Keir Starmer's promise to recognise Palestine is a 'victory' for Hamas says terror group official 

Sir Keir Starmer's commitment to Palestinian statehood brings "victory and liberation" nearer than anticipated, a high-ranking Hamas figure has claimed.

Basem Naim, who previously served as health minister in Hamas's Gaza administration, praised the development as evidence that global backing for Palestinian sovereignty was progressing positively.

He said: “International support for Palestinian self-determination shows we are moving in the right direction.”

The announcement follows the Prime Minister's statement that Britain would declare Palestinian recognition at September's UN General Assembly alongside France, contingent on a ceasefire being reached.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Nigel Farage faces probe over possible breach of MP's code of conduct

Nigel Farage is facing a probe from the Parliament standards watchdog over a possible breach of the MPs code of conduct.

Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg launched the inquiry over a potential infringement of the rules regarding a "registration of interest".

The commissioner's website indicates the investigation against the Reform UK leader opened on Monday.

The possible breach by Farage regards Rule 5 of the MPs code of conduct.

It states MPs must declare any change to their interests within 28 days.

However, an inquiry does not mean rules have been broken.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Downing Street 'orchestrated' the Jimmy Savile attack on Nigel Farage 

Peter Kyle, the Science Secretary, had spoken to Downing Street before appearing on Sky News on Tuesday, when he made controversial remarks about Farage, according to the Telegraph.

The Labour MP said the Reform leader was “on the side” of child predators and extreme pornographers, after Farage pledged to scrap the Online Safety Act if he becomes Prime Minister.

Kyle added: "Make no mistake about it, if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he would be perpetrating his crimes online, and Nigel Farage is saying that he is on their side, not the side of children."

Farage has demanded an apology for what he called a “disgusting” smear against him.

The Reform UK leader dubbed Kyle as the "minister for political slander”.

'SHAMEFUL!' Chris Philp SLAMS Yvette Cooper on statement following Manchester airport assult

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has criticised Yvette Cooper for a statement she made after an assault at Manchester airport.

It comes after Mohammed Fahir Amaaz was found guilty of assaulting two female police officers and a member of the public during the incident.

The Shadow Home Secretary said: "Our thoughts are with the police officers who were the victims of this vicious attack by Mohammed Fahir Amaaz.

"When this first happened, Yvette Cooper seemed more interested in criticising the police and siding with the attackers than standing up for brave officers who get injured in the line of duty.

"A female officer had her nose broken by this vile thug, and the Home Secretary had nothing to say about that when it happened. Instead, her statement referred to the importance of the 'trust of communities' and questioned police standards.

"They need to get their priorities straight. It is shameful that Yvette Cooper’s statement did not include any mention of the three police officers who were attacked at Manchester airport last year even though it has been reported that she was aware they had been injured when she made it.

"This is just another example of Labour’s two-tier approach to law and order. Yvette Cooper has questions to answer.”

Yvette Cooper responded to criticism over the statement: "I have always and continually offered strong support to police officers, who face appalling situations every day of the week. I have spoken with Greater Manchester Police about this incident to ensure the officers get the support they need because it is important that they do."

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Nigel Farage reacts to Former Tory MP joining Reform UK

Nigel Farage has reacted to Former Conservative Member of Parliament Adam Holloway joining Reform UK.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage MP said: "I'm delighted to welcome Adam Hollway to Reform UK. His bold move shows that we are the only serious option in Kent and is testament to the fantastic work our councillors are delivering across the region.

"Adam's parliamentary and military experience will be vital as we look forward to the next general election."

'Passed the point of no return!' Former Tory MP joins Reform UK

Former Conservative Member of Parliament Adam Holloway has joined Reform UK.

Holloway, who represented the Gravesham constituency from 2005 to 2024, served as a senior Government Whip as well as on the Defence, Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Select Committees.

Upon joining Reform UK, Adam Holloway said: "There comes a moment for many soldiers — and most politicians — when you realise the battle you think you’re fighting isn’t the one your leaders are waging. Many in Britain feel we may already have passed the point of no return. Our cities grow less cohesive, the country effectively bankrupt.

"That moment came for me watching Kemi Badenoch tell Trevor Phillips there are real differences between Reform UK and the Conservatives. She was right. The difference is the Reform leadership and voters grasp the scale of our national peril and back a party serious about addressing it.

