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Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailWatch as Alan Bates appears before the government’s inquiry into the Post Office scandal on Tuesday, 16 January.The former subpostmaster who has led the campaign for justice in the Horizon scandal gave evidence to MPs.More than 700 subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were given criminal convictions after Fujitsu’s faulty Horizon software made it appear as though money was missing at their branches.The real-life Mr Bates, whose campaign for justice has been depicted in the ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, told Sky News ahead of the committee hearing that his focus was on pushing for swift compensation for the victims.“They should be moving heaven and earth to get it done and get it done fast,” he said.Nick Read, chief executive of the Post Office, and Paul Patterson, Europe director at Fujitsu, were also due to appear. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailLabour will need a record swing to win a majority at the 2024 general election, as the party’s path to power has been made more difficult by big boundary changes.A major new YouGov survey has indicated that Labour is heading for a repeat of Tony Blair’s crushing 1997 victory over the Conservatives.However, new research shows that Sir Keir Starmer will have to achieve a swing of 12.7 points from the Tories to become prime minister – larger than the 10.2 point swing Tony Blair managed in his landslide.It is also even higher even than the 12-point swing achieved by Clement Attlee in the historic 1945 Labour victory, and more than double the swing at any other election since 1945.Sir Keir’s task is made harder by the impact of the boundary changes, the first since 2010, and intended to ensure that constituencies have similar numbers of voters.The new parliamentary constituencies were drawn up by the permanent and independent Boundary Commissions, and fewer than 12 per cent of the 650 Commons seats were left untouched.Rishi Sunak said earlier this month that he was planning to go to the poll in “the second half of this year” with a date in October or November considered the most likely.Rishi Sunak is under pressure to revive Tory polling fortunes The boundary changes give him a modest boost, analysis by leading professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher suggests, after they compiled notional results if the last general election in 2019 had it been fought on the new constituencies.They said the overall impact is that the Conservatives will be defending a notional majority of 94 at the next general election, compared with the 80 majority they actually achieved in 2019.“Broadly speaking this reflects a pattern where the east, south east and south west of England have gained seats reflecting the increase in electorates, and Wales has lost them, following the implementation of the new rules,” the academics say.The Tories have made a net gain of seven seats from the changes, while Labour has a net loss of two seats. The Liberal Democrats lose three seats and Plaid Cymru drops from four seats to just two.The changes mean England is allocated 543 seats, an increase of 10. Wales will have 32 seats, a reduction of eight. Scotland will have 57, down two. Northern Ireland remains unchanged with 18.Despite the cut in the number of seats in Scotland, the SNP remain on 48 seats, and there is no change in Northern Ireland, with the DUP on eight, Sinn Fein seven, SDLP on two and Alliance on one.The Conservatives won 365 seats in the snap 2019 December election, with Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour on 203, giving Boris Johnson a majority of 80, and 162 over Labour.Keir Starmer has told his troops to ignore the polls While the number of Conservative MPs is now down to 349, partly because of by-elections, with another two next month, that makes no difference to the calculations for the general election, which are based solely on the notional results.Following the 2019 election, a direct swing of seven percentage points from the Tories was needed for Labour to become the largest party in a hung parliament, and the boundary changes mean this rises to 8.3 percentage points.For an overall majority, Sir Keir’s 12.7-point swing requirement is up from 12 on the old boundaries, and any uniform swing from Conservatives to Labour greater than 4.2 and less than 12.7 is likely to produce a hung parliament.However, focusing only on the direct swing between Conservatives and Labour makes the assumption there will be no change in the share votes cast for the other parties, which is highly unlikely to be true.For instance, a 10-point swing from the SNP to Labour would give Sir Keir 15 gains under the new boundaries, easing his path to Downing Street, according to professors Rallings and Thrasher.The top election experts compiled their notional results on behalf of BBC News, ITV News, Sky News and the PA news agency.Despite the warnings about the scale of the turnaround needed by Labour, a YouGov poll of 14,000 voters found Sir Keir’s party is on course to achieve a stunning 120-majority.It found that the Tories were headed for as few as 169 seats, while Labour would sweep into power with 385.The survey, commissioned by Tory donors working with arch-Brexiteer David Frost, also predicts that chancellor Jeremy Hunt could be one of 11 cabinet ministers to lose their seats, in what would be the biggest collapse in support for a governing party since 1906.The Conservatives’ election chief Isaac Levido fired backed at Lord Frost at a meeting of Tory backbenchers’ 1922 committee last night.The strategist said those who organised the timing of the poll – ahead of the showdown Rwanda vote – are “intent on undermining this government” and “more interested in what happens after the election than fighting it”. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailCan the Tories cling to power in 2024? Is Sir Keir Starmer the UK’s next Prime Minister? What will be the defining issues of the next election? And when will we actually take to the polls this year?So many questions swirl around the upcoming 2024 general election – and we want to hear your predictions.On Monday Rishi Sunak dismissed the significance of a damning opinion poll predicting the Tories are on track for a 1997-style wipeout.The research, which was commissioned by Tory donors working with arch-Brexiteer David Frost, suggests the Conservatives are facing a humiliating defeat with several senior MPs set to lose their seats.The YouGov survey of 14,000 people suggests the Tories could retain as few as 169 seats, while Labour would sweep into power with 385 – giving Sir Keir Starmer a massive 120-seat majority.It came as Sir Keir warns Labour MPs that the Tory prime minister could still call a surprise general election in the spring.The Labour leader told his troops to get ready to campaign within months, despite Mr Sunak saying he wanted to go to the polls later in the year.Speaking to his MPs at the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday night, Sir Keir also warned of a potentially dirty election campaign – having vowed to fight “fight with fire”.Whether it happens in May or November, we are just months away from taking to polling stations up and down the country. Share your predictions in the comments and we’ll highlight the best takes as they come in.All you have to do is sign up and register your details – then you can then take part in the discussion. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here.Join the conversation with other Independent readers below. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe new Rwanda deal proposed by Rishi Sunak’s government is still “not compatible” with international refugee law, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said.The UNHCR has published its legal assessment of the bill designed to allow Britain to send asylum seekers who arrive illegally in the UK to Rwanda.The UNHCR said the modified Rwanda scheme “does not meet the required standards relating to the legality and appropriateness of the transfer of asylum seekers and is not compatible with international refugee law”.In November last year, the UK Supreme Court blocked the government’s Rwanda policy, declaring it unlawful.After the ruling, the government introduced the Safety of Rwanda Bill, asserting that, according to UK law, Rwanda was considered a safe country. Additionally, the bill grants ministers the authority to disregard emergency orders from the European Court of Human Rights that would suspend a flight to Rwanda during the ongoing legal proceedings of an individual case.Mr Sunak is optimistic that the upcoming legislation, once enacted, will address legal concerns and enable him to uphold his commitment to preventing individuals from arriving via small boats across the Channel.In its published analysis on Monday evening, the UNHCR concluded: “UNHCR has reviewed the updated UK-Rwanda scheme in light of the principles and standards set out in its 2022 analysis and summarised in Part I above.”The UNHCR said that the shortcomings in the Rwandan asylum system, as highlighted by the Supreme Court, have not been rectified.“It maintains its position that the arrangement, as now articulated in the UK-Rwanda Partnership Treaty and accompanying legislative scheme23 does not meet the required standards relating to the legality and appropriateness of the transfer of asylum seekers and is not compatible with international refugee law.”It comes as Mr Sunak faces a parliamentary showdown this week with right-wing members of his party, who are poised to support rebel amendments to the bill as his flagship legislation.Parliament will vote on a series of proposed amendments on Tuesday and Wednesday aimed at closing off potential loopholes that could block asylum seekers from being removed to Rwanda.Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith said they would defy the government by joining more than 60 Tory MPs who are seeking to disapply international law from the Bill and curtail asylum seekers’ rights to appeal against flights to Kigali. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailFuel retailers will be forced to share information on price changes within half an hour under Government plans to make it easier for drivers to find the cheapest petrol and diesel.This freely available data will enable tech companies to develop new price comparison tools, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said.These systems, part of a so-called PumpWatch scheme, are expected to be accessible on mobile apps, websites, online maps, journey planning tools and in-car devices.The move, which is being consulted on, could save drivers 3p per litre on fuel by helping them find the lowest prices in their area, according to the DESNZ.This will put motorists back in the driving seatEnergy Security Secretary Claire CoutinhoGovernment figures show the average price of a litre of petrol on January 8 was at its lowest level since October 2021, at 139.7p.This has been attributed to a fall in oil prices.Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “Our work on competition and transparency is working. Drivers are now paying the lowest average price at the pump for two years.“We are forcing retailers to share live information on their prices within 30 minutes of any change in price, helping drivers to find the best deal at the pump.“This will put motorists back in the driving seat and bring much-needed competition back to the forecourts.”Twelve major fuel retailers – including all four fuel-selling supermarkets – signed up to an interim voluntary scheme launched by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last year to share daily prices.The DESNZ plans would make data-sharing a legal requirement.This is a really important day as it should pave the way for fairer fuel pricing for everyone who drivesSimon Williams, RACA similar scheme in Queensland, Australia, saw drivers save an average of 93 Australian dollars (£49) per year on fuel, the department said.Last year, the CMA said that in 2022 UK motorists paid around £900 million in additional costs due to supermarkets failing to pass on savings from lower oil prices.RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “This is a really important day as it should pave the way for fairer fuel pricing for everyone who drives.“Sadly, there have been far too many occasions where drivers have lost out at the pumps when wholesale prices have fallen significantly and those reductions haven’t been passed on quickly enough or fully enough by retailers.“We badly need to see competition in the wider market match that of Northern Ireland where fuel prices are consistently 5p cheaper.”Pump prices are generally lower in Northern Ireland than the rest of the UK because of competition from forecourts in the Republic of Ireland.The Government’s proposal should stimulate fairer pricing through free market competition, and takes advantage of the latest information technologyEdmund King, AAAA president Edmund King said: “The Government’s proposal should stimulate fairer pricing through free market competition, and takes advantage of the latest information technology.“It gives leeway to fuel retailers to price according to their circumstances but, by directing motoring consumers to where they can get their fuel at a better price, keeps competitive pressure on the trade.”Howard Cox, the Reform UK candidate for London mayor and founder of fuel price campaign FairFuelUK, said: “Years of lobbying the Government seems to have paid off.“I am delighted that a PumpWatch consumer pricing watchdog will roll out with teeth to protect UK’s millions of hard-pressed drivers from perennial profiteering by the fuel supply chain.” More

Tory MP Simon Clarke vows to vote against Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda policySign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak is staging a last-ditch bid to win over right-wing Conservatives MPs threatening to defeat his Rwanda deportation legislation.The PM faces a mounting rebellion over the flagship immigration policy, with Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith poised to back rebel amendments to the bill.Mr Anderson and Mr Clarke-Smith said they would defy the Government by joining more than 60 Tory MPs who are seeking to disapply international law from the Bill and curtail asylum seekers’ rights to appeal against flights to Kigali.But any attempt by Mr Sunak to placate them would be opposed by more moderate Tories, who are keen to protect the legislation against breaches of international law.It comes as the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has concluded after a legal assessment of the UK government’s new Rwanda bill that it’s not compatible with international law.The UNHCR said the modified Rwanda scheme “does not meet the required standards relating to the legality and appropriateness of the transfer of asylum seekers and is not compatible with international refugee law”.Show latest update
