Section: News:Politics

First migrants detained under Starmer’s ‘one-in, one-out’ deal with France as MORE boats arrive in UK

MIGRANTS arriving in Britain by small boat were immediately detained yesterday under the new “one in, one out” deal with France.

The first to be held under the pilot scheme were picked up in Dover on Wednesday – just hours after the new treaty kicked in.

Migrants arriving at a Border Force compound in Dover.

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A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to the Border Force compound in Dover, KentCredit: PA

Photos showed arrivals in life jackets being led off Border Force vessels at the Western Jet Foil facility.

An unspecified number were held on the spot and taken to immigration removal centres — with swift deportation to France now expected.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Yesterday, under the terms of this groundbreaking new treaty, the first group of people to cross the Channel were detained after their arrival at Western Jet Foil and will now be held in detention until they can be returned to France.

“That sends a message to every migrant currently thinking of paying organised crime gangs to go to the UK that they will be risking their lives and throwing away their money if they get into a small boat.”

The Home Office says it will not be disclosing figures at this stage for fear it would be exploited by smugglers.

But just around 50 people a week are expected to be returned under the deal,  a tiny number compared to the 25,436 who have already crossed this year.

Just hours after the “one in, one out” scheme came into force, footage showed a French warship escorting a boatload of migrants towards Britain without stopping it.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, filming just off Calais, said: “I’m on the Channel today just off Calais to see if the Government’s new deal with France is working. It isn’t.

“There is a boat full of illegal immigrants crossing right in front of me.

“The French warship is escorting it and making no attempt at all to stop it.”

The scheme allows Britain to return small boat arrivals in exchange for taking in the same number of approved asylum seekers still in France.

But legal rows broke out within hours of the plan taking effect – as ministers gave conflicting accounts on whether deportations can be blocked by human rights claims.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the BBC small boat migrants sent back across the Channel could have their human rights claims heard in France.

She said: “I know that the Conservative Party has been saying that this is a loophole. It isn’t and we’re really confident about that.”

But the full agreement, published on Tuesday, states clearly the UK must confirm a person has no outstanding human rights claim before returning them.

It also says Britain “shall not seek France’s participation in legal proceedings to which this article applies”.

The Tories insist the text of the treaty provides an “easy loophole” for lawyers of migrants to exploit.

And it is understood the Home Office is preparing for a wave of judicial review challenges from migrants set to be deported – meaning legal battles could drag on for weeks.

Officials insist migrants will be removed “when there is no barrier to removal” – even if they have made a human rights claim, so long as it’s been ruled “clearly unfounded”.

That is 49 per cent higher than this time last year – and a record for this point in the calendar.

Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle wrote on X: “It will take time, and it will be hard, but as we get it up and running, it will make an important contribution to the all-out assault we are waging against the business model of the smuggling gangs.”

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Labour’s migrant deal ALREADY unravelling with more boats arriving & ministers baffled over ‘one-in-one-out’ rules – The Sun

LABOUR’s migrant deal with France is already unravelling — as dinghies keep crossing and confusion erupts over how it is meant to work.

Just days after the “one-in, one-out” scheme came into force, footage shared by the Tories shows French warships escorting small boats packed with migrants across the Channel.

Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary, entering 10 Downing Street.

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Home Secretary Yvette CooperCredit: Alamy
Migrants disembarking a boat in Dover.

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A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to the Border Force compound in Dover, Kent, from a Border Force vesselCredit: PA
Boat carrying migrants approaching Dover.

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More than 25,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats so far in 2025Credit: PA

Ministers are also at odds how the deal is even meant to work, with conflicting statements on whether deportations can go ahead if migrants lodge human rights claims.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, filming off Calais, said: “I’m on the Channel today just off Calais to see if the Government’s new deal with France is working. It isn’t.

“There is a boat full of illegal immigrants crossing right in front of me.

“The French warship is escorting it and & making no attempt at all to stop it.”

At the same time, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy sparked fresh confusion by claiming migrants removed under the scheme could still have their human rights claims heard – but in France.

Asked whether human rights claims presented a loophole to the returns deal, she told Sky News: “That’s not the case at all … the deal that we’ve struck will allow people with us to send people back to France who have human rights claims.

“Those claims will be heard in France.

“I know that the Conservative Party has been saying that this is a loophole. It isn’t and we’re really confident about that.”

But the terms of scheme published on Tuesday suggest the opposite.

It states that the UK confirms that at the time of their transfer that person will not have an outstanding human rights claim.

And it also makes clear France will not participate in UK legal proceedings.

The Tories also argue the wording opens the door for lawyers to delay or block removals with last-minute claims.

But Home Office officials insist have they prepared for judicial review challenges against certification of a human rights decisions to be heard by UK courts from France.

