Allegations of "bullying" levelled against Rupert Lowe are "nonsense", a staffer has said, in the latest twist to a furious row inside Reform UK.
The female current staff member has said Lowe is "a good man who does not deserve any of this" and "has done nothing wrong", Sky News reports.
"The allegations aren't against Rupert. I've not seen any evidence of any bullying from anyone in Rupert's office," she said.
"These claims are nonsense. This is wrong what they're doing to Rupert. He's nice to everybody. What they’re putting him through is horrific and unfair. They are vexatious complaints.
"There has never been any bullying in the office."
Her defence has been met with fury by fellow ex-Reform heavyweight Ben Habib, who this afternoon declared that Nigel Farage and chairman Zia Yusuf have "lied through their teeth" in an attempt to "destroy" Lowe.
"Farage is not part of the solution. He's part of the problem," Habib said. "Resign, get out of the way and hand over the party to the people."
Meanwhile, a Reform UK spokesman said the party has "acted on serious allegations by two female members of Lowe's team by appointing an independent KC to investigate".
"We feel we have a duty of care to all our staff, whether employed directly or indirectly," the spokesman added.
"Reform UK stands for the highest standards of conduct in public life, and we will apply these standards without fear nor favour."
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Sir Keir Starmer's "coalition of the willing" is set to meet again this weekend - with more countries considering joining up with the dozens-strong Western alliance.
Starmer's official spokesman said this afternoon: "The Prime Minister is to host a second leaders' meeting of the coalition of the willing.
"It will be a virtual meeting... We will set out details of that in due course. We're expecting that on Saturday."
Probed on exactly which countries would be in attendance, the spokesman said: "It will build on the summit from Lancaster House, but the exact cast list will be confirmed.
"Obviously these discussions are live, but clearly all those involved in discussions are interested in exploring exactly what they're able to contribute."
It comes as Spanish defence sources have warned newspaper El Pais that Madrid "cannot afford to remain on the sidelines" - though its Prime Minister has stressed it would still be "premature" to discuss his country's role in peacekeeping efforts.
That came after Starmer spoke to Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Saturday.
No10 said Albanese was considering "contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine" ahead of Tuesday's landmark Chiefs of Defence meeting in Paris.
Disgraced ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury is standing down from Parliament after his conviction for punching a constituent.
The Runcorn & Helsby MP told the BBC on Monday that he will begin the "statutory process" of winding up his office - before resigning as "as soon as possible" - and triggering the first by-election of Sir Keir Starmer's stint in Downing Street.
Amesbury was slapped with a 10-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, after he admitted to assaulting Paul Fellows in a late-night brawl.
READ THE FULL BREAKING NEWS STORY HERE
Nigel Farage has suffered a grassroots revolt as Reform UK’s membership trickles down following Rupert Lowe’s suspension.
Reform UK’s membership reached 219,726 ahead of the dramatic fall-out of Lowe’s suspension, with the figure collapsing to 219,560.
However, a well-placed Reform UK source said the decrease is actually closer to 2,000.
"They're all in emails and they're having to be processed now," the insider told GB News.
A number of vocal Reform UK members on social media have also claimed the process of cancelling their subscriptions is too complicated for it to impact the populist party’s live ticker.
The civil war engulfing Reform UK appears to have taken its main front on social media.
Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf, who accused Lowe of threatening behaviour in an incident in December, has lost 5,000 X followers since Friday.
Meanwhile, Lowe has gained a staggering 20,000, boosting his overall following to 323,400.
Reform UK had hoped its exponential membership growth would put it on track to supplant Labour as Britain's largest party, having surpassed the Tories on Boxing Day.
However, the row around Lowe's involvement in the party now threatens to knock Reform off course.
GB News has approached Reform UK for comment.
Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump have held a phone call ahead of crunch US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia, Downing Street has said.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, No10 said the Prime Minister had told the President that he hoped the talks - dubbed "the deal in the desert" - would have a "positive outcome", and would lead to the reopening of intelligence-sharing between the two countries and the resumption of American military aid.
The chairman of the Sentencing Council has vowed that claims that his organisation "instructs sentencers to impose a more lenient sentence" on ethnic minorities are "completely wrong".
Lord Justice William Davis, who leads the group, issued a pointed rebuke to "two-tier justice" claims today following a fiery series of attacks led by Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick.
