Was there a Whitehall cover-up of the grooming gangs scandal?
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Whitehall officials tried to convince Michael Gove to go to court to cover up the grooming scandal in 2011, according to Dominic Cummings, who was working for him at the time.
In an interview with Sky's political correspondent Liz Bates, Mr Cummings has revealed how officials in the Department for Education wanted to help efforts by Rotherham Council to stop a national newspaper from exposing the scandal.
On the Sky News Daily, Mark Austin speaks to Liz Bates about the scandal and what Mr Cummings told her.
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The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Trump says US-UK deal ‘done' as steel tariffs still up in air
The deal will grant British carmakers a reprieve by the end of June as levies drop from 25% to 10%, while the aerospace sector will face no import taxes. But tariffs for the steel industry, which is of key economic importance to the UK, will stand at 25% for now rather than falling to zero as originally agreed. This is less than the US global rate of 50% for steel and aluminium. The Prime Minister described the pact as a 'sign of strength' in the transatlantic relationship, while Mr Trump praised Sir Keir as a 'friend' who had done a 'great job' securing the deal that eluded leaders before him. Following the hastily arranged meeting, the two leaders posed for pictures outside the G7 venue with the signed documents, which the US president dropped before Sir Keir picked them up. Mr Trump also mistakenly referred to the pact as a 'trade agreement with the European Union.' In an impromptu media spray, the US president was asked whether steel tariffs would be eliminated, to which he replied: 'We're gonna let you have that information in a little while.' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer picks up UK-US trade deal papers dropped by US President Donald Trump before speaking to the media (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Department for Business and Trade said the two leaders had pledged to 'make progress towards 0% tariffs on core steel products as agreed'. Asked whether Britain would be shielded from future tariffs, Mr Trump said the UK was protected 'because I like them'. 'The UK is very well protected, you know why? Because I like them. That's their ultimate protection,' he said. The PM told the US President: 'Donald, thank you very much… A really important agreement. And so this is a very good day for both of our countries, a real sign of strength.' The terms of the deal were agreed in May, but neither Washington nor London had yet taken the necessary steps to reduce tariffs. Reports have since suggested the US could also push for the NHS to pay more for American drugs in exchange for softened tariffs, with White House sources telling the Telegraph the service would be expected to pay higher prices. Downing Street insisted the Government will 'only ever sign trade agreements that align with the UK's national interests' but did not rule out discussing the issue with Washington. The Prime Minister was also insistent that a nuclear submarine deal between the UK, US and Australia, called Aukus, is 'very important' to both the United States and Britain. He said it was proceeding despite Washington launching a review into the pact, which is worth around £176 billion and believed to be aimed at countering China. He said: 'We're proceeding with that, it's a really important deal to both of us. 'I think the president is doing a review, we did a review when we came into government, and that makes good sense to me.' Later on Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on X that Mr Trump would be leaving the summit early due to the situation in the Middle East, following a dinner with heads of state. 'Much was accomplished, but because of what's going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State,' she said. President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what's going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State. — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) June 16, 2025 Meanwhile, Sir Keir and his fellow world leaders are locked in a week of intense diplomacy amid the spiralling conflict in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. The Prime Minister joined Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Carney and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a glass of wine and informal discussions on Sunday night. Downing Street dismissed suggestions that the get-together had been a 'Trump-handling' exercise to prove the summit against the US president's unpredictability as leaders seek to put on a united front in the face of heightened global instability. Splits had earlier opened up in the response to Russia, which Mr Trump suggested should not have been kicked out of the former G8 following its annexation of Crimea in 2014. The US leader also signalled his reluctance to impose further American sanctions on Moscow despite a European push to heap more pressure on Vladimir Putin as he resists calls for an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (left) during a bilateral meeting with the President of France Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Standing alongside Sir Keir, who had earlier said G7 allies would seek to ratchet up measures against the Kremlin, Mr Trump said sanctions were 'not that easy' and would cost Washington 'a tremendous amount of money'. Asked whether Washington supported European efforts to impose further measures, he told reporters ahead of a bilateral meeting with the UK Prime Minister: 'Well Europe is saying that, but they haven't done it yet. 'Let's see them do it first.' Asked why he wanted to wait to impose sanctions, Mr Trump said: 'Because I'm waiting to see whether or not a deal is done… and don't forget, you know, sanctions cost us a lot of money.'