Ministers hope the new route –  where migrants in France apply online – will offer a “safe and legal” alternative to the boats.

But those who have already crossed are not eligible, meaning thousands already here won’t be affected.

Only around 50 people a week are expected to be returned under the deal, which would equate to only one in every 17 small boat arrivals.

The new legal route to Britain only applies to people already in France who have not tried to cross illegally.

To qualify, they must apply online and prove they have close family in the UK, come from a country that is likely to get asylum, or are at risk of being trafficked or exploited.

Unaccompanied children, people with criminal records, and anyone who has previously been deported from the UK are banned from applying.

The deal also reveals that Britain is picking up the tab for both directions of travel – paying for the transport of migrants we send back to France and those we bring in legally.

Alp Mehmet from Migration Watch told The Sun: “This Starmer/Macron wheeze has zero chance of working. It won’t discourage migrants, while smugglers will be tempted to pile in even more people into flimsy vessels. It will have the opposite effect to the one intended.”

The deal will remain in force until June 2026 – but the legal route can be paused automatically if France slows down on taking people back.

Despite Labour’s promise to stop the boats, this year is already on track for a record number of arrivals.

More than 25,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats so far in 2025 – up 49 per cent on the same point last year.

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People smugglers who advertise Channel crossings or fake passports online face five years in prison under crackdown

PEOPLE smugglers who advertise Channel Crossings or try to flog fake passports online face up to five years in prison, under a new crackdown.

The Home Office is scrambling to beef up their laws after a record 25,000 illegal migrants landed on Britain’s beaches so far this year.

Portrait of Yvette Cooper.

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Yvette Cooper said: ‘We have to stay one step ahead of the ever-evolving tactics of people-smuggling gangs’Credit: PA

The grim milestone piles massive pressure on Home Secretary Yvette Cooper – who has vowed to “smash the gangs” and stop the boats.

But the Government has been accused of woefully failing to restore control to UK borders.

Ministers will introduce a new criminal offence under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill already going through Parliament.

This will make it a crime to publish material which promotes breaking immigration laws – like flogging small boat crossings, dodgy passports and visas or promising black market work.

These things are already illegal, but ministers say the new law will help beef up the power of the cops and prosecutors.

Anyone caught flouting the law faces five years behind bars or a massive fine.

Ms Cooper said: “Selling the false promise of a safe journey to the UK and a life in this country – whether on or offline – simply to make money, is nothing short of immoral.

“These criminals have no issue with leading migrants to life-threatening situations using brazen tactics on social media. We are determined to do everything we can to stop them – wherever they operate.

“We have to stay one step ahead of the ever-evolving tactics of people-smuggling gangs.”

A staggering 80 per cent of migrants arriving on small boats used social media sites like TikTok to plan their journey, according to the Home Office.

Small boat migrant found dead riddled with bullets on French coast after being gunned down ‘by people smugglers’
Migrants in a small boat at sea.

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People smugglers who advertise Channel Crossings or try to flog fake passports online face up to five years in prisonCredit: PA

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Londoners slapped with 75% hike in ‘Sadiq Khan stealth tax’ during mayor’s time in office

LONDONERS have seen a 75 per cent rise in the “Sadiq Khan stealth tax” during the mayor’s time in office, we can reveal.

The levy — officially known as the mayoral precept — is added to council tax bills in all 32 city boroughs and has risen steadily since the Labour politician’s 2016 election.

For a Band D home, it has jumped from £280.02 in 2017 to £490.38 today.

In comparison, Liverpool asks £24, Cambridge £36 and Greater Manchester £128.95.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker charges nothing.

Much of this year’s London fee — £319.13 — goes to the Met Police to pay for cops.

Another £71.72 is for the London Fire Brigade and £77.09 for transport services.

The Greater London Authority, which includes Mr Khan’s office, takes the remaining £22.44.

The Sun told last week that he is on course to rake in £14million, most of it from motorists failing to pay the £12.50 daily ultra low emission zone (Ulez) charge.

City Hall Conservative Group leader Susan Hall said: “Sadiq Khan has taxed the life out of our city. Where has it all gone? Crime is out of control, traffic is at a standstill, nightlife is dead, house building’s virtually stopped and the green belt is at risk.

“To paraphrase the president of the USA, he’s a terrible mayor.”

A spokesman for the mayor said a record £1.16billion had been invested in policing this year, providing 935 neighbourhood cops.

He added: “Keeping Londoners safe is Sadiq’s top priority.”

Awkward moment Trump blasts ‘nasty’ Sadiq Khan for ‘terrible job’… before Starmer interrupts: ‘He’s a friend of mine!’
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London.

