Labour fights Farage with Trump tactics and a publicity blitz on immigration

Published

11 months ago

February 10, 2025

admin

The fightback starts here. Labour is starting the working week with an onslaught on Nigel Farage’s party on the issue that Reform UK voters care about most: immigration.

And perhaps having concluded that if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers are brazenly using the tactics of Mr Farage’s buddy Donald Trump to attack him.

First, the Home Office has unleashed a publicity blitz boasting about the number of arrests of illegal immigrants and raids on restaurants and takeaways, car washes, nail bars and vape shops.

To hammer home the message that the numbers are up massively on last year, when the Tories were in power, a video of Border Force officers banging down doors and slapping on the cuffs has been released.

It’s ahead of a three-way Commons showdown between Labour, the Tories and Reform UK, when the government’s flagship immigration legislation, the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, has its second reading.

Mr Farage has put down an amendment to chuck out the bill because control of the UK’s borders is undermined by membership of the European Convention on Human Rights and there are no proposals to deport illegal migrants or foreigners in UK jails.

Not to be outdone, she hopes, Kemi Badenoch has an amendment – which will be selected, unlike Mr Farage’s – which slams Labour for ditching Tory migration laws and complains the bill says nothing about curbing legal migration.

Later, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will release the first footage of migrant deportation flights removing foreign criminals. Then it’s reported she’ll join a raid to stamp out illegal working, no doubt clad in a flak jacket and hard hat.

The deportation video, it’s reported, will show staff packing bags at a migrant removal centre, then escorting returnees, one with his hands shackled and escorted by seven staff, off a bus and up the stairway of a charter jet.

If this aggressive campaigning all sounds very Trumpian, that’s because it is. Last week the prime minister adapted the US president’s “drill, baby, drill” mantra to “build, baby, build” as he hit out at “blockers” thwarting Labour’s growth agenda.

Like President Trump, Sir Keir has propelled immigration to the top of his agenda, as his government faces a threat from Mr Farage that has caused consternation among the 89 Labour MPs with Reform UK in second place.

Just look at the opinion polls. Last week’s Sky News/YouGov poll showed Reform UK on 25%, Labour on 24% and the Tories on 21%, putting Mr Farage and his party in the lead for the first time since the general election.

The most recent poll, by Opinium for The Observer at the weekend, though it put Labour on 27%, Reform UK on 26% and the Tories on 22%, suggested that it’s immigration that’s proving attractive to floating voters.

Among those backing reform UK, 37% said it was because of its hardline policies on immigration and border control. And among people considering backing Reform UK, 72% said it was because of the party’s immigration and borders policies – more than twice the percentage for any other policy issue.

At the election last July, Reform UK said it would freeze non-essential immigration, with exceptions only for essential healthcare workers and “pick up illegal migrants out of boats and take them back to France”.

Last Friday, at a marathon six-hour cabinet “away-day”, Sir Keir urged his ministers to “be the disruptors, if you don’t want to be disrupted”, in what was seen as a deliberate reference to Reform UK.

👉 Click here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts 👈

Earlier, speaking at the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting last week, the home secretary told the party’s MPs: “Public confidence in border security on the whole has plummeted.

“People are sick and tired of government promises on immigration that were never delivered. That’s why we have to restore grip and order. It’s vital that our borders are strengthened and the rules are respected and enforced.”

At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, when Labour MPs heckled Mr Farage, he replied: “I’m sorry, Mr Speaker, but there appears to be some panic on the Labour benches. I’m not surprised… They really are panicking, aren’t they?”

Panicking or not, Labour MPs have already formed backbench groups to plot a fightback against Reform UK, including a “Red Wall Caucus” WhatsApp group and “Blue Labour”, described as a pro-worker, anti-woke plan to beat Mr Farage.

It seems the party leadership has taken notice.

From now on, it will be the prime minister, home secretary and other senior ministers spearheading the fight against Mr Farage, starting with a Trumpian crackdown and publicity blitz on immigration this week.

