Tag: News Story

STORY

The Government has announced a wide-scale review of the UK armed forces which will be overseen by John Healey, the Defence Secretary, and led by Lord Robertson. The Ministry of Defence said in a statement:

“The Strategic Defence Review will be delivered at pace and report in the first half of 2025, with work starting immediately in recognition of the urgency of the threats facing the UK. It comes as the Defence Secretary John Healey argues that “at the start of a new era for Britain, we need a new era for defence. The Review will strengthen the foundations for this new mission-driven Government.”

With a new era requiring a new type of review, the Strategic Defence Review will be headed by three external Reviewers in a first-of-its-kind for UK defence:

Lord Robertson – Former Defence Secretary and NATO Secretary General (Review lead)

Dr Fiona Hill CMG – Foreign policy expert and former US presidential advisor
General Sir Richard Barrons – Former Commander Joint Forces Command and former Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff

The Reviewers will be supported by a Defence Review Team of senior high level experts from inside and outside Government and will engage widely across the defence community. Submissions will be invited until the end of September from serving and retired members of the Armed Forces, the defence industry, the general public, academics, Parliament, and our closest allies and partners, especially in NATO.”

Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, said in a statement:

“We live in a more dangerous and volatile world. My government will forge a new clear-eyed approach to our national defences, equipping us to tackle international threats head-on while keeping the British people safe and secure. I promised the British people I would deliver the change needed to take our country forward, and I promised action not words. That’s why one of my first acts since taking office is to launch our Strategic Defence Review. We will make sure our hollowed out armed forces are bolstered and respected, that defence spending is responsibly increased, and that our country has the capabilities needed to ensure the UK’s resilience for the long term.”

STORY

Shots have been fired at a campaign event attended by former US President Donald Trump, with the former leader leaving the stage with blood on his face. All of the attendees have now left the rally and police have said that a statement will be made soon. The shots were fired around ten minutes into the speech and it isn’t though that the former President has been seriously injured. A member of Trump’s security detail said in a statement:

“An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”

STORY

Nigel Farage, the Leader of Reform UK, has sacked the party’s deputy leaders Ben Habib and David Bull, replacing them with Richard Tice, the party’s former leader. Habib confirmed the dismissal, noting on Twitter that:

“The key for me is that Reform UK stays true to the promises made to the British people. The movement we have created does not belong to us, it belongs to the people. We are obliged and indebted to the British people.”

Nigel Farage said in a statement:

“These appointments are the first step to ensure that Reform UK is fit and ready to take forward its positive message. I have no doubt that we will professionalise the party and change politics for good.”

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Reform UK Web-Site

STORY

Rishi Sunak, the Leader of the Opposition, has announced his Shadow Cabinet. David Cameron and Richard Holden have announced their departures from the Cabinet, with the most notable change being the appointment of Richard Holden as Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Shadow Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: Oliver Dowden
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer: Jeremy Hunt
Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs: Andrew Mitchell
Shadow Home Secretary: James Cleverly
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence: James Cartlidge
Shadow Secretary of State for Justice: Ed Argar
Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology: Andrew Griffith
Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary: Victoria Atkins
Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Kemi Badenoch
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Steve Barclay
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons: Chris Philp
Shadow Leader of the House of Lords: Lord True
Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade: Kevin Hollinrake
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero: Claire Coutinho
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Mel Stride
Shadow Secretary of State for Education: Damian Hinds
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport: Helen Whately
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: Julia Lopez
Shadow Attorney General: Jeremy Wright
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Alex Burghart
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland: John Lamont
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales: Lord Davies of Gower
Opposition Chief Whip: Stuart Andrew
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Laura Trott
Shadow Paymaster General: John Glen
Shadow Security Minister: Tom Tugendhat
Shadow Veterans Minister: Andrew Bowie
Shadow Women and Equalities: Mims Davies

STORY

Rishi Sunak has resigned as Prime Minister after a devastating set of results for the Conservative Party. Sunak said on the steps of Downing Street:

“Good morning, I will shortly be seeing His Majesty the King to offer my resignation as Prime Minister. To the country, I would like to say, first and foremost, I am sorry. I have given this job my all. But you have sent a clear signal that the government of the United Kingdom must change and yours is the only judgement that matters. I have heard your anger, your disappointment; and I take responsibility for this loss.”

RESOURCES

Full Resignation Speech

STORY

The exit poll for the General Election is predicting a Labour landslide with Keir Starmer likely to be the next Prime Minister with a majority of around 170.

STORY

Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has said on BBC 4 Today’s Programme that he accepts Labour are likely to win the General Election. Stride said in the interview:

“I totally accept that, where the polls are at the moment, means that tomorrow is likely to see the largest Labour landslide majority, the largest majority that this country has ever seen. Much bigger than 1997, bigger even than the National Government in 1931. What, therefore, matters now is what kind of opposition do we have, what kind of ability to scrutinise Government is there within Parliament.”

The National Government won with 554 of 615 seats, with Stride being accused of potentially misleading the electorate with an attempt to create fear of a large Labour Government. Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister, gave a speech yesterday at a rally in support of Rishi Sunak. Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, said in response:

“I’ve been arguing that the last 14 years have bene about chaos and division – and last night, they wheeled out the architect of chaos and division.”

STORY

Georgie David, the Reform Parliamentary candidate for West Ham and Beckton, has defected to the Conservative Party over the failure of the party to control racism and hate speech. She said that she was “frustrated and dismayed” by Nigel Farage’s leadership, with the defection being the second in three days after Liam Booth-Isherwood also quit Reform.

David said in a statement:

“I am hereby announcing my decision to leave the Reform Party and stand down as their candidate for West Ham and Beckton, with immediate effect. I am in no doubt that the party and its senior leadership are not racist. However, as the vast majority of candidates are indeed racist, misogynistic, and bigoted, I do not wish to be directly associated with people who hold such views that are so vastly opposing to my own and what I stand for.

I also have been significantly frustrated and dismayed by the failure of the Reform Party’s leadership to tackle this issue in any meaningful way, and their attempts to instead try to brush it under the carpet or cry foul play. As such, I have now suspended my campaign with Reform, and I am endorsing the Conservative Party – I would encourage all of my fellow patriots to do the same.”

STORY

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, said in an interview with the BBC that he is still hopeful of a Conservative Party victory at this week’s General Election and he suggested that he may remain as Tory leader for a period in the event of an election victory. Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, warned of complacency and warned against “waking up on Friday morning to a further five years of Tory government”. Sunak also said that he intended to remain as a Conservative MP regardless of whether he remained as Prime Minister.

STORY

Channel 4 have reported that aides to Nigel Farage, the Reform candidate for Clacton, have used racist, homophobic and sexist language, using hate speech and threatening behaviour. Nigel Farage said that was he was unaware of the hate speech and said that he was “dismayed” when evidence was presented to the candidate. He said in a statement:

“I am dismayed by the reported comments of a handful of people associated with my local campaign, particularly those who are volunteers. The appalling sentiments expressed by some in these exchanges bear no relation to my own views, those of the vast majority of our supporters or Reform UK policy. Some of the language used was reprehensible.”

Andrew Parker, who was canvassing for Farage, said:

“We’re fucking kicking all the Muslims out of the mosques and turning them into Wetherspoons.”