Jenrick's Cabinet counterpart Shabana Mahmood had urged the independent body to reconsider changing its guidance to judges over ethnic minorities - and now, Davis has warned that he will "have to take legal advice".
In a letter responding Mahmood on Monday, Davis said there were 150 responses to the consultation on the new guidance, with "no concern expressed about the term now under debate".
He added: "I do not accept the premise of your objection to the relevant part of the list of cohorts for whom a pre-sentence report will normally be considered necessary.
"I have seen it suggested that the guideline instructs sentencers to impose a more lenient sentence on those from ethnic minorities than white offenders. Plainly that suggestion is completely wrong."
Russia’s foreign intelligence service has claimed Britain is the world’s biggest “warmonger”.
The SVR intelligence agency accused the UK of sabotaging the efforts of the US to secure peace in Ukraine.
“It is time to expose them and send a clear signal to the treacherous Albion and its elites: you will not succeed,” the agency stated, adding that Britain was also to blame for starting WW2.
READ THE FULL STORE HERE
Reform UK's surging membership has hit a standstill following the suspension of Rupert Lowe.
Lowe, who was suspended by the populist party amid allegations of serious bullying and threats of violence on Friday, has seen his own personal following on X soar by 20,000 since the row broke out.
Meanwhile, Party Chairman Zia Yusuf, who alleged that he was bullied by the Great Yarmouth MP, has seen his own follower count dip by 5,000.
Downing Street has defended its decision not to hold a public inquiry into the murder of MP David Amess.
His killer, Ali Harbi Ali, had been referred to Prevent seven years before he killed Amess on October 15 2021, but his case was closed in 2016.
Asked about the decision not to hold a public inquiry into the Southend murder, the Prime Minister's spokesman said: "Sir David Amess's murder was an awful tragedy. Our thoughts continue to be with his family and friends.
"In the years since this cowardly attack, we have launched a series of investigations asking whether this could have been prevented.
"Significant improvements have been made to Prevent, as well as stronger protections introduced for MPs."
Free speech in Britain is under threat. Traditional values are being killed off. And the establishment media is pushing an agenda nobody voted for. That's why GB News exists - to fight for common sense.
So we have a favour to ask. Please consider supporting us by becoming a GBN member today.
As well as backing the channel you'll unlock a host of fantastic benefits, exclusive analysis and opinion and get the chance to meet our top presenters.
You'll also get access to behind the scenes clips and member-only rewards.
Go to www.gbnews.com/support
Sir Keir Starmer has been left bracing for the biggest rebellion of his premiership over his plans to “take a sledgehammer” to Britain’s benefits bill.
The Prime Minister, who stripped the whip from seven Labour MPs over their two-child benefit cap revolt last summer, is looking to free up funds to cover his £13.4billion surge in defence spending.
However, the decision puts 80 Labour MPs on the cusp of staging a rebellion in the House of Commons.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Israel's decision to cut off electricity supplies to Gaza “risks breaching” international law, Downing Street has said.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “As with the situation on aid last week, we are deeply concerned by these reports and urge Israel to lift these restrictions.
“Our position is humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool, and you saw the statement last week released alongside France and Germany where we called on Israel to abide by its international obligations to ensure full, rapid and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance for the population in Gaza.”
Asked whether Israel’s move was against the law, he said that was “a matter for an international court”, but added: “A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, including basic needs such as electricity, risks breaching Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law.”
Speaking at a press conference in central London on Monday, Sir David Amess’s daughter Katie Amess broke down in tears as she spoke about what her father’s death had “stolen” from her family’s life.
She said: "From the moment that I woke up on October 15, 2021, my whole world was shattered beyond repair.
"My father, Sir David Amess, was not just a public servant. He was my protector, my guide, my greatest champion, and above all, my friend.
"His murder has left an unimaginable void in my family's life. That no amount of time will ever heal, and it's difficult to describe the words and to explain what life is like when you lose a loved one to murder.
"Unless you have lived through something like this, you will never truly understand it."
Katie Amess's statement came after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper rejected calls from the family of Sir David Amess for a public inquiry into his death.
Labour is projected to lose 94.5 per cent of their seats in Scotland, shocking polling by Opinium has revealed.
The research, conducted between March 5 and 7, shows Scottish voters abandoning Labour in droves, with Starmer’s party losing 35 of the 37 seats they won in July 2024.
It means Labour would be left with just two seats north of the border, Ian Murray’s Edinburgh South patch and Douglas Alexander’s Lothian East constituency.