UK

Epstein files appear to show Andrew asking Ghislaine Maxwell for ‘inappropriate friends’

Published

5 mins ago

December 24, 2025

admin

Epstein files appear to show Andrew asking Ghislaine Maxwell for 'inappropriate friends'

A trove of newly released Epstein files include emails that appear to involve Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, while another suggests Donald Trump travelled on the billionaire’s private jet “many more times than previously has been reported”.

The US Department of Justice released at least 11,000 more files on Tuesday.

It went on to claim that some of them “contain untrue and sensationalist claims” about President Trump.

Here are some of the latest news lines from this release of Epstein files. Being named in these papers does not suggest wrongdoing.

Who is ‘The Invisible Man’?

Among the documents released is an email sent to Ghislaine Maxwell that speaks about “the girls” being “completely shattered” at a Royal Family summer camp at Balmoral.

It is dated 16 August 2001 and sent by a person referred to as “The Invisible Man”, who signed off the message as “A” – and is believed to be Andrew.

Sky News has come to that conclusion from reviewing the email address used, which is assigned to the Duke of York in Epstein’s contacts book and the chain of correspondence.

In the correspondence, “The Invisible Man” asks Maxwell: “How’s LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?”

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has previously denied any allegations against him.

The Peru trip

Another email appears to show Maxwell arranging “two-legged sight seeing” for “The Invisible Man” during a trip to Peru.

She appears to forward to “The Invisible Man” part of a conversation between herself and another person.

The email says: “I just gave Andrew your telephone no. He is interested in seeing the Nazca lines. He can ride but it is not his favorite sport ie pass on the horses.”

“Some sight seeing some 2 legged sight seeing (read intelligent pretty fun and from good families) and he will be very happy. I know I can rely on you to show him a wonderful time and will only introduce him to friends that you can trust,” Maxwell said.

The context of the email is unclear and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing.

Trump on Epstein’s jet?

The latest bunch of files also includes an email from an unidentified prosecutor dated 7 January, 2020, in which President Trump is mentioned.

The email accuses him of travelling on Epstein’s private jet “many more times than previously has been reported”.

It adds that President Trump “is listed as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, including at least four flights on which Maxwell was also present”.

The email’s sender and receiver have been redacted. However, at the bottom of the email it says assistant US attorney, Southern District of New York. The name has also been redacted.

President Trump has denied any wrongdoing in relation to his relationship with Epstein, and being on any of Epstein’s flights does not indicate any wrongdoing.

Limousine driver report about Trump

One of the documents in the release shows a report made to the FBI that was recorded on 27 October 2020.

It includes an unverified claim by a limousine driver that he overheard the US president discussing “abusing some girl” in 1995.

The driver also mentions Trump said “Jeffrey” while on the phone during a journey to Dallas Fort Worth Airport in Texas.

A significant part of the statement, along with the driver’s identity, has been redacted.

The US justice department has said that some of the documents in the latest Epstein files release “contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election”.

“To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already,” it said.

Postcard mentions ‘our president’

Also among the documents is a postcard that claims to have been sent by Jeffrey Epstein, but has been refuted by the justice department.

In it, the sender tells the recipient: “Our president also shares our love of young, nubile girls.”

It’s not clear who “our president” refers to and the context of the postcard is also unclear.

The US justice department initially said it was “looking into the validity” of the postcard but later said on X that the “FBI has confirmed” the postcard is “FAKE”.

It cited reasons including a claim that the writing does not appear to match Epstein’s and another that the letter was postmarked three days after his death.

Row over unreleased documents

It is believed that many files relating to Epstein are yet to be made public.

There has been anger at the justice department’s slow release of the files, with politicians threatening to launch legal action against Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The deadline for the release of all the documents has passed.

“The DOJ needs to quit ⁠protecting the rich, powerful, and politically connected,” Republican congressman Thomas Massie said.

UK

Starmer makes cost-of-living promise in Christmas message

Published

5 mins ago

December 24, 2025

admin

Starmer makes cost-of-living promise in Christmas message

The prime minister has acknowledged Britons’ cost-of-living struggles in his Christmas message – and vowed that helping with the issue is his “priority”.

