Barack Obama and Donald Trump share laugh at Jimmy Carter's funeral before being given 'death stare' by Kamala Harris

Donald Trump and Barack Obama were seen chuckling about a joke at President Jimmy Carter's funeral.

The service was attended by all five living current and former US presidents, with President Joe Biden, Bill Clinton and George W Bush also in attendance.

Trump, who will return to the White House on January 20, sat next to Obama, with whom he seemed to share a joke and laughed as introductory music played.

To Obama's right were Laura and George W. Bush and Hillary and Bill Clinton. President Biden and first lady Jill Biden walked hand in hand and took seats in the first row next to Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff.

Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Vice President-elect JD Vance and Biden's son Hunter were also among the mourners. Former vice presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence sat side by side. Former first lady Michelle Obama was not at the funeral.

At one point, Vice President Kamala Harris, seated in the row in front of Obama and Trump, turned back to look at their conversation, then turned round to the front and let out a long sigh.

Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29, served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. His body will be returned to Georgia, where the Democrat was raised as a peanut farmer.

Paying tribute at the service, his grandson Joshua said: "My grandfather spent the entire time I've known him helping those in need. He built houses for people who needed homes. He eliminated diseases in forgotten places, he waged peace anywhere in the world, wherever he saw a chance...he loved people."

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Delivering a eulogy, President Biden said: "Character, I believe, is destiny. Destiny in our lives, and, quite frankly, destiny in the life of the nation. It’s an accumulation of a million things built on character that leads to a good life in a decent country.

"Jimmy Carter’s friendship taught me, and through his life, taught me, that strength of character is more than title or the power we hold. It’s the strength to understand that everyone should be treated with dignity, respect, that everyone, and I mean everyone, deserves an even shot.

"Many think he was from a bygone era, but in reality, he saw a well into the future.

"A white southern Baptist who led on civil rights, a decorated navy veteran who brokered peace, a brilliant nuclear engineer who led on nuclear nonproliferation, a hard-working farmer who championed conservation and clean energy, the president who redefined the relationship with the Vice-President."

Tens of thousands of Americans over the past two days filed through the Rotunda of the US Capitol to pay their respects to Carter.

Some said they admired the late Southern Baptist who played a key role in the negotiation of the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty as a gentle man, rather than a partisan combatant.

Dorian DeHaan, 67, who travelled some 275 miles (440 km) from Sugar Loaf, New York, to pay her respects, told reporters: "We've come so far from where Jimmy Carter was as a person and it's kinda sad.

"I hope that this will be a reminder to people of what we need to get back to -- that it's not about the power, it's about the people."

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Ant Middleton teases run to be London mayor for Reform UK in major challenge to Sadiq Khan

Ant Middleton, 44, has teased that he will stand for London mayor for Nigel Farage’s Reform in a social media post where he pledged to “come back and serve” again on Wednesday.

The Special Boat Service veteran and SAS: Who Dares Wins star had previously claimed Britain was “rotting to its core” and outlined his wish to run with a promise to “cleanse” the capital of crime.

Middleton made the announcement on X, responding to a claim from the infamously provocative account Inevitable West that he was considering a run for mayor.

He wrote: “My country is calling me once again! I’ve fought for it once before and I WILL come back and serve it again! Standby standby…”

It follows an earlier reply where he promised: “I’ll come back to the UK but switching TV for Politics! There’s a storm brewing and we all know that I love a storm.”

Earlier still, the 44-year-old responded “Let’s talk...” to a post from Reform deputy leader Richard Tice about lawlessness in London.

The former commando’s X account has been abuzz with activity in recent days after he dropped numerous hints of a turn to full-time politics and a hypothetical mayoral manifesto.

He wrote on Monday: “Kier Starmer has got to go and whilst all of this is happening Britain is rotting from its core. I’m not hearing much from Sadiq Khan who also in my opinion has to go!

“We need to free both our country and its capital simultaneously from their twisted grips (putting it politely) if we are to ever rebuild Britain back to a bigger, better and more unified version of itself,” Middleton continued.

His first post concluded: “With these two at the helm, division will always be at the bow! Secure the perimeter and cleanse from the inside…”

Middleton then issues a lengthy clarification of his use of the word “cleanse,” explaining he wishes to tackle rampant crime in London in an exhaustive list of polices.

