First Labour MP urges Keir Starmer to withdraw from ECHR

Labour membership collapses under Keir Starmer as hundreds of thousands desert party

Labour Party membership has plummeted as almost 200,000 people have deserted Sir Keir Starmer's party.

Figures published on Thursday showed the party had lost another 37,215 members over the course of 2024, around 10 per cent of its total membership at the start of the year.

By the end of 2024, Labour’s membership stood at 333,235.

This is significantly down on its recent peak of 532,046 at the end of 2019, just after the party lost the General Election under former leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Britain's third-largest steelworks forced into compulsory liquidation as Tories blame 'Labour's ruinously high energy costs' 

The Government has taken control of the UK’s third largest steelworks in a bid to save 1,450 jobs at the site.

The high court confirmed on Thursday that Speciality Steel – previously part of Sanjeev Gupta’s Liberty Steel business – would face a compulsory liquidation.

The operation, which has plants in Rotherham and Stocksbridge in South Yorkshire, will be placed into the hands of the Official Receiver and special managers from advisory firm Teneo.

Ongoing wages and costs to keep the plant running will be covered by the Government until a buyer is found.

Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith has blamed the Speciality Steel Government takeover on “Labour’s ruinously high energy costs driven by net zero dogma”.

In a post on X, Mr Griffith added: “British businesses cannot go on like this any longer.

“As well as lower taxes, we need the Government to exploit the cheap energy resources the UK already has."

Diane Abbott says she advised Jeremy Corbyn against setting up Your Party

Diane Abbott has said she advised Jeremy Corbyn against setting up a new political party over concerns it would struggle to get a foothold in Britain because of the voting system.

Ms Abbott, who served as Mr Corbyn’s shadow home secretary when he was Labour leader, explained she had spoken to him before its launch and said it was not a good idea.

Speaking at an event at the Edinburgh Book Festival, she said: “There were people around Jeremy encouraging him to set up a new party, and I told him not to.

“It’s very difficult under first-past-the-post system for a new party to absolutely win.

"If it wasn’t first-past-the-post, then you can see how a new party could come through, but I understand why he did it.”

Ms Abbott was suspended by the Labour Party for the second time in July for her remarks about antisemitism.

Party officials are reportedly weighing up candidates to replace her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat.

Foreign Office summons Israeli Ambassador over controversial West Bank settlement project 

The Foreign Office has summoned Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely over the approval of a major settlement plan in the West Bank.

Israel granted approval for the project yesterday, which would effectively cut the territory in two.

The Israeli's have occupied the West Bank - land which is central to its conflict with Palestine - since 1967.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the E1 settlement plan, which would sever one of the last geographical links between the northern and southern West Bank, would “mark a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution”.

On Thursday, Mr Lammy and other foreign ministers from Europe, Australia, Canada and Japan issued a joint statement again condemning the E1 plan, saying it would bring “no benefits to the Israeli people” and “risks undermining security and fuels further violence and instability”.

They added: “The Government of Israel still has an opportunity to stop the E1 plan going any further. We encourage them to urgently retract this plan.”

'A kind, generous and thoughtful person': Liberal Democrat's announce death of former MP

Former Liberal Democrat MP Dame Annette Brooke has died, according to senior party members.

Party leader Sir Ed Davey announced the news of her death on social media this afternoon, saying his "thoughts and prayers" were with her loved ones.

Dame Annette served as an MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole from 2001 to 2015.

" My heart is full of sadness today, as we have lost a dear friend and wonderful former colleague, Annette Brooke, Sir Davey wrote in a post to X.

"Annette dedicated her life to public service, always fighting for the people who needed her voice."

Lib Dem peer Lord Chris Rennard also paid tribute to Dame Annette, saying he was "sad" to hear the news of her death.

He said: "Annette was a kind, generous, and thoughtful person as well as a great campaigner.

"She was a valued member of the Lib Dem family and our condolences go to Mike and her two daughters."

London Underground workers set to plunge capital into chaos as union confirms five-day strike action

London Underground workers have announced they will strike in a dispute over pay and conditions.

The Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) confirmed the strikes, set to take place next month.

The RMT stated that the strikes will take place over five days.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Keir Starmer's Brexit reset deal threatens to hand EU £6bn in British fish

Keir Starmer's Brexit reset deal with the EU threatens to hand the bloc up to £6billion worth of British fish, new data has shown.

Official data suggests EU fishermen will get guaranteed access to UK waters until 2038, with the figure based on estimates provided to ministers before the deal was signed.

A memo from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provided ministers with an analysis of the "economic benefits and concerns of re-negotiating fisheries policies with the EU".

