Category: News Story

STORY

Labour MP Mike Tapp and 17 parliamentary colleagues have written to Sussex Police asking the force to examine whether conduct at the Green Party conference in Brighton may have amounted to criminally actionable racial or religious hatred against Jewish people.

The MPs cited delegates chanting “say it loud, say it clear, Zionists are not welcome here” and asked police to consider whether the term “Zionist” was being used as a proxy for Jewish people, as well as whether any offence may have been committed under the Public Order Act.

The group has asked Sussex Police to preserve evidence and determine whether a criminal investigation is warranted, while also referring the Green Party’s newly adopted “Zionism is racism” policy to the Equality and Human Rights Commission over concerns that it could result in unlawful discrimination against Jewish members.

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The Conservatives have set out an economic programme based on reducing public spending, cutting taxes and removing regulations, with Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith saying that the party would use at least half of any savings to reduce the deficit while directing the remainder towards tax reductions and measures intended to support growth.

The party has identified £47 billion of proposed annual savings and has pledged measures including abolishing stamp duty on primary residences, removing business rates for thousands of high street businesses, introducing a £5,000 First Job Bonus for young workers and scrapping at least one tax at every Budget.

Its wider programme includes simplifying the tax system, changing planning rules, supporting a third runway at Heathrow and abolishing Natural England and the Environment Agency, although environmental organisations and political opponents have warned that the proposals could weaken protections and increase household energy costs.

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The UK has urged members of the UN Human Rights Council to support a resolution renewing the mandate of the Fact Finding Mission investigating alleged human rights violations in Sudan, presenting the proposal on behalf of a core group also comprising Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway.

UK Permanent Representative Kumar Iyer said drone warfare by both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces had widened the conflict, with attacks affecting hospitals, markets and a kindergarten, while calling on foreign states and other external actors to stop providing weapons, money or other support to the warring parties.

The UK said accountability must extend across the full chain of responsibility, welcomed the work of the International Criminal Court and called for Sudanese cooperation with it, arguing that renewing the UN mission was essential to preserve evidence, support victims and establish the foundations for future prosecutions.

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Green Party leader Zack Polanski is facing growing pressure over his handling of the party’s decision to adopt a policy declaring that “Zionism is racism”, after Sandy Ruthven, chair of the Amnesty International UK board of trustees, resigned his Green Party membership.

Ruthven, a longstanding Green member and the party’s candidate for Mayor of Bristol in 2021, accused the party of failing to confront prejudice within its own ranks and said that its attempt to court the hard left had led it into a “political cul-de-sac”, although his resignation was a personal decision rather than a statement issued on behalf of Amnesty International UK.

The policy was approved at the Green Party conference after Polanski left the event to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras parliamentary by-election, while four of the party’s five MPs opposed the motion and senior figures have warned that it could leave Jewish members feeling unwelcome, adding to questions about Polanski’s leadership and whether he can restore confidence among those considering leaving the party.

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New Ministry of Justice contracts covering spoken language interpreting, British Sign Language and specialist visual and tactile communication services have come into force across courts and tribunals, with the Government saying that the arrangements will provide more consistent and reliable support for people who need help understanding or participating in proceedings.

Existing supplier thebigword will remain the primary provider of spoken language services, while Translate UK has been appointed as an additional secondary supplier, Clarion UK will continue providing visual and tactile communication services and The Language Shop will undertake independent quality assurance.

The contracts introduce mandatory induction into the justice system for interpreters, stronger quality assessments and improvements to face to face and video interpreting, while interpreters will also be able to decline particular categories of case when the material involved is especially sensitive or distressing.

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The Government has intervened in BT Group’s proposed acquisition of TalkTalk amid concerns that a collapse of the telecommunications company could disrupt essential telephone and broadband services. Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy has issued a Public Interest Intervention Notice under the Enterprise Act 2002, allowing the wider consequences of the deal to be considered alongside competition concerns.

TalkTalk has been seeking a buyer for its consumer and wholesale operations following a period of financial difficulty. The Government said its networks support emergency calls, hospital and ambulance communications, medical alarms and other critical services, including those used by vulnerable customers. Customers have been told that they do not need to take any action and that services should continue as normal while the acquisition process proceeds.