Teasing outraged responders, the former SBS soldier added: “You’ve actually given me an idea for a new title when I do eventually become Mayor of London… Major Mayor MIDDLETON! Now that’s got a nice ring to it. I’m coming.”

This is not the first foray into politics for Middleton, who spoke at the Reform UK annual conference in September last year.

In his speech, the 44-year-old also took aim at crime in the capital and warned of potential “civil unrest” on British streets.

“What's happening on our streets right now? Violence. We are at a very important and crucial stage before it teeters to civil unrest which we want to avoid at all costs.

“But it's coming. We are on that edge where violence hits the streets. We've all seen it,” he said forebodingly.

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My country is calling me once again! I’ve fought for it once before and I WILL come back and serve it again! Standby standby… https://t.co/skDJKuJSRv

— Ant Middleton (@antmiddleton) January 8, 2025

In 2021, the Afghanistan veteran fell victim to cancel culture while starring on SAS: Who Dares Wins over a series of tweets in which he criticised protesters taking part in BLM and EDL demonstrations on the streets of London.

Following the incident, Middleton left the UK with his family to live in Dubai.

Speaking exclusively to GB News while attending the D-Day 80th anniversary last Juneanniversary last June, Middleton spoke of his passionate patriotism for the UK despite leaving at the time.

“You can't be passionate because the moment you're passionate, you're pushed on to the extreme right. You're a patriot? You're pushed on (to the right).

“We need political reform. It's about starting with our younger generation. It's about understanding what we want as a society and the direction we need to go. When we lose the identity of our country, we turn around in circles. When we lose the culture of our country, there's no identity,” he told GB News.

GB News have approached Reform UK for comment.

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Labour votes down national inquiry on grooming gangs in major blow to victims

Labour MPs have voted down a proposed national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal.

Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch tabled an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill earlier this week, calling for a full inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal.

The bill was rejected in the Commons by 364 votes to 111, a majority of 253.

The move was branded as an “act of cowardice” by Conservatives following the vote.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “It is disgusting that Keir Starmer has used his supermajority in Parliament to block a national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.”

“Labour MPs have put their Party ahead of getting to the truth and turned a blind eye to justice for the victims. Labour MPs will have to explain to the British people why they are against learning the truth behind the torture and rape of countless vulnerable girls.

“We will not let them forget this act of cowardice.”

No10 claimed the amendment would “kill the Bill”, with Starmer saying on Wednesday that victims wanted “action now, not the delay of a further inquiry”.

At Prime Minister’s Questions earlier today, Sir Keir said a further inquiry could delay action on tackling child sexual abuse, saying that recommendations from a seven-year investigation reported in 2022 had not yet been implemented.

In a heated exchange, Starmer said: “This morning, I met some of the victims and survivors of this scandal, and they were clear with me that they want action now, not the delay of a further inquiry.”

He said the Conservative leader had “jumped on the bandwagon” about grooming gangs but, while in office as children’s minister and equalities minister, “I can’t recall her once raising this issue in the House, once calling for a national inquiry”.

The Tory leader replied: “The Prime Minister called for nine inquiries in the last Parliament. Does he not see that by resisting this one, people will start to worry about a cover-up?”

She urged the former director of public prosecutions to “be a leader, not a lawyer”.

No Labour MP voted in favour of the amendment.

The 111 MPs who supported it included 101 Conservatives and all 5 Reform UK MPs.

It was defeated by a majority of 253.

After the vote, Nigel Farage posted on X: “Labour have just voted against an inquiry. What do they have to hide?”

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Reform UK demands Sadiq Khan impose Public Order Emergency to halt 'knife crime crisis'

Reform UK has demanded that Sadiq Khan declare a Public Order Emergency to halt the “knife crime crisis” in the capital.

Penning a letter to the London Mayor, Reform’s Deputy Leader Richard Tice and Assembly Member, Alex Wilson, have asked for a ramp up of stop and search, as well as a boosted police presence.

“In your London, we’re now at a point where parents have the constant worry they may receive a call from school telling them their child is not returning from school. Not because they’re at an after-school club. Not because they’ve got a detention. Because they’ve been stabbed to death,” the letter said.

“Since the pandemic, you’ve presided over a 50 per cent increase in knife offences. We are seeing thousands of knife incidents on our streets every single year. Without action, it’s clear to see that we are on course for a record year.

“Year after year, we have seen a rise in knife crime. It’s time to put an end to that.”

