Indy TV

Suella Braverman was met with silence when she approached pro-Palestine protesters who had set up an encampment at Cambridge University.The former home secretary attempted to engage with people wearing masks, asking them what their “message” would be to Israel and Hamas and if they thought hostages should be released.Each time she tried to talk to protesters, they did not respond to her.Tents were set up outside the university’s Senate House ahead of graduation ceremonies due to take place there.The events were instead held at Downing College due to the protest. More

Jeremy Hunt accused Labour of spreading “fake news” to try and win the general election with claims about his economic plans.Speaking in London on Friday, 17 May, the chancellor hit out at Labour’s judgement that scrapping national insurance would mean a £46bn funding gap, and lead to higher taxes on pensioners, telling the audience: “I don’t make any bones about it. It is fake news and it is an absolute disgrace to try and win this election by scaring pensioners about a policy that is not true.”Announcing that further tax cuts would be implemented in the autumn, Mr Hunt criticised Keir Starmer for promising “motherhood and apple pie” following his speech on Thursday. More

Rishi Sunak was confronted on why he “hates pensioners” by Janet Street-Porter, who was angered by the recent spring Budget, during an appearance on Loose Women on Thursday, 16 May.The prime minister laughed off the blunt question, in which the presenter pointed out that some measures in the announcement did not cater for older people, responding that the triple lock had seen a rise in the state pension.Elsewhere in the live grilling, Mr Sunak was confronted about his own sex education had been at school – but he could not remember. More

Gillian Keegan failed to give specific, non-anecdotal evidence that she has seen “inappropriate material” being taught in classrooms as she was grilled on the government’s approach to sex education.The education secretary told BBC Breakfast: “There have been materials which I’ve seen … things like choosing lots of different genders and identities, and saying which ones of these are gender identities, gender spectrum, it can be a spectrum, it’s fluid, you can have different genders on different days.”It came after reports that age limits are set to be imposed for the first time on when children can be taught about sex education. More

Nigel Farage has suggested it is unlikely that he will join the Conservative Party after Jacob Rees-Mogg revealed that he wanted the Tories to join forces with both him and members of Reform UK.“It’s just not going to happen because Rishi [Sunak] is not bold, he has no leadership whatsoever,” Mr Farage said, responding to the idea on GB News.The former Ukip leader went on to add that the “vast majority” of Conservative MPs have “no courage” and “no vision”.“This will not happen, even though Jacob [Rees-Mogg] thinks it’s a frightfully good idea.” More

Sir Keir Starmer joked that Rishi Sunak was on the front line of the “war against lanyards” after Esther McVey announced a ban on rainbow colours on the items if they are worn in the civil service.The “minister for common sense” said other “random” lanyards would not be allowed part of a new series of measures for a Tory “war on woke” .Ms McVey told the right-wing Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) think tank lanyards should be a “standard design.”“Working in the civil service is all about leaving your political views at the building entrance,” she added. More

Sir Keir Starmer opened this week’s session of Prime Minister’s Questions by poking fun at Esther McVey’s “vital crackdown” on colourful lanyards.The Labour leader was referencing Ms McVey’s call for civil servants to wear “standard design” lanyards and leave their political views “at the building entrance”.“On Monday the prime minister treated us to his 7th relaunch in 18 months, he vowed to take on the dangers that threaten the country,” Sir Keir said.“So it was good to see the minister for common sense immediately take up that mantle announcing a vital crackdown on the gravest of threats… colourful lanyards.” More

A Sky News presenter mocked a Tory minister over a spending announcement on new police technology.The Home Office said on Tuesday that it would give £3.5 million in additional funding for research and development of new technologies which aim to tackle knife crime.An additional £547,863 will also be given to the Metropolitan Police to fund four more live facial recognition camera vans.As Sky News presenter Wilfred Frost introduced Chris Philp on Wednesday morning (15 May), he questioned if the spending announcement was “a joke”.“With the greatest of respect, £4 million… it’s not very much,” he said. More