One in three British adults (33 per cent) would rather see Count Binface winning the Clacton by-election, a new poll has shown.
Only 21 per cent told YouGov that they would like to see Nigel Farage re-elected as MP, while nearly three in four (74 per cent) said that the parliamentary standards commissioner should be investigating the Reform UK leader.
Mr Farage is under increasing pressure as scrutiny grows over his financial affairs, with it emerging that the Metropolitan Police has been investigating £500,000 of donations to his political party for more than a year.
The Clacton MP resigned and called a by-election in which he will run, but his main opponent is likely to be parody candidate Count Binface, after mainstream parties refused to participate.
Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice has insisted a donor at the heart of a row over the party’s finances comes from a “very successful aristocratic family” and the ongoing row is a “politically motivated smear”.
According to The Times, convicted fraudster George Cottrell’s mother, Fiona, made two £250,000 payments to Reform before the last general election in 2024, and also gave £1 million to Britain Means Business, which Mr Tice is a director of.
Subscribe here to get the latest updates from The Independent
Read MoreThe strange and surprisingly moving story behind Count Binface, the man taking on Farage
Farage vs Binface: Who is actually standing in Clacton by-election?
Of course I want to stop Nigel Farage – so I’ll be backing Count Binface
Andy Burnham makes ‘third time lucky’ joke as he nominates himself to be Labour leader
Who is Count Binface? Five things you need to know about Nigel Farage’s rival
Key Points
- Tice: I’ve known the Cottrell family for 50 years
- Labour says Reform faces 'legitimate questions' over donation probe
- Farage by-election confirmed for 13 August
- Analysis: Farage and the trap of boo-hoo theatrics – history tells us it won’t end well
Starmer declines to rule out resignation honours despite previous opposition
15:34 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has left the door open to putting forward a resignation honours list despite previously ruling out such a move.
With his time as Prime Minister almost at an end, Sir Keir refused to rule out issuing resignation honours, telling reporters: “We’ll look at it in the usual course of things.”
His statement was a marked difference from his position on the issue while leader of the opposition in 2023 amid a controversy over Boris Johnson’s own resignation honours list.
At the time, Sir Keir criticised Rishi Sunak’s decision to approve Mr Johnson’s honours list before MPs had ruled on whether he had lied to Parliament over the Partygate scandal.
Criticising Mr Sunak’s approval of the list, Sir Keir ruled out putting forward a similar list of his own if he ended up quitting after a stint in No10.
He told the BBC it was “very hard to justify” resignation honours, adding: “There are other avenues for that and I think it is easier to be clean about this and say no, I wouldn’t do it.
“Tony Blair didn’t do it and I wouldn’t do it.”
Could there be a second by-election in Clacton?
15:03 , Holly EvansNigel Farage is currently the subject of an investigation by Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg over whether his failure to declare the £5 million gift on becoming an MP in 2024 breached Commons rules.
That investigation was suspended on his resignation, but is likely to resume if he wins the by-election and returns to the Commons.
If he is found to have broken the rules and a suspension of more than 10 days is imposed, it could trigger a recall petition and the prospect of Mr Farage losing his seat, forcing a second contest.
Cap private political donations to restore trust in British democracy, think tank says
14:37 , Holly EvansA cap on private political donations would rebuild trust in British politics, a new report has argued.
Published by think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), the major report makes the case for a “radical overhaul” of the UK’s democracy through a new model of “democratic citizenship”, in response to a crisis of pride in the country and growing disillusion with the current political system.
It has proposed several reforms that it believes will rebuild trust in the UK’s political institutions and boost national unity.
Read the full article here:
Cap private political donations to restore trust in British democracy, report says
British public more likely to prefer Count Binface than Nigel Farage, poll shows
13:55 , Holly EvansA new poll has revealed that the British public are more likely to prefer Count Binface wins Clacton by-election than Nigel Farage
In a hypothetical forced choice head-to-head, 1 in 3 British adults (33 per cent) would prefer Count Binface to win the Clacton by-election, giving him a 12ppt lead over Farage (21 per cent). Statistics from YouGov showed that 32 per cent said neither, while 13 per cent don’t know.
Nearly 3 in 4 (74 per cent) state that the parliamentary standards commissioner should be investigating whether the Reform UK leader broke parliamentary rules.
Meanwhile, 73 per cent say investigation should continue even if Farage wins the by-election.