They said that Khan needs to introduce Spectre, an initiative that runs twice a year and aims to raise awareness of knife crime and the police response in detecting and preventing it, on a permanent basis.

The party is also calling on the Mayor to ramp up stop and search in “hotspot areas”, “dramatically boost” police presences, and launch “weapon sweeps” across London.

Tice and Wilson wrote the letter following the stabbing of 14-year-old schoolboy, Kelyan Bokassa, which took place yesterday on a bus.

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Bokassa died shortly after the knife attack on a 472 double-decker bus on Church Street in Woolwich, southeast London, on Tuesday.

Police, paramedics and the London Air Ambulance descended on the scene just after 2.30pm yesterday after a police officer on patrol raised the alarm.

Though medics tried to treat the 14-year-old's injuries, he died soon afterwards.

Police said they were working "at pace" to find his killers - but no arrests have yet been made.

His mother said her son had been “taken advantage of” by local gangs, and he had also been “exposed to drugs”.

In October, the Metropolitan Police said it was intensifying efforts to reduce knife crime and crack down on violent gangs across the capital.

In 2024, there were more than 15,000 knife related offences in London - 2,200 up on the year before.

While the number of teenagers stabbed to death last year rose to 18, five times more than the number of youngsters killed in 2022.

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‘Woke has just died!’ Nigel Farage rejoices as Facebook rolls out free speech changes just days after Nick Clegg’s exit

Nigel Farage has hailed Meta's dramatic shift towards free speech on Facebook stating "woke has died" as Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to scrap the platform's fact-checking programme.

This comes just days after former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's departure from the social media giant.

The Reform UK leader celebrated the changes on X and said: "Great news fellow Facebookers it's happened. Nick Clegg is out.

"Dana White of UFC is in. And today Mark Zuckerberg's given a big statement saying we're going back to our roots as a home of free speech.

"We're even going to be allowed to talk about immigration. All those third party checkers that were blocking accounts, they're all being fired that have community notes just like X two.

"This is great news for our community. It means I'll give you content you can spread without fear of being shut down or suspended.

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"Facebook is back. Trump is back, free speech is back, and woke has just died."

Meta will abandon its current system of using third-party fact-checkers in favour of community notes, similar to those used on X.

The changes follow Clegg's exit from his role as President of Global Affairs at Meta, which he announced earlier this week.

Sir Nick Clegg announced his departure from Meta after more than five years as one of Mark Zuckerberg's senior executives.

The former Liberal Democrat leader had served as President of Global Affairs at Meta since October 2018, residing in a £7 million Silicon Valley mansion.

Clegg made his exit announcement on rival platform X, writing what The Spectator described as a statement that "had all the spontaneity and joy of a hostage video."

"As a new year begins, I have come to the view that this is the right time for me to move on from my role as President, Global Affairs at Meta," Clegg wrote, describing his tenure as an "adventure of a lifetime."

His departure comes as Meta's leadership prepares for significant changes to its content moderation policies.

In a video announcement, Mark Zuckerberg outlined Meta's plans to "get back to our roots" with a fundamental shift in content moderation across Facebook and Instagram.

The changes will see Meta abandon its longstanding fact-checking programme that relied on news organisations and third-party groups.

Instead, the platforms will adopt a community notes system similar to that used on X, allowing users to add notes to potentially false or misleading posts.

"We're going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies and restoring free expression on our platforms," Zuckerberg said.

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Donald Trump vows to rename Gulf of Mexico as 'Gulf of America'

Donald Trump has said he wants to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America.”

Trump made the remark while speaking at a press conference on Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago.

He said: “We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring.”

“That covers a lot of territory. The Gulf of America, what a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate.”

“We do most of the work there and it’s ours,” he added.

The president-elect said his team will be making the official announcement soon.

Trump voiced his views on the safety of Mexico, saying the US need to stop their people from coming into America, repeating threats to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada.

“Mexico’s really in trouble. A lot of trouble. It’s a very dangerous place,” Trump said.

“And we’re going to put very serious tariffs on Mexico and Canada because Canada...they come through Canada too and the drugs that are coming through are at record numbers.”

The Gulf of Mexico shares a coastline with Florida, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has not responded publicly to Trump’s comments, however has spoken with Trump about the tariff threats in past months.

During the press conference, Trump also refused to rule out using the US military to reclaim the Panama Canal and take over Greenland.

