Wes Streeting’s London office has been vandalised by a trans protest group that sprayed the words "child killer".
Police confirmed that they were called to the scene this morning shortly after 10am, where they found smashed windows and paint on the building on Woodford Avenue.
The protest group Bash Back said they took action in response to Streeting’s “continued abuse of trans people in the medical system” on Thursday.
Streeting, who serves as the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, wrote in a post on social media: “From day one as Ilford North’s MP I’ve had an accessible and visible constituency office to serve my local community. Repeated criminal damage is unfair to my staff and an attack on democracy.”
He also confirmed that a live police investigation is underway; however, police say no arrests have been made.
Bash Back also accused the Minister and the Labour Government of intending “to erase trans people from public life, and will go out of their way to do so”.
In a statement, the protest group said: "In the months since the puberty blockers ban, we have seen huge backpedals in the healthcare rights afforded to trans people - and young people especially - in an NHS system that was never kind to us in the first place.
"Under Streeting’s rule, GPs have been banned from conducting blood tests on trans patients accessing HRT, and trans people have been banned from accessing hospital wards that fit their gender, leading necessarily to poorer quality of care across the board.
"Streeting, along with NHS England, the EHRC and Hilary Cass, have paved the way for state-mandated conversion therapy, which has since led to the Department for Education’s proposed introduction of a Section 28 style bill, preventing discussion of transness in the classroom.”
Labour loses first Councillor to new Corbyn party
The new party's founding conference is expected to take place in November
|PA
The Labour Party has lost its first councillor to Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s new hard-Left party just weeks after it officially launched.
Grace Lewis, 22, who sits on Coventry City Council, switched allegiance from Keir Starmer’s party to the more radical left-wing alternative after resigning on Friday.
Ex-Labour MPs Corbyn and Sultana, who both currently sit as independents, set up their new party last month to combat Labour.
Lewis said: “Today, after five-and-a-half years, I resigned my Labour Party membership. I will now serve the residents of Westwood on Coventry City Council as an independent.
“The Labour Party promised ‘change’, yet since entering Government, Labour has cut support for disabled people, kept the Tories’ cruel two-child benefit cap and slashed winter fuel payments, driving record numbers into poverty.
"They have joined Reform in targeting minorities, including migrants and trans people, all whilst being active participants in the genocide in Gaza, ramping up spending on war, and arming Israel – criminalising peaceful protesters in the process."
The new party's founding conference is expected to take place in November.
Pro-Palestinian activists plan 'siege on Labour MPs' as protesters hand out 8-page 'toolkit'
Pro-Palestinian groups are organising a "siege" on Labour MPs, councillors and staff on Monday in a bid to force the party's hand to take a stronger stance against Israel.
The Palestinian Youth movement (PYM) has sent a list of instructions, outlined in an eight-page booklet, to "solidarity groups" across the UK to take part in a national day of action against Labour, citing its supposed "partnership in Israel's genocide on Gaza".
The "Siege on Labour" outlines tactics for how supporters should target offices of their local MPs.
It also includes regional Labour Party headquarters and Labour councillors.
Police officers in Britain to receive 4.2% pay rise
Police officers across England and Wales are set to receive a 4.2 per cent pay rise, the Government has announced.
The increase applies to all ranks up to and including chief superintendents.
Pay increases will mean the starting salary for a police constable will be £31,163, up to £1,256.
The typical salary for a constable who has been in post for six years will be £50,257, and the average earnings for a chief superintendent will be £98,500.
In addition to the headline pay rise, the Government is also increasing On-call, Away from Home, and Hardship Allowances by £10.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Our brave police officers work day and night, often making enormous sacrifices, to keep us safe. This Government is proud to back them in doing so and today’s pay award is a clear signal of our gratitude, and our determination, to ensure they are properly rewarded for their service.
"Policing is the bedrock of a secure Britain and our Plan for Change. We are committed to investing in the frontline and supporting officers who work every day to tackle crime, keep our streets safe and protect our communities.”
UK's new online safety law is a THREAT to free speech, warns Elon Musk's X
Elon Musk's social media platform X has issued a stark warning that Britain's new online safety legislation poses a serious risk to freedom of expression through overly aggressive implementation | REUTERSElon Musk's social media platform X has issued a stark warning that Britain's new online safety legislation poses a serious risk to freedom of expression through overly aggressive implementation.