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Andy Burnham calls for 'real change' as he speaks out against hotels housing asylum seekers

Andy Burnham has said the way hotels are used to house asylum seekers is "not acceptable and has called for "real change".

The Mayor of Greater Manchester told BBC Radio Manchester: "The scandalous thing is the way in which the Home Office has dismissed those concerns and ran roughshod over local councils.

"Often you would get a day or two's notification. That's not good enough"

His comments follow the High Court ruling on Tuesday that asylum seekers could not be housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping following a legal challenge by Epping Forest District Council.

He added: "The court ruling is a moment where this thing the Home Office has never done properly needs to change.

"I have spoken to ministers in the Home Office, and they have been on with that change. It needs to be accelerated. The court ruling, in my view, should bring real change."

Conservative-led councils beginning to 'mount legal challenges' against asylum hotels, Chris Philp warns

The Shadow Home Secretary has launched a scathing attack on the Government's management of asylum accommodation, warning that Labour could choose to house illegal migrants in "free flats" instead of hotels.

Speaking to GB News, Chris Philp warned that Conservative-led councils such as Broxbourne and Hillingdon are now considering following in Epping's footsteps and taking legal action against the use of hotels.

FULL STORY HERE.

'Scrap the OBR!' Rachel Reeves implored to tear up fiscal rulebook as economy trapped in 'doom loop'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is being urged to "scrap the OBR" to save the UK economy from a "never-ending doom loop of debt and austerity" for years to come.

Created by former Chancellor George Osbourne in 2010, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) acts an independent watchdog, providing fiscal forecasts.

Critics of the body claim it has left consecutive Governments "shackled" between raising taxes and cutting spending to meet strict fiscal rules, contributing to austerity.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

READ IN FULL: Kemi Badenoch's letter to Conservative council leaders

SNP accused of creating 'national scandal' over crumbling NHS buildings

The SNP Government in Holyrood has been accused of a “national scandal” after it was revealed that hundreds of NHS buildings are more than 70 years old.

A freedom of information request submitted by the Scottish Liberal Democrats to all of Scotland’s health boards found the NHS still relies on 597 buildings that were built seven decades ago.

The findings show 121 of the buildings are located in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area, where there are also 210 buildings up to 50 years old.

In NHS Lothian, 104 buildings are more than 70 years old, as are 97 in NHS Grampian and 93 in NHS Tayside.

Scottish Lib Dem leader leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "These figures show that the Scottish NHS is still relying on hundreds of buildings which are almost as old as the health service itself.

"While there will be many old buildings which have undergone the appropriate modernisation, the scale of the NHS’s maintenance backlog suggests that many of them have not kept pace with where health boards would like them to be.

“It is a national scandal that millions across the country are being treated in old and crumbling buildings that are no longer fit for purpose."

READ IN FULL: Yvette Cooper's response to today's asylum seeker figures

In a statement shared with GB News, the Home Secretary said: "We inherited a broken immigration and asylum system that the previous Government left in chaos.

"Since coming to office we have strengthened Britain’s visa and immigration controls, cut asylum costs and sharply increased enforcement and returns, as today’s figures show.

"The action we have taken in the last 12 months, increasing returns of failed asylum seekers by over 30 per cent, cutting asylum costs by 11 per cent, reducing the backlog by 18 per cent and our forthcoming plans to overhaul the failing asylum appeal system, are crucial steps to restoring order, and putting an end to the chaotic use of asylum hotels that we inherited from the previous government.

"At the same time, we are bringing legal migration back under control, with a 48 per cent reduction in work visas this year, and further stronger visa controls and higher skill requirements introduced through our White Paper expected to bring those overall numbers down further.

"As we roll out further reforms, including the new pilot with France, new counter terror powers to strengthen border security, and new asylum reforms later this year (including reforms to speed up the persistent delays in the appeals system), we will continue to take the serious steps required to restore order, control and fairness to the system and to continue building the foundations of a new and stronger approach."

Nigel Farage says public 'right to be very angry' with Labour over asylum seeker figures

Nigel Farage has slammed Labour over today's asylum seeker figures, saying the public is "right" to be angry with the Government.

Reform UK leader said: "New figures out today show record numbers claiming asylum under Labour.

"Our streets are becoming more dangerous yet this disaster only gets worse. The public are right to be very angry with this government."

Damning data reveals just how many asylum seekers have been housed in hotels in Labour's first year in power

New figures have revealed the number of asylum seekers housed in hotels, with the cost hitting £4.76billion from 2024 to 2025.