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Londoners have seen a 75 per cent rise in the ‘Sadiq Khan stealth tax’ during the mayor’s time in office, we can revealCredit: AP

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Ministers push to prioritise British firms over cheap Chinese rivals in £400bn Government contracts

CHEAP Chinese firms could soon be cut out from government contracts under new rules championing British industry, The Sun can reveal.

Ministers want to prioritise UK-based firms in critical sectors like steel, energy, and cyber, putting them at the front of the queue.

The shake-up would allow the public sector to sidestep foreign tender bids, giving homegrown heroes a bigger slice of Whitehall’s £400bn procurement pot.

Currently, foreign suppliers can undercut British businesses with cheap labour and rock-bottom prices.

But in a push to bolster national security and create jobs across the UK, the likes of British Steel would be prioritised.

Under the new blueprint, now up for consultation, Whitehall departments would also favour British Steel for the £725bn of infrastructure spending earmarked for the next decade.

Meanwhile, firms slow to pay small and medium businesses will be kicked out of the procurement race.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, said: “Strong industry is essential to our national security.

“The new rules being considered will give us the power to protect our national industries, ensuring more money goes to them as we buy goods and services in government.

“Our reforms will boost growth and ensure British industry is supported to deliver national security and our Plan for Change.”

Gareth Stace, UK Steel boss, hailed the move as a game-changer, saying: “The publication of this guidance for steel procurement and the launch of the consultation are unequivocally positive news for the UK steel industry.

“These changes rightly recognise the strategic importance of steelmaking to national security and the vital role of resilient domestic supply chains.”

MPs urgently recalled to Parliament over national crisis as emergency law must be passed TODAY to save major UK industry
Molten steel pouring at a steel plant.

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Cheap Chinese firms could soon be cut out from government contracts under new rules championing British industries such as steelCredit: Getty

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Criminals will be forced to pay back EVERY penny they steal, under new law proposed by Robert Jenrick

CRIMINALS will be forced to pay back every penny they steal under proposals being drawn up by Tory Robert Jenrick.

The move could let courts claw back many billions of pounds of ill-gotten gains which would be returned to victims or help tackle crime.

Robert Jenrick giving a speech at a podium.

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Robert Jenrick wants criminals to be forced to pay back every penny they stealCredit: PA

Under the proposal, fines on burglars and thieves will be hiked so they have to pay for the full amount of damage they inflict.

Rules which stop courts pursuing criminals for unpaid fines after six years would be torn up so a thief can always be made to pay up.

The shadow justice secretary is proposing the crackdown in an amendment to the Victims and Courts Bill, which is being debated in parliament next week.

Mr Jenrick said: “There’s never been a better time to be a criminal. That has to change: crime should never pay.

“Thieves and burglars must be fined the full cost of the damage they cause.

“If they can’t pay immediately, they should be made to pay it back over their whole lifetime.

“Our criminal justice system must put victims first and yobs last.”

Criminals owe a record £4.4billion in unpaid fines and court fees.

It is made up of over £1bn in fines and £3.4bn in legal costs and confiscation orders slapped on convicts.

This is enough cash to build 20,000 prison places.

Courts can impose fines on criminals as part of their sentence. The size of the fine depends on the severity of the crime and the offender’s ability to pay it.

But thieves and burglars routinely fail to pay up. And some dodge these fines by serving an extra day in prison – racking up a bigger bill for the taxpayer.

Labour have a giant majority in Parliament, so they would have to back the amendment for it to become law.

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Keir Starmer doubles down on Israeli ministers’ sanctions despite being slammed by US

SIR Keir Starmer yesterday doubled down on sanctioning Israeli ministers, despite being savagely rapped by the US.

Donald Trump’s administration hit out at Britain after the PM broke with tradition and imposed a travel ban and asset freeze on two far-right members of Israel’s government, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

Itamar Ben-Gvir giving a thumbs-up during an interview.

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Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, was sanctioned by BritainCredit: AFP
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotric addressing relatives of Israeli hostages.

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Bezalel Smotrich also had his assets frozen and a travel ban imposedCredit: Alamy
Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifying at a Senate hearing.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio slammed the PM’s sanctions on two Israeli ministersCredit: Reuters

In a scathing attack on the move, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the sanctions “do not advance American efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home and end the war”.

Mr Rubio warned Britain “not to forget who the real enemy is”.

The US ambassador to the UK said he “fully supported” Mr Rubio’s slap down and warned the PM against “impeding constructive dialogue”.

Ben-Gvir, who is pushing to annex the West Bank and wants to permanently expel Palestinians from Gaza, said: “The American administration is a moral compass in the face of the confusion of some Western countries that choose to appease terrorist organizations like Hamas.

“Israel is not afraid — we will continue to fight terrorism.

