Markus Andrews

Labour has prepared a dossier of evidence it will hand over to police to prove Sir Keir Starmer worked beyond 1am on the night he was pictured drinking during lockdown, it has been reported. Sir Keir has vowed to resign as Labour leader if he is fined over a possible breach of Covid rules at the gathering in April 2021.The event at which Sir Keir and his team shared curry and beer in the constituency office of Mary Foy MP is being investigated by Durham Police – but Labour insists it cannot be compared with the parties held in Downing Street during lockdowns.The Guardian reported that party officials have compiled evidence they claim will prove the curry and beers were part of a long working day ahead of the Hartlepool by-election, meaning the behaviour of the leader and his subordinates was within the rules.The report said the evidence includes time-stamped logs of WhatsApp conversations, documents and video edits and will be handed to police. The Whatsapp messages are reportedly from a group set up for the Durham visit where tweets and scripts were discussed until the early hours.Messages from at least two senior aides – both of whom were at Ms Foy’s office at Durham Miners Hall – sent queries about work matters between 10.30pm and 1am, the Guardian said. A party source told the paper: “We have been totally clear that no rules were broken. We will provide documentary evidence that people were working before and after stopping to have food.”Elsewhere, a leaked planning note showed Sir Keir and Ms Foy were scheduled to have dinner in the Labour office where he was working from 8.40pm to 10pm, and then return to his hotel. The Conservatives claimed this showed the meal was pre-planned, blowing apart the defence that the takeaway was needed because there was nowhere else to eat.But legal experts said it could save the Labour leader as it proved the gathering was for work.The Beergate scandal escalated on Friday when police said they had opened an inquiry after being presented with new evidence.The investigation forced Sir Keir to put his political career on the line by promising in a speech on Monday to resign as leader if he is given a fixed penalty notice, though he stressed he was “absolutely clear” no rules were broken.He said: “I believe in honour, integrity and the principle that those who make the rules must follow them.“This matters. It matters because the British public deserve politicians who think the rules apply to them.” More

The first group of migrants will this week be informed of plans to deport them to Rwanda, the Home Office has confirmed.The UK government’s controversial new policy will see asylum seekers – who arrived via illegal routes from January this year – be sent to the east African nation while their immigration applications are processed.First flights are expected to take place in the coming months, the Home Office said on Monday night, adding that the government “has the power to detain individuals pending their removal from the UK”.Lawyers for some of those affected will almost certainly lodge claims to stop their removal – there are a number of legal challenges brought by charities that are protesting against the move.If the migrants’ applications are approved, they will be granted asylum or given refugee status in the UK.Those with failed applications will be offered the chance to apply for visas under other immigration routes if they wish to remain in Rwanda – but could still face deportation to their country of origin.Tens of thousands of people could end up being sent to Rwanda while they await news of their future, Boris Johnson has said.When the plan was announced last month, Priti Patel – who visited Rwanda to strike the deal with the country’s foreign minister Vincent Biruta – hailed it as a “world first” agreement.The home secretary has also said: “Britain’s asylum system is broken as criminals exploit and smuggle people into our country at huge costs to UK taxpayers.“The world-leading migration partnership with Rwanda means those making dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys to the UK may be relocated to Rwanda to have their claims for asylum considered and to rebuild their lives there, helping break the people smugglers’ business model and prevent loss of life.“This is just the first stage of the process and we know it will take time as some will seek to frustrate the process and delay removals.“I will not be deterred from acting to deliver on the changes the British people voted for to take back control of our money, laws and borders.”This year so far, at least 7,739 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel, according to an analysis of government figures by the PA news agency. The number is more than triple that of the same period in 2021 (2,439). More

Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to resign as Labour leader if he is issued with a fixed penalty notice by Durham Police for a possible breach of Covid rules.The Labour’s leader’s high-stakes gamble came after he cancelled morning commitments – including a keynote address on the Queen’s Speech – in the wake of continuing questions over a beer-and-curry gathering in April 2021.Putting his political career on the line, Sir Keir, who stressed that he was “absolutely clear” no rules were broken, said that if he is fined by police, he will “do the right thing and step down” as leader of the Labour Party.Moments after a hastily arranged press conference at the party’s London headquarters, his deputy, Angela Rayner, who was also at the event last spring, said she too would “do the decent thing and step down” if issued with a fixed penalty notice.After intense deliberations with close allies on Monday morning, Sir Keir told the public: “I believe in honour, integrity and the principle that those who make the rules must follow them.“This matters. It matters because the British public deserve politicians who think the rules apply to them”.He added: “They deserve politicians who hold themselves to the highest standards. And they deserve politicians who put the country first rather than themselves. They will always, always, get that from me.”Defending his actions, he said: “The idea that I would then casually break those rules is wrong, and frankly I don’t believe those accusing me believe it themselves. They are just trying to feed cynicism, so the public to believe all politicians are the same.“I am absolutely clear that no laws were broken. They were followed at all times. I simply had something to eat whilst working late in the evening, as any politician would do days before an election.Questions remained, however, over whether Sir Keir would stand down if Durham Constabulary suggests he may have broken the rules but does not issue a fine, as it did with former No 10 adviser Dominic Cummings.In 2020 the force said it had a “general approach” not “to take retrospective action” regarding Covid fines, “since this would amount to treating Mr Cummings differently from other members of the public”.Sir Keir first told reporters: “If you’ve made a law you should respect the law and if you’re found to be in breach of it you should step down.”But pressed further on the scenario, he added: “The penalty for a Covid breach is a fixed penalty notice, that’s a matter of law, and I’ve set out what the position is in relation to that.”Ms Rayner also stressed: “I’ve always been clear that I was at the event in Durham working in my capacity as deputy leader and that no rules were broken. Eating during a long day’s work was not against the rules.“We have a prime minister who has been found to have broken the rules, lied about it and then been fined. If I were issued with a fine, I would do the decent thing and step down.”After days of damaging questions over the April 2021 event, Sir Keir opted for the high-risk strategy after months of calling on Boris Johnson to resign after the prime minister was issued with a fine by the Metropolitan Police over the Partygate scandal.But he was first forced to pull out of a planned speech at the Institute for Government (IfG) on “meeting the challenges the country faces” ahead of the Queen’s Speech at the state opening of Parliament on Tuesday.The party declined to explain why the appearance was cancelled, other than to say “plans change”. Sir Keir also cancelled a planned attendance at a memorial event for the former Conservative cabinet minister James Brokenshire on Monday morning.A spokesperson for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice said Sir Keir had made the “right decision” and stood in contrast to the prime minister, who has refused to resign despite being the first sitting prime minister to be found to have broken the law.They said the comments showed “integrity, decency and respect to the bereaved”, adding: “At the end of the day the country can’t be led by someone who’s been fined for breaking lockdown rules.“The pandemic isn’t over, and if, God forbid, a new vaccine-resistant strain should emerge, it’s essential we have a leader with the moral authority to introduce restrictions if needed. If we don’t, lives could be lost as a result.”Harriet Harman, a former deputy leader of the Labour Party, told Sky News the move by Sir Keir was “in character with the person, he believes in the highest standards in public office”.“He’s doing it because he believes it is the right thing to do,” she said. “Probity in politics matters to him”.Meanwhile, Labour MP and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Sir Keir “needs to investigate whether people are leaking” Beergate revelations to the media from within the party. It follows a leak last weekend of a timetable for the event to a Sunday newspaper.Despite initially deciding not to take action when images of the Labour leader consuming beer first appeared, Durham Police announced on Friday it would launch an investigation into a potential breach of Covid laws.At the time of the Durham gathering, non-essential retail and outdoor venues including pub gardens were open, but social distancing rules – which included a ban on indoor mixing between households – remained in place.Labour has stressed, however, the event at Durham Miners’ Hall was within the rules, as it was held between work events and staff were campaigning in the Hartlepool by-election. More

