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Rishi Sunak still has confidence in the home secretary and her department despite the ongoing controversy around the Bibby Stockholm, Downing Street has said.

The prime minister’s official spokesman defended the Home Office’s response to the discovery of Legionella on the barge last week, but said lessons would be learned following the incident.

Asylum seekers were removed from the barge on Friday after Legionella bacteria was found in the vessel’s water system.

Legionella bacteria can cause a potentially deadly lung infection known as Legionnaires’ disease. It is contracted by people breathing in droplets of water containing the bacteria.

None of the migrants on the barge have shown any symptoms of the disease, according to the Home Office.

The discovery has prompted a blame game between Dorset Council, contractors at the barge and the Home Office about who was notified and when.

Dorset Council has said Home Office contractors were notified about the results last Monday – four days before people were moved off the barge.

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The council went on to claim a Home Office staff member was informed about the bacteria on Tuesday.

However, a government source previously told Sky News there is no record of this conversation, and claimed the Home Office only received a written notification about the Legionella on Wednesday evening.

Downing Street repeatedly said the government had acted quickly after being informed about the traces of Legionella bacteria.

Asked if ministers would be looking into the role of the contractors, he said: “I think we will be communicating with all relevant groups to see if there are any lessons that can be learned, as you would expect in any public health situation.

“We remain confident that we have acted quickly once informed.”

However, Number 10 said the Home Office was still “clarifying” when officials were made aware of issues on the Bibby Stockholm barge.

“Ministers were made aware on Thursday evening about the results of the test,” the spokesman said.

Asked who made the decision to put migrants on the boat before the test results for Legionella bacteria came back, he said it was a “decision taken by the Home Office in conjunction, having all the relevant tests being done and making sure that the checks are in place”.

The spokesman added: “These are routine precautionary tests for Legionella which is why people were able to embark.”

This morning Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he still believed migrants should be moved back on to the barge in spite of the row, saying it was an important tool in reducing the £6m-a-day cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels.

Number 10 declined to say when people might be returned to the Bibby Stockholm barge, telling reporters: “We’re not putting a timeline on that. We do expect them to be back on the boat as soon as possible.

“The Home Office is awaiting the results of further tests.

“Once those have been completed, obviously the intention is to return people.”

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Democrats probe housing regulator over considering crypto in mortgages

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Democrats probe housing regulator over considering crypto in mortgages

Democrats probe housing regulator over considering crypto in mortgages

A group of Senate Democrats has probed Federal Housing Finance Agency director William Pulte over his order to propose how to consider crypto in mortgage applications.

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Sir Keir Starmer set for Donald Trump trade talks as PM walks diplomatic line between EU allies and US on Gaza

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Sir Keir Starmer set for Donald Trump trade talks as PM walks diplomatic line between EU allies and US on Gaza

Gaza and transatlantic trade are set to dominate talks between Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer when the pair meet in Scotland on Monday.

Downing Street said the prime minister would discuss “what more can be done to secure the ceasefire [in the Middle East] urgently”, during the meeting at the president’s Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire.

Talks in Qatar over a ceasefire ended on Thursday after the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams.

Mr Trump blamed Hamas for the collapse of negotiations as he left the US for Scotland, saying the militant group “didn’t want to make a deal… they want to die”.

Sir Keir has tried to forge close personal ties with the president, frequently praising his actions on the world stage despite clear foreign policy differences between the US and UK.

The approach seemed to pay off in May when Mr Trump announced the agreement of a trade deal with the UK that would see several tariffs lowered.

The two leaders are expected to discuss this agreement when they meet, with the prime minister likely to press the president for a lowering of outstanding tariffs on imports such as steel.

Prior to the visit, the White House said the talks would allow them to “refine the historic US-UK trade deal”.

Extracting promises from the president on the Middle East may be harder though.

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Should aid be dropped into Gaza?

Despite some reports that Mr Trump is growing frustrated with Israel, there is a clear difference in tone between the US and its Western allies.

As he did over the Ukraine war, Sir Keir will have to walk a diplomatic line between the UK’s European allies and the White House.

On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state in September, the first member of the G7 to do so.

That move was dismissed by Mr Trump, who said it “doesn’t carry any weight”.

Read more from Sky News:
US and EU agree trade deal – with bloc facing 15% tariffs
Geldof accuses Israel of ‘lying’ about Gaza starvation

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Trump: ‘It doesn’t matter what Macron says’

The UK, French and German leaders spoke over the weekend and agreed to work together on the “next phase” in Gaza that would see transitional governance and security arrangements put in place, alongside the large-scale delivery of aid.

Under pressure from members of his own party and cabinet to follow France and signal formal recognition of Palestine, Sir Keir has gradually become more critical of Israel in recent months.

On Friday, the prime minister said “the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel’s disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible”.

Government sources say UK recognition is a matter of “when, not if”, however, it’s thought Downing Street wants to ensure any announcement is made at a time when it can have the greatest diplomatic impact.

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Baby Zainab starved to death in Gaza

Cabinet ministers will be convened in the coming days, during the summer recess, to discuss the situation in Gaza.

The UK has also been working with Jordan to air drop supplies, after Israel said it would allow foreign countries to provide aid to the territory.

President Trump’s trip to Scotland comes ahead of his second state visit to the UK in September.

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Downing Street says Ukraine will also likely be discussed in the meeting with both men reflecting on what can be done to force Russia back to the negotiating table.

After the meeting at Turnberry, the prime minister will travel with the president to Aberdeen for a private engagement.

Mr Trump is also expected to meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney while in the country.

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Crypto isn’t crashing the American dream; it’s renovating it

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Crypto isn’t crashing the American dream; it’s renovating it

Crypto isn’t crashing the American dream; it’s renovating it

The US housing regulator’s decision to recognize crypto assets in mortgage applications marks a historic shift from exclusion to integration, opening new pathways to homeownership.

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