Labour MPs demand Reform UK faces Islamophobia probe over alleged ‘attacks on Muslim community’

Newly appointed Health Secretary slams strike action as ‘unrealistic, unaffordable and unsustainable’

The newly-appointed health secretary has warned resident doctors’ decision to go on strike next month is based on “unrealistic, unaffordable and unsustainable” demands.

The union has said they feel that James Murray has shown “the same unwillingness to move” as demonstrated by his predecessor, Wes Streeting, who quit two weeks ago.

The newly promoted cabinet minister said: “I met the BMA resident doctors committee officers today in the hope of starting a productive relationship and making progress on a deal to improve their members’ pay, career prospects and working lives.

“I’m disappointed that the BMA have refused to consider further discussions about how to strengthen the deal on the table and have instead rushed once again to unnecessary and unreasonable strike action.”

He added resident doctors have already received a 33.4 per cent pay rise over the past four years.

“These are simply not grounds for yet more strike action, which patients do not support, puts further pressure on other staff, and costs the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds,” he said.

Mr Murray added that there are a record number of doctors working in the NHS, while patient satisfaction is up and waiting lists are down.

“I urge the BMA to step back from more damaging strikes and work in partnership with the government for the benefit of their members and the NHS,” he concluded.

Andy Burnham sets out full response to Tony Blair’s criticism of Labour Government

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has responded to former PM Sir Tony Blair’s criticism on the current Labour Party.

Mr Burnham told The Observer he believes Mr Blair misunderstands the root causes of populism, and said: “He doesn’t mention inequality once.

“If you don’t get how that’s driving politics now, if you are not rooting your analysis in the fact that people are unable to live and that things that were taken for granted are no longer affordable, then you are not understanding what’s going on.”

He added that the ex-PM “criticises my phrase about 40 years of neoliberalism, but the last 40 years has given us wide inequality – that’s what’s responsible for the abandonment of the centre”.

Taking to X, Mr Burnham added: “This requires a considered response. I will set one out tomorrow.”

Reform backs Makerfield candidate amid social media post row

Nigel Farage posed alongside Rob Kenyon as Reform UK’s campaign in Makerfield officially began | REFORM UK

Reform UK has “fully” backed its candidate in the Makerfield by-election amid criticism of his social media posts about Russia’s invasion of Crimea and the Covid pandemic.

Robert Kenyon, a Wigan councillor who also contested the seat for Reform in 2024, is alleged to have said Russia was “within their rights” to invade Crimea, and questioned the seriousness of Covid and the efficacy of vaccines.

A Reform spokesman said Mr Kenyon had made his comments before entering politics.

The spokesman said: “We fully back Cllr Kenyon. He is an excellent, local candidate who we are confident will be a superb MP for Makerfield.”

On Wednesday evening, the Daily Telegraph reported Mr Kenyon had replied to a forum post shortly after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 that claimed: “The people of Crimea want to be in Russia, for me that is democracy in action.”

In response, Mr Kenyon said: “I agree totally, Russia are well within their rights to do what they have done, as we did with the Falklands. However, will Latvia be next?”

Resident doctors to go on strike for five days amid dispute with Labour over pay

Resident doctors are set to go on strike for five days amid an ongoing dispute with Labour over pay.

They will strike from June 15 until June 19, the British Medical Association confirmed.

The strike announcement has come after the union’s first round of talks with incoming Health Secretary James Murray.

The June walkout will commence from 7am on Monday June 15 and persist until 6.59am on Friday that week.

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Sir Keir Starmer hails ‘generational uplift’ as he signs new treaty with Polish PM

Sir Keir Starmer hailed a “generational uplift” in the UK’s defence and security ties with Poland, as he signed a new treaty with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Speaking alongside Mr Tusk, Sir Keir said the historic relationship between the two countries was “reinforced as we face the challenges of today”.

He said: “There’s no greater challenge for either of our countries than the challenge of Russian aggression, and we see that not just in Ukraine itself, but beyond Ukraine, impacting on our own countries.

“So that’s the context in which we sign what is actually a generational uplift in the relationship on security and defence between our two countries.”

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Tusk said he wanted to thank Sir Keir for his commitment to defending “our shared values”.

He said: “You and I are both subscribers to those values.

“Some people might say these values are now old-fashioned and obsolete, but they are important for us and for our nations – rule of law, democracy, human rights, the sense of solidarity with others and the intention to protect their security and their welfare. That is the foundation of the treaty.”

New Health Secretary to meet with doctors’ union for first time 

The newly-appointed Health Secretary, James Murray, is set to meet with representatives of the doctors’ union for the first time in the hopes of putting an end to the dispute with resident doctors in England.

