‘Sign of INSANITY!’ Michael Knowles rages at Joe Biden ‘removing women’s rights’ in sport

US President Joe Biden has been criticised for updating the Title IX rules, which now include protections for transgender individuals.

The Title IX legislation is a provision of the Civil Rights Act that gives women protection, specifically for sports and college sports, on the basis of sex.

Speaking to GBN America, Host at the Daily Wire Michael Knowles says Biden's update to Title IX "undermines the whole point of it", as it now allows individuals to be protected on the basis of sexual identity or gender identity.

In a discussion with host Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Knowles hit out at the "irony" and "insanity" of the changes, claiming that women "no longer have a right to their own sports leagues".

Knowles told Jacob: "If a man who calls himself a woman can now compete against women, women with the stroke of a pen have just lost their own sports leagues.

"This didn't come out of left field, but it does seem a little bit bizarre in an election year."

Noting similar changes by Biden to Title VII, a provision of the Civil Rights Act that pertains to employment, Knowles admitted that Title IX's changes were "probably going to happen for some years now".

Knowles also criticised the changes and claimed they "also undermine the kind of protections" put there in the first place.

Knowles fumed: "The rulings are a sign of insanity and absurdity."

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Knowles explained to GBN America: "We know that the vast majority of Americans oppose the radical trans ideology.

"The vast majority of Americans support protections for women that are traditional protections. So it seems as though it would hurt President Biden."

Knowles continued: "But once again, Biden is caught here in a trap. The donor and establishment class recognises that men can't really become women and recognises that women ought to have certain protections.

"But the base of his party doesn't recognise that at all."

Comparing Biden's stance on the transgender community to his stance on the Israel-Gaza war, Knowles claimed the US leader is "hoping to get his radicalism out of the way" before the Presidential election in November.

Knowles said: "Once again, as on the issue of the Israel-Gaza war, the donor and the establishment class supports one view, the base that actually gets out there, and they're the boots on the ground. They have a completely different view.

"And I think what President Biden is hoping is he can get all of these kinds of bits of radicalism out of the way early on, even before the summer, so that this will not become a major issue in November, but he will still be able to keep his leftist bona fides and not totally alienate his own base."

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EU set to 'follow Britain's lead' as manifesto plans to copy Rwanda-style asylum deportation deal

The EU will “follow Britain’s lead” after Ursula von der Leyen’s party has proposed Rwanda-style asylum deals with third countries.

The European Commissioner’s European People’s Party (EPP) has said it wants to “implement the concept of safe third countries”.

“Anyone applying for asylum in the EU could also be transferred to a safe third country and undergo the asylum process there,” the manifesto said.

“We are committed to the fundamental right to asylum, but the EU, together with its member states, must have the right to decide whom and where it is granted.

“We will conclude agreements with third countries to ensure asylum seekers can also be granted protection in a civilised and safe way. We want to implement the concept of safe third countries.

“Anyone applying for asylum in the EU could also be transferred to a safe third country and undergo the asylum process there. In case of a positive outcome, the safe third country will grant protection to the applicant on-site.”

Sunak wrote for The Mail on Sunday: “I said when I first became Prime Minister that others would recognise a meaningful deterrent is the only way to stop the boats ,and now even top parties in the EU are following our lead.“If Britain gains a global reputation for being tough on illegal migration, I am very comfortable with that. It is the right thing for our country. If Keir Starmer wants to be seen as a soft touch on securing our borders, he will soon learn the consequences of that.”

It comes after Rwanda Bill became law last week, when it was finally granted Royal Assent in the House of Lords.

The announcement has triggered the formal start of the plan to fly illegally arrived migrants to Rwanda, with flights being expected to take off in 10 to 12 weeks.

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Earlier this month, Sunak vowed to quit the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if Strasbourg continues to block attempts to get flights to Rwanda.

He said that controlling illegal migration is “more important” than membership of the ECHR, saying he would not let a “foreign court” interfere with a policy that is “fundamental to our sovereignty”.

Last week, experts at the United Nations warned that airlines flying asylum seekers to Rwanda risk breaching human rights laws.

The experts from the UN Human Rights Council issued a statement arguing that airlines should know the legal risk of deporting illegal immigrants.

“Even if the UK-Rwanda agreement and the ‘Safety of Rwanda’ bill are approved, airlines and aviation regulators could be complicit in violating internationally protected human rights and court orders by facilitating removals to Rwanda,” the statement said.

“If airlines and aviation authorities give effect to state decisions that violate human rights, they must be held responsible for their conduct.

“As the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights underline, aviation regulators, international organisations and business actors are required to respect human rights.”

Rishi Sunak’s ambition to implement the policy has been dealt a number of major blows in recent months, including from the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court cited similar risks as it ruled Rwanda was not a safe country in its judgment on the deportation policy last year.

However, the Prime Minister subsequently pushed through measures to ensure the refoulement threat no longer applied.

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'Get our country back!' Scots rejoice as Humza Yousaf resigns as First Minister: 'Raggedy road for the SNP'

Scottish residents have expressed their joy at Humza Yousaf's resignation, as the First Minister made his announcement today.

Holding a press conference at Bute House, Yousaf revealed he would be stepping down after 13 months in office, following the collapse of the power sharing deal with the Scottish Greens.

In a statement, Yousaf told reporters: "After spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead, I have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm.

"I have therefore informed the SNP’s national secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader and ask that she commences a leadership contest for my replacement as soon as possible."

