Politics LIVE: Rachel Reeves under investigation by parliamentary watchdog fewer than 12 hours before local elections voting begins

Corbynista MP fires off brutal shot at Rachel Reeves amid official probe

Corbynista independent MP Zarah Sultana has let rip at Rachel Reeves following the news that she is being investigated by Parliament's standards commissioner.

Sultana, writing on social media this evening, spat: "Cruel cuts for disabled people and more freebies for the Chancellor. This isn't the 'change' people voted for."

Why is Rachel Reeves under investigation?

The standards commissioner's website says that its inquiry, which opened on Tuesday, is being undertaken under paragraph 5 of its code of conduct.

"Members must fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests in the Register of Members' Financial Interests," it says.

"New Members must register all their current financial interests, and any registrable benefits (other than earnings) received in the 12 months before their election within one month of their election, and Members must register any change in those registrable interests within 28 days."

Chancellor joins three other politicians facing 'interests' probes

Rachel Reeves has joined three other serving and former MPs currently facing a probe by Parliament's standards commissioner over a "registration of interest".

As well as the Chancellor, Labour's Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer, the Lib Dems' Charlie Maynard MP and former Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen are all under investigation.

Bridgen's case, opened last February, is with the Committee on Standards for their consideration, the parliamentary website says, while the other two are in their initial stages.

REVEALED: Rachel Reeves under official investigation for freebies registration

Rachel Reeves's spokesman has confirmed the parliamentary probe into the Chancellor is thanks to a late entry in the register of interests.

It's understood that the investigation by Parliament's standards commissioner relates to two "freebie" tickets which Reeves accepted before Christmas.

The tickets are said to have been registered on a ministerial list, not a list for MPs - with an "administrative error" to blame.

WATCH IN FULL: Nigel Farage speaks to Christopher Hope

'They won't exist!' Nigel Farage predicts Tory destruction as Reform rules out 'Unite the Right' deal

Nigel Farage has made a stunning prediction about the Tory Party’s electoral fortunes as he categorically ruled out entering into an electoral alliance with Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives.

Speaking to GB News ahead of tomorrow’s local elections, Farage appeared dismayed by consistent questions about a potential pact with the Tories.

He spat: “You're all obsessed with this. This is the Westminster obsession."

And when pushed further on a potential coalition deal in 2029, Farage added: “The Tories won't exist by the time of the next election.

READ THE FULL STORY ON NIGEL FARAGE'S 'UNITE THE RIGHT' PUT-DOWN HERE

Farage also opened up to GB News about plans to create a “UK Doge” as he revealed the true scale of the ridiculous spending commitments made by local authorities...

READ THE FULL STORY ON REFORM UK'S ASSAULT ON COUNCIL WASTE HERE

Bids to thwart 'two-tier' sentencing guidelines voted DOWN by MPs as Labour, pro-Gaza independents and Greens join forces to hammer Tories

Two Tory amendments to the Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-Sentence Reports) Bill have been voted down by MPs.

Amendment 3, which would have stopped sentencing guidelines coming into force without the approval of the Lord Chancellor, was defeated by 222 votes to 86, majority 136.

Amendment 4, which sought to ensure pre-sentence reports cannot include a defendant’s status as part of a group, was also defeated by 226 votes to 88, majority 138.

RECAP: Keir Starmer REFUSES to guarantee Ed Miliband will escape the sack after Tony Blair sparks net zero row

Downing Street has failed to guarantee whether Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will stay in his Cabinet role after an unprecedented intervention by Tony Blair.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman has refused to give a guarantee on the future of ex-Labour leader Miliband - despite the fact a Downing Street spokesman has in the past said the Chancellor and Foreign Secretary would serve in their Cabinet positions for the remainder of this Parliament.

It comes as fellow former Labour chief Tony Blair broke ranks to criticise Miliband's net zero strategy, warning that his eco policies and their push towards renewable energy were wrong.

Blair has since embarked on a U-turn - with a spokeswoman for his Tony Blair Institute insisting that the ex-Prime Minister supports the current Government’s policies.

Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer still supports Miliband, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Absolutely. He’s doing a fantastic job, winning the global race for the jobs of the future and securing people’s energy bills."

And probed again on whether he would remain in his Cabinet post, a spokesman said: "The PM absolutely backs the Energy Secretary, as I said. He does a great job in winning the global race for the jobs of the future."

