Actor-comedian Russell Brand pleads not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault in a London court
LONDON (AP) — Actor-comedian Russell Brand pleads not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault in a London court.
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Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Parties jockey for power in Hamilton by-election
The famous Hamilton Park Racecourse lies on the edge of town, just beyond the boundary of the Holyrood constituency where voters are set to elect a new MSP. Its presence is a useful reminder that few places in Scotland are as familiar with runners and riders, favourites and outsiders. The current political race in this former coal mining heartland of west central Scotland will decide who represents Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in the Scottish Parliament following the death of the SNP's Christina McKelvie. It also has wider significance. It is the largest test of voter opinion in Scotland since the UK general election in which Labour heavily defeated the SNP. It is also the first real opportunity to see if Reform UK's recent successes in England can give them what they call a "tartan bounce". The outcome will help shape the political narrative in Scotland ahead of the national Holyrood election next May. Who can I vote for in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election? While Hamilton has its place in the history of horse racing, it has also earned iconic status when it comes to jockeying for political power. It was here that Winnie Ewing made her stunning by-election breakthrough for the SNP in 1967. It was this town that gave the former NATO secretary general Lord Robertson his start at Westminster in 1978. It was the people of Hamilton South who elected Labour's Tom McCabe as the first MSP in 1999. Driving around what is now the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency, you would be forgiven for thinking the 2025 contest was a two horse race between the SNP and Reform UK. That's only because these are the parties dominating billboard advertising. This observation takes no account of the intensive door knocking, direct mailing and social media campaigning that's been going on for weeks. The SNP leader John Swinney has certainly acknowledged a third, red rosette-wearing horse in this race. My sense is that his comment came as something of a relief to Scottish Labour, who came second last time and expect to be regarded as the principal challenger to the SNP, who are defending the seat. Labour could certainly do with a win here. Having swept to power at Westminster last summer, Sir Keir Starmer's party quickly lost popularity with decisions like cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners. Even though changes to that policy have been promised, they will come too late for this by-election. The damage to Scottish Labour seems to have been done. The SNP tends to have a double digit lead over Labour in national opinion polls, with support for pro-UK parties heavily fragmented since the rise of Reform. That means that with around a third of the vote, the SNP can still be winners because Reform UK is principally drawing support away from the Conservatives and Labour. The arithmetic already takes into account a series of SNP controversies over independence strategy, gender self-identification, a police investigation into party finances, leadership changes and the collapse of a power-sharing deal with the Greens. These are challenging conditions for Scottish Labour to regain power at Holyrood after nearly two decades in the wilderness. That is the national picture suggested by a relatively limited number of opinion polls. This election is for a single constituency for which no formal polling has been published. In other words, there is plenty of room for surprise, especially if voters stay at home and turnout is low. At the start of this by-election campaign, a Labour source told me they would have a chance if the focus was on the SNP's record in government - on issues like long waits for NHS treatment. The same source said that if the vote became a referendum on Labour's first months in power at Westminster they would be in big trouble. Labour insiders now say they have identified enough potential support to win in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse if (and it could be a big if) they can mobilise voters to turn out. By contrast, SNP campaigners say they are "ahead" while acknowledging that the buzz around Reform UK following their successes in English local and mayoral elections throws in an "unknown" factor. This is a contest that nobody wanted and there appears to be little enthusiasm for the political choice on offer. A senior figure in the SNP told me they had found voters angry with Labour but far from impressed with the SNP. Many of the locals who stopped to chat with me in the centre of Hamilton were thoroughly fed up with politicians of all stripes. Elizabeth O'Donohue seemed to speak for many when she said: "I think they're all as bad as each other." Des McDonagh, who has voted SNP in the past and tried Labour in 2024, said he was now "totally dismayed with the options available". Nicole Copland accused politicians of making "false promises" to reduce the cost of living and said that when she votes "things don't really change". Rising household bills, access to healthcare, taxes on small businesses and revitalising town centres are all issues that have come up in this campaign. The public frustration with established parties is palpable and this is where Reform UK has spotted an opportunity. They have no track record of election, never mind government, at any level in Scotland. Their key figures are councillors who have defected from the Scottish Conservatives. The party is now targeting Labour voters with their UK leader Nigel Farage arguing for the threshold at which working people begin paying tax to be raised to £20,000. He wants tighter controls on immigration and the asylum system to help pay for this change. Across parties in Scotland, there is an acknowledgement that immigration is being raised by voters more than in the past. That is a policy area controlled by Westminster rather than Holyrood but that does not prevent discussion. In this campaign, Reform UK has claimed that the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar would "prioritise the Pakistani community". That is the interpretation Reform has placed on a speech Mr Sarwar gave in 2022 at an event celebrating 75 years of Pakistan's independence - despite him not actually using those words in the clips they have chosen to promote on social media. They have been accused of racism by the SNP, Labour and the Greens, with the Liberal Democrats attacking Reform UK for "scummy tactics". The Conservatives under the leadership of Russell Findlay have largely kept out of the row. By doubling down on this claim Nigel Farage attracted fresh ire from Holyrood politicians, amplifying what appears to be an attempt to motivate voters for whom immigration is a concern. I saw examples of support for Reform in this constituency and also heard voters express disgust at the party's rhetoric. Reform's minimum ambition here is to finish third and push the Conservatives into fourth place - a potential outcome for which the Scottish Tories appear to be braced. Pundits, pollsters and political journalists will analyse the results carefully for insights into voter behaviour with less than a year until every Holyrood seat comes up for grabs. If the SNP hold on, that would compound the sense that although the party is far less popular than it has been, John Swinney could still be first minister after next year's Holyrood vote. If Labour take the seat, that would confound those who have come to believe that Anas Sarwar and his team will struggle to build sufficient support to be competitive in that contest. Anything other than an SNP or Labour win in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse would be a huge political upset. That doesn't mean that whatever happens in this by-election will be replicated in the national election. They are not the same thing and voting patterns vary across the country. In the Hamilton area, candidates and boundaries change over time but this corner of Scotland's post-industrial centre is a consistent source of political intrigue. That remains the case as voters prepare for their next moment in the political spotlight. There are a total of 10 candidates contesting this by-election on Thursday 5 June. They are: Collette Bradley - Scottish Socialist Party Andy Brady - Scottish Family Party Ross Lambie - Reform Katy Loudon - SNP Janice Mackay - UK Independence Party Ann McGuinness - Greens Aisha Mir - Liberal Democrat Richard Nelson - Conservative Davy Russell - Labour Marc Wilkinson - Independent
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
UK trade secretary to seek exemption from US steel and aluminium tariffs
The UK's trade secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, will meet his US counterpart next week to thrash out a timeline for exempting the UK from US steel and aluminium tariffs after Donald Trump announced he would double them. British officials are seeking clarity on the implications of Trump's announcement on Friday night that he planned to double the tariffs from 25% to 50% from Wedneday 4 June, piling further pressure on global steel trade. Reynolds is expected to meet his US counterpart, Jamieson Greer , at the OECD meeting in Paris next week. He will seek to agree a timeline for implementing the deal agreed to lower steel, aluminium, auto and other product tariffs. A UK government spokesperson said: 'The UK was the first country to secure a trade deal with the US earlier this month and we remain committed to protecting British business and jobs across key sectors, including steel.' 'We are engaging with the US on the implications of the latest tariff announcement and to provide clarity for industry.' The Guardian reported that British officials were intensifying trade talks with the US and hope to see the deal implemented within weeks. A government source said: 'Some countries are viewing the court ruling as an indication that they were right not to negotiate over tariffs. We're taking the opposite view, and trying to get this deal implemented as soon as possible.' Trump and Keir Starmer announced a US-UK trade deal earlier this month under which on British steel and aluminium will be reduced to zero, and tariffs on up to 100,000 British cars a year will be reduced from 25% to 10%. The deal did not cover Trump's blanket 10% tariffs on all foreign imports, which a federal court overturned last week, arguing that the US president had overstepped his powers. An appeals court paused the ruling and said Trump's tariffs could continue while it examines the arguments. The European Commission said on Saturday that it 'strongly' regretted Trump's decision to double steel and aluminium tariffs, and warned that the EU was prepared to retaliate. 'This decision adds further uncertainty to the global economy and increases costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic,' a spokesperson for the commission said, adding that 'the tariff increase also undermines ongoing efforts to reach a negotiated solution'. 'The EU is prepared to impose countermeasures, including in response to the latest U.S. tariff increase.' 'The European Commission is currently finalising consultations on expanded countermeasures. If no mutually acceptable solution is reached, both existing and additional EU measures will automatically take effect on 14 July – or earlier, if circumstances require.'