Speaking to GB News reporter Tony McGuire, residents of Edinburgh backed the exit and said it was "brilliant news" that he was stepping down.

However, some residents defended Yousaf and said he had been "manoeuvred into a situation which doesn't account for the good, humane man that he is".

One man told Tony: "It's brilliant news. We want our country back and we can stop all these hate speech laws."

Another was in agreement, stating: "I think it's a very good thing. Scotland needs a First Minister that will take the country forward."

Others were in support of Yousaf and were saddened to see him announce his resignation.

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One voter told GB News: "I really feel that he's been manoeuvred into a situation which doesn't account for the good, humane man that he is."

Another backed Yousaf, claiming: "It's a dad situation for Humza, and it's bad for Scotland."

Upon speaking to other voters in Scotland, some were critical of the SNP as a whole party and hit out at the decision to end the power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens.

An Edinburgh local told Tony: "Certainly the SNP have been leading in a raggedy road for the last seven to eight years."

One lady was critical of the Greens for "not supporting" Yousaf and claimed they had "betrayed" the SNP and the First Minister.

Another voter spoke in a similar vein, criticising both Scottish and the English Parliaments: "The Parliament, the Tories and Labour, all they can think of is grievances."

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UK will 'not take back asylum seekers from Ireland until France takes back Channel migrants'

The UK will not to take back asylum seekers who cross the border into Ireland "until the EU accepts that we can send them back to France", according to a government source.

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As local elections loom, are the Conservatives missing Boris Johnson?

Is Boris Johnson's style of politics still alive and well in parts of the country?

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Starmer promises mental health reforms as he welcomes Tory defector

Sir Keir Starmer will vow to "inject resource and reform" into mental health services as he welcomes the latest addition to his party.

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The Tories are expecting a pounding at the local elections - but could that mean Labour have the harder job?

Thursday's local elections have been pencilled in as a day of peril for Rishi Sunak for so long, it's hard to remember when Tory turbulence - and maybe even a leadership challenge - was not expected after 2 May.

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Sunak does not rule out July general election - but insists 'there'll be a clear choice' when it comes

Rishi Sunak has failed to rule out holding a general election in July, as speculation remains rife over the timing of the national vote.

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Sunak does not rule out July general election

Rishi Sunak has failed to rule out holding a general election in July, as speculation remains rife over the timing of the national vote.

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Sunak needs to learn voters aren't always governed by the logic of the computer

I've known Rishi Sunak slightly for almost a decade, having first met him after he penned a thoughtful, comprehensive, well-received report on Britain's minority communities, which I'd say is still the best of its kind.

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Venice becomes first city to introduce 'tourist tax' in an effort to control crowds

Venice has become the world's first city to introduce a payment system for tourists.

Signs were set up outside the train station and near an entry footbridge warning visitors they had to pay the new €5 charge before diving into Venice's narrow alleyways.

However, the fee has received a backlash from some residents who said they didn't want to live in a theme park.

Reservations are meant to be made online but there is also a booth on hand for those who don't have smartphones. Although there are no turnstiles at the city gateways, inspectors will be making random checks and issuing fines of between 50 and 300 euros to anyone who has failed to register.

The city councillor responsible for tourism and social cohesion Simone Venturini said the scheme would help Venice find "a new balance" between residents and day-trippers, but hundreds of local protesters saw things differently.

Giovanni Andrea Martini, a member of an opposition group in the Town Hall who joined the residents' protests, called it "a sad day because Venice is becoming a museum, a theme park."

Around 20 million people visited Venice last year, a city official said, with roughly half of them staying overnight in hotels or holiday lets - an influx which dwarfs the resident population currently put at around 49,000.

People with hotel reservations and visitors aged under 14 do not need to pay the entry fee, but still need to register beforehand. Residents, students and workers are exempt.

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Resident Cristina Romieri said: "We are against this measure because it will do nothing to stop over-tourism.

"Moreover, it is such a complex regulation with so many exceptions that it will also be difficult to enforce it."

Venice narrowly escaped being placed on UNESCO's "World Heritage in Danger" list last year partly because the UN body decided the city was addressing concerns that its delicate ecosystem risked being overwhelmed by mass tourism.

Besides introducing the entry charge, the city has also banned large cruise ships from sailing into the Venetian lagoon and has announced new limits on the size of tourist groups.

Italian tourists arriving earlier this week said imposing another charge on visitors was unfair.

Gabriella Pappada, who came from Lecce in southern Italy, said: "I consider Venice to be the most beautiful city in the world and so to deprive a person on a low budget of the opportunity to come here for an hour or two to enjoy this city is surely a shame for these tourists."

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Law firm suing the Home Office to let migrants bring families to Britain was given nearly £1m in taxpayer cash

The government has given almost £1 million to a law firm which is suing the Home Office for stopping migrants bringing their families to the UK, GB News can reveal.

In the last two years Duncan Lewis solicitors received £890,552 in taxpayer grants, research from the Centre for Migration Control (CMC) found.

The firm is involved in legal action to prevent the government from implementing stricter immigration controls.

Duncan Lewis solicitors are representing Migrants at Work, a pro-migrant charity, in its recent legal action to stop the government from disbarring migrants on the health and social care visa from bringing dependants to Britain.

Migrants at Work claim that the new rules, which came into effect last month, are discriminatory and will force people to choose between coming to the UK to work in the care sector and staying in their home country with their family.

