Rishi Sunak told to remove whip from Liz Truss for ‘propagating conspiracy theories’ on US visit
Labour has called on Rishi Sunak to consider removing the whip from Liz Truss after her appearance in the US sparked controversy.
Anneliese Dodds, the chair of the Labour Party, accused the former prime minister of “propagating conspiracy theories” and “associating with individuals who have actually praised the far right in our country”.
“That’s deeply disturbing, and we’ve not seen any action being taken,” Ms Dodds told Sky News.
Ms Dodds was referring to a series of controversial appearances made by Ms Truss in recent weeks, including a speech in Washington where she accused US president Joe Biden of being “asleep at the wheel” and stating that he needed to be “kicked out” of the White House.
Ms Truss had used a talk at the Conservative Political Action Conference (Cpac) in the US to claim her efforts to slash taxes were “sabotaged” by the “administrative state and the deep state”.
Politics latest: Lee Anderson’s comments that sparked Islamophobia row condemned by PM
The former prime minister – who only lasted 49 days in office after her mini-budget spooked the economic markets – has also been criticised for taking part in an interview with Donald Trump’s controversial former strategist Steve Bannon and remained silent as he praised former leader of the far-right English Defence League Tommy Robinson as a “hero”.
‘Liz should really know better’
Former Conservative chancellor Sir Sajid Javid was among those to criticise Ms Truss for failing to challenge Mr Bannon, writing on X: “I’d hope every MP would confront such a statement head on. Liz should really know better.”
Ms Truss also claimed in her speech that Conservatives are “now operating in what is a hostile environment” and that “left-wing elites” will be “aided and abetted by our enemies in China, Iran and Russia”.
The senior Tory complained about how her attempts to rule the UK were foiled by “the left” and that the West has been run by the left “for too long” – despite the fact the Conservatives have been in government since 2010.
Ms Truss claimed the left “did not accept” that they had lost at the election and “weaponised” institutions like the judicial system.
Farage partnership
In an interview with Mr Bannon after her speech, she also said she was willing to work with Nigel Farage, the former UKIP and Reform leader, to change the Conservative Party.
Labour’s criticism of Ms Truss comes at the same time that the Conservatives are engulfed in a row over Lee Anderson, the outspoken MP for Ashfield and former deputy party chair who has already had the whip removed after he claimed “Islamists” had control over London mayor Sadiq Khan and the capital city.
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Lee Anderson’s comments were ‘racist’
The MP, who was a Labour councillor before defecting to the Tories, told GB News last week: “I don’t actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they’ve got control of Khan and they’ve got control of London… He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates.”
The comments have sparked a backlash from across the political divide. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer condemned what he called an “appalling racist and Islamophobic outburst”, while Conservative peer Baroness Warsi said “anti-Muslim racism” was now used “as an electoral campaign tool”.
The incidents involving Ms Truss and Mr Anderson prompted Labour to write to the prime minister demanding he take action against the pair.
Read more:
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Referring to Ms Truss, shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth wrote: “For a senior politician to engage in spreading such blatant conspiracy theories is incredibly damaging to our democracy, our institutions and social cohesion.
“For a former prime minister to make such remarks, while on an international visit to a country with whom the UK shares a special relationship which upholds liberal values is an unforgivable lowering of the office of prime minister which lessens the United Kingdom’s standing in the world and needs to be acted upon.
“It’s time to show some leadership and take on the extremists in your party. Liz Truss and Lee Anderson must no longer sit as Conservative MPs. Their words cannot go unchecked or unchallenged.”
Prosecutions of sub postmasters by the Department for Work and Pensions could be “tainted” as Sky News reveals officials worked with now discredited Post Office investigators to secure convictions.
Around 100 prosecutions of Post Office staff were led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between 2001 and 2006.
It is understood that these usually involved the cashing in of stolen order books.
The Post Office itself wrongly prosecuted hundreds of sub-postmasters between 1999 and 2015 – based on evidence from the faulty Horizon accounting system.
The role of government
A Sky News investigation, however, has discovered that information was shared between Post Office investigation teams and the DWP.
Chair of the Justice Select Committee, Sir Robert Neill KC, said as a result DWP convictions “need to be looked at”.
“I hadn’t been aware of that, for example, there may have been material in the DWP case as a result of joint investigations – which suggests a disclosure failure,” he added.
