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Police have seen an “unprecedented” rise in the threat from terrorism following the conflict in Gaza, which has become a “radicalisation moment”, Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officer has said.

Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Matt Jukes said there had been a 25% increase in intelligence coming into counter-terrorism police, “a significant increase on our usual levels”.

“In simple terms, that means more intelligence about potential terrorism and violent extremism, flowing through our systems than in recent years, from online reports, public reports and from MI5,” Mr Jukes told a briefing of journalists.

Having previously served as chief constable for South Wales Police, Mr Jukes has been head of specialist operations at Scotland Yard for the last two years, and said Islamist extremists had been “energised by this conflict”.

“It’s hard to remember a more unstable, dangerous and uncertain world. I have not seen the conditions collide in the way we have in the last months during my tenure,” he said.

“The speed and the scale of the impact of global events are extraordinary, even in the context of our experience.

“If events happen around the world, they will invariably pull a thread in the UK, and particularly in its very diverse city communities, but what we have seen clearly is fear, anxiety, uncertainty, a whole range of very significant reactions amongst UK communities.”

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‘Surge’ in calls to anti-terrorism hotline

Since the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October there have been 33 arrests for terrorism offences – 19 related to protests, 13 to social media and one to an alleged attack. Seven people have been charged as a result of the arrests and the rest remain on bail or under investigation.

There has been a “surge” in calls to the anti-terrorism hotline and in the two weeks after the initial attack, the number doubled.

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The counter-terrorism internet referral unit received over 3,000 referrals for “objectionable” material, 700 of which have been identified as having a link to the UK and potentially breaching legislation.

Of those recently arrested, 20% have been children under the age of 18 and children as young as 11 have been involved in “very troubling conversations” online.

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“That is extraordinary and, I think, demonstrates the volume and the intensity of online rhetoric around the ongoing conflict,” Mr Jukes said.

“We always see spikes after terrorist incidents but what we’ve seen since 7 October has been a spike which is higher and more sustained than ever before. This is playing out online in a way which is, in our experience, unprecedented.

“All of that online extremism is part of a dangerous climate. I think that puts us at a point which we would describe as a radicalisation moment.”

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‘Most acute period since Cold War’

The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre run by MI5, which assesses the UK threat level, has kept the level at “substantial” meaning an attack is “likely” but “continues to review all of this information”, Mr Jukes said.

Scotland Yard has also opened a unit to deal with “hostile state actors”, mainly related to the “triple threat” from Iran, Russia and China.

In the last five years there have been 20 arrests under the Official Secrets Act, but half of those were in 2023, which Mr Jukes described as “the most acute period since the Cold War”.

It comes as Defence Secretary Grant Shapps warned that the world could be engulfed by wars involving China, Russia, North Korea and Iran in the next five years, adding the “era of the peace dividend is over”.

defence secretary Grant Shapps
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Grant Shapps sent a message directly to NATO allies

In a speech on 15 January, Mr Shapps spoke directly to NATO allies, urging them to grow their defence budgets, insisting that the UK would strive to reach its own goal of 2.5% “as soon as possible”.

On Friday he added that “it is vital that we continue to lead, deter hostile states and act to defend our country whenever and wherever we need”.

“I would also say that nothing is inevitable. We can deter such threats by being prepared and standing strong with our allies. That is why we are investing in our armed forces and our allies,” he told The Telegraph.

“This is not about being alarmist. It’s about being ready and being in the right place to defend our interests.”

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Houthi strikes ‘separate’ from Israel-Gaza war, says Lord Cameron

His warning was echoed by German defence minister, Boris Pistorius, who said on Friday that Russia could attack NATO within five years.

‘Danger of history repeating itself’

Despite the looming international threat, the size of the British Army is shrinking, and fast, according to one former chief of the general staff.

Under government proposals, the size of the regular army will be cut from 82,000 troops to 73,000 by 2025, but analysis by The Times newspaper suggested numbers could drop below that as soon as next year and continue on a steep downward trajectory.

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General Lord Dannatt warned of a “serious danger of history repeating itself” unless more is invested in Britain’s armed forces.

He called for pay and conditions to be “urgently reviewed” and drew parallels with the 1930s when the “woeful” state of the UK’s armed forces failed to deter Hitler.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said: “Whilst there are undoubted challenges to military recruitment, people are at the heart of the military and the MoD is taking tangible and concrete steps to address shortfalls. More widely the UK is spending more than £50bn on defence this year to protect our interests wherever they are threatened.”

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps will be appearing on Sky News’ Trevor Phillips on Sunday Morning programme tomorrow from 8.30am.

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Peter Sullivan who has spent 38 years in jail for murder has conviction quashed

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Peter Sullivan who has spent 38 years in jail for murder has conviction quashed

A man who has spent 38 years in prison for murder has had his conviction quashed – but insisted he is “not angry” or “bitter”.

The Court of Appeal ruling in the case of Peter Sullivan ends what’s thought to be the longest-running miscarriage of justice in British history.