The European Union has urged Boris Johnson to be honest about his Brexit deal as a minister said part of it could be unilaterally scrapped to reassure voters in Northern Ireland. European Commission vice president Maroš Šefčovič said the UK government should “dial down the rhetoric” and work to “find solutions within (the agreement’s) framework”.The row erupted as DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson warned the “long shadow” of the Northern Ireland protocol had to be removed before his party would re-enter power sharing government at Stormont.At the weekend Sinn Fein made history by becoming the first party in favour of a united Ireland to win the right to nominate the next first minister.But that appointment depends on Mr Donaldson’s staunch unionists agreeing to nominate the position of deputy first minister, prompting fears of a political stalemate which could last many months.In the run up to the poll, the DUP told voters they would not take part in any administration unless there was movement on the controversial protocol, which unionists warn has created a border down the Irish Sea separating them from the rest of the United Kingdom.The latest DUP warning came as Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis held talks with all of Northern Ireland’s political parties in which he urged them to get the devolved government up and running again.Earlier, universities minister Michelle Donelan said that scrapping the protocol was “one of the options”, in the wake of Sinn Fein’s success in the Stormont elections.But the UK government faces opposition to such a move from within the Northern Ireland Assembly itself. Much of the parliament is in favour of the protocol, which many politicians argue offers the ‘best of both worlds’ in terms of trade with both the UK and the rest of the EU.The controversial policy was designed to take the UK out of the EU’s single market without the creation of a ‘hard’ border on the island of Ireland. It requires checks on goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.Mr Šefčovič also urged the UK government to “dial down the rhetoric” and “be honest about the deal they signed” on the protocol.He told Politico that the EU had already “shown a lot of flexibility by proposing impactful, durable solutions and we stand ready to continue discussions. We need the UK government to dial down the rhetoric, be honest about the deal they signed and agree to find solutions within its framework”. Mr Donaldson said the DUP wanted to see “stable, devolved government” but “our position remains as it was, we need to see the issues around the protocol dealt with decisively”.“The long shadow of the protocol is casting its mark over [Stormont],” he warned, saying it had created a new border without the consent of unionists .He rejected the idea his stance was undemocratic, saying his party had a mandate from voters in last week’s elections. “I gave my word,” he added.He said the UK government had had “months and months and months” to negotiate a solution with the EU. “I’m saying to the EU and the UK government … I’m not interested in their parallel universe, I’m interested in the real world… which means sort this out,” he added.The DUP came under pressure from other parties in Northern Ireland to change its stance.Naomi Long, the leader of the Alliance Party, urged the party to “step up to the plate” and enter a new Stormont Executive.But there was support, albeit qualified, from the other main unionist party, the Ulster Unionist Party.Leader Doug Beattie said that if the protocol was the obstacle to a functioning administration at Stormont then it had to be resolved.”We need to get the executive up and running again so we can start providing for the people of Northern Ireland who are suffering under a cost of living crisis,” he said.”If the obstacle to doing that is the protocol then we need to deal with the protocol.”We all know what the landing zone is, no checks on goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland if they are staying in Northern Ireland. That gets rid of the border down the Irish Sea.”The EU Commission know this, the UK government know this and all five political parties who would form the executive know this also.”So we need to get on and get it done. Once we have dealt with it then it should leave the path open for an executive to be formed.”After talks with all the major parties, Mr Lewis said the “current situation with the protocol is fundamentally undermining the Belfast {Good Friday} Agreement and creating an unacceptable situation in Northern Ireland. We will continue to press the EU to agree the crucial changes that are urgently needed but will take nothing off the table in our pursuit of those solutions.” The protocol is not expected to be part of any legislative measures unveiled in the Queen’s Speech, although there could be some mention of a desire to resolve the issue. Also expected are measures to deal with a long-standing row over veterans, designed to ensure amnesty from prosecution over alleged crimes committed during the Troubles, does not apply to those who refuse to give information on unsolved cases. More