GB NEWS MEMBERS CAN READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Reform UK's former deputy leader Ben Habib sent a "prescient" text message to Rupert Lowe just days before his suspension, GB News can reveal.
Habib, who was sacked by Nigel Farage in July 2024, messaged Lowe on February 28 as tensions between the Great Yarmouth MP and the Reform UK leader ratcheted up ahead of his eventual suspension on March 7.
Revealing Habib's message live on Britain's Newsroom, GB News's Andrew Pierce said: "Can I just read to you a text that you sent to Rupert Lowe at the end of February which seems incredibly prescient?"
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
The Home Secretary has rejected calls from the family of Sir David Amess for a public inquiry into his death in a letter branded “unacceptable” and “insulting” by the murdered MP’s widow and daughter.
In the letter addressed to Lady Julia Amess and Katie Amess, Yvette Cooper said it was “hard to see how an inquiry would be able to go beyond” terrorist killer Ali Harbi Ali’s trial and the recently published Prevent learning review.
Lady Amess said Sir Keir Starmer should “go away and reconsider the Government’s position” ahead of the family’s meeting with the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary on Wednesday.
Katie Amess said Cooper’s words were “adding salt onto an open wound”, describing her reaction to the letter as “sadness, betrayal, pain and just heartbreak really”.
Ali had been referred to Prevent seven years before he killed Sir David on October 15 2021, but his case was closed in 2016.
The so-called Islamic State fanatic stabbed the veteran MP at his constituency surgery in Essex and was sentenced to a whole-life order in 2022.
Sir David’s family received a letter rejecting their call for a public inquiry into the case on Thursday.
Households living near electricity pylons are set to see their electricity bills slashed by £250 a year, under new Labour plans.
Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner will unveil plans to cut annual energy bills, in an attempt to reduce opposition for renewable energy projects.
Those living within half a kilometre of new or upgraded power infrastructure will see their bills cut by almost 40 per cent, The Times has reported.
The plans are set to be laid out in The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which will be announced on Tuesday.
Commentators are asking whether Reform UK is underperforming electorally after the party lost yet more elections this week.
Nigel Farage’s ‘disruptor party’ has been recording dominant polling with at least four pollsters giving them a national lead, but critics point to the party only winning 12 of 212 council by-elections since the General Election, a measly five per cent.
It comes after Reform lost nine by-elections last week, six of them in second place, two in third and one fifth.
GB NEWS MEMBERS CAN READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Foreign criminals awaiting deportation could be made to wear electronic tags and subject to night-time curfews, under new plans set to be unveiled by ministers.
An amendment to the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill will mean tougher restrictions can be put on people who have committed a crime or have been deemed a threat to the public, but cannot yet be removed.
People who breach the restrictions could face jail time, under the plans set to be tabled in the legislation today.
A Government spokesperson has said that ministers are “committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities”.
The spokesperson added: “Any foreign nationals who commit heinous crimes should be in no doubt we will do everything to make sure they are not free on Britain’s streets, including removal from the UK at the earliest possible opportunity.
“For the foreign criminals whose removal we are pursuing, but that we are presently unable to deport, we are introducing tougher restrictions including the use of electronic tags, night-time curfews and exclusion zones.
“Breaching these conditions would be grounds for arrest and the individual could face imprisonment.”
A Labour MP has warned ministers against “draconian cuts” ahead of expected changes to the welfare system.
Rachael Maskell suggested she had detected “deep, deep concern” from colleagues, amid risks of a rift between the Government and the back benches.
Reforms to the welfare system are expected ahead of the Spring Statement at the end of this month, as Rachel Reeves will likely look to make a raft of public spending savings given tighter fiscal headroom.
Speaking to the BBC, the MP for York Central, said that she has had a “flurry of emails” from people who are “deeply concerned” about the prospect of changes to the system.
She said: “We recognise the economic circumstances that we’re in and the hand that we were given and of course it is right that the Chancellor has oversight over all those budgets but not at the expense of pushing disabled people into poverty.”
She added: “There’s got to be a carrot approach not a stick approach.
“We’ve got to make the right interventions and that doesn’t start with the stick.”
Maskell said that she had “picked up […] deep deep concern” from colleagues and called for a “compassionate system and not taking just draconian cuts”.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the Conservative Party’s proposed amendments to the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill will “bring to an end the era of mass migration”.