Robert Bates, the Director of Research at the CMC, told GB News: “Our findings show that the government may be trying to talk-the-talk, but in reality it is propping up an industrial complex of left wing lawyers, funnelling taxpayers’ money to line the pockets of those who want to keep Britain’s borders wide open.”

“Even the meagre offerings put forward by this government look set to flounder. Its plans for illegal migration are superficial and designed solely for nice sounding press releases. Their plans to reduce legal migration will do nothing to bring net migration down from the hundreds of thousands.”

“The Centre for Migration Control will be launching a new project next month, revealing the extent to which the government has been subsidising the work of these activist law firms like Duncan Lewis. Unless there is a blanket ban on these kinds of grants, any attempts to clamp down on mass migration, or illegal channel crossings, will flounder as a result of pernicious lawfare in the immigration courts.”

Duncan Lewis received government grants as a part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ Kickstart Scheme which is aimed at helping companies hire young people.

In 2022 net migration into Britain hit a record high at 745,000.

Jeremy Bloom, a lawyer at Duncan Lewis, told The Guardian: “We haven’t seen any evidence that the Home Office has properly considered the impact that this will have on people coming to the UK on health and social care visas, on the vulnerable individuals who need access to social care, or on the wider system of social care.”

He continued: “The secretary of state is clear that a full impact assessment was not carried out prior to the introduction of the policy, which raises very serious concerns about whether he has complied with the public sector equality duty.”

More than 120,000 dependants accompanied 100,000 care workers in the year ending September 2023.

A government spokesperson described these numbers as “unsustainable” and explained this “is why reforms are now in place restricting care workers from bringing dependants with them”.

Richard Tice, leader of the Reform Party, said: “It’s outrageous that a lefty law firm is taking taxpayer money while suing the government to maintain mass migration.”

“Ministers should not be providing grants to law firms; this is an abuse of taxpayers’ cash.”

“The government was elected on a manifesto promise to get migration down and instead it chooses to fund law firms that are working actively against this policy.”

“We must get migration down and control our borders, unfortunately this will never be achieved under this Conservative government.”

A DWP spokesperson said: "The Kickstart scheme, which ran from 2020 until 2022, was designed to support young people in extraordinary circumstances as the country came out of the pandemic. The scheme is closed, and no longer provides funding to Duncan Lewis or any other organisation."

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'Karma is a b***h!' JK Rowling blasts Humza Yousaf as First Minister faces confidence threat

Harry Potter JK Rowling has blasted SNP leader Humza Yousaf as the First Minister faces a fresh confidence threat.

Yousaf, who only replaced Nicola Sturgeon in Bute House last March, could soon face the boot after ripping up his power-sharing deal with the Scottish Green Party.

Rowling, 58, took to social media to share her thoughts about Alba MSP Ash Regan having the final say in Yousaf’s future.

She said: “The idea that Humza Yousaf's political fate may now lie in the hands of Ash Regan, the woman who left the SNP in disgust at its plans for gender self-ID, reminds me ‘They say Karma’s a b***h but I hear she’s a terf.”

Regan, who wrote to Yousaf this morning, is requesting the First Minister takes a more hardline stance on Scottish independene and gender to receive her support.

The pair were at loggerheads shortly after going up for the SNP leadership race last year.

Yousaf called Regan "no great loss" after she quit the SNP.

The Scottish First Minister is facing a no confidence vote after Holyrood’s Tory leader Douglas Ross pushed ahead with the move yesterday.

Ross said: “I can confirm today that on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives I am lodging a vote of no confidence in Humza Yousaf.

"He is a failed First Minister. He has focused on the wrong priorities for Scotland.

“He has governed in the SNP’s interest and not in Scotland’s interest. He is unfit for office. Shouldn’t this be the end of the road for this weak First Minister?”

Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats have agreed to back the motion.

Patrick Harvie later confirmed alongside Slater that Green Party MSPs will oppose Yousaf staying on as First Minister.

The current situation leaves 63 SNP MSPs likely to support Yousaf, with 64 opposition MSPs poised to vote against.

Voting against Yousaf in next week's no confidence motion would prove enough for opposition MSPs to defeat the Glasgow Pollok MSP.

However, Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone, formerly a Green MSP, would be required to cast the deciding vote if Regan lent her support to Yousaf.

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King Charles announcement sparks reaction from British politicians: ‘It's brilliant news’

King Charles’ announcement has numerous sparked reactions from British politicians.

The monarch released a statement confirming that he will be returning to public-facing duties as he continues to receive cancer treatment.

The palace issued a new photograph of King Charles and Queen Camilla alongside the statement ahead of the first anniversary of the Coronation.

Politicians rushed to voice their support for the King after hearing Charles was “progressing” well enough to return to his duties.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak commented on the Royal Family’s post: “Brilliant news to end the week!”

Sir Keir Starmer also voiced his support for Charles and wished the King and the Princess of Wales “the best” as they receive cancer treatment.

The leader of the Labour Party said: “Delighted to see His Majesty looking so well, and returning to public duties.

“On behalf of the Labour Party, I wish him and the Princess of Wales the best, as they continue their recovery with the support of their families.”

Brilliant news to end the week! https://t.co/icGXxS0TUB

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) April 26, 2024

The King plans to resume his public duties on Tuesday by visiting a cancer treatment centre with Queen Camilla.

