More stories

  • in

    Suella Braverman and BBC presenter clash over ‘openly Jewish’ video in ‘car-crash’ interview

    Suella Braverman and Mishal Husain clashed during a BBC Radio 4 interview listeners branded a “car-crash” as the MP admitted she had not seen the full video in which an antisemitism campaigner was described as “openly Jewish” by the Metropolitan Police.The pair discussed footage in which Gideon Falter was threatened with arrest and told his presence was “antagonising” protesters yards away in London.Ms Braverman called for Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to resign after the exchange.When Ms Husain proposed that Ms Braverman’s comments were based on “incomplete information,” the politician responded: “I’m basing what I’m saying on six months of information… The police have chosen a side.” More

  • in

    Suella Braverman calls for Mark Rowley’s resignation after ‘openly Jewish’ remark at pro-Palestine march

    Suella Braverman has called for Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to resign after an officer referred to antisemitism campaigner Gideon Falter as “openly Jewish,” threatened him with arrest, and said his presence was “antagonising” protesters.The force initially apologised for the incident, but then apologised for its apology after suggesting opponents of pro-Palestine marches “must know that their presence is provocative”.Speaking to Good Morning Britain on Monday, 22 April: “These marches have reached a threshold whereby they are unmanageable… and hateful to a large degree.“Sir Mark… I think he should go. The home secretary, the prime minister need to show leadership here.” More

  • in

    Sadiq Khan taunts Donald Trump during Eid celebrations: ‘This is how we run in London’

    The mayor of London celebrated Eid on Saturday 20 April by watching comedians and musicians in Trafalgar Square.Sadiq Khan taunted former US president Donald Trump as he addressed crowds from the stage in central London.It was the 19th annual Eid in the Square festival marking the end of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of fasting.Mr Khan told cheering onlookers: “I’m going to take a selfie and I’m going to send it to a good friend of mine, Donald Trump.“I’m going to say listen, ‘bruv’, this is how we run in London – I’m going to show him that our diversity is a strength not a weakness.” More

  • in

    Watch tetchy exchanges during Post Office inquiry: ‘I suggest you are lying’

    Post Office legal chief Rodric Williams has been accused of “lying” after failing to admit that the organisation feared an Alan Bates victory would lead to a “cascade of criminal appeals”.Mr Williams, who is currently head of legal in the Post Office’s dispute resolution and brand team, was being questioned over his previous role as a litigation lawyer during the Horizon scandal.He told the probe he was “truly sorry” for being associated with the “greatest miscarriage of justice we’ve seen” but was also accused of “lying” during his questioning on Friday 19 April. More

  • in

    Sunak dons red apron and gets to work cutting keys on Timpsons visit as he pledges to end ‘sick note culture’

    Rishi Sunak donned a red apron and goggles as he got to work cutting keys on a visit to Timpsons following his pledge to end the UK’s “sick note culture”.The prime minister today (19 April) announced a new “moral mission” to reform the welfare system, as he warned the number of economically inactive young people in Britain was a “tragedy”.But he was forced to deny his plans lacked compassion and were about saving money, as he faced accusations of “hostile rhetoric” and a “full-on assault on disabled people”. More

  • in

    Grant Shapps clashes with Kay Burley over Mark Menzies sleaze scandal: ‘Do you think it is funny?’

    Grant Shapps clashed with Sky News host Sky Burley as he was quizzed over the latest sleaze scandal to hit the Conservatives.Mark Menzies is the latest Tory MP to have his whip suspended.Mr Menzies is alleged to have used thousands of pounds given by donors to fund medical expenses and to have made a late-night call to a 78-year-old aide asking for help because he had been locked up by “bad people” demanding money for his release.Ms Burley asked Mr Shapps on Thursday (18 April): “Eight independent MPs, former Tories… what’s that saying about your party and the state of British politics?”Mr Shapps appeared to smirk and replied: “I thought I was on to talk about two wars.“Do you think it’s funny?”, Ms Burley asked. More

  • in

    Liz Truss calls on David Cameron to give Israel more support after Iran attack

    Liz Truss has called on foreign secretary David Cameron to give Israel more support following Iran’s attack.Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel last Saturday (14 April).The former prime minister said she is “concerned” the Foreign Office is “not wholly supportive of Israel”.Ms Truss appeared on ITV show Peston on Wednesday (17 April) when she was asked by the presenter: “Do you think that David Cameron, the current foreign secretary, is supportive enough of Israel?”Ms Truss replied: “I would like to see more support for Israel.” More

  • in

    Liz Truss says she was ‘completely blindsided’ as she is quizzed over disastrous mini-budget

    Former prime minister Lizz Truss said she was “completely blindsided” by the UK’s pension market prior to her disastrous mini-budget.Ms Truss appeared on ITV’s Peston show on Wednesday (17 April), where she admitted she and Kwasi Kwarteng – who was chancellor under Ms Truss’s government – didn’t know the “extent of the vulnerability” of the pensions market prior to their mini-budget in September 2022.The mini-budget included £45bn of unfunded tax cuts and was followed by days of turmoil on the markets, a fall in the value of the pound and rises in the cost of UK government borrowing and mortgage rates.Ms Truss said: “I didn’t know about it and Kwasi didn’t know about it either. So we were completely blindsided.” More