FARAGE TAKES A STAND AGAINST WESTMINSTER: THE ULTIMATE POLITICAL SHOWDOWN! 👇 K1

Chris Philp denies Tories they have thrown out plans to toughen up indefinite leave to remain

The Conservatives have denied they are scrapping plans to toughen the rules that allow migrants to settle permanently in the UK.

A spokesman for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch signalled to journalists on Wednesday that proposals that could result in migrants settled in the UK having their indefinite leave to remain (ILR) revoked retrospectively were no longer Tory policy.

But shadow home secretary Chris Philp later insisted this did not mean all of the party’s ILR plans had been thrown out, after Reform UK seized upon it.

“Contrary to reports, there has been no change to our ILR policy set out in February,” Mr Philp wrote on social media on Wednesday night.

“We further updated our policy at conference to make clear foreign citizens (including those with ILR) should not be able to claim benefits, to address the issue of people with ILR being a burden on other taxpayers.”

ANALYSIS: Reform’s rise has been dizzying, but the polls hide a landmine – and the party may have already stood on it

The rise of Reform since last year’s general election has been remarkable.

Its current standing in the polls is, on average, now double the 15 per cent share the party won in 2024. It has been in the lead for more than six months. Some polling suggests the party could be on course for an overall majority if an election were held now

Never has a party other than Conservative or Labour been ahead in the polls for so long – not even the Liberal/SDP Alliance at the height of its popularity in 1981/2. Reform is posing the biggest ever challenge to Britain’s traditional two-party system.

Yet, there is still a key question facing the party.

Government announces new deal with Vietnam over migrant deportation

Vietnamese migrants with no right to be in the UK will be fast-tracked for deportation under a new agreement with the country, Downing Street has announced

Vietnamese migrants with no right to be in the UK will be fast-tracked for deportation under a new agreement with the country, Downing Street has announced.

The deal is the strongest Vietnam’s government has agreed with another country on migration, and could potentially result in four times as many Vietnamese nationals with no ground to stay in Britain being returned, according to No 10.

Sir Keir Starmer signed the deal alongside To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, as he visited Downing Street on Wednesday evening.

In a statement released following the meeting, the Prime Minister said: “This landmark agreement with Vietnam sends a clear message: if you come to the UK illegally, you will be swiftly returned. We are cutting through red tape, accelerating removals, and dismantling the criminal networks that profit from illegal migration.

“This deal delivers on our promise to protect our borders and cut down on migration. The number of illegal arrivals from Vietnam has already been cut by half, but more can be done. Today’s agreement shows that through international cooperation – not shouting from the sidelines – we can deliver for the UK and for working people.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also signed the deal, alongside her Vietnamese counterpart.

She said: “For too long, this country has been unable to remove those with no right to be here. This important deal with the Vietnamese will help us ramp up removals of illegal migrants. And I will do whatever it takes to secure our borders.”

Former Reform UK councillor accuses party of ack of ‘human decency’

A former Reform UK councillor, Bill Barrett, has claimed the party shows a lack of “human decency” and is worried about how they treat power.

Bill Barrett was one of 57 Reform UK councillors elected to Kent County Council (KCC) at the local elections in May, overturning a 30-year Tory majority.

Last week, he was expelled from Reform UK for “undermining” the party’s interests in an email from its headquarters.

He was one of four councillors suspended from the party following a video meeting of KCC leader Linden Kemkaren, during which she swore and shouted at her members.

Mr Barrett said: “They just basically suspended everyone and then expelled everyone on individual points that had nothing to do with the Guardian leak.”

He later added: “They still have absolutely no idea who released the information to The Guardian and the truth of it is that none of us do.”

The newly independent councillor was extremely critical of the Reform UK hierarchy in Kent and at a national level, and cast doubt on their ability to govern effectively.

Mr Barrett said: “If they’re prepared to treat each other in this manner, how are they going to treat power and how are they going to treat the public?

“What’s going to happen is they’re basically going to get into power and they’re going to say, ‘this is the way it’s going to be’, that’s exactly what Kemkaran does at KCC.”

Lib Dems blasts ‘outrageous’ payment to sex offender: ‘Public trust was completely trashed’

The Liberal Democrats have described a £500 payment to migrant sex attacker, Hadush Kebatu, as “outrageous”.

The party’s home affairs spokesperson, Max Wilkinson, said: “People will rightly be angry. Public trust was completely trashed after Kebatu’s wrongful release and now this.

“This is outrageous. We need to fix our fundamentally broken immigration system.”

It follows Home Office confirmation that a migrant sex attacker, Hadush Kebatu, was paid £500 to leave the UK.

Kebatu, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping, was mistakenly set free on Friday.

After a two-day police manhunt, he was arrested in the capital on Sunday morning.

​Reform UK has leapfrogged Scottish Labour into second place as voters flock from Keir Starmer to Nigel Farage, poll shows

Reform UK has leapfrogged Scottish Labour into second place ahead of next year’s election as one third of Scots feel negatively about the country’s future, a new poll suggests.

