Braverman denies she will defect to Reform as IT outage forces Labour Cobra meeting – live
Source in Nigel Farage’s party says ex-home secretary expected to switch, possibly in autumn
Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
Tory party leadership hopeful Suella Braverman has denied she will defect to Reform UK if she loses the contest.
“There’s now so much antagonism towards Suella Braverman among MPs that there is now a generally held view that she will defect,” a senior Tory source told the i newspaper.
But a spokesperson for the ex-home secretary denied this, saying: “Suella has only recently been elected as a Conservative MP and has been a Conservative Party member for three decades.”
A Reform source told the i the party expects her to defect after losing the Tory leadership race, perhaps in the autumn, around conference time.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government is set to resume funding to UN Palestine relief agency UNRWA for Palestinians escaping the war in Gaza.
The Conservative government stopped the money alongside the US in January following accusations from Israel that staff members were involved in the 7 October attacks.
Following the major IT outage hitting airlines, train companies and banks, government officials held a Cobra emergency meeting to address the chaos for train and GP services and television channels.
What can Keir Starmer achieve in his meeting with European leaders?
Starmer’s ‘generational’ plan to rebuild UK and forge closer ties with EU
In his response to the King’s Speech, Rishi Sunak laid three clever bear traps for the Starmer government
Key policies from King’s Speech as Labour unveils promises for new Parliament
Defence secretary reiterates UK’s ‘steadfast support’ for Ukraine
The UK will provide military aid funding to Ukraine “for every year for the rest of the decade,” John Healey said.
The Defence Secretary told Times Radio: “If we take the starting point that the defence of the UK starts in Ukraine and if Putin wins in Ukraine he will not stop there, then we must stand with Ukraine, we’re determined to do that.
“And it isn’t just that. We’ve stepped up extra support in these first two weeks in Government.
“We’ve also confirmed the commitment of extra military aid funding this year and for every year for the rest of the decade. As long as it takes.”
He added: “When Keir Starmer said Britain will continue our steadfast support for Ukraine he meant it.”
Zelensky calls on UK to allow Ukrainian strikes on Russia
Volodymyr Zelensky used his historic address to the cabinet to urge Sir Keir Starmer to “show leadership” and let Ukraine use British weapons for strikes deep inside Russia:
Zelensky calls on Starmer to ‘show leadership’ and allow Ukrainian strikes on Russia
Ukrainian president becomes first foreign leader to address cabinet since Bill Clinton in 1997
Border Force returns small boat Channel migrants to France for first time
The UK took migrants saved in the Channel back to France for the first time in a sign of increased Anglo-French cooperation on small boats.
A Border Force Ranger catamaran and an RNLI lifeboat were dispatched from Dover after France called for help on Wednesday.
French ship PSP Cormoran picked up 59 people in the operation, and the British vessel rescued another 13.
One migrant died when their small boat deflated near Calais and they could not be resuscitated, but the other 71 people were taken back to France in both ships.
It was the first time a British vessel picked up migrants in French waters and returned them to France.
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full story:
Border Force returns Channel migrants to France for first time
A Border Force vessel supported the rescue of 71 migrants in French waters on Wednesday and helped return them to France
Nigel Farage condemned for ‘anti-immigrant’ rhetoric over Leeds riots comment
Nigel Farage has been condemned after branding the riots in Leeds a consequence of the “politics of the subcontinent”.
The Reform UK leader took to social media to comment about the violence that broke out in the streets of Harehills yesterday night. He wrote: “The politics of the subcontinent are currently playing out on the streets of Leeds. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The remarks have been widely denounced with secretary general of the Muslim Council slamming the remarks by “far-right commentators” an “anti-immigrant rhetoric”.
Zara Mohammed said: “Dreadful and dishonest attempts by far-right commentators to smear alarming events at Harehill as Muslim riots, inciting hate and playing to anti-immigrant rhetoric. Despite bravely trying to manage the crowd and calm tension, Councillor Mothin Ali subject to fake news and abuse.”
Local MP Alex Sobel has also criticised the Reform leader accusing him of spreading misinformation on the incident.
He said: “This is a situation you know nothing about and no one has briefed you on.You are inflaming a situation with misinformation.
