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Farage ‘can't apologise' for election vetting as Basildon MP resigns Reform whip

Farage ‘can't apologise' for election vetting as Basildon MP resigns Reform whip

Yahoo11 hours ago
Farage has told Reform UK councillors 'how we behave matters' and says he 'can't apologise' for the 2024 election vetting process because he was not involved in it.
On Monday morning, Mr Farage arrived to overcast drizzle at Kent County Council (KCC) in Maidstone, to be greeted by expectant councillors from the Reform-led authority.
The visit comes after news that Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock James McMurdock has resigned the party whip amid allegations that he took out government loans during the Covid pandemic for businesses with no employees.
Mr Farage was keen to distance himself from the absence of Reform candidate vetting processes for the 2024 general election, and said he 'can't apologise' for it.
MP - James McMurdock has resigned the Reform UK whip from himself (Image: Joe Giddens / PA Wire)
He said: 'I came in, I inherited this situation where hundreds of candidates who stood in the last general election had not gone through a vetting process.
'I said on July 5, the day after the election last year, that we would now professionalise.
'We put 1,630 candidates into the field on May 1, more than any other party with very, very few rows or arguments – so the vetting process worked for this year, I can't apologise for what happened before.'
The Reform leader did not answer when asked whether the allegations faced by Mr McMurdock were an embarrassment for his party.
'Let's find out the truth, I know as much about this right now as you do.' said Mr Farage.
Defence - Nigel Farage said he 'inherited' the situation and can't apologise for the lack of vetting during the 2024 elections (Image: Ben Whitley/PA)
He added that he would be heading to Westminster later on Monday to find out more about the situation.
Addressing KCC Reform councillors on the steps inside County Hall, he outlined his expectations for them.
Mr Farage said: 'Behaving with integrity is a responsibility upon all of you, although that doesn't mean you all have to become stuffed shirts or anything like that.
'You are holders of public office you are responsible and how we behave matters.'
Later, he told the PA news agency: 'Yes I think, I think that when you become elected at any level you have a responsibility,
'I'm not asking for stuffed shirts, I'm not asking for boring people. I'm just saying think, think to all of these people here who were basically in 'civvy street' in political terms before May 1, just think before you act.'
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Elon Musk wants to create a new political party, but can it succeed?
Elon Musk wants to create a new political party, but can it succeed?

Yahoo

time43 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Elon Musk wants to create a new political party, but can it succeed?

