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Minister says he would accept ￡10m from under fire Tory donor
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The government has identified groups that could face restrictions following the publication of the new “extremism” definition amid rising concerns about threats to social cohesion and British democracy.
A ban on white supremacist group British National Socialist Movement and Patriotic Alterntive engaging with the government will be considered, as well as anti-War on Terror group CAGE , Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) and Muslim Association with Britain, which he says “give rise to concern”.
The groups will be assessed for whether they met the definition of extremism, Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove said.
He told MPs the country’s values of inclusivity and tolerance were “under challenge from extremist groups which are radicalising our young people and driving greater polarisation within and between communities to further their own ends”.
Earlier, he said the new definition of extremism was not intended to stop people from protesting amid fears it could curtail free speech.
Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the former Labour MP Diane Abbott needed “an arm around her” but the issue of restoring the whip was completely different and still subject to investigation.
Recommended If calling for Diane Abbott ‘to be shot’ isn’t racism, then what is? Diane Abbott accuses Tories AND Labour of ‘shocking’ racism in donor row Diane Abbott criticises Speaker for not calling her to speak during PMQs After the Diane Abbott racism row, Sunak needs to consider his next move carefully
Key Points Gove names Muslim and white supremacist groups as he outlines extremism definition Levelling up sec defends new extremism definition Gove refuses to say if ‘racist’ donor comments are ‘extremism’ Sunak rejects call to give back Frank Hester’s ￡10mn donation amid race row Diane Abbott reports Tory donor Frank Hester to police Tory minister defends Hester’s donations and says he’s not racist Hester’s comments were racist, Kemi Badenoch says
Show latest update 3 days ago Sunak refuses to answer if he will return Frank Hester donation during rugby club visit
Sunak refuses to answer if he will return Hester donation during rugby club visit Rishi Sunak on Thursday (14 March) reiterated that Frank Hester’s apology over alleged comments made about MP Diane Abbott should be accepted when challenged over whether the Conservatives will return the donor’s money. “What he said was wrong and racist. I made that clear,” the prime minister said, when asked whether the cash will be handed back if it has not been spent during a visit to Gloucestershire Rugby Club. “It’s right that he’s apologised for that. And where remorse is shown, I think that should be accepted.” Pressed again on returning the money, Mr Sunak added: “When someone has expressed genuine remorse or contrition for what they’ve done, which he has, it’s the right thing to do to accept that.”
Matt Mathers 14 March 2024 17:30
3 days ago Angela Rayner says she wants to see Diane Abbott’s suspension lifted
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has said she would personally like to see Diane Abbott back in the party.
Ms Rayner also condemned as “absolutely chilling” alleged comments by a top Tory donor that she made him “want to hate all Black women” and that she should be “shot”.
Full report:
Angela Rayner says she wants to see Diane Abbott's suspension lifted MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington lost the party whip last year
Matt Mathers 14 March 2024 17:00
3 days ago Diane Abbott accuses Labour of hypocrisy after it uses race row to fundraise for donations
Diane Abbott has accused Labour of double standards after the party was accused of using the Tory donor race row to boost its own funding - despite her being suspended.
The Labour Party’s campaign team sent an email to members, saying it was “fuming” after the Conservative Party refused to return a ￡10m donation from business tycoon Frank Hester over allegedly racist remarks he made about Ms Abbott.
Full report:
Abbott accuses Labour of hypocrisy after it uses race row to fundraise for donations Exclusive: The MP, who was suspended by Labour last year, accused Sir Keir Starmer’s party of double standards after an email plea was sent to members following the row asking for donations
Matt Mathers 14 March 2024 16:30
3 days ago Watch: Michael Gove refuses three times to say whether Frank Hester’s comments were extremist
Michael Gove refuses repeatedly to say whether Frank Hester’s comments were extremist Michael Gove refused repeatedly when asked if a Tory donor’s alleged comments calling for an MP to be “shot” would be deemed extremist under the government’s new task force. Businessman Frank Hester is alleged to have said that Diane Abbott, Britain’s first black female MP, made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”, in comments the Prime Minister described as “racist” after initially refusing to do so. Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Thursday (14 March), presenter Naga Munchetty asked Mr Gove repeatedly if the alleged comments would be deemed extremist.
