Tories in Farage 'civil war' as Badenoch urged to back Reform pact on day 100 as leader

Current and former Conservative MPs have been embroiled in a row about how to deal with Reform UK just hours after veteran Tories called on Kemi Badenoch to back an alliance with the populist party.

Badenoch, who is celebrating her 100th day as Leader of the Opposition, swatted away concerns about the threat from Farage.

The North West Essex MP said that she was “not worried” about Farage or the prospect of losing her own seat to Reform at the next election.

However, ex-Tory MP Sir Michael Fabricant said: “Assuming Reform doesn’t implode before the next election, which is not impossible knowing the characters involved, though now they smell power they may well be more self-disciplined, they will do well in four years’ time and be part of a Government.”

Ex-Farming Minister Sir Robert Goodwill added: “Farage has an ambition to destroy the Conservative Party.

“There are two ways in which he could do that. From outside, where he currently is, or inside, if we left him in! Neither is acceptable.”

Jill Mortimer, who served as the MP for Hartlepool between 2021 and 2024, also wrote: “To be fair, Robert, we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that ourselves and haven’t needed his [or] anybody’s help – that’s what is not acceptable.”

Current MP Paul Holmes simply cautioned that the Tories should "stop focusing" on Reform UK and "focus on winning ourselves".

However, two former Cabinet Ministers have called for Badenoch to enter an alliance with Reform UK ahead of the 2025 Local Elections.

Ex-Works & Pensions Secretary Esther McVey and former Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis called for co-operation.

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Lewis told The Telegraph: “If we want to defeat Labour then the Right has to find a way to come together, and the same logic applies to the locals.

“I just can’t see that being viable at the moment, because Kemi has been so fixated around saying ‘absolutely no way’. But the Right cannot win while it is split. That’s for sure.”

“If you go issue by issue between the Reform MPs and most Conservative MPs, you wouldn’t really see much difference between them,” McVey added.

Despite Tory turmoil about the threat from Reform UK, Farage today dismissed the suggestion of a pact with the Tories.

Speaking at a rally against Labour's inheritance tax raid on farmers, the Reform UK leader said: “To do a pact with people, you’ve got to think, I’m going to shake your hand and you’re an honourable person.

“After the betrayal post the 2019 election, we do not believe them to be honourable. Simple as that, so the answer is no.”

Reform UK marked another membership milestone yesterday, with more than 200,000 Britons now being paid-up members.

The figure is markedly higher than the 134,000 Tory members and closing in on the 309,000 members signed up to the Labour Party.

Despite Badenoch celebrating her 100th day as Conservative Party leader, the North West Essex MP was dealt a polling blow.

The survey, conducted by YouGov, found that the Tory leader is not considered a Prime Minister in waiting.

It revealed that just 14 per cent of Britons believe Badenoch looks like she can enter No10, with 55 per cent suggesting the North West Essex MP does not have what it takes to succeed Sir Keir Starmer.

A staggering plurality of Tory voters, 48 per cent, do not have faith in Badenoch.

The figure is markedly higher among Reform UK, Liberal Democrat and Labour voters.

Opinion polls appear to suggest that Reform UK could supplant the Tories as the main political party on the right.

Opinium’s latest survey puts Reform UK just one-point behind Labour on 26 per cent, with the Tories languishing in a distant third-place on just 22 per cent.

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Second Labour MP involved in vile WhatsApp group admits to making 'unacceptable' messages

A Labour MP has expressed deep regret over his involvement in a controversial WhatsApp group that contained "unacceptable" messages.

Burnley MP Oliver Ryan acknowledged his failure to challenge inappropriate content in the group chat, which operated between 2019 and early 2022.

Ryan also admitted to making comments himself that he "deeply regrets" and would not make today, pledging full cooperation with the Labour Party's investigation into the matter.

Ryan was a member of a WhatsApp group created by his MP and former employer, Andrew Gwynne.

"Some of the comments made in that group were completely unacceptable, and I fully condemn them," Ryan said.

"I regret not speaking out at the time, and I recognise that failing to do so was wrong," he added.

He acknowledged that while he did not see every message, he accepts responsibility for not being more proactive in challenging the content.

A Government source said: "Oliver Ryan's remarks were unacceptable and deeply disappointing.

"While a Labour Party investigation is already underway, the chief whip will also be speaking to him and no action is off the table."

The WhatsApp group, named "Trigger Me Timbers", included more than a dozen Labour councillors, party officials and at least one other MP.

Andrew Gwynne, who created the group, was sacked as health minister and suspended from the Labour Party after his messages came to light yesterday.

The messages reportedly included sexist comments about Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and racist remarks about Labour MP Diane Abbott.

Gwynne was also said to have joked about an elderly woman's death and made antisemitic comments in the group chat.

A Government spokesman said Sir Keir Starmer "will not hesitate to take action against any minister who fails to meet these standards, as he has in this case".

Following the revelations, a Labour spokesperson confirmed: "Andrew Gwynne has been administratively suspended as a member of the Labour Party. We are investigating comments made in this WhatsApp group."