Commenting on the findings, Keiran Pedley, Research Director at Ipsos in the UK said: "Of course, it is the people of Clacton that will vote in the upcoming by-election and not the public overall.
“But the fact that just one in five Britons would prefer Nigel Farage win reflects how his personal poll ratings have fallen over the past year – even if Reform supporters remain very much behind him.
“Elsewhere in the poll we see strong support for parliamentary standards investigations continuing even if Mr Farage wins the by-election. Suggesting his assumed victory will not make these issues go away.”
Burnham facing backlash from UK Jewish leaders over Gaza comments
13:20 , Holly EvansAndy Burnham has been hit by backlash from Jewish leaders who say they have “significant concerns” over his indication he will oversee a tougher policy on Israel in support of Gaza.
The prime-minister-in-waiting issued a video on social media on Thursday in which he apologised for Labour’s previous response to the violence in Gaza, and admitted that the government had been too slow in calling for a ceasefire.
In the video, he said: “I know many people feel that at the start of Israel’s military action in Gaza, my party didn’t get it right – and I am sorry about that. The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better.”
While the statement has welcomed by many in the Labour party, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council expressed concern over the comments on Friday.
“We have been in touch with Andy Burnham’s team to convey directly our significant concerns in relation to his remarks yesterday,” the groups said in a statement.
Read the full article here:
Burnham facing backlash from UK Jewish leaders over Gaza comments
Watch: In The Room | Will Burnham make you richer?
13:00 , Holly EvansWhat Clacton’s history tells us about Farage’s by-election chances
12:45 , Holly EvansWhen Nigel Farage won the Clacton seat in the 2024 general election with 46.2 per cent of the vote, it was Reform UK's strongest performance nationwide.
This result saw him unseat the incumbent Conservative MP, Giles Watling, who garnered 27.9 per cent, while Labour trailed in third place with 16.2 per cent.
The Liberal Democrats and Greens secured 4.4 per cent and 4.2 per cent respectively, placing them considerably behind the main contenders.
The coastal Essex constituency of Clacton, established in 2010, boasts a colourful political history.
Its first MP, Conservative Douglas Carswell, famously defected from the Conservatives to the UK Independence Party (Ukip) in 2014, then under the leadership of Mr Farage.
Mr Carswell subsequently resigned his seat, triggering a by-election which he won for Ukip, increasing his majority.
He held the seat at the 2015 general election – the only constituency won by Ukip in the country – but left the party two years later after disagreements with colleagues, becoming an independent MP.
At the next general election in 2017, Douglas Carswell did not stand as a candidate in Clacton and the seat was won by Giles Watling for the Conservatives with 61.2 per cent of the vote, while the new Ukip candidate polled only 7.6 per cent.
Nigel Farage then announced early in the 2024 campaign that he intended to return to his job as Reform leader and that he would be the party’s candidate in Clacton.
Farage’s by-election stunt could see him consigned to the dustbin of history
12:30 , Holly EvansIt may be more than a coincidence that one of Kemi Badenoch’s advisers – an Australian strategist called Timothy Smith – worked for Sir David Davis in 2008 when he called a surprise by-election.
The Tory MP triggered a poll in his Haltemprice and Howden constituency in protest over then-prime minister Tony Blair’s plans to introduce 42 days of being able to hold terror suspects in detention without being charged.
In calling the by-election, Sir David had to resign from the Tory frontbench where he was shadow home secretary. But debate over the issue – which he saw as a major infringement of civil liberties – failed to catch fire when nobody serious stood against him.
Read the full analysis from our political editor David Maddox here:
Farage’s by-election stunt could see him consigned to the dustbin of history
When is the Clacton by-election and who is standing?
12:15 , Holly EvansNigel Farage’s by-election in Clacton is set to be boycotted by most major parties, after the Reform UK leader was accused of using the vote as a distraction.
The Reform UK leader announced he was quitting as an MP as questions mounted over his personal finances.
The Labour Party, the Tories, Liberal Democrats, Greens and Restore Britain have all said they will not stand candidates in the by-election, leaving independent candidates and Count Binface to contest it.
Read the full article here:
When is the Clacton by-election and who is standing in Farage’s clash with Binface?
Starmer pays tribute to Ann Widdecombe
11:58 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to Ann Widdecombe, calling her “a distinctive figure in British politics for many years”.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister was saddened to hear of the death of Ann Widdecombe.
