UK Politics

World closest to nuclear armageddon since Cuban missile crisis, Sunak claimsSign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak is delivering a pre-election speech in a move to pitch to voters after this month’s local election blow.The Prime Minister has told voters the world is closest to nuclear war since the Cuban missile crisis. Speaking from London, he has pledged that “more will change in the next five years than in the last thirty” if the Conservatives get re-elected.Mr Sunak, who has branded Sir Keir Starmer “unprincipled” over Elphicke’s defection, has told voters they face a stark choice between the future and the past as he warned the country would be “less safer” under a Labour government. Touting his leadership in areas such as security, he is seeking to draw a dividing line with Labour over defence spending following his commitment to hike it to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2030.It comes as his Conservative Party dropped behind Labour in the polls suffering a mauling in local and regional elections earlier this month.Mr Sunak’s worries worsened with the astonishing defection of MP Natalie Elphicke in protest against his record on housing and stopping small boat Channel crossings.Show latest update 1715598572In full: ‘War has returned to Europe,’ Rishi Sunak warns of nuclear escalationIn his long-waited speech, Rishi Sunak has highlighted the UK’s threats from authoritarian states including Russia, Iran, North Korea and China. He added they are working to “undermine” the UK’s values. Specifically focusing on Vladimir Putin, he said the Russian president’s “recklessness has taken us closer to a dangerous nuclear escalation than at any point since the Cuban missile crisis”. World closest to nuclear armageddon since Cuban missile crisis, Sunak claimsSalma Ouaguira13 May 2024 12:091715611666Voting Intention: Labour widens the gap The Labour Party keeps leading the way over the Tories, according to a survey by Deltapoll.Today’s poll, conducted in the last three days, shows Labour at a 45 per cent of the voting intention. Sir Keir Starmer’s party has gone up by two points since the last polling. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are behind at 27%. The Lib Dems have gone down by two points with only eight per cent. Salma Ouaguira13 May 2024 15:471715611125DUP urges government to avoid fractures between regions with Rwanda policy DUP interim leader Gavin Robinson has urged the government to prevent a fracture in immigration policy between UK regions.He is accusing the Prime Minister of ignoring the fact his Rwanda plan was incompatible with the Windsor Framework. It comes after the Belfast High Court has today ruled parts of the Illegal Migration Act cannot be enforced in Northern Ireland. Welcoming the ruling, Mr Robinson said it serves to “blow the government’s irrational claims that the Rwanda scheme could extend equally to Northern Ireland completely out of the water”.He added: “For ministers to ignore what the courts have said would not be merely a case of sleepwalking into the creation of immigration border in the Irish Sea, but rather embarking on such a path with eyes wide open.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailWes Streeting has hit out at the treatment of Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner over a probe into her housing arrangements, as it was revealed that the police are to interview her under caution.Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Mr Streeting said that the whole saga “makes my blood boil” and he accused his colleague’s critics of attacking her because “she is a working-class success story”.The shadow health secretary was speaking to The Independent about his autobiographical book – One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry Up – which tracks his own rise from being born into severe poverty on an east London council estate to being one of the leading MPs in Westminster and talked up as a future leader.Greater Manchester Police are to question Ms Rayner over whether she broke electoral law by claiming to live in a property while actually living in one a few miles away in a different constituency with her partner. There have also been questions over whether she avoided paying capital gains tax when she sold the house.The allegations have been pursued by Tory critics and right-wing elements in the media after they emerged in an unauthorised biography of her by billionaire former Tory treasurer Lord Ashcroft.Angela Rayner is to be interviewed under caution by police More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailLabour MP Chris Bryant has revealed he is undergoing treatment after discovering his skin cancer has returned in his lungs.The Rhondda MP took to social media to share the latest update five years after he was first diagnosed with melanoma five years ago after his husband discovered a mole on his neck following a haircut.Doctors gave him just a 40 per cent chance of surviving the year in 2019 but after targeted therapy and skin grafts the stage three cancer was removed.For the past five years, the 62-year-old has had scans every six months and everyone has come back clean. However in February, he received the news that a type of skin cancer had been found on his right lung.