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Starmer's Attorney General 'advised Caribbean nations' on slavery reparations as ex-colonies demand £18tn pay-out

Britain's Attorney General Lord Hermer previously helped Caribbean nations prepare legal cases seeking slavery reparations from the UK.

Legal sources claim Lord Hermer, now the Government's chief legal adviser, assisted the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and human rights lawyers a decade ago in developing potential compensation claims against Britain.

The work began in 2013 when Caricom launched its campaign to secure payments from former colonial powers.

Lord Hermer's involvement with Caricom came through human rights law firm Leigh Day, which was engaged to explore potential legal action.

In a 2020 podcast, Lord Hermer himself recalled "representing Caribbean nations on a potential reparations case".

The proposed legal case was never officially brought against Britain, but the legal advice provided helped formulate Caricom's 10-point plan for reparations in 2014, according to The Telegraph.

The legal strategy was inspired by a successful 2013 case where the British Government was sued by Kenyan victims of torture during the 1952-1960 Mau Mau emergency.

Lord Hermer had acted as counsel for the Kenyan claimants after being engaged by Leigh Day.

Following this victory, Caricom sought Leigh Day's advice on pursuing a similar legal approach for slavery reparations.

A Caricom delegation is set to visit London in April 2025 to discuss reparations claims of up to £18trillion.

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Sources say the group is arranging meetings with Foreign Office officials.

However, the Foreign Office has stated that Foreign Secretary David Lammy has no planned meetings with Caricom.

The Government's position remains firm that it will not pay reparations.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has called for clarity on whether Lord Hermer has advised ministers on matters involving his past clients.

Lord Hermer revealed in January that he had recused himself from certain Government matters due to potential conflicts of interest, though he could not specify which issues.

Speaking in the House of Lords, he said there was "an established system" for handling conflicts, with other law officers stepping in when needed.

Caricom's original 10-point plan, signed in 2014, includes demands for a formal apology, educational support and debt cancellation.

Leigh Day partner Jacqueline McKenzie has defended the ongoing relevance of reparations claims, stating: "To say the period of enslavement was in the past, implying that this was too long ago to matter now, is quite offensive."

She added: "The legacy of ill effects and underdevelopment continue to haunt those nations affected."

An updated set of demands is expected to be presented during the 2025 London visit, expanding beyond the original 10-point plan.

The new proposals will include additional details on both slavery and the system of indentured servitude that followed it.

The push comes after Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, now Caricom chairman, raised the issue of reparations at the 2024 Commonwealth summit in Samoa.

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'We're coming for you!' Nigel Farage sends Starmer major warning after Reform surges to 200,000 members

Nigel Farage has issued a warning to Sir Keir Starmer after Reform UK membership reached a major milestone.

Reform UK surpassed 200,000 members around 2pm today as party leader Nigel Farage addressed a regional conference in Wiltshire.

The milestone puts the party on track towards its next target of overtaking Labour Party membership numbers having overtaken the Tories less than two months ago.

Posting on X, the Reform UK leader shared a video of the Reform membership ticker on the verge of passing 200,000 whilst captioned "Reform UK now has more members than the Conservative Party".

As the ticker passed 200,000 the message changed to read: "We will overtake Labour when we reach 309,000."

Accompanying the video, Farage wrote on Twitter: "We are coming for your membership total Labour Party."

At the conference, Farage held up a placard displaying "200,000 members" and hailing his party's growth as "truly extraordinary".

"That message will say, as I leave this stage, it'll change, and it will say that the Labour Party have 309,000 members, and when we overtake them, we will be the biggest political party in this country," he said.

"That's our goal. That's our aim. That's our target," Farage added.

Reform UK unveiled its membership counter late last year, with Farage hailing a "historic moment" on Boxing Day when numbers exceeded the Conservative Party's 131,680 members.

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We are coming for your membership total @UKLabour. 👀 pic.twitter.com/fH45L23j0d

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) February 9, 2025

The Conservative membership figure, revealed during the party's latest leadership election, represents the lowest Tory level on record.

It marks a significant decline from the Conservative Party's previous leadership contest in 2022, when approximately 172,000 members were eligible to vote.

Labour Party membership currently stands at around 309,000, according to Labour List, showing a decline from approximately 348,500 in July last year.

The party's last officially published membership figure in its Electoral Commission accounts was around 370,000 at the end of 2023.

Membership figures across parties remain difficult to compare, as there is no uniform definition of membership or established monitoring body, and parties are not required to publish their numbers.

The milstone comes as Reform UK firmly rejected any possibility of forming a pact with the Conservative Party or former Prime Minister Boris Johnson after reports of potential talks to form a "mega party" emerged.

"There are absolutely no circumstances in which Reform would ever do a pact with Boris Johnson or the Conservative Party," Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf declared at the Wiltshire conference.

The statement was also posted online by the party.

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Kemi Badenoch warns taxpayers to foot 'astronomic' £200bn bill over Labour's migrant 'failure'

Kemi Badenoch has warned that taxpayers could face an "astronomic" £200billion bill over Labour's approach to migration.

The warning comes after a Centre for Policy Studies report revealed British households could face costs of £8,200 each to fund services for 800,000 recent arrivals expected to settle permanently in the UK by 2040.

