Leading former Tory Sir Jake Berry joins Nigel Farage's Reform UK
Sir Jake, who served as Tory chairman in Liz Truss' short-lived government, said his former party had 'lost their way' as he left the Conservatives.
Speaking to the Sun newspaper, the new Reform member added: 'Old Westminster politics has failed.
'Millions of people, just like me, want a country they can be proud of again. The only way we get that is with Reform in government.'
Sir Jake is the second former Cabinet minister in a week to join Reform, after ex-Welsh secretary David Jones announced he enrolled as a member.
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6 takeaways from the Senate's crypto market structure hearing
This story was originally published on Banking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Banking Dive newsletter. Following the May release of the CLARITY Act, the House of Representative's market structure bill to establish a cryptocurrency regulatory framework, the Senate Banking Committee met with industry leaders Wednesday to discuss how the Senate would craft its own framework. Here are six takeaways from the hearing. Countries like the U.K., Japan and Singapore are implementing bespoke digital asset frameworks, as the U.S. has fallen behind, Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger said. '[W]e must view establishing a federal regulatory framework as a national priority,' Mersinger said. 'Digital assets and blockchain technology are revolutionizing financial services, supply chains, and digital identity. The country that leads on this policy will set global norms and unlock enormous economic and strategic benefits. The United States should be that leader, and this is our moment to lead.' Mersinger noted that regulating the industry with the laws already in place has 'created ambiguity,' thus limiting innovation and pushing changemakers to other jurisdictions with clearer crypto rules. She also noted that traditional bank regulations are not fit for purpose for digital assets or the blockchain, as they're meant for centralized intermediaries – 'and that's not what we're dealing with here.' 'Without thoughtfully crafted rules for the road, we risk stifling innovation, leaving American consumers without proper safeguards and protections, and ceding leadership in a sector that will define the future of global finance and technology,' she said. In his opening statement, committee Chair Sen. Tim Scott, R-SC, said that Senate Republicans recognize 'the need to clarify and clearly define what is a commodity and what is a security and how digital assets can trade and be custodied in a way that fosters innovation while protecting investors.' Mersinger asserted that regulators must recognize that digital assets are not securities. 'Code is not a security,' she said. Timothy Massad, former chairman of the CFTC and former assistant secretary of the Treasury Department, implied that the discussion is broader than that. 'This is a technology. It's not an asset class. It will be used in many ways, including in tokenizing securities,' Massad said. 'Whether something in digital form is a security, a commodity, or neither, cannot be easily defined by a paragraph or two in a statute,' he said. 'It depends on what the token represents, whether there is an issuer, whether the transaction is one in which capital is being raised, and so forth.' Additionally,the technology and its use cases are rapidly evolving, 'so we should not lock in definitions that will prove obsolete soon,' he said. Americans lost more than $9 billion to crypto scams last year, up 66% from the previous year, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics cited by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the committee's ranking member. Additionally, 'terrorist organizations demonstrated increased sophistication in their use of cryptocurrency, turning to unhosted wallets, mixers, and privacy coins like Monero,' according to TRM Labs, which Warren also cited. But 'the data shows that more illegal activity still happens with cash than with crypto,' according to Scott, potentially referring to 2024 Treasury data that found 'the use of virtual assets for money laundering remains far below that of fiat currency.' 'Criminals use cash-based money laundering strategies in significant part because cash offers anonymity. 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Warren called out President Donald Trump personally for his myriad dealings in the crypto industry, including issuing his own memecoin, having a portfolio of crypto investments, and (for his sons) owning a bitcoin mining company. According to Chainalysis, Trump and his associates made more than $320 million on fees from the $TRUMP memecoin, Warren cited. 'If Congress passes a bill creating a new federal regulatory framework for the crypto market, what will happen to the crypto market? Is it likely to grow?' Warren asked Richard Painter, a former chief White House ethics lawyer. 'It will grow substantially,' he said. 'And what will that do to the value of President Trump's memecoin?' Warren asked. 'It will make him very rich, even richer than he already is,' Painter said. Painter also took aim at lawmakers mulling crypto legislation after receiving hefty campaign donations from crypto firms. He'd recently tweeted that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, who co-sponsored the stablecoin legislation that preceded the GENIUS Act, had received $217,000 in campaign donations from crypto firms. The president having an outsized role in digital assets and Congress members receiving campaign contributions from the crypto industry and voting on the bill will lead to 'a lack of confidence in our regulatory system,' Painter said. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-DE, asked Painter about the risks of Congress moving too quickly on crypto legislation without a clear understanding of market consequences. 'The risk is that we repeat the experience of regulating the banks in the 1920s and the depression that followed, 10 years of depression,' Painter said. 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Bradford Council has 'nothing to hide' in grooming enquiry