“History will judge the Chamberlains of our time.”

At PMQs Sir Keir defended the sanctions as a bid to “uphold human rights and defend the prospect of a two-state solution”.

The PM said: “Acting alongside our allies, we have sanctioned individuals responsible for inciting appalling settler violence and expansion.

“We will continue to support all efforts to secure a ceasefire, the release of all hostages despicably held by Hamas and the humanitarian aid that needs to surge in.

Greta Thunberg’s Gaza ‘Freedom Flotilla’ boarded & seized by Israeli forces
Sir Keir Starmer leaving 10 Downing Street.

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Sir Kier Starmer stood by the sanctionsCredit: Getty

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Nigel Farage says Brits have ‘every right to be angry’ about cost of hotels for migrants

BRITS struggling to live have “every right to be angry” about illegal migrants getting cushy hotel rooms, Nigel Farage said yesterday.

The Reform leader hailed The Sun’s front page for laying bare the crippling cost of asylum accommodation.

Nigel Farage speaking at a press conference.

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Nigel Farage has said Brits have ‘every right to be angry’ about the cost of hotels for migrantsCredit: Getty

We told the case of Stuart Whittaker – a former factory worker from Hull who is now homeless – feeling he had been “shoved to the back of the queue”.

Downing Street yesterday admitted it was “absolutely not” fair that locals like him are sofa-surfing while taxpayers fork out for migrant hotels.

Also addressing the story in Port Talbot, Mr Farage said: “What I tell your man from Hull, is he has every right to be upset.

“Every right to be angry.

read more on nigel farage

“Just don’t say anything on social media or Keir Starmer will put you in prison.”

He said that while legal migration has a bigger strain on public services, it is the “sheer unfairness of these young men” coming across the Channel illegally that rubs people up.

The cost of paying for asylum support has ballooned to around £4.7billion annually, and around 15,000 migrants have arrived from France this year already.

Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman said: “It’s not fair that tens of thousands of people are stuck in an asylum backlog that’s wasting billions of pounds of taxpayers money, and that’s why we’re focused on taking the action needed to reduce the number of asylum seekers and hotels.”

Minister Chris Bryant yesterday insisted that the “best deterrent” against small boats was processing asylum claims quicker.

He was slammed by Tory Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, who said: “This is dangerous nonsense from a weak Labour Government.

“Giving illegal immigrants asylum faster is no deterrent – it will just attract even more to come here.

“A real deterrent would be removing every single illegal immigrant who arrives in the UK to somewhere like Rwanda.”

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Nigel Farage vows to give young people opportunity to learn trades like welding and robotics in new plan

NIGEL Farage will offer young people the chance to take up trades such as welding and robotics as part of his re-industrialisation plans.

The Reform UK leader will accuse Labour of forgetting their heartlands by offering a bright future to youths if they gain power.

Farage has vowed to set up regional technical colleges in Wales teaching plumbing, electrical trades and industrial automation in a careers blitz if they win power there next year.

The intervention is part of a major drive to win next year’s elections there as he blames Labour’s “twenty-six years of failure” on a visit there today.

The move comes as the party chief vows to abandon the government’s Net Zero drive if he reaches power by re-opening coal mines.

The party chief intends to give the green light to digging for British coal rather than importing it to help make home-grown steel.

Ministers have set out their plans for not granting any more coal licences insisting that phasing out is crucial to tackling climate change.

But during a major speech today, he will talk about how Wales produced 60 million tons of coal exporting half of it.

He will also hail the country’s heritage, he will address Port Talbot steelworks which were once the largest steel plant in Europe.

The party chief will use a major speech in the Principality setting out his plans to re-industrialise the country in areas betrayed by Labour.

He will take aim at Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘year of failure” since coming to power and saying the game is up for blaming the Tories for the woes of Wales.

Mr Farage will also highlight how de-industrialisation there means GDP per head is £10,000 less than the UK.

Watch moment Nigel Farage makes back door exit as Reform UK leader dodges protesters in Scotland
Nigel Farage speaking at a press conference.

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Nigel Farage will offer young people the chance to take up trades such as welding and roboticsCredit: Alamy

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I grew up in poverty – but lifting the 2 child benefit cap for all families is not fair on taxpayers

AS KING Canute found over a thousand years ago, it is quite difficult to stand on a beach and order the tide to recede. 

Today, it is equally difficult to make the argument that giving families cash is not always the best way of lifting them out of poverty. 

Portrait of David Blunkett at Sheffield Town Hall.

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David Blunkett grew up on just bread and dropping at home – but he is warning that lifting the 2 child benefit cap is not the best way to tackle povertyCredit: Alamy

This is especially true when one particular measure becomes the symbol of whether or not you’re on the right side of the debate about child poverty.