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
UK forging ahead with US trade talks, despite court block on Trump's tariffs
British officials are forging ahead in their trade talks with the US despite a recent court decision overturning many of Donald Trump's tariffs, and hope to have a deals covering cars, metals and aeroplane parts in place within weeks. A team of British negotiators spent much of last week in Washington talking to their American counterparts about how to implement the deal was signed earlier this month, including how quickly it can be passed by parliament and Congress. The talks come despite a ruling last week by a federal court overturning Trump's blanket 10% tariffs, which Downing Street believes will eventually be overruled by the president's allies on the supreme court. But on Thursday night, an appeals court paused the ruling while it looks more closely at the arguments – allowing Trump's administration to keep them in place. One government source said: 'Some countries are viewing the court ruling as an indication that they were right not to negotiate over tariffs. We're taking the opposite view, and trying to get this deal implemented as soon as possible.' A government spokesperson said: 'The UK was the first country to secure a deal with the US in a move that will protect British business and jobs across key sectors, from autos to steel. 'We are working to ensure that businesses can benefit from the deal as quickly as possible and will confirm next steps in due course.' The US president announced the US-UK trade deal earlier this month from the Oval Office, calling it 'very special for the UK and special for the United States'. Trump surprised Downing Street with the timing of his announcement, informing Keir Starmer just hours before he made it, with many of the finer details still to be ironed out. Related: New UK-US trade deal is a relief for Starmer but doubts, and tariffs, remain Under the terms of the agreement, for example, British car companies will be allowed to export 100,000 vehicles a year at a 10% tariff rate. But the deal does not set out how the Americans will view cars assembled in the UK with a considerable proportion of parts made in other countries, nor how parts themselves will be treated. While the details are being fleshed out, some British companies are being forced by their American customers to reduce their prices, while others say they are simply not exporting at all. Earlier this week, a federal court ruled many of Trump's tariffs were illegal, and that he should first have sought the approval of Congress. But while that ruling applied to the 10% rate Trump has applied to products from across the world, it did not apply to the higher 25% rate he has imposed on cars, steel and aluminium. Downing Street has decided to continue negotiating with the US as if the court ruling did not apply, not least because British officials believe it is likely to be struck out by the supreme court, which is dominated by conservatives. On Friday night, Trump unexpectedly announced he would be doubling foreign tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to 50%. It was not immediately clear how the announcement would affect the trade agreement negotiated earlier this month that saw tariffs on UK steel and aluminium reduced to zero. Last week, a UK team landed in Washington, including the prime minister's business adviser, Varun Chandra, the business department's head of trade relations, Kate Joseph, and the deputy national security adviser, Jonathan Black. Michael Ellam, the senior Cabinet Office official who played a major role in getting the deal signed, is now concentrating on the EU reset deal, one source said. The team spent much of last week talking to Howard Lutnick, the US commerce secretary, Jamieson Greer, the US trade representative, and Brooke Rollins, the US agriculture secretary. Rollins has been pushing for the UK to open up to more US agricultural and food products, though Starmer has insisted he is not willing to reduce welfare and safety standards to do so. Officials are hoping car tariffs will be dropped in the next two weeks, while steel and aluminium ones could take a few weeks longer. They also believe the US will reduce tariffs on British-made aeroplane parts almost to zero, having promised to give the UK a 'significantly preferential outcome' when deciding tariffs on future products. Discussions about pharmaceutical products, which account for approximately £7bn worth of exports to the US, are still going on, however, given Trump has not yet said what tariffs he intends to impose on the sector. The talks with the US are continuing at the same time as officials get closer to a controversial £1.6bn trade deal with Gulf countries. The Guardian revealed on Friday that that deal contained no concrete provisions on human rights, modern slavery or the environment.
