UK

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSadiq Khan has accused former deputy Conservative chairman turned Reform UK MP Lee Anderson of “fuelling hate crime and violent threats” following “unpatriotic” comments made by Mr Anderson about the London mayor.In a secret recording obtained by ITV News, the Reform MP is heard telling participants at a party event that Tory cabinet ministers were among those who messaged him their support after he was suspended, telling him “Rishi has thrown you under the bus”. He is also heard claiming Mr Khan “hates this country… our heritage, our culture”.Mr Khan has hit back at Mr Anderson and his former party, calling it “deeply depressing” to hear that the former deputy chairman’s “Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred was cheered on by current Tory party staff, MPs and Cabinet ministers” and that the Reform MP’s comments have “real-world consequences”.In a statement, Mr Khan said: “In the past 24hours we have seen my Tory mayoral opponent endorsing Facebook groups rife with antisemitism, Islamophobia and death threats against me. And now we have a former Tory party Deputy chair caught on camera being racist.Lee Anderson defected to the right-wing challenger party Reform UK following his suspension More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailPolice are looking into Conservative claims that Labour’s candidate in a crunch election on Thursday wrongly claimed to live in the area to stand. West Midlands Police said it was “assessing” the allegations against Richard Parker. It comes as The Independent can reveal that the Tories also claimed that they have reported a Labour council group to Thames Valley Police in Milton Keynes, a hotly contested bellweather seat ahead of the local elections there. A spokesman for Mr Parker described the claims as “shameful political game-playing” while a Labour source added that the use of police complaints by the Tories ahead of the local elections “is becoming more than a habit”.The double reporting of Labour to the police today follows Tory chairman pushing for an investigation into allegations over whether Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner broke electoral law over her former home in Stockport.Richard Parker was joined by Angela Rayner on the campaign trail with both reported to the police. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailFears have been raised over how the Tories plan to fill a ‘£46 billion ‘pension black hole’ with plans to abolish National Insurance after Rishi Sunak failed to rule out raising the retirement age.Mr Sunak was challenged about the proposal put forward by former Tory Brexit minister Lord Frost during firy exhanges with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in Prime Minister’s questions (PMQs).Sir Keir said: “One of his peers, Lord Frost—yes, him again—does know [how he will solve the pension black hold problem]. He says that to solve the problem of the Tories’ spending plans, the state pension age should be raised to 75. Understandably, that will cause some alarm, so will the Prime Minister rule out forcing people to delay their retirement by years and years in order to fulfil his £46 billion black hole?”He asked the Prime Minister if he would rule out the idea.However, Mr Sunak avoided answering the question instead blasting Sir Keir’s own past issues around pensions.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, London (House of Commons/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe mayor of London has one of the largest political mandates in the UK with a budget of more than 20 billion and a constituency of 6.2 million voters.The job is currently held by Sadiq Khan, who is up for re-election on Thursday 2 May. The Mayor’s job is to make London a better place for everyone who visits, lives or works in the capital. Alongside the mayor, there are 25 London Assembly members, who hold the Mayor to account by examining strategies and decisions made by the incumbent. But what exactly are the powers and responsibilities of the Mayor and London Assembly? The Mayor of LondonLondon has had a mayor since 2000 after Londoners voted overwhelmingly in favour of an elected mayor and assembly to run the capital. The move was a part of then Labour prime minister Tony Blair’s constitutional reforms and devolution. The mayor receives a £20.4 billion budget that they use to improve London’s economic and social development.There have been three London mayors. Labour’s Sadiq Khan is the incumbent and he was first elected in 2016. It was previously held by Boris Johnson for eight years, and Ken Livingstone before him.The mayor is given a salary of £154,963. The prime minister, by comparison, is entitled to a salary of £167,391. ResponsibilitiesThe mayor’s responsibilities range from developing policies to setting budgets and overseeing major programmes – all in line with the Mayor’s vision. One of the mayor’s main responsibilities is Transport. They are responsible for Transport for London (TfL) and have the power to set