Reform UK’s Nigel Farage swiped at MPs during a lively Commons session, in which he unveiled a proposal to take Britain out of the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights).
Citing a series of cases in which British rule has been overridden by the Strasbourg court, Mr Farage was making his point while MPs sought to shout him down.
Liberal Democrat MPs were particularly shouty, and Mr Farage quipped he had “never seen so many of them”, a remark which only served to draw a louder response.
The Reform UK head honcho repeatedly slapped down MPs, telling them not to “shake their heads” and asking “what is wrong” with them as he made his point.
Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey was able to deliver a response upon the conclusion of Mr Farage’s statement, in which he accused the Reform UK man of being deeply “un-British”.
“This is about sovereignty”, said Mr Farage.
“It’s about our voters being able to choose the future course and direction of our country. This is why this matters.”
FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY…
Nigel Farage’s speech on ECHR ‘totally misrepresents’ convention – Ed Davey
Ed Davey said Nigel Farage’s speech on the ECHR ‘totally misrepresents’ the convention
|
POOL
Responding to Nigel Farage’s proposals to leave the ECHR, Sir Ed Davey said: “The speech we have just heard totally misrepresents the European Convention and the proposer’s failure to mention the huge benefits and rights the European Convention has brought to millions of British people says it all.
“For those attracted by the argument we have just heard, let me give them one strong reason to think again.
“Russia, under Vladamir Putin, is the only country to have withdrawn from the European Convention on Human Rights. Maybe that is what attracts the honourable gentleman for Clacton to it – after all he said that Putin is the world leader he most admires.”
Nigel Farage: ‘ECHR is completely outdated’
Presenting his 10 minute Bill in the House of Commons, Nigel Farage said: “We do not believe, I do not believe that it is right that when it comes to controlling our borders, when it comes to who should be able legally to live, work and settle in this country or indeed who should not be allowed to stay in this country, for this to be under the remit firstly of judges in Strasbourg who by the way are jurists…and secondly under the political control of judges in this country who now can make their own interpretation of what we have understood for many, many years to be British common law.”
He added: “We go on of course to horrendous stories, particularly under Article 8 – the right to a family life. Well – whose family? The families of British people?
“Or the families of those who have come into Britain in some cases illegally and then been waved through. Some of it is disgusting beyond belief.”
He went on to say the ECHR was “completely outdated”.
Nigel Farage heckled while presenting 10 minute rule bill in House of Commons
Nigel Farage was interrupted while presenting a 10 minute rule bill in the House of Commons
|
POOL
Nigel Farage was interrupted while presenting a 10 minute rule bill in the House of Commons.
As he was speaking about the European Convention on Human Rights, the words “Putin’s Pal” were shouted in the chamber.
Mr Farage responded: “Marvellous to see the intellectual levels of debate in this place it really is.”
Reform’s benefit plans are ‘poor copy-and-paste’ of the Conservatives’, party says
The Tories have accused Reform UK of creating a “poor copy-and-paste” of their benefit proposals.
Responding to Reform’s announcement earlier today, Kemi Badenoch’s spokesman said: “We’ve come out with a full plan, what they’ve come out with looks like a poor copy-and-paste of our plan.”
WATCH: Reform MP Lee Anderson accuses Labour of ‘gaslighting’ public after migrant sex offender paid to leave country
Keir Starmer blasts ‘toxic division’ from opposition
The Prime Minister said: “I though that the King and the Pope praying together was an incredible message to the world and very powerful – if we all work together we can actually bring people together not withstanding the very many difficulties and challenges that poses around the world and in our own country.
“It is why as far as we can we should be uniting on national patriotic renewal in this country rather than the toxic division we see on some of the benches opposite.”
Reform would be ‘absolute disaster’ for Britain’s defence – Keir Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer has taken another swipe at Reform UK during PMQ’s, saying the party would be an “absolute disaster” for Britain’s defence
He said: “For Nato allies, the conflict in Ukraine and dealing with Russian aggression is the number one issue.
“And that is why I have to say the Reform party would be an absolute disaster for our defence.
“We are a trusted member of Nato. We would not be a trusted member if we were Nato-friendly.
“We are leading the Coalition of the Willing, giving security and comfort to 30 other countries.
“That would collapse under Reform because they are Putin-friendly and it would be a real threat to our defence and our security.”