The Conservative leader criticised Labour's "lax approach" to immigration, saying the country "simply can't afford" it.

The think tank's research estimated that of the 801,000 projected settlers, more than 600,000 would be "low-wage" migrants requiring taxpayer subsidies.

According to Office for Budget Responsibility figures, low-wage migrants earning £18,500 or half the average salary cost the state approximately £500,000 if they arrive in their late 20s and live until 80.

The CPS calculated the cumulative bill for extra services and benefits, compared to tax contributions, would reach £243billion over their lifetimes.

Badenoch outlined plans to reduce these costs by proposing changes to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) requirements.

Under her first major policy announcement, migrants would need to wait 10 years rather than five before becoming eligible for ILR.

The proposal would only grant indefinite leave to those who had been working, claimed no benefits and were "net contributors" to the Exchequer over that decade.

A separate report by the Centre for Migration Control projects that a quarter of the UK population will be foreign-born by 2035.

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The think tank found that if current trends continue, first-generation migrants would increase from 11.4 million in 2023 to 18.3 million by mid-next decade.

This would see the proportion of overseas-born residents rise from 17 per cent to 24 per cent of the total population.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper hit back at the Conservatives, stating Labour was having to "clear up their mess" after net migration reached record levels under Tory leadership.

Cooper accused Badenoch of "siding with criminal gangs" by opposing new legislation on people smuggling.

"It is unbelievable and irresponsible that the Tories are planning to vote against counter-terror style powers this week," the Home Secretary told The Telegraph.

However, some Labour backbenchers are urging Sir Keir Starmer to take a stronger stance on migration, including increased focus on deportation flights.

Graham Stringer MP warned that voters were "really angry" about small boats, stating: "For simply electoral purposes, Labour needs to do something."

Dover MP Mike Tapp defended Labour's record, stating: "Already, in just six months, we've established the Border Security Command and deported a record 16,400 who shouldn't be here."

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Tiny one-pub village wins major victory over Ed Miliband's net zero battery park plans

A tiny Lincolnshire village has emerged victorious in what could be one of the last successful battles against Labour's ambitious battery storage plans.

Residents of Willingham by Stow celebrated after West Lindsey District Council rejected a proposed battery park development that locals feared would make their rural landscape "look like Immingham Docks" - in reference to the UK's largest port by tonnage which lies just 40 miles north east of the village.

The decision marks an early triumph in what is expected to be a series of confrontations between rural communities and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband's push for hundreds of battery parks across Britain.

Miliband's plans call for a dramatic five-fold increase in battery infrastructure across the UK, which he argues is essential for cutting carbon emissions and improving energy security.

The Energy Secretary claims these multimillion-pound developments could help reduce bills.

However, the expansion means hundreds of acres of farmland could be converted into industrial sites.

The Government sees this transformation as crucial for maintaining power supply as Britain moves towards a system increasingly reliant on wind and solar energy.

Currently, Britain has only 5GW of battery capacity spread across 215 battery parks, enough to power a few million homes.

Miliband's Clean Power 2030 Action Plan aims to dramatically expand this, calling for "29GW-35GW across battery storage, consumer-led flexibility and interconnection capacity".

More than 1,800 grid-scale battery storage projects are now being pushed through planning, according to Renewable UK.

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The expansion has been aided by falling costs, with battery system prices dropping 30 per cent in the last two years to £600million per GW.

Industry leaders strongly support the battery storage expansion, with Statera CEO Tom Vernon predicting batteries could provide up to two-thirds of UK power during cold, windless winter evenings.

"These technologies can store energy at scale not just for hours, but across days," says Vernon. "This capability is essential for maintaining energy security."

Harmony Energy CEO Peter Kavanagh adds: "Battery energy storage will play a critical role in the future of our nation and planet."

His company already operates four facilities with three more under construction.

Residents fear losing their rural tranquillity and traditional landscapes to industrial development with fire safety emerging as a particular worry after a recent incident in California, where a huge fire destroyed one of the world's largest battery energy storage facilities.

Fire fears are heightened because lithium batteries can prove impossible to extinguish once ablaze, as they generate their own oxygen.

Despite local victories like Willingham by Stow's, Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to override community opposition to those who would stand in his way.

The Prime Minister recently addressed protests against such developments, stating: "I say build, baby, build. I say we're going to take on the blockers so we can build."

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'Deluded and dangerous!' Ed Miliband torn apart in blistering rant over 'disastrous' net zero policies: 'His days are numbered'

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband's days in Government are "numbered" as his "disastrous" policies to secure net zero are "deluded and dangerous", it has been claimed.

Miliband has sparked fresh backlash after his latest push to make homes more "eco-friendly" is set to result in a £21.8billion bill for property owners, according to the Tories.

Miliband plans to impose a ban on millions of property owners from renting out their homes starting in 2028, unless they make expensive green upgrades.

All rental properties will need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C before new tenancies can be agreed, meaning if landlords pass the costs onto tenants, an average of £4,000 could added to rent prices.

Discussing Miliband's performance as Energy Secretary, broadcaster Lizzie Cundy criticised the minister for his "mad ideology of net zero".

