​Reform UK OVERTAKE Tories among Gen Z as Farage warns ‘big’ change coming

Tom Tugendhat launches leadership bid as Tories prepare for lengthy campaign to succeed Sunak

Former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat has officially launched his leadership bid, joining ex-Home Secretary James Cleverly in the race to replace Rishi Sunak.

The Tonbridge MP revealed he hopes to become the next Tory leader and eventually return the Conservative Party to power.

Writing in The Telegraph, Tugendhat said: "We can win it. We must win it. I can lead the party to that victory."

Tory leader candidates hit by damning new poll as new favourite emerges in race to become next party leader

A new favourite has emerged in the race to replace Rishi Sunak as the next Tory leader as the potential candidates were hit with a damning new poll.

Although all the candidates polled positively among Conservative voters, none of the potential candidates scored positively with the public.

In a fresh poll by Savanta UK, Tom Tugendhat was shown to be the most popular Conservative leadership contender among both the general public and Tory voters.

Results showed the Shadow Minister for Security scored a minus three with the wider public in a favourability rating of each of the top potential candidates but scored a +21 with Tory voters.

Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly came in second place with a +19 among Tory voters but a -9 with the wider public.

Then came Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman with -12 and -23 among the wider public respectively.

In last place was Priti Patel who scored a -28 among the public and a mere seven with Tory voters.

The polling was conducted between July 19-21 and polled 2,312 UK adults.

Leadership hopeful Cleverly slams Labour over jet hypocrisy

Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly has slammed Labour after Foreign Secretary David Lammy used a private jet.

The Tory leadership hopeful said: "I’m not going to criticise David Lammy for using the Government plane.

"The Foreign Secretary must be able to travel directly, flexibly, and at short notice.

"But the criticism of me from Labour when I flew on government business now reeks of hypocrisy."

Cleverly comments came after Angela Rayner blasted former Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for using the same jet.

Rayner described Truss' trip as a "disgusting waste" of taxpayers' money for "vanity and comfort".

Keir Starmer 'congratulates' Eluned Morgan on Welsh Labour victory

Sir Keir Starmer has congratulated Eluned Morgan on succeeding Vaughan Gething as Welsh Labour's leader

The Prime Minister said: "Eluned brings a wealth of experience and track-record of delivery — as the first woman to lead Welsh Labour, she is already making history. I look forward to working with Eluned to deliver change for Wales."

WATCH: MPs mocks Sunak with jeers of 'awww' at PMQs as Tory leader addresses election loss: 'I'm not a winner'

Rishi Sunak has been mocked with jeers at PMQs after addressing his election loss to Keir Starmer.

The leader of the Opposition was responding to Keir Starmer as he wished Team GB good luck at the Paris Olympics.

However, his speech was quickly interrupted by jeering Labour MPs and laughs from the Commons after he made reference to the landslide Labour victory.

He said: “I join with the Prime Minister in his warm words about our British athletes.

“I’ve no doubt that after years of training focus and dedication they’ll bring back many gold medals although, to be honest, I’m probably not the first person they want to hear advice on how to win.”

The comment was met with laughs, jeers and a round of ‘awww’ by MPs.

New favourite emerges in race to become next party leader

🚨NEW Tom Tugendhat is the most popular Conservative leadership contender among both public (-3) & 2024 Conservative voters (+21)

The lowest scoring potential candidate of those surveyed was Priti Patel among public (-28) and Con voters (+7)

19-21 July
2,312 UK adults pic.twitter.com/gTa73ElXpr

— Savanta UK (@Savanta_UK) July 24, 2024

Education Secretary announced pause to education funding cuts

Bridget Phillipson has said the Government will be pausing planned funding cuts for a number of applied general qualifications (AGQs), such as BTecs.

The Education Secretary told the Commons: “I want to make an announcement here and now because our mission is urgent.