Kemi Badenoch accuses Keir Starmer of being ‘too weak to control spending’
Kemi Badenoch has accused Keir Starmer of being ‘too weak’ to control spending
|
POOL
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has accused Keir Starmer of being “too weak to control spending” during a fiery exchange at PMQ’s.
She said: “The fact he has to stand there and make stuff up shows what kind of Prime Minister he is.
“We had an itemised list of £47billion – £23billion was on welfare spending which I asked him to work with us to cut.
“He refuses to do so. All he knows how to do is tax, tax, tax.”
“He is raising taxes because he is too weak to control spending. He is blaming us, he is blaming the OBR, last week they were blaming Brexit. Is it the truth that with this Prime Minister it is always someone else’s fault?”
PM: ‘Conservatives won’t be trusted on the economy for generations’
Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would take “no lecture or advice” from the Conservatives on the economy.
Speaking at PMQ’s, the Prime Minister said: ” We will take no lecture or advice from [the Conservatives] on the economy – they won’t be trust on the economy for generations to come.
“That is why at our Budget I can be clear there will be no return to austerity – that is what broke the country. No return to the instability of their mad borrowing spree.”
Keir Starmer refuses to give answer on if Government plans to increase ‘working people’ taxes
When asked by Kemi Badenoch if the Government would stand by its prior pledges not to increase income tax, national insurance or VAT, Sir Keir Starmer replied: “Retail sales are higher than inspection, inflation is lower than expected, growth has been upgraded this year and the UK stock market is at an all-time high.
“The Budget is on November 26 and we will lay out our plans but I can tell the House now that we will build a stronger economy, we will cut NHS waiting lists and deliver a better future for our country.”
Sir Keir Starmer takes swipe at ‘Putin-friendly Reform party’ during PMQs
Sir Keir Starmer has taken a swipe at Reform during PMQ’s .
|
POOL
Sir Keir Starmer has taken a swipe at Reform during PMQ’s this afternoon, describing the party as “Putin-friendly”.
The Prime Minister said : “This Government has secured the biggest deal to manufacture typhoon fighter jets in this country for almost 20 years.
“We secured that deal because the UK is back as a leading and trusting member of Nato. A timely reminder for the Green Party whose policy is to take us out of Nato, the Putin-friendly Reform party who would have no standing with Nato and for the leading of the opposition – you don’t win Nato deals by not turning up to Nato meetings.”
Labour cracks down on four-day weeks as local councils slammed for wasting taxpayers’ money
The Government is set to crack down on four-day weeks as councils have been accused of “wasting taxpayer money”.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed has written to South Cambridgeshire District Council, which became the first local authority to introduce the policy, saying its services have “worsened” since it was put in place.
The four-day week model sees workers at the council receive 100 per cent of their pay for around 85 per cent of their contracted hours.
In a letter seen by the The Telegraph, Mr Reed expressed “deep disappointment” with the authority’s conduct.
He said: “I am therefore seeking assurance about the arrangements your council has in place to consider the impacts of your policy, and that value for money for residents is being delivered.
“In particular, I would like to understand how the council is seeking to mitigate the impact to those services which have worsened over the course of the four-day working week trial.”
He requested council chiefs meet with his officials in the coming weeks.
A Government source told The Telegraph “wasting taxpayer money in this fashion is completely unacceptable”.
READ FULL STORY HERE
Zia Yusuf: ‘Britain has become food bank for the world’
Zia Yusuf said Britain has “sadly become a food bank for the world” as he announced Reform’s planned crackdown on Benefits.
He said: “Britain has sadly become a food bank for the world.
“A lot of the data around the cost of foreign nationals on welfare is hidden – the Government doesn’t disclose it. We do have some information for example around Universal Credit and that is already staggering.”
‘We need to get more people back to work’ – Zia Yusuf
Speaking at the press conference, Reform’s Head of Policy Zia Yusuf said: “There are no doubt many people in this country who do have disabilities and do need assistance rom the taxpayer.
“Our proposals continue to protect those people and ensure that they continue to receive those payments. But we have to again look at the extraordinary growth in Pip claims which are now up to 1,300 per day that is up from 500 per day in 2019.
“We know we need to get more people back to work so what our proposals are here at Reform are to simultaneously fix the incentives to not work and fix the incentives to get people to work.”
Reform would scrap Pip payments for those with ‘anxiety disorders’, says Lee Anderson
Lee Anderson has revealed Reform’s plans to scrap Pip payments for people with anxiety disorders which he claims would save £3.2billion per year.
