Rishi Sunak has defended the government’s introduction of new police powers to tackle protests, despite a backlash over the treatment of demonstrators during the coronation.
The force’s commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, said the detentions were “unfortunate”, but insisted his officers were seeking to thwart what he described as a “criminal network”
Critics placed the blame at the government’s door after the new Public Order Act came into force days before the celebrations, allowing officers to stop and search anyone they suspect is planning to cause disruption.
But the prime minister said it was “right for the government to give police the powers they need to tackle serious disruption”.
And while answering questions on Tuesday, he defended the government’s move to bring in the new police powers.
‘Right thing to do’
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Speaking to broadcasters while visiting a pharmacy, the PM would not answer questions about whether he felt comfortable about what happened to protesters at the coronation.
Instead, he said: “Of course people have the right to protest freely but peacefully, but it is also right that people have the ability to go about their day-to-day lives without facing serious disruption.
“And what the government has done is give police the powers that they need to tackle instances of serious disruption to their lives. I think that’s the right thing to do and police will make decisions on when they use those powers.”
The prime minister added: “We also live in a society where the police are rightly operationally independent of government. They make the decisions on the ground and the way that they see fit. That is the way we have always done it. That’s the right way to do it. It wouldn’t be right for me to interfere with their operational decisions.
“But it is right for the government to give police the powers they need to tackle serious disruption because as we have seen over the last weeks and months there are lots of incidences of people’s day-to-day lives being seriously disrupted by protesters and people are rightly asked why isn’t that being stopped.
“So it is right that the government gives the police the powers to deal with those things, but again those are operational decisions for the police on the ground at the time.”
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Anti-monarchy protesters ‘nothing wrong’
MPs from the SNP, Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have all called for the law to be scrapped.
The SNP’s Alison Thewliss called the legislation “draconian” and “undemocratic”, adding: “By clamping down on the right to protest… the Tories are eroding the basic tenets of a free and democratic society.”
And Green Party peer Baroness Jenny Jones said: “The Met were wrong to arrest people on Saturday, but the government was wrong to give them the powers to do so.
“The Public Order Law essentially criminalises peaceful protest by using an approach similar to that used to disrupt terrorism, drug dealing and gang violence.
“For the sake of democracy in the UK and freedom of speech, these new laws all need to go.”
But Labour would not commit to reversing the bill.
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Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told Sky News last Friday ‘the law is very clear’.
Speaking to Sky News, Lisa Nandy said: “We’re not in the business of just repealing all legislation.
“But we will certainly amend legislation when we’re in government in order to strike the right balance between the democratic right to protest and the right of people in Britain to go about their everyday lives without serious disruption.”
Earlier, a government minister accused some anti-monarchy protesters of planning to cause “really serious and dangerous and stupid disruption”.
Neil O’Brien told Sky News that he didn’t have “any objection to peaceful protests” and “in some cases [the force] might have been wrong”.
But he also argued “in some cases, they did the right thing”, as it was “also a question of what [protesters] were going to do“.
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Minister: Police did a ‘good job’ on day of King’s coronation
Graham Smith, the chief executive of Republic who was one of eight people in his group arrested and detained for several hours, accused the minister of “wild speculation”, saying there had been “no intelligence supporting the arrests”.
“There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the eight people from Republic who were arrested at all,” he told Sky News. “There was no intent. There was no evidence of any intent. There was no evidence of any equipment being carried that would have caused the crime.
“And we were very clear with the police for four months [about] the details of our plans, and they were very clear to us that they were okay with those plans.”
Mr Smith said the group was now consulting with lawyers about their next steps and would continue to protest against the monarchy while calling for an elected head of state.
Officers arrested 64 people in total on coronation day following new laws to tackle protests being introduced by the government, with 46 of those later bailed after being detained on suspicion of causing a public nuisance or breaching the peace.
Former anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq has been named in a third inquiry being launched by authorities in Bangladesh investigating money laundering and power misuse.
At a media briefing in Dhaka held hours after Ms Siddiq resigned as a minister, investigators confirmed they were working on another probe involving the Labour MP.
It is the third Bangladesh inquiry and comes on top of questions about London properties she lives in or has lived in with links to her aunt, the ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party.
Director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission Akhtar Hossain told Sky News the organisation was “preparing another investigation against Tulip Siddiq and her uncle Tarique Siddique for money laundering, power misuse, and illegally occupying Bangladesh government property”.
Mr Hossain also said the investigation team in Bangladesh would contact the UK authorities if additional information was required.
A spokesperson for Ms Siddiq said: “No evidence has been presented for these allegations.
“Tulip Siddiq has not been contacted by anyone on the matter and totally denies the claims.”
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Tarique Siddique is Ms Siddiq’s uncle – the husband of her mother’s younger sister – and previously served as a defence and security adviser to her aunt Sheikh Hasina.
The new government has since accused Ms Hasina’s Awami League administration of crimes and corruption while in office.
Ms Siddiq quit as anti-corruption minister on Tuesday after links with her aunt and her political regime came under scrutiny.
It is claimed she has benefited financially from three London properties linked to her aunt and her allies.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus who said he had “not identified evidence of improprieties” but added it was “regrettable” Ms Siddiq had not been more alert to the “potential reputational risks” of the ties to her aunt.
Ms Siddiq said continuing in her role would be “a distraction” for the government but insisted she had done nothing wrong.
Earlier this week, Sky News revealed Bangladesh investigators were looking into Ms Siddiq as part of a separate corruption inquiry into the illegal allocation of land in a new town development outside of Dhaka.
Labour sources suggested these accusations were not genuine and Ms Siddiq had not been contacted by anyone in Bangladesh about the inquiries.