“She was a distinctive figure in British politics for many years, and he pays tribute to the conviction and dedication with which she served her country.”
The strange and surprisingly moving story behind Count Binface
11:41 , Holly EvansWhen the residents of Clacton come to cast their votes in the newly announced by-election later this summer, it seems they will have a choice between two main candidates: a man with a habit of spouting (what is, to some) total rubbish and… a sentient bin.
This week, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage set out his plans to resign as the MP for Clacton and stand again for his seat, following a scandal over undeclared gifts, including £5m from the cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne, which is being investigated by the parliamentary standards commissioner.
His intention, he has said, is to be judged by his constituents rather than “the establishment”, arguing that he has done no wrong and that the probe is a “political tool”. His opponents, however, see this move merely as Farage’s latest attention-grabbing feat, a way to shift the focus away from the investigation, which will be suspended during his campaign.
Read the full analysis here:
The surprisingly moving story behind Count Binface, the man taking on Farage
Candidates for Clacton by-election to submit nominations by next week
11:30 , Holly EvansReform had originally hoped the vote would be held on August 6 but Tendring District Council announced the date would be a week later.
Potential candidates can submit their nominations from July 14-17 and residents of the Essex constituency not already on the electoral register have until July 28 to apply for a vote.
Acting returning officer Ian Davidson said: “The electoral timetable is set out by law and so we are bound by these dates.
“If residents want to have their democratic say then they must be registered, so anyone who wants to vote in the upcoming by-election should make sure they can by registering in time.
“You can register to vote online, or you can contact our team who will be happy to help you.
“I would also encourage people to check now that they have valid ID to enable them to vote at a polling station; and if they do not, then to apply for the free alternative Voter Authority Certificate.
“We want to make sure that everyone is still able to cast their vote next month.”
Farage by-election confirmed for 13 August
11:06 , Holly EvansThe by-election in Clacton triggered by Nigel Farage’s decision to quit and fight to regain his seat will be held on August 13, Tendring District Council has announced.
Starmer to start final week in office with trip to Paris
11:03 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer will begin what is likely to be his final full week in No 10 with a trip to Paris.
The Prime Minister will join allies of Ukraine for a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” on Monday before joining Bastille Day events on Tuesday.
The outgoing Labour leader has been criticised in office for the amount of time he has spent on diplomatic missions overseas, with critics labelling him “never here Keir”.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister will travel to Paris on Monday for a meeting of the coalition of the willing to discuss continued support for Ukraine’s defence.
“On Tuesday, he will join Bastille Day commemorative events with other leaders.”
The coalition of the willing is the initiative established by Sir Keir and French president Emmanuel Macron to bring together countries willing to provide security support to Ukraine if there is an end to the hostilities.
Sir Keir’s support for Volodymyr Zelensky’s country has been one of the main elements of his foreign policy during his time in office.
Suspended Labour MP says Starmer ran the Parliamentary Labour Party as if it was the CPS
10:44 , Holly EvansA suspended Labour MP has said he believes Andy Burnham will be a better prime minister than Sir Keir Starmer, saying he ran the parliamentary Labour Party “as if he was running the Crown Prosecution Service”.
Karl Turner said Sir Keir would “ignore” the PLP and “couldn’t really manage” bringing Labour backbenchers with him on key policies.
“I think the reason was he treated the Parliamentary Labor Party as if he was running the Crown Prosecution Service,” he said on LBC.
“He'd been the director of public prosecutions, and he expected the PLP to jump to his tune.
“There was very often very little pitch rolling, there was no discussion on policy. It was, you know, it's going to happen whether you like it or not.“Get on with it. If you don't like it, lump it type of attitude.”
Poll shows 73% of Brits think Nigel Farage is sleazy
10:28 , Holly EvansA new poll by YouGov has found that 73 per cent of Britons think Nigel Farage is sleazy, while 69 per cent say the same of his party.
With answers ranging from very sleazy to not sleazy at all, 56 per cent placed the Reform UK leader in the highest categroy, with an additional 17 per cent finding him ‘fairly sleazy’.
This compares with 36 per cent finding the same of Andy Burnham, and 34 per cent finding Tory leader Kemi Badenoch sleazy.