Asked about the proposed amendments to the legislation, which would mean migrants will have to earn more to qualify for a work visa and will not be able to bring partners to the UK unless they have been married for two years, he told the BBC: “Well, the intended effect is to bring to an end the era of mass migration.
“For 20 or 30 years now, we’ve seen huge numbers arriving in the UK, often coming to work on low wages and in low-skilled jobs and it’s time, we think, that ends.
“We think actually it’s bad for the taxpayer, because recent OBR analysis shows that people coming here on lower wages actually cost the general taxpayer money because they consume more in services than they pay in tax. It obviously puts pressure on public services, and in some cases, can undermine social cohesion as well.
“What we should focus on is a much smaller number of very high-skilled migrants, rather than mass low-skilled migration.”
Rupert Lowe hosted a glitzy dinner for potential Reform donors just hours before the Great Yarmouth MP was reported to police, it has emerged.
Lowe, who was suspended by the populist party amid allegations of serious bullying and threats of violence on Friday, was at the fundraising event alongside Reform treasurer Nick Candy.
The pair were schmoozing with prospective backers at the exclusive private dining club Oswald’s in Mayfair.
Lowe headed to the donor dinner just hours after sitting down for an interview with The Daily Mail.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Find Out More...
The female current staff member has said Lowe is "a good man who does not deserve any of this" and "has done nothing wrong", Sky News reports.
"The allegations aren't against Rupert. I've not seen any evidence of any bullying from anyone in Rupert's office," she said.
"These claims are nonsense. This is wrong what they're doing to Rupert. He's nice to everybody. What they’re putting him through is horrific and unfair. They are vexatious complaints.
"There has never been any bullying in the office."
Her defence has been met with fury by fellow ex-Reform heavyweight Ben Habib, who this afternoon declared that Nigel Farage and chairman Zia Yusuf have "lied through their teeth" in an attempt to "destroy" Lowe.
"Farage is not part of the solution. He's part of the problem," Habib said. "Resign, get out of the way and hand over the party to the people."
Meanwhile, a Reform UK spokesman said the party has "acted on serious allegations by two female members of Lowe's team by appointing an independent KC to investigate".
"We feel we have a duty of care to all our staff, whether employed directly or indirectly," the spokesman added.
"Reform UK stands for the highest standards of conduct in public life, and we will apply these standards without fear nor favour."
SUPPORT GB NEWS: MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS HEAR THE TRUTH - BECOME A GBN MEMBER TODAY
FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY…
'Coalition of the willing' to meet once again this weekend as Australia and Spain weigh up placing boots on the ground in Ukraine
Sir Keir Starmer's "coalition of the willing" is set to meet again this weekend - with more countries considering joining up with the dozens-strong Western alliance.
Starmer's official spokesman said this afternoon: "The Prime Minister is to host a second leaders' meeting of the coalition of the willing.
"It will be a virtual meeting... We will set out details of that in due course. We're expecting that on Saturday."
Probed on exactly which countries would be in attendance, the spokesman said: "It will build on the summit from Lancaster House, but the exact cast list will be confirmed.
"Obviously these discussions are live, but clearly all those involved in discussions are interested in exploring exactly what they're able to contribute."
It comes as Spanish defence sources have warned newspaper El Pais that Madrid "cannot afford to remain on the sidelines" - though its Prime Minister has stressed it would still be "premature" to discuss his country's role in peacekeeping efforts.
That came after Starmer spoke to Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Saturday.
No10 said Albanese was considering "contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine" ahead of Tuesday's landmark Chiefs of Defence meeting in Paris.
Mike Amesbury to RESIGN as MP after assault conviction with first by-election under Starmer triggered
Disgraced ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury is standing down from Parliament after his conviction for punching a constituent.
The Runcorn & Helsby MP told the BBC on Monday that he will begin the "statutory process" of winding up his office - before resigning as "as soon as possible" - and triggering the first by-election of Sir Keir Starmer's stint in Downing Street.
Amesbury was slapped with a 10-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, after he admitted to assaulting Paul Fellows in a late-night brawl.
READ THE FULL BREAKING NEWS STORY HERE
Nigel Farage suffers grassroots revolt as Reform UK's membership drops 'by thousands' after Rupert Lowe bust-up
Nigel Farage has suffered a grassroots revolt as Reform UK’s membership trickles down following Rupert Lowe’s suspension.