BRADFORD Council has 'nothing to hide' and will fully co-operate with a national review into grooming gangs, councillors have been told. This week, the Council met for the first time since the announcement of a national review into grooming was announced by Government. At the meeting, both the Conservative and Labour groups put forward motions supporting the national review. Before the motions were debated, Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe assured councillors that the authority would co-operate fully with the review, and hand over un-redacted documents. In a question and answer session, Liberal Democrat Leader on the Council, Brendan Stubbs highlighted news articles on reports into grooming incidents in Greater Manchester being heavily redacted – and fears that this could hinder the national review. Cllr Stubbs said: 'Can you assure us that Bradford Council will only redact what is totally necessary and not hinder victims from getting the justice they deserve?' Cllr Hinchcliffe said: 'Given our history on this subject we've been very open on it over the years. Anyone coming in can see whatever we've been doing. I sent all reports we've done unredacted to the Home Secretary, so we've got nothing to hide here.' Presenting the Conservative motion, Conservative Leader Rebecca Poulsen said: 'Sadly for decades the abuse and rape of children, many of whom were in the care of the local authority has gone on, with many who should have been protective turning their backs or being unwilling to prevent the abuse to them. 'Social workers, police, children's home staff, many people who should have believed victims let them down. Many children were blamed and called child prostitutes. It is truly appalling. "Some stepped up when they saw what was happening like Ann Cryer, the MP for Keighley and Ilkley, but she was vilified and called a racist by the Labour party for raising this.' She pointed out that current Keighley MP Robbie Moore has called for a national enquiry for years, but that both the Labour leadership in Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin had said it was not needed. Referring to the fact that the Council has said it will support the recently announced inquiry, Cllr Poulsen said: 'About time. We welcome your U turn, but you have broken your trust with the victims I have spoken to. I welcome the U turns, but what message does it send to the victims?' Councillor Rebecca Poulsen (Image: T&A) She said it was clear that men of Asian ethnicity were 'overrepresented' in grooming cases, according to the review. Her motion called for Bradford to support the enquiry in any way it could. Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: 'Child sexual exploitation is a terrible crime and has a long lasting impact on its victims. 'Anyone who has spoken to victims know how appalling and brutal the perpetrators are. The victims should have been protected and loved, not tortured in this way.' She said it was clear they had been let down, because this was the finding of numerous reviews on this issue that had been published by the Council. Cllr Hinchcliffe added: 'These reviews made for stomach churning reading.' She told members the way the Council and police dealt with CSE was now vastly different from a few years ago. Cllr Hinchcliffe said the Conservatives like carrying out reviews but 'then don't do anything with their findings.' She was referring to the Jay report into grooming, which cost over £184m over seven years. One of the recommendations of that report were implemented by the previous Government. She said: 'We've apologised for what happened in the past and I have apologised on behalf of people in the chamber now and previously, because it wasn't the people that you see here who were in charge at that time – I think you know full well Cllr Poulsen that we all bear responsibility for the past, and its beholden on all of us to not bring politics into this. 'Never in all the years I have been leader have I been asked by any Councillor to cover up such a crime, all communities condemn this crime.' Deputy leader Councillor Imran Khan said: 'There is a no more abhorrent crime that we will ever talk about in this Council chamber. 'Every community finds this crime abhorrent.' Councillor Ralph Berry (Lab, Wibsey) is one of the longest standing councillors in the chamber. He said he was a probation officer in family courts in the past. He said: 'The terminology people would use in the past would turn your stomach.' He said in the past he had sat in meetings where police spoke about children who are now considered victims 'making choices.' Things were now taken much more seriously by police, he said.