Western Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Trump says US-UK deal ‘done' as steel tariffs still up in air
The Prime Minister said the move marked a 'very important day' for both sides as the US president announced the agreement was 'done' in a joint appearance on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. The deal will grant British carmakers a reprieve by the end of June as levies drop from 25% to 10%, while the aerospace sector will face no import taxes. But tariffs for the steel industry, which is of key economic importance to the UK, will stand at 25% for now rather than falling to zero as originally agreed. This is less than the US global rate of 50% for steel and aluminium. The Prime Minister described the pact as a 'sign of strength' in the transatlantic relationship, while Mr Trump praised Sir Keir as a 'friend' who had done a 'great job' securing the deal that eluded leaders before him. Following the hastily arranged meeting, the two leaders posed for pictures outside the G7 venue with the signed documents, which the US president dropped before Sir Keir picked them up. Mr Trump also mistakenly referred to the pact as a 'trade agreement with the European Union.' In an impromptu media spray, the US president was asked whether steel tariffs would be eliminated, to which he replied: 'We're gonna let you have that information in a little while.' The Department for Business and Trade said the two leaders had pledged to 'make progress towards 0% tariffs on core steel products as agreed'. Asked whether Britain would be shielded from future tariffs, Mr Trump said the UK was protected 'because I like them'. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer picks up UK-US trade deal papers dropped by US President Donald Trump before speaking to the media (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 'The UK is very well protected, you know why? Because I like them. That's their ultimate protection,' he said. The PM told the US President: 'Donald, thank you very much… A really important agreement. And so this is a very good day for both of our countries, a real sign of strength.' The terms of the deal were agreed in May, but neither Washington nor London had yet taken the necessary steps to reduce tariffs. Reports have since suggested the US could also push for the NHS to pay more for American drugs in exchange for softened tariffs, with White House sources telling the Telegraph the service would be expected to pay higher prices. Downing Street insisted the Government will 'only ever sign trade agreements that align with the UK's national interests' but did not rule out discussing the issue with Washington. The Prime Minister was also insistent that a nuclear submarine deal between the UK, US and Australia, called Aukus, is 'very important' to both the United States and Britain. He said it was proceeding despite Washington launching a review into the pact, which is worth around £176 billion and believed to be aimed at countering China. He said: 'We're proceeding with that, it's a really important deal to both of us. 'I think the president is doing a review, we did a review when we came into government, and that makes good sense to me.' Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (right) and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting at Parliament Hill in Ottawa (Suzanne Plunkett/PA) Sir Keir and his fellow world leaders are locked in a week of intense diplomacy amid the spiralling conflict in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. The Prime Minister joined Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Carney and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a glass of wine and informal discussions on Sunday night. Downing Street dismissed suggestions that the get-together had been a 'Trump-handling' exercise to prove the summit against the US president's unpredictability as leaders seek to put on a united front in the face of heightened global instability. On Monday, splits opened up in the response to Russia, which Mr Trump suggested should not have been kicked out of the former G8 following its annexation of Crimea in 2014. The US leader also signalled his reluctance to impose further American sanctions on Moscow despite a European push to heap more pressure on Vladimir Putin as he resists calls for an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (left) during a bilateral meeting with the President of France Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Standing alongside Sir Keir, who had earlier said G7 allies would seek to ratchet up measures against the Kremlin, Mr Trump said sanctions were 'not that easy' and would cost Washington 'a tremendous amount of money'. Asked whether Washington supported European efforts to impose further measures, he told reporters ahead of a bilateral meeting with the UK Prime Minister: 'Well Europe is saying that, but they haven't done it yet. 'Let's see them do it first.' Asked why he wanted to wait to impose sanctions, Mr Trump said: 'Because I'm waiting to see whether or not a deal is done… and don't forget, you know, sanctions cost us a lot of money.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The critical undersea cables at the mercy of Chinese and Russian saboteurs: Fears UK is 'woefully' unprepared for threat of coordinated attacks by 'shadow fleets' on vulnerable Western infrastructure