In late June, he will also host a state visit from the Emperor and Empress of Japan, including a speech at a Buckingham Palace banquet.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat voiced his support, stating: “Fantastic news. God save the King!”

Additionally, Douglass Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said he was “looking forward to seeing His Majesty return to public duties” and Claire Coutinho, the Energy Secretary, said that it was “wonderful news.”

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Members of the British public also voiced their relief following the announcement on social media and thanked the King for the “lovely update.”

One supporter said: “Absolutely wonderful news and beautiful picture.”

The King hopes to continue with key appointments in the royal calendar including Trooping the Colour, the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Royal Ascot.

However, the palace emphasised that “nothing can be confirmed or guaranteed at this stage.”

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Brexit-backer Kemi Badenoch slams Remainer David Cameron for 'dereliction of duty' over 2016 referendum

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has slammed Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron by accusing him of a “dereliction of duty” over the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Badenoch, who supported Brexit, criticised her now-Cabinet colleague for not planning for an outcome in which a majority of Britons would vote to cut ties with the Brussels bloc.

The former Prime Minister ended up losing, with Leave receiving 52 per cent and Remain languishing behind on 48 per cent.

Cameron resigned from Number 10 and the House of Commons but was spectacularly brought back as Foreign Secretary last November.

Badenoch, who became the MP for Saffron Walden in 2017, reportedly told the CBI: “One of the most disappointing things was becoming an MP a year later and finding out there had been no plans made about how this was going to happen. I think that was the real dereliction of duty.

“If you're offering people Leave vs Remain you need to do your work, not just do the work for the option you want to win.”

During the 2016 referendum, Cameron was forced to address why civil servants were banned from giving advice to Eurosceptic Ministers.

He said: “The Government's position is that we will be better off in a reformed European Union.

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“Ministers are free to part from that position and campaign in a personal capacity, that is, I think, a very important statement, it's right in terms of how we go about it, but it does not mean the Government is neutral, it doesn't mean the civil service is neutral, the Government has a policy from which people can depart.”

Badenoch is seen as a potential leadership contender should Rishi Sunak face the chop before or after the next general election.

Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt and ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman, both Brexiteers, have also been identified as Tory leadership hopefuls.

Lord Cameron was this week forced to deny he suggested Britain’s departure from the European Union was to blame for an asylum returns deal with France being off the table.

He had claimed a cross-Channel pact "not possible" because of the situation the UK is currently in.

However, clarifying his position, the Foreign Secretary said: “The situation we’re in is that the Dublin Convention no longer exists whether you’re in the EU or out of the EU.

“The problem is it’s not possible to have that returns deal with France, that’s why we have looked at innovative solutions.”

The Dublin Regulation is being replaced as countries struggle with the scale of migration and are reluctant to accept transfers.

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'Nailbiting!' Shock poll puts Biden on course for White House win as Trump faces back-to-back defeats

Joe Biden is on course to return to the White House in America’s knife-edge election, a shock new poll has revealed.

Biden, 81, is marginally ahead of Donald Trump in both the electoral college and popular vote.

The 46th President registered 43 per cent support, handing him 287 electoral college votes.

Trump is polled to trail by just one point but falls short of receiving enough electoral college votes to enter the White House.

The 77-year-old was given 251 electoral college votes, with Trump unable to overturn Biden’s 2020 lead in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

However, Trump was less than half-a-point behind his Oval Office successor across the three swing states.

Victory for the 45th President in Pennsylvania would prove enough for him to become just the second Commander-in-Chief to serve non-consecutive terms in the White House.

Stack Data Strategy poll, which was seen by The Daily Mail, suggested election day is now on a “knife edge”.

Joe Bedell, head of Stack Data Strategy, said: “The 2024 election cycle is truly on a knife edge.

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“According to our in-depth research, President Biden is currently on course to cling on in the White House.

“But this is only by the narrowest of margins: only a percentage point in some states.

“The Midwest states that took Donald Trump to victory in 2016 are sticking with Biden for now, but it is effectively a toss-up in many of these key battlegrounds – there is everything to play for and every vote will count.

“The race for Congress is just as tight with the Republicans currently set to regain the Senate and retain control of the House. This is going to be a truly nail-biting contest.”

Biden appears to have turned around his fortunes since Stack Data Strategy’s November survey found he was leading in the popular vote and trailing in the electoral college.

Trump won the 2016 election even though he was languishing behind Hillary Clinton in the popular vote.

George W Bush was the only Republican nominee to obtain more votes than their Democratic rival in any election held since 1992.

Biden’s position is being bolstered by the 46th President making gains with older, white, rural, suburban and lower-educated groups.

However, the 81-year-old continues to struggle with 18 to 24-year-olds.

Stack Data Strategy interviewed 7,793 US registered voters online between March 27 and April 10.

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WATCH: Joe Biden in embarrassing blunder as he reads teleprompter word for word

Joe Biden was caught making another public blunder when he read out a prompt to “pause” from a teleprompter.

The President, 81, had been speaking at a trade union event in Washington when he struggled with reading from the autocue.

READ THE FULL STORY

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Labour is ready for a fight over rail - but do the sums add up?

Today's rail plan by Labour is a landmark moment. 

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Labour promises publicly owned rail - as Tories slam 'unfunded nationalisation'

Labour will promise to deliver the biggest shake-up to rail "in a generation" by establishing the long-delayed Great British Railways (GBR) organisation and bringing routes back into public ownership.

