UK Politics

A Tory MP has been charged with two counts of sexual assault at a posh London private members club. Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Patrick Spencer has been charged over the alleged incidents which are said to have happened at central London’s Groucho Club in August 2023.Senior Conservatives have already told The Independent that if a by-election is called the seat is likely to fall to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. A Tory spokesman said: “The Conservative Party believes in integrity and high standards. We have taken immediate action. Patrick Spencer MP has been suspended from the Conservative Party, and the whip withdrawn, with immediate effect.“The Conservative Party cannot comment further on an ongoing legal case.”He had been told by Tory whips to stay away from the parliamentary estate while inquiries were ongoing.The Metropolitan Police said Mr Spencer was interviewed at a London police station in March over the incidents, relating to two separate women. Patrick Spencer is the Tory MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich More

Sir Keir Starmer has doubled down on his inflammatory comments on immigration as Labour backlash over the language he used grows.The prime minister’s warning that Britain is becoming a “island of strangers” as a result of migration has sparked alarm with claims that it was almost word for word as a line from Enoch Powell’s infamous “rivers of blood” speech in 1968 that whipped up a frenzy of anti-immigration hatred across the UK.Downing Street has denied that any comparisons should be made with the rightwing Tory, who is a political hero of Nigel Farage, and the prime minister has already denied that his hardline approach on immigration is a reaction to Reform UK’s surge in popularity and crushing Labour in the recent local elections.A spokesman for the prime minister insisted that Sir Keir “absolutely stands by” his language including claims that mass immigration has done “incalculable damage” to the British economy.” He added: “We have set out a number of priorities, getting net migration down is one of those. The PM made his argument in his own language.”But veteran Labour MP and anti-racism campaigner Diane Abbott, a former shadow home secretary, has led the latest wave of criticism from Labour’s backbenches against Sir Keir’s stance.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks during a press conference on the Immigration White Paper in the Downing Street Briefing Room More

Ed Miliband’s wife has objected to the redevelopment of a new block of flats near the family’s home, amid the government’s push to build 1.5 million new homes by the next election.Dame Justine Thornton, who has been married to the energy secretary since 2011, is opposing the development in north London, claiming it is “too tall, too bulky and too dense” for their neighbourhood. A source close to the High Court judge told The Independent she had no objection to the principle of new housing on the site, but was simply referring to a specific design. Dame Justine Thornton, wife of Net Zero secretary Ed Miliband, has joined other north London residents in objecting to the plans More

Peter Mandelson has dismissed the notion of Nigel Farage becoming Britain’s prime minister, despite Reform UK’s success in the local elections. The UK’s ambassador to the US said Mr Farage, who is leading in the polls and won hundreds of council seats this month, was capitalising on voters’ frustrations at the lack of progress made by Labour in power.Speaking at an event in Washington, Lord Mandelson said: “I’m not sure [the recent success] translates into people imagining that he’s going to be prime minister.“But I take him seriously. Obviously, I think he’s got a strong, popular vote.” Lord Mandelson stood beside Donald Trump as he announced the trade deal with Britain More

Former immigration minister and Tory frontbencher Robert Jenrick has issued a defence of Sir Keir Starmer’s claim that the UK risks becoming “island of strangers” as a result of migration. Sir Keir faced backlash for the remark, which he made while laying out some of the toughest rules in recent history to crack down on immigration.The PM also said that the number of people entering the country is causing “incalculable damage” – comments that have provoked a furious backlash, with his own MPs joining trade unions and charities in comparing the language with that of the far right and Enoch Powell.Sir Keir Starmer has faced criticism of his immigration plans from across the political spectrum More

The UK’s right to sell F-35 fighter jet parts to the Israeli military will this week be the subject of a High Court case brought against the British government.In a long-running legal challenge, human rights’ groups and lawyers have argued that the UK’s sale of arms to Israel – despite the government’s own assessment that Israel is not committed to complying with international humanitarian law in its destructive Gaza campaign – is unlawful.A four-day judicial review brought by Palestinian rights group Al-Haq will start in the High Court on Tuesday. If successful, it could force the government to quash a previous decision to not include F-35 fighter jet parts in the suspension of 30 arms licences to Israel.The government argues that suspending licences for F-35 parts would have damaging consequences for international peace and security.The case is backed by major rights organisations including Oxfam, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), which is representing Al-Haq in court. A number of left-wing MPs have also added their support.( More

The House of Lords continues to stand off with the Government in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman, with one peer arguing that passports can no longer be relied upon to verify someone’s sex.On Monday, peers voted on measures to demand public authorities record sex data based on biological sex. An amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill was backed by 200 to 183, majority 17, a Tory change which aims to ensure collection of relevant information is based on “sex at birth”, “natal sex” or “biological sex”.The Labour defeat came after a similar amendment was rejected by MPs and means a continuation of the tussle at Westminster, known as parliamentary ping-pong, where legislation is batted between the two Houses until agreement is reached.Last month, top judges unanimously ruled the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex.Sir Patrick Vallance said: ““We need to work through the effects of this ruling” (Lucy North/PA) More

Counter-terror police have launched an urgent probe after two properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer were damaged in suspected arson attacks.Fires broke out at the doors of two residences in north London within 24 hours of one another, prompting emergency services. The Metropolitan Police csaid it is investigating whether the fires were linked and said counter-terror police are involved. Scotland Yard is also looking into a vehicle fire as part of the probe.The London Fire Brigade attended one of the properties after reports of a fire shortly after 1.30am. The door to the property was damaged, but nobody was hurt.The home has been targeted repeatedly by protesters, including pro-Palestinian activists who have staged demonstrations outside the property. Forensics officers seen investigating the fire at the north London home More