Quote:The Labour Party's ruling national executive committee (NEC) has blocked Andy Burnham from running in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
As a directly elected mayor, Burnham needed permission from the NEC to run as Labour's candidate for the Westminster seat.
There had been concerns about the cost of running a new election for the Greater Manchester mayoralty if Burnham became an MP.
However, Burnham's stance as a potential challenger to Sir Keir Starmer if he became an MP may also have played a part.

https://news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-starmer-labour-trump-lammy-vance-tankers-greenland-threats-nato-12593360

Quote:Sky News understands the 10-person panel voted eight to one to block Mr Burnham's bid, with only Deputy Leader Lucy Powell backing him. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, chair of the NEC - Labour's governing body - abstained.
https://news.sky.com/story/sir-keir-starmer-blocks-andy-burnham-from-by-election-race-13498819

(01-26-2026, 06:26 PM)F2d5thCav Wrote: Are reports correct that the return of the Chagos Islands may not happen now ?

Diego Garcia.  Funny how small places like that can assume huge strategic importance.

Quote:A trial at Birmingham Crown Court heard the woman had been drinking at Sutton Lawn park in Sutton-in-Ashfield when she was attacked by Sheraz Malik, shortly after being raped by another man he was with, who has yet to be identified.
Malik, 28, had claimed the sex was consensual, but the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on two counts of rape and a not guilty verdict on a third.
It can be now reported that Malik is an asylum seeker who was born in Pakistan and lived in Italy, Germany and France before coming to the UK.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyw6vg79dgo

Quote:Britain secretly brings home ISIS-linked women and children from Syria camps

'Britain has quietly repatriated Islamic State-linked women and children who were held alongside
Shamima Begum in Syria, according to a director of the camp that holds the so-called Isis brides.

Six women in camps held by the western-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been
sent back to Britain without fanfare  along with nine children. There have been concerns that
Isis prisoners might escape in the chaos engulfing eastern Syria as the central authorities begin
to reclaim territory from the Kurdish-led SDF, reports The Times.


Shamima and the gang.

Begum remains in camp as 29 Britons stay detained
However, the SDF remains in control of al-Roj camp near the Iraqi border, where Begum and the
other British women were held. A camp official told The Times that 29 women and children who
hold or held British passports remained in the camp, which is likely to be transferred to the
authority of the Damascus government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the country's president.

Citizenship was stripped from Begum, one of three girls from Bethnal Green, east London, who
travelled to Syria to join Isis in 2015 at the age of 15. The other two girls are both thought to
have died in fighting between the western-led coalition and Isis jihadists.

After Begum was discovered by reporters in SDF detention in 2019, an outcry forced the then
-Conservative government to declare she would not be allowed to return to Britain. The policy
was applied to other women after the last Isis holdouts fell to the SDF.

Minors returned under strict conditions of anonymity
Some unaccompanied minors were allowed to return to the UK and were handed to social
services under conditions of anonymity. However, minors who were with their mothers were
forced to remain in Syria.

The UK's official policy remains unchanged, but the Foreign Office has allowed a handful of
women to return with their children on a case-by-case basis. Most of those repatriated have
been women who were taken or travelled to Syria there when they were under 18.

In November, a report by the Independent Commission on Counter-Terrorism Law, Policy and
Practice suggested that three adult women and 18 children had been repatriated, but there
have only been public announcements regarding two women, one of whom returned in 2022
with her son and another woman with five children in 2023. It is understood that two more
families returned in 2024 and 2025.

The government is preparing to resume deportations of foreign criminals and failed asylum
seekers to Syria. The UK began voluntary returns after the fall of the Assad regime in
December 2024. In November Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, announced that
the Home Office had begun exploring the possibility of enforced returns for the first time
in 15 years. The details about Begum and al-Roj camp were confirmed by its co-director,
Rasheed Afrin. He said six UK women and nine children had been sent home in recent
years.

Chaos as larger camp handed to Syrian military
The fate of the remaining women and children hangs in the balance after a larger camp was
taken over by the Syrian military, which has launched an operation to end Kurdish autonomy
in the northeast. In al-Hawl, the larger camp, the handover was chaotic. The Kurdish SDF pulled
out its troops as the army advanced, leading to riots and arson and dozens of the women
escaping. The US, which is debating withdrawing its forces from Syria, has brokered a deal to
transfer male Isis prisoners to neighbouring Iraq.

Children raised on apocalyptic ISIS beliefs
Prisoners in the camps had languished under Kurdish guard for years after the demise of Isis's
so-called caliphate. The caliphate was meant to endure and expand, as the Isis slogan goes,
but in Syria it shrank to the two prison camps.