Trump accused Panama of “ripping off” American vessels last month by charging high prices to use the waterway that acts as a link to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Donald Trump Jr has also been sent to Greenland after his father expressed wanting to acquire the territory from Denmark.

The incoming president wrote on Truth Social yesterday evening: “I am hearing that the people of Greenland are ‘MAGA’.”

“My son, Don Jr, and various representatives, will be traveling there to visit some of the most magnificent areas and sights.”

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Ben Habib calls for 'dedicated police unit' to WEED OUT 'those who turned a blind eye' to grooming gangs

Reform UK's Ben Habib has called for a dedicated police unit with powers to arrest and detain those who failed to act on grooming gangs across Britain's institutions.

Speaking to GB News, Habib said the unit should target individuals "who turned a blind eye to this activity in their own police forces, in social services, in councils and so on, and to arrest them and to hold them to account".

Habib explained: "She talked about forward-looking laws where they would make it an aggravated crime.

"If they were groomed, they would make it illegal to be complicit in this activity, that it's already illegal to be complicit in the gang rape of little girls.

"It's already illegal, I would go even further than the Conservative Party, I would say we don't need an inquiry into this.

"What we want is a dedicated unit of the police to have powers of arrest and detention, to weed out those who turned a blind eye to this activity in their own police forces, in social services, in councils and so on. To arrest them and to hold them to account.

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"The other thing I want is for the Government to admit, we're having all this debate about the revelation of ethnicities because multiculturalism in this country is not working.

"If we had a unified, integrated culture and we hadn't had mass immigration in the way that we've had, we wouldn't be having debates about ethnic the ethnicity of people who are committing crimes in this country.

"That's the second thing. The third thing is we need to reverse and abolish the legislative and regulatory framework of diversity, equity and inclusion. It is damaging to our criminal justice system.

"It's damaging to our country economically, is damaging to our country. From a security perspective, it has to go. Unless politicians recognize that you do not get a functioning society through progressive discrimination, we will never get the United Kingdom back to a place where actually justice will be applied blindly.

"So yes, she made some forward-looking declarations about how things may be tackled in the future, but she won't have the courage to look at what's happened in the past because it will reveal multiple failings of 27 years of bad Government."

His comments came as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced new measures on child sexual exploitation in the Commons today.

Cooper has announced that professionals working with children will face criminal sanctions if they fail to report child sexual abuse claims.

The measure will be included in the crime and policing bill, expected to be introduced to Parliament this spring.

"We will make it mandatory to report abuse, and we will put the measures in the crime and policing bill that will be put before parliament this spring, making it an offence with professional and criminal sanctions to fail to report or cover up child sexual abuse," Cooper told MPs.

The announcement follows Labour's rejection of demands from Elon Musk and Kemi Badenoch for a new investigation into paedophile gangs.

A Government spokesman emphasised that protecting vulnerable children is "paramount" and highlighted ongoing work to implement recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

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'Race is never an excuse not to punish sex offenders': Yvette Cooper speaks out on grooming gangs

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has issued a stark warning about the scale of child sexual abuse in Britain after the recent outcry over the grooming gangs scandal.

Cooper outlined the government's determination to act through strengthening laws and implementing recommendations from independent inquiries.

"There is no excuse for anyone not to take these crimes seriously," Cooper stated.

She stressed that perpetrators must be "punished and pursued" while victims and survivors need protection and support.

WATCH ABOVE FOR THE STATEMENT IN FULL

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Revealed: Civil servants blocked compensation plans for grooming gang victims

Civil servants delayed attempts to secure compensation for grooming gang victims, GB News can reveal.

Government sources who attended several key meetings have told this broadcaster that civil servants from multiple departments resisted political efforts to promote compensation for survivors.

One source who worked in Government during the previous Sunak administration said that civil servants were hesitant to engage with the issue of compensation during multiple cross-departmental meetings on the grooming gangs scandal.

They said that senior officials warned about significant costs if they proceeded with plans to include survivors in any payment scheme, due to the large numbers of victims from the national scandal.

They told GB News that attempts to raise the issue were “pushed into the long grass” during meetings held with senior civil servants as the Sunak Government turned its attention to the grooming gangs scandal.

A survivor from the Rotherham abuse scandal told GB News that the Government were neglecting victims.

Elizabeth, not her real name, said: “Once again this shows that survivors are treated like second-class citizens by the Government.