“Today, I am pleased to announce that the department will undertake a short pause and review of post-16 qualification reform at level three and below, concluding before the end of the year.

“This means that the defunding scheduled for next week will be paused.

“The coming year will also see further developments in the rollout of new T-levels, which will ensure that young people continue to benefit from high quality technical qualifications that help them to thrive.”

Priti Patel wades into Labour's 'irregular migration' row as she says 'things will only get worse' without Rwanda plan

Illegal migration is not ‘irregular’ - it is criminal activity facilitated by dangerous gangs who put lives at risk.

Now we do not have a deterrent in the form of my Rwanda Partnership, things will only get worse.

Changing words will not change anything. Only by taking bold… https://t.co/eLnoEcV4CB

— Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) July 24, 2024

Labour in turmoil over DWP two-child benefit cap as calls continue to pull 670,000 children out of poverty

The Labour Party has faced its first revolt from its own MPs since returning to Government over the issue of the two-child benefit cap as experts warn 670,000 young people are at risk of being plunged into poverty.

Seven Labour MPs have had the whip suspended for the next six months after voting against an amendment to scrap the controversial Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) policy.

In Parliament, MPs rejected the amendment by 363 votes to 103 which was put forward by the SNP.

However, experts have warned that waiting to end the two-child benefit cap will lead to more households being pushed below the poverty line.

Paul Johnson, the director of the independent Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), warned that the cap will impact around one in ten families by the end of this Parliament.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

PMQs: ​Rupert Lowe issues warning over 'brutal consequences' of immigration

Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe has argued that legal and illegal immigration have had “brutal consequences” on the UK.

Speaking during PMQs, the former chairman of Southampton FC said: “My constituents in Great Yarmouth have little doubt that out-of-control legal and illegal immigration since 1997 has damaged and disrupted their community, and undermined their public services.

“Does the Prime Minister agree that importing millions of people, with no thought whatsoever to the brutal consequences, has failed our country? I know the good people of Great Yarmouth would much appreciate a yes or no answer to this straightforward question.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer replied: “I’m not sure I agree with his numbers. But look, I do think that it’s serious that the previous Government lost control of our borders.”

He added: “It’s a serious issue that requires a serious answer and that is why we will set up our Border Security Command to take down the gangs that are running this vile trade. What we won’t do is waste further time on a gimmick that cost a fortune and removed just four volunteers.”

PMQs: Stephen Flynn jokes Tories now sitting 'too close for comfort' on Opposition bench

Stephen Flynn has joked that Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party were now sitting "too close for comfort" now they have joined him on the Opposition bench.

The SNP's leader in Westminster said: "May I again warmly congratulate the Prime Minister on ending Tory rule. In his campaign to do so, he was of course -"

Flynn was then cut off by laughter and heckles from MPs, including from one Tory MP who shouted 'and yours' in relation to the SNP rule in Scotland, before he said Sunak and his Party were "too close for comfort now".

He continued to ask: "In his campaign to do, so he was of course joined by Gordon Brown, and just five days before the General Election in Scotland on the front page of the Daily Record, Gordon Brown instructed voters to vote Labour to end child poverty.

"Yet last night, Labour MPs from Scotland were instructed to retain the two child cap which forces children into poverty. So Prime Minister, what changed?”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer replied: "I’m glad he mentioned Gordon Brown because the last Labour Government lifted millions of children out of poverty, something we’re very very proud of and this Government will approach the question with the same vigour with our new task force. Already we’ve taken steps, breakfast clubs, abolishing no-fault evictions, decent homes."

Flynn was reprimanded by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for holding a printout of the Daily Record headline he referred to, with Sir Lindsay saying: "Props are not allowed to be used. Never mind put it down. We don’t need any more."

PMQs: Starmer jokes he's 'more used to seeing Ed Davey in wetsuit'

Sir Keir Starmer has joked that "he's more used to seeing Ed Davey in a wetsuit" after the Lib Dem leader's antics during the General Election Campaign.

