Closing summary
The business secretary, Peter Kyle, said the number of people who turned out for the “Unite the Kingdom” protest – organised by the far-right activist Tommy Robinson – shows free speech is “alive and well” in the UK.
Kyle added that moments like Saturday’s demonstration were “klaxon calls to us in public life to redouble our efforts to address the big concerns that people right across our country have, and immigration is a big concern.”
Between 110,000 and 150,000 were estimated by police to have attended the event. The Met said in an update on Sunday that there were 24 arrests, including for common assault, actual bodily harm, affray and criminal damage.
Peter Kyle also told Sky News that Peter Mandelson had “singular talents” which meant his appointment as US ambassador had been seen as “worth the risks” despite warnings in the vetting process over his links with Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted child sex offender.
Kyle rejected that Mandelson was appointed as the UK’s top diplomat in Washington before security checks were completed. The Cabinet Office undertook an independent inquiry and presented information to the prime minister, he said.
Kyle told the BBC that it is “highly unlikely” Mandelson would have been appointed “if we had known the information we know now”.
The Lib Dems are calling for an independent investigation into what was known about Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein at the time of his appointment as US ambassador.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, is facing calls to say who paid for his trip to the US after a report that he could have breached parliamentary rules by failing to register a visit where he headlined a fundraiser for Donald Trump.
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Updated
Farage facing questions over funding of US trip
Nigel Farage is facing calls to say who paid for his trip to the US after a report that he could have breached parliamentary rules by failing to register a visit where he headlined a fundraiser for Donald Trump.
The Reform UK leader did not disclose who funded the trip to Florida in March to appear as a special guest at a Republican party event in Tallahassee and did not report any possible earnings from it, The Sunday Times reported.
It was reported at the time that Farage had missed Prime Minister’s Questions ahead of his appearance at the event.
Tables for top-tier “Trump sponsors” at the “Disruptors Dinner” were said to cost $25,000.
MPs are required to register visits abroad within 28 days that cost more than £300 if they are not wholly paid for by the MP or public funds.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats called on the Clacton MP to disclose how the trip was funded.
A spokesman for Farage told the newspaper: “We thank The Sunday Times for bringing this to our attention, the record will be updated in due course.”
