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Liz Truss is set to launch a new movement within the Tories called Popular Conservatism.

At an event, she will be joined by well-known figures on the right of the party, including her former business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and ex-deputy chairman Lee Anderson – with former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage also expected to be in the audience.

But what does this group stand for? And who are the other Tory groups represented on the party’s backbenches?

Popular Conservatives

Already dubbed the “PopCons” by the media, more will become clear about their stance after Ms Truss takes the stage.

But reports have already suggested that while they will seek to portray support for Rishi Sunak, they will want him to toughen up some of his policies ahead of the next election.

One area they are likely to focus on is illegal immigration. The group is expected to back the government’s Rwanda plan – though may seek the prime minister goes further through exiting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if it stands in the way of flights taking off.

Another policy area will be taxes, ensuring they are cut further before voters head to the polls – perhaps echoing Ms Truss’s own fiscal plans that led to her eventual ousting from Number 10.

There are also suggestions they could focus their ire on the Equalities Act in what they will see as an effort to protect free speech, as well as targeting the “establishment”, such as lawyers, quangos and civil servants.

European Research Group

This group of MPs is perhaps the most well-known of the so-called “five families” of right-wing groups within the Conservative Party – though the number will rise to six after Ms Truss’s launch.

The ERG became a household name during Brexit years, dominating the headlines with its own demands for exiting the EU, but has kept relatively quiet since the deal was done – except for calling key elements of the Windsor Framework “practically useless”.

The Eurosceptic group is currently chaired by Mark Francois, but saw many of its members promoted to ministerial positions after Boris Johnson came to power – including Sir Jacob, Suella Braverman and Steve Baker.

Now, the ERG is leading the fight once again over the Rwanda bill, calling for the prime minister to go further in ignoring international treaties and limiting the ability for asylum seekers to take appeals to court.

Jacob Rees-Mogg speaks at a meeting of the pro-Brexit European Research Group in London
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Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg used to chair the ERG before he was made a minister by Boris Johnson. Pic: Reuters

New Conservatives

The former new kids on the block, this group is made up of 25 Tory backbenchers predominantly from so-called “Red Wall” seats that the party won from Labour in recent elections.

All of the members only entered parliament after 2016 – since the Brexit referendum took place – and say they are determined to focus the party on delivering on the 2019 manifesto, where Mr Johnson won a significant majority on his promises to “get Brexit done” and “level up” the country.

One of its first events as it sought to raise its public profile was outlining its 10-point plan for immigration, causing controversy with its call to end the temporary visa scheme for care workers and cap the number of refugees who can settle in the UK.

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Who are the New Conservatives?

Northern Research Group

Perhaps the precursor to the New Conservatives, this faction was also born from the 2019 election victories in the Red Wall, promising to focus on the interests of the towns and cities that make up the Tories’ “Northern Powerhouse”.

With around 55 MPs from the north of England, Scottish borders and North Wales – led by the now-former chairman of the party, Sir Jake Berry – the group has expanded its remit somewhat, speaking out against COVID lockdowns and business taxes, as well as pushing for its core goals around devolution, transport and investment.

The group also holds a conference every year, attracting senior members of government to speak and attempt to keep the powerful bloc onside.

Conservative Party chairman Jake Berry speaking at the Conservative Party annual conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham. Picture date: Wednesday October 5, 2022.
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Sir Jake Berry served as party chairman under Liz Truss. Pic: PA

Common Sense Group

This collective of around 50 MPs and peers says it “stands for authentic conservatism”, with many of the issues it focuses on falling squarely into the culture wars category.

From slamming the National Trust for publicising Winston Churchill’s family links to slavery, to attacking Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion as “subversives fuelled by ignorance”, the group – led by veteran backbencher Sir John Hayes – calls on the government to “reflect the will of the people, rather than pandering to the peculiar preoccupations of the liberal elite and the distorted priorities of left-wing activists”.

It has published its own set of essays to highlight its concerns, with titles including, “The judicial activists threatening our democracy”, “Taking politics out of policing”, and “The case for strengthening families”.

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Security minister John Hayes at the Conservative Party Conference in 2011.
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Sir John Hayes leads the group that focuses on culture war issues. Pic: Reuters

Conservative Growth Group

The final of the “five families”, this group came to life after the short-lived premiership of Ms Truss, who resigned as prime minister after just 49 days following her disastrous mini-budget.

But while the party may have pushed for her undoing, her approach to tearing up the “economic orthodoxy” of the Treasury still garners the support of a number of backbenchers – especially those who enjoyed equally short-lived ministerial careers while she was in office.

