Closing summary
A minister has denied the veteran MP’s assertion that “it is obvious this Labour leadership wants me out”. Exchequer secretary to the Treasury James Murray told Times Radio: “That’s absolutely not the case. What’s happened is Diane has made some comments which come on the back of previous comments which she made and for which she apologised some time ago.” He added that there was an internal investigation and “we now need to let this process play out” so it can be resolved “as swiftly as possible”.
A criminal investigation into the performance of Belfast rap trio Kneecap at Glastonbury festival has been dropped by police. Avon and Somerset Police said it will be taking “no further action” on the grounds that there is “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”, PA Media reports.
HS2 has incurred “significant cost” because public bodies have launched nine legal challenges against it, transport secretary Heidi Alexander said. The Cabinet minister noted that in “almost all cases”, the courts have found in favour of the high-speed rail scheme between London and Birmingham. HS2 Ltd was given the power to construct the railway when the High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act received royal assent in February 2017.
Gatwick Airport will remain covered by a High Court injunction stopping would-be environmental activists from trespassing on its land after a judge ruled it should continue. In July last year, the airport - the second largest in the UK - was granted protection from what its lawyers described as a “real and imminent risk of blockading, obstruction (and) disruption” at its site near Crawley, West Sussex, PA Media reports.
England and Wales’ embattled water regulator will be abolished under recommendations from a government-commissioned review due out on Monday, the Guardian understands. Ministers will next week announce a consultation into creating a new regulator, to coincide with the results of a review into the water industry directed by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe.
At least two people have been arrested after protesters clashed with police outside a hotel in Epping believed to be housing migrants, Essex Police said. Assistant chief constable Stuart Hooper, Essex Police, told reporters one man had been arrested on Thursday on suspicion of affray following reports of an assault during a protest on Sunday.
The former defence secretary Grant Shapps has defended the use of an unprecedented superinjunction to suppress a data breach that led to the UK government relocating 15,000 Afghans. The Afghanistan Response Route (ARR) was created in haste after it emerged that personal information about 18,700 Afghans who had applied to come to the UK had been leaked in error by a British defence official in early 2022.
John Healey has been accused by the Liberal Democrats of misleading parliament over the Afghan data leak. Ed Davey said that the defence secretary must “urgently come before parliament to answer the question of whether he knowingly misled MPs and the public”.
Downing Street said the defence secretary’s statement to the Commons that “no serving member of our armed forces is put at risk” by the Afghan data leak was “accurate” after the Liberal Democrats accused him of misleading parliament. Asked if John Healey misled the House, a No 10 spokesman said: “The defence secretary’s statement to the House... I believe it was an accurate statement.”
US president Donald Trump will visit Scotland next week, the White House has confirmed. Speculation mounted about a potential visit of the president this month when Police Scotland confirmed it was in the early stages of planning for such an event.
John Swinney has pledged to “turn the heat up” on the UK government to allow a second independence referendum as part of his latest strategy to achieve separation. Writing in the National newspaper on Friday, the Scottish first minister pledged to increase support for Scotland leaving the UK and stressed the importance of supporters of independence backing the SNP at next year’s Holyrood election.
The number of serious pollution incidents caused by water firms across England rose by 60% in 2024 compared with the previous year, the Environment Agency said. The watchdog revealed consistently poor performance from all nine water and sewerage firms in the country despite expectations for incidents to decrease, PA reported.
A criminal investigation into the performance of Belfast rap trio Kneecap at Glastonbury Festival has been dropped by police.
Avon and Somerset Police said it will be taking “no further action” on the grounds that there is “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”, PA Media reports.
The investigation was announced in June after officers reviewed video footage and audio recordings from the sets of Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan at the Somerset festival.
On Friday, the group, comprised of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, posted a screenshot to social media from an email that appeared to be from a senior investigating officer.
In the caption of their post, Kneecap said: “One element of the political policing intimidation attempt is over.
“We played a historic set at Glastonbury. Whole area closed an hour before due to crowds. A celebration of love and solidarity. A sea of good people at the world’s most famous festival.”
Updated