The UK is risking sanctions from the EU if Boris Johnson pursues his expected assault on the Human Rights Act, a Brexit legal expert is warning.The Queen’s Speech is expected to include a Bill to water down the landmark 1998 legislation, a shake-up that has prompted accusations of racism in in its removal of key safeguards.But it is also expected to remove the need for UK courts to follow decisions made by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which would trigger a new clash with Brussels.In the post-Brexit deal, the EU was seen as securing a victory in “locking-in” the UK’s future commitment to the ECHR – with the ability to re-examine security cooperation if that is flouted.“If the Bill goes as far as has been trailed, which is to say that UK courts don’t need to follow decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, that is serious,” said Catherine Barnard, deputy director of the UK in a Changing Europe think-tank.“It shows serious non-commitment to our obligations under that particular treaty – and it is worth bearing I mind that these are [Brexit] treaty obligations as well.”The UK would not have to pull out of the ECHR – an option floated, but ruled out by the justice secretary Dominic Raab – to risk retaliation, Ms Barnard told an event.The Christmas 2020 trade and cooperation agreement has left the sharing of vital crime and terrorism-fighting data with the EU “slower and more clunky”, a former national security adviser has warned.However, it did confound the worst fears by allowing the exchange of fingerprints, DNA and vehicle registration data to continue.The security part of the agreement can be terminated almost immediately if the UK rejects the ECHR, or suspended if it doesn’t sufficiently protect fundamental rights or the rule of law.Campaigners have warned the overhaul of the HRA is far more draconian than expected – accusing Mr Raab of a smokescreen in claiming he wants to protect free speech from “wokery and political correctness”Injustices such as the Hillsborough tragedy and the failure to investigate ‘black cab rapist’ John Worboys may have never been exposed if the curbs were already in place, they fear.The crackdown will also block attempts to enforce human rights even before they reach a courtroom, despite “terrible abuses” being revealed only once a legal case starts.And the plans for past “conduct” to be taken into account when claims are brought for rights violations will hit ethnic minority groups, Liberty protested.They are far more likely to be stopped by the police or questioned over their immigration status, and therefore arrested, fined or detained, it points out. More

Wes Streeting defends Keir Starmer over Beergate allegationsSir Keir Starmer is considering whether to pledge to resign if police conclude that he broke Covid rules during a work event in Durham dubbed “beergate”, and will make a statement on the issue later on Monday.The Labour leader was understood to be in talks about whether to announce the pledge after facing pressure to set out his position, having called for the resignation of the prime minister and chancellor after they were fined for a Covid breach.Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon has said that Tory attacks on the Labour leader were part of a “massive operation” to divert attention away from Boris Johnson’s “serial breaching” of lockdown rules.Ms Sturgeon said with a police investigation underway it “would be wrong for me to comment in any more detail”, but added: “What I do think is pretty obvious is that there is a massive operation underway on the part of the Conservatives to divert attention from Boris Johnson.“And not just Boris Johnson’s single breaking of the rules, but what appears to have been a serial breaching of the rules and, of course, Boris Johnson’s inability to be straight with the House of Commons.”Show latest update

1652108162No 10 fails to rule out £1,000 energy bill price riseDowning Street has not ruled out the possibility that energy bills could rise by nearly £1,000 when the regulator reviews the price cap in the autumn.It comes after the boss of ScottishPower, Keith Anderson, said that energy bills are likely to go up by that amount for millions of households around the country when the price cap is reviewed in October.Asked if the government recognised this figure, and if it was in the “ballpark” of its expectations, the PM’s official spokesman did not rule it out.“I can’t comment on speculation – obviously that … wouldn’t be right for me to do so,” he told reporters.“With Ofgem, I think it’s fair to say that we do expect there to be further increases later in the year, the Chancellor has talked about that and has made clear that we will look to do what we can to help with energy bills in the autumn when we know more about what the prices will (be).”Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 15:561652106694Johnson warned he risks EU sanctions with assault on Human Rights ActThe UK is risking sanctions from the EU if Boris Johnson pursues his expected assault on the Human Rights Act, a Brexit legal expert is warning.The Queen’s Speech is expected to include a Bill to water down the landmark 1998 legislation, a shake-up that has prompted accusations of racism in in its removal of key safeguards.But it is also expected to remove the need for UK courts to follow decisions made by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which would trigger a new clash with Brussels.Read the report from our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick: Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 15:311652105570Starmer to make statement at 4pmLabour is yet to formally comment on whether Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to resign if he is fined, but a Labour source told The Independent there will be “some movement in the next few hours”. It was later announced Sir Keir will deliver a statement at 4pm.Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 15:121652104354Millions warned they face £1,000 energy bill riseThe government must take urgent action and help the poorest households months before energy bills will rise again ahead of the winter months, the boss of a major energy company has said.Keith Anderson, who leads ScottishPower, said that energy bills are likely to go up by nearly another £1,000 for millions of households around the country next winter.“Given what’s going to happen in October, we think that urgent action is required to put in place a mechanism to support customers through this period,” he said.Here is the full report: Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 14:521652103094Asylum seekers to be threatened with Rwanda flight this weekAsylum seekers are expected to be told this week they could be sent to Rwanda as part of the Government’s latest deportation policy.It is understood the Home Office will notify the first group of people that they face a one-way ticket to the East African nation, amid legal challenges over the plans.Unconfirmed reports suggest the flights could take place within the next few weeks, with a small number of single men set to be removed in the first instance.Boris Johnson said tens of thousands of people could be flown to Rwanda under the agreement.But The Times reported that modelling by Home Office officials indicated that only 300 a year could be sent there. The department later said it did not recognise the figure and there was no cap on the number of people who may be sent to Rwanda.Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 14:311652101834Starmer considers pledge to resign if police find he broke Covid lawsSir Keir Starmer is considering whether to commit to resigning if police find he broke coronavirus rules as he battles to regain the political initiative while pressuring Boris Johnson over his own fine.The Labour leader was understood to be in talks on Monday about whether to announce the pledge, after pulling out of a scheduled event where he would have faced fresh questions.Allies insisted he was not “ducking scrutiny” by cancelling his attendance at the discussion, as he is investigated by police over the Durham beer-and-curry gathering in April last year.Here is the full story: Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 14:101652100761Sturgeon plans to offer ‘refreshing’ case for Scottish independence Nicola Sturgeon said her government will soon offer a refreshed case for Scottish independence, insisting recent election results showed there was a “growing sense that the UK in its current state is not serving the needs of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland”.The Scottish first minister spoke out after Sinn Fein won the most seats, 27 out of 90, in last week’s Stormont elections, entitling a non-unionist politician to take the role of Northern Ireland’s first minister fro the first time.Ms Sturgeon said this was a signal of “big changes in the years to come”, adding “I’m convinced one of those changes will be Scottish independence.”She said her government would start to set out white papers for independence “in the very near future”.It has been almost a decade since the previous independence white paper was published and Ms Sturgeon promised the new paper would be “refreshing” and put the “very positive case for independence”.Liam James9 May 2022 13:521652099681Queen due to appear tomorrow for state opening of parliamentDowning Street said the Queen is due to deliver her address at the state opening of parliament tomorrow despite doubt about her ability to meet other commitments.Buckingham Palace suggested the 96-year-old monarch may miss celebrations for her platinum jubilee this month. The Queen has been facing mobility issues since she was hospitalised in October last year, and has been undertaking mostly virtual engagements.Asked today about the Queen’s Speech, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The Palace themselves have said [the Queen] is due to do it and they will confirm tomorrow.”Liam James9 May 2022 13:341652098601Nicola Sturgeon accuses Tories of ‘massive operation’ to distract from Partygate with Starmer claimsNicola Sturgeon has accused the Conservatives of a “massive operation” to distract from the Partygate scandal by demanding police action over Keir Starmer’s beer-and-curry gathering (Rob Merrick writes).Durham Police is looking again at the meal organised for the Labour leader after campaigning in April last year, after cabinet ministers piled