UK Politics

Musician Bob Geldof once threatened to storm out of Tony Blair’s Commission for Africa, warning it was in danger of becoming “a laughable grotesque”, according to newly released government files. The Live Aid campaigner was instrumental in convincing Mr Blair to establish the commission, which was intended to examine the continent’s problems before a crucial G8 summit at Gleneagles, Scotland, chaired by the UK.However, official papers released to the National Archives in Kew, west London, reveal Mr Geldof’s outrage when – after just one meeting – the commissioners were sent a document setting its “emerging conclusions”. Mr Geldof wrote an angry letter, dated 9 August 2004 and addressed to the economist Sir Nicholas Stern, the commission’s director of policy.In it, the musician said it was impossible to have come to any conclusions in such a short period of time. He was not prepared to serve on a body which was simply there to push “pre-determined government policy”, he warned.Then-Prime Minister Tony Blair and singer Bob Geldof speak to the media at the G8 summit in Gleneagles on 6 July 2005 More

Nigel Farage has defended people protesting outside an asylum hotel in Essex, claiming most were “genuinely concerned families”.The Reform UK leader insisted violent scenes outside the hotel were caused by “some bad eggs”, alleging clashes were between the “usual far-right thugs” and far-left anti-fascist activists, known as Antifa. Some of the demonstrators have been seen wearing black face coverings, similar to those often worn by members of Antifa, but it has not been verified whether the group has attended the protests.Mr Farage also claimed “civil disobedience on a vast scale” will break out unless migrants stop arriving to the UK on small boats.Six people were arrested on Sunday evening after a string of protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, which is believed to house asylum seekers. Eight police officers were injured following clashes at what had started as a peaceful demonstration on Thursday evening, while the latest rally on Sunday saw more than 100 protesters assemble, with some chanting “save our kids”.The events were organised in response to the arrest of an asylum seeker, who was later charged with sexual offences against a teenager and adult in the town, eight days after arriving to the UK via boat. Hadush Kebatu, 38, from Ethiopia, who denies the allegations and remains in custody, is charged with three counts of sexual assault, alongside inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and harassment without violence.Nigel Farage has defended those protesting outside an asylum hotel in Epping, claiming most were ‘genuinely concerned families’ More

Former Conservative MP Tom Hunt has been expelled from the party after an investigation into a disciplinary matter.The party announced the decision after a long investigation into the former Ipswich MP, who lost his seat in last year’s general election.A spokesman for the party said: “Tom Hunt has been expelled from the Conservative Party following a complaints process. This process is rightly confidential.”However, Mr Hunt has said that he is “disappointed” about the decision and indicated that he now intends to appeal.He told The Independent: “I am deeply disappointed by this provisional decision. I have strongly refuted the complaint from the start and continue to do so. I am currently seeking legal advice so it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage. It’s a confidential process.”Tom Hunt has been expelled by the Tories over a disciplinary issue following a complaintDuring his time as an MP, Mr Hunt was deputy chairman of the influential right-wing Common Sense Group of Tory MPs.In his role, he had pushed for the Rwanda deportation scheme, greater immigration control, leaving the European Convention of Human Rights and a tougher stance on so called culture war issues.His name had been mentioned in speculation over defectors to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, but he had remained loyal to the Tories.He was a key supporter of Kemi Badenoch when she first ran for the party leadership in 2022.At the time he wrote for The Ipswich Star: “I think she is genuinely courageous. Her delivery at the dispatch box is powerful. She speaks her mind, which is refreshing. She is passionate and patriotic, and I think she can excite and inspire the nation.”However, he since changed his mind and backed Ms Badenoch’s main rival Robert Jenrick in the contest last year before she won last year. More

David Lammy has joined other foreign ministers in condemning the Israeli government for depriving Gazans “of human dignity”.The foreign secretary and his counterparts from 24 other nations, including Australia, Canada and France, along with the European Union’s commissioner for equality, urged the Israeli government to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid”.They called for the war to “end now” and described proposals to move 600,000 Palestinians to a so-called “humanitarian city” in Rafah as “completely unacceptable”.In a statement shared on Monday afternoon, the politicians said: “The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.“The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. “We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.”Palestinians mourn their relatives who were killed while trying to reach aid trucks entering northern Gaza More

