UK

A Labour MP has helped to create an AI politician – encouraging his constituents to “embrace” an artificial intelligence version of himself. Mark Sewards, the Labour MP for Leeds South West and Morley, said it was “the UK’s first virtual MP”. In a message urging local residents to “give AI Mark a try”, the MP, who was elected for the first time last year, said the “AI revolution is happening and we must embrace it or be left behind.”Mr Sewards said he worked with the company Neural Voice, based in his constituency, on the AI MP. Neural Voice stood a candidate, AI Steve, at the last general election, suggesting he could put trust back into politics, with constituents proposing and voting on what AI Steve should do as a local MP, with the chair of the firm Steve Endacott appearing in parliament to enact what they decided.AI Mark More

Sir Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper have piled pressure on the police to reveal more details relating to suspects amid a growing row over an alleged lack of transparency around investigations. The prime minister and home secretary said all authorities should be “as transparent as possible” about those who have been charged with crimes such as rape and sexual assault, in comments that will be seen at odds with the stance of many police forces. It comes after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said police forces should release information including immigration status about people who are charged with crimes, claiming Warwickshire Police have been part of a “cover-up” oover details of an alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton in July. Asked about the demands on Monday, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “All authorities, from the police to central government, should be as transparent as possible for handling these cases”. The PM’s spokesperson said the police should be ‘as transparent as possible’ More

Michael Gove has given a withering assessment of Nigel Farage’s election chances, saying the Reform leader is not ready to be prime minister and – still won’t be in four years’ time. The senior Tory, a cabinet minister for many years during the Conservative government, praised the former Ukip leader, saying he admired “his skills as a communicator”. But he said: “I don’t believe that he is a plausible prime minister”. He added: “Because if at this stage you’re saying that Reform should be the government – I know we’re four years away – he doesn’t have the team, or the policies or programme that would make me believe that he would govern effectively.” Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (Stefan Rousseau/PA) More

Around 300,000 more savers will have to pay tax on their savings interest than five years ago, stark new figures reveal. The number has jumped from 3.06 million in 2020–21 to 3.35 million this year, according to new information obtained under Freedom of Information laws.Harriet Guevara, from the Nottingham Building Society, which obtained the statistics, said they highlighted “a growing and often hidden tax burden on ordinary savers”. Savers are being hit, experts warn (Lucy North/PA)The increase was largely driven by fiscal drag – when frozen thresholds pull more people into higher tax bands because of inflation.Government rules allow most people to earn some interest from their savings without paying tax. They allow savers to use their tax-free personal allowance to earn interest without paying tax, if they have not already used this on their wages, a pension or other income.There is also a “savers’ allowance” which can allow up to £5,000-worth of interest before tax is paid. But experts warn that the system is complicated, which is why the ability to save in tax-efficient structures such as Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) is valuable. Ms Guevara said the government should be doing more to reward and protect savers.She said: “We support the government’s ambition to encourage investment and grow the economy, but limiting savers’ access to savings vehicles like the cash ISA is the wrong way to do it. Reform should focus on simplifying and strengthening it, not introducing new barriers or caps.“At Nottingham Building Society, we’re seeing this shift play out in real time. More than half of our fixed-rate ISA customers used the full £20,000 allowance last year, rising to 65% among our branch savers. These are not high-net-worth investors, but everyday people saving for a deposit, building a retirement fund, or creating a financial safety net.Get a free fractional share worth up to £100.Capital at risk.Terms and conditions apply.Go to websiteADVERTISEMENTGet a free fractional share worth up to £100.Capital at risk.Terms and conditions apply.Go to websiteADVERTISEMENT“Nottingham Building Society is calling for the government’s upcoming consultation on cash ISAs to consider the long-term impact on household finances and savings culture, and to ensure the system continues to provide meaningful protection for basic-rate savers, many of whom now find themselves unexpectedly dragged into paying tax on their interest income.”A Treasury spokesperson said: “We are protecting the £20,000 tax-free yearly ISA savings limit, meaning the vast majority of people will continue to pay no tax on their savings. “In addition, we are protecting payslips for working people by keeping our promise to not raise the basic, higher or additional rates of Income Tax, employee National Insurance or VAT. “ More

Individuals with a history of violence or domestic abuse will now be barred from owning firearms under stringent new regulations introduced this week. The guidance, issued on Tuesday, directly addresses concerns from coroners and campaigners following recent fatal shootings in Woodmancote, Sussex, and Keyham, near Plymouth.Under the updated directives, police officers will be mandated to interview partners or other household members of firearms licence applicants. This aims to uncover signs of domestic abuse or other factors making an individual unsuitable to possess a weapon. Forces must also conduct rigorous checks to ensure those with a documented record of violence are prevented from holding a firearms licence.This policy shift comes two years after an inquest highlighted “catastrophic failures” within the licensing system, which allowed Keyham gunman Jake Davison to legally own a shotgun despite his violent history. Davison, then 22, killed his mother and four others, including a three-year-old girl, in an eight-minute shooting spree in August 2021 before taking his own life.Kelly Fitzgibbons, four-year-old Ava Needham and two-year-old Lexi Needham were killed by Robert Needham in Woodmancote in 2020 More

Yvette Cooper has said she has seen some “disturbing information” relating to the future plans of proscribed terror group Palestine Action, urging people not to protest in support of the organisation.Speaking ahead of a major demonstration to protest the decision to ban the group, the home secretary warned the public that “this is not a non-violent organisation”, adding that more information about the group is likely to be revealed in future court cases.It comes after Downing Street on Monday warned: “Those who seek to support this group may yet not know the true nature of this organisation”. Yvette Cooper said she had seen ‘some disturbing information referring to future planning’ by Palestine Action More