Indy TV

Labour’s promises to tackle knife crime are like “putting a collar on an XL Bully” dog, a BBC Question Time audience member said on Thursday’s (27 June) episode.The party’s manifesto says they aim to halve knife crime in a decade and pledges that every young person caught in possession of a knife will be referred to a youth offending team and will receive a plan to prevent reoffending, with penalties including curfews, tagging, and custody.Steven Rhodes, whose friend Tom Ellis died after was stabbed in Nuneaton on 8 June, described Labour’s plans to tag offenders as “like putting a collar on an XL Bully… it can still bite you.” More

Kemi Badenoch vowed that she will “never going to shut up” about the “divisive agenda of diversity politics” as she spoke at The British Chambers of Commerce annual conference on Thursday, 27 June.The equalities minister told an audience that Labour’s “vision of the future economy is one that micromanages your businesses to meet their political objectives and that includes – my favourite topic of course – the divisive agenda of identity politics”.It came after David Tennant said he wished the Conservative politician would “shut up” and suggested he hoped for a world in which she “doesn’t exist anymore”, while she fired back that he was a “bigot” in a row over LGBTQ+ rights. More

Sir Keir Starmer said he is backing England “all the way” at Euro 2024 as he explained why he has sympathy for Gareth Southgate.During an interview with Channel 5 News, the Labour Leader drew comparisons between himself and the England boss.“I’ve been changing my party, getting us to a position where we hope to win this election and along the way, almost everybody is giving their view,” Sir Keir said.“The same is happening to Gareth now.”Sir Keir also weighed in on the Cole Palmer debate, admitting he wasn’t sure he would start the Chelsea man in the next game, but that he is a “real talent”. More

Sir Keir Starmer visited a bone China factory on Thursday 27 June and stamped the word “change” onto a mug made by celebrity potter Keith Brymer Jones.The Great Pottery Throw Down expert judge made the mug as he chatted to the Labour leader about apprenticeships for craftspeople at a factory just outside Stoke.After Sir Keir pressed the Labour campaign slogan into the mug, he presented it to the cameras and crowd and said “brilliant, as clear as anything… change”.“Right, now I’ve got another 600 for you,” Brymer Jones joked, as the pair shook hands. More

Rishi Sunak repeatedly refused to say whether he told his parliamentary aide about the date of the general election, as the Metropolitan Police said they were investigating a “small number” of bets on the 4 July poll.So far five Conservatives are known to have been caught up in the Gambling Commission inquiry, including the prime minister’s former parliamentary aide, Craig Williams.During a campaign visit in Derbyshire, Mr Sunak was repeatedly asked whether he had confided in Mr Williams ahead of his surprise announcement of a summer election.“I’ve been clear about this. I’m furious to have learnt about these allegations,” he responded, refusing to directly answer the question. More

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake has admitted to making a bet on the Conservative Party winning the general election.Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Thursday (27 June), host Kate Garraway asked Mr Hollinrake if it is OK to put bets on the general election following the Tory party’s recent betting scandal.Mr Hollinrake replied: “I am always optimistic, I always felt it was possible.“It was some months ago when I made that bet but victory is always possible. “What we see on the doorstep is remarkably different to what we see in the polls.” More

Sir Ed Davey took to another paddleboard as his general election campaign continued and promptly fell off again on Wednesday, 26 June.The Liberal Democrat leader was participating paddleboard yoga on the River Thames in Streatley when he plunged into the water.He had previously been filmed in similar antics at Lake Windermere to outline his proposals to hold the water industry to account.The Lib Dems have unveiled plans to abolish Ofwat, the body responsible for economic regulation of the privatised water and sewerage industry in England and Wales, and introduce a new water regulator to tackle the sewage crisis. More

Mishal Husain told Sir Keir Starmer he “knows what it means to fall in behind a leader” after he attacked Rishi Sunak for having Liz Truss as a Conservative candidate during the pair’s final debate of the 2024 general election campaign on Wednesday, 26 June.The Labour leader was critisising the prime minister for “warning the country about Liz Truss… and in the next breath he said we must unite behind her.”The BBC host interrupted Sir Keir to point out his previous support for Jeremy Corbyn, in a remark that prompted laughter from Mr Sunak. More