Matt Mathers 14 March 2024 16:00
3 days ago Cabinet ministers hold secret talks about replacing Sunak
Cabinet ministers have in recent days held secret discussions about possibly needing to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory party leader before the general election.
But none of the would-be successors have enough support to mount a challenge against the prime minister, Bloomberg reports.
The outlet says Tory MPs are angry about the handling of donations to the party by Frank Hester and have compared it to Boris Johnson’s handling of the Chris Pincher affairs, which was widely seen as the straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of the end of his premiership.
Mr Sunak has said that his “working assumption” was that he would call an election in the second half of the year but has declined to rule out a snap poll in May.
Matt Mathers 14 March 2024 15:30
3 days ago Labour lead narrows slightly to 24 points - poll
Labour’s lead over the Conservatives has narrowed slightly but remains at a huge 24 points, according to a poll.
The opposition was down three points to 44 per cent versus. The Tories were unchanged on 20 per cent.
The Lib Dems were also unchanged on 9 per cent and Reform UK was up one to 14 per cent.
The survey was carried out on 12 and 13 March.
Matt Mathers 14 March 2024 15:15
3 days ago Tories sitting on a further ￡5m donation from ‘racist’ donor Frank Hester
The Conservative Party is sitting on a further ￡5m donated by “racist” donor Frank Hester.
The money is yet to be declared, according to Tortoise Media, which quoted a Tory source as saying the party was “sitting on” the cash.
If confirmed it would take the total amount of money donated by Mr Hester in the past year to ￡15m.
Rishi Sunak said earlier this week the party would not be returning any of the money after Mr Hester apologised for being “rude”. He denied being racist.
Frank Hester is alleged to have said MP Diane Abbott made him ‘want to hate all black women’ (CHOGM Rwanda 2022/YouTube/PA)
(PA Wire)
(AFP via Getty Images)
Matt Mathers 14 March 2024 15:00
3 days ago MPs’ pay set to rise by 5.5% from April
MPs are set to get a pay rise of 5.5 per cent from April – bringing the overall salary to ￡91,346, Parliament’s expenses watchdog has announced.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said the decision had been taken in line with the award recently agreed for the senior civil service.
Full report:
MPs’ pay set to rise by 5.5% from April The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) announced the decision on Thursday.
Matt Mathers 14 March 2024 14:45
3 days ago Russia interfers with GPS sigal on RAF plane carrying defence secretary
An RAF aircraft carrying the UK defence secretary had its satellite signal interfered with by Russia.
Grant Shapps was flying back from a Nato exercise in Poland when Russia is believed to have jammed the aircraft’s signal, The Times reports.
The paper said the GPS system was interfered with for about 30 minutes while the plane flew close to the Russian territory of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea.
The defence security was assured that there was no threat to the jet’s safety and that it used alternative means to determine its location.
A defence source said: “While the RAF are well prepared to deal with this, it still puts an unnecessary risk on civilian aircraft and could potentially endanger people’s lives. There is no excuse for this and it’s wildly irresponsible on Russia’s part.”
Matt Mathers 14 March 2024 14:35
3 days ago Plan ‘will label gender-critical feminists extremists', warns MP
Gender-critical feminists will be labelled extremists under the government’s new definition, a Conservative MP told the Commons.
Miriam Cates also questioned the impartiality of civil servants whose job it will be to advise the minister on whether organisations meet the extremism definition.
The MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge said: “In separating the definition of extremism from actual violence and harm and using terms like fundamental rise which don’t actually have a definition in law, we do risk criminalising or at the very least chilling speech of people who have perfectly legitimate, harmless views.”
She added: “Gender-critical feminists might be intolerant of the rights of people to change their sex on their birth certificates, they might be seeking to undermine that right by seeking to appeal the Gender Recognition Act, for example.
“They will be labelled extremists under these regulations as I can see it, and as to impartial civil servants deciding these things, I’m afraid I just don’t think that’s always the case, and certainly I have seen civil servants wearing very impartial lanyards on this particular issue.”
Miriam Cates
(PA Archive)
Jane Dalton 14 March 2024 14:25
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1/ 1Gove names Muslim and white supremacist groups in extremism definition
Gove names Muslim and white supremacist groups in extremism definition
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