"I joined the Army to serve the country, not the institution. The same applies now. If we want to rescue Britain, we must be honest about who’s still willing to fight for her."

'Feeling was mutual!' Nicola Sturgeon hits back at Donald Trump after he branded her 'terrible'

Speaking on Scotland's current first minister, John Swinney, Trump said: "I didn’t have a lot of respect for the woman that preceded him – I thought she was terrible as a first minister of Scotland. But I think John is doing a very good job of first minister."

A source close to Sturgeon said: "Trump’s lack of respect for women is hardly news. That said, the feeling was entirely mutual."

Sturgeon responded on her Instagram account: "Feeling was mutual, Donnie. Forever proud to represent all the things that offend your view of the world."

Families of hostages held by Hamas accuse Starmer of risking the release of captives

The British families of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas have warned that the Government's decision to recognise a Palestinian state risks the release of captives.

In a statement put forward by the family's lawyers, they say: "The UK has said that it will recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel agrees a ceasefire. But the risk is that Hamas will continue to refuse a ceasefire because if it agrees to one this would make UK recognition less likely."

Families represented by the lawyers have asked Starmer to “confirm, unambiguously, that Hamas will not be rewarded and that the UK will not take any substantive steps until all the hostages are free.”

Freed hostage Emily Damari accuses PM of 'standing' on wrong side of history

A former British-Israeli hostage who was freed from Hamas captivity for more than a year has accused Keir Starmer of "not standing on the right side of history".

The Prime Minister said he would recognise a Palestinian state in September.

Emily Damari accused the Prime Minister of “moral failure” over his decision.

Starmer announced on Tuesday that the UK could take the step of recognising Palestinian statehood in September, ahead of a major UN gathering.

However, the UK will refrain from doing so only if Israel allows more aid into Gaza, ceases annexing land in the West Bank, agrees to a ceasefire, and signs up to a long-term peace process over the next two months.

Damari was released from Hamas captivity in January.

She said on Instagram that “Prime Minister Starmer is not standing on the right side of history. Had he been in power during World War II, would he have advocated recognition for Nazi control of occupied countries like Holland, France or Poland?"

“Shame on you, Prime Minister."

Keir Starmer's declaration is 'morally indefensible', claims Campaign Against Antisemitism

The Prime Minister has been slammed as "morally indefensible" by Campaign Against Antisemitism after declaring to recognise Palestinian statehood next month if Israel does not agree to a Gaza ceasefire.

"Sir Keir Starmer should be saying that he will take the issue of Palestinian statehood off the table if the hostages are not returned by September or sooner," a spokesperson for the campaign said.

"Instead, he has decided to brandish recognition of a Palestinian state as a threat against the world's only Jewish state as it seeks to retrieve the hostages still held nearly two years after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust."

The spokesperson said the announcement "sends the worst possible message" to the public.

Minister doubles down on colleague's Nigel Farage and Jimmy Savile claim

The Transport Secretary has doubled down on her fellow Cabinet minister's claim that the Reform UK leader is on the side of "people like Jimmy Savile".

Nigel Farage is accused of being "happy for there to be a free for all on the internet," Heidi Alexander said in defending Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle's comments.

Kyle said Farage was on the side of "extreme pornographers" in addressing Reform vowing to scrap the Online Safety Act.

Alexander told Sky News "Farage is, in effect, saying that he is on their side because he's saying he's wanting to repeal the ... act".

“I think that the position of Reform in saying that they want to repeal the entirety of the Online Safety Act, which is one of the most important pieces of legislation when it comes to the protecting of our children and the safety of young people online, I think that, in effect, what Nigel Farage is saying is that he’s totally happy for there to be a free for all on the internet," she added.

“That’s not the position of the Labour Government. It’s not the position of me. It’s not the position of Keir Starmer or Peter Kyle, and that is the point that the Technology Secretary was rightly making yesterday.”

Five-day resident doctors' strike ends as Wes Streeting stands firm on pay

The UK Health Secretary said negotiations between the Government and the British Medical Association could result in improvements to the working lives of resident doctors.

However, Wes Streeting added that he will not budge on pay as the five-day strike across England ended on 7am on Wednesday.

