Braverman denies she will defect to Reform as IT outage forces Labour Cobra meeting – live
Source in Nigel Farage’s party says ex-home secretary expected to switch, possibly in autumn
Tory party leadership hopeful Suella Braverman has denied she will defect to Reform UK if she loses the contest.
“There’s now so much antagonism towards Suella Braverman among MPs that there is now a generally held view that she will defect,” a senior Tory source told the i newspaper.
But a spokesperson for the ex-home secretary denied this, saying: “Suella has only recently been elected as a Conservative MP and has been a Conservative Party member for three decades.”
A Reform source told the i the party expects her to defect after losing the Tory leadership race, perhaps in the autumn, around conference time.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government is set to resume funding to UN Palestine relief agency UNRWA for Palestinians escaping the war in Gaza.
The Conservative government stopped the money alongside the US in January following accusations from Israel that staff members were involved in the 7 October attacks.
Following the major IT outage hitting airlines, train companies and banks, government officials held a Cobra emergency meeting to address the chaos for train and GP services and television channels.
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David Lammy: ‘Britain wants an immediate ceasefire in Gaza’
The foreign secretary is making a statement on the ongoing war in Gaza following his state visit of the occupied territories in Palestine last week.
Speaking on the Commons, he said: “This has been a priority from day one to the desperate situation in Gaza and the serious risk of escalation in Lebanon in particular.
“I have to be frank. Britain wants an immediate ceasefire. The fighting must stop. The hostages must be released. Much more aid must enter Gaza.”
Slamming Israel for not allowing international aid to enter the strip, he said: “Israel promised a flood of aid back in April but imposes impossible and unacceptable restrictions. There must be de-escalation on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
“I sincerely hope that parties agree a ceasefire urgently.”
Zelensky urges Starmer to ‘show leadership'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked Sir Keir Starmer to “show your leadership” and help with Ukraine’s “long-range capability”.
In his address to the Cabinet Mr Zelensky said “if the restriction on western weapons is lifted” it would help Kyiv to strengthen its defence and secure its frontline positions.
He said “it is possible to destroy” areas in Russia where weapons are being concentrated.
On long-range capability, the president said “we are still missing the main answer to this question” and told the Prime Minister “I ask you to show your leadership” on the issue.
Mr Zelensky has said the ability to use western weapons to strike into Russian territory is important to Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Moscow.
The UK Government has suggested the deployment of British missiles is ultimately a matter for Ukraine, as long as international law is upheld.
More than 15,000 migrants arrive in UK crossing English Channel this year so far
More than 15,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel this year as more people made the journey on Thursday, according to new Home Office figures.
Some 317 people travelled across the busy shipping lane in six boats, in the first recorded arrivals since Monday when 427 people made the crossing in seven boats.
This brings the provisional total of migrants arriving via the English Channel in 2024 so far to 15,076.
This is 9% higher than the number recorded this time last year (13,774) and 0.2% down on the same period in 2022 (15,106), according to PA news agency analysis of Government data.
Boats continued to cross the Channel on Friday.
It comes as one person died and 71 others were rescued in an incident off the coast of northern France on Wednesday, sparking a rescue operation involving French coastguard, Border Force and the RNLI.
MPs welcome government’s decision to lift block on UNRWA funding
Several MPs have taken to social media to welcome David Lammy’s decision to restore funding to UNRWA for Palestinians.
The foreign secretary told the Commons the UK will provide £21million to the UN agency providing aid in the Gaza Strip.
Ministers: Whitehall crisis officials working on IT outage
Whitehall crisis officials are co-ordinating the response to the major IT outage hitting airlines, train companies and banks.
The Cobra system that deals with matters of national emergency or major disruption has been fired up, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said.
Ministers are in touch with their sectors to tackle the fallout from the IT failures, with Transport Secretary Louise Haigh saying she is working “at pace with industry” after trains and flights ground to a halt.
Businesses and institutions around the globe have been knocked offline by the outage, believed to have been caused by a faulty update to widely used cybersecurity software.
In the UK, transport networks have been thrown into chaos, GP surgeries are unable to book appointments or access patient records and Sky News went off air.
Mr McFadden, who is in charge of the Whitehall machine, said on X:
Cobra emergency meeting held amid IT outage chaos
An emergency Cobra meeting was held at official-level – rather than ministers – on Friday morning to discuss the IT chaos, Downing Street said.
