Politics latest: 'Enough is enough,' Sunak declares - Rwanda flights starting 'come what may' (2024)

By Faye Brown, political reporter

Rishi Sunak is facing a fresh headache after a Conservative MP was suspended over allegations he misused campaign funds.

The Times newspaper report into Mark Menzies is the latest sleaze row to rock the Tories since the prime minister entered Downing Street with a promise to bring "integrity and accountability" to government.

Having sought to draw a line under the scandal-hit era of Boris Johnson, problems have continued to mount for Mr Sunak.

Sky News looks at the MPs who have been suspended during his time in office so far:

In the Venn diagram of policing and politics, it's often the Met Police commissioner who gets trapped in the middle.

And so once again, Sir Mark Rowley is being pushed and pulled between the public order decisions made by his officers on the ground and the extensive public and political examination that follows.

In the case of the high-profile interaction between Gideon Falter of the Campaign Against Antisemitism and an officer policing the pro-Palestinian march in London last Saturday, the best vantage point we have is the footage filmed by a Sky News camera crew at the demonstration.

The footage shows a lengthy and bad-tempered discussion, with the officer accusing Mr Falter of purposefully leaving the pavement and walking on the road against the flow of protesters.

"You are looking to try and antagonise... I can already see what your mindset is," the officer says at one point.

Mr Falter disagrees, saying he is simply trying to cross the road and "get out of here".

The officer replies that if that's the case, he's happy to escort him and his group safely around the march.

However, Mr Falter asks: "Why can't I just walk where I want to walk?", before adding "the Metropolitan Police says these marches are completely safe for Jews... you're telling me... I have to be escorted by you".

This is really the key point.

Read Rob's full analysis here:

By Adam Boulton, Sky News commentator

Liz Truss has much more in common with Donald Trump than just the first three letters of his surname.

Despite presenting themselves as "outsiders", both enjoyed substantial political careers and reached the top of their profession as prime minister of the UK and president of the United States respectively.

In both cases, their periods in power ended in ways that outraged their opponents and many in their own Conservative and Republican parties. Economic chaos brought on by her rash policies forced Truss out of office after just 49 days in 10 Downing Street.

Trumplost the 2020 election, refused to accept his defeat and praised the mob who stormed the Capitol in an attempt to keep him in the White House.

Many thought they were finished for good. But like those who had laughed at their ambitions earlier in their careers, the nay-sayers were wrong again. Both have been reprieved and continue to be respected as forces in their parties.

Read more here:

We've just heard from Labour's shadow home secretary following Rishi Sunak's news conference in which he blamed Labour for delaying the Rwanda bill.

Yvette Cooper told broadcasters: "The government has an overall majority in parliament and could have passed this bill a month ago if they had scheduled it then.

"But as we know, Rishi Sunak always looks for someone else to blame."

She said the Rwanda scheme is costing taxpayers "half-a-billion pounds for a scheme that will only cover 1% of asylum seekers".

"This is an extortionate scheme," she said, saying ministers"should be putting that money into boosting our border security instead".

Asked if Labour would scrap the scheme even if it was working, Ms Cooper replied: "This is an extortionate scheme that has failed just like the previous two laws that the Conservatives have passed on this, and it is why neither the current home secretary nor the former home secretary think this is going to work."

Labour, she said, would put the money into a "new cross-border police and new counter-terror-style powers to go after the criminal gangs".

Two of Westminster's best-connected journalists, Sky News's Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard, guide you through their top predictions for the next seven days in British politics.

This week, they react to MP Mark Menzies' resignation from the Conservative Party and look at what it might mean for the next election.

Also this week, Rishi Sunak is packing his bags for Europe. Jack and Sam discuss what's on the trip's agenda, including highly anticipated announcements on the defence of Ukraine, as well as the UK's wider defence and warfare strategy.

Mr Sunak's Rwanda plan could finally pass through parliament too, more than five months after he unveiled the emergency laws. Jack and Sam reveal the final stage will be far from straightforward though, with MPs told to expect a long night in the Commons.

Plus, Angela Rayner is standing in for Keir Starmer at PMQs this week, the first time she's been in the Commons since police announced they were investigating her. Jack and Sam discuss how she'll deal with the mounting pressure.

👉Listen above then tap here to follow Politics at Jack at Sam's wherever you get your podcasts👈

Email with your thoughts and rate how their predictions play out: jackandsam@sky.uk or jackandsam@politico.co.uk

Train drivers who are members of the Aslef union at 16 companies have announced fresh strike dates as part of their long-running dispute over pay.

Drivers at different companies will walk out on various dates between 7 May and 9 May.

They will also refuse to work non-contractual overtime from 6 May to 11 May.

Aslef says train drivers have not had a pay increase in five years, despite the increase in the cost of living, and train companies have refused to talk to them since they voted for fresh industrial action since February.

Read more on this breaking story here.

A prime minister desperate to convince voters he and his party can still be trusted to "stop the boats", Rishi Sunak stood at the podium in Downing Street with the very slogan slapped on the front of it.

But is that slogan a reminder of a promise, or a reminder of a failure?

Calling a news conference to tell us all what you are doing to get this policy off the ground may seem rather unnecessary, but it is a warning shot to the Lords who have continued to stop the bill becoming law due to their concerns around its legality and protection of vulnerable people.

Mr Sunak insists flights will take off in 10 to 12 weeks from now, and that lawyers, judges and even courts have been prepared to deal with legal challenges and obstacles to getting flights off to Rwanda.

But even if flights do take off, is the public even listening anymore?

Public apathy and loss of trust could be Mr Sunak's biggest hurdle to climb, even if this embattled prime minister can prove he can make Suella Braverman's dream a reality.

Over a year ago, Rishi Sunak made five pledges for voters to judge him on.

One of the promises was to stop small boats crossing the Channel.

The PM said in his news conference earlier that the country can see the success of his efforts to stop illegal migration, noting that small boat crossings last year were down a third on the year before.

But so far this year, the number of people having made the crossing is higher than at the same time last year.

Use our tool below to see the PM's progress for yourself:

Here is the Liberal Democrats' reaction to Rishi Sunak's news conference...

The party leader, Sir Ed Davey, says: "No amount of sound bites or spin can change the fact that the Conservatives' Rwanda scheme is a colossal failure."

He accuses the government of having wasted "millions of pounds and years of government attention" on the policy.

"It's time for Rishi Sunak to get a grip, get to [Buckingham] Palace and give this country the election it is cryingoutfor."