of taking the Holyrood seat.
Swinney said: "I would, of course, debate with Nigel Farage. But what’s important is that we’ve got a contest on Thursday, which is an attempt by Farage to insert his politics of racism and poison into Scotland.
"I want to make sure the SNP wins the two-horse race in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.
"It’s crystal clear to me, the Labour campaign is collapsing and only votes for the SNP will stop Farage."
Nigel Farage hits back at 'socialist' Keir Starmer as he announces new cryptocurrency bill: 'He is terrified of me!'
Nigel Farage has hit back at Keir Starmer after he slammed him in a conference today, claiming that the Prime Minister is "scared of me."
Speaking on stage in Las Vegas, Farage said: "Keir Starmer, our socialist Prime Minister is terrified. Do you know he mentioned me 16 times today in a speech. I'm living rent free inside his head."
The comments came as the Reform UK leader took to the stage in Las Vegas and presented a draft cryptocurrency bill, calling for a lower tax rate on crypto profits and new legal protections for digital payments.
RECAP: Reform UK and Liberal Democrats see success in overnight council by-elections
Both Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats saw success in the overnight by-elections.
Reform's Michelle Beer took the Labour seat of Lliedi on Carmarthenshire Council while Reece Langley won the Canvey Island Winter Gardens seat on Castle Point Council for Nigel Farage's party from the Canvey Island Independents.
Meanwhile, Corina Watts held on to the Newhaven North seat on Lewes Council for the Liberal Democrats and Sarah Dodsley won the Maldon West seat on Maldon District Council off an Independent Councillor for Sir Ed Davey's party.
Lord Hermer forced to apologise after admitting 'disgusting' Nazi jibe at Reform was 'clumsy'
Lord Hermer has admitted his comment comparing Reform UK to the Nazis was "clumsy" but stopped short of apologising after being accused of a "disgusting smear".
The Attorney General came under fire this morning after claiming advocates for quitting the Strasbourg court were echoing similar sentiments to those made in 1930s Germany.
Responding to the outrage, a spokesman for the Attorney General Lord Hermer told GB News: “The Attorney General gave a speech defending international law which underpins our security, protects against threats from aggressive states like Russia and helps tackle organised immigration crime.
“He rejects the characterisation of his speech by the Conservatives. He acknowledges though that his choice of words was clumsy and regrets having used this reference.”
Panic stations for Labour as Reform takes century-old stronghold in seismic blow — find out if YOUR seat could fall next
Sir Keir Starmer has been handed yet another Red Wall blow after Reform UK seized another Labour stronghold voted in a council by-election last night.
Lliedi, in the heart of the post-industrial tin town of Llanelli, returned Reform's first councillor to Carmarthenshire County Council.
The insurgent party received 42.6 per cent of the vote in yesterday's by-election, opening up an enormous lead over second-place Labour on 23.4 per cent.
Labour's support slumped by 34.8 per cent compared to 2022, with Plaid Cymru also increasing its vote share by eight per cent.
Kemi Badenoch: 'Lord Hermer is starting from a position of self-loathing'
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has slammed Lord Hermer after the Attorney General compared ECHR critics to Nazis.
She said: "The attorney general is starting from a position of self loathing, where Britain is always wrong and everyone else is right. It’s why they’re now spending £30billion to give away the Chagos islands.
"The Labour establishment is detached from the views of normal people. The fact is laws go bad and need changing, institutions get corrupted.
"Our sovereignty is being eroded by out of date treaties and courts acting outside their jurisdiction. Pointing this out does not make anyone a Nazi.
"Labour have embarrassed themselves again with this comparison and unless the Prime Minister demands a retraction from his Attorney General, we can only assume these slurs reflect Keir Starmer’s own view."
Richard Holden blasts Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage for ‘living in each other’s heads’
Tory MP Richard Holden has accused Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage of "living in each other's heads" as they battle over benefits policy.
Speaking on GB News, Holden said both leaders want to see huge increases in welfare spending.
"I think what you're seeing is Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer fighting head to head over benefits, both of them want to see huge increases," Holden said. "It's quite clear there's a battle in that space with Reform pursuing those voters and I think they're living in each other's heads."
Holden argued that only the Conservative Party wants to control welfare spending and reward people for working.
WATCH NOW: Education Minister doubles down Lord Hermer's Nazi comparison
Rachel Reeves urged to adopt Reform policy as families paying £4k extra to 'unfair' HMRC
Thousands of dual-income families are paying nearly £4,000 more in tax compared to single-earner households due to the current "unfair" HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) system, experts warn.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is being called to introduce policies floated by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage MP, including the implementation of a fully transferable marriage allowance, as "families deserve fairer taxes".
Earlier this week, Farage unveiled a wave of new policy ideas to encourage family formation in the UK, with the axe of the two-child benefit cap and tax breaks for households with children now being on the agenda for Reform.
The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), a conservative-leaning think tank, claimed the party leader's call to reform marriage allowance rules are sensible "but only if the party can make the rest of their policies add up".
WATCH NOW: Top Tory Richard Holden discusses Reform's rise with GB News
Whitehall urged to scrap 80,000 civil service jobs to save £5billion
More than 80,000 civil service jobs should be scrapped to save £5billion, a report has urged.
The efficiency plan, which is backed by top ex-Whitehall mandarins, includes slashing communications staff by 70 per cent and halving the HR departments.
Analysis by Policy Exchange found identical jobs are being done sometimes two pay bands higher than they were 30 years ago.
Ex-Home Office director and report author Stephen Webb said: “The proposals in the paper don’t require scaling back services, but should allow the system to work better.
"The system will be cheaper and more effective.”
REVEALED: Starmer's 'big gamble' to block Farage’s march to No10 as Reform ransacks Red Wall
Keir Starmer gave a speech slamming Nigel Farage today PASir Keir Starmer’s “big gamble” to defeat Nigel Farage could soon become an electoral “masterstroke” if Labour siphons off anti-Reform voters ahead of 2029, GB News has been told.
The Prime Minister, who is still reeling from defeat in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election on May 1, appeared to unveil a fresh strategy to “fight” Farage earlier this month.
After GB News revealed Labour’s initial three-pronged attack against Farage was all but doomed to fail, the People’s Channel now understands a negative campaign to thwart the rise of Reform could claw back left-leaning support ahead of the next General Election.
Addressing anxious Labour MPs after his controversial “island of strangers” migration speech, the Prime Minister admitted: “The Conservatives are not our principle opponent. Reform are our main rivals for power.”
He added: “We will take the fight to him. We will fight him as Labour.”
Labour insiders have suggested that the language intends to shore up left-leaning anti-Farage support at a time when disaffected voters have switched to both the Liberal Democrats and Green Party.
Ex-Tory MP faces no further action over rape allegation
Ex-Tory MP Crispin Blunt will face no further action after being accused of rape, police have confirmed.
Surrey Police yesterday said there was insufficient evidence to proceed over claims of rape.
Blunt, 64, who denied any wrongdoing, still remains under investigation for drug possession.
READ IN FULL: Keir Starmer's Attorney General makes 'appalling' ECHR claim
Lord HermerPA“This is not a new song,” Lord Hermer said. “The claim that international law is fine as far as it goes, but can be put aside when the conditions change, is a claim that was made in the early 1930s by ‘realist’ jurists in Germany most notably Carl Schmitt, whose central thesis was in essence the claim that state power is all that counts, not law.
“Because of the experience of what followed 1933, far-sighted individuals rebuilt and transformed the institutions of international law, as well as internal constitutional law.”
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