He was found guilty of the 1986 murder of 21-year-old Diane Sindall, who had been beaten, raped and left in an alleyway in Bebington, Merseyside.

Diane Sindall. Pic: Merseyside Police/PA Wire
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Diane Sindall was murdered in 1986. Pic: Merseyside Police/PA Wire

Mr Sullivan – who was jailed in 1987 – had always maintained his innocence and first tried to challenge his conviction in 2016, but the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) declined to refer the case, and he lost his own appeal bid in 2019.

Two years later, he again asked the CCRC to refer his case and new tests, ordered by the commission, revealed Mr Sullivan’s DNA was not present on samples preserved at the time.

At a hearing on Tuesday, lawyers for Mr Sullivan told the Court of Appeal in London that the new evidence showed that Ms Sindall’s killer “was not the defendant”.

Mr Sullivan attended the hearing via video link from HMP Wakefield, listening to his conviction being quashed with his head down and arms folded before appearing to weep and putting his hand to his mouth.

A relative in court also wept as the judgment was read out.

‘The truth shall set you free’

In a statement following the ruling, Mr Sullivan – now 68 – said: “I lost my liberty four decades ago over a crime I did not commit.

“What happened to me was very wrong, but does not detract that what happened… was a heinous and most terrible loss of life.”

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Peter Sullivan case explained

He added: “It is said the truth shall set you free. It is unfortunate that it does not give a timescale as we advance towards resolving the wrongs done to me.

“I am not angry, I am not bitter.

“I am simply anxious to return to my loved ones and family as I’ve got to make the most of what is left of the existence I am granted in this world.”

Outside court, Mr Sullivan’s sister Kim Smith said she was “ecstatic” at seeing her brother’s conviction quashed.

She told reporters: “We lost Peter for 39 years and at the end of the day, it’s not just us; Peter hasn’t won, and neither has the Sindall family. They’ve lost their daughter, they are not going to get her back.

“We’ve got Peter back and now we’ve got to try and build a life around him again. We feel sorry for the Sindalls and it’s such a shame this has had to happen in the first place.”

Mr Sullivan's sister, Kim Smith, said she was "ecstatic" about her brother's conviction being quashed. Pic: PA
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Mr Sullivan’s sister Kim Smith said she was ‘ecstatic’ after the ruling. Pic: PA

Barristers for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the DNA evidence was “sufficient fundamentally to cast doubt on the safety of the conviction” and that there was “no credible basis on which the appeal can be opposed”.

Lord Justice Holroyde, sitting with Mr Justice Goss and Mr Justice Bryan, said in light of the new DNA evidence “it is impossible to regard the appellant’s conviction as safe” as he quashed the conviction.

Hunt for DNA match

Merseyside Police has confirmed detectives are now “carrying out an extensive investigation in a bid to identify who the new DNA profile belongs to, as to date there is no match on the national DNA database”.

Detectives are also contacting individuals identified in the original investigation to request voluntary DNA samples.

That initial investigation was the largest in the force’s history and, for many officers, the “frenzied” nature of the attack made it the worst case they had ever encountered.

Ms Sindall, who was engaged to be married, had just left her shift as a part-time barmaid at a pub in Bebington when her small blue van ran out of petrol.

Diane Sindall
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Diane Sindall was killed after finishing her shift as a barmaid

She was walking to an all-night garage when she was attacked.

Mr Sullivan, who was 29 at the time and described as a loner, initially denied the attack but later signed a confession.

Questions have since been raised about whether he had proper legal representation during police interviews. Evidence related to bite marks on Ms Sindall’s body, considered crucial at the trial, has also since been called into question.

At the time of Mr Sullivan’s trial in 1987, DNA technology was not available and subsequent requests for new tests had been refused.

‘Nobody felt safe’

On the grass verge close to where Ms Sindall’s body was found, a memorial stone has been placed in memory of her and “and all of our sisters who have been raped and murdered”.

Her murder sent a chill through the community and led to the creation of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre on Merseyside. “Nobody felt safe, it was a very scary time,” said the centre’s Jo Wood.

A memorial to Diane Sindall
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A memorial to Ms Sindall on a grass verge near where her body was found

She says the uncertainty has resurfaced. “There’s someone out who killed Diane Sindall,” said solicitor Ms Myatt.

“The biggest fear we’ve got is of the unknown and now we’ve got an unknown. We don’t know who it might be. Who knows who this person is? Are we going to encounter him?

“We might have encountered him, we don’t know, we just know that he’s out there.”

Ms Sindall’s family told Sky News they did not want to comment on the case.

Mel John, landlord of the pub where Ms Sindall worked on the night of her death, said: “I’m glad he’s being released if he’s innocent. It has been a long time.”

Mr Sullivan is also aware, his solicitor says, of the impact on Ms Sindall’s family.

“We are very sensitive and respectful to the fact that there is a victim, Diane Sindall and her family, that will be affected by this process,” the solicitor said.