Traditional public service media is under threat and needs to be more discoverable on popular video sharing platforms like YouTube, regulatory body Ofcom has said.Its report, Transmission Critical: The Future of Public Service Media, says the Government should bring forward legislation to help “ensure that PSM content is prominent and easy to find on the platforms, and on fair commercial terms.”The regulator and competition authority has made a number of recommendations in its action plan that is seeking “urgent clarity from the Government on how TV will be distributed to reach audiences in the future.”Group director for broadcasting and media at Ofcom, Cristina Nicolotti Squires, told the PA news agency: “We’ve called it (the report) Transmission Critical because we think that public service media is under real threat.“Broadcasters are experiencing quite tough financial challenges. The business model changes with audiences fracturing everywhere.”According to research from Barb, which is responsible for calculating UK TV official viewing figures, viewing on linear channels has fallen significantly in recent years and this decline is expected to continue.The report says that public service broadcasters (PSBs) will have to work “much harder to create content that audiences want to watch” on platforms like YouTube as “they are competing with every other content creator in the world.”Ms Nicolotti Squires said: “We’re not saying they have to go on YouTube, but we’re just saying that public service broadcasters have got to make great content where audiences are, and audiences are increasingly going onto YouTube.“They all have different deals with YouTube in terms of commercial returns, and that’s down to them. But I just think it’s important that the programmes that they’re making, public service programmes, are available where people are.“So just delivering on the linear channels, obviously, we’re seeing that viewing has fallen significantly in those areas. So it’s a question of, as I said, pretty much putting these great programmes where people are watching them.”A key objective of the Media Act, passed in 2024, was to make it easier to find content from PSBs like the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 on smart TVs.Ms Nicolotti Squires said Ofcom is now calling for “a logical next step on video sharing platforms”.She added: “It might require some further legislative changes to regulation. We’re starting the conversation rather than finalising it all.”The report says that stable and adequate funding is needed from the Government and emphasises that discoverability on online platforms is particularly important for news and children’s content.It also recommends that online platforms invest in media literacy skills while forging ambitious strategic partnerships that can compete with global streaming platforms.On top of this, Ofcom is launching a review of its regulation of broadcast TV and radio that will seek input from stakeholders about the priority areas for reforming regulation.Sarah Rose, president of Channel 5, said: “We are pleased that Ofcom’s review highlighted the challenges producing specialist children’s content and called for commercially viable funding models among its recommendations.“Channel 5’s Milkshake! continues to navigate those challenges to remain the only public service broadcaster offering a daily programming block which targets preschoolers with original content rooted in the UK’s Early Years Foundation framework.”A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said: “We welcome Ofcom’s Public Service Media Review and we will now consider its recommendations.”YouTube has been approached for comment. More

Ousted ministers will only receive payoffs if they have served in government for more than six months as Sir Keir Starmer overhauls his appointments watchdog.After repeat examples of ministers receiving payoffs after only serving short stints, the prime minister has tightened eligibility for severance payouts.He has also scrapped the Advisory Committee for Business Appointments (Acoba) as part of the shakeup, replacing it with a new Ethics and Integrity Commission created from the Committee on Standards in Public Life.Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden, who is driving through the reforms, said: “This overhaul will mean there are stronger rules, fewer quangos and clearer lines of accountability.Michelle Donelan refused the offer of £17,000 in severance pay after a 36-hour stint as education secretary More

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall has announced a review of the state pension age, opening the door for it to be increased. Ms Kendall, speaking in central London on Monday morning as she relaunched the Pensions Commission, warned of a growing threat of pensioner poverty unless there was major reform to the system.It comes as research by Age UK found that people looking to retire in 2050 are on course to receive £800 per year less than current pensioners.The government reviews the state pension age every six years, which is currently 66 but is already set to rise to 67 in 2028. By the by the mid-2040s it is scheduled to rise to 68. However, earlier this year, Denmark became the first country to raise it to 70 for those retiring by 2040 and after in a move which raised speculation other countries including the UK may follow.Liz Kendall More

Water regulator Ofwat will be abolished as part of an overhaul of a “broken” regulatory system, the environment secretary has confirmed.Steve Reed said the water industry is “broken” and firms have been fleecing the public under a “regulatory system that let them get away with it”.Speaking in south-west London, he said: “Our rivers, lakes and seas are polluted with record levels of sewage.”Steve Reed said the Tories let water companies get away with fleecing the British public More