Author: Fatimah Idera

Scottish government minister Jamie Hepburn has resigned following allegations that he physically assaulted Conservative MSP Douglas Ross during a heated exchange at Holyrood. Ross claimed Hepburn grabbed his shoulder and swore at him aggressively after First Minister’s Questions, following a row over the scheduling of a summit on seagulls. The confrontation came after the pair had clashed in the chamber over parliamentary business. In his resignation letter, Hepburn admitted his behaviour fell short of his personal standards. “Irrespective of whether or not the Ministerial Code has been breached, I believe I have not acted in accordance with my own code…

Attorney General Lord Hermer is facing mounting political criticism after it emerged he previously provided free legal advice to a charity that helps migrants resist deportation from the UK. In 2019, Lord Hermer worked pro bono for Bail for Immigration Detainees (BiD), a legal advocacy organisation that is now actively advising migrants on how to challenge deportations under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s new UK-France returns agreement. The “one in, one out” deal aims to speed up the removal of migrants who enter the UK illegally via small boats across the Channel. The controversy comes after the Home Office managed…

A second migrant has been deported from the UK to France under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s new one in, one out  returns agreement, following a failed legal attempt to halt the process. The Eritrean man, who crossed the English Channel in a small boat in August, was removed from the country early Friday morning after a High Court judge dismissed his claim that he may have been a victim of human trafficking. The deportation took place on a 6:15am Air France flight from Heathrow to Paris. The individual was accompanied by three Home Office security escorts and was seen…

Sex offenders in the North West and North East of England in UK will be included in a government pilot using chemical suppressants to reduce reoffending, Justice Secretary David Lammy has announced.

Keir Starmer sought to turn Donald Trump’s controversial state visit into an economic win, announcing a record £150bn package of US investment in the UK. The two-day visit began on Wednesday with the US president kept largely inside Windsor Castle amid tight security, while thousands of protesters gathered in London. Trump was welcomed by King Charles and Queen Camilla before a state banquet attended by business leaders including Apple’s Tim Cook and OpenAI’s Sam Altman. The investment announcement, billed as the largest ever in Britain, includes £90bn from private equity giant Blackstone, £3.9bn from Prologis, and £1.5bn from Palantir, with…

Nigel Farage has claimed Donald Trump knows he will become Britain’s next prime minister, as Reform UK continues to outpace Labour in the polls. Speaking to the Harry Cole Saves the West YouTube channel, the Reform leader said Trump and his top team saw similarities between their White House operation and Reform’s insurgent rise. “They think they see some similarities in what they’ve done and what we’ve done, and you know what, we speak the same language,” Farage said. Reform is currently polling at over 31 per cent more than 10 points ahead of Labour and would win a general…

Counter-terrorism police have arrested three people in Essex on suspicion of spying for Russia, in a case highlighting growing concerns about foreign interference in the UK. Two men, aged 41 and 46, and a 35-year-old woman were detained at separate addresses in Grays under section 3 of the National Security Act 2023, which criminalises assisting a foreign intelligence service. Scotland Yard confirmed the allegations relate specifically to Russia. The trio were questioned at a London police station before being released on bail with strict conditions. Officers also searched both Essex properties as part of the ongoing investigation. Commander Dominic Murphy,…

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has accused migrants of making a mockery of Britain’s laws by lodging last-minute claims to block deportations under the Government’s “one in, one out” deal with France. Her comments came after the High Court halted the removal of a 25-year-old Eritrean man on Tuesday, hours before his scheduled flight. The court ruled he should be given 14 days to present evidence that he is a victim of modern slavery. Mahmood said she would appeal the decision and review the Modern Slavery Act, warning it is being abused to frustrate removals. “Migrants suddenly deciding they are a…

Labour risks a near-wipeout in next year’s Welsh elections, with a new poll suggesting the party could lose two-thirds of its seats as Reform UK and Plaid Cymru gain ground. Labour currently holds 29 of 60 Senedd seats but is projected to slump to just 11 when the parliament expands to 96 members under a new proportional system in May. A YouGov/ITV Wales poll places Plaid on 30%, Reform on 29%, Labour on 14% and the Conservatives on 11%, highlighting dramatic shifts since Labour’s 40% vote share in 2021. Seat projections show Plaid on course for 38 seats, Reform 37,…

A former Labour councillor has been charged over the Westminster “honeytrap” scandal where MPs were coerced into sharing personal contact details. Oliver Steadman, 28, faces one count of blackmail and one charge of improper use of a public communications network, prosecutors confirmed. The charges relate to one victim. He has also been charged with four further counts of improper use of a public electronic communications network after allegedly sending unsolicited indecent images to four other victims. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the offences involve five people working in politics and Westminster. The scandal first emerged last year when Conservative…