Texts show Team Corbyn opposed new party minutes after launch
Almost two years since October 7, and a day short of a year since the general election, she would lead a new political party with Jeremy Corbyn — one unafraid to provide muscular opposition to the 'genocide' in Gaza, Reform's hardening rhetoric on migration and, above all, Sir Keir Starmer.
'Join us,' she said. 'The time is now.'
In an instant, Sultana, a firebrand 31-year-old from Birmingham who, as a student, said she would 'celebrate' the death of Tony Blair, committed herself and her older comrade, Corbyn, not only to the political death of Starmer but a new era in Westminster.
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The Independent
16 minutes ago
- The Independent
Israel heads to Qatar for Gaza talks despite calling Hamas demands ‘unacceptable'
Israel will send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for proximity talks with Hamas over the latest Gaza ceasefire and hostage release proposal. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the talks despite calling Hamas 's proposed changes to the mediator-backed plan 'unacceptable', his office said. The prime minister's security cabinet held a meeting late on Saturday after Hamas said it had delivered a 'positive response' to the proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and was 'fully prepared and serious' about immediately entering a new round of negotiations. 'The changes that Hamas is seeking to make in the Qatari proposal were conveyed to us last night and are unacceptable to Israel,' Mr Netanyahu's office said in a statement on Sunday. However, it added: 'In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages - on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to - be continued. The negotiating team will leave tomorrow.' The US-led ceasefire talks have appeared to gain momentum ahead of Mr Netanyahu's visit to Washington. The Israeli prime minister is set to leave on Sunday to meet the US president Donald Trump, who has been pushing for a ceasefire. It remains unclear what specific changes Hamas has requested to the US-led ceasefire proposal. According to Al Jazeera, Hamas has made three core demands for amending the current ceasefire proposal: a long-term resolution to end the war after the 60-day pause, the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza without the involvement of the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory. The US plan envisages the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas, as well as the return of the bodies of 18 others, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and a halt to the bombing of Gaza. Mr Trump, who announced the 'final proposal' for a 60-day ceasefire, said that Israel had accepted the 'necessary conditions' to end the hostilities. He posted on Truth Social that he wanted to be 'very firm' with Mr Netanyahu during their talks and planned to issue a warning to Hamas. 'I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,' Mr Trump wrote. However, Mr Netanyahu is likely to face opposition within his own government, with some right-wing members demanding the complete destruction of Hamas. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, wrote on X on Saturday night that the Israeli military must reconquer the entire enclave, halt all humanitarian aid, and encourage the people of Gaza to emigrate. 'The only way to achieve victory and securely return our hostages is through the complete conquest of the Strip, a total cessation of 'humanitarian' aid, and the encouragement to emigration,' he said. 'I call on the prime minister to abandon the path of surrender and return to the path of victory.' Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa, the families and supporters of Israeli hostages held a massive anti-government rally to demand the release of their loved ones. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum demanded a comprehensive deal to end the war and the release of the remaining hostages. Some 50 of the 200 people taken captive during the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023 remain in Gaza. Israel believes some 27 of them are dead. In Gaza, weary Palestinians expressed cautious hope after Hamas gave a 'positive' response late on Friday. 'We are tired. Enough starvation, enough closure of crossing points. We want to sleep in calm where we don't hear warplanes or drones or shelling,' said Jamalat Wadi, one of Gaza's hundreds of thousands of displaced people, speaking in Deir al-Balah. Previous negotiations have stalled over Hamas demands for guarantees that further negotiations would lead to the war's end, while Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly pledged a 'total victory' over Hamas and has refused to withdraw from Gaza. 'Send a delegation with a full mandate to bring a comprehensive agreement to end the war and bring everyone back. No one must be left behind,' Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, told the weekly rally by relatives and supporters in Tel Aviv. Over 57,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, according to Gaza's health ministry, which is led by medical professionals employed by the Hamas government.
Glasgow Times
22 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Shona Robison urges Prime Minister to follow Scotland on taxation
Ms Robison said that if Labour had followed the Scottish model, where higher earners pay more tax, Labour would not be in the 'complete fiscal mess that they are in now.' Her comments come after Sir Keir Starmer's Government was forced into a last-minute climbdown in order for welfare legislation to pass its first parliamentary hurdle earlier this week. In a late concession on Tuesday evening, ministers shelved plans to restrict eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), with any changes now only coming after a review of the benefit. These changes are expected to put pressure on other parts of the Government's finances. Ms Robison said: 'People voted for a Labour government last year because they wanted change from the Tories – but after a year of attacks on the incomes of pensioners, the poor and the disabled, they are rightly wondering exactly what, if anything, is different. 'When Keir Starmer took office, he could have chosen to ask people on higher incomes to pay a little more in tax in order to protect public spending. 'Choosing instead to target the vulnerable is not leadership – frankly, it is political cowardice. 'If Keir Starmer had done in England what the SNP have done in Scotland with taxation, Labour would not be in the complete fiscal mess that they are in now. Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to rethink taxation (Lucy North/PA) 'After a year of mistakes, Labour needs a new direction – and they should look to Scotland. By asking people on higher incomes to pay a bit more in tax, we have ensured a majority of taxpayers pay less than they would elsewhere in the UK, and are able to unlock more spending for services like the NHS, as well as cut poverty by introducing a Scottish Child Payment, and ensure that everybody can benefit from important services like free tuition and free prescriptions.' She added: 'Labour used to tell Scotland that we didn't need independence and we just needed to get rid of the Tory government – but the last year has completely demolished that argument. 'No Westminster government will ever deliver the truly fair society which I believe the vast majority of people in Scotland want to live in – and that is why independence is the best future for Scotland.' Scottish Labour's economy, business and fair work spokesperson Daniel Johnson MSP said: 'SNP ministers have a brass neck to think they can lecture anyone after their atrocious financial mismanagement. 'The SNP use higher taxes on Scottish nurses and firefighters as a substitute for economic growth, waste billions on out-of-control prison and ferry projects, and have created multibillion-pound black holes in the public finances. 'Labour is delivering the largest funding settlement in the history of devolution, with £50 billion for Scotland's NHS, schools and public services this year alone. Despite that, the SNP are now gearing up to make cuts to fill their fiscal black hole. 'The SNP government has the money, they have the powers, but they are out of ideas, out of excuses and out of time. 'Next year, we have the chance to kick out this SNP Government that cannot be trusted with taxpayers' money.'
Telegraph
27 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Rayner's housing quango bosses spend thousands on hospitality and travel
Angela Rayner's housing quango has spent nearly a quarter of a million pounds on expenses for directors. Officials at Homes England have spent £240,000 on travel, hospitality, food, accommodation and office supplies since 2021. The revelation comes after Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, allocated £39 billion for affordable and social housing over the next 10 years in the spending review. Homes England, set up in 2018 to fund more affordable housing across England, will distribute 70 per cent of this money. The quango defended the spending as necessary for executives who travel for work and said there was a strict approvals process for expenses. Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager of the TaxPayers' Alliance, which obtained the data through Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, said: 'Taxpayers will be dismayed that Homes England bureaucrats are racking up more expenses. 'This is a clear example of a runaway quango. Rather than supporting the Government's new house-building targets, they are piling extra costs onto construction companies making new homes. 'If Labour want any chance of hitting their housing targets, ministers must get a grip on Homes England and focus on getting spades in the ground.'