But as someone who now can afford the comforts of life, I constantly remind myself of my childhood.

The grinding poverty that I experienced when my father was killed
in a work accident when I was 12 – leaving my mother, who had serious health problems, to fight a long battle for minimal compensation.

Having only bread and dripping in the house was, by anyone’s standards, a hallmark of absolute poverty.

Why on earth would I question, therefore, the morality of reversing a Tory policy introduced eight years ago?

This restricts the additional supplement to universal credit – worth over £3,000 a child per year – to just two children. 

I should know, my friends tell me, that the easiest and quickest way of overcoming the growth in child poverty is to restore the £3.5 billion pounds it would cost to give this additional money for all the children in every family entitled to the credit.

It is true that the policy, introduced in 2017, failed its first test.

Women did not stop having more than two children even when they were strapped for cash. It is still unclear why. 

After all, many people have to make a calculation as to how many children they can afford.

Keir Starmer speaking at a press conference.

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Keir Starmer is under massive pressure form Labour backbench MPs to lift the 2 child benefit cap and go on a new welfare spending spreeCredit: AP

But one thing must be certain: namely, that if you give parents a relatively substantial additional amount of money for every child they have whilst entitled to benefits, they are likely to have more children.

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, said as much last week. His argument for restoring the benefit to the third and subsequent children was precisely that we needed to persuade low- income families to have more children.

Surely having children that you cannot afford to feed is the legacy of a bygone era?

All those earning below £60,000 are entitled to the basic child benefit, so the argument is about just over £60 a week extra per child.

One difficulty in having a sensible debate about what really works in overcoming intergenerational poverty is the lack of reliable statistics.

Some people have claimed, over recent days, that over 50 per cent of children in Manchester and Birmingham live in poverty. 

I fear that such claims should be treated with scepticism.

Those struggling to make ends meet – sometimes having not just one but two jobs – who pay their taxes and national insurance and plan their lives around what can be afforded, have the right to question where their hard-earned wages go.

The simple and obvious truth is that child poverty springs from the lack of income of the adults who care for them.

Transforming their lives impacts directly on the children in their family.

There is a limit to how much money taxpayers are willing to hand over to pay for another family’s children. 

Helping them to help themselves is a different matter.

So, what would I do?

Firstly, I would ensure that families with a disabled youngster automatically have the entitlement restored.

This would self-evidently apply also to multiple births. 

In both cases, life is not only more difficult, it is also harder to get and keep a job.

I would come down like a ton of bricks on absent parents.

My mum was a single parent because she was widowed; many others are single in the sense that the other partner has walked away.

The Child Maintenance Service should step up efforts to identify and pursue absent parents who do not pay their fair share towards their child. 

We, the community, have a clear duty to support and assist those in need.

To help those where a helping hand will restore them to independence and self-reliance.

But there is an obligation on individuals as well as the State, and mutual help starts with individuals taking some responsibility for themselves.

Finally, if (and this is where I am in full agreement with colleagues campaigning to dramatically reduce child poverty) we make substantial sums of money available to overcome hardship, then a comprehensive approach to supporting the families must surely be the best way to achieve this.

As ever in politics there is a trade off. What you spend on handing over cash is not available to invest in public services: that is the reality.

Help from the moment a child is born, not just with childcare but with nurturing and child development.

Dedicated backing to gain skills and employment and to taper the
withdrawal of help so that it genuinely becomes worthwhile having and keeping a job. 

A contract between the taxpayer and the individual or household.
Government is about difficult choices, that is why Keir Starmer and his colleagues are agonising over what to do next.

Angela Rayner says lifting 2-child benefit cap not ‘silver bullet’ for ending poverty after demanding cuts for millions

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Ex-Tory MP will face no further action over allegations of rape, police confirm

FORMER Tory MP Crispin Blunt will face no further action over an allegation of rape, police have confirmed.

The ex-justice minister, 64, was detained in October 2023 on suspicion of the sex attack as well as possession of a controlled substance.

Crispin Blunt MP being interviewed.

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Ex-Tory MP Crispin Blunt will face no further action over an allegation of rape, police have confirmedCredit: Alamy

Dad-of-two Blunt was suspended by his party and told to stay away from Parliament.

He denied wrongdoing and accused the person behind the allegation of attempted extortion.

Yesterday Surrey Police confirmed there was insufficient evidence to proceed over claims of rape.

Mr Blunt, who stood down as MP for Reigate last year, remains under investigation for drug possession.

A second man, in his 50s, is being investigated for the same alleged offence.

A Surrey Police spokeswoman said: “An investigation was launched following a report of rape in October 2023.

“Extensive enquiries have been carried out and a man in his 60s and a man in his 50s were arrested on 25 October 2023 in Horley in connection with the offence.