This is the network of critical underseas cables at the mercy of Chinese and Russian saboteurs - and the multiple ways they could be attacked. A new report has warned Britain remains 'woefully' underprepared for the threat of strikes on its maritime infrastructure in the face of growing aggression. The China Strategic Risks Institute (CSRI) looked at 12 incidents of alleged undersea cable sabotage between January 2021 and April 2025 in Europe and Taiwan. Out of the 10 cases where a suspect vessel was identified, eight were linked to China or Russia by flag or ownership. Report author Andrew Yeh said the involvement of Chinese ships in cable breakages in Europe and Russian ships in those near Taiwan indicated 'plausible' coordination. The Institute identified the UK as a 'likely target' for future Chinese-Russian 'grey zone' operations - a term used to describe the state between peace and open war. This map produced by MailOnline shows the dizzying extent of the UK's network of cables, which are used to transmit data used for everything from online shopping to banking, personal messages and government communications. As the term 'grey zone' suggests, acts of cable sabotage are usually intended to be deniable, and usually involve ships dragging their anchors or deploying fishing nets. But more aggressive methods are available, including the use of divers or remote-operated subs to lay explosives fitted with timers. The UK is the landing point for at least 60 undersea cable systems, including nine of the 15 undersea cables that link Europe to North America. Mr Yeh wrote in his report: 'Undersea cables underpin economic security and global prosperity in the digital age, carrying 99 per cent of intercontinental data traffic. 'Undersea cables are vital for both civilian and defence infrastructure, including future AI-powered technologies. 'As a key hub in Euro-Atlantic cable infrastructure, the UK is a likely target for future Russian and Chinese grey-zone operations – posing a new and complex challenge for its maritime defence and surveillance systems.' The analyst called for the UK to be 'clear-eyed and proactive' in addressing grey-zone threats to undersea infrastructure. He called for increased surveillance over critical cables, the publication of a blacklist of suspect vessels and the stockpiling of cable parts to allow for rapid repairs following acts of sabotage. The issue of undersea cables was mentioned in the recent Strategic Defence Review. It stated: 'Undersea pipelines and data cables are critical for sustaining daily national life. The maritime domain is increasingly vulnerable. 'The Royal Navy must be prepared to deter maritime incidents similar to the sabotage of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and the cutting of undersea data cables in UK and international waters.' Since October 2023, at least 11 subsea cables in the Baltic have been damaged in suspected attacks. Last year, Finnish authorities took the unprecedented step of intercepting one of these ships, the Eagle S, and taking it back into its territorial waters. Eagle S is flagged in the Cook Islands but has been described by Finnish customs officials as part of Russia's shadow fleet of fuel tankers that state-run companies have used to circumnavigate sanctions. Its anchor was accused of causing damage to the Estlink-2 power cable, which takes electricity from Finland to Estonia across the Baltic Sea, after it went down just after noon on Christmas Day. Further incidents in the North Sea have seen cables running on the seabed damaged, while separately, Russian spy ships - including one called the Yantar - have been intercepted in the Channel while hovering over the communication lines. At a parliamentary committee hearing last month, MPs were warned that Britain had forgotten how important deep sea cables are to modern society. Military chiefs and political leaders were accused of putting a greater focus on 'distant wars' in recent years than protecting this crucial infrastructure. It comes as British defence experts revealed a new undersea robot that is designed to protect cables against sabotage attempts. Video footage shows the device, which is adapted from a commercially available remotely operated vehicle (ROV), approaching and blasting a simulated target. The robot will help deal with sabotage threats and clear unexploded ordnance, doing jobs that would normally put both divers and their vessels at risk. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), part of the Ministry of Defence, has made the device with industry partners in an aim to save lives at sea. Experts have incorporated or developed systems so the ROV can detect unexploded ordnance and remotely place explosive charges to enable safe neutralisation. Trials for the project funded by the Royal Navy have already taken place at Horsea Island in Portsmouth, Portland Harbour in Dorset, South Wales and in Norway.