1705368600MP calls for DNA tests in parliament: ‘Migration shouldn’t be a dirty word’MP calls for DNA tests in parliament: ‘Migration shouldn’t be a dirty word’Joe Middleton16 January 2024 01:301705365000Voters turn on ‘spineless’ Sunak as dire poll results and Rwanda row spark fresh leadership crisisRishi Sunak is facing a landslide general election defeat because he is seen as “spineless and false” and makes people “cringe”, according to a top pollster.Joe Middleton16 January 2024 00:301705363037UNHCR concludes Sunak’s new Rwanda Bill violates international lawThe United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has concluded after a legal assessment of the UK government’s new Rwanda bill that it’s not compatible with international law.The UNHCR said the modified Rwanda scheme “does not meet the required standards relating to the legality and appropriateness of the transfer of asylum seekers and is not compatible with international refugee law”.In its published analysis on Monday evening the UNHCR concluded: “UNHCR has reviewed the updated UK-Rwanda scheme in light of the principles and standards set out in its 2022 analysis and summarised in Part I above. “It maintains its position that the arrangement, as now articulated in the UK-Rwanda Partnership Treaty and accompanying legislative scheme23 does not meet the required standards relating to the legality and appropriateness of the transfer of asylum seekers and is not compatible with international refugee law.”Joe Middleton15 January 2024 23:571705362517Voters turn on ‘spineless’ Sunak as dire poll results and Rwanda row spark fresh leadership crisisRishi Sunak is facing a landslide general election defeat because he is seen as “spineless and false” and makes people “cringe”, according to a top pollster.Joe Middleton15 January 2024 23:481705362465 Tory deputy chair Lee Anderson joins right-wing Rwanda bill rebellionThe Conservative party’s deputy chairman Lee Anderson has rocked Rishi Sunak’s authority by backing rebel MPs defying the prime minister over his Rwanda bill.The senior Tory figure has effectively dared Mr Sunak to sack him by announcing that he is supporting the right-wingers who are pushing for last-minute changes to the deportation legislation.Almost 60 Conservative MPs have now backed amendments by ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick aimed at toughening the bill ahead of a showdown vote on Wednesday.Joe Middleton15 January 2024 23:471705360326Welcome to the Independent’s coverage of the crunch Rwanda voteRishi Sunak is staging a last-ditch bid to win over right-wing Conservatives MPs threatening to defeat his Rwanda deportation legislation.It came as the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has concluded after a legal assessment of the UK government’s new Rwanda bill that it’s not compatible with international law.The UNHCR said the modified Rwanda scheme “does not meet the required standards relating to the legality and appropriateness of the transfer of asylum seekers and is not compatible with international refugee law”.Barney Davis15 January 2024 23:12 More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak is facing a landslide general election defeat because he is seen as “spineless and false” and makes people “cringe”, according to a top pollster.The verdict came as a major new survey indicated that Labour is heading for a repeat of Tony Blair’s crushing victory over the Tories in 1997.Conservative alarm at the results – allied to a fresh split over the controversial Rwanda bill – prompted speculation that the Tories could face their third leadership contest in less than 18 months.Tory deputy chair Lee Anderson rocked Mr Sunak’s authority by backing right-wing rebels trying to force the PM to toughen up the deportation bill ahead of a showdown vote on Wednesday.Hardline MPs are vowing to vote against the government if Mr Sunak refuses to back down – with one telling The Independent that the chances of a seismic defeat that could end his time at No 10 are “underpriced”.The Tory leader was left reeling as a YouGov poll of 14,000 voters found Labour would achieve a stunning 120-seat Commons majority if the election took place today.And the PM’s hopes of improving his plummeting ratings suffered another blow as details of the devastating findings of a separate survey emerged.Focus group research, carried out by JL Partners, found that members of the public now regard Mr Sunak with barely concealed contempt.Tory chair Lee Anderson has backed rebel amendments to Sunak’s Rwanda bill Words commonly used to describe him by the focus group, conducted last week, included “limp, spineless, out of touch, full of himself and false”. Mr Sunak – once known as “Dishy Rishi” – was also said to make voters “cringe”.James Johnson of JL Partners told The Independent: “The way to win elections in 2024 is by being the strongman. People value plain speaking in a leader more than managerial style competence.“The reason they liked Sunak so much as chancellor in the pandemic was because he stepped up to the plate and stood up to Boris Johnson at times. That is not how he comes across any more,” added the former No 10 pollster.Mr Johnson had some blunt advice for Sunak’s team: “They appear to think he is as popular as he was during the pandemic, posting jolly videos of him on social media. He isn’t. They could make a start by stopping pretending he is a rock star and banning him from smiling.”Despite Sir Keir Starmer’s party’s huge poll lead the focus group verdict on the Labour leader was only slightly better. Common reactions to him were “Sir Flip Flop”, a “people pleaser”, “says what people want to hear” and “no plan”.Mr Johnson said: “Starmer is winning more by accident, because voters are so fed up with the Conservatives and because he isn’t Jeremy Corbyn, than out of any genuine enthusiasm for him.”Rishi Sunak played down the grim YouGov survey, saying