“It has since been determined that there is insufficient evidence to proceed and that no further action will be taken against either of the men in relation to the report of rape.

“However, both men will remain under investigation on suspicion of possession of controlled substances pending further enquiries.

“Enquiries into this matter are ongoing.”

Crispin Blunt confirms he’s Tory MP arrested over rape allegation and says he’s been interviewed twice by cops

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Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs at risk after court scuttles Don’s trade plans… but the White House vows to fight back

DONALD Trump’s sweeping global tariffs are now at risk after a court has said he doesn’t have the power to impose the levies himself.

A US federal court in New York on Wednesday blocked most of the import taxes from going into effect, ruling that the president had overstepped his authority.

President Trump announces reciprocal tariffs.

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The US President held up a chart of the tariffs he was implementingCredit: AFP
A customer holds a bottle of liquor in a store with a sign that says "Buy Canadian Instead".

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Trump’s tariffs caused a sharp response in CanadaCredit: Reuters
Aerial view of the Port of Oakland, showing cargo ships, cranes, and containers.

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Tariffs are levies paid on bringing a good or service into a countryCredit: Getty

The Court of International Trade ruling is a big setback for Trump, who has sought to reshape global trade and put America first by using its economic heft to cut deals.

Trump has started a global trade war with nearly every country by instituting a minimum 10 per tariff on their exports into the US.

He also slapped a 25 per cent tariff on Mexico and Canada, saying he needed to levies to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and the horror drug Fentanyl.

The court’s order could spell an end to Trump’s international trade war as it bars Trump’s most sweeping tariffs, effectively erasing most of the trade restrictions Trump has announced since taking office.

But Trump is likely to appeal and take the fight all the way to the Supreme Court.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said: “Foreign countries’ nonreciprocal treatment of the Unites States has fueled America’s historic and persistent trade deficits.

“These deficits have created a national emergency that has decimated American communities, left our workers behind, and weakened our defense industrial base – facts that the court did not dispute.

“It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency. President Trump pledged to put America First, and the Administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American Greatness.”

The ruling does not state that tariffs themselves are illegal, but that the executive branch does not have the authority to impose them without Congress.

The president used a 1977 federal economic emergency law to justify a range of levies.

Trump’s Liberation Day Tariffs signed in on Executive Order

The three-judge panel wrote in an unsigned opinion: “The question in the two cases before the court is whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (“IEEPA”) delegates these powers to the president in the form of authority to impose unlimited tariffs on goods from nearly every country in the world.

“The court does not read IEEPA to confer such unbounded authority and sets aside the challenged tariffs imposed thereunder.”

One of Trump’s key aides, Stephen Miller, attacked the ruling in a post on social media saying: “The judicial coup is out of control.”

Trump memorably held up a board showing rates he was about to set individual trading partners in the White House’s Rose Garden when he announced the tariffs as part of a “liberation day”.

China was clobbered with 34 per cent tariffs, Vietnam 46 per cent, Thailand 36 per cent and Cambodia 49 per cent.

Tariffs on China were eventually increased to a whopping 145 per cent as Trump sought to begin negotiations.

The ten per cent on Britain was at the bottom of the sliding scale devised by Trump’s officials.

Markets were thrown into turmoil but calmed after he paused the larger tariffs for 90 days.

He also suspended some of the higher duties pending negotiations with individual countries and blocs.

Britain has signed a new trade deal with Trump following the imposition of the tariffs – how that will be affected is not yet clear.

Photo of four men in suits at a bilateral meeting between the U.S. and China.

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US and Chinese representatives at trade talksCredit: Reuters

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Britain’s top cop slams Labour plans to slash jail time and says officers will be overwhelmed

BRITAIN’S top cop has criticised Labour plans to slash jail time — saying police will struggle to cope with the surge in crime.

Met Police boss Sir Mark Rowley warned putting more criminals back on the street risked overwhelming officers.

Alcatraz prison cell interior viewed through bars.

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Labour plans include scrapping most short sentences, releasing lags after a third of time served and monitoring with tags to free up cellsCredit: Alamy

He accused the Government of doing “no analysis whatsoever” on the impact of freeing thousands and risking the prospect of “generating a lot of work for police”.

He told the BBC: “Every time you put an offender into the community, a proportion of them will commit crime, a proportion of them will need chasing down by the police.”

But the Ministry of Justice hit back in the war of words, saying its top priority was to “keep people safe”.

Standing by its changes, it said: “That is why we are building prisons faster than at any time since the Victorian era and, through our sentencing reforms, we will make sure the public are never again put at risk of running out of prison places.”

Sources also insisted a full impact assessment on early release is under way.

