Connect with us

Published

on

The prime minister has said he is “very disappointed” in his former cabinet colleague Matt Hancock for joining I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

The MP for West Suffolk had his Conservative whip suspended after agreeing to be a contestant on the popular ITV reality show while parliament is sitting.

Speaking on his way to COP27 in Egypt, Mr Sunak said he supported the chief whip’s decision to suspend the former health secretary from the Tory Party, adding that he should instead be “working hard” for his constituents.

Mr Hancock, 44, said his decision to enter the Australian jungle was driven by a need to “deliver important messages to the masses” and “go where the people are” rather than “sit in ivory towers in Westminster”.

He also previously said he wanted to raise awareness of dyslexia by appearing on the show and insisted it “wasn’t the cheque” which influenced his decision to sign up.

But the prime minister took the opposite view, telling The Sun he was “very disappointed” in Mr Hancock because “MPs should be working hard for their constituents”.

Mr Sunak said: “I think politics is a noble profession, at its best – it can and should be – but it’s incumbent on politicians to earn people’s respect and trust.

More on Matt Hancock

“They do that by working hard for their constituents, as the vast majority of MPs do – that is why I was very disappointed with Matt’s decision.”

When asked whether he would be watching the show, Mr Sunak told the newspaper: “I genuinely won’t have the time is the honest answer.”

Read more:
Hancock reveals why he’s decided to go on I’m A Celebrity

Politicians who have traded Westminster for reality TV

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who sits as an independent MP after having the whip removed by his party, also criticised Mr Hancock’s move.

Speaking at a cost of living protest on Saturday, Mr Corbyn told the PA news agency: “I think it’s complete nonsense that he goes on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

“He’s a member of parliament, he’s got a constituency, he should be representing them, not himself on some sort of personality parade.”

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

The launch episode of I’m A Celebrity on Sunday evening saw a batch of 10 celebrities, including singer Boy George and Love Island star Olivia Attwood, enter the jungle.

Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly said there would be two extra arrivals to the camp, with Donnelly joking that they had managed to keep the identities a “complete secret”.

Donnelly said: “You are going to be surprised, guys. We are going to be rolling out the welcome mat for them soon”, stressing the word “mat”.

Continue Reading

UK

Labour MP Dan Norris arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences

Published

on

By

Labour MP Dan Norris arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences

Labour MP Dan Norris has been arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Dan Norris MP was immediately suspended by the Labour Party upon being informed of his arrest.

“We cannot comment further while the police investigation is ongoing.”

Police said a man in his 60s had been arrested on Friday on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl, rape, child abduction and misconduct in a public office.

Sky News has contacted Mr Norris for comment.

Mr Norris, 65, defeated Jacob Rees-Mogg to win the new seat of North East Somerset and Hanham in last year’s general election.

He has also lost the party whip in the House of Commons and has stepped down from his role as chair of the League Against Cruel Sports.

Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement: “In December 2024, we received a referral from another police force relating to alleged non-recent child sex offences having been committed against a girl.

“Most of the offences are alleged to have occurred in the 2000s, but we’re also investigating an alleged offence of rape from the 2020s.

“An investigation, led by officers within Operation Bluestone, our dedicated rape and serious sexual assault investigation team, remains ongoing and at an early stage.

“The victim is being supported and given access to any specialist help or support she needs.

“A man, aged in his 60s, was arrested on Friday (April 4) on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl (under the Sexual Offences Act 1956), rape (under the Sexual Offences Act 2003), child abduction and misconduct in a public office. He’s been released on conditional bail for enquiries to continue.

“This is an active and sensitive investigation, so we’d respectfully ask people not to speculate on the circumstances so our enquiries can continue unhindered.”

Mr Norris first entered Parliament when Tony Blair came to power in 1997 and served as the Wansdyke MP until 2010.

He was an assistant whip under Mr Blair and served as a junior minister under Gordon Brown.

Mr Norris has also been West of England mayor since 2021 but is due to step down ahead of May’s local elections.

A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports, a UK-based animal welfare charity which campaigns to end sports such as fox hunting and game bird shooting, confirmed he had stepped down from his role.

“The charity cannot comment further while an investigation is ongoing,” a statement said.

Continue Reading

UK

Jaguar Land Rover to ‘pause’ US shipments over Donald Trump tariffs

Published

on

By

Jaguar Land Rover to 'pause' US shipments over Donald Trump tariffs

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said it will “pause” shipments to the US as the British car firm works to “address the new trading terms” of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The US president has introduced a 25% levy on all foreign cars imported into the country, which came into force on Thursday.

JLR, one of the country’s biggest carmakers, exported about 38,000 cars to the US in the third quarter of 2024 – almost equal to the amount sold to the UK and the EU combined.

Follow live updates: Trump’s baseline 10% tariff kicks in

In a statement on Saturday, a spokesperson for the company behind the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover brands said: “The USA is an important market for JLR’s luxury brands.

“As we work to address the new trading terms with our business partners, we are taking some short-term actions including a shipment pause in April, as we develop our mid- to longer-term plans.”

The company released a statement last week before Mr Trump announced a “baseline” 10% tariff on goods from around the world, which kicked in on Saturday morning, on what he called “liberation day”.

More on Donald Trump

JLR reassured customers its business was “resilient” and “accustomed to changing market conditions”.

“Our priorities now are delivering for our clients around the world and addressing these new US trading terms,” the firm said.

Trading across the world has been hit by Mr Trump’s tariff announcement at the White House on Wednesday.

All but one stock on the FTSE 100 fell on Friday – with Rolls-Royce, banks and miners among those to suffer the sharpest losses.

Read more: A red wall on Wall Street – but Trump seems to believe it will work out

Cars are the top product exported from the UK to the US, with exports worth £8.3bn in the year to the end of September 2024, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

For UK carmakers, the US is the second largest export market behind the European Union.

Industry groups have previously warned the tariffs will force firms to rethink where they trade, while a report by thinktank the Institute for Public Policy Research said more than 25,000 car manufacturing jobs in the UK could be at risk.

Continue Reading

UK

Two people die after caravan fire at holiday park in Lincolnshire

Published

on

By

Two people die after caravan fire at holiday park in Lincolnshire

Two people have died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness, Lincolnshire Police have said.

In a statement, officers said they were called at 3.53am on Saturday to a report of a blaze at Golden Beach Holiday Park in the village of Ingoldmells.

Fire and rescue crews attended the scene, and two people were found to have died.

They were reported to be a 10-year-old girl and a 48-year-old man.

The force said the victims’ next of kin have been informed and will be supported by specially trained officers.

Officers are trying to establish the exact cause of the blaze.

“We are at the very early stages of our investigation and as such we are keeping an open mind,” the force said.

Two fire crews remain at the scene.

Continue Reading

Trending