She fumed: "He's a disaster, he's deluded, and most of all he's dangerous, because of what he's doing to this economy of ours. He's just hurting it with his mad ideology nonsense of net zero.

"He's obsessed, blowing in the wind on his ukulele. Well, his career is going to be blowing in the wind. I think his days are numbered."

Highlighting his notable absence following the announcement of Chancellor Rachel Reeves's backing for an expansion of Heathrow Airport, Cundy claimed Miliband "couldn't be seen for dust" in light of the plans.

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Cundy told GB News: "Where was he when the big announcement about the third runway at Heathrow happened? It was easier to find Where's Wally. You just couldn't find him for dust, could you?

"He's a worry, he's deluded. He's hell-bent on covering our green land with solar panels and wind farms."

Delivering his verdict on Miliband, broadcaster Alex Dyke told the People's Channel that Labour's latest move on landlords will cause "even more red tape" and there will be "no money" in the policy.

He explained: "It looks like he's going to be costing them another £4,000 a year, poor private landlords, jumping through even more red tape.

"Most landlords I know, they're finding it harder to get good tenants, and there's going to be lots of red tape and there's no money in it."

Offering his view on Labour's push for net zero, Dyke claimed that the British public "aren't interested" in going green.

Dyke concluded: "I don't know about net zero, I'm thinking big fat zero. A lot of this technology is still unproven, and people aren't buying into it.

"I think it's hard to get people in Britain and in Europe to buy into it. It sounds great on paper, going green, but when you think of what's being chugging out of China and India and even the United States for years and years and years, whatever we do here, it's only going to touch the surface and people just aren't interested. I just don't think the public are interested in it."

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Rayner and Cooper predicted to LOSE seats in shock poll that forecasts surge for 'kingmaker' Farage

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper would lose their seats to Reform UK if a General Election was held today, a shock new opinion poll has revealed.

The MRP poll conducted by PLMR and Electoral Calculus showed a major shift in public opinion since Labour’s landslide victory in the 2024 General Election.

The survey also puts support for Sir Keir Starmer level with Kemi Badenoch’s Tories on just 23 per cent.

Reform UK emerged as the most popular political party, edging ahead of both Labour and the Tories on 24 per cent.

The poll of 5,743 British adults also revealed seat changes since the 2024 General Election.

Labour would face a collapse from 412 to just 178 seats, with the Tories making modest gains to take them from 121 to 178.

However, Reform UK would emerge as the main beneficiaries, surging from just five MPs to 175.

Rayner and Cooper would likely lose their respective seats of Ashton-under-Lyne and Pontefract, Castleford & Knottingley.

The pair held onto their seats with majorities of 6,791 and 6,630, as Reform secured strong second place finishes in both seats.

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Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, is also forecast to lose Stalybridge & Hyde to Reform, while Health Secretary Wes Streeting is expected to lose hold of Ilford North to the Tories.

The survey also suggested the Liberal Democrats would likely sustain modest Blue Wall loses, taking Sir Ed Davey’s Commons contingent down from 72 to just 57 MPs.

However, the SNP looks set to surge back into first place in Scotland, securing 37 seats in the most recent MRP survey.

Kevin Craig, founder of PLMR, who commissioned the poll, said: "Of course, there is a long, long way to go until the next election.

“History is littered with British Governments who were unpopular in the initial years and who then turned it around. Labour knows very well what it needs to deliver in order to win again.

"This poll shows multiple challenges for the two established parties as Reform UK continues to show momentum and is picking up support from disillusioned Labour and Conservative voters in economically struggling areas.

"A three-way split of the vote is practically unheard of in British politics and points to shifts in the political make-up of the United Kingdom.“The Conservative Party will be particularly concerned that they are not able to move ahead of Labour in the polls as the official Opposition."If the Labour Government succeeds in its mission to grow the economy and inject optimism into the economic fortunes of households, I have no doubt they can turn things around - especially if the vote on the right remains so divided.".Martin Baxter, founder of Electoral Calculus, added: "Our survey shows an unprecedented three-way tie at the top of British politics.“If there were a general election tomorrow, any of the three parties could come out on top but would be unlikely to have an overall majority.“This represents a massive change in public opinion since the general election just seven months ago."


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Michelle Dewberry in blistering row with ‘jealous’ GB News guest who claims billionaires are a ‘moral abomination’

Watch the moment Michelle Dewberry clashed with Jeremy Corbyn’s former adviser on GB News as a row erupted over how much Britain’s wealthiest should pay in tax.

James Schneider argued for a form of socialism and said billionaires “should not exist”, branding them a “moral abomination”.

“At what point do you get to a point of jealousy?”, Michelle asked, a point furiously refuted by Schneider who insisted he does not envy those with limitless funds.

“At what point does your jealousy kick in? Is it when their first million kicks in?”, he said.

“I’m not jealous. If I was, I would go out and earn a lot of money. I want to take from the rich to give to us all.”

Michelle responded: “It’s a good job I am not a billionaire because I would tell you to sling your hook. If you were in charge, I would get my stuff and move to a place like Dubai where there is less tax.”

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Schneider said such a move would be “unpatriotic” and taking more from the rich would assist with things like childcare and transport, which would make the country greater as a whole.