'Spurious!' Shabana Mahmood admits bizarre ECHR deportation rulings do NOT stand up to proper scrutiny

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has admitted that some immigration cases do not "stand up to scrutiny" amid a Government review of the highly controversial ECHR Article 8 - the right to private and family life.

Asked if the Government is responding to "ugly positions" as some complaints about Article 8 have been "spurious", the Justice Secretary said: "I think it's a responsible attitude of the Government, and certainly not a government that supports the convention and Human Rights Act and our human rights related arrangements in this country, to simply adopt a position 'there's nothing to see here' and look the other way.

"And I think there is enough in some of the cases, they're not all, sadly, completely spurious.

"Some do not always stand up to scrutiny when you get into the full facts, and they do raise questions of whether the law is working as it should.

"The judges are just doing their job, they are applying the laws that we have."

Labour launches personal attack at Nigel Farage in last-ditch local elections pitch

Labour has launched a personal attack against Nigel Farage in a last-ditch pitch to voters ahead of tomorrow's local elections.

With polling stations set to open across England at 7am on Thursday, the party of Government has told the electorate to "wipe the smile off Nigel Farage's face" in a campaign poster accompanied by an image of a laughing Reform UK chief.

Reform has been buoyed throughout its locals campaigning by a string of positive polls.

Just today, new data from pollsters at More in Common has revealed that 26 per cent of Britons would vote for the party - leagues ahead of Labour, languishing as low as 18 per cent.

And responding to the Labour attack ad, a Reform UK spokesman told GB News: "Labour are getting more and more desperate. It's unsurprising that they are mud-slinging because they cannot defend their own abysmal record.

"Labour have opened the borders and allowed illegal migrants to flood in - tomorrow, voters have a chance to send a message."

'They've done their job!' Shabana Mahmood fumes at Supreme Court critics after woke fury at common-sense gender ruling

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has torn into critics of the Supreme Court exactly two weeks after it made a landmark common-sense ruling on the definition of a woman.

Mahmood, who sparked fury on the left last year when she backed JK Rowling's view that "biological sex is real and immutable", has vowed today that it “absolutely unacceptable” to question the validity of the UK's highest court.

She told the Human Rights Joint Committee that justices had "done their job".

"They obviously provided the legal clarity in their legal decision which is exactly their job," she said. "I think it's disappointing since then that some individuals have sought to question the validity of the Supreme Court or cast aspersions which is absolutely unacceptable.

"I think they've done their job and I think they've sought to do it in a way that recognises that we're talking about a balance of rights - but sought to give confidence to a minority community that they still have protections."

WATCH IN FULL: Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage go head-to-head in fiery PMQs clash

'Declare a national emergency!' Nigel Farage lays into Keir Starmer as fiery migrant row erupts at PMQs

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has demanded Sir Keir Starmer declares a national emergency in response to 10,000 migrants crossing the Channel in 2025 so far.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Farage warned that asylum seekers being housed in hotels and private accommodation was leading to "resentment" in some communities.

While being heckled by other MPs, the Clacton MP said: "Is it not time to admit that smash the gangs was nothing more than an election slogan, not a policy, and isn't it time to declare a national emergency and to act accordingly?"

Starmer replied: “We are passing a Borders Bill with extensive powers to smash the gangs.

"These are terrorist-like powers that give powers to the police to intercept where they think the suspects are committing people smuggling which is a vile trade and we must take back control of our borders after the last Government lost control.”

The Prime Minister went on to blast Reform UK for not supporting Labour's plan and doubled-down on his comments about the populist party's plans for the NHS.

Starmer also swiped at Farage after reports emerged that showed Reform UK figures had met with ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss to discuss the inner workings of Whitehall.

Farage was accused of recruiting Truss as his "new top adviser".

Keir Starmer claims he IS aligned with Tony Blair despite ex-PM's net zero criticism

Sir Keir Starmer has downplayed Sir Tony Blair's criticisms of his Net Zero strategy, claiming the pair remain "absolutely aligned" in his approach to combating climate change.

Responding to DUP MP Sammy Wilson, the Prime Minister said: “Many years on the opposite benches I learnt when asking questions at PMQs not just to read the headline on a Wednesday morning but to look at some of the detail.