“They don’t pay attention to what we need to finally tackle this national emergency and make sure it never happens again.”

Political aides expressed their frustration to this broadcaster over several months as then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman launched a grooming gangs crackdown, which included a taskforce headed up by the National Crime Agency.

In its first year, the force made over 500 arrests.

The Independent Inquiry to Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) said that “victims and survivors are entirely justified in seeking financial redress”.

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Chaired by Professor Alexis Jay, it added: “Where victims and survivors are unable to pursue civil claims successfully, they may be able to obtain some financial redress from the State through a compensation scheme.”

A compensation scheme has yet to be established since IICSA was published in October 2022.

Scoping of the scheme was well underway following the Government’s response to IICSA in 2023.

In November, Prof Jay expressed her disappointment that none of the report’s 20 recommendations has yet to be implemented.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has hit out at the revelation, urging the Government to support grooming gang victims.

She said: “Survivors of the disgraceful grooming gangs scandal are some of the most vulnerable women and girls in our society. The least they are entitled to, after everything they have been through, is timely compensation.

“Any delay to compensation payments will make survivors and their families legitimately feel that under Labour the system is completely indifferent to their suffering.”

Suella Braverman said: “As Home Secretary, I raised the alarm and battled, day and night, often alone in Cabinet, to make the changes necessary . I made tackling these rape gangs a big priority. I, sadly, found other departments within Government unsupportive of the action we needed to take to get justice for victims.

“That’s why I visited Rotherham and Rochdale with the Prime Minister to meet with survivors - to get justice - and why I personally set up a specialist taskforce which led to hundreds of arrests - over 500 in the first year alone.

“I was committed to introducing the recommendations of the Jay report which includes a legal duty to report. The Duty was part of the Criminal Justice Bill introduced in November 2023. However, it never made its way through Parliament due to the early General Election being called when there was still much more to be done.

“Any individual involved in the industrial scale rape and grooming of young British girls must face the strongest possible justice.”

GB News has contacted the Government for comment.

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Elon Musk’s dad says his son ‘would have no problem’ with Reform donation despite calling for new leader

Elon Musk's father has said his son would "absolutely" still consider donating to Reform UK, despite the tech billionaire's recent criticism of party leader Nigel Farage.

Speaking on GB News on Sunday, Errol Musk told presenter Nana Akua that his son remained open to supporting the party financially.

The comments come just hours after Elon Musk declared on X that "Farage doesn't have what it takes" to lead Reform UK and called for new leadership.

Musk's criticism came in a post on X, where he stated: "The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn't have what it takes."

The comments followed several days of Musk posting about British politics, particularly regarding the UK's response to grooming gangs.

In the hour before criticising Farage, Musk had shared posts from Reform UK MPs about the government's refusal to hold a national inquiry into grooming gangs.

He also shared content from Richard Tice, the party's deputy leader, calling for an inquiry.

The latest tension comes just weeks after Musk and Farage met in the United States, where Farage described their meeting as "great."

The December meeting, which included Reform's treasurer Nick Candy, had fuelled speculation about potential financial support from the X owner.

Both men have been aligned on key political issues and have been heavily critical of Sir Keir Starmer and the wider British government in recent days.

Farage had previously praised Musk for purchasing X and becoming more involved in politics.

Errol Musk suggested his son's ability to make future donations could be affected by potential government responsibilities.

"For the time being, he is a private citizen. After the 20th of this month, assuming he goes into the US cabinet, he is no longer that," he told GB News.

He added: "Anything he does then will have to be ratified by the US President. If it's a question of his personal funds and he gets permission, there's no reason he can't do that."

The recent rift between Musk and Farage appears to stem from their differing views on Tommy Robinson.

Farage last week described Musk as an "absolute hero" but said his support of Robinson was "not what we need."

Musk had shared Robinson's documentary with his 210 million X followers, describing it as "worth watching" and calling for Robinson's release from prison.

Robinson is currently serving an 18-month sentence for contempt of court over false claims about a Syrian refugee schoolboy.

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Britain 'vulnerable to ballistic missile attacks' as Nato urges Starmer to increase defence spending

Nato is set to demand Britain increases its spending on air defence amid growing concerns over the country's vulnerability to ballistic missile attacks.

The alliance will issue the call by the end of this year, responding to frustration that the UK is not contributing enough to Europe's defence systems.