The company, owned by Musk, released a statement on Friday asserting that the Online Safety Act's enforcement approach could lead to the suppression of legitimate speech.
X argued that whilst the legislation's goals were commendable, the extensive scope of regulatory powers threatened to eclipse these positive aims.
The platform said: "When lawmakers approved these measures, they made a conscientious decision to increase censorship in the name of 'online safety'."
Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky welcome Donald Trump's Russia deadline
Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky have "welcomed" Donald Trump's new deadline on Russia in a bid to stop stalling tactics on securing a peace deal.
According to an official summary of the pair's conversation, the two leaders agreed that Russia "was the only barrier to peace".
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was giving Russian President Vladimir Putin a shorter deadline by August 8 to progress peace efforts.
If not, Russia would impose punitive sanctions and tariffs on Russia.
Zelensky psoted on X that he had spoken with the UK Prime Minister and said Starmer had "expressed his condolences over the deaths of our people".
Top Ministry of Defence civil servant set to quit over Afghan data leak fallout
The top civil servant at the Ministry of Defence will step down later this year after the fallout from a major leak which put nearly 100,000 Afghans at risk.
David Williams told department staff that he will quit in Autumn, according to The Times.
The search for his replacement is now under way.
Ever since the Afghan data leak came to a head, the MoD has been under pressure, particularly because of the secrecy behind the super-injunction.
The blunder and the subsequent governmental effort to suppress it, were revealed due to reporting restrictions being lifted by a judge last month.
UK Government officials were exposed in February 2022 after a soldier inadvertently sent a list in a bid to help verify applications for movement to the UK.
More than 100 British special forces troops, MI6 spies and military officers were included in the leak.
Chancellor refuses to answer questions on wealth tax
Rachel Reeves | PARachel Reeves has refused to answer whether her party will adopt a wealth tax.
The Chancellor said the Government has "got to get the balance right on taxation".
It comes after former Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds urged the treasury to consider introducing the tax - which members within the Labour Party have also called for.
Reeves told PA that "decisions around tax are decisions that are made at a budget and we'll make those decision in the appropriate way".
"But the number-one priority of this government is to grow the economy," the Chancellor added.
"And that means bringing more investment into Britain, creating more good jobs paying decent wages here in Britain."
Reeves said "we've got to get the balance right on taxation" because Labour wants "that investment, we want those jobs to come here".
She said that is why Labour is "reforming the planning system, secured three trade deals in the first year of this ... Government, cutting back on unnecessary regulation, and reforming our pension system to unlock money for businesses to be able to invest here in the UK".
Government limits civil service interns to 'lower socio-economic backgrounds'
The Labour Government will tighten eligibility criteria for civil service internships in a bid to make it more representative of the working class.
The BBC reported that the main internship scheme will be limited to students from "lower socio-economic backgrounds" which was based on what occupations their parents held when they were 14.
Civil Service Reform Minister Pat McFadden said the Whitehall neededto reflect the broader community.
"We need to get more working-class young people into the Civil Service so it harnesses the broadest range of talent and truly reflects the country," McFadden said.
"Government makes better decisions when it represents and understands the people we serve."
Changes, which are expected by next summer, will provide more experience for young people with writing briefings, planning events, conducting policy research and shadowing civil servants.
Crime Minister says 'we are' deporting foreign nationals from UK prisons
Diana Johnson has revealed the Labour Government has deported 5,200 foreign national offenders over the past 12 months.
Answering questions by GB News about deporting foreign nationals from UK prisons on Friday morning, the Crime and Policing Minister said "we are".
"During the course of the last 12 months we've deported 5,200 foreign national offenders," she said.
"That's a 14 per cent increase on what the previous Conservative Government managed to do."
She warned that "I don't think we need to listen to what they're saying ... we're actually getting on and doing it."
Johnson said the Government was "reducing the amount of time that a foreign national has to serve before they can then be removed from 50 per cent of their sentence to 30 per cent".
"We're putting additional resources into prisons to make sure that we can speed up this whole process of getting these foreign national offenders out of our country," she added.