Nobel peace-prize winning economist Muhammad Yunus, who is leading Bangladesh’s interim government, said the London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated and returned if she is found to have benefited from “plain robbery”.
Following her resignation, Professor Yunus said there will be a thorough investigation into properties and assets “tied to stolen Bangladeshi funds, including those linked to individuals with connections to the previous regime” and if it is proven they have benefited from embezzlement “we expect those assets to be returned to Bangladesh, where they rightfully belong”.
“Tulip Siddiq may not have entirely understood the source of the money and property that she was enjoying in London, but she knows now and should seek forgiveness from the people of Bangladesh,” he added.
Singer Linda Nolan, who rose to fame alongside her sisters in The Nolans, has died after several years of battling cancer.
The Irish star, 65, and her sisters Coleen, Maureen, Bernie, Denise and Anne, had a run of hits in the late 1970s and ’80s – including the disco classic I’m In The Mood For Dancing.
Paying tribute on The Nolans‘ X account, her sisters described her as “a pop icon and beacon of hope”, who “faced incurable cancer with courage, grace and determination, inspiring millions”.
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Linda died peacefully in hospital this morning, “embraced with love and comfort” with her siblings by her side, her agent Dermot McNamara said in a statement.
“As a member of The Nolans, one of the most successful girl groups of all time, Linda achieved global success; becoming the first Irish act to sell over a million records worldwide, touring the world and selling over 30 million records,” he said.
“Her distinctive voice and magnetic stage presence brought joy to fans around the world, securing her place as an icon of British and Irish entertainment.
“Beyond her incredible career, Linda dedicated her life to helping others, helping raise over £20m for numerous charities, including Breast Cancer Now, Irish Cancer Society and Samaritans, amongst countless others. Her selflessness and tireless commitment to making a difference in the lives of others will forever be a cornerstone of her legacy.”
Linda’s death came after she was admitted to hospital with pneumonia over the weekend. She began receiving end-of-life care after slipping into a coma on Tuesday, Mr McNamara said.
Details of a celebration of the star’s “remarkable life” will be shared in due course, he added.
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Linda was born to Tommy and Maureen Nolan in Dublin on 23 February 1959, the sixth of eight children.
Her parents were both singers and keen to turn their young family into a musical troupe. Linda made her stage debut aged just four.
Those early years put the siblings on track for a career in show business which lasted for decades. As well as I’m In The Mood For Dancing, The Nolans had hits with Gotta Pull Myself Together, Attention To Me and Don’t Make Waves, and they also had their own TV specials.
At their height, they toured with Frank Sinatra and were reported to have outsold The Beatles in Japan.
Linda left the group in 1983, but later reformed with her sisters for several comeback performances. She also became known for musical theatre, most notably performing the role of Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers for three years from 2000.
Four siblings struck by cancer
Linda was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, and underwent a mastectomy to remove her left breast two days before her 47th birthday.
The sisters were diagnosed with different forms of the disease just days apart after they returned home from filming a series of their show, The Nolans Go Cruising. Linda had cancer of the liver, while Anne had breast cancer.
They went on to write Stronger Together, an account of their journey that included frank details of their treatments and the side effects.
But in 2023, Linda revealed the cancer had spread to her brain and she was beginning treatment as part of a new drug trial.
The Nolans lost their second-youngest sister, Bernie, to cancer in 2013, aged 52.
Linda’s husband of 26 years, Brian Hudson, died in 2007 after being diagnosed with skin cancer.
Anne Nolan is now cancer-free.
Tributes to star ‘who was always a joy’
TV star and singer Cheryl Baker and comedian Tommy Cannon are among those who have paid tribute.
“I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Linda Nolan,” Cannon wrote on X. “I had the pleasure of working with her on so many occasions, and she was always a joy – full of warmth and love. My thoughts and love are with the Nolan girls and the whole family.”
“The most incredible voice, the wickedest sense of humour, such a massive talent,” Baker wrote. “You’re with Brian now, Lin.”
Loose Women also sent its love to her family. Linda appeared as a guest panellist on the ITV chat show over the years, alongside her sister Coleen.
The Blackpool Grand Theatre described her as “a true Blackpool icon”.
Two teenagers and a woman have been arrested after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death on a bus in southeast London.
Kelyan Bokassa was on the 472 service in Woolwich when he was attacked just before 2.30pm on Tuesday 7 January.
The teenager died at the scene shortly after medical help arrived.
Two boys, aged 15 and 16, were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of murder, and a 44-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee said: “While these arrests mark a significant step forward in this investigation, we continue to appeal for anyone with information about Kelyan’s murder to come forward and speak to us.
“I would like to thank officers for working around the clock in order to locate our suspects and praise the Woolwich community for their ongoing support and patience whilst we have carried out our investigation.
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“I know that this incident deeply affected you all, and I hope that these two arrests reassure you that we are doing everything to tackle violent offenders across London.”
The Metropolitan Police called the stabbing a “horrific attack”, while London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said the “heartbreaking violence has absolutely no place in our city”.
Kelyan was an aspiring rapper, who was described as having “briefly” been a student at St Columbia’s Catholic Boys School in Bexleyheath.
Following his death, his mother Mary Bokassa described his troubled childhood to journalists.
She said he was taken into care, moved from school to school, and eventually fell into the clutches of criminal gangs.
Met Police officers were called to reports of a stabbing on a Route 472 bus at 2.28pm on 7 January on Woolwich Church Street, near its junction with the A205 South Circular Road.
Paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance attended the scene.
Police say Kelyan’s family are being supported by specialist officers as the investigation “remains ongoing”.