Addressing the Commons, Davey said: "Thank you Mr Speaker and can I welcome the Prime Minister to his place in his first PMQs?

"Can I associate myself and my party with the comments he made about your attack on the soldier in Kent, our thoughts are with his family and friends and comrades, and I also associate myself with his comments on team GB and how we want them to succeed in Paris.

"The Prime Minister has many messes that he’s inherited, one of them is the scandal over the carers' allowance repayments. One of my constituents Andrea, who is a full-time carer for her elderly mum and who went back to work part-time for mental health, tells me she was earning less than £7,000 a year and has been hit by a bill from the DWP for £4,600.

"She is just one of tens of thousands of carers facing these repayments, punished for working, and earning just a few more pounds than the earnings limit so will the Prime Minister agree to meet with me and other family carers to try to resolve this matter?

Starmer jokingly replied "Can I thank the honourable member for raising this.

"He has of course been a tireless advocate for carers and I don’t think any of us could be anything other than moved when we saw the video of him and his son put out during the election campaign.

"He talks about Team GB, I'm glad he's in a suit today because we're more used to seeing him in a wetsuit."

The comment was met by laughter from MPs including Davey.

Starmer continued: “But in relation to this issue we have a more severe crisis than we thought as we go through the books of the last 14 years. (The Conservatives) don’t like it, there was a reason the electorate rejected them so profoundly.

“So we’ll review the challenges that we face. We do want to work with the sector and where we can across the House to create a national care service covering all these aspects and we’ll start with carers and those that work in the care sector with a fair pay agreement.”

PMQs: Sunak thanks Starmer for stance on Ukraine

Rishi Sunak has said he “very much welcomes” words committing the UK Government to “Ukraine’s irreversible path to Nato membership”.

The former Prime Minister urged Sir Keir Starmer to confirm “fatuous Russian claims on Ukrainian territory must not act as a block to Ukraine joining the Nato defensive alliance”.

The Prime Minister Sir Keir replied: “It is for Nato allies to decide who is a member of Nato.

“Formed 75 years ago, a proud and probably most successful alliance that’s ever been formed, and that’s why it was really important at the summit that we were able to say there is now this irreversible path to membership. That’s a step forward from a year ago, and President Zelensky was very pleased we’ve been able to make that successful transition.”

Sunak continued: “Thanks to the complex legal and diplomatic work that the UK has led over the past several months, together with our allies Canada and America, the Prime Minister will I hope now find that there is a sound and established legal basis to go further on sanctions and seize Russian assets, and use them to fund Ukrainian reconstruction.

“That work has taken time but I hope he is able to take a look at it, and can he confirm for the House that this work is something that he will take forward, because if he does, I can assure him that the opposition will support him in doing so?”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer replied: “I’m grateful for this opportunity to say how united we were on the question of sanctions across this House.

“The use now made of what has been seized and frozen is an important issue on which I think we can move forward, and I know the Chancellor is already beginning to have some discussions about how we can take more effective measures.

“Again, I will seek to reach out across the House as we do this important work together.”

Tory merger with Farage rejected outright by leadership candidate on day one of race

A merger between the Conservative Party and Reform UK has been rejected outright by a top leadership candidate.

James Cleverly shut down the idea of a merger with Nigel Farage’s Party which could have united those on the right of the party under one banner if he were to become the next Tory leader.

So far, Cleverly is the only contender to have released a video announcing his bid, while Conservative MP for Wetherby and Easingwold Sir Alec Shelbrooke has nominated former Home Secretary Priti Patel for the position.

“The Conservative Party doesn’t do mergers” Cleverly told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“The simple truth is that we have got a series of principles.”

Nominations in the contest to become the next Conservative Party leader opened today in the race to replace Rishi Sunak.

Other potential leadership contenders include shadow communities secretary Kemi Badenoch, former work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, former home secretary Dame Priti Patel, shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat and former immigration minister Robert Jenrick.