The Sun revealed last week Sir Mark was among senior officers who wrote to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood questioning prison reforms.

Her plans include scrapping most short sentences, releasing lags after a third of time served and monitoring with tags to free up cells.

Sir Mark said: “If probation are going to spend more money on trying to reform offenders, reduce their repeat offending, that’s fantastic.

But a proportion will be committing further offences because probation can’t do a perfect job — it’s impossible.”

The Scotland Yard chief also said forces are still “carrying the scar tissue of years of austerity cuts”.

Prisons will run out of space in just 5 MONTHS as government unveils raft of new measures to tackle overcrowding crisis
Sir Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, at the Cabinet Office.

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Met Police boss Sir Mark Rowley has criticised Labour’s plans to slash jail timeCredit: 2024 PA Media

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan backs calls to decriminalise possessing ‘small quantities’ of cannabis

SIR Sadiq Khan has backed calls to decriminalise possessing small amounts of cannabis.

London’s mayor said a report published today gave “a compelling case”.

The London Drugs Commission says current cannabis laws are “disproportionate” and policing continues to focus on ethnic communities, hurting relations with cops.

The LDC, set up by Mr Khan in 2022, is calling for small quantities of natural cannabis to be decriminalised.

Importing, manufacturing or distributing the drug would still be illegal.

Labour’s Mr Khan said: “The report makes a compelling case for the decriminalisation of small quantities of natural cannabis which the Government should consider.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “Cannabis is illegal for a reason. I oppose these plans.”

Responding to the report, Sir Sadiq said: “I’ve long been clear that we need fresh thinking on how to reduce the substantial harms associated with drug-related crime in our communities.

“The London Drugs Commission report makes a compelling, evidenced-based case for the decriminalisation of possession of small quantities of natural cannabis which the Government should consider.

“It says that the current sentencing for those caught in possession of natural cannabis cannot be justified given its relative harm and people’s experience of the justice system.

“We must recognise that better education, improved healthcare and more effective, equitable policing of cannabis use are long overdue.”

Sadiq Khan speaking at a press event.

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Sadiq Khan has backed calls to decriminalise possessing small amounts of cannabisCredit: PA
Sadiq Khan knighthood is betrayal of knife crime victims… it’s a disgrace, says devastated step-mum of stabbed Jodie Chesney

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Did Joe Biden reveal he had cancer in a 2022 speech slip-up? Ex-President faces fresh scrutiny over his health in office

JOE Biden is facing fresh scrutiny over his health while in office amid his “aggressive” prostate cancer diagnosis.

The former president, 82, claimed to have had cancer in a speech he gave three years ago – which sparked fears for his health at the time.

President Biden speaking at a podium outdoors.

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Joe Biden was speaking about oil-refineries in Delaware when he made a slip-upCredit: Reuters
President Biden at a press conference.

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Biden at a news conference in 2023Credit: Getty
President Biden at a news conference.

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Biden is facing fresh scrutiny over cancer comments in a 2022 speechCredit: Getty

Biden’s comments came during a speech about “cancer-causing” emissions from oil refineries near his childhood home in Delaware.

He said: “That’s why I and so damn many other people I grew up with have cancer and why for the longest time Delaware had the highest cancer rate in the nation.”

Biden’s use of the present tense led to speculations that the president was suffering from cancer.

But these were dismissed after it was suggested that the comments were a reference to “non-melanoma skin cancers”.

Before assuming the presidency, Biden had a number of “localized, non-melanoma skin cancers” removed by surgery.

In November 2021, Biden had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.

And in February 2023, he had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer.

Non-melanoma skin cancer typically develops in the areas of the body most exposed to the sun such as the face, ears, hands, shoulders, upper chest, and back.

But Biden is now facing fresh scrutiny over his cancer comments following the announcement of his cancer diagnosis on Sunday.

This comes as Donald Trump took a swipe at his predecessor and said he was “surprised” the public wasn’t told long ago about Biden’s cancer.

Trump ‘surprised public wasn’t told long ago’ about Biden’s prostate cancer as Don takes swipe at when ex-President knew

The US President cast doubt on the timeline of Biden’s diagnosis on Monday as he said it usually takes a “long time” to reach such an aggressive stage of cancer.

Trump was backed up by a leading oncologist who claimed that the former president likely had cancer when he took office in 2021.

Dr Zeke Emanuel said: “He had it while he was President.

“He probably had it at the start of his presidency, in 2021.”

How could prostate cancer be missed?

By Sam Blanchard

It is likely that Joe Biden’s cancer started while he was still serving as president – as recently as January – but impossible to know how long he has had it.

Prostate cancer is widely regarded as the slowest growing form of cancer because it can take years for any sign of it to appear and many men never need treatment.