Sir Keir Starmer also urged members of the public to “each do our bit” and “reach out” to friends, relatives and neighbours during the festive period.

His message comes at the end of a difficult year for his government, with economic growth stuttering and Chancellor Rachel Reeves facing criticism over tax rises in the budget.

In a message recorded inside 10 Downing Street, Sir Keir said: “I know many across Britain are still struggling with the cost of living. Helping with that is my priority.

“But at this time of the year, which celebrates love and abundance, loss or hardship can feel even more acute.

“So call around to a neighbour. Check in on a friend or a relative who you haven’t heard from for a while. Reach out. It can make a huge difference.

“That is what Christmas is about.”

The prime minister thanked NHS workers along with members of the military and the emergency services who will be on duty on Christmas Day.

“Just as so many put their feet up, some truly special people will be pulling on their uniforms and heading out to work,” he said.

“Our NHS staff emergency services and the brave men and women of our armed forces, all playing their part, doing their bit to care for the nation and to keep us safe.

“Many volunteers will be out there as well. Serving food. Reaching out to help those lonely or in need.

“So on behalf of the whole country, I want to say a big thank you.

“As a nation, we should raise a glass to you this Christmas. But more than that, we should each do our bit as well.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch used her Christmas message to talk about “Christian values” and thanked “everyone who has supported me during my first year as leader of the opposition”.

“It’s been the biggest challenge of my life,” she said. “But it’s also been a wonderful year. I can’t wait to get back to work next year to create a better United Kingdom.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey spoke about the Christmas tree in London’s Trafalgar Square – an annual gift from Norway to thank the UK for its support during the Second World War – in his message.

While saying the tree may “look a little underwhelming” on first glance, the Liberal Democrat leader said it was a reminder of “friendship and loyalty”.

He added: “It makes me think about people standing together in tough times – whether against the Nazis in the 1940s, or right now in Ukraine.

“And yeah, it might not be perfect, but this tree in Trafalgar Square makes me think about families and friends looking out for one another right here at home.

“I can’t think of a better symbol of the Christmas spirit of generosity, love and hope. Of light in the darkness.”

UK

Details of King Charles’s Christmas message revealed – as he chooses to deliver it away from palace

Published

3 hours ago

December 24, 2025

admin

Details of King Charles's Christmas message revealed - as he chooses to deliver it away from palace

A photograph has been released by Buckingham Palace showing the King delivering his Christmas message again outside of traditional palace walls.

This year the annual address was filmed in the Lady Chapel inside Westminster Abbey, the second time the monarch has recorded it away from a royal residence.

The palace has revealed the abbey was chosen for the setting this year to reflect a major theme of the message, pilgrimage.

The full details of what he says are always kept secret until it is broadcast at 3pm on Christmas Day. The message is always seen as a deeply personal one from the monarch, as a rare speech delivered by the King without advice from, or consultation with, the government.

Westminster Abbey was seen as a perfect location to reflect the theme of pilgrimage with pilgrims visiting every year to remember the legacy of Edward the Confessor, whose shrine lies at the heart of the abbey. Around the walls of the Lady Chapel are 95 statues of saints dating from the building of the chapel in the 16th century.

The abbey, as the site of the King’s own coronation and that of every monarch since 1066, also has royal significance. The Henry VII Lady Chapel is the burial place of 15 Kings and Queens including Elizabeth I, Mary I and Mary Queen of Scots. Below the central aisle is the Hanoverian vault where George II and members of his family are buried. The Stuart vault is in the south aisle where Charles II, William III and Mary II, and Queen Anne lie buried.

It is understood the King takes a particular interest in where the message is filmed each year, favouring different locations outside of royal palaces over the past two years.

In the photograph, taken during filming, you can also see brightly lit Christmas trees used for another royal event in December. They were still inside the abbey following the filming of the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas carol service, which will be broadcast on Christmas Eve.