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Donald Trump and the Scots: A not-so special relationship
The Donald Trump who came to Scotland in 2006 to say he was building the world's greatest golf course was in many ways a different Donald Trump to the one now enjoying his second term in the White House. Back then he was a brash hotelier, perhaps best known for hosting the US version of The Apprentice and his brief cameo in the 1992 film, Home Alone 2. The President Trump who returns to Scotland later this month has often spoken of his affection for the country where his mother was born and says he built the course on the Menie Estate at Balmedie in Aberdeenshire in her memory. But two decades on, few Scots return that affection. That's not usually the case when it comes to US presidents and their ancestral ties this side of the Atlantic. Immigration is a huge part of the American experience and US presidents have a strong tradition of acknowledging their family roots in the old world. Police preparing for Donald Trump to visit Scotland Scotland 'hoodwinked' by Trump, says former aide Trump says 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland John F Kennedy and Joe Biden kept their Irish ancestry central to their personal and political identities and both enjoyed hugely successful trips to Ireland. President Kennedy is said to have described his 1963 visit as the best four days of his life. In 2023, Joe Biden made a triumphant tour of the country, speaking to tens of thousands in his ancestral home town of Ballina in County Mayo. He declared "I'm at home" when he addressed the Irish Parliament and even found time to visit a pub in County Louth. Designed to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the trip was seen as a huge success and clearly meant a great deal to both Biden and the Irish. It's almost impossible to imagine the same thing happening with President Trump in Scotland. To be fair, Scottish links to the White House are historically less well-known and celebrated. Yet according to the National Library of Scotland, 34 out of the 45 presidents have Scottish ancestry. These include George Washington, William McKinlay, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. And Trump is more Scottish than any of them. His mother was a Gaelic speaker, born and raised in Lewis in the Western Isles, who moved to America aged 18 in 1930. Mary Anne MacLeod Trump was said to have retained her native accent throughout her long life (she died aged 88 in 2000), and visited Lewis regularly enough that many there remember her well. All this would normally be cause for celebration. But it's a reflection of Trump's personality and reputation that his relationship with the Scots has been largely antagonistic. A recent opinion poll suggested seven in 10 Scots had an unfavourable opinion of the president. I've been covering the story of Trump in Scotland since 2006 and have come to realise that to understand the relationship between the two you have to start with him flying in to Scotland with that grand plan to pay tribute to his beloved mum. There had been a few months of speculation before Trump confirmed his plans in March 2006. He said he'd been looking to build a links golf course in Europe for years. "My preference was Scotland over any other country, because I am half Scottish - my mother, Mary MacLeod, is from Stornoway," he said. "When I saw this piece of land I was overwhelmed by the imposing dunes and rugged Aberdeenshire coastline. I knew that this was the perfect site. "The complex will cover a large area of sand dunes. I have never seen such an unspoilt and dramatic seaside landscape, and the location makes it perfect for our development." There's a certain irony there. The unspoilt nature of those dunes at Balmedie would become central to the reaction which grew up against Trump. Some of the land he bought was under protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The shifting sand dune system along that stretch of coast north of Aberdeen was regarded as one of the finest examples of its kind in the UK. What followed was a protracted and often bitter planning dispute that went all the way to the heart of the Scottish government. The conservation agency Scottish Natural Heritage had warned a planning inquiry that the development would seriously damage the SSSI. The local council turned down the development, but permission was later granted by Scottish government ministers on the basis that the potential economic benefit would outweigh any environmental harm. The development went ahead in the face of protests from environmental groups and calls for professional golfers not to attend the official opening in 2012. In 2020, it was announced the dunes at Balmedie had lost their SSSI status. The dunes are now said to not include enough special features. Trump International described the move as "highly politicised". The long-running environmental dispute probably turned many against the Trump plans. But there was also a human story developing and this really captured the public's imagination. Quite quickly in the development process, Trump became involved in a public fight with two of the site's neighbours. Michael Forbes and David and Moira Milne own properties next to the Trump course. They declined to sell their land and the tycoon went on the offensive. On one visit he was filmed looking up at the Milnes' home - actually a rather striking converted coastguard station which sits high on a hill overlooking the course - saying "I want to get rid of that house". He was told by an employee that this could cause a "bit of stir" and replied: "Who cares? We are going to build the greatest golf course in the world, this house is ugly." Trump also accused local farmer and salmon fisherman Michael Forbes of living in a "pig-like atmosphere". Mr Forbes and the Milnes became folk heroes to Trump's critics. The Milnes flew a Mexican flag outside their home in a protest