the general election was the ‘only poll that matters’ The landmark YouGov survey of 14,000 people found that the Tories were headed for as few as 169 seats, while Labour would sweep into power with 385 – giving Sir Keir a massive 120-seat majority.The survey, commissioned by Tory donors working with arch-Brexiteer David Frost, also predicts that chancellor Jeremy Hunt could be one of 11 cabinet ministers to lose their seats, in what would be the biggest collapse in support for a governing party since 1906.The Tories’ election chief Isaac Levido fired backed at Lord Frost at a meeting of backbenchers’ 1922 committee. The strategist said those who organised the timing of the poll – ahead of the Rwanda vote – are “intent on undermining this government” and “more interested in what happens after the election than fighting it”.And Mr Sunak played down the sobering results during a visit to Essex, telling broadcasters: “The only one that matters is the one when the general election comes.”Sir Keir told his troops to “ignore” the poll in a bid to keep complacency at bay. “We have to earn every vote, respect every vote and we should always, always, fight like we’re 5 per cent behind.”Mr Anderson heaped further misery on Mr Sunak by revealing on X/Twitter, that he was backing amendments to the Rwanda bill by Tory grandee Sir Bill Cash and ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick. “I have signed the Cash and Jenrick amendments. I will vote for them.”Asked if the Tory whips have told him he can still remain in his role as deputy chair, Mr Anderson told reporters: “No, I haven’t been told that.”The home secretary James Cleverly joined Sunak in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on Monday Although he did not resign from the job, Mr Anderson’s allies believe he is more likely to quit before he is fired by Mr Sunak.Earlier on Monday, grilled on whether he would sack Mr Anderson if he rebelled, Mr Sunak said only: “I’m frustrated about the situation … I’m confident that the bill we’ve got is the toughest that anyone’s ever seen.”To make matters worse for No 10, Brendan Clarke-Smith became the second deputy Tory chair to join the Rwanda rebellion. He said he was backing the amendments because he wanted the legislation “to be as strong as possible”.Senior Tory rebel Sir Simon Clarke pounced upon the dire YouGov polling to warn that the party could be “destroyed” at the general election unless it takes tougher action on small boats.Vowing to vote against Mr Sunak’s Rwanda bill if the PM does not accept right-wing amendments, Mr Clarke told the BBC: “I’ve been clear with the whips, if the bill goes forward unamended I will be unable to offer it my support.”Almost 60 right-wingers have now backed amendments by Mr Jenrick, with votes on the proposed changes to come on Tuesday and Wednesday.Tory MPs Mark Francois and David Jones of the ERG have warned the rebellion is big enough to threaten the Rwanda billAs well as trying to block any role for the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in deportation cases, Mr Jenrick and others have demanded that Mr Sunak restricts the grounds on which illegal migrants can bring claims.It would take just 29 Tory MPs to overturn Mr Sunak’s 56-seat parliamentary majority and defeat the government at the final Commons vote on Wednesday.Hardliners in the New Conservatives and the European Research Group (ERG) met on Monday to discuss their amendments ahead of the crucial third reading showdown.One senior right-wing Tory MP involved in the discussions said there was a “growing feeling it is better not to have any bill than a bill that doesn’t work”.And John Hayes, chair of the Common Sense Group, told The Independent: “There is significant support for the amendments – it’s more than I think the government were anticipating. I’m hopeful the government will listen.”But another senior Tory MP – a hardliner on immigration – said the rebellion would “fade away in the end”. They added: “Most realise to defeat the government to bring down one of its major policies on this would be political madness. We’re only months away from an election.”Business secretary Kemi Badenoch is said to have warned the PM over the Rwanda bill No 10 refused to comment on any conversations with Mr Anderson or cabinet minister Kemi Badenoch, who is said to have warned the PM’s team that the Rwanda bill does not go far enough.In an apparent bid to keep right-wingers happy, the Tory leader talked up his willingness to use the bill to ignore any injunctions from the ECHR on deportation flights.Mr Sunak told GB News: “If you’re asking me … are there circumstances in which I’m prepared to ignore those rule 39s [ECHR injunctions]? Then yes, of course there are.”Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries said the YouGov poll shows why the party should bring back Boris Johnson. “Get Boris into a seat and out campaigning or consign us to socialism forevermore,” she said on Twittter/X.And Zac Goldsmith, another staunch ally of Mr Johnson, added sarcastically: “Thank God for those clever-clog ‘Tory grandees’ who got rid of Boris … Genius.”But Gavin Barwell, Theresa May’s former chief of staff at No 10, fired back: “The party was on course to lose under Johnson. By the time Sunak took over, the situation was probably irrecoverable.