Speaking at the press conference, Mr Anderson said: “A Reform UK Government would fully remove those with anxiety disorders but not serious psychiatric disorders from Pip eligibility.
“This would save the Exchequer £3.2billion per annum based on last year’s figures and we will also make sure that every single assessment is done face-to-face.”
Lee Anderson says he has had ‘persistent sadness’ since Labour came into power as he discusses benefit payments at press conference
Lee Anderson is discussing Reform’s plans for Pip payments at a press confernece
|
POOL
Reform MP Lee Anderson was met with laughter in the crowd of the press conference after saying he has had “persistent sadness” since Labour came to power.
He said: “Over 1.4 million people in this country claim Pip for some sort of psychiatric disorder in the UK.
“A third of those are for mixed anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and anxiety disorders. The symptoms of these disorders can include persistent worrying, sadness, irritability, difficulty concentrating and changes in sleep and appetite.
“Who is this room hasn’t suffered from any of the above symptoms. Persistent sadness? Tell me about it. I have had persistent sadness since July last year with this Labour Government.”
Zia Yusuf begins third Reform press conference in three days and declares ‘Britain is not working’
Zia Yusuf said Britain is ‘broken’ as he introduced the press conference
|
POOL
Zia Yusuf has introduced Reform’s third press conference in three days.
The party’s Head of Policy opened the conference by saying: “It’s clear Britain is broken, Britain needs reform.
He said: “Britain is not working and one of the things that is not working is the enormous accumulation and growth in Pip (personal independent payments) in this country.
“Reform will have sweeping welfare reforms that we will announce in the coming months and years and you can expect Nigel Farage’s Prime Ministership to transform welfare in this country.”
WATCH: Border security minister says migrant who re-entered Britain after deportation has had ‘the ultimate wasted journey’
Border security minister Alex Norris said the migrant who re-entered Britain after being deported under the “one-in-one-out” deal he going to have had “the ultimate wasted journey” and vowed he will be removed.
Mr Norris told GB News: “That individual will be removed. They haven’t been yet – the system does take time but he is going to have had the ultimate wasted journey.
“The system works, he was immediately detected at the front door through our biometric checks, he was detained, he will be removed.
“Anybody who is removed under that arrangement who seeks to come back is wasting their time, wasting their money and putting themselves at risk and they simply shouldn’t do it.”
Minister says he can’t confirm if migrant sex offender received cash payment to return to Ethiopia
The border security minister said he could not confirm whether Hadush Kebatu received a cash payment to return to Ethiopia.
Alex Norris said ministers “are not involved in the operational movements” such as those that happened overnight.
Asked whether Kebatu had been given money on exiting the country, as is sometimes the case when a migrant leaves voluntarily, he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I can’t tell you on the cash piece.
“I know that early in the process, he had asked for that and was denied… we do it sometimes to make a removal easier because it saves the taxpayer money, but I can’t tell in this case.”
WATCH: Shadow Justice Minister Kieran Mullan says Conservatives will do ‘whatever it takes’ to tackle illegal migration
Migrant who re-entered Britain after being deported under one-in-one-out deal still in UK
The migrant who re-entered the UK after being deported under the returns deal with France is still in the country, the border security minister said.
Alex Norris rejected suggestions the situation showed the Government’s scheme was not fit for purpose.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “He’s wasting a lot of his own time.
“He’s come through, he was detected immediately at the front door, he was detained, and he will be removed from this country.”
Asked when the man would be removed, the minister said: “I wouldn’t want to give a specific timeline, but we are removing him as soon as possible.”
Shabana Mahmood says ‘streets are safer’ after migrant sex offender deported
Shabana Mahmood has said Britain’s “streets are safer” after migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu was officially deported from the UK.
Kebatu has now arrived back in Ethiopia after he was wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre.
The migrant, who had been living at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, when he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman, travelled to London and was arrested on Sunday morning after a two-day manhunt.
The Home Secretary said: “Last week’s blunder should never have happened – and I share the public’s anger that it did. I would like to thank the police for rapidly bringing Mr Kebatu into custody and the public for their vigilance.
“I have pulled every lever to deport Mr Kebatu and remove him off British soil. I am pleased to confirm this vile child sex offender has been deported. Our streets are safer because of it.
“If you come to this country and commit crimes, we will remove you.”