“I do not think the Bank of England giving out hundreds of billions of pounds in quantitive easing to inflate asset prices, that means people that hold assets get their assets inflated”, he said.

“Have they done anything? No. The Bank of England has acted in such a way to put more money on their asset value.

“This is unfair and it’s also bad for a dynamic economy. We should tax productive investment less. Unproductive asset hoarding should be taxed much more.”

It comes as new figures revealed Labour’s inheritance taxes will affect 150,000 families by 2030.

The policy will force 31,200 families to pay inheritance tax for the first time, while a further 121,500 who already pay the levy will see their bills increase.

From April 2027, unused pension funds will be included in estate valuations for inheritance tax purposes.

A property worth £300,000 with a £100,000 pension would face a £30,000 tax bill, rising to £110,000 if the pension was valued at £300,000, according to Interactive Investor analysis.

The changes create a "double hit" for beneficiaries, with some facing combined inheritance and income tax rates as high as 90 per cent on inherited pensions.

Basic-rate taxpayers could face an effective rate of 52 per cent, rising to 64 per cent for higher-rate taxpayers.

Richard Wilson, chief executive of Interactive Investor, condemned the proposals as "an affront to people who have done the right thing".

He warned the changes would "undermine the already fragile confidence in the pensions system" and could drive decisions harming long-term financial security.

Inheritance tax receipts have already hit £6.3bn between April and December 2024, up £600m from 2023.

The Office for Budget Responsibility expects receipts to rise to £8.3bn in 2024-25, with estates subject to the tax nearly doubling to 9.5 per cent by 2029-30.

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Southport killer’s case closed THREE times by counterterrorism police due to misspelling of name, report finds

An enquiry has disclosed that the misspelling of Axel Rudakubana’s name in the Government’s counter-terrorism database may have hampered his assessment as a possible mass murderer.

The teenager was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years for murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a dance class in Southport on July 29, last year.

The Government's review of the Prevent programme found that Rudakubana’s case was closed "prematurely" after three referrals for an interest in knives and mass atrocities between December 2019 and April 2021.

While his surname was correctly spelled in 2019, it was misspelled in 2021, which meant that anti-terror officers "may not have been able to see a previous referral".

Security minister Dan Jarvis told MPs on Wednesday: “The Prevent learning review found that there was sufficient risk for the perpetrator to have been managed through Prevent. It found that the referral was closed prematurely, and there was sufficient concern to keep the case active while further information was collected."

However, Southport MP Patrick Hurley told the chamber “it beggared belief” that the report noted Rudakubana’s name was spelled incorrectly on the Prevent database. The review said Rudakubana’s surname was misspelt as Prevent officers tried to assess his danger.

It read: "The supervisor may not have been able to see the previous referral … because the first case record was created under a slightly different spelling...As the supervisor was unable to find the previous referral...this may have caused the case to be closed quickly on minimal information.

"This may be due to the second referral being created on a new subject/individual entity due to the misspelling of [Rudakubana’s] surname."

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A review into the handling of Rudakubana under the Government’s counter-terrorism programme Prevent found there was an “under-exploration” of the significance of the 18-year-old’s repeat referrals, including his history of violence.

The teenager attacked a pupil with a hockey stick, used school computers to look up the London Bridge terror outrage and carried a knife on a bus and into class before he carried out the Southport murders.

The review found Rudakubana’s research of school shootings, talking about stabbing people and saying the terrorist attack on 'MEN', believed to refer to the Ariana Grande concert attack at the Manchester Arena in 2017, "may have shown a real interest in terrorism".

The final referral was made by a teacher from Acorns School on April 26, 2021, after Rudakubana was found searching the internet for information about bombings in London and seemed to be interested in the Israel-Palestine conflict, MI5 and the IRA.

However, the referral was dismissed, partly on the grounds that an interest in current affairs can be an autistic trait.

The review said: "Rudakubana’s potential autism spectrum disorder and ‘special interest’, which frequently are combined, are part of the reasons that make him susceptible to being drawn into terrorism.

"When taken in context the potential special interests in mass killings, terrorist acts and a capability to commit violence, then there is a potential vulnerability to being drawn into terrorism."

The case was closed on May 10.

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'Unbelievable!' Farage issues four-word response after new poll puts Reform UK on cusp of sweeping to power

Nigel Farage has issued a hilarious four-word response after a new poll put Reform UK on the cusp of sweeping to power.

The survey, conducted by Find Out Now, handed the populist party a four-point lead over Labour, securing 29 per cent of the vote.

Responding to the poll with a short clip, Farage said: "The vibe is unbelievable."

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REVEALED: The astonishing amount woke hires cost UK taxpayers as Donald Trump axes DEI industry

Equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) positions and training cost the taxpayer billions every year, a Freedom of Information request recently found.

The eye-watering sum was cited in an independent report commissioned by the Inclusion at Work Panel last year.

The FOI was submitted to 6,000 public bodies on behalf of Tory think tank Conservative Way Forward.

The right-leaning think tank also sifted through the accounts of government departments and the external bodies and charities they’re funding.