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Rishi Sunak's 'big announcements' establish 'dividing line' with Labour and put pressure on Europe to step up - analysis by Katherine Forster

“We will do whatever it takes to keep our countries safe”.

The words of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this afternoon in Berlin, standing next to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Today Berlin and Scholz. Yesterday Poland, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Polish PM Donald Tusk.

But the same central message: “The world is at a more dangerous point than at any point since the end of the Cold War”. Today Sunak said we are at “an inflexion point”.

So big announcements. Yesterday’s pledge to increase UK defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030.

A show of solidarity with the head of Nato at a military base near Warsaw.

Today, a defence agreement with Germany to collaborate on artillery systems.

The Prime Minister says it will bring hundreds of jobs to the UK.

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And, following his meetings this morning with German business leaders, an announcement of £8billion in investment by German businesses into the UK.

Sunak says he is putting UK defence “on a war footing”. Our defence industry already supports 1 in 70 UK jobs.

More funding and more money funnelled into research and development can only benefit our economy.

And the Prime Minister urges other countries to step up.

He stressed that the UK and Germany are the leading defence spenders in Europe, and the largest military supporters of Ukraine.

Yesterday’s announcement of an extra £500 million for Ukraine takes the total in UK military and humanitarian aid to £12billion.

Only 11 NATO members currently spend the supposed minimum of two per cent national income on defence.

In raising UK spending from the current 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent, Sunak is setting an example he wants others to follow.

But of course this is expensive. The Government claims the extra £75 billion will not be funded by increased borrowing or debt.

It talks of using money saved from cutting 70,000 civil service jobs.

The Institute For Fiscal Studies though, suggests cuts to public services will be needed. Or possible tax cuts axed.

The Prime Minister was upbeat on the plane. He told us it’s a choice he believes is right, and it’s taken time to get to this point.

It won’t be universally popular. But it’s popular with his party and likely to be so with many voters too. And it’s given the Conservatives another useful dividing line with Labour.

Labour have said they’d like to get spending to 2.5 per cent when circumstances allow. And pledged to hold a defence and security review if they come to power.

And of course they likely will do, unless the polls shift massively. So, difficult choices for them.

Ultimately though, Sunak and Jens Stoltenberg stress that defence spending is largely to prevent war. A message is being sent too, to autocratic regimes in Russia, Iran, China and North Korea.

For so long the West has enjoyed a peace dividend. Those days are gone. But as Stoltenberg said: “Nato exists to prevent war.” The price of safety in a dangerous world seems to be billions more for defence. Sunak response is “so be it”.

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WATCH: Liam Halligan opens up about his friendship with politician, Frank Field

GB News reporter Liam Halligan opened up about his friend Frank Field after it was revealed that the former MP passed away.

Speaking on GB News Halligan said: "We became friends and I was drawn to him because he was a man of principle. He was somebody very much of Labour values.

"He set up the Child Poverty Action Group. He set up the low-pay unit for really important institutions in this country. But he didn't always believe in left-wing roots to achieve those Labour outcomes, more help for the poor.

"So when it came to benefits, you can sum up Frank Field's attitude in a phrase that he coined, but which many others have since used 'Give people a hand up, not a handout.'"

Lord Field spent 40 years as MP for Birkenhead and was a leading voice on welfare reform for much of his career.

He was a minister under Tony Blair and joined the House of Lords in 2020.

WATCH THE CLIP ABOVE FOR MORE

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Sunak will take the defence wins in Europe - but returns to tricky local elections for the Tories

This was a trip with two aims: to refocus the world's attention on Ukraine and announce a big boost in defence spending - with an eye, of course, on national security, but also on the general election.   

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Company who funded First Minister’s leadership campaign granted £400,000 Welsh Gov loan

More questions are being asked over Vaughan Gething’s judgement, as recent Companies House records show that ‘Dauson Environmental Group’ received a £400,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales (DBW).

The loan was acquired whilst Gething served as Welsh Economy Minister and granted on the basis of building a solar farm.

Atlantic Recycling, which is connected to Dauson Environmental Group and controlled by David Neal, donated £200,000 to Gething’s leadership campaign earlier this year.

The DBW is owned and used by the Welsh Government to provide economic support to businesses.

Neal Soil Suppliers, a subsidiary of the Dauson Environmental Group, acquired the £400,000 loan whilst Gething was Economy Minister, a role which has the DBW under its portfolio.

In a letter addressing the current Economy Minister Jeremy Miles, Shadow Minister Samuel Kurtz MS questioned whether "companies run by David Neal needed to borrow £400,000, if they were in a position to donate 200,000 to Vaughan Gething - who was the Minister responsible for the Development Bank of Wales, at the time".

Kurtz added: ‘‘Given that the Welsh Government owns 100 per cent of the shares of DBW, this calls into question the independence of their financing decisions, the use of public funds and the influence of the then-Economy Minister."

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Miles has not commented on the £400,000 grant yet.

However, Miles was questioned on Sunday regarding the £200,000 donation made to Gething’s leadership campaign, Miles who was Gething’s leadership opponent, admitted he would not have accepted the donation.

Plaid Cymru said the revelations show a serious lack of judgement from Gething and "questions around transparency and proprietary just keep piling up for the First Minister".

“He is seemingly being bankrolled by a man in debt to his own government – an astonishing state of affairs that is undermining Welsh democracy," the nationalist party added.

“The First Minister must make an urgent statement on the floor of the Senedd next week.

