Latest news with #Nigel Farage
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Not very green, Keir: PM joins Trump for 250-mile flight across Scotland in Air Force One for Aberdeen dinner date after meeting to discuss trade, Gaza
Keir Starmer risked the wrath of green groups and his own backbenchers tonight as he joined Donald Trump for a 250mile flight in Air Force One just so they could have dinner together. The Prime Minister waved as he boarded the US presidential Boeing 747 at Prestwick tonight after talks and a chaotic press conference at Trump's Turnberry golf resort. The president advised his 'not too liberal' friend to cut taxes and immigration if he wanted to beat Nigel Farage at the next election. And he gently pressed the PM on giving the go-ahead for new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, while slamming funding for wind power. The PM stood up for green energy hours before boarding the ageing American behemoth, which is built for long-haul journeys rather than a short hop across Scotland. 'We believe in a mix, and obviously oil and gas will be with us for a very long time, and that'll be part of the mix, but also wind, solar, increasingly nuclear (power),' he said. The flight will land at RAF Lossiemouth, due to Aberdeen Airport having too short a runway for the 747, which burns up to 11 tons of fuel per hour. It was the PM's second flight of the day, having arrived in Scotland from Switzerland, where he watched the Lionesses retain their Women's Euros title last night. The Prime Minister waved as he boarded the US presidential Boeing 747 at Prestwick tonight after talks and a chaotic press conference at Trump's Turnberry golf resort. The PM stood up for green energy hours before boarding the ageing American behemoth, which is built for long-haul journeys rather than a short hop across Scotland. Without any awkwardness about playing one mate off against the other the president used the hour-long televised bromantic encounter to tell the PM to cut taxes and stop 'murderers and drug dealers' from coming to Britain. While Sir Keir sat beside him with an impassive look on his face he also attacked subsidies for wind power and - gently - suggested he should back fresh drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea instead. He was full of praise for the Prime Minister and the way he was running the country, despite their ideological differences, saying Sir Keir was was 'liberal ..but not too liberal' in his approach. Mr Trump added: 'I think the one that's toughest and most competent on immigration is going to win the election, but then you add… low taxes, and you add the economy. '(Sir Keir) did a great thing with the economy, because a lot of money is going to come in because of the deal that was made. But I think that, I think that immigration is now bigger than ever before.' The president had earlier told Sir Keir Britain and the rest of Europe it must stop illegal immigration to avoid 'ruin' as the two leaders met in Scotland today. Mr Farage is not meeting Mr Trump during the visit. The American leader attacked Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan as a 'nasty person' and hailed both Sir Keir and Nigel Farage as 'great men' as the leaders took a series of questions across domestic and foreign affairs. The president also indicated that the US may not impose heavy tariffs on British pharmaceuticals, telling reporters that 'we certainly feel a lot better' about the UK working on drugs that will be sold in the States compared to other nations. The president had earlier said that he thinks Sir Keir, who has been in office for more than a year, will be 'a tax cutter.' The president had earlier spoken out as he met Sir Keir and Lady Victoria on the clubhouse steps at his Ayrshire golf course. During the president's 'working holiday' in the country of his mother's birth he spoke to reporters as bagpipes played in the background. He spoke out about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza - which the leaders will discuss further - and had criticism for Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war. But he also addressed the wider issue of immigration facing Europe he added that it was becoming a 'different place' - and praised Sir Keir for taking a strong stance against it. 'This is a magnificent part of the world, and you cannot ruin it, you cannot let people come here illegally,' the president said.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Anger as role at sharia court advertised on site for Government jobs
Outraged MPs demanded action last night as it emerged that a Government jobs site is advertising a role in a sharia court. They insisted that the British state should not be promoting the separate justice system based on Islamic law. And they urged the Department for Work and Pensions to remove the online posting for the £23,500-a-year administrative role. It comes after an investigation found Britain has become the western capital for sharia courts – with up to 85 operating here, offering religious rulings on marriage and divorce even though they are not legally recognised. Independent MP Rupert Lowe wrote in a letter to Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall: 'I am writing to express my absolute alarm and disgust that the Department for Work and Pensions "Find a Job" platform is currently advertising for a "Sharia Law Administrator". 'The requirements include a degree in sharia law and experience in sharia courts in Muslim countries. 'The DWP is promoting and facilitating the embedding of a parallel legal system in the United Kingdom. 'Sharia law has no place operating as a recognised legal framework within our country. It is fundamentally incompatible with British law, and our very way of life.' Mr Lowe demanded to know who approved the job posting and urged the department to immediately remove it. Reform's Zia Yusuf also wrote on social media: 'There is only one legal system in the UK. Any attempt to upend or replace it should be illegal.' While party leader Nigel Farage claimed: 'Our country and its values are being destroyed.' And Tory MP Peter Bedford said: 'I would be aghast if a politician signed off allowing recruitment for this type of role. 