Reform UK’s membership reached 219,726 ahead of the dramatic fall-out of Lowe’s suspension, with the figure collapsing to 219,560.
However, a well-placed Reform UK source said the decrease is actually closer to 2,000.
"They're all in emails and they're having to be processed now," the insider told GB News.
A number of vocal Reform UK members on social media have also claimed the process of cancelling their subscriptions is too complicated for it to impact the populist party’s live ticker.
The civil war engulfing Reform UK appears to have taken its main front on social media.
Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf, who accused Lowe of threatening behaviour in an incident in December, has lost 5,000 X followers since Friday.
Meanwhile, Lowe has gained a staggering 20,000, boosting his overall following to 323,400.
Reform UK had hoped its exponential membership growth would put it on track to supplant Labour as Britain's largest party, having surpassed the Tories on Boxing Day.
However, the row around Lowe's involvement in the party now threatens to knock Reform off course.
GB News has approached Reform UK for comment.
Starmer calls Donald Trump ahead of US-Ukraine 'deal in the desert' talks, No10 confirms
Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump have held a phone call ahead of crunch US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia, Downing Street has said.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, No10 said the Prime Minister had told the President that he hoped the talks - dubbed "the deal in the desert" - would have a "positive outcome", and would lead to the reopening of intelligence-sharing between the two countries and the resumption of American military aid.
Sentencing Council chief brands 'two-tier justice' claims over ethnic minority guidelines 'completely wrong'
The chairman of the Sentencing Council has vowed that claims that his organisation "instructs sentencers to impose a more lenient sentence" on ethnic minorities are "completely wrong".
Lord Justice William Davis, who leads the group, issued a pointed rebuke to "two-tier justice" claims today following a fiery series of attacks led by Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick.
Jenrick's Cabinet counterpart Shabana Mahmood had urged the independent body to reconsider changing its guidance to judges over ethnic minorities - and now, Davis has warned that he will "have to take legal advice".
In a letter responding Mahmood on Monday, Davis said there were 150 responses to the consultation on the new guidance, with "no concern expressed about the term now under debate".
He added: "I do not accept the premise of your objection to the relevant part of the list of cohorts for whom a pre-sentence report will normally be considered necessary.
"I have seen it suggested that the guideline instructs sentencers to impose a more lenient sentence on those from ethnic minorities than white offenders. Plainly that suggestion is completely wrong."
'Britain is world's biggest warmonger' claims Russia's foreign intelligence service in chilling warning: 'It is time to expose them!'
Russia’s foreign intelligence service has claimed Britain is the world’s biggest “warmonger”.
The SVR intelligence agency accused the UK of sabotaging the efforts of the US to secure peace in Ukraine.
“It is time to expose them and send a clear signal to the treacherous Albion and its elites: you will not succeed,” the agency stated, adding that Britain was also to blame for starting WW2.
READ THE FULL STORE HERE
Reform's membership surge hits breaks as Lowe suspension stifles momentum
Reform UK's surging membership has hit a standstill following the suspension of Rupert Lowe.
Lowe, who was suspended by the populist party amid allegations of serious bullying and threats of violence on Friday, has seen his own personal following on X soar by 20,000 since the row broke out.
Meanwhile, Party Chairman Zia Yusuf, who alleged that he was bullied by the Great Yarmouth MP, has seen his own follower count dip by 5,000.
Downing Street stands by decision not to hold inquiry into David Amess' murder
Downing Street has defended its decision not to hold a public inquiry into the murder of MP David Amess.
His killer, Ali Harbi Ali, had been referred to Prevent seven years before he killed Amess on October 15 2021, but his case was closed in 2016.
Asked about the decision not to hold a public inquiry into the Southend murder, the Prime Minister's spokesman said: "Sir David Amess's murder was an awful tragedy. Our thoughts continue to be with his family and friends.
"In the years since this cowardly attack, we have launched a series of investigations asking whether this could have been prevented.
"Significant improvements have been made to Prevent, as well as stronger protections introduced for MPs."
Become a GB News member TODAY
Free speech in Britain is under threat. Traditional values are being killed off. And the establishment media is pushing an agenda nobody voted for. That's why GB News exists - to fight for common sense.
So we have a favour to ask. Please consider supporting us by becoming a GBN member today.
As well as backing the channel you'll unlock a host of fantastic benefits, exclusive analysis and opinion and get the chance to meet our top presenters.
You'll also get access to behind the scenes clips and member-only rewards.
