News

Nigel Farage stormed out of an interview as he was quizzed about Reform MP James McMurdock’s assault conviction.Mr Farage was asked about the party’s more “vigorous vetting standards” during an interview with Sky News on Thursday (28 November).When asked specifically about former investment banker Mr McMurdoch’s assault conviction 18 years ago, which The Times reported last week, Mr Farage appeared somewhat frustrated, before storming out, declaring he was “off for lunch”.The former investment banker did not publicly disclose his conviction for assault before being elected and claimed he had “pushed” his partner when details were first revealed this summer.But an official record of his sentencing obtained by the newspaper showed he was detained in a youth offenders’ institution for 21 days for kicking the victim “around four times”. More

Nigel Farage has claimed that senior members of Donald Trump’s incoming cabinet are “horrified” at Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.The prime minister and David Lammy have insisted had no choice but to hand over the islands, including Diego Garcia where the UK and US have their major airforce base, to Mauritius because of a ruling by the International Court of Justice.Sir Keir’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell is heading to the US to dissuade the president-elect from vetoing the deal.The Reform UK leader told BBC Newsnight: “[This deal is] totally unnecessary and there is no basis in international law that we have to do this that stands up.” More

Sir Ed Davey features on a new Christmas charity single in a bid to be this year’s festive number one.The Liberal Democrats leader collaborated with Bath Philharmonia’s Young Carers’ Choir on “Love Is Enough”, written by six current and former young carers.Sir Ed joined a full orchestra and 20 singers to record the track in Bath in October.Proceeds from downloads and streams of the single will go to the Carers Trust and Bath Philharmonia.Sir Ed’s idea for a Christmas release was inspired by his time as a chorister when he was a carer as a teenager. More

Kemi Badenoch appeared to refer to Angela Rayner as “the ginger nut” during a heated Prime Minister’s Questions clash with Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday, 27 November.The Conservative leader took a biscuit-themed swipe at the deputy prime minister as she referred to the boss of McVitie’s bakery products’ parent firm Pladis saying the case for investment in the UK is getting harder to see.“While the PM has been hobnobbing in Brazil, businesses have been struggling to digest his budget.” She added: “Isn’t it the case the Employment Rights Bill shows that it is not only the ginger nut that is causing him problems?” More

Sir Keir Starmer hit back at Kemi Badenoch’s suggestion that he should resign in light of a petition calling for a general election during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 27 November.The Conservative leader told the prime minister: “There’s a petition out there, two million people asking him to go.”Sir Keir referenced Labour’s large majority from this year’s general election as he dismissed Ms Badenoch’s calls for him to step down.”She talks about a petition, we had a massive petition on the 4th of July in this country,” Sir Keir replied. More

Wales could introduce a “tourism tax” to overnight visitors, Senedd lawmakers have announced.Finance secretary Mark Drake explained that local authorities would be able to choose whether or not to introduce the levy.The tax would mean the costs of maintaining public infrastructure and services will be shared by all those who benefit from them, including visitors.The considerable bulk of these costs will continue to be borne by local residents, Mr Drakeford added. More

A voter who started a petition calling for another general election has conceded that Labour should be given more time to win the electorate over.Michael Westwood launched the petition last week after growing “fed up” with Sir Keir Starmer just four months after Labour won the general election in a landslide.When Sky News host Kay Burley declared: “I think we should give them a bit more time,” the pub landlord agreed.”But what they promised and what they’re delivering is a different thing altogether,” he added. More