'I suspect, once again, this is the out-of-control civil service creating and implementing policy contrary to democratic authority. This must stop.' The advert posted on the DWP's Find A Job website on Thursday was for a 'Sharia Law Administrator' at Manchester Community Centre based in Didsbury. It requested an individual to 'provide all admin and secretarial work for Manchester Sharia Council' including to 'plan, manage, organise and oversee all MSC social and sharia services and activities on a day to day basis'. Candidates needed a degree in sharia law along with 'previous working experience in sharia law-related fields and/or sharia courts in Muslim countries'. 'Boundary-setting' was an essential skill, with the ad stating: 'The nature of the work means it is easy to get emotionally involved in certain cases. 'Setting boundaries ensures professional lines are not crossed...' A DWP spokesman said: 'This is a position being advertised on the Find A Job portal by an independent registered charity and is not within DWP. 'Find A Job is a free platform to help jobseekers find vacancies with employers from various sectors.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
UK's seized Bitcoin stash could get sold off to ease budget deficits
Britain's new Chancellor is sitting on a digital goldmine, and she's considering cashing it in. Rachel Reeves is weighing the sale of billions in seized Bitcoin to help plug a growing hole in the UK's public finances, according to The Telegraph. The Home Office is reportedly working to build a centralised crypto storage and liquidation system to facilitate the sale. One stash alone — 61,000 Bitcoin seized in a 2018 money laundering case — is now worth more than £5 billion after Bitcoin shot to new all-time highs above $123,000 last week. Reeves is facing pressure to find as much as £20 billion in her autumn budget as weak growth and high borrowing costs weigh on the economy. Former Chancellor Norman Lamont has urged the government to 'spend it right away,' while Reform UK's Nigel Farage has proposed the opposite: holding Bitcoin as a sovereign reserve, echoing Donald Trump's policy in the US. But even the US government's Bitcoin reserve plan has had a murky rollout. Although Trump ordered the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve earlier this year, the exact amount held remains unclear. Senator Cynthia Lummis recently expressed alarm over reports that the US Marshals Service controls just 29,000 Bitcoin, a fraction of the 200,000 previously estimated. Analysts say the discrepancy likely stems from large amounts of seized Bitcoin that have yet to be legally forfeited or are still in limbo between agencies, making them ineligible for inclusion in the reserve. Germany, by contrast, sold 50,000 Bitcoin last year for just over $3 billion — an amount now worth more than double. Kyle Baird is DL News' Weekend Editor. Got a tip? Email atkbaird@
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Could Jeremy Corbyn's new party shake up politics?
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed he is launching a new political party, promising to "build a democratic movement that can take on the rich and powerful".It doesn't have a name yet but the MP for Islington North says the plan is for the group to fight May's local elections ahead of the next general election, which is likely to take place in four years' new venture has the potential to shake-up the political landscape, with Labour and the Greens appearing to be the most at risk of losing votes. Polling of around 2,000 Britons by More In Common last month - on whether they would vote for a hypothetical Corbyn-led party - suggested it could pick up 10% of the vote. This would potentially take three points off Labour's vote share and extend Reform UK's lead in the polls by the same pollster's UK director, Luke Tryl, says that if this plays out at a general election Labour risks losing seats outright to Corbyn's party, while a splintering of the left-wing vote could also allow Reform UK or the Conservatives to make gains."In an era of very fragmented politics, small shares could make the difference across the board, and it is totally conceivable that the performance of this left-wing party could be the difference between a Labour-led government and a Nigel Farage Reform-led government on current polling," adds Mr party could gain support in parts of the country where pro-Gaza independents have performed strongly such as Birmingham, parts of east and north London and north-west England. More In Common's research suggests a Corbyn-led party would be most popular with those aged under 26 so inner-city student areas could also be key of these urban areas are holding local elections in May, which will mark the first real test for the new party. However, polling suggests the Green Party - where many disgruntled former Labour voters have already turned - stands to lose the most support from a Corbyn-led Greens were second to Labour in 40 constituencies at last year's general election but an insurgent left-wing party could eat into their depends on whether the Greens form electoral pacts with the new party, with both sides agreeing to stand down in seats where the other has a stronger chance of winning. The four pro-Gaza MPs who formed an independent alliance with Corbyn after the general election are expected to make up the core of the new party, along with former Labour MP Zarah Sultana. But how could they work with the Greens?Corbyn has suggested he will cooperate with the Greens but whether they will agree a formal deal remains to be Schneider, a close ally of Corbyn who is involved in the new group, tells the BBC it would make "perfect sense for our new party to have some form of pact with the Greens".Green Party leadership candidate Zack Polanski has also said he will "work with anyone who wants to take on Reform and this government". However, his rival, Green MP Adrian Ramsay, warned his party must not become "a Jeremy Corbyn support act" and maintain its "distinct" identity and broad appeal beyond the traditional Ford, a professor of political science at the University of Manchester, says a Corbyn-led party is a big threat to the Greens."Corbyn has a level of name recognition, a level of celebrity, that no one in the Green Party can possibly match," he tells BBC Radio 4's PM programme."Now, they have one big advantage which is that they have a core issue, the environment, which is one that Corbyn doesn't necessarily seem particularly interested in."So there is a world in which they could divide up the pie, so to speak, but they're going to need to think hard about that or they risk being pushed aside." Another poll of more than 2,500 Britons by YouGov earlier this month found that while 18% say they are open to voting for a new left-wing party led by Corbyn, just 9% of these would not consider voting for any of the five existing significant national the fractious and unpredictable state of politics, 11% of this group were also open to voting for Reform UK.A lot could change in the four years there is likely to be before the next general Tryl argues that if Labour presents that election as a choice between Sir Keir Starmer and Reform UK's Nigel Farage as prime minister, many on the left may choose to vote tactically. In this scenario, voters who are sympathetic to Corbyn's party could hold their nose and back Labour to stop a Reform candidate winning in their has also been a chaotic start for the party, with confusion over the name and who will lead it, after Sultana appeared to jump the gun by announcing her intention to form a new party with Corbyn earlier this sources have dismissed their former leader's latest venture, saying "the electorate has twice given their verdict on a Jeremy Corbyn-led party" at the 2017 and 2019 cabinet minister Peter Kyle went on the attack on Times Radio, accusing Corbyn of "posturing" and of not being "a serious politician". Mr Schneider argues the impact of the new party will not be limited by how many MPs it manages to claims more than 200,000 people have already signed up to get involved in less than 24 hours. There's no guarantee all of them will go on to join the party but it suggests some enthusiasm for the idea amongst sections of the public."We're going to be having a huge outside influence on the political debate in this country," Mr Schneider says."Of course the long-term goal is to win elections and enter office and be really in power. "But in order to have real sustainable power you need to have people coming with you and have your foundations in the society you want to be building up." Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Kemi Badenoch: I want to be Britain's Javier Milei
Kemi Badenoch has said she wants to be Britain's Javier Milei. The Conservative leader compared herself to Argentina's president, who has slashed state spending and regulations since being elected in 2023. She described Mr Milei as 'the template' as she attempted to sharpen her party's economic message. When asked by the Financial Times whether Britain needs a 'Milei' and whether she is such a politician, she replied: 'yes and yes.' She said Mr Milei was being rewarded by voters because he has a clear and consistent message even if his approach is not always initially popular. The comments are an attempt to draw clear blue water between her party and Reform UK, as well as Labour on the economy. Nigel Farage's party has moved to the Left on the economy in recent months, by calling for policies such as scrapping the two-child benefit cap and reopening coal mines. Mrs Badenoch claims her party can win back support from traditional supporters who will tire of Farage's 'bull----ting'. The Tories have spoken more about the economy in recent months as growth continues to be sluggish and polls suggest it is one of the few issues where the party is more trusted than Labour or Reform. The party is the only major one to have defended the two child benefit cap and bounced Labour MPs into voting to scrap it last week, despite ministers having said doing so is unaffordable. Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, used a speech last month to promise his party will 'never again' make the type of unfunded spending commitments that sank Liz Truss's mini-budget. 'People are hearing more about the economy because I am being very, very relentless in pursuing this particular case, almost to the exclusion of everything else,' the Tory leader told the newspaper. Mrs Badenoch said she was 'terrified' that government debt is so high and the sight of the state 'spreading its tentacles everywhere' at the expense of wealth creators. She added that she is worried high taxes mean 'wealth is being driven out of the country', including that of young people. Her party is using a series of policy reviews to work out where the government can do less and how taxpayers money can be spent more wisely. Mrs Badenoch said the reviews are 'not about cutting bits of the state' by 'top slicing' spending but instead 'looking at what the state does, why it does it'. She also dismissed speculation she may face a leadership challenge as soon as November if the Tories position in the polls does not improve. The Tories lost control of all the councils they were defending in May's local elections, placing pressure on the Tory leader. 'I can't spend all my time worrying about regicide. I would lose my mind,' she said. 'I'm so thick-skinned to the point where I don't even notice if people are trying to create harm. That's extremely useful in this job.'