Top Labour MP says 'we're not having our free speech monitored at all'
Diana Johnson speaking on GB News on Friday morning | GB NEWSCrime and Policing Minister Diana Johnson has told GB News that "it's absolutely right that people can express their views within the law" on social media.
She declared that "we're not having our free speech monitored at all".
"What I would say is that the police ...when we had the disorder in August ... it was absolutely right that the police should be looking and monitoring what was being put onto social media in terms of organisation of riots and have that information to allow them then to plan what they needed to provide in terms of protecting the public," she said.
"That's what ... that's about."
Johnson referred to the special unit referenced in The Telegraph, saying "my understanding that unit ... was set up under the previous Government".
"No officials have ever asked for anything to ever be taken down in terms of expressing sentiment about immigration or hotels," she said.
Sadiq Khan threatens suing Government over Heathrow expansion
London's Mayor has threatened to launch legal action against the Labour Government over controversial plans for a third runway at Heathrow.
Sadiq Khan has reaffirmed his opposition to the runway which he believes will have a "severe impact" on noise and air pollution that will jeopardise Britain's climate targets.
The mayor said he will "carefully scrutinise" the expansion plans and the impact it would have on Londoners.
When questioned about the idea of suing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Government, he said "I'll be keeping all options on the table in how we respond".
"I remain unconvinced that you can have a new runway at Heathrow," he said.
"(It will deliver) hundreds of thousands of additional flights every year, without a hugely detrimental impact on our environment.”
Reform MP labels fellow parliamentarians as 'bunch of spineless, weak… cowards'
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson
| PALee Anderson has condemned his fellow parliamentarians as "bunch of spineless, weak… cowards" when speaking on how illegal immigration has affected social cohesion across the UK.
He told GB News two consecutive governments "were frightened to death of breaking maritime law" and ruining "our international reputation on the world stage" and that they had "stood by and done nothing while we import third world cultures into our country".
“Some of these (people have) got medieval ideologies,” he declared.
“They have no respect, some of them for women, young women and girls and women ... like my own sister, and my niece are scared for their own children to go out or even walk home from school.”
The Reform MP said women are being warned “about the possibility of attacks”.
Prime Minister 'should be nervous' over Labour grooming gangs 'cover-up'
Keir Starmer will have "questions to answer" regarding the Crown Prosecution Service's (CPS) failures over the grooming gangs scandal when he was the Director of Public Prosecutions, a shadow Cabinet minister has said.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said Starmer might be nervous over what an inquiry might uncover because that CPS had "early on" made some mistakes over prosecuting alleged perpetrators.
The Prime Minister was in charge of the CPS as the chief prosecutor in England and Wales between 2008 and 2014 during a period when failures by the crown prosecution over the grooming gangs scandal were highlighted in previous reports.
A 173-page review, covering 2004 to 2013 and set out multiple failed investigations by Greater Manchester Police, found one victim was treated as a co-conspirator by the CPS for "procuring children on behalf of the men who were abusing her" because she was "viewed as critical in their successful prosecution".
In February 2011, the CPS formally agreed she never should have been arrested in 2009.
Keir Starmer listening to hostages in wake of Palestinian state declaration
Keir Starmer | GETTY The Prime Minister said he is listening to hostages who were taken by Hamas during the October 7 massacre while adding he still intends on recognising a Palestinian state unless Israel commits to a ceasefire and two-state solution.
It comes after British-Israeli Emily Damari, held by Hamas for 471 days, accused Keir Starmer of "moral failure" over the move to recognise Palestine in September at the United Nations.
The move followed French President Emmanuel Macron declaring his country would recognise Palestine at the same UN General Assembly.
Speaking to ITV during a visit to Swindon on Thursday, Starmer said "I particularly listen to the hostages, Emily Damari, who I have spoken to".
"I've met with her mother a number of times, and they've been through the most awful, awful experience for Emily and for her mother," he added.
"And that's why I've been absolutely clear and steadfast that we must have the remaining hostages released. That's been our position throughout and I absolutely understand the unimaginable horror that Emily went through."
Starmer said that "we do need to do everything we can to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where we are seeing the children and babies starving for want of aid which could be delivered".
"“That is why I’ve said unless things materially change on the ground, we’ll have to assess this in September, we will recognise Palestine before the United Nations General Assembly in September," the Prime Minister added.