With Nigel Farage and other Reform figures coming under scrutiny over donations, 73% of Britons think Farage is sleazy, and 69% say the same of his party
— YouGov (@YouGov) July 10, 2026
Govts in general: 77% sleazy
2019-24 Tory govt: 75%
Nigel Farage: 73%
Reform UK: 69%
Current Labour govt: 61%
Tories since… pic.twitter.com/zdNcFHkZbE
Analysis: Burnham’s ally suggests he will borrow billions for defence - limiting his hand elsewhere
10:19 , Holly EvansAnalysis by Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, a key ally of Burnham, has said the next PM might look at “other options” to fund defence rather than move money from within existing government spending.
That has been widely seen as a hint he could increase borrowing, rather than raise taxes, to pay for it.
On Wednesday an unexpected source, Keir Starmer, appeared to suggest his successor should borrow billions more to cover the hole left for him in the government’s defence investment plan.
The move would solve one headache for the new PM - especially since Labour has already lost one defence secretary in protest at a lack of defence spending.
But it risks leaving him with less ‘headroom’, or room to deal with other problems and potential shocks that arise.
Ask John Rentoul anything: What is really going on with Farage’s Clacton by-election?
10:08 , Holly EvansWelcome to an exclusive Ask Me Anything session with me, John Rentoul, chief political commentator at The Independent.
To see the questions and my answers, scroll down. Make sure to press the “load more” button to read the full Q&A at 3pm.
John Rentoul Q&A: What is really going on with Farage’s Clacton by-election?
Tice: I’ve known the Cottrell family for 50 years
10:01 , Athena StavrouRichard Tice has said his family have known the Cottrell family for 50 years, as he insists Fiona Cottrell is a permissible donor.
According to the Times, he Metropolitan Police has been investigating £500,000 of donations to Reform UK for more than a year.Fiona Cottrell, the mother of Mr Farage’s longtime supporter George Cottrell, is reportedly at the centre of the investigation, the paper reported.
Reform UK’s deputy leader Mr Tice dismissed the reports as a “politically motivated smear campaign”.
“I’ve known the Cottrell family, my family have known the Cottrell family, and the broader Hesketh family for 50 years, a very successful aristocratic family,” he told Times Radio.
“And, you know, that's some, as far as I'm concerned, she's a permissible donor. And that's the end of it. And this is a politically motivated smear campaign by people who wish us ill.”
Labour party will 'wear our hearts on our sleeves' under Burnham, Nandy says
09:39 , Holly EvansCulture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the party would “wear our hearts on our sleeve” more than under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Mr Burnham requires just one more MP to nominate him to make it mathematically impossible for anyone to stand against him and Home Office minister Mike Tapp said he would back him when the Commons returns on Monday.
When MPs left Westminster on Thursday, Mr Burnham had the backing of 322 of the 403 Labour MPs.
The total means that there are still 81 Labour MPs left who could nominate another contender, the minimum needed to get on to the ballot, but Sir Keir and some other party office holders are unlikely to nominate anyone.
Even before nominations opened, Mr Burnham seemed almost certain to enjoy a coronation as the only declared candidate in the race to succeed Sir Keir, with him likely to take the party leadership at a special conference in a week’s time and then become prime minister on July 20.
Ms Nandy said: “No 10 for the North has attracted a lot of interest, but that really is about shifting the centre of gravity in the country, so that all parts of the country are seen and heard and are able to contribute.
“But the second thing that I think will be different is that I think we will wear our hearts on our sleeve more. I think people will see us taking the fight to any system that stands in the way of them living better lives.”
Ann Widdecombe issues Restore Britain warning in one of her final public appearances
09:23 , Holly EvansFarage claims he is facing 'the anti-Trump playbook' amid backlash over finances
09:08 , Holly EvansNigel Farage said he believed he was facing the “anti-Trump playbook” amid scrutiny over his finances.
It was put to the Reform UK leader on TalkTV that the US president had posted about “the sort of anti-Trump playbook playing out on you” after Mr Trump shared a link to an article on his Truth Social platform.
Mr Farage said: “Well, that’s what I believe, and that’s why I thought, let’s put it to the public.”
He said there should be a general election as well as a by-election as Andy Burnham will have “no mandate of any kind at all, and the pubic are pretty sick of this game of musical chairs that goes on in No 10.”
On other parties boycotting the by-election, he said: “No, I didn’t expect them all to act together the way they did, but as I say, they are the uniparty.”
