UK

A former National Farmers’ Union (NFU) chief who previously warned the so-called ‘tractor tax’ would “wipe out the family farm” has been hired by the government to lead a review into British farming. As part of the government’s latest attempt to show they are listening to farmers and rebuild trust within the community, environment secretary Steve Reed has now hired Baroness Minette Batters, who has previously voiced opposition to the extension of inheritance tax to family farms, to lead a review of farm profitability.The review, which will see the cross-bench peer provide recommendations to the department, is aimed at helping to ensure the farming sector is “more viable, self-sustaining and competitive in the long-term”. National Farmers’ Union (NFU) President Minette Batters speaking during the National Farmers’ Union annual conference (Jacob King/PA) More

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged “bold changes” to the rules around electric and new petrol and diesel cars in response to Donald Trump’s tariffs.The prime minister will announce Labour’s plan to reinstate the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales on Monday, in a move expected to pile pressure on Britain’s beleaguered motor industry.Businesses are currently grappling with the new rules from the White House, which mean a 25 per cent tariff is now applied to foreign cars imported into the US, while other products face a 10 per cent levy.The prime minister’s announcement follows Jaguar Land Rover’s decision to suspended shipments to the US over the weekend, as they look to “address the new trading terms”.Labour pledged in its election manifesto to restore the 2030 date, after it had been rolled back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government.Sir Keir Starmer will vow to support British carmakers amid Donald Trump’s tariff war More

Britain expressed outrage after Israeli authorities prevented two lawmakers from entering the country in order to visit the occupied West Bank. Israel accused the members of parliament of supporting boycotts against it.Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy said late Saturday that it was “unacceptable, counterproductive and deeply concerning” that two British members of parliament were detained and refused entry to Israel. “I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians,” he said.Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang said they were “astounded at the unprecedented step taken by the Israeli authorities to refuse British MPs entry on our trip to visit the occupied West Bank.”“It is vital that parliamentarians are able to witness firsthand the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory,” they said, adding that they had planned to visit humanitarian aid projects and local communities.Medical Aid for Palestinians, a charity that helped organize the visit, said the two were questioned upon arrival at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport before being denied entry and deported.A statement from Israeli authorities accused the two lawmakers of having called for boycotts of Israel and said they were not visiting as part of an official delegation.Israeli law prohibits the entry of non-citizens and non-residents who support the Palestinian-led international boycott movement, known as Boycott, Divest and Sanctions, or BDS.Supporters portray BDS as nonviolent activism based on a similar campaign against apartheid South Africa. Israel views the movement as an attack on its very legitimacy and accuses some organizers of antisemitism, allegations they deny.In February, Israel denied entry to two European Union lawmakers, accusing one of promoting boycotts of the country.___Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war More

Esther Ghey has revealed that she now considers the mother of her daughter’s killer “a friend”.Brianna Ghey was murdered by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe in a premeditated attack in Cheshire in 2023.But Ms Ghey says she has developed a close bond with Scarlett’s mother, Emma, because she “had lost a child too”.She told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “I really appreciate Emma. I would call her a friend now.”​She added that Ms Jenkinson is “just a normal mother” who was unaware of her child’s online activities, highlighting “the danger with smartphones”.​Reflecting on their shared grief, Ms Ghey said: “It’s helped me to see that we are both navigating something extremely difficult – and she’s lost a child too.”​Jenkinson and Ratcliffe, both 15 at the time, lured Brianna to Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington where she was fatally stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife in February 2023.Jenkinson was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court in December 2023 to a minimum sentence of 22 years in prison, and Ratcliffe to a minimum term of 20 years.In the same interview, Ms Ghey also called for stronger measures to protect children in schools.She supports a “blanket ban” on smartphones in schools across the country, citing concerns over how these devices can be misused by students.She explained: “We need to support teachers in a blanket ban across England. If a school has banned phones in one area and in the same area another school hasn’t – it becomes an issue with parents.“It needs to be done across the board to make it easier.”Ms Ghey has met Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his predecessor Rishi Sunak to discuss the issue and has criticised the Online Safety Act, saying it does not go far enough.She has campaigned for an age limit on smartphone use, stricter controls on access to social media apps, tougher action on knife crime and for mindfulness to be taught in schools. More

Sir Keir Starmer will declare the end of globalisation and admit it has failed the public amid the growing fallout of Donald Trump imposing global trade tariffs, including 10 per cent on the UK.The prime minister will argue in a speech on Monday that the shock from the US president’s trade war means Britain must “move further and faster” cutting red tape to boost economic growth. And, in an article on Sunday, Sir Keir said “the world as we knew it has gone”. “We must rise to meet the moment,” he said.Sir Keir Starmer will say globalisation has failed More

Two Labour MPs who were denied entry to Israel have said they are “astounded” by the decision.Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang have said it is “vital” that parliamentarians are able to “witness first-hand” the situation on the ground in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.The current war in Gaza began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas fighters launched an attack inside Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza. Since then, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says more than 50,000 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory military offensive.The MPs were refused entry because they intended to “spread hate speech” against Israel, the nation’s population and immigration authority claimed.Abtisam Mohamed More

Wes Streeting defended Labour’s controversial national insurance hike as the health secretary accused Reform UK and the Conservatives of plotting to pull billions of bounds of funding from the NHS.As the tax rise comes into effect today, Mr Streeting has challenged critics including Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch to explain how they would pay for a reversal of the policy change. The 2p increase to employer national insurance has been criticised by opposition parties, business chiefs and top economists, who have linked it to the stagnant economy, since it was unveiled by Rachel Reeves back in October. Wes Streeting is being rolled out by Labour as an anti-Reform attack dog More