The FOI request revealed that 10,000 EDI jobs are costing the UK taxpayer £557million a year, as well as one million working days lost. The money saved from these positions could fund around 12,500 nurses.

The bombshell revelation comes after LinkedIn data published in 2020 found that the UK employs almost twice as many D&I workers (per 10,000 employees) as any other country.

This is dwarfed by America, however, which seeds companies spend around $8 billion on DEI efforts.

Not for much longer. Donald Trump is busy at work rolling back DEI initiatives inside and outside the government.

Among the flurry of executive orders he signed during his first days as US president, two were targeted at DEI.

The first executive order, signed on January 20th,aims to end what Trump described as "radical" and "wasteful" DEI programs within the federal government.

The second signed around the same time focuses on reforming the federal hiring process to restore merit-based employment.

Meanwhile, taking a chainsaw to DEI initiatives falls under the remit of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is led by Elon Musk.

DOGE aims to streamline federal operations, reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies, cut wasteful spending, and restructure federal agencies.

Last week, the department posted on social media that it had eliminated 104 DEI-related contracts worth $1billion.

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The move is likely to cause companies outside of the US to reconsider their DEI programmes.

A recent survey of 140 UK employers conducted earlier this week by Occupational Health Assessment found that a majority felt the policy shift under Trump would affect UK businesses.

The research found that 69 per cent of employers thought there would be some changes made to the UK workplace as a result of the US reversal, although only six per cent of respondents thought those changes would be major.

Just 16 per cent of employers thought there would be no change here in the UK, with the same number unclear as to what might happen.

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WATCH: Nigel Farage blasts 'outrageous' cancellation of local elections for Reform UK

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has launched a blistering attack on the "completely outrageous" decision by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to postpone local elections in nine councils.

Farage declared he is "bloomin' angry" that millions of Reform UK supporters are being "denied their vote" on May 1, with areas including Essex and Norfolk.

FULL STORY HERE.

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‘You watch’: Ex-Brexit chief warns Nigel Farage ‘Britain will get sucked in’ as Starmer eyes EU reset

Former Brexit minister David Davis has issued stark warnings about Labour's approach to EU negotiations, claiming the party risks being "sucked in" to deeper European integration.

Speaking on GB News, Davis criticised what he called Labour's "naivety" about Europe, stating: "They're a bunch of Remainers and they want to be back in."

He predicted the UK would face mounting pressure on multiple fronts. "They will get pressed on fishing rights, free movement for young people which will grow, they will get pressed on the European Court of Justice," Davis warned.

Labour's European affairs minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has pledged a "ruthlessly pragmatic" approach to resetting relations with the EU during a speech in Brussels.

"The time for ideologically driven division is over – the time for ruthless pragmatism is now," Thomas-Symonds declared.

The speech coincided with the announcement of the first UK-EU summit, scheduled for May 19, where Prime Minister Starmer will host European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.

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The summit aims to "deliver tangible benefits for the people of the UK and the EU," according to Downing Street.

Starmer has embarked on an unprecedented diplomatic push, becoming the first UK prime minister since Brexit to attend a major gathering of EU leaders in Brussels.

The Labour leader met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Chequers on Sunday.

His European engagement continues this week with meetings at Downing Street, hosting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Thursday.

During his Brussels visit, Starmer also met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as part of discussions on defence and security cooperation.

Thomas-Symonds outlined plans for new agreements on security, defence, food standards and energy cooperation with the EU.

Brussels has indicated that any security deal would be linked to agreements on fishing access for EU vessels in British waters.

The EU is also pushing for a youth mobility scheme to allow 18-30 year olds easier access to work and study in Britain.

Thomas-Symonds emphasised the initiatives would help "smash the gangs" to curb illegal migration while boosting continental security and economic growth.

The political stakes of Labour's EU strategy are highlighted by a new YouGov poll showing Reform UK ahead for the first time at 25 per cent, with Labour at 24 per cent.

Starmer has set clear boundaries for negotiations, vowing Britain will not return to the single market or customs union.

Mark Francois, shadow defence minister, warned against "rejoining by stealth," stating: "Mr Second Referendum himself, Sir Keir Starmer, remains a Remainer at heart and he'll undoubtedly try and take us back in, step by step."

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‘What planet are you on?’ Watch as GB News star Martin Daubney shuts down Labour activist in Keir Starmer lockdown clash

Watch the moment GB News star Martin Daubney locked horns with Labour Party activist Chris Worrall over claims surrounding Keir Starmer’s lockdown antics.

The prime minister has denied breaking Covid lockdown rules over a voice coaching session in December 2020.

Worrall insists the PM is not guilty of any wrongdoing and pointed to lockdown rule-busting antics carried out by the Tories.

“A load of old cobblers from the lot who backed Boris Johnson after actual law breaking and now they want to clutch their pearls over Keir Starmer hiring a voice coach”, he argued.

“I mean, give over. Let’s get this straight. While the Tories were having lockdown raves, Keir Starmer was polishing up on his public speaking.

“If that’s their smoking gun then they’re in worse shape than we thought.”

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Martin hit back: “Chris, are you seriously saying that to the list of doctors, nurses, key workers, food production, those in the army, we can add vocal practice?