Minister says Burnham could look at 'other options' to fund defence spending
09:00 , Holly EvansCulture Secretary Lisa Nandy suggested that Andy Burnham might look at “other options” to fund defence rather than move money from within existing government spending.
Her comments leave open the prospect of Mr Burnham hiking taxes or increasing borrowing to provide the money needed to meet the UK’s Nato commitments.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today that “there are choices in front of a new prime minister about how to fund” the increase in defence spending that is needed.
“One of those choices, which is the choice that Keir Starmer made, was to find that money from existing spending,” she said.
“There are other options available as well.
“I haven’t discussed it in any detail with Andy Burnham, but I know he will want to look at that and make his own choices about… how he thinks the best way to fund that is.
“What I’m absolutely convinced about, having known him well now for 17 years, is that whether we fund defence is not going to be a question. The question will be how.”
Burnham's government will be 'faster and bolder', minister says
08:46 , Holly EvansThe government will be “faster and bolder” under Andy Burnham than during Sir Keir Starmer’s time in No 10, a Cabinet minister said.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “I think there will be two things that will be different under Andy Burnham.
“The first is that it will be faster and bolder and he’s willing to think very differently about how we deliver that change.
“No 10 for the North has attracted a lot of interest, but that really is about shifting the centre of gravity in the country, so that all parts of the country are seen and heard and are able to contribute.
“But the second thing that I think will be different is that I think we will wear our hearts on our sleeve more. I think people will see us taking the fight to any system that stands in the way of them living better lives.
“And I really think, at the moment, at a time when trust in the power of government to change people’s lives is very weak, that that is an enormously important thing.”
Farage faces scrutiny over donations from convicted fraudster's mother
08:34 , Holly EvansBoth Nigel Farage and Reform are under mounting pressure over other reports about their finances.
Mr Farage faces questions about undeclared support provided by his long-standing ally George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster, following a Sunday Times investigation, while the Guardian suggested on Wednesday that bankers had raised concerns to the National Crime Agency through suspicious activity reports about at least four transactions involving senior Reform leaders.
These include the £5 million gift to Mr Farage and a £1 million donation from Mr Cottrell’s mother, Fiona, to Britain Means Business, described as a fundraising vehicle for Reform which deputy leader Richard Tice is a director of.
Mr Tice accused the NCA of leaking his and Mr Farage’s private information on Tuesday.
Minister condemns Rupert Lowe’s ‘revolting’ comments on Dunblane
08:29 , Holly EvansThe health secretary has condemned Rupert Lowe’s “revolting” comments on Dunblane, after the Restore Britain leader sparked outrage while appearing on the world’s biggest podcast.
The MP incorrectly claimed there was just “one murder” during the Dunblane massacre as he appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience during a media tour of the US.
Responding to the comments, government minister James Murray said the false claim was “insulting” and urged him to retract it.
“I think that's revolting to say that,” he told LBC. “I think it's it's awful for him to say that. It's disrespectful. I mean, I’ve been thinking about the the families of everyone who was killed in Dunblane.”
He added: “I think I wouldn't want to give Rupert Lowe any more you know airtime on this because I think it's insulting, and he should retract it.”
Farage and the trap of boo-hoo theatrics – history tells us it won’t end well
07:55 , Holly EvansWhat unfolded on 7 July was unexpected, even by Nigel Farage’s standards. After trailing a statement on his future in public life, he avoided saying anything meaningful. Instead, in a 15-minute speech straight out of the Trump playbook, he baselessly accused the media of harassment, dodged scrutiny around his donations, and avoided addressing any central questions about his political funding.
Something is clearly happening, and it was visible throughout the broadcast. Farage looked rattled, furious even, while his resignation suggests a panic he is desperately trying to gulp down.
But having run out of convincing answers, he has fallen back on the oldest trick in the book: flood the zone with chaos, turn your plight into a martyrdom circus by forcing a by-election.
Read the full analysis from Georgios Samaras here:
Farage and the trap of boo-hoo theatrics – history tells us it won’t end well
Minister says Labour was too slow to call for Gaza ceasefire
07:43 , Holly EvansJames Murray agreed with Andy Burnham that the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Asked whether he agreed with the prime minister-in-waiting, the Health Secretary told Times Radio: “I think that yes, by the time we called for a ceasefire, it was overdue.”
Mr Burnham told The Guardian: "I know many people feel that at the start of Israel's military action in Gaza my party didn't get it right and I am sorry about that. The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better.
