Category Archives: Kemi Badenoch

Government made ‘every effort’ to support China spying trial, says minister

Posted on by

Dan Jarvis accuses Tories of suggesting case was deliberately abandoned ‘without a shred of evidence’

The government made “every effort” to support the trial of two men accused of spying for China, a minister has said, as he accused the Tories of claiming the case was deliberately abandoned “without a shred of evidence”.

Dan Jarvis, the security minister, issued a robust defence of Jonathan Powell in the Commons after reports that Keir Starmer’s national security adviser played a role in the collapse of the case.

Continue reading...

Tory plan to abolish stamp duty ‘will benefit London and the wealthiest the most’ – as it happened

Posted on by

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here

Voting in the Labour deputy leadership election opens today. Lucy Powell, the former Commons leader, is seen as the favourite and, as Jessica Elgot reports, Powell told supporters yesterday that, if she is elected, she will use the post to argue for changes in the way the government is operating. “We can’t sugarcoat the fact that things aren’t going well,” she said.

Powell is no longer a government minister and, if she is elected deputy leader, she will do the job from the backbenches. In an interview on Newsnight last night, Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary standing against Powell, said a Powell victory would be “destabilising” for the party. She said:

[Electing Powell] risks destabilising the party … we best achieve what we need to do together when we have those fierce conversations, including disagreements, behind closed doors.

Members need to understand that there’s a potential challenge around all of that – that if you’re not inside when the big decisions are being made, you’re not at that table, you’re not in those conversations.

Continue reading...

A British Ice and more stop and search: Badenoch’s Tories set out new policies

Posted on by

Shadow ministers have announced far-reaching and often radical proposals – here is a roundup of some of them

Kemi Badenoch warned her shadow cabinet in January not to expect any detailed policies until 2027. “We’re not creating policies for 2028 in 2025,” a Tory spokesperson said at the time.

This week that changed. At the Conservative party’s annual conference in Manchester, shadow ministers have lined up to announce detailed, far-reaching and often radical new policies.

Continue reading...

‘Not words that I would have used’: Stride distances himself from Jenrick’s ‘no white faces’ comments – UK politics live

Posted on by

Shadow chancellor distances himself from words after Robert Jenrick accused of racism in comments he made about Handsworth

Asked about the Jenrick story, Badenoch again suggests Guardian reporting is reliable.

Q: Jenrick was making a distinction between white faces and brown faces.

Continue reading...

Badenoch says Tories open to quitting more treaties to increase deportations

Posted on by

Party leader uses conference speech to outline proposal for UK to exit ECHR as part of wider bonfire of protections

A future Tory government would be open to dismantling more treaties as a means to deport people from the UK, Kemi Badenoch has said at the start of a Conservative party conference focused almost exclusively on immigration policy.

Making the first of two addresses to the gathering in Manchester, the Tory leader formally set out her proposal for the UK to quit the European convention on human rights (ECHR) as part of a wider bonfire of protections including an end to legal aid in immigration and asylum cases and the right to take migration decisions to tribunals or judicial review.

Continue reading...

Badenoch says her migration plan ‘credible’, but won’t say where 150,000 people a year being removed will go – UK politics live

Posted on by

Conservative leader grilled over her removals proposal ahead of party conference opening later today

The polling firm Opinium has released some research this morning suggesting that some Conservative party policies are popular with voters – but that, if people are explicitly told that they are Kemi Badenoch policies, their popularity goes down.

There is some evidence that Keir Starmer’s unpopularity has the same effect – and that, once a policy is associated with him, voters are less inclined to back it.

Continue reading...

Conservatives would take UK out of ECHR, Badenoch confirms

Posted on by

Leader says move is is necessary ‘to protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens’

Kemi Badenoch has announced that a Conservative government under her leadership would pull the UK out of the European convention on human rights.

The move marks a lurch to the right for the Tories, who are attempting to stem a loss of support to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Farage has long been a critic of the ECHR and has pledged to leave it if he becomes prime minister.

Continue reading...

Donald Trump joins royals for state banquet at Windsor as thousands protest against US president’s visit – UK politics live

Posted on by

Politicians, dignitaries and high-profile tech entrepreneurs attend feast

Lucy Powell has hit out at the “sexist” framing of her deputy Labour leadership campaign, with people claiming she and her rival, Bridget Phillipson, are standing as “proxies” for two men, Aletha Adu reports.

Most of Donald Trump’s policies horrify progressives and leftwingers in Britain, including Labour party members and supporters, but Keir Starmer has said almost nothing critical about the Trump administration because he has taken a view that maintaining good relations with the White House is in the national interest.

I understand the UK government’s position of being pragmatic on the international stage and wanting to maintain a good relationship with the leader of the most powerful country in the world. Faced with a revanchist Russia, Europe’s security feels less certain now than at any time since the second world war. And the threat of even higher US tariffs is ever present.