“I think that’s the area they need to look at if we are saying their approach was tainted from the beginning – in the way the investigators adopted things – then joint operations I suspect would be just as tainted arguably as something where it has been the Post Office on its own.”
What was known?
A 2003 DWP report into fraud describes “joint working” and the “sharing of information” with the Post Office.
It also outlines a “Fraud Prevention Board” established by the DWP and Royal Mail Group plc which includes “the exchange of information that directly assists fraud prevention and investigations”.
In addition, separately, a 2003 letter seen by Sky News also indicates a connection between DWP and Post Office investigations.
The letter, from the then post affairs minister Stephen Timms, references the case of Roger Allen, a sub-postmaster from Norwich.
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It states: “Subsequent investigations by the police, the Post Office Investigation Department and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) led to a prosecution by DWP…”
Roger Allen was convicted in 2004 of stealing pension payments and was sentenced to six months in prison. He died in March of this year.
Mr Allen had pleaded guilty to spare his wife – after his lawyer told him in a letter that there had been “an indication from the Crown that they may discontinue the proceedings against Mrs Allen were you minded to plead guilty”.
Despite the Criminal Cases Review Commission deciding Mr Allen had grounds to appeal against his conviction – it was upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2021.
DWP prosecutions are not covered in upcoming government legislation that will overturn Post Office convictions.
Roger Allen. Pic: Keren Simpson
Fighting to clear names
Keren Simpson, Roger’s daughter, has vowed to fight to clear his name posthumously.
She describes her father as a “proud” and “honest” man who “couldn’t face or deal” with the fact his conviction would not be overturned.
She says “in the end he obviously gave up” and there is “very little surviving evidence” because of the passage of time.
“He’s the innocent one,” Keren states. “I don’t see why he’s got to try and prove it. They have got to try and prove it, and show what evidence they actually had on my dad.
“Because the Department of Work and Pensions have put a statement out saying there was surveillance and witness testimonies and physical evidence to show it.
“Show me it.”
Roger Allen. Pic: Keren Simpson
Investigation failures?
Sky News has also seen documents that suggest failures by DWP investigators in a different case in the 2000s.
It involved a sub-postmaster who decided to plead not guilty and was acquitted of stealing by a jury.
In one extract it says a “senior investigating officer” was “willing to admit in open court that (they) had been neglectful in (their) duty in securing evidence”.
Another document appears to show a failure to review transaction logs used as evidence against the sub-postmaster.
Some logs appear to show that the accused did not cash the “dockets”, used to collect pension payments.
Other transaction logs indicate the sub-postmaster was not present at a particular branch when the theft was alleged to have occurred.
Christopher Head
Chris Head, former sub-postmaster and a campaigner for others, has also seen the documents and says they point to a “deeply flawed” DWP investigation.
“…they failed to obtain all transaction logs for the entirety of this case, but the ones that they have, they have they clearly haven’t looked at.”
He believes there are “more cases out there” which could be “part of a miscarriage of justice”.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “We do not recognise these claims.
“DWP investigates offences against the welfare system to protect taxpayers’ money, and between 2001 and 2006 a small number of Post Office staff were convicted for welfare-related fraud.
“These cases involved complex investigations and were backed by evidence including filmed surveillance, stolen benefit books and witness statements – they did not rely on Horizon evidence, and this has been accepted by the Court of Appeal.”
The Post Office says it “continues to help other prosecuting authorities to ensure that they have every assistance in taking their work forward”.
“This includes sharing all the information we have in relation to prosecutions which have been brought by other prosecutors.”
Meanwhile, Lord Sikka has tabled an amendment in the House of Lords to the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill to include all DWP convictions.
An outbreak of a waterborne disease in Devon has prompted urgent warnings for residents to boil their tap water.
At least 22 cases of cryptosporidiosis disease have been confirmed in and around the town of Brixham in South West England.
But what is the parasite that is making people sick, what are the symptoms of being infected with it and how serious can it be?
What is cryptosporidiosis disease?
Cryptosporidiosis is the disease caused by the parasite cryptosporidium.
Often shortened to crypto, infections can be caused by drinking contaminated water or swallowing contaminated water in swimming pools or streams.
It can also be acquired through contact with the faeces of infected animals or humans.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include:
• profuse watery diarrhoea
• stomach pains
• nausea or vomiting
• low-grade fever
• loss of appetite
How long does it last?