GB News has approached the Welsh Government for comment.

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'How did we come to have this great devotion to a particular Roman saint?' Jacob Rees-Mogg

You know, the great Shakespearean shout, Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George. But why Saint George? How did we come to have this great devotion to a particular Roman saint?

Well, the reason is medieval devotion. In the medieval period, people had a personal relationship with their saints.

They felt that they were intervening in their daily life day by day as a regular occurrence.

And if they were let down by their saint if they prayed, they asked for the intercession of a saint, and the saint didn't oblige. They would get quite cross.

So people had treasured relics of saints, and if their prayers weren't answered, there were reports of them throwing them on the floor and stamping on them because they were cross like a toddler with a saint who hadn't obliged.

Saint George becomes the patron of England because he's seen or was seen to have delivered. Some people believe that William the Conqueror had the banner of Saint George when he came over at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but he was certainly thought to be present early in the Crusades.

At the Battle of Antioch in 1098 and in Jerusalem in 1099, Saint George was there urging on and indeed rescuing the English, or indeed the Norman forces.

The inspiration of the saints is crucially important, and the invocation carries on.

Even in the First World War, the troops thought at times, and this is 1914, Saint George was there helping them, aiding them, inspiring them, and boosting morale. But it wasn't always going to be Saint George. Saint George wasn't the first patron saint of England before him.

It was Saint Edmund the Martyr, a ninth-century East Anglian, a saint who was killed by the Vikings, and Saint Edward the Confessor, who competed for this important role, and it was King Edward III who decided that it would be Saint George because he established his chivalric order, the order of the Garter, which even to this day, to this year, makes announcements of new appointments on Saint George's Day, is still dedicated to Saint George.

The King is still head of the Knights of the Garter, and Edward III set that up as his chivalric order. Edward IV, and set up his great chapel at Windsor to Saint George.

Interestingly, when the Protestants came in and they got rid of these saints, they abolished the order of the saints. They kept Saint George. So, Saint George remains this extraordinary figure in our national story and our island story, but very much as an English saint.

So who was he? Well, he's thought to have been martyred in about the 300 under Diocletian. His works were recorded in a very famous book, The Golden Legend.

Legend meaning story rather than fable who was a medieval scholar.

What happened with Saint George? So, a city called Silene in Libya is terrorized by a dragon which infests a vast lake and must be fed if it is to be kept away. Note the connection of the dragon with water.

This is the essential water of life and of baptism. The dragon is the enemy of true faith, and at first, the dragon is given sheep. But these run out and the citizens resort to feeding it a man and a sheep.

And then at the King's command, they start feeding it young people, and the lot falls upon the King's daughter. And the King tries to get out of this, but the people won't have it, and his daughter is sent to feed the dragon.

But, behold, Saint George rides by.

He rescues the princess and the maiden, takes the dragon by her girdle into the city, where George slays it, refuses all honour and will not marry the daughter because he is a celibate, a holy man, and the city is saved.

The dragon is slain and they all live happily ever after. That was Saint George, and you'll be glad to know.

As with all good things, it's thought he went to Glastonbury in Somerset.

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Sunak's defence pledge sets trap for Starmer

On the plane from Warsaw to Berlin, Rishi Sunak was buoyant as he briefly chatted to the travelling pack. 

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'They need it now': Sunak announces largest military package to Ukraine so far

Rishi Sunak is to announce a £500m military aid package to Ukraine in its war against Russia alongside the UK's largest provision of munitions so far.

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Lords push back on Rwanda bill again - despite PM declaring 'enough is enough'

The House of Lords has pushed the government's Rwanda Bill back to the Commons again as a row continues over the controversial plan to "stop the boats".

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Sir Keir Starmer vows to protect Premier League's world leading status amid regulator concerns

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to work to protect the Premier League's status as the world's leading football competition, echoing some of its concerns about the introduction of a football regulator.

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SNP-led Scottish Government on brink of COLLAPSE as Greens ready to quit

Scotland's coalition government is at risk of collapse after the Scottish Greens announced a vote on their partnership with the SNP following a row over climate targets.

Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, said today that Scotland is "years behind taking action to reduce emissions" after it dropped its 2030 climate change goals, and admitted he did not know whether the coalition would continue.

The Greens have enjoyed a power-sharing agreement with the SNP - the Bute House Agreement - since August 2021, which gives the latter a majority in the Scottish Parliament when its 63 MSPs are combined with seven from the Greens.

Harvie said the vote on ending the coalition deal, slated for next month, would be the "most important" decision in the history of his party - and warned that backing out would strengthen opponents on climate issues like SNP backbencher Fergus Ewing, who has described the Greens as "hard left extremists who should never be anywhere near government".

The upcoming vote heaps even more pressure on Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf in the wake of the imposition of Scotland's controversial hate crime laws and the re-arrest of Peter Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive and Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, who is charged with embezzling funds from the party.

Yousaf has expressed confidence in the Greens voting to carry on in the coalition - but said the SNP would continue as a minority government if they withdrew.

With his party polling at near-decade-long lows, Yousaf faces rumours of senior nationalists weighing up his replacement - one insider, speaking to the Herald on Sunday, said: "It's a question now of when he goes, not if."

Speaking to the BBC, Harvie said focusing on targets is not enough, adding: "It's been clear for a long time now that Scotland is not on track to reach that target."

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The co-leader continued: "This is a moment that is critical for the future of climate policy in Scotland, which is, you know, the reason Greens are in politics in the first place.