Go to www.gbnews.com/support
Keir Starmer faces biggest rebellion yet as Labour MPs refuse to 'suck up' to PM 'sledgehammering' benefits bill
Sir Keir Starmer has been left bracing for the biggest rebellion of his premiership over his plans to “take a sledgehammer” to Britain’s benefits bill.
The Prime Minister, who stripped the whip from seven Labour MPs over their two-child benefit cap revolt last summer, is looking to free up funds to cover his £13.4billion surge in defence spending.
However, the decision puts 80 Labour MPs on the cusp of staging a rebellion in the House of Commons.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Israel 'risks breaching' by cutting power to Gaza, says Downing Street
Israel's decision to cut off electricity supplies to Gaza “risks breaching” international law, Downing Street has said.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “As with the situation on aid last week, we are deeply concerned by these reports and urge Israel to lift these restrictions.
“Our position is humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool, and you saw the statement last week released alongside France and Germany where we called on Israel to abide by its international obligations to ensure full, rapid and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance for the population in Gaza.”
Asked whether Israel’s move was against the law, he said that was “a matter for an international court”, but added: “A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, including basic needs such as electricity, risks breaching Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law.”
Sir David Amess’s daughter breaks down in tears as Yvette Cooper refuses to grant a public inquiry
Speaking at a press conference in central London on Monday, Sir David Amess’s daughter Katie Amess broke down in tears as she spoke about what her father’s death had “stolen” from her family’s life.
She said: "From the moment that I woke up on October 15, 2021, my whole world was shattered beyond repair.
"My father, Sir David Amess, was not just a public servant. He was my protector, my guide, my greatest champion, and above all, my friend.
"His murder has left an unimaginable void in my family's life. That no amount of time will ever heal, and it's difficult to describe the words and to explain what life is like when you lose a loved one to murder.
"Unless you have lived through something like this, you will never truly understand it."
Katie Amess's statement came after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper rejected calls from the family of Sir David Amess for a public inquiry into his death.
'Wow!' Labour set to lose 94% of seats in Scotland in 'extinction event' - but who's taking them?
Labour is projected to lose 94.5 per cent of their seats in Scotland, shocking polling by Opinium has revealed.
The research, conducted between March 5 and 7, shows Scottish voters abandoning Labour in droves, with Starmer’s party losing 35 of the 37 seats they won in July 2024.
It means Labour would be left with just two seats north of the border, Ian Murray’s Edinburgh South patch and Douglas Alexander’s Lothian East constituency.
GB NEWS MEMBERS CAN READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Ben Habib's 'prescient' text to Rupert Lowe sent just DAYS before suspension revealed as Reform rift deepens
Reform UK's former deputy leader Ben Habib sent a "prescient" text message to Rupert Lowe just days before his suspension, GB News can reveal.
Habib, who was sacked by Nigel Farage in July 2024, messaged Lowe on February 28 as tensions between the Great Yarmouth MP and the Reform UK leader ratcheted up ahead of his eventual suspension on March 7.
Revealing Habib's message live on Britain's Newsroom, GB News's Andrew Pierce said: "Can I just read to you a text that you sent to Rupert Lowe at the end of February which seems incredibly prescient?"
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Government rejects calls from David Amess' family for a public inquiry into murder of MP
The Home Secretary has rejected calls from the family of Sir David Amess for a public inquiry into his death in a letter branded “unacceptable” and “insulting” by the murdered MP’s widow and daughter.
In the letter addressed to Lady Julia Amess and Katie Amess, Yvette Cooper said it was “hard to see how an inquiry would be able to go beyond” terrorist killer Ali Harbi Ali’s trial and the recently published Prevent learning review.
Lady Amess said Sir Keir Starmer should “go away and reconsider the Government’s position” ahead of the family’s meeting with the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary on Wednesday.
Katie Amess said Cooper’s words were “adding salt onto an open wound”, describing her reaction to the letter as “sadness, betrayal, pain and just heartbreak really”.
Ali had been referred to Prevent seven years before he killed Sir David on October 15 2021, but his case was closed in 2016.
The so-called Islamic State fanatic stabbed the veteran MP at his constituency surgery in Essex and was sentenced to a whole-life order in 2022.
Sir David’s family received a letter rejecting their call for a public inquiry into the case on Thursday.
Households living near electricity pylons will have energy bills slashed by up to 40 per cent
Households living near electricity pylons are set to see their electricity bills slashed by £250 a year, under new Labour plans.
Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner will unveil plans to cut annual energy bills, in an attempt to reduce opposition for renewable energy projects.
Those living within half a kilometre of new or upgraded power infrastructure will see their bills cut by almost 40 per cent, The Times has reported.
The plans are set to be laid out in The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which will be announced on Tuesday.
Is Reform UK underperforming? Farage’s party LOSE nine elections as 'civil war' grips party
Commentators are asking whether Reform UK is underperforming electorally after the party lost yet more elections this week.
Nigel Farage’s ‘disruptor party’ has been recording dominant polling with at least four pollsters giving them a national lead, but critics point to the party only winning 12 of 212 council by-elections since the General Election, a measly five per cent.
It comes after Reform lost nine by-elections last week, six of them in second place, two in third and one fifth.
GB NEWS MEMBERS CAN READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Foreign criminals awaiting deportation 'could be made to wear electronic tags' under new plans
Foreign criminals awaiting deportation could be made to wear electronic tags and subject to night-time curfews, under new plans set to be unveiled by ministers.
An amendment to the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill will mean tougher restrictions can be put on people who have committed a crime or have been deemed a threat to the public, but cannot yet be removed.
People who breach the restrictions could face jail time, under the plans set to be tabled in the legislation today.
A Government spokesperson has said that ministers are “committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities”.
The spokesperson added: “Any foreign nationals who commit heinous crimes should be in no doubt we will do everything to make sure they are not free on Britain’s streets, including removal from the UK at the earliest possible opportunity.
“For the foreign criminals whose removal we are pursuing, but that we are presently unable to deport, we are introducing tougher restrictions including the use of electronic tags, night-time curfews and exclusion zones.
“Breaching these conditions would be grounds for arrest and the individual could face imprisonment.”
Labour MP warns ministers against 'draconian cuts' to welfare system ahead of anticipated changes
A Labour MP has warned ministers against “draconian cuts” ahead of expected changes to the welfare system.
Rachael Maskell suggested she had detected “deep, deep concern” from colleagues, amid risks of a rift between the Government and the back benches.
Reforms to the welfare system are expected ahead of the Spring Statement at the end of this month, as Rachel Reeves will likely look to make a raft of public spending savings given tighter fiscal headroom.
Speaking to the BBC, the MP for York Central, said that she has had a “flurry of emails” from people who are “deeply concerned” about the prospect of changes to the system.
She said: “We recognise the economic circumstances that we’re in and the hand that we were given and of course it is right that the Chancellor has oversight over all those budgets but not at the expense of pushing disabled people into poverty.”
She added: “There’s got to be a carrot approach not a stick approach.
“We’ve got to make the right interventions and that doesn’t start with the stick.”
Maskell said that she had “picked up […] deep deep concern” from colleagues and called for a “compassionate system and not taking just draconian cuts”.
Conservatives will 'bring to an end the era of mass migration' through amendments to Border and Security bill
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the Conservative Party’s proposed amendments to the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill will “bring to an end the era of mass migration”.
Asked about the proposed amendments to the legislation, which would mean migrants will have to earn more to qualify for a work visa and will not be able to bring partners to the UK unless they have been married for two years, he told the BBC: “Well, the intended effect is to bring to an end the era of mass migration.
“For 20 or 30 years now, we’ve seen huge numbers arriving in the UK, often coming to work on low wages and in low-skilled jobs and it’s time, we think, that ends.
“We think actually it’s bad for the taxpayer, because recent OBR analysis shows that people coming here on lower wages actually cost the general taxpayer money because they consume more in services than they pay in tax. It obviously puts pressure on public services, and in some cases, can undermine social cohesion as well.
“What we should focus on is a much smaller number of very high-skilled migrants, rather than mass low-skilled migration.”
Rupert Lowe hosted glitzy Reform donor dinner just hours before being ‘thrown under bus’ with police probe
Rupert Lowe hosted a glitzy dinner for potential Reform donors just hours before the Great Yarmouth MP was reported to police, it has emerged.
Lowe, who was suspended by the populist party amid allegations of serious bullying and threats of violence on Friday, was at the fundraising event alongside Reform treasurer Nick Candy.
The pair were schmoozing with prospective backers at the exclusive private dining club Oswald’s in Mayfair.
Lowe headed to the donor dinner just hours after sitting down for an interview with The Daily Mail.
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