"We've got to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government … Yes, we have taken some important steps … But let's be honest, the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire. And we must now do more to strengthen our approach."
Health secretary says he won't give 'running commentary' on Burnham conversations
07:33 , Holly EvansJames Murray said he would not get into “running commentary and conversations that I’m having with Andy or his team”, when asked whether he was speaking to prime minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham.
Asked how secure his job as health secretary was, Mr Murray told Times Radio: “As I said, I’m not going to give any running commentary, and any of those decisions are, of course, for Andy to take himself.”
Asked about Mr Burnham facing a potential grilling by the Parliamentary Labour Party next Monday, Mr Murray said: “I didn’t know that was happening but it’ll be interesting to go along and I think come together around Andy’s vision because some of the things that matter to me that Andy set out, his focus on devolution for instance.”
Labour says Reform faces 'legitimate questions' over donation probe
07:26 , Holly EvansLabour has accused Reform UK of taking the public “for fools” amid further questions about the party’s financial affairs.
Anna Turley, the Labour chairwoman, said there were “legitimate questions” for Reform leader Nigel Farage following reports in The Times that the Metropolitan Police has been investigating £500,000 donations to Reform UK for more than a year.
According to the newspaper, officers opened an inquiry into possible offences related to evading restrictions on donations at the 2024 election, either through concealing donations from an “impermissible” donor or using false information about a donation.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said the force had opened an inquiry in February 2025 following a referral by the Electoral Commission “relating to donations made to a political party ahead of the 2024 UK general election”.
The spokesperson said two people had so far been interviewed under caution and “early investigative advice” had been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service, but no arrests have been made.
Ms Turley said it was “right” that the police were investigating the matter, adding: “The British public know when they’re being taken for fools – if Nigel Farage could clear his name, he would have done it by now.”
A spokesperson for Reform UK said: “The British people are tired of the establishment media doing anything they can to stop Reform. A daily routine of hit jobs and smears will not deter us from winning the next general election and fixing broken Britain.“It’s now clear that the establishment will try anything to stop us.”
Former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe dies aged 78
07:09 , Holly EvansAnn Widdecombe, the former MP and MEP who also featured on Strictly Come Dancing, has died aged 78.
A statement from her management said: “It is with great sadness that today we announce the death of the Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe, DSG.
“We send our deepest condolences to Ann’s family and friends. We ask that the family’s wish not to be contacted at this sad time is respected.”
Miss Widdecombe was a Conservative MP between 1987 and 2010 for the Kent constituency of Maidstone, later Maidstone and the Weald, and held several ministerial positions in Sir John Major’s government.
She famously clashed with her Conservative colleague Michael Howard, when she was a Home Office minister and he home secretary, describing him as having “something of the night about him”.
Miss Widdecombe also faced flak for defending a policy of chaining pregnant prisoners to their beds.
A statement from Cloud9 Management, who represented her for more than a decade, said she would be missed “greatly”.
Burnham’s secret plot to get to No 10
07:00 , Jane Dalton
Burnham’s secret plot to get to No 10
Editorial: Burnham may regret promising to deport grooming gang leader
06:00 , Jane Dalton
Andy Burnham may regret promising to deport the Rochdale grooming gang leader
Key Burnham ally claims Starmer government was sexist
05:00 , Jane Dalton
Key Burnham ally claims Starmer’s government was sexist
No 10 defends Starmer picking new Labour peers
04:00 , Jane Dalton
Downing Street defends Starmer picking new Labour peers
Burnham signals tougher policy on Israel over Gaza – full report
03:00 , Jane Dalton
Burnham signals tougher policy on Israel over Gaza
Clacton by-election could take place on 13 August
02:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Clacton by-election could take place on 13 August after Reform UK chairman Lee Anderson formally moved the writ on Friday morning.
The party had said it would propose August 6 as the date but Tendring District Council, which will administer the election and decide the timetable, has not yet published the notice of election.
By-elections take place between 21 and 27 working days to allow the poll to be held on a Thursday, whenever the writ is moved.
Polling day must be no earlier than 17 working days after nominations close, and no later than the 19th day, suggesting that August 13 is the most likely date.
Jenrick: Farage thinks he is facing a 'kangaroo court'
01:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRobert Jenrick has said Nigel Farage concluded he was facing a “kangaroo court” and a “stitch-up,” adding that if a second by-election is triggered people will think “the establishment is persecuting this man”.