A study conducted by Survation for the IPPR Scotland think tank ahead of its conference on Wednesday spoke to 2,043 people between September 22 and October 14, finding the SNP maintains its lead in Scotland.

According to the poll, John Swinney’s party retains 34 per cent support in the constituency vote and 29 per cent on the list.

Nigel Farage-led Reform has moved to 22 per cent and 20 per cent respectively, ahead of Labour on 18 per cent and 17 per cent.

The Scottish Conservatives are fourth in the poll, with 10 per cent and 12 per cent support, slightly ahead of the Liberal Democrats on 8 per cent and 10 per cent.

Support for the Scottish Greens is put at 7 per cent and 10 per cent.

The bulk of Reform support, according to the poll, has come from Labour, with 34 per cent saying they will vote for the party, having backed Sir Keir Starmer last year.

Nigel Farage’s speech on ECHR ‘totally misrepresents’ convention – Ed Davey

Ed Davey said Nigel Farage’s speech on the ECHR ‘totally misrepresents’ the convention

Responding to Nigel Farage’s proposals to leave the ECHR, Sir Ed Davey said: “The speech we have just heard totally misrepresents the European Convention and the proposer’s failure to mention the huge benefits and rights the European Convention has brought to millions of British people says it all.

“For those attracted by the argument we have just heard, let me give them one strong reason to think again.

“Russia, under Vladamir Putin, is the only country to have withdrawn from the European Convention on Human Rights. Maybe that is what attracts the honourable gentleman for Clacton to it – after all he said that Putin is the world leader he most admires.”

Nigel Farage: ‘ECHR is completely outdated’

Presenting his 10 minute Bill in the House of Commons, Nigel Farage said: “We do not believe, I do not believe that it is right that when it comes to controlling our borders, when it comes to who should be able legally to live, work and settle in this country or indeed who should not be allowed to stay in this country, for this to be under the remit firstly of judges in Strasbourg who by the way are jurists…and secondly under the political control of judges in this country who now can make their own interpretation of what we have understood for many, many years to be British common law.”

He added: “We go on of course to horrendous stories, particularly under Article 8 – the right to a family life. Well – whose family? The families of British people?

“Or the families of those who have come into Britain in some cases illegally and then been waved through. Some of it is disgusting beyond belief.”

He went on to say the ECHR was “completely outdated”.

Nigel Farage heckled while presenting 10 minute rule bill in House of Commons

Nigel Farage was interrupted while presenting a 10 minute rule bill in the House of Commons

Nigel Farage was interrupted while presenting a 10 minute rule bill in the House of Commons.

As he was speaking about the European Convention on Human Rights, the words “Putin’s Pal” were shouted in the chamber.

Mr Farage responded: “Marvellous to see the intellectual levels of debate in this place it really is.”

Reform’s benefit plans are ‘poor copy-and-paste’ of the Conservatives’, party says

The Tories have accused Reform UK of creating a “poor copy-and-paste” of their benefit proposals.

Responding to Reform’s announcement earlier today, Kemi Badenoch’s spokesman said: “We’ve come out with a full plan, what they’ve come out with looks like a poor copy-and-paste of our plan.”

Keir Starmer blasts ‘toxic division’ from opposition

The Prime Minister said: “I though that the King and the Pope praying together was an incredible message to the world and very powerful – if we all work together we can actually bring people together not withstanding the very many difficulties and challenges that poses around the world and in our own country.

“It is why as far as we can we should be uniting on national patriotic renewal in this country rather than the toxic division we see on some of the benches opposite.”

Reform would be ‘absolute disaster’ for Britain’s defence – Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer has taken another swipe at Reform UK during PMQ’s, saying the party would be an “absolute disaster” for Britain’s defence

He said: “For Nato allies, the conflict in Ukraine and dealing with Russian aggression is the number one issue.

“And that is why I have to say the Reform party would be an absolute disaster for our defence.

“We are a trusted member of Nato. We would not be a trusted member if we were Nato-friendly.

“We are leading the Coalition of the Willing, giving security and comfort to 30 other countries.

“That would collapse under Reform because they are Putin-friendly and it would be a real threat to our defence and our security.”

Kemi Badenoch accuses Keir Starmer of being ‘too weak to control spending’

Kemi Badenoch has accused Keir Starmer of being ‘too weak’ to control spending

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has accused Keir Starmer of being “too weak to control spending” during a fiery exchange at PMQ’s.

She said: “The fact he has to stand there and make stuff up shows what kind of Prime Minister he is.

“We had an itemised list of £47billion – £23billion was on welfare spending which I asked him to work with us to cut.

“He refuses to do so. All he knows how to do is tax, tax, tax.”

“He is raising taxes because he is too weak to control spending. He is blaming us, he is blaming the OBR, last week they were blaming Brexit. Is it the truth that with this Prime Minister it is always someone else’s fault?”

PM: ‘Conservatives won’t be trusted on the economy for generations’

Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would take “no lecture or advice” from the Conservatives on the economy.

Speaking at PMQ’s, the Prime Minister said: ” We will take no lecture or advice from [the Conservatives] on the economy – they won’t be trust on the economy for generations to come.