At al-Hawl, the women raised their children in tents on the apocalyptic beliefs of Isis. Children
would chant that slogan at visitors as they pelted them with stones. Boys who reached puberty
were forced into sex with women to produce more "lion cubs" for the caliphate that lay behind
a flimsy wire fence.

Jihan Hanan, who was the director of al-Hawl until this week, said: "There were no preparations
for the handover. I'm looking at the videos and pictures coming out and it burns my heart. The
people inside, the international community's indifference. At the end of the day these are
women and children."

The SDF had called on countries to repatriate their citizens, but most have refused. "Enough,
the international community should say enough, this matter needs to be resolved," she said.
Hanan said the wives and children of the Isis members varied, from the ultra-fanatic to those
who were sucked into the extremist group, or were born to parents who were...'

Quote:In case you missed it: a convicted terrorist is running for election in Birmingham. Truly beggars belief.

Thanks to @Telegraph and @TalkTV for having us on to put into perspective just how much of an insane state of affairs this is.


https://x.com/travisfrain/status/2017350837194887436

Quote:Zack Polanski skewered by BBC's Laura Kuenssberg over plan to legalise crack and heroin

'Green Party leader Zack Polanski was forced to explain his plan to legalise “heroin and crack” as he was
interrogated by BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg. She repeatedly demanded he explain whether the plan
would encourage young people to take drugs - despite his attempts to change the subject.


Zack Polanski -known for being a professional Dickhead in political circles.

Mr Polanski also made the surprising admission that not only has he never taken drugs, but he has also
never touched a drop of alcohol. The left-wing leader said his party was on course to win the Gorton and
Denton by-election on February 26.

The seat was previously held by Labour, and it would be a huge blow to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
if Mr Polanski’s prediction came true. But the interview on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
took a different turn when the host asked about the Green Party plan to legalise all drugs.

Ms Kuenssberg asked: “So you do say you would legalise all drugs including ‘class A’ substances, heroin
and crack. There are some health professionals who say that would be the right approach, but that’s not
a united view. “Isn’t there a real danger you send a message, particularly to young people, that the use of
dangerous drugs is okay?”

Mr Polanski said: “Well first of all we could talk about alcohol which can sometimes be one of the most
dangerous drugs, and actually we need a public health approach to that too.”

But the presenter refused to let him change the topic, saying: “We are talking about other drugs here, we’re
not talking about alcohol. I’m just asking you, isn’t there a danger that you send a message to young people
in particular, if you legalised all drugs, the message there says it’s okay to use drugs.”

Mr Polanski then talked about a comment made by Sir Keir Starmer when asked if he had ever taken drugs.
Sir Keir said in 2022: “I had a good time when I was younger!” The Green leader said: “Well the Prime Minister
of his country by the way made a joke about taking drugs at university.”

He then went on to talk about policing in London, saying: “And what we see is this is very racialised, in fact
often it is young black people who are stopped and searched in the street. Particularly in London.” But Ms
Kuenssberg turned the topic back to the Green police, asking: “But the question is, do you see that there
might be a danger if you legalise, that it would send a message to young people that it is okay to take drugs?”

Mr Polanski replied: “I think the danger is happening right now, which is that we are pushing it into street
corners and the black market.” He then revealed that he has never had a drink. Asked if he had ever taken
drugs, Mr Polanski said: “I’ve actually never taken a drug in my life, or even drunk alcohol. But I still don’t
sit here as the fun police. I believe people should be able to do what they want to do. It just wasn’t for me.”

He continued: “I just grew up in a school where a lot of my friends were drinking and in fact taking drugs,
and often it felt like someone needed to be sober ... if anyone wants to do it and they are doing it safely,
I’m really glad people are having a good time.”

A Labour spokesperson said: "Voters in Gorton and Denton face a clear choice: a strong local champion in
Labour's Angeliki Stogia or the extreme, divisive politics of Reform's Matt Goodwin. "If Zack Polanski thought
the Greens had a chance in Gorton and Denton he wouldn't have chickened out standing himself. "A vote for
the Greens or any party other than Labour just risks letting Reform's toxic politics divide communities in
Manchester. Don't let that happen: vote Labour."...'

Quote:The left-wing leader said his party was on course to win the Gorton and Denton by-election on February 26.

Quote:Bangladesh has sentenced former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, and her niece, Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, to jail in a corruption probe.
The country's corruption watchdog alleges that Hasina colluded with government officials to illegally secure six plots for herself and her family in a development near the capital, Dhaka.