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Tory MP Patrick Spencer charged with sexual assaults at Groucho Club

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Tory MP Patrick Spencer charged with sexual assaults at Groucho Club

Tory MP Patrick Spencer has been charged with two counts of sexual assault at London’s Groucho Club.

The charges follow two alleged incidents involving two different women at the private members’ club, in Soho, in August 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

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Mr Spencer – who is the Conservative MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich – will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday 16 June.

A Conservative Party spokesman said Mr Spencer, 37, has been suspended by the Tories and had the whip withdrawn.

The Groucho Club in Soho, London. Pic: PA
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The Groucho Club in Soho, London. Pic: PA

The Metropolitan Police said he was charged after attending a voluntary interview at a London police station on 13 March this year.

Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS special crime and counter terrorism division, said: “Following a review of the evidence provided by the Metropolitan Police Service, we have authorised two counts of sexual assault against Patrick Spencer MP.

“The charges follow two alleged incidents involving two separate women at the Groucho Club in central London in August 2023.

“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are now active and that he has the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

Mr Spencer was first elected to Parliament last year with a majority of 4,290.

It is understood he was asked not to attend the parliamentary estate by the Tory chief whip while police enquiries were ongoing.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The Conservative Party believes in integrity and high standards. We have taken immediate action.

“Patrick Spencer MP has been suspended from the Conservative Party, and the whip withdrawn, with immediate effect.

“The Conservative Party cannot comment further on an ongoing legal case.”

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The Groucho Club, in Dean Street, opened in 1985 and became a renowned meeting place for A-list celebrities and others, including actors, comedians and media executives.

The club was named after the comedian and actor Groucho Marx, who reportedly once said he would refuse to join any club that would have him as a member.

It was originally set up as a more relaxed alternative to traditional gentlemen’s clubs, according to the venue’s website, which adds that members should be in the creative industry “and share the club’s maverick spirit”.

Before becoming an MP, Mr Spencer worked in finance for private equity firm IPGL, a company chaired by his father, former Conservative Party treasurer Lord Michael Spencer.

He later took a job at the Centre for Social Justice think thank before becoming a senior adviser at the Department for Education.

He made his maiden speech in the Commons in July last year during a debate on the MPs’ code of conduct relating to second jobs, during which he said the “most important thing to the people across my constituency” was “restoring a sense of moral probity and public spiritedness to our political system”.

Sky News has contacted Mr Spencer for comment.

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Man arrested over arson attacks after fire at Sir Keir Starmer’s house

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Man arrested over arson attacks after fire at Sir Keir Starmer's house

A 21-year-old man has been arrested over a series of arson attacks, police have said, after a fire at a house owned by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The suspect was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, according to the Metropolitan Police.

He remains in custody.

Emergency services were called to fires at the doors of two homes in north London within 24 hours of each other – one just after 1.35am on Monday in Kentish Town and the other on Sunday in Islington. Both properties are linked to Sir Keir.

Sir Keir Starmer house
Metropolitan Police
Fire Pic: LNP
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Police are investigating links to several fires, which they are treating as suspicious. Pic: LNP

Detectives were also checking a vehicle fire last Thursday on the same street as the Kentish Town property to see whether it is connected.

Part of the area was cordoned off as police and London Fire Brigade (LFB) investigators examined the scene.

Neighbours described hearing a loud bang and said police officers were looking for a projectile.

A police officer is seen in Kentish Town, north London. Police are investigating a fire at Sir Keir Starmer's house in north London. Picture date: Monday May 12, 2025.
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Emergency services were deployed to the scene in Kentish Town, north London, on Monday. Pic: PA

A forensics officer is seen in Kentish Town, north London. Police are investigating a fire at Sir Keir Starmer's house in north London. Picture date: Monday May 12, 2025.
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Pic: PA

The prime minister is understood to still own the home, which was damaged by fire on Monday, but nobody was hurt. Pictures showed scorching at the entrance to the property.

Sir Keir used to live there before he and his family moved into 10 Downing Street after Labour won last year’s general election. It is believed the property is being rented out.

In the early hours of Sunday, firefighters dealt with a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington, which is also linked to the prime minister.

Sir Keir Starmer house
Metropolitan Police
Fire Pic: LNP
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Counter-terror police are leading the investigation. Pic: LNP

In a statement, police said: “As a precaution and due to the property having previous connections with a high-profile public figure, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are leading the investigation into this fire.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish what caused it. All three fires are being treated as suspicious at this time, and enquiries remain ongoing.”

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The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “I can only say that the prime minister thanks the emergency services for their work and it is subject to a live investigation. So I can’t comment any further.”

Kemi Badenoch has condemned the suspected arson attacks.

Writing on X, the Conservative leader said: “This is a shocking incident. My thoughts are with the prime minister and his family. No one should face these sorts of threats, let alone people in public service.

“It’s an attack on our democracy and must never be tolerated.”

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News on Tuesday: “It’s important that the prime minister and anyone in public life has their family, their homes, protected.

“It is absolutely wrong, disgraceful, for any individual to take the kind of action that we saw against the prime minister’s home.”

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