Elon Musk left his position in the Trump administration just five weeks ago, but he's already floating the idea of reentering the political world. Once President Donald Trump's right-hand man and a mega donor to Republicans in the 2024 election, Musk has broken with the president and Republican Party over government spending. Now he wants to create a new political party. He floated then revamped the idea in several posts online. Then, on July Fourth, Musk asked his followers on X, the social platform he owns, if they wanted some 'independence from the two-party system.' 'By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,' Musk said Saturday. 'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.' It looks like Musk has already taken steps to make the party official. Pollster Nate Silver noted in a Monday newsletter that an FEC filing for the America Party listed Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja as the party's treasurer. It's not known if it's a legitimate filing, as Musk has yet to address it, but it could be the start of real action on Musk's part to create the country's newest political party. After being sharply critical of Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' Musk's party would likely look to curb government spending and could be successful in gaining support from younger men, which proved to be a difficult demographic for the Democratic Party to hold on to, Silver pointed out. Trump responded in a lengthy post of his own on Sunday, saying he is sad to watch Musk go 'completely 'off the rails,'' calling him a train wreck since leaving the administration and his position at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 'He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States — The System seems not designed for them,' Trump wrote. 'The one thing Third parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats.' Trump's message about Musk poses a common question: Why have third parties in the United States never truly succeeded? Mark Schrad, a political science professor at Villanova University, said a third party will very likely never succeed in elections in the United States because of centuries-old systems in place. He pointed to the French political sociologist, Maurice Duverger, who created what is known as Duverger's Law, which says election outcomes are determined by electoral institutions and how votes for a candidate are counted. 'It's as close to a law-like regularity that we have in political science,' Schrad said. 'And what it essentially says is that the electoral system that you have determines the number of political parties that you have.' Schrad highlighted proportional representation systems in Europe that allow people to vote based on their ideologies, splintering the electorate into various parties like Green parties, Libertarian parties, Socialist parties and more. In the U.S., however, the electoral system has been designed to be a 'single member district plurality,' or a 'first-past-the-post system,' where one candidate wins out, he said. 'There's no consolation prize for coming in second place,' Schrad said of the U.S. system as a whole. Musk's idea to create a third party isn't new. Over the years, there's been plenty of third-party candidates, who, Schrad noted, often want to change the world for the better and think they can be the one to do it. The Prohibition Party, one of the oldest third parties, is the one Schrad has studied most. In the decades since its creation, other third parties have tried — and largely failed — to make it into the mainstream, including Jill Stein's Green Party run, Cornel West's switch from Green to independent and Andrew Yang's Forward Party endeavor, among others. In the most recent election cycle, a centrist organization No Labels toyed with the possibility of running a presidential candidate, the Deseret News previously reported. The organization fought to get on ballots across the country — like former independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also tried to do. No Labels eventually went on to say they'd only run a candidate that had a 'credible path' to the White House and no one emerged. The group also argued that a 'well-funded and cynical conspiracy' was conducted to block No Labels and its Unity Party from gaining access to ballots in different states. States have different barriers to entry for third-party candidates to appear on the ballot. A few states, like Utah, make it relatively easy for candidates to gain access, while in other states it's more difficult. While gaining access to a ballot is only one issue presented to non-mainstream candidates, Schrad argued there's an ideological battle a third party must engage in. Winning over the hearts and minds of people who have decades-long voting patterns and 'deeply engrained' loyalties to one national political party has proven to be a difficult task. For Musk, his America Party needs to be 'conservative enough that it could compete with Republicans' in traditionally red states, but also be liberal enough to compete in traditionally blue states, Schrad said. 'And … what you've just described is a political unicorn,' he said. 'It doesn't exist.' There's often frustration among third-party organizers who want to push their agenda forward, but become gridlocked by the institutional systems at play. No Labels expressed anger after former President Joe Biden's poor debate sparked conversation about the Democratic Party and its chosen candidate. They questioned why the Democratic Party allowed Biden — an aging and unpopular president — to run again, when dozens of polls showed Americans wanted someone else. But the argument could be made that third party candidates, who rarely poll well nationally, are 'spoiling' the electability of candidates from established parties. Stein's 2024 campaign concerned Democrats who said she could pull votes from an untested candidate like former Vice President Kamala Harris. Stein brushed off the concerns as 'self-serving propaganda,' Schrad noted that most third-party candidates are 'true believers' who don't explicitly want to act 'as a spoiler,' but it's just the nature of how voting works in America. He highlighted Ross Perot's 1992 presidential campaign, where he ran as an independent. Perot has polled the best among third-party candidates and is considered one of the most successful, yet still was crushed by the Democratic and Republican candidates. 'Due to the fact that it's a winner take all system, he got exactly zero electoral votes, which is the same number as I got and I wasn't even running,' Schrad said. 'This is not a system that allows for that.' Silver previously shared Musk's declining favorability with the American public. He may not have the sway he thinks he will, should he decide to back a candidate — since he can't run for president himself. After his work with the Trump administration and DOGE to slash federal spending, his feud with the president over the last several weeks, and after spending millions in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race that didn't go in his favor, he may have lost his edge with voters. Musk would have to overcome both voters' sedentary ideological behaviors, but also the practical 'on the ground' challenges third party candidates face, Schrad said. Musk is in a unique position, however, as the world's richest man. He would have an unusual amount of money to back his third party. Still, those are only a few pieces of the puzzle for third-party success, Schrad noted. 'The plight of these third parties is that they come in with big ideas and they can kind of have … the sense of destiny that we can overcome the institutions, just by sheer force of will, 'if we all just come together, we could overcome these things,'' Schrad said. 'And then they fail time and time again because of Duverger's Law, because of the electoral system.' 'And that's something that Elon can't buy his way out of really,' he added. Still, as Silver noted in his newsletter, Trump's rise to the presidency was largely unpredicted and underreported, so the future of Musk's political party remains unknown.

Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters faces possible prosecution after supporting banned Palestine Action
Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters faces possible prosecution after supporting banned Palestine Action

Fox News

timean hour ago

  • Fox News

Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters faces possible prosecution after supporting banned Palestine Action

Former Pink Floyd songwriter Roger Waters could face prosecution after declaring his support for Palestine Action, a terrorist organization that has been banned by Parliament in the U.K. Waters posted a video to X on Saturday, in which the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame inductee praised Palestine Action as a "great organization," while also giving kudos to Bob Vylan, who led the Glastonbury Festival crowd in a chant, shouting, "Death, death to the IDF." Waters said in his video that he was in his studio and was working on a piece of brown cardboard with a Sharpie. He then switched the camera from his face to the cardboard. "This says, 'Roger Waters supports Palestine Action, 5th of July 2025. Parliament has been corrupted by agents of a genocidal foreign power. Stand up and be counted. It's Now,'" Waters read. "This is the moment. I am Spartacus." "This is Independence Day, July 5th, 2025," he continued. "I declare my independence from the government of the U.K., who've just designated Palestine Action a terrorist, proscribed terrorist organization." Waters said he supports Palestine Action, calling it a "great organization," and noting that they are "nonviolent" and "absolutely not terrorists in any way." "They're a nonviolent protest organization protesting the presence in the U.K. of Elbit Systems, who are an Israeli arms manufacturing organization," he said. "All right. So, that's that. I support Palestine Action, and I always will because that is the right thing to do." He then turned his attention to others who support Palestine, like Bob Vylan, a punk-rap duo who led anti-Israel chants at the Glastonbury Festival late last month. "We must support our brothers and sisters in Palestine and support them no matter what," Waters said. "So good on you, what was your name? Vylan. Good on you, Vylan, and the rest of you who are standing up to be counted. I love you." Reuters reported that last week, the U.K. government moved to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws after its activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged two planes in protest of what the organization called Britain's support for Israel. After a parliamentary vote, the government proscribed the group as a terrorist organization, and the ban went into effect at midnight. Under U.K. law, offenses include things like inviting support, expressing approval or displaying symbols of a banned group, and violations are punishable by up to 14 years behind bars and/or a fine. There are currently 81 groups listed under anti-terrorism laws in Britain, including al-Qaeda, ISIS and Hamas. Parliament's Minister of State, Sir David Hanson, said after the amendment's approval that Palestine Action released an "undercover manual" that encourages its members to create small groups and provides guidance about how to conduct activity against private companies and government buildings. Hanson also said the manual explains how to operate covertly and evade arrest. "The Government have assessed that Palestine Action promotes and encourages terrorism. This includes glorification of its attacks involving serious property damage on social media," Hanson said. "I have to say that we would not tolerate this activity from organisations if they were motivated by Islamist or extreme right-wing ideologies, and therefore I cannot tolerate it from Palestine Action." "By implementing this measure, we will remove Palestine Action's veil of legitimacy, tackle its financial support and degrade its efforts to recruit and radicalise people into committing terrorist activity in its name," he added. The Campaign Against Antisemitism, which, according to the group's site, is a "volunteer-led charity dedicated to exposing and countering antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of law," shared Waters' video on X shortly after it was posted by the former Pink Floyd member. The group said it reviewed the post, adding that anyone who expresses support for it, contrary to the Terrorism Act 2000, is committing a criminal offense. They also said they stand ready to privately prosecute offenders when authorities fail to act. A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism told Fox News Digital, "The suggestion that the Jewish state wields excessive political influence is a breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism." "Roger Waters has a long history of promoting dangerous conspiratorial tropes," the spokesperson said. "His declaration of support for Palestine Action, now a banned organisation, is his most legally provocative move yet. We expect the police to take action, and if they do not then we will."

