UK politics: Starmer unveils small boats plan as Sunak’s first Rwanda flights could take off in June

Shadow health secretary claims more Tories could follow Elphicke’s path in joining the Labour Party but Sir Keir Starmer denies Nigel Farage is joining

'Failed' asylum system offers 'false hope' to migrants, Starmer says

Keir Starmer has unveiled a counter-terror style small boats plan that will “replace gimmicks with graft” by scrapping the Rwanda scheme.

He has vowed to partly fund a new “elite” border unit as he set out his plans to stop small boats crossing the Channel.

In a speech at Dover, the Labour leader accused the Conservatives of operating a “Travelodge amnesty” by housing asylum-seekers in hotels rather than processing their claims.

He was accompanied by new Labour MP Natalie Elphicke, who has slammed the Tories approach on boats just days after defecting from the party.

Speaking about her admission, he said the move represents the “mood of the country” as Rishi Sunak is “clinging on by his fingernails” to power.

During the press conference, the opposition leader hasn’t ruled out letting Nigel Farage join the Labour Party.

It comes after as government lawyers have confirmed the first deportation flights as part of the Rwanda scheme could take off in June.

Key Points

• Keir Starmer ripped up Rwanda scheme and plans to use counter-terror laws to stop small boats
• First UK deportation flight ‘to take off in June'
• Natalie Elphicke apologises for comments in support of ex-husband
• Starmer denies Nigel Farage joining the Labour Party
• More Conservative MPs ‘wrestling with’ whether to join Labour, says Wes Streeting
• Labour face angry backlash over Tory defector’s ‘gaslighting’ women’s rights record
• Rishi Sunak ‘to blame’ for Conservative exodus, lone Tory mayor Ben Houchen says

[9 May 2024 16:41 · Salma Ouaguira]

Fresh headache for Keir Starmer as pro-Gaza professor launches campaign against top Labour MP

Sir Keir Starmer is facing a fresh headache over Gaza just days after pro-Palestinian candidates cost Labour tens of thousands of votes at the local elections.

The former head of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) is running against shadow veterans minister Steve McCabe in Birmingham Selly Oak, which has a significant Muslim population.

Kamel Hawwash, who is a Professor in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Birmingham, is standing against the veteran MP, who is also the chairman of Labour Friends of Israel.

Read our full exclusive story here

Professor Hawwash during a Pro-Palestinian protest (Palestine Deep Dive/YouTube)

[9 May 2024 16:20 · Salma Ouaguira]

Labour face angry backlash over Tory defector’s ‘gaslighting’ women’s rights record

Natalie Elphicke’s defection to Labour has raised concerns among some in Keir Starmer’s party who condemned her defence of her former husband who was imprisoned after being charged with sexual assault.

After Charlie Elphicke was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault against two women, the MP for Dover said he had been punished for being “attractive” and being “attracted to women”.

Ms Elphicke, who defected to the Labour Party on Wednesday, was temporarily suspended from the Commons in 2021 for trying to influence his trial and was forced to apologise.

Charlotte Cornell, a Labour councillor who ran against Ms Elphicke in Dover in 2019, told The Independent: “Her comments minimised what was predatory behaviour and sexual abuse.

“It is one of the reasons I find today really hard to understand. I know there will be women in the local area who are incredibly upset by today’s decision.”

Natalie is facing fierce backlash after moving to the Labour Party (PA)

[9 May 2024 16:12 · Salma Ouaguira]

Elphicke defection left Labour MPs in tears due to ‘abhorrent’ comments

Natalie Elphicke’s defection has caused huge uproar among Labour MPs who don’t believe she has a place in the party.

According to Politico, a shadow minister said the move caused “a lot of unease” because “Natalie has said some abhorrent things and I’m not sure her values are those we should be aspiring to have in the party.”

A fellow Labour MP said the Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to allow her into the party left her in tears, adding: “I thought we had some values that were sacrosanct but we don’t.”

[9 May 2024 16:00 · Salma Ouaguira]

Mapped: All the by-elections that have taken place this parliament

Since the 2019 general election, there has been a total of 23 by-elections across the UK - two of which have taken place in Scotland with the remainder being held in England.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have, at the expense of the Conservatives, gained eight and four seats respectively.

Sir Keir Starmer’s party has held five of its seats and lost one to Mr Galloway, while the Tories have managed to hold one, scraping a narrow victory - 495 votes - in Uxbridge & South Ruislip, a contest that was dominated by the expansion of Ulez in outer London.

Check out the numbers in full here:

[9 May 2024 15:43 · Salma Ouaguira]

In full: Who is Natalie Elphicke’s ex-husband?

The new Labour MP has been target of criticism for defending her former husband following sexual assault allegations.

But who is Charlie Elphicke? Here’s what you need to know:

• The disgraced former Tory member chaired the Dover constituency from 2010 to 2019.
• He had his whip removed after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women.
• According to court documents, he chased one of the victims around his home chanting “I’m a naughty Tory”.
• He was later slapped with two years in prison.

Charlie Elphicke was convicted of three counts of sexual assault (PA)

[9 May 2024 15:29 · Salma Ouaguira]

‘Tories can learn from Lammy.’ says pro-Trump think tank

A rightwing British thinktank which supports Donald Trump has praised David Lammy for his US diplomacy.

The Legatum Institute has told Rishi Sunak and the Tories to learn lessons from Labour’s shadow foreign secretary after he made another successful trip to Washington DC ahead of what many think will be a Labour general election victory.

Here’s the full story:

[9 May 2024 15:25 · Salma Ouaguira]

Rishi Sunak vows to keep Jewish students safe

The Prime Minister has promised to protect Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests across British universities.

Posting on X, he announced Downing Street will work with university bosses to “tackle antisemitism”.

It comes after Edward Isaacs, president of the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) urged university leaders to take “swift and decisive action” to protect Jewish students.