Under plans drawn up by the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs and the party board, the Tories will elect their new leader on November 2.

Nominations will open on Wednesday evening and close in the afternoon on July 29.

Sunak, who will remain acting leader until a successor is appointed, has given his backing to the plans and said a “smooth and orderly transition” is in the “national interest”.

Home Secretary blasts Tory record on law and order as new ONS crime data revealed

Yvette Cooper has slammed the Conservatives' record on law and order after new Office for National Statistics crime data was released today.

The data which looked at crime in England and Wales in the year ending March 2024 showed victim-based crime has generally decreased over the last 10 years with some notable exceptions, such as sexual assault.

However, shoplifting has seen major increases and remains at its highest level in 20 years. In addition, robbery, offences involving knives or sharp instruments and offences involving firearms have also increased over the last year while remaining below pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic levels.

The Home Secretary, commenting on today’s crime figures from the Office for National Statistics, said: “These figures show the disgraceful dereliction of the last Tory Government on law and order – they deserted our town centres and high streets, leaving local people to face soaring levels of street crime.

“Shoplifting has shot up to 20-year highs, hitting our local businesses and hurting communities in our towns and cities, yet the number of neighbourhood police on our streets has plummeted, with devastating consequences for public confidence. Knife crime, which tears families apart, has risen yet again, and we’ve seen a steep rise in stalking and harassment offences which disproportionately impact women and girls.

“We can’t carry on like this. This Labour government will put neighbourhood police back on the beat in our town centres, with stronger laws on knife crime, shoplifting and assaults on shop workers to keep our communities safe.

“Labour has set an unprecedented mission to halve serious violence in ten years and to restore confidence in policing and the criminal justice system. We will be a government of law and order that puts the safety and security of our communities at its heart.”

Nigel Farage rages at Labour after quietly axing word 'illegal' from migrant plan

Nigel Farage has accused the Home Office of wanting to "bury" illegal immigration by swapping the word "illegal" for "irregular."

In a post on social media, the Home Office said it was "taking control of irregular migration."

It comes as Home Office figures showed nearly 1,500 migrants had arrived in the UK on small boats across the Channel in one week.

Some 1,499 people made the journey in 27 boats from July 15 to 21, while the French coastguard confirmed two people died amid rescue operations off the northern French coast.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Do you think the two child benefit cap should be scrapped? - VOTE IN OUR POLL

An SNP amendment to the King's Speech on the two-child benefit cap was defeated in Parliament last night.

Stephen Flynn tabled an amendment which would have allowed parents to claim child tax credit or universal credit for more than two children.

The amendment was defeated after just 103 MPs voted in favour of it, while 363 voted against.

Of those 103, seven of them were Labour MPs, despite the Government whipping them to vote against the amendment.

DO YOU THINK THE TWO CHILD BENEFIT CAP SHOULD BE SCRAPPED? - VOTE IN OUR POLL HERE

Eluned Morgan set to become next Welsh Labour leader

Eluned Morgan is expected to be named the new leader of Welsh Labour and likely First Minister of Wales today.

She will replace Vaughan Gething, who announced his resignation last week after a torrid four months in office, featuring rows over donations and sacked ministers.

Baroness Morgan, 57, the current Welsh health minister, is the only contender to be the Welsh Labour Party’s new leader, with nominations closing at midday.

When confirmed, she would become the first woman to lead the Welsh Government.

Welsh Conservatives have already said they will be asking for a recall if she wins, with party leader Andrew RT Davies saying this would “give Wales greater stability”.

But Plaid Cymru has repeatedly called for a snap election with party leader Rhun ap Iorwerth insisting that Baroness Morgan’s leadership will be “more of the same”.

He said: “Eluned Morgan will today become the third Labour leader in Wales in three months.