“What Tony Blair said is we should have more carbon capture. We have invested in carbon capture, that is many jobs across different parts of the country.

“He said that AI should be used. We agree with that. We have invested huge amounts in the jobs of the future. He also said we need domestic targets so that businesses have their certainty.

“If you look at the detail of what Tony Blair said he is absolutely aligned with what we are doing here. These are the jobs and the security of the future.

“I would also say that we shouldn’t weaponise the difficult position that people in Spain and other countries find themselves in at a very difficult time.”

'There's 50 towns!' Kemi Badenoch rages as Labour rejects calls for national rape gangs inquiry 

Kemi Badenoch has claimed there are "at least 50 towns" that have been affected by rape gangs as she put pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to hold a national probe.

Despite proposing five local inquiries - including one named in Oldham - the Prime Minister was forced to answer tough questions about his strategy to deliver justice.

Responding to Badenoch, Starmer said: “I spent five years prosecuting these cases. I was the prosecutor that brought the first case. And when that file was brought to my attention I noticed that one of the defendants had not been prosecuted previously.

"Far from covering up I asked for that file so that I could have a look at it. On the back of that I then changed the entire approach to prosecutions which was then lauded by the Government, we were doing the right thing, and brought those prosecutions.

“My record was going after where I thought something had gone wrong and putting it right.”

'Dragging his heels!' Kemi Badenoch grills Keir Starmer as PM refuses to back probe into rape gangs cover up

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has grilled Sir Keir Starmer over the horrific rape gangs scandal in a fiery exchange at Prime Minister's Questions.

In her opening question to Starmer, Badenoch said: "On Monday, the Prime Minister's Safeguarding Minister admitted on the floor of the House that there was a cover up of the child rape gang scandal.

"Does the Prime Minister think we should expose this cover up?"

The Prime Minister admitted that the rape gangs scandal is a "serious issue" but stopped short of pledging to hold a national inquiry.

He also said that where there is evidence of wrongdoing, the police should always investigate.

However, excluding the declared probe in Oldham, Starmer was unable to clarify where the remaining four inquiries will take place.

In her second question, Badenoch asked: “Is he dragging his heels on this because he doesn’t want Labour cover-ups exposed?”

'He's still running!' Keir Starmer takes swipe at Robert Jenrick after congratulating marathon-running MPs

Sir Keir Starmer has taken a swipe at Robert Jenrick after congratulating MPs who ran in the London and Manchester marathons over the weekend.

After congratulating Harriet Cross for her record-busting run, Jenrick entered the firing line amid speculation about his own ambitions.

The Prime Minister simply quipped that the Shadow Justice Secretary is "still running".

Keir Starmer updates MPs on Houthi strike before congratulating Mark Carney

Sir Keir Starmer has opened this week's Prime Minister's Questions by updating MPs on last night's UK-US strikes on Houthi targets.

The Prime Minister confirmed the Anglo-American operation, adding it was necessary to “defend freedom of navigation in the Red Sea”.

He went on to congratulate Canadian Liberal leader Mark Carney for his election victory yesterday.

WATCH: PMQ's Live with Tom and Gloria at 12pm

Sir Keir Starmer will face off against Kemi Badenoch in PMQ's later, just hours before voters across the country go to the polls for the 2025 Local Elections.

GB News will being you all the coverage live at 12pm with Tom and Gloria who will be putting the questions that matter to you to a top panel of politicians.

You can watch PMQ's Live and have your say on GB News here.

READ IN FULL: 'Don't condone incitement!' Top Tory writes to Glastonbury after Kneecap's 'kill your MP' row

'Modify or leave!' Labour MPs demand Keir Starmer puts 'quitting ECHR on table' to thwart Nigel Farage threat

Labour MPs have turned on Sir Keir Starmer's stance on the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), saying quitting the group should be "on the table".

It comes as tensions are rising within the party ranks, with backbenchers nervy about this week's local elections.

Nigel Farage's Reform UK is predicted to win between 400 and 450 council seats this week, while Labour is only expected to win around 280, representing little change from its abysmal performance in 2021.

One MP told The Telegraph Reform was "riding the crest of a wave", adding: "In my constituency, the number one issue is tackling immigration.

"People need to see the boats being halted and the numbers coming down, and the whole system functioning much more effectively.