There are only thought to be around 20 members in the group, including Ms Truss herself, but they are pushing for popular policies in the party, such as tax cuts and deregulation, as the best way for growing the British economy.

It is chaired by Ranil Jayawardena, who was environment secretary while Ms Truss was prime minister, and who is also expected at Tuesday’s Popular Conservatism launch.

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Truss ‘tried to fatten and slaughter the pig’

One Nation caucus

In stark contrast to the previous factions outlined, this group – established back in 1975 – promotes the One Nation Conservative ideology, a more centrist approach to both the economy and social policy.

Despite dominating the party during the David Cameron years, many of the One Nation group fell out of favour during the tumultuous Brexit debate due to their support for Remain, with Mr Johnson kicking a number of them out of the party for failing to back his exit plans.

But while they may have been in the shadows in recent years, there are still over 100 members in parliament – with some former figures, such as Alex Chalk and Gillian Keegan, making it on to the frontbench – and they are starting to put their heads above the parapet again.

Britain's Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader David Cameron (L) walks with Chancellor George Osborne during their visit to Marston's Brewery in Wolverhampton, central England April 1, 2015. Britain will go to the polls in a national election on May 7. REUTERS/Leon Neal/pool
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Before Brexit, One Nation Tories were an influential force in the party – especially under David Cameron and George Osborne. Pic: Reuters

Recent issues being raised have included a call to focus on policies for winning back younger voters – such as rental reform and childcare.

But they are now seen as a key faction for the prime minister to keep onside to ensure the success of the Rwanda plan.

The group has offered its support to Mr Sunak so far, but with its more liberal outlook – and having voiced concerns about the prospect of leaving (or breaking) international human rights treaties – the members have also said they will pull their backing if the prime minister bends to the will of those on the right and goes too far.

Conservative Democratic Organisation

This is another group formed after Ms Truss’s exit, but with fierce loyalty to her predecessor, Mr Johnson.

The CDO was furious with how Mr Sunak had been chosen as the new leader – without a vote of the membership – calling it “undemocratic”, and promised to “take back control” of the party with its grassroots movement.

But it is not just leadership elections it wants to influence. The organisation hopes to “steer [the Tories’] political direction back to the centre-right”, with specific calls for tax cuts and attacks on the current PM for failing to provide them.

Key figures include billionaire Conservative donor Lord Cruddas, the party’s former treasurer, and key Johnson ally and former home secretary Dame Priti Patel.

It has already held a conference, with other Johnson backers like Nadine Dorries and Sir Jacob attending to give speeches.

Priti Patel
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Priti Patel is one of the members spearheading the group. Pic Sky News

China Research Group

Another hot topic within Conservative ranks is the best way to approach China, and this group was set up to amplify that debate.

It was co-founded and chaired by the now security minister Tom Tugendhat – an outspoken critic of the country.

While its former chair now finds himself on the frontbench, the group is calling for tougher action on Beijing and questioning the current administration’s desire to engage with China.

Foreign Affairs Committee chair Alicia Kearns now leads the group.

Net Zero Scrutiny Group/Conservative Environment Network

Climate policies have been a central bone of contention for Tory MPs in recent months – especially after the party managed to cling on to Mr Johnson’s former seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip in a by-election by focusing on residents’ anger of the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

The victory saw a number of the party’s green policies brought into question, with Mr Sunak pledging to only roll them out in a “proportionate and pragmatic way” and watering down a number of promises.

But the legal obligation to hit net zero by 2050 – a law brought in by the Conservatives – has long caused rows, with two groups being formed to represent both sides of the argument.

Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, Chris Skidmore, addresses the Universities UK Conference at the University of Birmingham. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday September 12, 2019. See PA story EDUCATION Universities. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire
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Chris Skidmore (L) and Craig Mackinlay (R) chair opposing groups when it comes to net zero. Pics: PA

The Net Zero Scrutiny Group insists it is not climate sceptic, but instead says government policies have gone too far, too fast, contributing to the cost of living crisis.

The group of 50 or so MPs and peers – led by former UKIP deputy leader Craig Mackinlay – wants green levies to be scrapped, saying they are hitting the poorest the hardest, and wants the government to ramp up fossil fuel production at home.

On the other hand, there is the Conservative Environment Network (CEN), which claims to have over 130 MPs and peers backing its mission to “champion greater environmental action in parliament”.

It says Conservative voters don’t want to see a row about whether net zero is worth it or not, but a debate on the right policies to achieve it.

A smaller faction echoing the sentiments of the CEN is known as the Net Zero Support Group, which aims to “demonstrate and maintain Conservative support for net zero carbon emissions and policies needed to deliver this”.