The request will form part of Nato's updated force requirements, known as the Capability Target 2025, which will highlight areas where member states need to improve their collective defence capabilities.

Defence sources report that Nato members have consistently expressed concern about Britain's limited contribution to defensive shields protecting Europe.

Military chiefs have issued a stark warning that Britain could be vulnerable to ballistic missile strikes from anywhere in the world within 15 years.

One senior military source told The Times that Britain could be attacked from any direction if missiles were fired from ships, submarines or aircraft.

"In 15 years' time, a ballistic missile will be able to hit Britain from anywhere in the world," they warned. "But it's a very expensive problem to fix."

Another military source stated that the UK is now in "peril" due to the country's "very thin air defences", explaining that previous lack of investment was because "nobody thought we needed it".

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Britain's main air defence currently relies on the Royal Navy's six Type 45 destroyers and the British Army's Sky Sabre missile system.

Type 45 destroyers, described as the world's best air defence warships, can destroy incoming threats from up to 70 miles away.

Other nations have invested heavily in more advanced systems. Germany signed a £3.2billion deal with Israel last year for the Arrow 3 system, designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside Earth's atmosphere.

While the UK has joined a European programme to develop new long-range weapons, its defence systems remain inferior to its allies.

The Ministry of Defence has warned that Royal Navy warships could be vulnerable to more advanced weapons.

Military experts have highlighted specific vulnerabilities, particularly regarding UK military bases in Cyprus - Akrotiri and Dhekelia - which are within range of Iranian-backed militant groups like the Houthis.

During a recent visit to RAF Akrotiri, Defence Secretary John Healey witnessed firsthand the limitations of British forces, who were restricted to reconnaissance and intelligence-sharing roles during Iranian missile barrages.

The changing nature of global threats has been emphasised by developments in Ukraine, where Russia has deployed the Oreshnik missile, capable of travelling at Mach-10 with a range of 3,410 miles.

Military chiefs warn that China, Russia, and Iran are developing long-range missiles that could potentially target Britain and its overseas assets.

Labour has committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP "when the economic conditions allow", though no specific timeframe has been provided.

A strategic review of British armed forces is currently underway, led by former Labour defence secretary Lord Robertson and General Sir Richard Barrons.

The review panel, established shortly after Labour's July election victory, is expected to highlight the urgent need for increased spending on defence capabilities and equipment.

Former British Army Captain Tobias Ellwood has called for defence spending to be raised to three per cent of GDP - approximately £68billion.

This contrasts sharply with Russia's military spending, which currently stands at 6.3 per cent of GDP, roughly £114billion.

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Nigel Farage to ‘explain’ why he won’t work with Tommy Robinson to Elon Musk: ‘Things aren’t as they look’

Nigel Farage has vowed to “explain” to Elon Musk why he won’t co-operate with Tommy Robinson.

The billionaire owner of X, who has hinted at a possible donation to Farage’s Reform, has shown support for the jailed activist on social media.

Speaking on GB News, Nigel said Musk is perhaps unaware of the circumstances surrounding Robinson’s jail term and he is not behind bars for the reason he thinks.

Musk wrote on X “free Tommy Robinson” as he endorsed the controversial figure - adding he was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs.

Nigel told Nana Akua that he plans to address the matter when he sees Musk later this month at Donald Trump’s inauguration.

“Tommy Robinson does his own campaigns. He has been in prison numerous times. For those of you who think he is in prison for exposing grooming gangs, he is not. He is in for contempt of court for the third time”, he said.

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“He can do his own thing. We are doing ours. I have made it very clear over the years I didn’t want anything to do with him and that position hasn’t changed.

“A lot of my American friends including a very senior Senator from Utah Mike Lee think Tommy Robinson is in prison for exposing grooming gangs.

“They are suffering under a misconception. Elon Musk and I will have different views on many things and free speech is about agreeing to disagree. I am not in the least bit concerned about what Elon Musk says about Tommy Robinson.

“I will at inauguration explain to him that things are not perhaps how they look.”

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court.

The 42-year-old was jailed in October after admitting to violating a 2021 High Court injunction that prevented him from repeating false claims about a Syrian refugee schoolboy.

The case stemmed from Robinson's Facebook videos, seen by nearly one million people, which falsely accused the 15-year-old refugee of attacking "young English girls".

Musk's intervention comes amid his increasing involvement in UK politics, where he has accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of running a "tyrannical police state".