Now she's been sentenced to 10 years in jail, and Siddiq to four years, with another niece, Azmina Siddiq, and nephew, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, each receiving seven-year sentences.
The charges pertain to Purbachal New Town Project, a planned township comprising more than 25,000 residential plots.
https://news.sky.com/story/bangladesh-hands-down-jail-sentences-to-former-pm-and-her-labour-mp-niece-13502228

Quote:Responding to the verdict, a Labour spokesperson said the party "cannot recognise this judgment".

Quote:The Metropolitan Police have confirmed they are carrying out searches at two addresses  as part of their investigation into Peter Mandelson.
Deputy assistant commissioner Hayley Sewart of the Metropolitan Police, said: "I can confirm that officers from the Met's central specialist crime team are in the process of carrying out search warrants at two addresses, one in the Wiltshire area, and another in the Camden area.
"The searches are related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offences, involving a 72-year-old man.
"He has not been arrested and enquiries are ongoing."
Sky News has contacted Lord Mandelson for comment.

https://news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-mandelson-quits-lords-over-epstein-links-after-resigning-from-labour-party-12593360

(02-06-2026, 06:14 PM)gortex Wrote: Calls for Starmer to resign continue today as 2 properties belonging to Mandelson are being raided by police.

2 options Rodney , resign or be booted out.

(02-06-2026, 09:25 PM)gortex Wrote: Starmer has written to the chair of parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee who will be reviewing documents regarding the vetting of Mandelson for the US Ambassador job to suggest his cabinet secretary can work with the committee.

I would rather no interference or participation from No10 in this matter being as it regards No10.

Quote:Top London barrister suspended over Jeffrey Epstein links

'A barrister associated with a top London legal chamber has been suspended pending an investigation
after he was named in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Matthieu de Boisséson, a barrister at Littleton Chambers,
has had his membership at the chambers paused after emails surfaced showing communication with
Epstein. De Boisséson told the Standard he denies any wrongdoing.


Matthieu de Boisséson (left) and Jean-Luc Brunel (right)

It marks one of the latest developments in the ongoing international fallout following the release of more
than three million documents in the latest Epstein file drop earlier this week. A spokesperson for the law
firm told the Standard: “In light of recent information received, Chambers has suspended M. de Boisseson’s
Associate Membership pending a full investigation.”

The website for Littleton Chambers no longer includes an image of de Boisséson among its team.
According to emails released, de Boisséson was in contact with both Epstein and Jean-Luc Brunel, a
modelling scout accused of putting the disgraced financier in contact with various girls.
Correspondences go on for several years.

In one email from April 2015, the French lawyer suggests that Epstein meet with Jean-Luc to discuss
“the present situation, and perhaps explore the conditions of a way out. told Jean-Luc that I was not
willing to act as a lawyer but just as a friend, by expressing my views and suggestions on an entirely
confidential basis, [sic]” the email reads.

It is unclear what situation they’re referring to, but the chain goes on to discuss meeting in person, and
deciding on a place of “privacy” to do so. The emails indicate Epstein offering to reimburse the lawyer
for his travel expenses. In another email, Brunel writes to de Boisséson in French saying: “I’m going to
take care of my libido. Kyiv is a good clinic.” The lawyer responds: “Perfect! You’re doing a great job,
dear guru.” The pair then appear to discuss in French a woman who Brunel says “wants a child.”

Alongside emails, de Boisséson is also pictured in images released within the Epstein files.
In one image, de Boisséson is seen with a woman whose face is redacted, alongside the model scout.

Another image reportedly shows the French lawyer being served vodka in a bottle shaped like a rifle.
Responding to the Telegraph, de Boisséson downplayed the images saying they were taken “probably
in a restaurant, apparently not with ‘young girls’ but with unknown women, whose faces are redacted”.

Epstein was jailed in 2008 after pleading guilty to soliciting sex from girls, some reportedly as young as
14 before being released after 13 months. He was again jailed in 2019 and died while awaiting trial.
Brunel, who founded the model agency MC2 Model Management with Epstein's finances, has faced
allegations of misconduct since the late 1980s - but always denied wrongdoing.

It was back in 1988 that 60 Minutes ran a documentary that looked into abusive culture at Brunel’s agency.
Brunel was arrested in 2020 amid an investigation over allegations of sexual assault. He also died in his
prison cell in 2022. De Boisseson previously told The Telegraph: “In 2014 and 2015, neither Mr Epstein
nor Mr Brunel were accused of wrongdoings, to my knowledge,” he said, according to the outlet.

“I confirm, if necessary, that I have never been involved in any wrongdoing associated, years later, with
Mr Brunel or Mr Epstein.”...'