“What planet are you on? A vocal helper is not a key worker by any stretch of the imagination, no matter what side of the political spectrum you sit on.”

Worrall insisted Starmer’s detractors have “nothing on him” and they are “scraping the bottom of the barrel” as they look for a stick to beat him with.

“Meanwhile, those guys are putting actual Covid lockdown breakers in the Lords”, he said.

“You’ve got Shaun Bailey there. Nick Candy. He was partying. Let’s be honest, having public speaking put before you as a Leader of the Opposition is hardly committing a crime, is it?

“That’s what the police have found. There’s nothing to worry about here.”

The voice coaching session took place at Labour headquarters on Christmas Eve 2020, when London was under Tier 4 restrictions that forbade households mixing indoors.

Voice coach Leonie Miller was invited to help Starmer prepare his response to Boris Johnson's Brexit deal, according to excerpts from the book "Get In".

The book claims Miller qualified for keyworker status and wore a face mask during her visit.

The session occurred the same week Johnson put London and the south-east into strict lockdown, effectively cancelling Christmas celebrations for many.

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‘He’s up to his neck in it!’ Lee Anderson rips into Keir Starmer over Covid lockdown row as he claims ‘there’s more to this story’

Reform UK MP Lee Anderson has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the voice coaching controversy.

"He's up to his neck in it. We all know that", Lee told GB News.

The MP shared an emotional account of a constituent whose dying husband could not receive hospital visits during the same period.

"Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer was calling for harsher lockdowns and had this voice coach", Lee said, dismissing claims the coach was a key worker.

"There's more to this story than meets the eye", he added.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has denied breaking Covid lockdown rules over a voice coaching session in December 2020.

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"Of course not", he replied when questioned about potential rule breaches at a Brussels press conference.

Conservative MP Richard Holden has called for the Prime Minister to launch an investigation into himself.

"To me, this story has a long way to run", Holden told GB News. "There are some really serious questions for Keir Starmer. You could see just how uncomfortable he was in Brussels yesterday".

The voice coaching session took place at Labour headquarters on Christmas Eve 2020, when London was under Tier 4 restrictions that forbade households mixing indoors.

Voice coach Leonie Miller was invited to help Starmer prepare his response to Boris Johnson's Brexit deal, according to excerpts from the book "Get In".

The book claims Miller qualified for keyworker status and wore a face mask during her visit.

The session occurred the same week Johnson put London and the south-east into strict lockdown, effectively cancelling Christmas celebrations for many.

Health Minister Karin Smyth defended the Prime Minister, saying he was conducting essential work.

"Keir was working. Working was allowed in tier four in London at that time", she told GB News.

"I think what we're seeing again is more mudslinging by the Tories on this issue at a time when they were partying – and we've got all the evidence of that", Smyth added.

Labour minister Catherine McKinnell echoed this defence, stating "there were no Covid rules broken" during the "very important moment".

Holden revealed he is yet to receive a response to his letter demanding answers about the potential breach.

The former Conservative Party chairman urged Starmer to investigate himself, telling GB News: "I think it's about time the prime minister calls for an investigation, just like he called an investigation into Boris Johnson."

A Labour spokesman maintained that "the rules were followed at all times" during the December 2020 meeting.

When asked if Starmer still uses a voice coach, the spokesperson replied: "Not that I'm aware of."

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Angela Rayner will pick Labour 'disciples' for proposed Islamophobia council, imam claims

The founder of the Oxford Institute for British Islam has criticised Angela Rayner's proposed new Islamophobia council, stating the term itself is "incorrect".

Speaking to GB News, Dr Taj Hargey argued that "anti-Muslim prejudice" would be more accurate, explaining that "Islamophobia is a catch all thing, it's not a racist thing".

FULL STORY HERE.

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Donald Trump’s trade war is a fork in the road for the United Kingdom, says Jacob Rees-Mogg

The United Kingdom is facing a fork in the road - continue with the status quo of low growth, high taxation and managed decline, or change path to a new era of prosperity, higher living standards and western dominance.

And the cause of this fork in the road? Donald Trump’s trade war.

The president yesterday signalled to the UK that it isn’t too late.

Tariffs are terrible economics but in this case, good politics.

Trump is right when he says there is a huge trade deficit with the EU. The EU puts an average tariff of 10 per cent on US cars while the US’s tariff is merely 2.5 per cent.

Similarly, the EU's average tariff on agricultural goods from the US is 11.3 per cent, compared to the U.S. average of 4.8 per cent.

But the EU also uses non-tariff barriers for US goods that often increase production costs for US exports, including on genetically modified organisms, the car industry, meat and pharmaceuticals. Infamously, the EU is terrified of chlorinated chicken, even though some foolish people are happy to eat chlorinated salad. In my view, it is the salad that is dangerous, not the chlorine.

In other words, the EU is an over-regulated super-bureaucracy, protectionist racket, which is more than happy to sell goods to the US but not the other way round.

This is where the UK comes in. We too, owing to our protectionist EU legacy, have a tariff on US cars.

As a gesture of goodwill, as Trump ramps up the trade war, we should immediately abolish this tariff.