A No 10 spokeswoman told reporters: “We recognise the impact this is having on services and the Government is working closely with the respective sectors and industries on this issue, which is affecting services not only across the UK but also globally.
“Officials have met in the Cobra unit on this this morning and of course are updating ministers regularly on this issue.”
She said she was not aware of plans for a Cobra gathering with ministers present.
Asked why Sir Keir Starmer did not chair the meeting of the committee, she said: “The Prime Minister’s had bilaterals with President Zelensky and Cabinet this morning, but all ministers including the Prime Minister are being kept informed with the latest.”
The spokeswoman also said she is not aware of any Government business being hit by the outage.
Humanitarian advisers claim restoring aid funds to UNRWA ‘long overdue’
The ActionAid UK charity has said the government’s decision to restore funding to UNRWA was “long overdue”.
Humanitarian advocacy adviser Julia Rosell Jackson said: “We are pleased to see the UK Government acknowledge UNRWA as a vital lifeline in Gaza and take the long overdue step of restoring funding to it.
“As the largest humanitarian actor in Gaza, it is uniquely placed to support the 2.2 million Palestinians trapped in the territory who are at high risk of famine and rely on aid to survive.”
But she also called for an immediate halt to UK arms sales to Israel.
No 10 refuses to confirm whether Ukraine will use British Storm Shadow missiles against Russia
Downing Street did not confirm whether British Storm Shadow missiles can be used by Ukraine to strike into Russian territory as part of the country’s efforts to defend itself.
Asked whether the Prime Minister was receptive to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s calls for permission to use UK weapons in Russia, a Number 10 spokeswoman said: “I think you heard from the Prime Minister when he was asked questions about this in the press conference yesterday, where he made our position very clear.
“I think what was also clear from the Cabinet meeting which you saw and yesterday, was our unwavering support for Ukraine. That will not change and we’re determined to support them for as long as it takes.”
Pressed on whether Britain has lifted restrictions on using Storm Shadow missiles on targets inside Russia, the official said: “There is no change to our position and the Prime Minister set that out yesterday.
“We have been providing military aid to support Ukraine’s clear right to self-defence against Russia’s illegal acts in accordance with international humanitarian law.
“Equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defence of Ukraine.”
Rayner: Housing crisis is holding Britain back
Britain is being held back by its “housing crisis” and the new government has a “mountain to climb” to address it, according to Angela Rayner.
The deputy Prime Minister said the new Labour administration has already taken the first steps in response, as she pointed to plans to reform the planning process to boost house building.
Ms Rayner, who is also Housing Secretary, added that the government is also committed to the “biggest wave” of social and affordable housing for a generation.
During the King’s Speech, the Labour government announced a bill to meet the goal to build 1.5 million homes.
Opening day three of the King’s Speech debate, Ms Rayner said she pledged to “always tell it as it is” during her maiden speech in 2015 before adding in the Commons: “I think that’s one promise I have kept to.
“Now I intend to fulfil another because we promised the people of this country that we will serve their interests and not ours.
“That starts by having the honesty to say that we will not be able to put right the mess of the past 14 years immediately, but after just two weeks we have already made a difference.”
Badenoch brands Rayner the ‘fall guy’ for Labour’s housing policies
Shadow housing minister Kemi Badenoch said Angela Rayner has been “stitched up” by others in her party leadership and is being made “the fall guy” for Labour’s housing promises.
In a fresh attack to the deputy Prime Minister, she told the Commons: “So I’m sorry to tell (Ms Rayner) that her colleagues, the Prime Minister, the Chancellor, and their many advisers have written a manifesto and made promises that are not deliverable and they’ve hung them around her neck and said ‘Ang, you go out there and sell it’.”
She added: “I think we know who’s in charge, and it’s not (Ms Rayner). She’s been stitched up. They’ve made her the fall guy. They’ve promised one-and-a-half million houses by the end of this Parliament. That’s over 800 houses per day and we’re already two weeks in.
“And as she goes on, day after day, she’s going to realise that the backlog is building and there’s no way out. But I want her to know that I’m here for her. I’ll be here to hold her hand and walk her through what is likely to be a very difficult time. I may even give her some tips.
“Because having worked in that department, I know what needs to be done. I know what we should have done that we didn’t do and I know that they’re going to make the same mistakes. It’s not that one-and-a-half million homes by the end of this Parliament is unachievable, it’s that it’s going to require the sort of systemic change which they are not ready for.”
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