The former president’s office said his cancer is aggressive and has spread to his bones, further confusing the timeline.

PSA blood tests could indicate whether a patient is likely to have cancer but they become less accurate with age, and gold-standard tests involve taking biopsy tissue samples.

There is no guarantee that Mr Biden, 82, was tested during his presidency and, even if he was, the cancer is not certain to have been detected. It may have first formed a long time ago and only recently become aggressive, or started recently and grown very quickly.

Most cancers are found before they spread but a fast-growing one may be harder to catch in time.

Prostate cancers are well-known for not causing many symptoms in the early stages and the NHS says “there may be no signs for many years”.

The time it takes for a cancer to progress to stage four – known as metastatic, when it has spread to another body part – can vary from a number of months to many years.

Professor Suneil Jain, from Queen’s University Belfast, said: “Every prostate cancer is different and no-one from outside his direct team will have all the information to be specific about President Biden’s specific diagnosis or situation.

“In recent years there has been a lot of progress in the management of prostate cancer, with many new therapies becoming available.

“This has significantly extended the average life expectancy by a number of years.”

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in males and one in eight men develop it at some stage in their life.

Biden announced his cancer diagnosis in an official statement from his personal office on Sunday.

The statement said that he was seen by doctors last week after suffering urinary symptoms, with a prostate nodule then being found.

He was then diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.

The statement read: “Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms.

“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.

“The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

A Gleason score of 9 means the cancerous cells “look very abnormal” and that the disease is “likely to grow quickly”, according to Cancer Research UK.

Biden served as US president from 2021 to 2025, with his term ending on January 20 when Donald Trump took office.

What are the symptoms every man needs to know?

In most cases, prostate cancer doesn’t have any symptoms until the growth is big enough to put pressure on the urethra – that tube you pee through.

Symptoms include:

  • Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
  • Needing to rush to the toilet
  • Difficulty in starting to pee
  • Weak flow
  • Straining and taking a long time while peeing
  • Feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied fully

Many men’s prostates get larger as they age because of the non-cancerous conditions, prostate enlargement, and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

In fact, these two conditions are more common than prostate cancer – but that doesn’t mean the symptoms should be ignored.

The signs that cancer has SPREAD include bone, back, or testicular pain, loss of appetite, and unexplained weight loss.

Joe Biden and Jill Biden with their cat.

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Joe Biden shared a touching image with his wife following the diagnosisCredit: Instagram

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Starmer is preparing to wave white flag to Brussels in fresh Brexit betrayal, Kemi Badenoch warns

SIR Keir Starmer is preparing to wave the white flag to Brussels in a fresh Brexit betrayal, Kemi Badenoch has warned.

The Tory chief accused the PM of lining up a string of concessions to the EU just to say he’s “reset” Brexit relations.

Keir Starmer at a Joint Expeditionary Force meeting.

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Starmer is preparing to wave white flag to Brussels in fresh Brexit betrayal, Kemi Badenoch warnsCredit: Reuters
Kemi Badenoch speaking at a Conservative Party event.

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The Tory leader accused Labour of preparing to make Britain ‘a rule-taker from Brussels once again’Credit: PA

It comes as the PM is heading to Albania today for last-minute talks with EU leaders ahead of a major London summit, where he’s expected to sign a new defence and trade pact.

It is understood that in return, Sir Keir has put fishing rights, immigration rules and legal powers all on the line.

Writing for The Sun, Ms Badenoch said: “Keir Starmer walks into negotiations with a white flag at the ready…

“The Brexit vote was not a polite suggestion, it was a clear instruction: to put Britain first.” She warned British waters could be handed back to French trawlers “for no good reason”, calling it “a fundamental betrayal of Britain’s fishing community”.

And she raised alarm over Labour’s support for an EU Youth Mobility Scheme, saying it “would see us accepting seemingly unlimited numbers of unemployed 20-somethings from Romania and Bulgaria… all coming over here to take UK jobs.”

The Tory leader accused Labour of preparing to make Britain “a rule-taker from Brussels once again” by aligning food laws, restricting farmers from using modern crops.

And she warned the plan to join the EU’s carbon trading scheme will leave Sun readers “saddled with even more expensive bills, just so Keir Starmer can say he ‘got closer’ to Europe.”

Vowing to reverse any Brexit row backs, Ms Badenoch said: “A future Conservative Government will take them back. I will always put Britain first. And when the time comes – I will make it right.”

Ms Badenoch will head to Brussels herself today to speak at the IDU Forum – a global gathering of centre-right parties.

She will argue Britain’s relationship with EU countries can be improved without “being supplicant”.

Squirming Keir Starmer confronted over Brexit betrayal but vows ‘I’ll strike deal with Trump’

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