pressure on the force for a rethink.Sir Keir has pulled out of a speaking event to avoid questions, as some in Labour urge him to pledge to quit if he is fined – to pile pressure on Boris Johnson over his own penalty notice for breaching Covid rules.The Scottish first minister said it “would be wrong” to comment on a police investigation, saying: “Let’s wait and see what comes of this.”But she said: “What I do think is pretty obvious is that there is a massive operation underway on the part of the Conservatives to divert attention from Boris Johnson.”Liam James9 May 2022 13:161652097472‘All options open’ for cost of living support – Downing StreetDowning Street said the government is keeping “all options open” when it comes to addressing the cost of living crisis.Asked what Boris Johnson would say to Tory MPs demanding the income tax cut be brought forward, given the scale of the crisis this year, the prime minister’s official spokesman pointed to “significant support already available”.He said: “We know that this is [at] the forefront of the public’s mind; it’s certainly [at] the forefront of the prime minister’s mind and we will keep all options open.”On whether people will have to wait until the autumn budget before anything further is done, he said the government will act “when it is the right time to do so – I don’t restrict that to a certain period in the year”. Cabinet minister Brandon Lewis recently said there were “no plans” for new support before the autumn budget.One measure that has been discussed, and one that has divided the cabinet, is a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies. Last week a clash between chancellor Rishi Sunak, in support, and business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, against, was exposed.Asked today about plans for a windfall tax, the prime minister’s official spokesman said the government was against it as it would “deter investment at a time we need it most – not least in renewable energy”.Liam James9 May 2022 12:57 More

Wes Streeting defends Keir Starmer over Beergate allegationsSir Keir Starmer is considering whether to pledge to resign if police conclude that he broke Covid rules during a work event in Durham dubbed “beergate”, and will make a statement on the issue later on Monday.The Labour leader was understood to be in talks about whether to announce the pledge after facing pressure to set out his position, having called for the resignation of the prime minister and chancellor after they were fined for a Covid breach.Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon has said that Tory attacks on the Labour leader were part of a “massive operation” to divert attention away from Boris Johnson’s “serial breaching” of lockdown rules.Ms Sturgeon said with a police investigation underway it “would be wrong for me to comment in any more detail”, but added: “What I do think is pretty obvious is that there is a massive operation underway on the part of the Conservatives to divert attention from Boris Johnson.“And not just Boris Johnson’s single breaking of the rules, but what appears to have been a serial breaching of the rules and, of course, Boris Johnson’s inability to be straight with the House of Commons.”Show latest update

1652108162No 10 fails to rule out £1,000 energy bill price riseDowning Street has not ruled out the possibility that energy bills could rise by nearly £1,000 when the regulator reviews the price cap in the autumn.It comes after the boss of ScottishPower, Keith Anderson, said that energy bills are likely to go up by that amount for millions of households around the country when the price cap is reviewed in October.Asked if the government recognised this figure, and if it was in the “ballpark” of its expectations, the PM’s official spokesman did not rule it out.“I can’t comment on speculation – obviously that … wouldn’t be right for me to do so,” he told reporters.“With Ofgem, I think it’s fair to say that we do expect there to be further increases later in the year, the Chancellor has talked about that and has made clear that we will look to do what we can to help with energy bills in the autumn when we know more about what the prices will (be).”Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 15:561652106694Johnson warned he risks EU sanctions with assault on Human Rights ActThe UK is risking sanctions from the EU if Boris Johnson pursues his expected assault on the Human Rights Act, a Brexit legal expert is warning.The Queen’s Speech is expected to include a Bill to water down the landmark 1998 legislation, a shake-up that has prompted accusations of racism in in its removal of key safeguards.But it is also expected to remove the need for UK courts to follow decisions made by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which would trigger a new clash with Brussels.Read the report from our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick: Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 15:311652105570Starmer to make statement at 4pmLabour is yet to formally comment on whether Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to resign if he is fined, but a Labour source told The Independent there will be “some movement in the next few hours”. It was later announced Sir Keir will deliver a statement at 4pm.Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 15:121652104354Millions warned they face £1,000 energy bill riseThe government must take urgent action and help the poorest households months before energy bills will rise again ahead of the winter months, the boss of a major energy company has said.Keith Anderson, who leads ScottishPower, said that energy bills are likely to go up by nearly another £1,000 for millions of households around the country next winter.“Given what’s going to happen in October, we think that urgent action is required to put in place a mechanism to support customers through this period,” he said.Here is the full report: Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 14:521652103094Asylum seekers to be threatened with Rwanda flight this weekAsylum seekers are expected to be told this week they could be sent to Rwanda as part of the Government’s latest deportation policy.It is understood the Home Office will notify the first group of people that they face a one-way ticket to the East African nation, amid legal challenges over the plans.Unconfirmed reports suggest the flights could take place within the next few weeks, with a small number of single men set to be removed in the first instance.Boris Johnson said tens of thousands of people could be flown to Rwanda under the agreement.But The Times reported that modelling by Home Office officials indicated that only 300 a year could be sent there. The department later said it did not recognise the figure and there was no cap on the number of people who may be sent to Rwanda.Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 14:311652101834Starmer considers pledge to resign if police find he broke Covid lawsSir Keir Starmer is considering whether to commit to resigning if police find he broke coronavirus rules as he battles to regain the political initiative while pressuring Boris Johnson over his own fine.The Labour leader was understood to be in talks on Monday about whether to announce the pledge, after pulling out of a scheduled event where he would have faced fresh questions.Allies insisted he was not “ducking scrutiny” by cancelling his attendance at the discussion, as he is investigated by police over the Durham beer-and-curry gathering in April last year.Here is the full story: Tom Batchelor9 May 2022 14:101652100761Sturgeon plans to offer ‘refreshing’ case for Scottish independence Nicola Sturgeon said her government will soon offer a refreshed case for Scottish independence, insisting recent election results showed there was a “growing sense that the UK in its current state is not serving the needs of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland”.The Scottish first minister spoke out after Sinn Fein won the most seats, 27 out of 90, in last week’s Stormont elections, entitling a non-unionist politician to take the role of Northern Ireland’s first minister fro the first time.Ms Sturgeon said this was a signal of “big changes in the years to come”, adding “I’m convinced one of those changes will be Scottish independence.”She said her government would start to set out white papers for independence “in the very near future”.It has been almost a decade since the previous independence white paper was published and Ms Sturgeon promised the new paper would be “refreshing” and put the “very positive case for independence”.Liam James9 May 2022 13:521652099681Queen due to appear tomorrow for state opening of parliamentDowning Street said the Queen is due to deliver her address at the state opening of parliament tomorrow despite doubt about her ability to meet other commitments.Buckingham Palace suggested the 96-year-old monarch may miss celebrations for her platinum jubilee this month. The Queen has been facing mobility issues since she was hospitalised in October last year, and has been undertaking mostly virtual engagements.Asked today about the Queen’s Speech, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The Palace themselves have said [the Queen] is due to do it and they will confirm tomorrow.”Liam James9 May 2022 13:341652098601Nicola Sturgeon accuses Tories of ‘massive operation’ to distract from Partygate with Starmer claimsNicola Sturgeon has accused the Conservatives of a “massive operation” to distract from the Partygate scandal by demanding police action over Keir Starmer’s beer-and-curry gathering (Rob Merrick writes).Durham Police is looking again at the meal organised for the Labour leader after campaigning in April last year, after cabinet ministers piled pressure on the force for a rethink.Sir Keir has pulled out of a speaking event to avoid questions, as some in Labour urge him to pledge to quit if he is fined – to pile pressure on Boris Johnson over his own penalty notice for breaching Covid rules.The Scottish first minister said it “would be wrong” to comment on a police investigation, saying: “Let’s wait and see what comes of this.”But she said: “What I do think is pretty obvious is that there is a massive operation underway on the part of the Conservatives to divert attention from Boris Johnson.”Liam James9 May 2022 