“She knows that for Welsh Government to have legitimacy in such circumstances, a fresh election is needed, as Labour themselves called for when both UK and Scottish governments went through successive leadership changes.

“But they won’t allow an election, and will do all they can, including teaming up with the Conservatives, to stop that happening, it seems.”

WATCH: Robert Jenrick REFUSES to answer questions on Tory leadership 

Farage blasts Labour over statement on 'irregular migration'

Labour wants to bury illegal immigration as a subject and they are now using the word ‘irregular’.

We will not let them get away with it. https://t.co/9jE40PstUv

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) July 24, 2024

Keir Starmer issues statement after soldier stabbed in Kent

I am shocked and appalled by the news that a soldier has been attacked in Kent.

All our thoughts are with the soldier, his family and our Armed Forces community, who serve to keep all of us safe.

I wish him a swift recovery.

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 24, 2024

Should we have a referendum on our membership of the ECHR? - VOTE IN OUR POLL

During his maiden speech in the House of Commons, Nigel Farage called for a referendum on leaving the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

The Clacton MP said that the ECHR had "now completely outlived its usefulness".

He said leaving the ECHR was the only way to actually stop small boat Channel crossings.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD THERE BE A REFERENDUM ON LEAVING THE ECHR? VOTE IN OUR POLL HERE

WATCH: Jonathan Gullis says he will be backing Priti Patel in the leadership race

WATCH: Cleverly explains why he is running to lead the Conservative Party

I’m running to be Conservative Party Leader. Here’s why 👇 pic.twitter.com/6eFPMocIyc

— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) July 23, 2024

Shadow Welsh secretary accuses Labour of ‘taking Wales for granted’

The new shadow secretary of state for Wales has accused Labour of “taking Wales for granted” after his party, the Conservatives, were wiped out there.

Lord Davies of Gower, who sits in the House of Lords, has taken on the shadow Cabinet role after the Tories lost every MP in Wales.

Lord Davies told peers that Wales was only named once in the King’s Speech and urged the Government to match the previous Government’s commitments to the Welsh people.

He said: “Wales was only named once and that was in reference to the Government’s plan to make a Council of the Nations and Regions.

“And sadly, I believe this could well be a reality check for what is to come, that is Labour once again taking Wales for granted.”

He claimed that the difference in delivery between the last Government and the current one “seems very stark”.

He asked: “Who was it that delivered an additional £18billion, the biggest block grant in the history of devolution to Wales? It was the Conservatives.

“Who delivered two freeports and two investment zones for Wales? The Conservatives.

“Who delivered two cuts to national insurance to help Welsh workers? The Conservatives.

“And who protected more than 100,000 jobs from being lost with an ambitious furlough scheme? Yes, it was the Conservatives.”

Starmer faces PMQs grilling after rebellion over two-child benefit cap

Sir Keir Starmer faces a Commons grilling in his first Prime Minister’s Questions amid backbench unease over a vote on the two-child benefit cap that saw him suspend seven Labour MPs.

The PM will be quizzed from the Government benches by MPs for the first time since entering No10 after stripping Labour rebels of the whip for backing an SNP motion to scrap the welfare measure.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, ex-business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussain and Zarah Sultana have been suspended from the parliamentary party.

Braverman tipped to launch bid for Tory leadership

Suella Braverman has been tipped to launch a bid for the Tory leadership as she warned the Tories must not become “a collection of fanatical, irrelevant, centrist cranks”.

On Tuesday, she used a slot guest-hosting a radio programme to argue that “we had quite a centrist Conservative agenda” and that “identity politics got out of control” under Sunak.

“We need to be a party that’s firm and credible on immigration,” she said.

“We need to give some hope to the British people on taxation, robust on security and defence, and a real champion for common-sense British values. None of this divisive identity politics and woke nonsense. It really frustrates me that that has happened on our watch.”

Braverman later dodged a caller’s question on whether she would throw her hat in the ring.