The Competition and Markets Authority has been instructed to report to Nandy by 19 October 2026. She will then be able to consider the public interest implications of the transaction, including public health, critical national infrastructure and the continuity of telecommunications services, as well as the CMA’s assessment of any competition issues. The Government also intends to place an order before Parliament adding continuity of telecommunications supply as a specific ground for intervention under the Enterprise Act.

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Lee Edwards and Craig Forshaw have each been sentenced to 18 months in prison after burgling a fish and chip shop and the home above it in Hindley while the family attended a funeral. The two men were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court after targeting the property on 26 June 2026, the day of owner Brian Warburton’s funeral.

The premises were ransacked and £5,000, morphine and ten older mobile phones were stolen. The phones contained photographs, videos and recordings of Mr Warburton and the family, including memories of his partner Denise’s only son, a serving soldier who had been killed. In a victim impact statement, Denise said the offenders had taken memories, security and peace from the family at an exceptionally vulnerable time.

Greater Manchester Police said CCTV footage and witness statements identifying Edwards and Forshaw formed part of the evidence gathered during the investigation. Constable Richard Kelsall described the burglary as a despicable act and said he hoped the sentences would help the family rebuild their lives. The force reported that burglaries across the Wigan district had fallen by 35 per cent during the previous year.

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The head of Jewish Greens has said she may leave the Green Party following its decision to adopt a policy equating Zionism with racism. Vivien Lichtenstein said the motion was unhelpful and that she would speak to colleagues before deciding whether to remain in the party. The policy was approved at the party’s annual conference by 1,022 votes to 813.

The dispute has also led to criticism of Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who missed the vote and encouraged supporters to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras parliamentary by election instead. Polanski had unsuccessfully requested that the conference be postponed so the party could concentrate on the campaign, while some members believe greater involvement from the leader could have prevented the motion from passing.

Four of the Green Party’s five MPs opposed the motion, which states that Zionism should be treated as a form of racism and supports the establishment of a single Palestinian state with equal rights for all. Some Jewish members have expressed concern that the policy could affect their involvement with organisations supporting Israel’s continued existence, although supporters of the motion have said this would not happen. Party members are also reportedly considering a legal challenge under equality legislation.

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The Government has abandoned plans for some criminal trials to be heard by a judge without a jury following opposition to the proposed reforms. Justice Secretary Alex Norris said he had heard the strength of feeling surrounding the plans and had decided to change course, meaning that juries will continue to hear more serious cases in the Crown Court.

Judge only trials will still be permitted for lengthy and technically complex fraud and financial cases. Magistrates will also be given the power to impose longer sentences, while courts rather than defendants will have the final decision over where relatively minor cases are heard. The Government said this would prevent defendants from electing a Crown Court jury trial in an attempt to delay proceedings or avoid imprisonment.

The revised measures will be added to the Courts and Tribunals Bill when it returns to the House of Commons on 13 October. Nearly 81,000 Crown Court cases are awaiting resolution, with almost a third having been outstanding for at least a year. Ministers have also proposed greater use of virtual hearings, artificial intelligence to assist with case listings and additional resources for judges, alongside an independent review of the effects of the structural reforms on ethnic minorities and people from different backgrounds.

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Defence ministers from the Joint Expeditionary Force have agreed to deepen Ukraine’s involvement in the organisation and strengthen military activity across northern Europe. The ministers met at Keflavik Air Base in Iceland to discuss support for Ukraine, security in the Baltic Sea and High North, and the development of closer cooperation with NATO.

Ukraine participated in the JEF’s Lion Protector exercise for the first time this year, with Ukrainian mine countermeasure vessels operating alongside forces from member countries. Ministers said that the exercise had improved interoperability and allowed participating nations to learn from Ukraine’s experience of modern warfare. They reaffirmed their support for the JEF Ukraine Enhanced Partnership and agreed to increase Ukrainian participation in future activities.

Ministers also discussed Canada’s application to join the JEF and agreed to continue work on a recommendation for national leaders. They reviewed Russian sabotage and other hybrid activity against NATO members, while stating that the organisation did not seek confrontation with Russia. Further work will examine defence industry cooperation, military innovation and the alignment of JEF response plans with NATO’s regional operations.