The billionaire has also weighed in on the debate around grooming gangs, claiming Robinson "tried to blow the whistle" on the scandal.

However, Nigel has distanced his party from Robinson, telling GB News yesterday: "We're a political party aiming to win the next general election. He's not what we need."

Reform UK MP Lee Anderson echoed this sentiment, stating: "I would not welcome Tommy Robinson into Reform UK."

At a Reform UK conference in Leicester, Anderson was reportedly heckled by pro-Robinson supporters.

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‘Makes me sick to the pit of my stomach’: Lee Anderson vents fury at Labour’s grooming gangs decision

Lee Anderson has launched a scathing attack on Labour over its refusal to launch a national inquiry into grooming gangs, saying it makes him "sick to his stomach."

Speaking on GB News, the Reform MP accused Labour of denying justice to victims of abuse.

"We keep forgetting about these young girls who have been abused and tortured, the stuff they've been through is just sick," Lee said.

"They need justice. The fact we have a Parliament denying them justice makes me sick to my stomach."

Labour's safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said the government will not "intervene" in an Oldham inquiry, stating it is for the local council alone to decide.

A Labour spokesperson said the government "will welcome and support an independent investigation commissioned by Oldham Council which puts victims' voices at its heart."

The party pointed to its support for previous inquiries, including those in Telford and Rotherham, and the national overarching inquiry into child abuse which reported in 2022.

Conservative shadow ministers Chris Philp and Alicia Kearns have written to the Home Secretary demanding a "time-limited, national statutory Public Inquiry into grooming and rape gangs."

Their letter calls for mandatory deportation of all foreign nationals convicted of grooming and rape offences.

The Conservatives are also demanding regular publication of data on the ethnicity of abusers and victims.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrote that a public inquiry is "long overdue," stating "2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice."

Lee accused Labour of being "frightened to death of upsetting a certain demographic" that could cost them votes.

"I think anybody with an ounce of decency would back a national inquiry and mark my words, this goes deeper than what is being reported," he said on GB News.

He added that some local authorities, police and councils "should hang their heads in shame" over their handling of cases.

"These people should be locked up straight away," Anderson declared.

The national grooming scandal saw girls as young as 11 groomed and raped across multiple English towns, including Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham and Telford.

A report by Professor Alexis Jay in 2014 revealed that between 1997 and 2013, approximately 1,400 girls were abused while police and social services failed to intervene.

In November last year, Professor Jay expressed frustration that none of the probe's 20 recommendations had been implemented more than two years after its conclusion.

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Lee Anderson rips up BBC license fee reminder on stage during Reform conference

Lee Anderson has ripped up a BBC license fee reminder while speaking on stage during Reform UK's press conference in the East Midlands.

He declared that he would not pay a license which goes towards supporting the pensions of individuals including Huw Edwards.

In response, Anderson received a raucous welcome from audience members as he shredded the document.

The move has come months after he ripped up a BBC license fee letter at Reform's Birmingham party conference in September, branding the corporation a mistake.

Lee Anderson will be joined on stage by deputy leader Richard Tice and leader Nigel Farage, to address members in Leicester today and tomorrow.

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Nick Clegg replaced by top Republican at Meta ahead of Trump's inauguration

Sir Nick Clegg is stepping down from his role as global affairs president at Meta, the parent company of Facebook.

The former deputy Prime Minister will be replaced by George W Bush's ex-White House deputy chief of staff Joel Kaplan.

The announcement comes just weeks before Donald Trump's inauguration as US president.

Announcing his departure, Clegg said: "As a new year begins, I have come to the view that this is the right time for me to move on from my role as president, global affairs at Meta."

The ex-Sheffield Hallam MP described his time at the company as "an adventure of a lifetime".

Clegg, who joined Facebook in 2018 just months after losing his parliamentary seat to Labour, reflected on the evolving relationship between technology and society during his tenure.

"My time at the company coincided with a significant resetting of the relationship between big tech and the societal pressures manifested in new laws, institutions and norms," he said.

Having spent nearly two decades in European and British politics, the 57-year-old described gaining "a front row insight into what makes Silicon Valley such an enduring hub of world leading innovation".

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"The pace and scale of change has been as dizzying as it has been ambitious," Clegg added.

Endorsing his successor, Clegg praised Kaplan as "quite clearly the right person for the right job at the right time".