While BMA leaders said pay discussions must be included in talks, Streeting said "we simply cannot go further on pay this year".

"We made the decision to cancel as little planned care as possible this year," he said.

"And thanks to their tireless work it’s clear that far more patients have got the care they need than in previous years."

Streeting added that "all industrial action" comes with a level of disruption and he felt "angry and frustrated on behalf of those patients".

"That is why my door is open to the BMA leadership to resume the talks we were having last week," he said.

"After a 28.9 per cent pay rise over the last three years, we simply cannot go further on pay this year, but there are real improvements to resident doctors' working lives we can work hand-in-hand to make."

He confirmed that he stood "ready to continue our discusssions".

Heidi Alexander says Keir Starmer's decision "is not about Hamas'

Heidi Alexander has told GB News that the Prime Minister's decision to recognise a Palestinian state in September, if Israel doesn't achieve a peace deal, "is not about Hamas".

"We need to be very careful not to conflate Hamas with the Palestinian people," the Transport Secretary said.

"Just as we shouldn't conflate the Israeli people with the actions of the Israeli Government."

She said the Labour Party believes a "two-state solution is the way to provide lasting security to both Israelis and Palestinians".

"The truth of the matter is that over the last couple of months, the actions of Israel, be that in raising large parts of Gaza to the ground or the effective annexation of the West Bank," she said.

"Of course we're seeing children starving ... and their parents being shot at and killed when they're trying to get their hands on the meager amount of food that is being allowed in."

Alexander said "these actions are actually making the viability" of the two-state solution seem further and further away.

She added that "I must also be clear" that Hamas must release all hostages and understand the "vile terrorist organisation" has no part in the future of Gaza.

UK Government is 'closely monitoring' tsunami warnings in affected countries

Transport Secretary said her thoughts are "with everyone and all countries" that are caught up with tsunami warnings.

Heidi Alexander told GB News that any Britons "in those countries should follow local advice".

"We are obviously monitoring the situation very closely as a Government and we stand ready to assist in any way that we can," Alexander said.

"My advice to anyone who is thinking of travelling to the areas affected is that they should check the Foreign Office website for the latest travel advice.

"The Government will ensure that we do all that we can to provide assistance to Britons who are in those countries."

Alexander said "all appropriate and necessary meetings" will take place to make sure the Government was ready to respond.

Brits 'should be given some proper advice' by UK Government foreign Office issues urgent tsunami warnings for 17 countries

Shadow Foreign Secretary has said the "magnitude" of the tsunami warnings is "covering a very, very large geography".

"The British Government does have to be proactive with its warnings, and it is doing that," Priti Patel told GB News.

"But there should be some proper travel advice because people are travelling all the time ... the airports are full, Brits that are heading to those regions should be given some proper advice."

Patel warned Brits who are travelling to areas that are being evacuated "should not be travelling" into those areas.

"I know what the government machinery is like when it comes to crises of this nature, they will have to be very operational and they should be working now to issue warnings and advice," she added.

"And also working with travel operators and tour operators."

Priti Patel claims UK has 'emboldened' Hamas 

Priti Patel has accused the Labour party of emboldening Hamas.

Speaking on GB News this morning, the Shadow Foreign Secretary said Britain hasn't "really done anything in making sure that we're stepping up to release the hostages".

She added: "Ensure that Hamas has no future role to play (in Gaza)".

"All the British Government has done is effectively issue condemnations to Israel," she said.

"I think has emboldened Hamas and that has not helped anybody, it certainly has not helped the people of Gaza, it has not helped get aid into Gaza."

Top Labour minister issues slap-down to Benjamin Netanyahu

The Transport Secretary has issued a warning that the UK expects "Hamas to act in the same way as we expect Israel to act".

Heidi Alexander told the BBC that "Hamas need to release the hostages, they need to disarm, and they also need to accept that they will have no future role in the governance of Gaza".

"They are a vile terrorist organisation that has perpetrated heinous crimes and awful atrocities on the Israeli people," she added.

She was asked directly if the release of hostages is a condition on recognition, adding: "We will be making an assessment in September and we expect Hamas to act in the same way as we expect Israel to act."

"We’re giving Israel eight weeks to act," Alexander said.

"If they want to be sat at the table to shape that enduring peace in the region, they must act."