It was led Tory MP Chris Skidmore, but he resigned from parliament earlier this year, saying his exit was “in protest at the government’s decision to prioritise and politicise new oil and gas licences above a sensible investment plan for the future”.

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Starmer to announce formal recognition of Palestine as a state

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Starmer to announce formal recognition of Palestine as a state

The UK will formally recognise Palestine as a state, it is understood.

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to make the announcement on Sunday after he said in July that the government would make the move unless Israel met certain conditions.

The prime minister had called on Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to take substantive steps to end the “appalling situation in Gaza“, agree to a ceasefire, commit to a long-term sustainable peace, allow the UN to restart the supply of aid, and not annex the West Bank.

The Israeli foreign ministry furiously rejected his statement, with Mr Netanyahu claiming that “Starmer rewards Hamas‘s monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims”.

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Could recognition of Palestine change the West Bank?

Ilay David, brother of Hamas hostage Evyatar David, who was seen emaciated in a video last month, said giving recognition was “like saying to Hamas: ‘It is OK, you can keep starving the hostages, you can keep using them as human shields.’

“This kind of recognition gives Hamas power to be stubborn in negotiations. That is the last thing we need right now.”

There has been no ceasefire, and the situation in Gaza has deteriorated, with a declaration of a famine in Gaza City and the expansion of Israeli military operations.

Israel has launched a major ground offensive to seize all of Gaza City and destroy Hamas in an operation which has prompted widespread condemnation, with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper calling it “utterly reckless and appalling”.

More on Gaza

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What changed in UK’s Gaza policy?

Earlier this month, a UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel said the claim was “distorted and false”.

The UK will join 147 of the 193 members of the UN who recognise Palestine ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday.

Other nations, including France, Australia and Canada, have said they plan to take the same step at the UN gathering as part of a broad international effort to put pressure on Israel.

During a joint news conference with the prime minister at Chequers on Thursday, Donald Trump said he disagreed with recognition, and US politicians have urged the UK and other allies to reverse their stance.

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to deliver the announcement on Sunday. Pic: PA
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Sir Keir Starmer is expected to deliver the announcement on Sunday. Pic: PA

Sky News understands that Israel is considering options in response to the UK’s decision, but the strength of that reaction is still under consideration.

Read more:
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Family members of some of the 48 hostages still in captivity, after Hamas and other militant groups stormed into Israel on 7 October 2023, have written an open letter to Sir Keir, condemning the move.

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Israel ramps up attacks on Gaza City

“Hamas has already celebrated the UK’s decision as a victory and reneged on a ceasefire deal,” they said.

“We write to you with a simple plea – do not take this step until our loved ones are home and in our arms.”

The UK government is understood to be looking at further sanctions on Hamas, and has demanded the group release all hostages, agree to an immediate ceasefire, accept it will have no role in governing Gaza, and commit to disarmament.

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Heathrow among major airports hit by delays after cyber attack

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Heathrow among major airports hit by delays after cyber attack

Heathrow was among a number of major airports across Europe hit by delays after a suspected cyber attack that targeted a service provider for check-in and boarding systems.

The “technical issue” affecting Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding services for various airlines, resulted in 14 flights being cancelled at Brussels Airport on Saturday, and several more being delayed at London Heathrow, Berlin, and Dublin, among others.

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Passengers have reported being unable to check in online, instead queuing for hours for staff to deal with them manually at desks and departure gates, only to be told their flights are not taking off.

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Helen Steel, 49, left Dorset for Heathrow at 3am to travel home to Oslo, with her cat Thomas – but was “shouted at by staff” who told her she would not be able to fly until Sunday.

Describing the situation as an “absolute nightmare”, she said: “I’ve got an animal here, so I’m very concerned about his welfare.

“I’ve been shouted at twice and I broke down in tears because I was worried about him. None of us have had any information whatsoever. Whenever we ask ground staff, they shout at us.”

Ms Steel says she spent two hours in the queue on the phone to customer service and is now having to find a hotel to stay in overnight.

Sam arrived at Heathrow expecting to drop his girlfriend off for her flight to Rio de Janeiro – but was still at the airport seven hours later.

Sam has been at Heathrow for seven hours after his girlfriend's flight to Rio was cancelled
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Sam has been at Heathrow for seven hours after his girlfriend’s flight to Rio was cancelled

When they arrived, it was “chaos everywhere”, he told Sky News, with “nobody seeming to know what was going on”.

The couple say they were not told about the cyber attack by airport staff, finding out about it online instead.

After queuing for three hours, they made it to the front, only to be told the plane was not taking off, he adds.