against plans to build a wall on the southern US border. Speaking on a US comedy show in 2017, Mr Forbes branded the president a "clown", adding: "The only regret I have is I didn't knock him on his arse when I met him". It should be said many welcomed Trump's interest in Scotland, especially at the start. He enjoyed the qualified support of Jack McConnell and Alex Salmond's governments. The sort of inward investment he promised doesn't come along every day. The former head of the economic agency Scottish Enterprise, Jack Perry, later described being "profoundly dismayed" when councillors turned down the planning application. Speaking to BBC Scotland for a documentary I made with my colleague Glenn Campbell in 2017, he said: "I found it hard to credit. You're saying, 'No' to Donald Trump? Remember, this is before he was involved in politics and had the kind of toxic brand that he has now." Local chambers of commerce, business leaders and many councillors backed the project. Stewart Spence, who died earlier this year, ran the luxury Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen for more than 40 years. As an influential business leader in the city, he was an early supporter of Trump and his plans, recognising the potential value for the local economy. Speaking in 2017, he said: "I knew that this was a man that wouldn't do anything unless it was the best in the world. And that was always what he was known for." The two became friends, with Trump gifting him membership at the club. Trump was made a business ambassador by Jack McConnell in 2006 and awarded an honorary degree by Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University four years later. All of these can be easily justified by the need to do business with powerful business and political leaders. And there are those today advocating for better relations with Donald Trump. Writing in The Times newspaper ahead of the recent UK-US trade deal, the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar argued: "President Trump's affinity for Scotland is real, regardless of what people think of his politics. "His family's investments in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire are real and significant. They have created jobs, attracted tourism, and demonstrated that Scotland remains an attractive destination for global investment. "I am sure at times they have felt frustrated at doing business in Scotland, but the potential benefits of having the president of the United States as an advocate for others to invest in Scotland should be obvious." But many at the top of Scottish politics turned away from Trump years before he won the 2016 election. In 2012, he travelled to the Scottish Parliament to argue against a wind farm being built in the North Sea, within sight of his development. He went on to fight a court action against the plans. And when he lost, he turned his ire on Scotland's politicians, especially ministers. The man who had once called Salmond "a tremendous representative of the people of Scotland" who had done "a fantastic job", now said, "You're going to have riots all over Scotland, because Alex Salmond is going to destroy the natural beauty of Scotland". The economic benefits of the Aberdeenshire golf course - which had tipped the argument for ministers - also came into question as the years passed. Trump promised a £1bn project creating hundreds of jobs. According to an investigation by BBC Scotland in 2024, the latest accounts showed the facility has a net book value of £33.2m and 81 employees. In addition to the golf course, the original proposal also included approval for a 450-room hotel, 950 holiday apartments, 36 golf villas and 500 houses for sale. None of these elements, and the thousands of new jobs promised, have materialised. The golf resort had yet to turn a profit, racking up £13.3m in losses since it opened. President Trump is expected to open the second course at the site while on his latest visit. He's also likely to visit the Trump Turnberry resort in Ayrshire. Bought in 2014 for $60m, at its centre is the Ailsa course with its rich history of hosting the Open Championship. In the wake of the Washington riots in 2021, the organisers of The Open announced that it would not be held at Turnberry as long as its links to the Trump Organisation remain. In recent months, there have been suggestions this may change. Turnberry has became the focus of many of the protests against Trump throughout his presidency and beyond. It's where the late comedian Janey Godley was pictured holding a very blunt placard and buildings on the course have been the subject of recent vandalism in protest at the president's comments on Gaza. Trump's low regard among most Scots remains a live issue. If anything, his return to the White House has energised his critics and his name on Scottish businesses gives them a focus for their anger. As Scotland gets ready for Trump's return, there are concerns about the cost of policing such a high-profile occasion, and talk of further public protests. So what will all this mean when the president flies into Scotland later this month? Donald Trump has an almost unparalleled talent for courting controversy, getting into fights and provoking his opponents. It would be a stretch to imagine he cares very much whether people turn out and protest his visit. As someone who thrives on all kinds of publicity he might, in fact, welcome it. It would be even more of a stretch to believe angry Scots hitting the streets to march against him will change his mind on anything. People will likely protest and, though he has his supporters and those who believe Scotland ought to make more of the connection, the voices raised against him will probably be the loudest across the days he spends in his mother's homeland. But the last 20 years suggest he won't necessarily be listening. Craig Williams produced and directed the documentary Donald Trump: Scotland's President for BBC Scotland in 2017.