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak warned that his government remains “prepared to back our words with actions”, as Houthi missile attacks continued against ships in the Red Sea despite last week’s airstrikes against the rebels in Yemen.The prime minister’s defiant statement in the Commons on Monday – suggesting he was prepared to sanction further strikes if necessary – came shortly after a missile struck a US-owned ship off the coast of Yemen.Earlier, defence secretary Grant Shapps said Britain will “wait and see” before deciding to launch any fresh strikes – but also warned that if Houthi attacks don’t stop “we will then have to take the decisions that need to be taken”.The US military’s central command on Monday afternoon confirmed the latest attack – putting the blame on Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. “The ship has reported no injuries or significant damage and is continuing its journey,” the central command said. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which oversees Middle East waters, also reported that missile fire had struck a ship in the Gulf of Aden, about 100 miles southeast of the southern Yemen border.“As a result of the impact, the vessel suffered limited damage to a cargo hold but is stable and is heading out of the area,” the US-based operator Eagle Bulk Shipping said in a statement. There were no reports of injuries or significant damage.Rishi Sunak insisted that UK strikes against Houthis were ‘not escalatory’ Mr Sunak defended his decision to sanction UK strikes against Houthi targets last week, insisting that military action need not lead to a wider escalation of violence in the region.“The threats to shipping must cease. Illegally detained vessels and crews must be released. And we remain prepared to back our words with actions,” the Tory leader told the Commons.The prime minister said all 13 planned targets were destroyed, with no evidence of civilian casualties. “I do not take decisions on the use of force lightly,” Mr Sunak said. “That is why I stress that this action was taken in self-defence. It was limited, not escalatory.”The UK joined the US in targeting Houthi locations in Yemen last week as part of efforts to ensure international cargo vessels can travel through the vital shipping route after assaults by the Iran-backed militants.Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party backed the “targeted action”, but warned that any military operation must be “underpinned by a clear strategy”.Some opposition leaders condemned Mr Sunak’s failure to seek the approval of parliament for strikes, with Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey calling it “regrettable”, and the SNP’s Westminster leader urging the Tory leader to “do better”.Sir Keir acknowledged that it is not always possible to hold a vote beforehand. But he warned Mr Sunak: “Scrutiny is not the enemy of strategy. Because while we back the action taken last week, these strikes still do bring risk; we must avoid escalation across the Middle East.”The Houthis, who support Hamas in the Palestinian group’s war against Israel, claim they have targeted ships with links to Tel Aviv. But Mr Sunak told MPs that “we shouldn’t fall for their [the Houthis’] malign narrative that this is about Israel and Gaza”, adding: “They target ships from around the world.”RAF air strikes, carried out alongside American allies last week, had looked to curtail the militants’ ability to disrupt international shipping, with cargo firms forced to reroute around the southern tip of Africa to avoid the Red Sea.Washington on Saturday launched a new strike against a Houthi location in Yemen that was determined a threat, according to US officials.Grant Shapps delivered a speech on the UK’s air strikes in Yemen Mr Shapps, asked whether the UK could join more strikes, told Sky News: “If we have to take further action, that is something that we will consider.”During a later speech in central London, he said the strike against the Houthis was intended as a “single action” rather than a planned campaign.The defence secretary also told the audience that the UK should prepare for further conflicts involving China, Iran, Russia and North Korea in the next five years.Mr Sunak told Sky News that the UK government “will not hesitate to protect our security where required” when grilled on the possibility of fresh strikes in Yemen.He also told MPs that he remained “committed” to parliamentary convention when it came to consulting parliament on military action, but it had been necesssary to hit the Houthis “at speed” at the end of last week.The PM also said the UK was considering “all diplomatic tools” – including using sanctions against Iran if necessary – amid reports that the country has stepped up its weapons grade uranium enrichment.It came as the government moved to ban the extremist Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. Home secretary James Cleverly laid before parliament a draft order to proscribe the organisation under the Terrorism Act.Security minister Tom Tugendhat said the group “encourages and promotes terrorism” as he condemned its “disgraceful celebration” of Hamas attacks on Israel. More