Graham Stringer, the Labour MP for Blackley and Middleton South, said: "If the results are as bad as predicted on Thursday, the Labour Party mustn’t come out and say it’s a question of just communicating our policies better.

"Most of all, we need to take control of the borders. If that means renegotiating or changing our international obligations, then we need to do that. But we cannot continue to have open borders because of laws passed in the early 1950s."

When asked if leaving the ECHR should be an option, Stringer said: "Certainly. Either modifying or leaving it."

Sir Stephen Houghton, who runs Barnsley borough council, also criticised the Prime Minister, pointing at the only Labour-held council up for election, Doncaster.

"Reform comes along and says, 'well, the problem is migration', where the problem clearly isn’t migration," he told The Telegraph.

"Investment is needed in those places to bring them up to an economic standard and secondly, in the short term, we need to do things to help them with the cost of living, because these are deprived communities on low incomes and even if they are working, life is a struggle.

"The Government’s capital investment strategy cannot just focus on big cities."

Kneecap's 'horrific' and 'ignorant' calls to 'kill your MP' condemned in stark warning: 'Their influence is frightening'

Belfast rap group Kneecap have been branded "horrific" and "ignorant" after appearing to call for fans to "kill their local MP" in resurfaced concert footage.

Footage from a November 2023 gig has sparked widespread condemnation and an investigation by counter-terrorism police, as one member of the band appears to say: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."

Speaking to GB News, Talent Manager Jonathan Shalit claimed the alleged remarks made by the band will have a "frightening" influence on younger generations of fans.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

WATCH: GB News visits Runcorn to hear what people think ahead of the crucial by-election

As well as the local elections happening across the country, voters in Runcorn & Helsby are going to the polls in a by-election tomorrow.

GB News North West reporter Sophie Reaper went to Runcorn to hear what people had to say.

FULL LIST OF CANDIDATES STANDING IN RUNCORN & HELSBY

• Catherine Anne Blaiklock (English Democrats)
• Dan Clarke (Liberal Party)
• Chris Copeman (Green Party)
• Paul Duffy (Liberal Democrats)
• Howling Laud Hope (Monster Raving Loony Party)
• Peter Ford (Workers Party)
• Sean Houlston (Conservatives)
• Jason Philip Hughes (Volt UK)
• Alan McKie (Independent)
• Graham Harry Moore (English Constitution Party)
• Paul Andrew Murphy (Social Democratic Party)
• Sarah Pochin (Reform UK)
• Karen Shore (Labour)
• John Stevens (Rejoin EU)
• Michael Williams (Independent)

Environment Secretary refuses to say if Labour is backtracking on net zero

Environment Secretary Steve Reed refused to say if he was backtracking on net zero with a swipe at Russian president Vladimir Putin.

When asked by GB News if Labour are backtracking on their net zero policies: "You have to be pragmatic with these things. You have to manage the transition.

"But I do not want our energy to be dependent on Vladimir Putin, I want to take back control of our own energy.

"This is a concern people have in the election we are facing, it gives us an opportunity to come forward and say we are doing this."

Kelvin MacKenzie says Reform UK can encourage Starmer to act on migration surge

Kelvin MacKenzie has told GB News Reform UK can push Sir Keir Starmer to act on the migration surge.

The former editor of The Sun told GB News: "We should take more into account than just age, qualifications and police records, but look at what country they come from.

"There would be shouts from the usual suspects of discrimination. Absolutely right. We are shutting the door on those people who will be nothing but a cost for us in the years ahead."

GB NEWS MEMBERS CAN READ KELVIN'S ANALYSIS HERE.

Nigel Farage receives major boost as new poll gives Reform local elections lead 

Nigel Farage's Reform UK is heading into the 2025 local elections with a one-point lead over Kemi Badenoch's Tory, a new opinion poll has revealed.

New data by pollsters at More in Common puts Reform UK on 26 per cent, with the Tories on 25 per cent and Labour languishing to as low as 18 per cent.

However, the pollster behind the research warned that voter disillusionment will be a key factor in the results of the local elections.

More In Common Executive Director UK, Luke Tryl, said: “The public mood going into these elections is one of deep disillusionment, voters are impatient for change but aren’t confident any party can deliver it. As results trickle in on Friday this polling suggests we will see that the fragmentation of the electorate in last year’s General Election has only accelerated since then.