A caller on an LBC phone-in voiced concerns that a “political stunt” was taking place and that the people of Clacton would be left lacking support from their MP because “it’s by-election after by-election”.
Reform UK Treasury spokesman Mr Jenrick replied: “Well, I think the answer to that is let this be the final determiner of what happens to Nigel Farage. I mean, I quite agree with you that putting a constituency through by-elections over and over again becomes a complete farce. People are sick of it. They just want to get on with their lives, and so Nigel’s cut to the chase.
“He’s holding the by-election because it was inevitable there was going to be one. All the political party leaders have totally prejudged the situation.
“I don’t know if you saw… but Kemi Badenoch put out a tweet saying that they wouldn’t field the candidate in this by-election, but they would in the next one. Well, how does she know there’s even going to be another one?
“She’s obviously hoping, planning for there to be one, and so Nigel, not unreasonably, concluded that it’s a bit of a kangaroo court. It’s a stitch up. They’re going to call a by-election at some point. So for his sake, but also for his constituents’ sake, let’s just get it done. Let’s get it done in August. Let there be a judge. It’s a big gamble by him, but if he wins, then we can move on. And it would, I think, be completely ridiculous for there then to be another by-election later in the year.
“People really would then start to think the establishment are persecuting this man because they don’t want him to be prime minister because they don’t want the big radical change that he represents things to happen to this country, and I would say the change that the country needs right now.”
DWP hopes to save £1bn with disability car scheme reforms
Friday 10 July 2026 00:01 , Jane DaltonMinisters hope to save some £1 billion by 2030 through reforms to a scheme that helps disabled people to get cars.
The Motability scheme came under scrutiny last year as luxury brand vehicles such as BMWs and Mercedes were reportedly available through it.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves removed them from Motability at the Budget and now further measures set out in the autumn are coming into force.
Motability customers who make one-off advance payments for larger and more expensive cars will have to pay VAT and all new leases will now be covered by the insurance premium tax.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “Today’s changes are driven by the fairness that underpins this Government – fairness for the taxpayer, fairness for disabled people and fairness for the country.
“We’re saving £1 billion of taxpayer money by removing VAT relief from some new Motability leases whilst ensuring the scheme still supports disabled people’s mobility and independence.
“We’re building a fair welfare system and an economy that works for everyone.”
Robert Jenrick faces police probe over donation to Tory leadership campaign
Thursday 9 July 2026 23:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainMetropolitan Police have launched an investigation into a political donation of almost £40,000 made to Robert Jenrick’s campaign for the Conservative Party leadership.
The Newark MP, who unsuccessfully sought to succeed Rishi Sunak as Tory leader in 2024, has since joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, where he serves as Treasury spokesman.
The probe into the donation's origins follows a referral from the Electoral Commission, The i Paper reported.
Robert Jenrick faces police probe over donation to Tory leadership campaign
Watch: What do Nigel Farage’s Clacton constituents think about his resignation?
Thursday 9 July 2026 22:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainReform faces questions over donation probe, says Labour
Thursday 9 July 2026 21:42 , Jane DaltonLabour has accused Reform UK of taking the public “for fools” amid further questions about the party’s financial affairs.
Anna Turley, the Labour chairwoman, said there were legitimate questions for Reform leader Nigel Farage following reports in The Times that the Metropolitan Police have been investigating £500,000 donations to Reform UK for more than a year.
According to the newspaper, officers opened an inquiry into possible offences related to evading restrictions on donations at the 2024 election, either through concealing donations from an “impermissible” donor or using false information about a donation.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said the force had opened an inquiry in February last year following a referral by the Electoral Commission “relating to donations made to a political party ahead of the 2024 UK general election”.
The spokesperson said two people had so far been interviewed under caution and “early investigative advice” had been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service, but no arrests had been made.
Burnham 'deeply grateful to the 322 Labour MPs'
Thursday 9 July 2026 19:22 , Harriette BoucherAndy Burnham says he is “deeply grateful” for the backing of hundreds of Labour MPs today, who he claims share his belief that “Britain needs a new approach to politics”.
He said he wanted to “empower MPs to bring the experiences of their constituents into the heart of government, and harness the full breadth of our Labour movement, drawing on all its traditions and beliefs in pursuit of a common purpose.”