The data shows total of 32,059 asylum seekers were being housed temporarily in UK hotels at the end of Labour’s first year in Government, up eight per cent on the same point 12 months ago.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

WATCH: Tory councillor Niall Innes shares his views on asylum seekers in Middlesbrough

Labour minister tells GB News 'determined' to tackle 'entrenched inequalities in education'

Katherine McKinnell has told GB News that Labour is determined to change "entrenched inequalities" after data was found only 19 per cent of white British, working-class children achieved a strong pass in maths and English GCSE.

It comes as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said a failure to ensure that white working-class children succeed is holding back Britain.

The Minister for School Standards and MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North, told GB News: "These findings also cast a really sharp light on these entrenched inequalities.

"We know the system is not getting outcomes we want to see, we're absolutely determined to change this."

WATCH: 'CRAZY' council slammed for ripping down England flags: 'Britain gave me everything!'

Local residents told Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp they are proud of the Union Jack and the Saint George’s Cross, saying councils are wrong to take them down.

One person said Britain had given him "so much opportunity" and questioned how anyone could not be proud of the national flag.

Another pointed out the "double standards" in Tower Hamlets, claiming the Council left Palestine flags up for weeks but removed Union flags within 24 hours.

What is included in Sir Keir Starmer's Brexit deal for fisheries?

Under the agreement between Westminster and Brussels signed in May, the EU and the UK agreed to roll over the existing fishing deal for another 12 years, until 2038, providing access to British waters for EU fishers.

However, as part of the adjacent food and drink deal means that any fish caught in British waters can now be processed and sold into the EU without veterinary checks.

Supporters of the bill say this reduces huge costs created by Brexit, and opens the door for shellfish to be sold into the EU, allowing fish to be caught in the EU, for example in the Irish sea, and processed in Great Britain.

However, the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) chair Elspeth Macdonald called it "a total capitulation to the EU and a disastrous outcome for the Scottish fishing fleet."

MAPPED: The councils that could now take legal action after Epping ruling torpedoes Labour's asylum plans

Councils up and down the country could now take action after this week's bombshell ruling in Epping.

It comes after the High Court temporarily blocked asylum seekers from being housed in a hotel in Epping Forest.

The ruling causes issues for the Home Office, which now has less than a month to find alternative accommodation for the asylum seekers currently housed at the Essex hotel.

GB NEWS MEMBERS CAN READ THE FULL ANALYSIS HERE.

Over 60 per cent of Labour voters back rejoining the EU

New polling has suggested 62 per cent of Labour voters at last year's General Election back rejoining the European Union.

The poll by BMG for The New Statesman found around 15 per cent of Reform voters back rejoining, with 79 per cent preferring to stay out.

Around 27 per cent of Labour voters from last year said the UK should stay out of the bloc.

WATCH: Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp reacts to the Epping Hotel ruling

Labour councils could revolt in taking legal action against migrant hotels

Labour-run councils are gearing up to take legal action against the Government's own asylum hotel policy.

Last night, Wirral and Tamworth councils confirmed they are considering action against migrant hotels.

Leader of Tamworth Council Carol Dean said this week's ruling provided a "potentially important precedent."

She added: "I understand the strong feelings within our community regarding the use of the Holiday Inn to house those seeking asylum, and I want to reassure residents that we are listening to their concerns and taking them seriously."

Relief for Rachel Reeves as UK public borrowing costs PLUMMET to lowest level in three years

The UK's public borrowing costs has plummeted to its lowest level in nearly three years for July, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Public sector net borrowing excluding public sector banks was £1.1billion in July 2025, which is £2.3billion less than in July 2024.

This is a much-needed win for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who was dealt a disappointing blow after inflation for the 12 months to July 2025 jumped to 3.8 per cent.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Labour and Reform MPs team up to demand 'Brexit scrutiny committee'

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice and Labour MP Stella Creasy have formed an unlikely alliance to call for a "Brexit scrutiny committee".

Both MPs have argued that there is no scrutiny or accountability over how Brexit is being implemented.

Ms Creasy, chair of the Labour Movement for Europe and the MP for Walthamstow, said the UK needed a "salvage operation" to clear up the environmental and regulatory havoc caused by Brexit.

She told The Guardian: "I am working with Mr Tice as well as other Brexit sceptics on restoring some sort of European scrutiny committee in Parliament so we can decide if and when we want to diverge rather than it all being passive."

Nigel Farage pledges to 'rip up' EU fishing deal if Reform win next election

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said he will rip up Sir Keir Starmer's fishing deal if he becomes prime minister.

He told The Telegraph: "It is truly astonishing that we have given away a huge sum of money.

"We’ve massively damaged our own industry, stopping future investment in return for absolutely nothing, and our coastal communities feel totally betrayed."