Most people develop symptoms within one to 12 days of picking up the parasite.
Symptoms usually last for about two weeks, but can last up to six weeks or longer when the immune system is not working properly.
During the illness, you might think you are getting better but the illness returns a couple of days later before you fully recover.
How serious is it?
Most people recover, but in people with severely weakened immune systems it can cause severe disease and can be fatal.
Serious cases and death used to be more common, according to Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
This is because before effective antiretroviral treatments were introduced for HIV/AIDS, people living with these illnesses would not recover if they picked up cryptosporidiosis.
Who is most at risk of serious illness?
People with weak immune systems are at greater risk of serious illness. This includes:
• people on some immunosuppressive drugs, for example cancer or transplant patients
• people with untreated HIV/AIDS
• malnourished children
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Residents ‘worried’ over water parasite
Does it need treatment?
There is no specific treatment for cryptosporidiosis.
It important to drink plenty of fluids as diarrhoea or vomiting can lead to dehydration, according to advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
You might also want to talk to a pharmacist about oral rehydration sachets to help replace the sugar, salts and minerals the body has lost.
Dr Lincoln Sargeant, Torbay’s Director of Public Health, said anyone with “severe symptoms like bloody diarrhoea” should contact NHS 111 or their GP.
Severe cases may require hospital treatment.
How do you know if you have crypto?
The symptoms of crypto are similar to other stomach bugs, so the only way to know for sure if you have it is for your doctor to send a sample of your faeces to be tested in a laboratory.
Read more:
Water disease outbreak may last a week, expert says
Sickness outbreak forces farm to cancel animal cuddling
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
How can you stop the illness spreading?
If you are ill, stay away from nursery, school or work while you have symptoms, and for at least 48 hours after they stop.
You should also avoid swimming for two weeks after being unwell.
You should not prepare food for anyone else until 48 hours after diarrhoea has stopped.
Make sure you’re using good handwashing practices too, washing your hands thoroughly when handling food and after using the toilet.
The UKHSA also advises washing bedding and towels on the hottest possible cycle.
UK
Lucy Letby: Families of victims want inquiry live streamed to stop ‘grossly offensive’ conspiracy theories
The inquiry into how nurse Lucy Letby was able to murder babies at a hospital in Chester will begin to hear evidence in September.
Lawyers for the families of Letby’s victims told a preliminary hearing that the inquiry should be live streamed to the public to prevent the spread of “grossly offensive” conspiracy theories.
Letby was sentenced to 14 whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others while working on the neo-natal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016.
At the preliminary hearing, inquiry chair Lady Justice Thirlwall heard submissions on whether the hearings should be publicly broadcast.
Peter Skelton KC, on behalf of the families of six babies, said Letby’s crimes continued to be the subject of conspiracy theories online.
“One of the most effective antidotes to those theories and the damage they cause will be to see and to hear the people involved in the hospital give a true and comprehensive account of the facts,” he said.
But Andrew Kennedy KC, representing the Countess of Chester, said there was a “high level of anxiety” from staff at the prospect of giving evidence which was live streamed.
He said: “If a witness is concerned about live-streaming then if we can remove that concern we can, we would suggest, encourage candour, frankness and openness.”
Letby was given multiple whole-life terms and will be re-tried on one charge next month
Richard Baker KC, representing some of the other families, said: “Their desire in this case is for change and so that others do not experience what they have experienced.”
They were “saddened” and “concerned” at the suggestion the lack of transparency might continue, he said.
Lady Justice Thirlwall will give her decision on whether the hearings will be broadcast at a later date.
She had begun the proceedings with a pause for reflection on the “lives lost”, “injuries sustained” and “suffering” of the families.
Read more from Sky News:
Boy dies after falling from apartment block in east London
Top midwife slams progress two years after key report
The hearing was told 188 requests for information had been made to individuals including midwives, nurses, doctors, managers and members of the hospital board.
The inquiry hearings are scheduled to begin on 10 September at Liverpool Town Hall.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The parents of the babies will be among the first to give evidence.
Counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC told the hearing: “There are no sides. It is a search for the truth.”
Last month Letby asked the Court of Appeal for permission to mount a full legal challenge to her conviction. Judges are due to rule on this at a later date.
The former nurse is due to face a re-trial next month on one charge of the attempted murder of a baby in February 2016.
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