“Her flight was at 8.40am and it was held back until 10.15am. At 10.10am they sent everyone away and told them to contact the airline. But there are no representatives for any airlines whatsoever. It’s been a bit of a farce.

“Nobody knew where they were going – and they were sending people left, right, and centre.

“She’s going tomorrow now, but we’ve got to find a hotel, and no one is here to give us any hotel vouchers. They just give you a piece of paper and say ‘you’ve got to pay for it yourself’.”

Passengers wait for news at Heathrow Terminal 4. Pic: PA
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Passengers wait for news at Heathrow Terminal 4. Pic: PA

‘Insane queues’ and ‘skeleton staff’

Passenger Tereza Pultarova waited around 10 hours at Heathrow after she arrived at 4.30am for her flight to Cape Town via Amsterdam.

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Tereza Pultarova had to wait 10 hours at Heathrow

“We were kind of stranded here because KLM wasn’t able to issue us boarding passes digitally, and requested us to collect them at the check-in desk,” she said.

“And then they told us that there is some sort of global issue with the system they’re using for check-in and boarding, and they have to do everything manually. So then they were checking in people at the rate of, like, one person per 10 minutes.

“I’m not exaggerating. It was just insane, the queue wasn’t moving. And then suddenly they said, ‘Oh, the flight will be departing, we’re closing the gate’.

Maria Casey was due to fly to Thailand with Etihad Airways – but had to wait three hours to drop off her luggage at Heathrow, with staff taking between five and 10 minutes to deal with each passenger.

Queues at Heathrow. Pic: PA
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Queues at Heathrow. Pic: PA

“The queues are terrible,” she told Sky News. “It was an absolute skeleton staff. Out of six of the desks there were probably two people”.

A Heathrow spokesperson advised people to arrive no more than three hours early for a flight and apologised for any inconvenience.

It is understood British Airways at Terminal 5 remains unaffected and is operating as normal.

Collins Aerospace said it is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

“We have become aware of a cyber-related disruption to our Muse (Multi-User System Environment) software in select airports, the firm said in a statement.

“The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations. We are actively working to resolve the issue and restore full functionality to our customers as quickly as possible.”

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‘Delighted to be free’: Elderly British couple who were detained by Taliban arrive in UK

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'Delighted to be free': Elderly British couple who were detained by Taliban arrive in UK

An elderly British couple who have arrived back in the UK after being detained in a maximum security Taliban prison are “delighted to be free”, their son has told Sky News.

Barbie Reynolds, 76, and her husband Peter, 80, were arrested in February after spending decades in Afghanistan, where they have dual citizenship.

They had been held without charge before being released from detention on Friday and flown to Qatar, where they were reunited with their daughter, before flying back to Heathrow Airport on Saturday.

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Freed couple reunites with daughter

The couple’s son, Jonathan Reynolds, told Sky News: “They’re just delighted to be free… they’re very excited to see their kids and grandkids and great grandkids, people they’ve just been wanting to catch up with and wondered if they’d ever see them again.”

Jonathan, who spoke to his parents from Wyoming in the US in a FaceTime call with some of his siblings, said: “I’ve seen photographs of them in hospital beds getting checked. I’ve seen them having full English breakfasts. So they’re jumping on that.”

Peter Reynolds enjoys breakfast after his release
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Peter Reynolds enjoys breakfast after his release

He described some of the conditions his parents had been kept under in a “big maximum security prison with thousands of inmates”.

“My dad described being handcuffed or chained to other criminals. And, one point he had his chest hairs ripped out,” he said.

More on Afghanistan

“He was hit in the head. And, then they were moved, to more of a safe house.”

Peter Reynolds gets hospital check-up
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Peter Reynolds gets hospital check-up

But Jonathan said his parents retained their British politeness even when calling him from a payphone in the prison yard, with his dad asking: “Is now a good time?”.

“It was totally, ‘Yeah, not too bad. Where’s the queue to get out of here?'”

The UK government advises British nationals not to travel to Afghanistan.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson at the Taliban government’s foreign ministry, said in a statement posted on X that the couple “violated Afghan law” and were released from prison after a court hearing.

He did not say what law the couple were alleged to have broken.

Sky correspondent Cordelia Lynch was at Kabul Airport as the freed couple arrived and departed.

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Sky’s Cordy Lynch speaks to released couple

Mr Reynolds told her: “We are just very thankful.”

His wife added: “We’ve been treated very well. We’re looking forward to seeing our children.

“We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens.”

The couple have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and run an organisation called Rebuild, which provides education and training programmes.

They have been together since the 1960s and married in the Afghan capital in 1970.

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