Ministers fail to rule out cutting Send school plans after campaigners' concerns
Ministers fail to rule out cutting Send school plans after campaigners' concerns

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Ministers fail to rule out cutting Send school plans after campaigners' concerns

Ministers have failed to rule out slashing education plans for children and young people with special educational needs, after campaigners warned against the move. Education minister Stephen Morgan insisted parents should have 'absolutely' no fear that support for children with special needs or disabilities (Send) will be scaled back. But he could not guarantee that the current system of education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which are issued to give children specialist classroom support, would remain in place. In a letter shared with the Guardian newspaper, campaigners have said that without the documents in mainstream schools, 'many thousands of children risk being denied vital provision, or losing access to education altogether'. On Monday, Mr Morgan told broadcaster LBC the current system of support is 'failing children, it's failing parents'. Asked if concerned campaigners could have no fear that Send support will be scaled back, Mr Morgan replied: 'Absolutely. What we want to do is make sure we've got a better system in place as a result of the reform that we're doing that improves outcomes for children with additional needs.' But pressed whether the reforms could include scrapping ECHPs, Mr Morgan replied: 'We're looking at all things in the round. 'I'm not going to get into the mechanics today, but this is about strengthening support for system.' On Sunday, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson would similarly not be drawn on whether the plans will be retained. 'What I can say very clearly is that we will strengthen and put in place better support for children,' she told the BBC. The Government plans to publish a white paper in the autumn detailing how it will reform support for Send, according to Mr Morgan. Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Ms Phillipson said children with special needs will 'always' have a 'legal right' to additional support. She said: 'The guiding principle of any reform to the Send system that we will set out will be about better support for children, strengthened support for children and improved support for children, both inside and outside of special schools. 'Improved inclusivity in mainstream schools, more specialist provision in mainstream schools, and absolutely drawing on the expertise of the specialist sector in creating the places where we need them, there will always be a legal right… to the additional support… that children with Send need.' Requests for Send support have risen year-on-year. In total, there were 638,745 EHCPs in place in January 2025, up 10.8% on the same point last year. The number of new plans which started during 2024 also grew by 15.8% on the previous year, to 97,747. Requests for children to be assessed for EHCPs rose by 11.8% to 154,489 in 2024. In a letter to the Guardian, campaigners including the heads of charities, professors, Send parents including actor Sally Phillips, and campaigners including broadcaster Chris Packham warned against scrapping ECHPs as part of any overhaul of support. 'Whatever the Send system's problems, the answer is not to remove the rights of children and young people. Families cannot afford to lose these precious legal protections,' they said. MPs have warned ministers have not been clear about their plans, and could face a rebellion akin to last week's welfare Bill revolt, according to the Guardian. In a signal the Government is willing to square up to its rebellious backbenchers, Mr Morgan told ITV's Good Morning Britain that Labour MPs had 'stood on a platform a manifesto commitment to reform the Send system'. He also would not be drawn into suggestions by Good Morning Britain that the reforms were a cost-cutting measure being driven by the Treasury. 'Well, look at the figures. We've actually put more money into the Send system, the £1 billion for high needs announced last year,' he replied to the question. Amid mounting pressure from MPs to scrap the two-child benefit cap, the minister said 'nothing has changed' in the Government's plans, which will see a child poverty strategy report back in the autumn. Mr Morgan added: 'We're looking at all levers to bring down child poverty, but that's got to be fiscally done well, and obviously we need to grow our economy.' Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson said: 'The Send system urgently needs fixing, but ministers mustn't use that as an excuse to balance the books on the backs of disabled children. 'The Government is ignoring the concerns of special needs families and campaigners, and is in serious danger of sleepwalking into another crisis – just like they did with the welfare Bill. 'Bridget Phillipson must listen to those concerns and come up with a proper solution that protects the most vulnerable in our communities, rather than throwing their support out the window.' During an adjournment debate on Send provision, Liberal Democrat MP Chris Coughlan said there are 'suicidal children with autism, who are repeatedly denied the support that is their right' in constituency of Dorking and Horley. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'There is an unfair postcode lottery in the provision available depending on the financial position of local authorities and local health services, many of which suffered from years of underfunding under the previous government. 'The Government has recognised the need for reform, suggesting that, in future, mainstream schools could support more pupils with special educational needs. 'If this is to be achieved, access to quality staff Send training will be essential, and schools will need significantly improved funding and access to external support in order to ensure children consistently receive the provision they deserve.'

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