“I was helping in the Kingswood by-election when the doctor rang me – on my birthday actually – to tell me I’m really sorry to say that the latest scan has shown up something in your right lung.”Mr Bryant (right) at the Kingswood by-election in February when he received his diagnosis More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailWatch as Rishi Sunak delivers a pre-election pitch to voters on Monday 13 May.The prime minister portrayed himself as the best leader to take the UK through “some of the most dangerous yet most transformational” years ever.Mr Sunak said he has “bold ideas” that can “create a more secure future” for Britons and restore their “confidence and pride in our country” if he wins the general election expected later this year.In a speech in central London, he added voters face a stark choice in whom they choose to govern the nation at a time of unprecedented global volatility and technological advancements.It comes as his Conservative Party languishes behind Labour in the polls and suffered a mauling in local and regional elections earlier this month.Mr Sunak’s woes deepened with the defection of MP Natalie Elphicke in protest against his record on housing and stopping small boat Channel crossings – the second defection to Labour in as many weeks.But he was buoyed by official figures showing the economy grew by 0.6 per cent over the first quarter, ending a technical recession recorded in the final half of last year. More

Rishi Sunak ruled out a January election in a speech on Monday, 12 May, after the Conservatives suffered blows in local and regional elections earlier this month.In a pre-election pitch to voters, the prime minister said: “At some point in the second half of this year, we will all go to the polls… I remain confident that my party can prevail, not because of our record alone, but because we will be the only party really talking about the future.”It came as the Tories dropped behind Labour in the polls.Mr Sunak has previously declined to rule out an election in July, repeatedly saying his “working assumption” is that it would be later this year. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak has fired the starting gun on what looks set to be a long general election campaign.In a desperate pitch to voters, with the Conservatives sitting 20 points behind Labour in the polls, the prime minister warned Britain is “at a crossroads”.And he pitched himself as the man with the “bold ideas” to “create a more secure future for you and your family”.Mr Sunak said he feels a “profound sense of urgency” about wanting to lead Britain through the challenges of the next five years.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a visit to a branch of Timpson (Yui Mok/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailNadhim Zahawi has announced his next role after confirming he will stand down at the next election.Last week Mr Zahawi joined the exodus of Tory MPs standing down at the election, which is expected to be held this autumn.The former chancellor has now been appointed chair of online retailer Very Group, which owns Very and Littlewoods. He will replace interim chair Aidan Barclay at the company which is part of the Barclay family’s business empire.The Barclays have owned Very Group since 2002, but the business recently swung to a half-year loss and was forced to secure £125 million in new debt funding from Carlyle Global Credit and IMI.The Very Group said in a statement that Mr Zahawi would work with the directors and management team to explore expanding the business in new areas.It also said he would work with shareholders on “the strategic options” for the business, possibly including fresh investment in the short to medium term.Aidan Barclay added: “I am delighted to welcome Nadhim to the Board of the Very Group.“With a proven track record in digital growth and innovation, and highly respected in the UK and global markets, he is ideally suited to lead our Board as the company enters its next stage of strategic development and growth.”Mr Zahawi, who co-founded the polling company YouGov in 2000, has held ministerial positions under the last four prime ministers – Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak.He had a short-lived stint as chancellor in the final days of Mr Johnson’s government. Other positions included Covid-19 vaccines minister, Conservative Party chairman and education secretary.Last week, he announced he would not run in the next election. He was sacked as Conservative Party chairman in January 2023 after an inquiry found he had failed to disclose that HMRC was investigating his tax affairs.The investigation was sparked by The Independent’s revelation of an HMRC investigation into the MP over his tax affairs. Mr Zahawi tried to stop this publication from exposing the investigation by threatening to sue if the information was published.Mr Zahawi did not sue, and paid a penalty of more than £1m to HMRC in a settlement worth almost £5m in total.( More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSir Keir Starmer is under pressure to investigate claims Natalie Elphicke lobbied the justice secretary in 2020 to intervene in her ex-husband’s sex offences trial.The Labour leader has been urged to launch a probe into the claims, made by Sir Robert Buckland, who on sunday said Ms Elphicke approached him when he was lord chancellor and justice secretary before the hearing of Charlie Elphicke’s case.Labour MP Jess Phillips said “there should always be an independent investigation into all these sorts of claims that come forward”.Jess Phillips said there should be an investigation into the claims about Ms Elphicke More