"It's critical to the future of our party as well, and over the next few weeks we have probably the most important decision to make that we’ve ever had to make about the future of our party.

"My worry is that, if we if we walked away at this point, we would decelerate the climate action, we would see the hand strengthened of the likes of Fergus Ewing, backbencher in the SNP now, who’s constantly popping up and having a go at environmental policy and urging the Government to slow down."

But Scottish Conservatives chairman Craig Hoy took aim at both the SNP and Scottish Greens, saying: "Patrick Harvie takes no accountability for his party’s shameful record in Government.

"Both he and [Greens co-leader] Lorna Slater have spent the last three years pitifully trading environmentalism for nationalism to the fury of their members who now want out of this toxically incompetent coalition.

"Humza Yousaf is so weak that he has lost any authority he had, and even after the disaster they've been in Government, it's still the Greens calling the shots!

"If Humza Yousaf had any backbone, he would be pulling the plug himself on this shambolic deal which is harming Scotland's economy and jeopardising our oil and gas industry.

"Instead, he is at the mercy of the Green vote, and the coalition of chaos he inherited from Nicola Sturgeon is now hanging by a thread."

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The Week... Rishi tries to save his skin

Two of Westminster's best-connected journalists, Sky News's Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard, guide you through their top predictions for the next seven days in British politics.

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Ulez: Man says 'dog ATE two letters' informing him of fines

A driver has slammed TfL after a run-in with London's controversial Ulez scheme left him stressed and in thousands of pounds of debt - just for riding his motorbike.

Del Hudson, 54, from Richmond, West London, said he had ridden a 2000-plate Honda Fireblade for years, but didn't consider its lack of Ulez compliance when the zone was expanded in August last year.

When the 54-year-old had been fined the first time, he paid up, but said he assumed that future fines would be collected automatically after receiving an email from TfL informing him he had registered for a London Road User Charging account.

When he was fined four more times, Hudson - who was already in debt - had to watch as the overdue penalties skyrocketed, with one soaring to £2,000.

The motorcyclist said TfL had even issued a warrant which could have seen bailiffs come for his car, while the stress of the looming fines meant he "just didn't deal with it", and only added to the depression and anxiety from which he had suffered "since Covid".

Hudson even claimed that his dog "ate two of the letters", adding that if all seven of his fines had risen to £2,000, they would have totalled half of his annual wage.

But when TfL was contacted by a media outlet about the fines, the organisation made the shock decision to waive the penalties entirely in a "goodwill gesture".

Though Hudson said he believed the waiving of the fines was in an effort to make TfL "look good" and had "something to do with the election".

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The 54-year-old said even the lifting of the financial burden wouldn't be enough to convince him to vote for Sadiq Khan on May 2, and claimed average people "just can't survive at the moment" and the mayor was "not helping matters in any form or fashion".

A TfL statement read: "We are sorry for any distress caused to Mr Hudson. Following a review of his case, it is apparent that the fines issued to him were correct and followed our standard procedures in the absence of an Auto Pay account.

"As a gesture of goodwill, we have cancelled the outstanding fines and have advised him on how to set up Auto Pay."

Despite Hudson switching to driving his Ulez-compliant car, he said he thought he was now producing more carbon emissions due to his daily commute taking twice as long off the motorbike.

The 54-year-old dad claimed driving on four wheels was far more expensive than on two - but said public transport was not an option thanks to a lung condition which made walking difficult.

Since its rollout across the entirety of Greater London in August 2023 by Mayor Sadiq Khan, Ulez has seen significant backlash both inside the capital and on its borders.

The scheme penalises owners of vehicles which don't meet certain environmental standards with a £12.50 daily charge - which has been criticised as unaffordable and unsustainable.

GB News has approached the Mayor of London for comment.

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Rishi Sunak pledges to keep child benefit cap if Tories win next election

Rishi Sunak has revealed he will keep the two-child benefit cap if the Conservatives win the next election.

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What Liz Truss and Donald Trump have in common | Adam Boulton

Liz Truss has much more in common with Donald Trump than just the first three letters of his surname.

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Ulez: Drivers may have to 'pay-per-mile' in order to meet net zero targets

Motorists could face pay-per-mile driving charges under London Mayor Sadiq Khan's plans to hit Net Zero targets, Tories have claimed, despite Khan having "ruled out" the option being enforced during his tenure.

The Mayor has spoken positively about a pay-per-mile system in the past - which could see the end of the Ulez scheme altogether - and though he has shut down suggestions of actually implementing it, Khan has locked horns with Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall ahead of London's elections on May 2.

Conservatives have highlighted how the mayor's official transport strategy includes a commitment to "investigate proposals for the next generation of road-user charging", and have said that Khan's 2030 Net Zero targets in the capital are reliant on such measures.

The Mayor proposed the 2030 target in 2020, before enshrining it in his 2021 re-election manifesto.

This year's manifesto, published on Thursday, says: "We have an ambitious target of making London a net zero-carbon city by 2030 - faster than any comparable city".

Khan had previously commissioned research by sustainability consultancy firm Element Energy, which published a report on potential "pathways" to carbon neutrality in January 2022 - which said that "all scenarios would benefit from London-wide road user charging being introduced as early as possible", and described charging as "one of the key early building blocks of any package".

The pathway the Mayor chose - an "accelerated green" pathway - requires "London-wide road-user charging" from the "mid-late 2020s" in order to reach Net Zero.