But it’s also important to ensure our special relationship includes being open and honest with each other. At times, this means being a critical friend and speaking truth to power – and being clear that we reject the politics of fear and division. Showing President Trump why he must back Ukraine, not Putin. Making the case for taking the climate emergency seriously. Urging the president to stop the tariff wars that are tearing global trade apart. And putting pressure on him to do much more to end Israel’s horrific onslaught on Gaza, as only he has the power to bring Israel’s brazen and repeated violations of international law to an end.

Continue reading...

Starmer urged to apologise to Epstein victims over Mandelson appointment — UK politics live

Posted on by

Kemi Badenoch and Ed Davey attack PM’s record over US ambassador during commons debate that was skipped by Starmer

Vikram Dodd is the Guardian’s crime correspondent.

Police expect to arrest 50 more people following Saturday’s large far-right-led march through London, the commissioner of the Metropolitan police said this morning.

If you are Conservative right-minded, then the future is Reform. The country is going to change a lot. The same people who thought that Brexit would not happen think that Reform will not happen. They are in for a shock.

Continue reading...

Conservative MP Danny Kruger says party is ‘over’ as he defects to Reform – UK politics live

Posted on by

Nigel Farage announces defection of MP for East Wiltshire and puts him in charge of preparing party for government

Nigel Farage has announced that Danny Kruger has defected to Reform UK from the Tories. Kruger, MP for East Wiltshire, is a leading social conservative, and co-chaired the New Conservatives group in the last parliament with Miriam Cates.

Farage said that Kruger would be in charge of preparing the part for government.

Continue reading...

No 10 says Starmer found Mandelson’s emails to Epstein ‘reprehensible’ – UK politics live

Posted on by

Despite being repeatedly asked, No 10 declines to say the PM was ‘misled’ by Mandelson

Stephen Doughty, a Foreign Office minister, is responding to the UQ about Peter Mandelson.

He starts by making the point that it is the anniversary of the “despicable” 9/11 terrorism attacks.

Keir Starmer must sack Peter Mandelson without further delay - and come clean about what he knew when, and whether he sanctioned blocking the publication of damaging material.

UK government documents shouldn’t be hidden from the public just because they are damaging to the Labour party - and by backing Peter Mandelson to the hilt, the prime minister’s own reputation is now on the line.

Continue reading...

Starmer says he has confidence in Peter Mandelson amid calls to sack him over Epstein ties – UK politics live

Posted on by

PM was grilled by Kemi Badenoch on suitability of Mandelson for job as US ambassador

Helena Horton is a Guardian environment reporter.

Emma Reynolds, the new environment secretary, had a difficult job this morning: meeting a group of farmers after Labour caused fury in the rural community by introducing a new inheritance tax.

The Treasury reserve, designed to be used for “genuinely unforeseen, unaffordable and unavoidable pressures” has recently been used to fund higher public sector pay and compensation payouts.

In a letter to ministers, the chancellor said Treasury would only consider providing reserve funds to departments that have already maximised their savings …

Continue reading...

Emily Thornberry joins deputy Labour leader race and says Gaza and wealth tax among her priorities – UK politics live

Posted on by

Thornberry joins Bridget Phillipson and Bell Ribeiro-Addy in having said she will stand

Kemi Badenoch has just delivered a speech offering to help Labour with legislationg for welfare cuts. I will post key points soon.

She is now taking questions.

Continue reading...

Farage a ‘Putin-loving, free speech impostor’ says Democrat before Reform head’s US speech – UK politics live

Posted on by

Jamie Raskin says Farage is ‘a Trump sycophant’ before UK politician addresses the House judiciary committee in Washington

Kemi Badenoch is probably hastily redrafting her PMQs script in the light of Angela Rayner’s statement about underpaying her stamp duty. She has got less than half an hour to craft the right questions. And she will probably want to ask about the economy, and hate speech laws, too.

Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question.

Continue reading...

Home secretary suspends refugee family reunion applications until new, tighter rules are put in place – as it happened

Posted on by

Yvette Cooper says rules were designed years ago to help families separated by war but are being used in a different way now

And while we are talking about Blair-era Labour aides, Peter Hyman, who wrote speeches for Tony Blair and later worked for Keir Starmer in the run-up to the general election, has launched a new Substack blog. It is called Changing the Story, which tells you quite a lot about what he thinks is going wrong with No 10. Here is an extract from his first post.

Starmer is an ‘opportunity’ prime minister forced to become a ‘security’ one. And that’s why the government’s narrative is seen by some to be elusive.

Let me explain.

I remember well Tim Allan’s leaving drinks at Number 10 in the earlyish Blair era. In his fulsome farewell speech Tony Blair noted only half jokingly “Tim’s even more right wing than me..”

The same Tim Allan who as head of Portland had a contract to polish Vladimir Putin’s reputation?

Continue reading...

Tories would maximise North Sea oil and gas extraction, Badenoch to say

Posted on by

Conservative leader says it is ‘absurd’ to shift away from fossil fuels and leave ‘vital resources untapped’

The Conservative party will aim to “maximise extraction” of oil and gas in the North Sea if it wins power, Kemi Badenoch is expected to announce.

Badenoch will use a speech in Aberdeen in the coming days to set out her plans to extract as much oil and gas as possible instead of shifting away from fossil fuels, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Continue reading...

Dozens of protests planned outside asylum hotels as Labour defends record on immigration – UK politics live

Posted on by

Labour has pledged to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the end of this parliament in 2029

In an interview on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Friday, MSP Jeremy Balfour who has resigned from the Scottish Conservatives (see 9.13am BST), said he feels the party has “lost its way in Scotland” and “I don’t think it represents true Conservative values”.

According to the PA news agency, when asked if Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay is the right person for the job and whether he should stay in the post, he said:

Clearly I’m no longer a member of the party so that’s no longer a decision for me to make.

I get on very well as an individual with Russell, I think he’s a good individual. Whether he’s the person to lead the Scottish Conservatives is obviously for MSPs, for the membership, to decide.

What I’m very clear about is that those with disabilities, other minorities and the people of Lothian need a voice for people to hear what we require within our country.

I’m not sure any party is actually offering that at the moment but whether I stand or not I’ll come to a view in the next few weeks.

It’s the party that’s moved, not me.

We are disappointed to read these comments but grateful for Jeremy’s service and wish him well.

The Scottish Conservatives, under Russell Findlay’s leadership, recognise that many people feel completely disconnected from politics. It is absolutely critical that our party continues to champion commonsense Conservative values and policies that focus on the issues of concern to hard-working Scots.

Continue reading...

Kemi Badenoch says she no longer sees herself as Nigerian despite upbringing

Posted on by

Conservative party leader, who grew up in Nigeria and US, says she has not renewed her Nigerian passport in decades

​Kemi Badenoch has said she no longer considers herself Nigerian and does not possess a Nigerian passport.

The Conservative party leader, who was born in London, but grew up in Nigeria and the US and did not return to the UK until she was 16, said she had not renewed her Nigerian passport in two decades.

Continue reading...

Wednesday briefing: ​The Conservative​s ​reshuffle​ in an attempt to ​stay ​relevant ​amid ​poor polling

Posted on by

In today’s newsletter: A year into opposition, Kemi Badenoch’s​ party is still searching for its place in UK politics

Good morning. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party (remember them?), has announced a reshuffle of her top team a year into her leadership.

The reshuffle itself has not come as a surprise – it was rumoured for months. Badenoch has kept much of her team in place, including the shadow home secretary, Robert Jenrick, shadow chancellor, Mel Stride, and the shadow foreign secretary, Priti Patel.

Israel-Gaza war | Israel’s government is pursuing an “unacceptable and morally unjustifiable” policy in Gaza, the Catholic Latin patriarch of Jerusalem has said after visiting a church in the territory that was attacked by Israeli forces and meeting survivors.

Environment | The world is on the brink of a breakthrough in the climate fight and fossil fuels are running out of road, the UN chief said on Tuesday, as he urged countries to funnel support into low-carbon energy.

Immigration | Officials are to start using artificial intelligence to help estimate the age of asylum seekers who say they are children, Angela Eagle, the immigration minister, said on Tuesday.

UK news | A man has been found guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service after handing over personal details of the then defence secretary, Grant Shapps, to two British undercover officers he believed to be Russian agents.

Music | Ozzy Osbourne, whose gleeful “Prince of Darkness” image made him one of the most iconic rock frontmen of all time, has died aged 76. His death comes less than three weeks after his retirement from performance.

Continue reading...

Wallace rejects claim Afghans with ‘tenuous’ links to UK admitted as ex-Tory minister says resettlement scheme was ‘hapless’ – live

Posted on by

Johnny Mercer, former veterans minister, sharply critical of how Afghan resettlement programme handled

In an interview with LBC Ben Wallace, the former Tory defence secretary, hit back at his former ministerial colleague Johnny Mercer rather more forcefully than he did on the Today programme (see 8.09am) over Mercer’s comments about the Afghan resettlement programme.

Tom Swarbrick, the presenter, quoted what Mercer said about how this “whole farcical process has been the most hapless display of ineptitude by successive ministers and officials that I saw in my time in government”.

No, I don’t agree with it. I think my record would show the opposite. It was me and Priti Patel, before the collapse of Kabul, who decided we were going to accelerate bringing people back who were under threat …

People hadn’t come out before. And we made sure that we did this. I think what Johnny, you know, fails to grasp, is quite the massive scale of collapse that happened very quickly in Afghanistan, leaving people at risk, and we had to do our very best.

Continue reading...