Not only will it signal to Donald Trump that we have every intention of aligning ourselves with the high growth, low tax US economy, but it will make goods cheaper for you.

That is precisely why tariffs are bad economics but good politics. Donald Trump’s tariff regime will ultimately make imports more expensive for domestic consumers which lowers their standard of living and makes them poorer, but it will increase the US’s bargaining position.

The UK is in the perfect position to avoid these tariffs and offer free trade to the US, an avowed Brexit dividend.

But just in time for Trump’s trade war, Sir Keir Starmer is busy on his charm offensive, although in the Reverend Starmer’s case this may be more offensive than charm to the EU, attempting to reset our relations with the bloc.

He has always insisted the question of aligning with the EU or US is not a zero sum game, but it’s time for this chlorinated chicken to jump off the fence, go for growth and improve living standards across the United Kingdom.

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Keir Starmer forced to abandon his personal email account after Putin's hackers compromise PM

Sir Keir Starmer was forced to shut down his personal email account after a suspected Russian hack.

A new book called Get In recounting Starmer’s rise to power and his early days at Downing Street revealed that in 2022, Starmer was warned that his email may have been compromised by Russian hackers.

His head of office, Jill Cuthbertson, circulated a notice instructing staff not to email Starmer under any circumstances.

Starmer promptly changed his email address, which a source called “dangerously obvious”, adding two-factor authentication for extra security.

Liz Truss was also reportedly hacked when she was Foreign Secretary. This was discovered during the Tory leadership campaign but kept quiet.

Starmer’s account was allegedly compromised after the Russia-Ukraine war began. In April 2022, Kremlin operatives hacked several other emails, including those of former MI6 head Sir Richard Dearlove and former BBC journalist Paul Mason.

At the time, Mason, who had been in Ukraine days before the invasion, was advising Shadow Defence Secretary John Healy on Russia and industrial policy.

He sent briefings to Healy and to former Nato Secretary-General Lord Robertson of Port Ellen as well as to Starmer, whose 2020 leadership campaign he helped plan.

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The correspondence would have provided hackers with insights into Labour’s thinking on defence.

Although the hackers did not publish Mason’s emails, they downloaded his contacts and sent malware messages to other Labour figures.

Senior members of Starmer’s office were briefed on the hack at the National Cyber Security Centre.

The book has led to other revelations, prompting inquiries into Starmer’s alleged breaking of pandemic lockdown rules in 2020.

The Labour leader received voice coaching from actress and communications skills coach Leonie Mellinger, and one of the lessons took place on Christmas Eve 2020, when tier four Covid lockdowns were in place.

Starmer claimed Mellinger was a key worker, enabling her to carry out the session in person at Labour HQ.

Conservative MP Richard Holden said there were “very serious” questions for Starmer to answer over the allegations.

Labour sources have said that all rules were followed.

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Reform UK's Rupert Lowe blasts Keir Starmer over lockdown breach claim as PM branded ‘more left-wing than Corbyn’

Reform MP Rupert Lowe has launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Keir Starmer over allegations he broke Covid rules, branding him "the most duplicitous prime minister since Tony Blair".

Speaking on GB News, Lowe claimed Starmer was "probably further left-wing than Jeremy Corbyn".

"He broke the rules that other people had to follow," Lowe said. "I think this is a disgrace, frankly. How he squares that circle, I don't know."

Labour MP Barry Gardiner defended the Prime Minister, arguing that as Leader of the Opposition at the time, Starmer had legitimate reasons for the meetings.

"If you were at work and working in a socially distanced way, it was perfectly legitimate," Gardiner told GB News.

"This is the case of a politician's staff coming into Parliament and doing work," he added, insisting that public presentation was "an essential part" of the job.

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The controversy erupted after revelations that Starmer designated a voice coach as a 'key worker' during strict Tier 4 Covid restrictions in December 2020.

The claims, made in a new book serialised in The Times, have prompted Conservative demands for an independent investigation.

The Prime Minister's spokesman today repeatedly refused to answer questions about the alleged breach, insisting he wouldn't "get into any matter to do with the opposition".

According to the book 'Get In', Starmer met with communications coach Leonie Mellinger at Labour headquarters during London's strict Tier 4 'Stay at Home' restrictions.

The meeting reportedly took place on Christmas Eve 2020, when government guidelines required non-essential workers to work from home.

The official list of key workers at the time covered frontline staff in health, social care and transport, with no mention of voice coaches.

At today's morning briefing, the Prime Minister's spokesman stonewalled all questions about the controversy.

Asked whether Starmer considered his voice coach a key worker, the spokesman replied: "I'm not going to get into any matter to do with the opposition, the Prime Minister is focussed on delivering the government's priorities."

The spokesman did confirm that Starmer is no longer using the services of former actress Leonie Mellinger or any other voice coach.

The controversy comes amid wider political challenges for Starmer's government, with polling expert John Curtice describing Labour's declining support as "remarkable".

Speaking to GB News, Curtice compared the situation to Labour's 1979 electoral defeat, noting: "I still think that this Government has lost support more quickly and heavily than any previous government."

The latest scandal follows a turbulent first six months for the PM, including controversies over winter fuel allowance cuts and inheritance tax changes.

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