Mr Murray said he wants to “give unions confidence” he will do all he can to improve career prospects and ensure NHS staff are paid fairly.

Resident doctor members of the British Medication Association have a mandate for industrial action until August, and last went on strike in April.

Mr Murray was appointed Health Secretary following Wes Streeting’s resignation earlier this month.

John Swinney rejects calls for independent SNP finances inquiry 

John Swinney has rejected growing calls for an independent investigation into SNP finances, following Peter Murrell’s guilty plea.

The First Minister said: “The police investigation has led to a criminal case. There has been a prosecution and there has been a guilty plea and there will be sentencing taking place as a consequence.

“So, all these issues have been looked at.

“We know what the problem was – the problem was criminal behaviour and the police have identified that and the individual involved has been prosecuted.

“You cannot get any inquiry more detailed than a police inquiry, and I think we should all respect the fact there has been a detailed inquiry into all the issues.”

Sir Keir Starmer welcomes Polish Prime Minister to London

Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to London as the two are set to sign a new defence treaty.

At the beginning of the meeting at RAF Northolt, Sir Keir said: “This is a really important day for our two countries.

“We’ve been long-standing allies and friends sharing an approach to the world and values, and today we sign a really important agreement between our two countries which I think symbolises the nature of the relationship.”

He said they would also take the opportunity to discuss the “pressing issues of the day”, including Ukraine.

GCHQ boss highlights Russia’s ‘relentless targeting’ of the UK 

The head of the GCHQ is set to warn that Russia is “relentlessly targeting” the UK and Europe later today.

Anne Keast-Butler will also unveil an annual threat assessment to show how officers are counteracting “reckless sabotage and assassination attempts.” by the Kremlin.

She will warn that the risk of a slight miscalculation, which would lead to conflict, “is as high as I have ever seen it.”

The head of the intelligence agency is also set to reveal at a lecture today that Vladimir Putin is “going backwards on the battlefield” in Ukraine.

John Swinney promises help for first time home buyers 

First Minister John Swinney has promised to deliver “concrete help” for first time buyers.

He is set to outline the First Homes Fund later today, which will offer financial support to first time buyers, helping them put down a deposit on a property up to the value of £300,000.

The First Minister said: “Home ownership is key to building successful communities and offering people security for the future.

“The First Homes Fund will support families to set up a home and enable workers to stay in the places they serve.

“We know the cost of living crisis and high rents have put real pressure on peoples’ abilities to put money aside each month to save for a deposit.

“This has left many people, particularly the younger generation, unable to take the first step to property ownership.

“Through the First Homes Fund, my Government will put concrete help in place to enable people across Scotland to buy their first house or flat.”

Tony Blair calls for a scrap of Ed Miliband’s net zero targets

Sir Tony Blair has called for a scrapping of Ed Miliband’s net zero targets.

He told Times Radio: “It’s not that I’m against renewable energy, clean energy, and it’s not that I’m a climate denier.

“It’s coming to terms with this reality: the three biggest emitters in the world today are China, America and India. Together they account for just over 50 per cent of global emissions.

“All of them are pursuing cheap energy and electrification. Doesn’t mean to say they’re not doing renewable energy, China builds more renewable energy than the rest of the world put together.

“It just means that the lens through which they judge policy is cheap energy and the need for electrification, particularly in the age of AI.

“Britain’s emissions are under 1 per cent of global emissions, we can’t solve climate change, and to impose costs on our own businesses and consumers in order to accelerate net zero when the rest of the world is not doing so – I don’t understand the logic behind it, or shutting down our own oil and gas industry in circumstances where, again, I don’t know another country in the world that’s doing that.”

Former SNP cabinet secretary calls for independent inquiry into party finances 

Former SNP cabinet secretary Alex Neil has called for an independent inquiry into the finances of the SNP in the wake of the Peter Murrell scandal.

He said the party “absolutely” need to act.

Mr Neil, who served as both health secretary and social justice secretary in the Scottish government, said he wanted to see a senior lawyer appointed to probe the party’s governance arrangements and how it handles its finances.

His comments come in the wake of calls from former SNP Westminster frontbencher Joanna Cherry demanding an “independent investigation into what occurred”, as she insisted there is a “wider public interest here that goes beyond the SNP”.

The Former SNP chief executive Murrell pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,000 from the party on Monday.

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Tony Blair throws support behind Andy Burnham in Makerfield showdown

Sir Tony Blair has thrown his support behind Andy Burnham, but urged Labour MPs to “force people to say where they stand” before getting behind a change in leader.