In a formal response to the report, Khan said: "The scale of reductions required - a 27 per cent reduction in vehicle kilometres according to the 'accelerated green' scenario - is only possible with some form of road user charging.

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"Such a system could abolish all existing road user charges - such as the Congestion Charge and Ulez (Ultra Low Emission Zone) - and replace them with a simple and fair scheme where drivers pay per mile, with different rates depending on how polluting vehicles are, the level of congestion in the area and access to public transport."

But when questioned by Conservative London Assembly Member Emma Best on pay-per-mile last year, Khan was bullish in shutting down claims he would implement such a system, stating: "I want to be crystal clear. A pay-per-mile scheme is not on the table and not on my agenda. I will not move the goalposts on Ulez emission standards."

Tories have also flagged that Khan’s 2023 book, Breathe, states: "we have plans to introduce a new, more comprehensive, road user charging system."

In response to those claims, Hackney Labour councillor Mete Coban said Breathe was a "personal book... Not the manifesto for London", addiing that "Sadiq has ruled out pay-per-mile for now".

But Susan Hall told the Telegraph there was "no doubt that he will put [pay-per-mile] in", adding: "We've seen all the evidence."

A spokesman for the Mayor said: "Sadiq has repeatedly and categorically ruled out pay-per-mile for as long as he is mayor.

"It will not be introduced in London, despite misleading statements from the Tories saying otherwise.

"The road-user charging scheme was originally proposed by Boris Johnson as Mayor and by Rishi Sunak as Chancellor... Sadiq has repeatedly ruled out any such scheme while he is Mayor."

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US agrees multi-billion-dollar aid package for Ukraine after MONTHS of pleading from Zelensky for help

The US House of Representatives has voted in favour of a multi-billion-dollar military aid package for Ukraine after months of delays.

Lawmakers passed the bill by 311 votes to 112, with the Senate expected to approve the measures over the next few days - while President Joe Biden has already pledged to enshrine it in law.

Despite all 210 House Democrats voting in favour of the $61billion (£49billion) aid package, more Republicans voted against the legislation than for of it, at a split of 112 to 101.

The aid marks a significant boost for the embattled Ukrainian military and their country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has seen his armed forces struggle increasingly against Russian aggression over the last few months.

But commentators have warned that if Republicans gain more power in Congress - or take back the White House - in November's presidential election, Ukraine may face a withdrawal of US support.

Reacting to the news, President Zelensky said: "I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track.

"Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it.

"The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger.

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"Just peace and security can only be attained through strength. We hope that bills will be supported in the Senate and sent to President Biden’s desk. Thank you, America!"

When it became apparent that the aid package had been passed, supporters in the chamber - who had been pushing for the bill to be passed for months - stood to clap, cheer and wave Ukrainian flags.

Alongside the aid promised to Ukraine, Congress also passed a funding package for Israel which would see the key US ally strengthened by $26billion (£21billion) worth of military and humanitarian assistance.

Taiwan, also under mounting threats from China, is also set to receive further US assistance after the House voted through a $8.2billion (£6.6billion)-valued security package.

Ahead of the measures' passing, a White House statement said: "The world is watching what the Congress does. Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment."

In total, the bills provide $95billion ($77billion) of aid: $60.84billion (£49billion) to address the conflict in Ukraine, including $23billion (£18.5billion) to replenish US weapons, stocks and facilities; $26billion (£21billion) for Israel, including $9.1billion for humanitarian needs, and $8.12billion (£6.6billion) for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

Republican speaker Johnson, who has seen scathing opposition from within his party to any further assistance to Ukraine, said: "It's not the perfect legislation, it's not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House, the Senate, and the White House.

"This is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances to take care of these really important obligations."

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Mel Stride reacts to Israel's act of aggression in Iran: 'Has a right'

Tory MP Mel Stride speaks out after Israel's act of aggression in Iran, saying the country has a right to defend itself.

WATCH THE CLIP ABOVE

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Police 'reviewing information' about ex-Tory MP Mark Menzies after alleged misuse of funds

Police say they are reviewing "information" about former Conservative MP Mark Menzies after Labour asked for an investigation into claims he misused party funds.

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Man sets himself on FIRE outside Trump trial in New York leaving onlookers terrified

A person has set themselves on fire outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's hush-money trial has been taking place.

The man was engulfed in flames for more than three minutes before a police officer sprayed a fire extinguisher on the ground.

The person received medical attention and was taken from the area on a stretcher.

Police quickly taped off the scene of the incident as smoke lingered in the air.

One witness said: "I see a totally charred human being."

The courthouse in New York City is already under heightened security given the former President's presence in the courtroom each day.

Police say the man is in a critical condition.

A witness said he first heard the man throwing pamphlets into the air, then saw him douse himself from a can and light himself on fire.

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Other people at the scene said the man appeared to be calm before he doused himself with liquid.

The reason for the incident is currently unknown.

A pamphlet which was thrown by the man referred to "evil billionaires" and called on people to "expose this corruption."

The development came shortly after jury selection for the trial was completed, clearing the way for prosecutors and defence attorneys to make opening statements next week.

The 12 jurors, along with six alternates, will consider evidence in a first-ever trial to determine whether a former US President is guilty of breaking the law.

Trump is accused of covering up a $130,000 payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to keep quiet about a sexual encounter she says they had a decade earlier.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and denies any such encounter with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

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