13:161652097472‘All options open’ for cost of living support – Downing StreetDowning Street said the government is keeping “all options open” when it comes to addressing the cost of living crisis.Asked what Boris Johnson would say to Tory MPs demanding the income tax cut be brought forward, given the scale of the crisis this year, the prime minister’s official spokesman pointed to “significant support already available”.He said: “We know that this is [at] the forefront of the public’s mind; it’s certainly [at] the forefront of the prime minister’s mind and we will keep all options open.”On whether people will have to wait until the autumn budget before anything further is done, he said the government will act “when it is the right time to do so – I don’t restrict that to a certain period in the year”. Cabinet minister Brandon Lewis recently said there were “no plans” for new support before the autumn budget.One measure that has been discussed, and one that has divided the cabinet, is a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies. Last week a clash between chancellor Rishi Sunak, in support, and business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, against, was exposed.Asked today about plans for a windfall tax, the prime minister’s official spokesman said the government was against it as it would “deter investment at a time we need it most – not least in renewable energy”.Liam James9 May 2022 12:57 More

Sir Keir Starmer is mulling with close allies whether to commit to resigning as Labour leader if he is issued with a fine by Durham police for a breach of Covid rules.The Independent understands the Labour leader will make a statement at 4pm, after cancelling a morning speech amid further questions of a beer-and-curry gathering in April 2021.Sir Keir, who has repeatedly called on Boris Johnson to resign after being issued with a fixed penalty notice over the Partygate scandal, has insisted he is “confident no rules were broken”.Despite initially deciding not take action when images of the Labour leader consuming beer first appeared, Durham Police announced on Friday it would launch an investigation into a potential breach of Covid laws.Labour has repeatedly said the event at Durham Miners’ Hall in April 2021 was within the rules, as it was held between work events and staff were campaigning in the Hartlepool by-election.Sir Keir, however, is now considering the high-risk strategy of announcing that he would resign as Labour leader if the police conclude he has broken Covid rules for his involvement in the event.The party is yet to formally comment, but a Labour source told The Independent there will be “some movement in the next few hours”. It was later announced Sir Keir will deliver a statement at 4pm.The Labour leader was understood to be in talks with close allies on Monday after pulling out a planned speech at the Institute for Government (IfG) on “meeting the challenges the country faces” ahead of the Queen’s Speech at the state opening of Parliament.The party earlier declined to explain why the appearance was cancelled, other than to say “plans change”.Sir Keir also cancelled his planned attendance at a memorial event for the former Conservative cabinet minister, James Brokenshire, on Monday morning.Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting earlier said he did not know why Sir Keir cancelled his appearance at the event but insisted he was not avoiding scrutiny.Mr Streeting told BBC Breakfast: “I have no idea why he cancelled the event and I certainly didn’t ask before I came on because I think it’s such a trivial issue.“The idea that Keir has been dodging questions… I mean he’s been out all weekend, even after a local election campaign where we did very well, he’s been out thanking Labour teams, particularly in the places that we did particularly well in these elections.”Mr Streeting added that Sir Keir has faced journalists “wherever he’s been”, including as recently as Saturday, adding: “The idea that Keir is somehow ducking scrutiny is simply not true.”On Monday, a poll by YouGov also found that 46 per cent of the public believed Sir Keir should resign if he is fined by Durham police for breaching Covid rules. A majority — 54 per cent — claimed that the Labour leader either “probably” or “definitely” flouted the rules.Previous surveys, however, have found a greater proportion of people want Boris Johnson to resign over the Partygate scandal, with an ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation probing 12 separate events in No 10 and government buildings.At the time of the Durham gathering, non-essential retail and outdoor venues, including pub gardens, were open, but social distancing rules, which included a ban on indoor mixing between households, remained in place.Sir Keir previously said no restaurants or pubs were open at the time of the alleged breach so “if you didn’t get a takeaway then our team wasn’t eating that evening”.Sir Keir, a former director of public prosecutions, told reporters on Saturday: “As I have explained a number of times, I was working in the office, we stopped for something to eat.“There was no party, no breach of rules, I am confident of that.” More