I said it gives the impression the government and the state is not functioning - the police makes up part of the state.
26.10.2025 08:21
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I said it gives the impression the government and the state is not functioning - the police makes up part of the state.
When pressed on the fact he didn’t sound sure, McFadden says: “I don’t see why anyone should make that move and resign over this.”
Cabinet minister Pat McFadden asked if there could be government resignations over the plans to slash the welfare budget. He tells Sky News: “I don’t see why there should be. As the party of work, the party of labour, we want to do everything we can to support people who could work get into work.”
Government doubling down on the moral and economic case for cutting the welfare bill. Treasury minister Emma Reynolds tells Sky News that Labour “must reform the system according to our values”. She insists “there is dignity in work” and that “something has gone seriously wrong” under the Tories
UK govt response to US steel and aluminium tariffs is to keep calm and carry on. Treasury minister James Murray tells Sky News tariffs “have landed in the middle of negotiations” on trade deal with US and those negotiations are ongoing. He insists a trade agreement would eliminate tariffs for the UK
As clarification on Abu Wadee case - he is due to appear at Manchester magistrates court 10am today. The suggestion has been he cannot be deported as he is from Palestine - a live conflict zone. However Govt sources tell me they don’t know where Abu Wadee is from, so can’t rule out deporting him.
Meanwhile when shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith was asked if he was blaming the civil service, he said: “Yeah I’m blaming a system that needs fundamental reform.” - Completely different tone from Robert Jenrick who attacked Labour for this.
When asked why this issue wasn’t spotted before now Labour’s Matthew Pennycook tells Sky News: “I’m not going to speak for the individual civil servants that were in whatever particular meeting”.
NEW: Interestingly both Labour AND the Conservatives appear to be blaming the civil service for waving through the Sentencing Council’s guidelines saying it’s necessary to give minorities, pregnant women, trans people and young people pre-sentence reports.
Govt insiders insist Mahmood not aware of proposed changes until yday, and council’s guidance already asks judges to give *everyone* a PSR, so this change to guidance not needed. Govt ministers openly calling this “two-tier” sentencing looks like laying ground for an almighty fight with judiciary.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick tells Sky News the sentencing council must change its guidance or the law must be changed and the council’s independence should be looked at. He accuses Shabana Mahmood of either being “asleep at the wheel” or being in favour of the changes.
Govt disagrees and Justice Secretary has written to the council to ask them to change guidelines. (Sentencing council is independent so does not have to listen to govt)
Justice row rumbling on this morning- here’s lay of the land so far👇🏽
Sentencing Council is advising it is necessary that judges do pre-sentence reports (PSR) on the following people:
- ethnic, cultural and faith minorities
- transgender people
- adults age 18-25
- pregnant women
- mothers of babies
Despite a shiny announcement from Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood this morning on increasing the number of days crown court judges are sitting, she told Sky News this morning it wouldn’t be enough to bring down the courts backlog, and that she expects the backlog to increase even further.
Govt position remains unchanged regarding brokering peace in Ukraine. This is the Government response to US pausing aid to Ukraine:
Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko calls US pausing aid to Ukraine a “catastrophe” - “This means thousands of people will die.” He goes on to say: “Zelenskyy should do everything he can to get out of this”, including apologising, saying Zelenskyy should “think about not running again for president.”
NEW: UK Defence minister Luke Pollard has just told Sky News: “That’s not government policy”, in response to UK Ambassador Peter Mandelson saying Ukraine should be the first to commit to a ceasefire
👀
• Rejected claim that govt is doing this having been bounced into decision by Trump
• Healey called rare earth deal between Trump and Zelenskyy a matter for Ukraine and US but that anything that binds US into future of Ukraine is “a good step”, warning: “Talks have started but negotiations haven’t”.
NEW: Defence Secretary John Healey tells Sky News:
• Spending 2.5% of GDP on Defence is “ironclad” but wouldn’t give a specific year the uk would get to 3% if Labour wins the next election. He said it was to send “a signal to the US that Europe will do more of the heavy lifting”.
Conservatives win German election - as far-right AfD makes historic gains and Olaf Scholz's SPD collapses, projections show
Meanwhile the Conservative Party (CDU) claims victory in German elections, while the AfD surges to become to the second largest party.
The Home Office has announced sanctions on elites with known links to the Kremlin, expanding the criteria for excluding oligarchs from entering the UK.
Morning all… today marks three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Zelenskyy has said he would be willing to step down as leader if that is the price of lasting peace for his country.
PM response to Trump calling Zelenskyy a dictator and accusing Ukraine of starting war:“The Prime Minister expressed his support for Zelenskyy as Ukraine’s democratically elected leader and said that it was perfectly reasonable to suspend elections during war time as the UK did during World War II.”
Extraordinary interview conducted by Wilfred Frost on @news.sky.com with Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge👇🏽
Cartlidge urges Labour to increase defence spending and “get on with it” - but appears to be in denial about who’s been setting the defence budget for the past 14 years…
This is a fantastic chat with @mhariaurora.bsky.social from Sky News.
We tackle all the big questions.
What can the 'mainstream media' learn from Joe Rogan?
How should they cover Donald Trump?
How do you deal with angry taxi drivers?
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
A pleasure chatting to @matt-forde.bsky.social for this week’s episode of The Political Party podcast. We talk Westminster news broadcasting and the challenges of covering politics in 2025, Donald Trump, not fitting in, and my backup career if it all goes to pot! 🤪
open.spotify.com/episode/2aDe...
It has been an honour and a privilege to work with you @kayburley.bsky.social and to learn from the best in the business. From singing Tina Turner live on air, to eating sausage rolls and drinking champagne at 9am - mornings really won’t be the same without you 🤍
(I’m not crying, I promise!🥺😭)
When pressed on London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s opposition to the expansion of Heathrow and that he isn’t convinced it can be done within UK’s climate targets, she says: “I've got huge respect for Sadiq, but on this issue, I believe, I know that sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand-in-hand.” 🤔
NEW: Chancellor Rachel Reeves tells me on @news.sky.com she wants to see “shovels in the ground in this parliament” to build Heathrow airport’s third runway