He told the BBC: “I hope Andy wins Makerfield, I think he’s a great guy, I want to see him in Parliament.

“But you know, when he does this thing about 40 years of wasted… I mean, OK, and what, nothing good happened in that period of Thatcher with the business community, or New Labour?

“I don’t think he really means that, but what I’m saying, if you’re going to change leader, you’ve really got to force people to say where they stand, because otherwise you’ll be in what I think was always a problem for Keir – and I’ll be very honest about this, and I like him and I wish him well – but when we switched from that Corbyn agenda, there wasn’t enough explanation.

“Not as to why Corbyn was an election loser, that was pretty obvious, but why the whole agenda was wrong.

“You have to explain to people why it’s wrong if you want to lead the party in the future in a coherent way.”

Shadow Energy Secretary calls for ‘rewiring of the system’ as Ofgem announces rise in energy price cap

Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho MP has called for a “rewiring of the system” after Ofgem announced this morning that the energy price cap would increase by 13 per cent.

Ms Coutinho told GB News: “We have to rewire the system, we have to prioritise cheap energy, and that’s exactly what the Conservative plan is.

“We are starting to feel the results of not being able to produce things in our own country.

“We are more reliant on foreign dictators, we’re going to be relying on Putin for his oil, we are going to be relying on China for their coal powered manufacturing and India for jet fuel and diesel.

“None of those things are going to add up to a successful country.”

WATCH THE FULL CLIP HERE

Treasury minister ‘disagrees’ with brutal Tony Blair Labour essay

Dan Tomlinson said he disagreed with Sir Tony Blair’s take on workers’ rights policy and rejected suggestions that Labour was “stuck in this New Labour, old Labour battle”.

The Treasury minister told Sky News he agreed with some aspects of the essay but “on some things I just disagree with him”.

Mr Tomlinson said: “He says, for example, that our approach to workers’ rights and making sure the jobs market works for people wouldn’t be the approach he would take, but, you know, when Tony Blair was prime minister there weren’t many people at all on zero-hour contracts – I’m not sure they even existed as a form of contract in our jobs market.”

He said the current Labour Party was “not stuck in this New Labour, old Labour battle, which he talks about a lot in his essay, but is about what are the problems facing the country today and what do we need to do to fix them, and that’s what we’re getting on with.”

Andy Burnham could trigger ‘chaotic’ leadership contest and early general election, Labour veteran fears

Andy Burnham could trigger a “chaotic” leadership contest and an early General Election, a Labour veteran has warned.

Former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman has expressed concern a leadership challenge to Sir Keir Starmer could see the nation “tipped into a new General Election”.

Despite the Labour peer saying she would welcome the return of Andy Burnham to Westminster, his potential leadership campaign would be “kind of chaotic”, she admitted.

Speaking to Sky News, she said: “I don’t want to say that a change of leadership is inevitable.

“I don’t want a leadership challenge, and I also don’t want a general election.”

She continued: “There is a scenario in which the new leader, call him Andy Burnham for example, actually thinks, ‘I need a new mandate’ and Nigel Farage will be saying ‘well yes the country does want a new Prime Minister but they want me, they don’t want Andy Burnham, nobody’s voted for him, he’s a usurper'”.

The Labour peer suggested Mr Burnham may feel the need to seek this own electoral mandate rather than continuing Sir Keir’s agenda, particularly if he were to experience a surge in the polls if he takes over.

Therefore, he may call a General Election, she said, rather than repeat the error of Gordon Brown, who chose not to seek his own mandate despite a polling bounce when he became Prime Minister – a decision widely seen as the beginning of his political decline.”

Defending why she thinks a leadership contest would be a bad idea, Baroness Harman added: “Stability is such a kind of fusty and unsexy proposition. But actually, I think people just want to get on with their lives, get on with their businesses, get on with things.

Tony Blair brutally hits out at Keir Starmer for ‘lack of coherent plan’ as he slams Labour over proposals to rejoin EU and Net Zero

Sir Tony Blair has brutally hit out at Sir Keir Starmer for a “lack of coherent plan” as he slammed Labour over the party’s proposals to rejoin the EU and Net Zero policies.

In an essay published by the the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, the former Prime Minister criticises the current chaos engulfing the Labour Party, arguing it has an “extraordinarily retro 20th-century feel to it”.

He wrote: “The Labour Party is playing with fire; or, more accurately, with its future, and that of the country.”

Whilst he does not blame “Keir’s personality” for the party’s deteriorating popularity among the electorate, or its failure to communicate its successes or what it stands for, Sir Tony argues it is because there is not a “worked-out, coherent plan for the country in a fast-changing world”.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE