Keir Starmer suspends Labour MPs over ‘persistent breaches of party discipline' after welfare rebels humiliated PM
The PM swung the axe just days before MPs break for the summer, in a clear move to stamp his authority on the party after a string of rebellious flare-ups.
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The exact number of suspensions is expected to be confirmed later this afternoon — but sources told The Times the decision follows repeated run-ins with the rulebook.
One senior Labour figure said the rogue MPs had been warned multiple times before finally being stripped of the whip.
The suspensions come after Sir Keir was forced into an embarrassing U-turn on benefit reforms, after facing a mutiny from his own backbenchers.
Rumours are swirling that the MPs could be plotting to jump ship and join a new party reportedly being set up by former Labour boss Jeremy Corbyn and MP Zarah Sultana.
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Daily Mirror
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Keir Starmer to sign off major new trade deal in boost to UK firms and shoppers
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet Indian PM Narendra Modi on Thursday to rubberstamp a trade deal, which is expected to add around £4.8billion to the UK economy each year Keir Starmer will sign off a major trade deal to make it easier for British firms to sell goods like whisky, cosmetics and cars to India. The Prime Minister will meet Indian PM Narendra Modi on Thursday to rubberstamp the pact, which will add around £4.8billion to the UK economy each year. The agreement will slash tariffs on trade between the UK and India, making it easier for UK firms to export and potentially offering cheaper prices to shoppers. India's average tariff on UK products will drop from 15% to 3%, so it is cheaper for British companies to sell goods to the Indian market. Whisky producers will see tariffs slashed in half from 150% to 75%, and duties are expected to fall further to 40% over the next ten years. Tariffs on British cars will fall from 110% to 10% under a quota system, and other industries including soft drinks and cosmetics are also expected to see cheaper duties. In return, the UK is expected to reduce tariffs on imports from India, which is likely to mean lower prices for British shoppers on clothing, footwear, and food. The deal is being billed as a major win for Britain amidst the chaos triggered by Donald Trump's trade tariffs. As one of the world's largest economies, India has long been a target for Brexiteers keen to show the benefits of leaving the European Union. Boris Johnson began negotiations in 2022 but failed to deliver on his boast that he would get a deal "done by Diwali'. His Tory successors Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak also struggled to make progress, with stumbling blocks including Indian tariffs on Scotch whisky and visa rules. The agreement is the most significant bilateral trade deal since the UK left the EU, as India is the UK's 11th largest trading partner, with trade of goods and services worth around £42.6bn last year. It is expected to boost that trade by an additional £25.5bn a year by 2040, and drive up British exports by another £15.7bn. The Prime Minister said: 'Our landmark trade deal with India is a major win for Britain. It will create thousands of British jobs across the UK, unlock new opportunities for businesses and drive growth in every corner of the country, delivering on our Plan for Change. "We're putting more money in the pockets of hardworking Brits and helping families with the cost of living, and we're determined to go further and faster to grow the economy and raise living standards across the UK." The deal is expected to create another 2,200 jobs across the country and attract £6 billion investment by British and Indian businesses, according to the Government. Some Indian and British workers will also gain from a three-year exemption from social security payments, to stop them from being forced to pay twice if they are temporarily transferred abroad. The UK has similar deals with countries like the USA, Canada and the EU. The deal does not include any change to UK immigration policy, including for Indian students, which had previously been a sticking point. William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "The signing of this agreement is a clear signal of the UK's continuing commitment to free and fair trade. It will open a new era for our businesses and boost investment between two of the world's largest economies. 'Currently around 16,000 UK companies are trading goods with Indian companies, and there is high interest in our Chamber Network to grow that. This deal will create new opportunities in the transport, travel, creative and business support sectors alongside traditional strengths in finance and professional services." The PM and his Indian counterpart are also expected to discuss bolstering joint efforts to tackle illegal migration and organised crime. Mr Modi is expected to meet King Charles on his two-day visit.
The Sun
11 minutes ago
- The Sun
Outrage as luxury £425 a night hotel paid for by YOU taken over to house asylum seekers in ‘insult to law-abiding Brits
BRITAIN'S borders fiasco worsened last night when the Home Office took over a four-star hotel that costs tourists up to £425 a night. Rooms at the Britannia International, which boasts 'superb views over London', are being readied for asylum seekers at taxpayers' expense in anticipation of a summer surge in Channel crossings. 7 7 The move was last night branded an 'insult'. Residents and business owners said they fear for their safety, and that it would attract protests. A demo was held there on Tuesday and yesterday police guarded the hotel, while a fence had been thrown up around its entrance. Workers hauled beds inside, as Tower Hamlets Council confirmed it would be used for migrants — and said they should get the 'full package of support'. Britannia Hotels has hailed its biggest and flagship residence — as a 'modern, glass-fronted building close to the internationally famous business district'. When open to the public, a standard room can cost as much as £425 a night. They are said to have 'superb views over London'. The hotel offers two restaurants and bars, making it the 'perfect base for a city break'. Amenities include a games room with a pool table and gym. It is unclear if migrants will be allowed to use them. An indoor pool and sauna are thought to have been shut down. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told The Sun: 'It is outrageous that the Government is splurging taxpayers' hard-earned money on luxury hotels for illegal immigrants when most people in this country would struggle to afford a hotel in central London. 'This is one of the most luxurious hotels people can only dream of staying in, right in the heart of London's financial centre. 'No wonder illegal immigrants are flooding across the channel in record numbers when this weak Labour government welcomes them with hotel accommodation funded by hard-working taxpayers. 'This is an insult to law-abiding citizens. 'The Government must urgently act to deport every single illegal arrival, then the crossings would rapidly stop but Keir Starmer is too weak to do this.' Susan Hall, Tory leader in London's City Hall, added: 'It's incredible that four-star hotels like this are being used to house migrants. 'This move will damage every small firm in Canary Wharf trying to survive. 'Women and children, I can tell you, don't feel safe around these hotels in London. 'It shows things are getting worse and worse for hard-working Brits, who are trying to keep their families going. 'This is the damage it is doing to society, and I think it is going to cause a really serious problem.' Some 23,534 migrants have already arrived on small boats this year — 48 per cent higher than this time in 2024. Sources indicated the International will remain empty until necessary, with the Home Office striking a deal to rent 400 rooms for £81 a night. It means the weekly bill for the hotel could be up to £226,800 if every room is used. Yesterday labourers were seen carrying mattresses into the hotel shortly after 8am. A team flanked by private security also brought in metal bed frames and a pallet of orange juice and food. It is thought agency staff have been drafted in to run it, with existing contractors let go. A cleaner and mum of two arrived for her last shift yesterday and said: 'I don't think it's right that I and all the staff have been given redundancy letters. 'We are taxpayers and have done nothing wrong. 'Now we will struggle to make ends meet. 'We are gutted.' On Tuesday 150 anti-migrant activists protested outside the International until 9pm. Just five took part in a counter protest. Some flocked there amid false rumours circulated by far-right thug Tommy Robinson that migrants had arrived there from the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex — also the scene of demos. Around 50 cops were drafted in to Canary Wharf, with no arrests. 7 7 Reform's chief whip Lee Anderson was at the International demo and said he was 'absolutely furious' at the hotel's closure. The MP added: 'This hotel here — it must cost a couple of hundred quid a night to stay there. 'Most normal people in this country would not be able to afford to stay here for a weekend, but we have illegals coming here.' Yesterday local homeowners told of their fears that a migrant hotel would tank property values. Software engineer Matt, who declined to give his surname, said: 'The houses here go for £1million, though probably not any more. 'I'm really worried about house prices going down. 'Now seems a bad time to sell up.' Mary, 58, who lives five minutes away, fumed: 'This used to be the best place in the world but it's gone to the dogs. 'I struggle on my pension. 'I paid taxes all my life. And they are in a four-star hotel?' It is thought there are 210 asylum hotels in the UK. It is important that the Government ensures that there is a full package of support for those staying at the hotel The council Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper have pledged to cut their use entirely by 2029. The Britannia Hotel group was approached for comment. It has a portfolio of 64 UK hotels and is a major provider of asylum accommodation. A cost-cutting drive has seen the average price of a migrant hotel room fall to £118.87, down from £162.16 in March 2023. Last month we told how the annual asylum support bill of £4.7billion was equivalent to the annual taxes forked out by a city the size of Manchester. Tower Hamlets Council said: 'We are aware of the Government's decision to use the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. 'It is important the Government ensures there is a full package of support for those staying at the hotel. 'We are working with the Home Office and partners to make sure that all necessary safety and safeguarding arrangements are in place.' The Home Office said: 'We inherited a broken asylum system from the Tories with costs spiralling out of control. 'As part of the plan to restore order and close all asylum hotels by the end of the parliament, we are boosting border security, substantially increasing removals of those with no right to be here. 'We are also tackling the Tories' wasteful contracts by ending the use of more expensive accommodation and moving to cheaper options.' 7 7 7
Daily Mail
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Serious Fraud Office under fire after Hayes Libor conviction is quashed by the Supreme Court
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) faced intense criticism yesterday after the Supreme Court quashed the convictions of traders Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo for Libor rate rigging. Hayes and Palombo were jailed for manipulating the Libor benchmark rate to benefit their own trading positions. But yesterday Britain's highest court ruled that the judge in Hayes' case had misdirected the jury in a way that effectively removed from them the ability to consider his defence. 'That was an error,' it said. Palombo's conviction was unsafe for similar reasons. And it could pave the way for seven others convicted of similar offences to be cleared. For Hayes, who was convicted in 2015 and spent five-and-a-half years in jail – destroying his career and marriage – it completes a decade-long fight for justice. And the case raises serious questions about the SFO after setbacks in other major cases including prosecutions involving executives at Tesco, G4S and Serco. Tory MP David Davis, who backed the traders, said: 'This is a major scandal in which traders were made scapegoats for the sins of the financial crisis. 'Lives ruined, families torn apart, careers and reputations destroyed and of course for Tom and Carlo, loss of liberty. Their cases serve as yet another example of a justice system gone badly wrong.' Davis claimed the SFO was part of a 'scapegoating exercise' also including the banks and the City regulator. Karen Todner, Hayes' solicitor, said: 'The SFO failed spectacularly. The result destroyed people's lives who frankly did not deserve it.' Todner called for a public inquiry and said the right of bodies such as the SFO as well as the Post Office and the RSPCA to prosecute individuals should be removed. 'The dual role of the SFO as investigator and prosecutor creates a substantial conflict of interest which creates miscarriages of justice,' she added. 'It should be disbanded. I think they really failed as a team.' Hayes said: 'The behaviour of the SFO is shocking. The SFO is a conflicted organisation that's not fit for purpose. It's got a history of criminalising the non-criminal.'