“That is why at our Budget I can be clear there will be no return to austerity – that is what broke the country. No return to the instability of their mad borrowing spree.”

Keir Starmer refuses to give answer on if Government plans to increase ‘working people’ taxes

When asked by Kemi Badenoch if the Government would stand by its prior pledges not to increase income tax, national insurance or VAT, Sir Keir Starmer replied: “Retail sales are higher than inspection, inflation is lower than expected, growth has been upgraded this year and the UK stock market is at an all-time high.

“The Budget is on November 26 and we will lay out our plans but I can tell the House now that we will build a stronger economy, we will cut NHS waiting lists and deliver a better future for our country.”

Sir Keir Starmer takes swipe at ‘Putin-friendly Reform party’ during PMQs

Sir Keir Starmer has taken a swipe at Reform during PMQ’s .

Sir Keir Starmer has taken a swipe at Reform during PMQ’s this afternoon, describing the party as “Putin-friendly”.

The Prime Minister said : “This Government has secured the biggest deal to manufacture typhoon fighter jets in this country for almost 20 years.

“We secured that deal because the UK is back as a leading and trusting member of Nato. A timely reminder for the Green Party whose policy is to take us out of Nato, the Putin-friendly Reform party who would have no standing with Nato and for the leading of the opposition – you don’t win Nato deals by not turning up to Nato meetings.”

Labour cracks down on four-day weeks as local councils slammed for wasting taxpayers’ money

The Government is set to crack down on four-day weeks as councils have been accused of “wasting taxpayer money”.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed has written to South Cambridgeshire District Council, which became the first local authority to introduce the policy, saying its services have “worsened” since it was put in place.

The four-day week model sees workers at the council receive 100 per cent of their pay for around 85 per cent of their contracted hours.

In a letter seen by the The Telegraph, Mr Reed expressed “deep disappointment” with the authority’s conduct.

He said: “I am therefore seeking assurance about the arrangements your council has in place to consider the impacts of your policy, and that value for money for residents is being delivered.

“In particular, I would like to understand how the council is seeking to mitigate the impact to those services which have worsened over the course of the four-day working week trial.”

He requested council chiefs meet with his officials in the coming weeks.

A Government source told The Telegraph “wasting taxpayer money in this fashion is completely unacceptable”.

Zia Yusuf: ‘Britain has become food bank for the world’

Zia Yusuf said Britain has “sadly become a food bank for the world” as he announced Reform’s planned crackdown on Benefits.

He said: “Britain has sadly become a food bank for the world.

“A lot of the data around the cost of foreign nationals on welfare is hidden – the Government doesn’t disclose it. We do have some information for example around Universal Credit and that is already staggering.”

‘We need to get more people back to work’ – Zia Yusuf

Speaking at the press conference, Reform’s Head of Policy Zia Yusuf said: “There are no doubt many people in this country who do have disabilities and do need assistance rom the taxpayer.

“Our proposals continue to protect those people and ensure that they continue to receive those payments. But we have to again look at the extraordinary growth in Pip claims which are now up to 1,300 per day that is up from 500 per day in 2019.

“We know we need to get more people back to work so what our proposals are here at Reform are to simultaneously fix the incentives to not work and fix the incentives to get people to work.”

Reform would scrap Pip payments for those with ‘anxiety disorders’, says Lee Anderson

Lee Anderson has revealed Reform’s plans to scrap Pip payments for people with anxiety disorders which he claims would save £3.2billion per year.

Speaking at the press conference, Mr Anderson said: “A Reform UK Government would fully remove those with anxiety disorders but not serious psychiatric disorders from Pip eligibility.

“This would save the Exchequer £3.2billion per annum based on last year’s figures and we will also make sure that every single assessment is done face-to-face.”

Lee Anderson says he has had ‘persistent sadness’ since Labour came into power as he discusses benefit payments at press conference

Lee Anderson is discussing Reform’s plans for Pip payments at a press confernece

Reform MP Lee Anderson was met with laughter in the crowd of the press conference after saying he has had “persistent sadness” since Labour came to power.

He said: “Over 1.4 million people in this country claim Pip for some sort of psychiatric disorder in the UK.

“A third of those are for mixed anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and anxiety disorders. The symptoms of these disorders can include persistent worrying, sadness, irritability, difficulty concentrating and changes in sleep and appetite.

“Who is this room hasn’t suffered from any of the above symptoms. Persistent sadness? Tell me about it. I have had persistent sadness since July last year with this Labour Government.”

Zia Yusuf begins third Reform press conference in three days and declares ‘Britain is not working’

Zia Yusuf said Britain is ‘broken’ as he introduced the press conference

Zia Yusuf has introduced Reform’s third press conference in three days.

The party’s Head of Policy opened the conference by saying: “It’s clear Britain is broken, Britain needs reform.

He said: “Britain is not working and one of the things that is not working is the enormous accumulation and growth in Pip (personal independent payments) in this country.

“Reform will have sweeping welfare reforms that we will announce in the coming months and years and you can expect Nigel Farage’s Prime Ministership to transform welfare in this country.”