fares, which is the main source of funding for TfL. The Congestion Charge and Ultra Low Emissions Zone (Ulez) is also from the mayor’s office. The second responsibility is policing. The mayor has a “direct mandate for policing in London” and is responsible for deciding on the “strategic direction” of the force.In the governance structure of the Met, ultimate accountability for the actions and direction of the force is held jointly by the Home Secretary and the Mayor. The Home Secretary appoints the Met Commissioner – the top job in the police force. Around 30 per cent of the Met’s budget comes from the mayor and the rest comes from national government.In relation to housing, the mayor can set affordable homes targets and work in collaboration with local authorities and developers. The mayor receives funding from central government to build affordable homes.Another area of responsibility is supporting London’s culture and creative industries. They mayor runs the London Borough of Culture scheme and employs a night czar who supports the capital’s nightlife.What is the mayor not responsible for?London’s councils, rather than the mayor, are responsible for many of the services Londoners experience day-to-day like council housing, schools, social services, rubbish collection and council tax collection. Central government leads on the NHS, welfare and most forms of taxation.What does the London Assembly do?The London Assembly is made up of 25 Members – 11 represent the whole capital and 14 are elected by London’s constituencies. Many of them have previously been local politicians or run businesses and charities. For example, the Tory candidate for London mayor, Susan Hall, is a former leader of the London Assembly Conservative group.Their main power lies in approving or rejecting the mayor’s £20.4 billion budget plans, and can make changes when two-thirds of Assembly Members agree. The Mayor is questioned by the Assembly 10 times a year at Mayor’s Question Time.They also work on committees which scrutinise the mayor’s policies and check if they are working. The London Mayoral Election 2024Voters can cast their ballot in person on 2 May, by post or by proxy. Find your nearest polling station here.Everyone will need to show photo ID at polling stations before they vote.People will have three votes – one for mayor and two for the London Assembly.The results will be announced at City Hall on Saturday 4 May. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak’s decision not to address calls for an investigation into reports of Conservative-run Facebook groups engaging in “gutter politics” is an “abject failure of leadership”, Labour has claimed.The Prime Minister faced calls to condemn the groups and launch a probe into reports that Tory candidate for London mayor, Susan Hall, is a member of them.The Observer newspaper reported over the weekend that Ms Hall is a member of a Facebook group said to contain Islamophobic speech and threats to incumbent Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.Mr Sunak was asked about such groups and their links to Conservative campaigners twice during Prime Minister’s Questions, taking place on the eve of local elections across England and Wales.He insisted that his party was campaigning “on the substance of the issues that Londoners face”.The Conservative Party has meanwhile said it is reviewing its policies regarding Facebook groups.Speaking after PMQs, a Labour spokesman told reporters: “I think it is bizarre that the Prime Minister couldn’t speak out and say that these things are inappropriate.“We know that the Government dragged its feet when it came to producing the online harms bill (Online Safety Act), and across the board it just isn’t taking the influence that these groups have seriously enough.“We would urge the Tories to clamp down on this sort of activity.”They added: “To me, I think I would describe it as an abject failure of leadership.”In the Commons, Labour MP Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) had asked: “It has been revealed by the Observer newspaper that the Conservative candidate for the mayor of London is actually a member of the six Facebook groups which was mentioned by the member for Edinburgh North.“They are full of Islamophobia, antisemitism and the most disgraceful incitement to damaging property and the worst bit, for those of us who were in the House when our Members of Parliament were taken, death threats to the current Mayor of London, Mr Khan.“Will he close down these Facebooks which have been begun by Conservative members of staff, and will he investigate the role of the current candidate and her membership of those disgraceful racist Facebooks?”Mr Sunak replied: “The election tomorrow will be fought on the substance of the issues that Londoners face and the Labour record is crystal clear. Housebuilding in London has collapsed, knife crime is rising, mayoral taxes are up 70% and drivers have been hit with Ulez (ultra low emissions zone) charges, and the Labour mayor just simply panders to unions, and has decimated London’s night-time economy.“That is his record, that his how he will be judged and people across London know that they will be safer with the Conservatives, with lower taxes and better services.”SNP MP for Edinburgh North, Deidre Brock, had earlier said: “Can the Prime Minister shed some light on these shady groups spreading abuse, their funding, their links to his party, and whether he is aware of similar operations existing elsewhere in the UK?“If he won’t, will he at least commit today to investigate and take action to tackle the sources of this grubby gutter politics?”The Prime Minister responded: “I am not aware about the topic that she raises, but I am not going to make any apology for Conservatives pointing out the record of whether it is the SNP in Scotland or the Labour Government in Wales, because that is exactly what democratic process is about.”A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “The Conservative Party unequivocally condemns all discriminatory language, and never encourages nor condones vandalism or criminal activity.“The Conservative Party is reviewing its processes and policies regarding Facebook groups.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA cabinet minister was among senior Tories who pushed for Reform UK’s Howard Cox to be their candidate for London mayor instead of the beleaguered Susan Hall, The Independent understands.A source close to the prime minister’s inner circle has claimed they wrote to Rishi Sunak pleading with him to select the right-wing motorist campaigner Mr Cox ahead of the decision by London party members to nominate Susan Hall.The claims come as Ms Hall’s former deputy leader in Harrow Council, Barry Macleod-Cullinane, today endorsed Labour’s Sadiq Khan as a Savanta poll put him 10 points ahead of his Conservative rival.The source said: “Howard has worked with [the minister] and other [Conservative] MPs for many years on the Fair Fuel UK campaign and he is a great campaigner. [The minister] thought he would make an excellent candidate for London mayor and told the PM but was ignored.”Sources close to Mr Cox have also told The Independent that he has been lobbied by a number of senior Tory MPs including ministers even after he committed to Reform.Tory ministers preferred Reform’s Howard Cox to Susan Hall More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailUnions have backed Labour’s commitment to worker’s rights in the face of claims that the party is planning to water down their workers rights reforms to appease business. The Trade Unions Congress and GMB union have backed Keir Starmer’s commitment to the deal, despite May Day reports that Labour may be about to weaken their proposals.Paul Nowak, the general secretary of the TUC said he still expects Labour to “deliver the employment bill in the first 100 days” and said Sir Keir had “re-affirmed his commitment to delivering the New Deal, in full, just yesterday to hundreds of shop workers at USDAW’s national conference.”A GMB spokesperson also said that Sir Keir has been “clear about the importance of the agreement” and said that their union “looks forward to it being honoured”.The unions have intervened amid reports from the Financial Times that shadow ministers have been discussing their New Deal for Workers with corporate leaders and are looking to unveil a watered down version of the plan as part of their pro-business push.Deputy leader Angela Rayner has spearheaded the New Deal for Workers More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak risks inflaming his row with Ireland over the return of asylum seekers after he accused the Irish government of “cherry picking” international agreements. The prime minister said his administration was seeking “urgent clarification” there would be no new checkpoints at or near the border with Northern Ireland as tensions between London and Dublin escalate. Ireland has hit out at what it says is a high number of recent arrivals coming from the UK. It has said it will redeploy 100 police officers to deal with the problem, although it has denied that these will be used along the border, the scene of much violence during the Troubles. The Irish cabinet has also approved a plan to start returns to the UK, something Mr Sunak says the UK will not accept.An open border is a key tenet of the Good Friday Agreement, which brought the Troubles to an end. Mr Sunak told MPs there could no be “cherry-picking” of international agreements from the Irish government. He said the UK had “made commitments to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and … the Irish government must uphold its promises too.”We can’t have cherry-picking of important international agreements and so the Secretary of State is seeking urgent clarification that there will be no disruption or police checkpoints at or near the border.” He added: “And I can confirm that the United Kingdom has no legal obligation to accept returns of illegal migrants from Ireland.” Rishi Sunak speaks during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, London (House of Commons/PA) More