Indy TV

Michael Gove has refused to follow Rishi Sunak’s example and enter into a £1,000 bet over the success of the Government’s Rwanda asylum scheme.The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “I don’t have that sort of money, Trevor.”But he added “we absolutely will” get flights off the ground before the general election.Asked whether he would make the bet with £100, Mr Gove said: “I would happily give you 100 quid, take you out for a very nice meal and spend that money on making sure that you are a happier man.”Phillips replied: “This is a political programme, not a dating agency.” More

Rishi Sunak has once again refused to be drawn on exactly when a general election could be called.Speaking to ITV News on Friday 9 February, the prime minister suggested the UK will have a “brighter future” with another Conservative government and claimed voting in Labour would be “going back to square one”.“We are going to have an election this year,” Mr Sunak said when asked if a vote would happen “sooner rather than later”.“We have had a tough couple of years, I am the first person to say that… but at the start of this year, we are really pointing in the right direction.” More

Paddy McGuinness shocked Question Time host Fiona Bruce – and the audience – by revealing his father once used pliers to pull his teeth.The panel, which also included James Daly and Wes Streeting, were discussing the difficulty of registering as an NHS dentist patient when a member of the audience asked if it was “time to invest in a pair of pliers”.“Funnily enough my dad did that, took his own teeth out because he couldn’t get a dentist appointment,” McGuinness said, drawing a shocked “what?” from Bruce.“This is a few years back, so I know that first hand.” More

Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard clashed with Jonathan Reynolds on Labour U-turns during an interview on Good Morning Britain on Friday 9 February.After listing U-turns on wealth tax, tuition fees and nationalisation, Mr Shephard suggested the public doesn’t know what Labour is going to deliver “because give it five months and you could change your minds.”“I don’t think it is fair to say – going back to previous Labour commitments from previous leaders – that there has been a change,” Mr Reynolds, the shadow secretary for business and trade, responded.“As you get to a general election year, we have to be ready, we have to have a manifesto ready.” More

Paddy McGuinness clashed with a Tory MP over the Brexit campaign promise about leaving the EU leading to £350m a week for the NHS.The comedian and TV presenter, 50, called out James Daly during an appearance on the BBC’s Question Time on Thursday, 7 February.As the new deputy chair of the Conservatives launched into a defence of his party, McGuinness questioned him: “Well where is it? Why is the NHS on its knees if it’s here? Why are they going on strike, nurses and doctors, if it’s here? Where is it?”Viewers praised McGuinness on social media, with one commenting: “Paddy McGuinness for PM. Wow.” More

Rishi Sunak was not making a joke about transgender people at Prime Minister’s Questions, a transgender writer has claimed.Mr Sunak refused to apologise to the family of murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey after his jibe while her mother was visiting parliament.Speaking to LBC on Thursday (7 February), Debbie Hayton defended Mr Sunak’s comments in the House of Commons the previous day.Ms Hayton said: “The focus of what Rishi Sunak was saying was at Keir Starmer”Starmer spent time not being able to declare what a woman is because he has to say different things to please different audiences.” More

Policing minister Chris Philp has defended Rishi Sunak after he made a joke about the “definition of a woman” as the mother of murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey visited parliament.In an interview with BBC Breakfast on Thursday (8 February), Mr Philp said: “The Prime Minister made no reference at all to any individual trans people.“It was Keir Starmer who introduced that. The Prime Minister was making a point about Labour’s very numerous flip-flops.”Asked about Brianna Ghey’s father’s call for an apology, Mr Philp said: “I think anyone who is interested in this issue should actually listen to the clip, listen to the initial exchange.” More