He noted that Kaplan would be "ideally placed to shape the company's strategy as societal and political expectations around technology continue to evolve".

The leadership transition will also see Kevin Martin, former Federal Communications Commission chairman under George W Bush, taking over Kaplan's previous position as vice president of global policy.

Clegg also said that he would spend "the next few months handing over the reins" to the new leadership team.

Looking ahead, he indicated that after the transition period, "then - as with each chapter in my lucky career in politics, Government and the private sector - I will move on to new adventures".

Clegg's announcement comes after a rift appeared to emerge with Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg expressed his regret about Meta's handling of the 2020 US Presidential Election and later lauded Trump for his response to July assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

The 40-year-old also donated £786,000 to an inauguration fund for Trump via Meta.

Meanwhile, Clegg described the 45th President's response to the Black Lives Matter protests as "abhorrent" and suggested X owner Elon Musk could emerge as a "political puppet-master" in Trump's second term in the White House.

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’They gave £10 billion to train drivers!’ Shocking claim money is ‘playing into Labour’s grooming gangs inquiry decision’ sparks fury on GB News

GB News presenter Martin Daubney has reacted with fury to suggestions that financial considerations are behind the government's rejection of a public inquiry into grooming gangs.

His outburst came after Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones claimed on GB News that cost implications of "upwards of £1 million" may have influenced the decision.

"A million pounds is chicken feed. Absolute chicken feed in the grand scheme of things," Daubney declared during the heated exchange.

Commissioner Jones explained that if a Home Office minister ordered an inquiry, their department would be responsible for the costs.

"If Jess Phillips as safeguarding minister agreed this was needed because it was of such national significance... they would have to pick up the bill," Jones said on GB News.

She added: "I don't want to be crude about this, but I think money does feature in this."

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The Commissioner emphasised that child protection should be considered of utmost national significance.

Daubney contrasted the inquiry's potential cost with other government spending commitments.

"They've given £10 billion to train drivers. If you're giving £22 billion to international climate change and £16 billion to foreign aid, £1 million is a rounding error," he said.

He added: "Surely they can't be palming it off because of such paltry sums of money. That would be absolutely grotesque."

The row erupted after Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips rejected calls for a government inquiry into historic child abuse in Oldham.

Phillips stated in a letter that it was for "Oldham Council alone to decide" on commissioning an inquiry, rather than government intervention.

Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, has called for a national inquiry into the grooming scandal, stating "2025 must be the year that victims get justice."

The scandal, exposed in 2013, revealed girls as young as 11 were groomed and raped across multiple English towns.

An Oldham Council spokesman addressed the ongoing debate about future inquiries.

"Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation," the spokesman said.

"Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge."

The council has indicated plans to launch its own Telford-style inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally.

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Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel rocked by 'explosion' as smoke pours out over city - 'active incident' confirmed underway

Smoke has been seen pouring from Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel today amid reports of an "explosion" in the Sin City.

Eyewitnesses at the 64-storey luxury hotel have said an evacuation has taken place - while footage circulating on social media shows black smoke billowing from its ground floor.

Unverified reports on social media claim the smoke followed an "explosion" at the hotel - while officials have told GB News an "active incident" is underway.

Further footage appears to show a Tesla Cybertruck in flames just metres from the hotel's front door, with fire and smoke pouring out of the electric vehicle.

One witness to the car fire, who shared footage of the incident, said: "Cybertruck blew up in front of Trump hotel in Las Vegas. Those are our luggage by the door and that's where we were when it happened."

In a statement released just before 6pm GMT, Las Vegas's police department said: "We are investigating a vehicle fire at the entrance to Trump Towers. The fire is out."

Another witness wrote earlier on social media: "My friend who did the Grucci fireworks show in Las Vegas just now texted me that there was a huge explosion at Trump Tower in Vegas."

A third eyewitness added: "Some sort of explosion at Trump tower in Las Vegas. No idea what happened yet."

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The Trump hotel, in the heart of the Sin City, bills itself as a "sophisticated, non-smoking and non-gaming, luxury" destination, just yards from the Las Vegas Strip.

It has towered over the city since 2008 - and is Las Vegas's tallest residential building.

The golden skyscraper is one of three Trump International hotels in the US, with similar destinations under the President-elect's brand in New York City and Chicago.

GB News has approached Tesla, Trump Hotels, and Las Vegas fire department for comment.

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