“For many, their vote on Thursday will be an expression of deep frustration with the status quo. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK look set to be the big winners of the night, leading in our polling, while the Conservatives on these numbers would lose scores of seats in elections being contested on normally solid turf – both to Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats.”

WATCH: Victoria Atkins on Labour 'showing disdain' food security - 'needs to get its act together'

Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins MP says Labour need to 'get its act together' on food security.

Speaking to GB News this morning, she said: "What worries me is - yet again - Labour has shown its disdain for UK farming.

"This Government needs to get its act together. Food security is a critical part of our national security."

RECAP: Donald Trump’s top aide tells GB News how President ‘probably’ responded to Rachel Reeves’s EU-US claim

Donald Trump's Deputy Assistant has predicted how the US President would react to Chancellor Rachel Reeves's claim an EU trade deal is "arguably more important" than the US.

The Chancellor sparked criticism after travelling to Washington for talks aimed at securing a trade deal with America, but suggested that the UK is aiming for stronger ties with the European Union.

Sebastian Gorka shed light on the President's stance on securing a trade deal with the UK - and how he would react to those remarks made by Britain's Chancellor.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

WATCH: Ex-Minister Kevin Foster PRAISES Tony Blair's stance on net zero - 'saying what most of us know'

Former Tory Minister Kevin Foster has slammed the government over their "net zero" policy.

Speaking on GB News earlier today, he said: "Blair is the first major Labour figure starting to say what I think most of us know, which is net zero by 2050 is not going to happen.

"If you do try to do that, the people you most hit by this aren't the wealthiest."

'Shoplifting has been DECRIMINALISED!' Lib Dems issue dire warning as communities across Britain forced to endure crime surge

New figures have revealed charges were only bought in 4.5 per cent of all residential burglary offences recorded last year.

Out of the 172,544 residential burglary offences recorded last year, of these a suspect was only charged in 7,761 cases or 4.5 per cent of the total. That is down from 5.17 per cent of burglaries that led to a suspect being charged in 2023.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: "It is shocking that crimes like burglaries and shoplifting are being effectively decriminalised, leaving local communities to pay the price.

"Being burgled isn’t just about stolen possessions – it’s about the trauma of feeling unsafe in your own home, the place where you should feel most secure. Yet your chance of getting justice depends on your postcode, with far too many victims being let down while criminals get away scot free.

"Under the Conservatives, our police forces were hollowed out and neglected, and now Labour is continuing to let communities down by failing to give local policing the funding it desperately needs."

Top Tory says 'Government obsession' with Net Zero risks environmental agenda

Shadow secretary of state for the environment Victoria Atkins has hit out at what she called the "Government obsession" with Net Zero.

Speaking on GB News this morning, Atkins said: "We all want to see a cleaner world, we all want to protect our countryside for future generations but we have to do it in a way that is possible and affordable.

"What we're worried about is the Current government's obsession with Net Zero and setting impossible targets...It risks wider environmental agenda that we all care about, we care about trees countryside, water and air quality."

Kemi Badenoch hits out at 'protest party' Reform UK - 'It tells people what they want to hear'

Kemi Badenoch has hit out at Reform UK, saying that Nigel Farage's party "tells people what they want to hear."

When asked by the Telegraph if she understood why people were turning to Reform, she said; "It’s a protest party.

"It tells people what they want to hear: That everything is easy and they’re going to do this and that.“I heard last week this announcement about a minister for deportations.

"Some people might think 'oh, that’s good idea.' We already have a minister for deportations. So when you’re in a protest mood, people telling you what you want to hear might be enticing. But it’s not real."

Nigel Farage pledges 'Reform-quake' ahead of local elections

Nigel Farage has pledged to cause a "Reform-quake" ahead of this week's local elections, as he slammed Labour's landslide victory last year as a "loveless victory."

He said: "A Reform-quake? That’s what they’re calling it. I don’t know. What I do know is the advances we’ve made since the general election have been extraordinary.

"The Labour victory last summer was a loveless victory. I think you’re probably going to see our strongest results in areas where Labour won a lot of seats in the general election.

"I’m talking about the Derbyshires, the Nottinghamshires and in particular about County Durham, where we’re doing very, very well indeed. And, who knows? There’s also a by-election taking place in Labour’s 16th safest seat of Runcorn and Helsby. So, yeah, I think Labour are really scared."