“Politicians have a responsibility to not exacerbate situations particularly with no knowledge of them.I expect you to issue an apology.”
Conservatives take aim at Angela Rayner after Badenoch’s 'reality check’
Rwanda plan migrants’ cases could be resolved soon, court hears
The legal claims of several migrants once threatened with deportation to Rwanda could be resolved within a week after the government pledged to process “paused” asylum applications as a priority, the High Court has been told.
Asylum-seekers who arrived in the UK between January 1, 2022 and June 29, 2023 had been threatened with removal under a deal called the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) signed with the east African country by the former Conservative government, a judge was told.
In February, the Home Office said asylum applications of those who could be removed had been “paused”.
The plan was scrapped by the Labour government shortly after it was elected, but some migrants had already begun legal action over the so-called “pause policy”.
A preliminary hearing in London on Friday was due to hear the progress of the claims of two asylum-seekers taking legal action.
Kate Grange KC, for the Home Office, said in written submissions that the new Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, had been giving careful consideration on how to manage the MEDP cohort since being appointed to the role and decided that all of their asylum applications will be “substantively determined in the UK”.
Zelensky: ‘We feel this support'
In a bilateral meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the UK for its “unity” with and backing for Kyiv and said “we feel this support”.
Mr Zelensky said he wanted to discuss “strong decisions” in the war in Ukraine.
“Thank you for the invitation for the privilege for me to be here,” he said. “Thanks for this unity. We feel this support and your strong decisions helped us to defend freedom and democracy in Ukraine and helped very much Ukrainian people.”
He added: “I also want to discuss with you today also strong decisions we can have in this war (to) help us.”
Mayor of West Yorkshire ‘absolutely apalled’ by riots in Leeds
Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, said she is “absolutely appalled by the violent and thoughtless actions witnessed in Harehills last night”.
In a statement, she continued: “Such criminal behaviour will not be tolerated and I am in touch with West Yorkshire Police for regular updates on the progress of their investigation.
“I would urge everyone to refrain from speculation on social media and if members of the public believe they have footage of criminal behaviour, I would ask for this to be passed on to the police.
“I am relieved that nobody was seriously hurt in this incident – we will provide any support we can to the people of Harehills following the violence perpetrated in their community.”
Tories so diminished that nearly half of its MPs on front bench
Four in 10 Conservative MPs are now on the party’s front bench after Rishi Sunak made further appointments to his interim opposition team.
The former prime minister announced a flurry of junior appointments on Friday following the unveiling of his temporary shadow cabinet last week.
Friday’s announcement means there are now 51 MPs on the Conservative front bench, amounting to 42% of the total parliamentary party and underlining how far Tory numbers have dwindled.
Around 10 of those appointed on Friday are also doing more than one job.
Andrew Bowie, the shadow veterans minister, is now also a shadow energy security and net zero minister.
Hampshire MP Paul Holmes has been given three jobs, shadowing the Foreign Office and the Northern Ireland Office while also acting as a Tory whip.
Other appointments made on Friday include Alicia Kearns, the former Commons Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman, who has been made a shadow Foreign Office minister, and Danny Kruger, co-chair of the New Conservatives group, who has been made a shadow defence minister.
In the Lords, Earl Howe has been made shadow deputy leader of the house, continuing a 33-year unbroken run on the Conservative front bench that started when he was made a whip under John Major in 1991.
Friday’s appointments are likely to be temporary, with Mr Sunak’s replacement making their own choices once they have been elected.
Tory MP warns Conservatives may not yet be at its ‘lowest ebb’
Robert Jenrick has warned the Tories may not be at their “lowest ebb” yet and warned things could “undoubtedly could get worse”.
The ex-immigration minister, who could be running at the Tory leadership contest, said the party needs to “repent” for the mistakes made while in power.
Speaking on the BBC”s Political Thinking with Nick Robinson podcast, he said: “I think that’s a possibility. I don’t think that we should assume that the result that we’ve just suffered is our lowest ebb.
“If we fail to act now, with seriousness, and change the Conservative Party, then things undoubtedly could get worse.
“That’s why I think that we have to respond to this challenge by repenting for some of the mistakes we’ve made, such as on immigration, but not just on immigration.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments