Reform MP James McMurdock has resigned the party whip as he faces an investigation into £70,000 worth of Covid bounce back loans he took out for businesses during the pandemic. Reform MP James McMurdock has 'removed the party whip from himself pending the outcome of an investigation'McMurdock pictured with Nigel Farage. The newly elected Reform UK MP was once jailed for attacking a former girlfriendNeither company has filed accounts or annual corporate filings since the loans. 'At Reform UK we take these matters very seriously and James has agreed to cooperate in full with any investigation. In an explosive statement issued on March 7, Mr Yusuf and Mr Anderson said Mr Lowe was being investigated over complaints by two female employees.

Read our Privacy noticeA Reform UK MP has resigned the party whip pending an investigation into allegations of business impropriety before he was elected, the party’s chief whip has said. Mr McMurdock may have also fallen foul of parliamentary rules by not declaring his directorships of the companies in his register of interests. Mr McMurdock then said he asked for the whip to be suspended as a “precautionary measure” and “for the protection of Reform UK”. But the unexpected election of Mr McMurdock created a major headache for Mr Farage, as it emerged months later that he had once been jailed for repeatedly kicking his girlfriend. Mr McMurdock pleaded guilty to assault by beating, and the “serious nature of the offence” meant the sentence was not suspended.

A pro-Palestinian protest group has been banned as a terrorist organization by the British government, putting it on the same legal footing as the Islamic State and Al Qaeda in the first use of far-reaching security laws in response to property damage. The group, Palestine Action, which has targeted Israel-linked defense companies and vandalized military planes at Britain’s largest Royal Air Force base, lost a legal bid to temporarily delay the law, and it is set to go into effect at midnight local time. Palestine Action’s full legal challenge against the British government is still pending, with the next hearing scheduled for July 21. The ban makes it illegal to be a member of Palestine Action, or to support it in a number of other ways, including by raising money for the group, “glorifying” its activities, arranging meetings, sharing the group’s social media material or wearing its merchandise.

(July 5): UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves told Cabinet ministers that tax increases in the Labour government’s fall budget are likely to be even more challenging than a £40 billion (US$55 billion or RM230.54 billion) ­package she put in place last year, The Times reported. Reeves said the new increases are likely to be smaller but that she has limited options as taxes need to rise to cover the cost of abandoning welfare reforms, according to the report. Her comments went further than her public statements that have been less explicit about the prospect of higher taxes, The Times said. Reeves said she regretted going into the parliamentary session in tears after a “tough day in the office” but hoped that people could relate to her distress, The Guardian reported. “It was a personal matter but it was in the glare of the camera,” she was quoted as saying.

Black Sabbath 'stage times' leaked for Back to Beginning gig - including when Ozzy will be onA schedule has been shared on Reddit showing what time each band will be playing for the Villa Park gig today - including when Ozzy Osbourne will take to the stageOzzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath performs during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony at Alexander Stadium (Image: Getty Images )Stage times for all the artists today at the Black Sabbath Back to the Beginning gig appear to have been leaked on Reddit. A schedule showing when each band will be on stage has been made public on r/blacksabbath on the social media site, causing widespread excitement amongst heavy metal fans. ‌This isn't official, and could just be hearsay, but we'll get more of an idea when the bands start performing at 1pm. ‌Read more: Black Sabbath live updates as thousands descend on Villa Park today for Back to the Beginning gigRead more: Black Sabbath at Villa Park - line-up, times, set list, tickets and how to get thereThere could also be some surprises thrown in that are not on this sheet. What do you think of the 'stage times' shared on Reddit?

Mohammed Siraj's six-wicket haul made sure that England did not eat away a lot from India's lead (Image via AP Photo/Scott Heppell)Tracing Moeen Ali's steps in BirminghamPoll Who was the standout performer for India in the second Test at Edgbaston? Coming together at 84/5, the duo mounted a stunning counterattack. Brook compiled a superb 158 off 234 balls, while Smith showcased remarkable fluency to notch up 184 from just 207 deliveries. The pacer clean bowled Brook with a delivery that breached his defence, setting off a collapse that saw England tumble from 387/5 to 418 all out. They lost their last five wickets for just 31 runs.In the process, England recorded an unwanted statistical feat.

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The Chancellor warned there would be “costs to what happened”, as she faced questions about how she would cover a shortfall left by the Downing Street climbdown on planned cuts to disability benefits. The fallout threatens to cause lasting damage to morale in Labour ranks, with some MPs calling for a reset in relations between the parliamentary party and the leadership before fractures widen. Ms Reeves added: “It’s been damaging. Ms Reeves is said to have already told ministers that the decision to water down the welfare package means taxes will rise in the autumn. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the Government is still committed to welfare reform, but ministers will now wait for the conclusions of the Timms review before implementing changes to Pip.

Keir Starmer Under Pressure: Could He Be Forced Out as Labour Leader? YouGov poll for Sky News and The Times found that Nigel Farage ’s party has a seven-point lead on 29%, while the support for the Labour Party has declined to 22%, as reported by The Express.Even Starmer acknowledged the threat his party is facing because of Reform when he addressed MPs this week, saying, "The Conservatives are not our principal opponent. Reform are our main rivals for power. We have a moral responsibility to make sure Farage never wins," as quoted in The Express report.ALSO READ: Elon Musk flip-flops? Slams Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, then praises him as a peacemaker — what’s going on?

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Read our Privacy noticeAlmost a year since announcing the long-awaited Oasis reunion, brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher have played their first show together in 16 years. Thousands of fans gathered at the Cardiff venue to watch the rock band, who broke up after a backstage fight in 2009. They tore through hits including “Morning Glory”, “Supersonic”, “Half the World Away” and “Stand by Me”. At one stage, Liam Gallagher made a taunt about the ticket pricing scandal, which occurred when the tour was announced last August. Oasis are being supported in the UK by Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft, who declared it a “historic night”, and the Liverpool-formed band Cast.

The jet was unable to return to its aircraft carrier while on a flight, the H.M.S. Prince of Wales, because of weather conditions and was diverted to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, the British High Commission in New Delhi said in a statement. After landing at the airport, the jet developed an engine issue, the high commission said. There are a couple of options to get the jet back to Britain, the airport official said. British engineers will likely try to fix it at one of the airport’s maintenance hangers, then fly it out.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves told cabinet ministers that tax increases in the Labour government’s fall budget are likely to be even more challenging than a £40 billion ($55 billion) ­package she put in place last year, the Times reported Bloomberg Terminal . Reeves said the new increases are likely to be smaller but that she has limited options as taxes need to rise to cover the cost of abandoning welfare reforms, according to the report. Her comments went further than her public statements that have been less explicit about the prospect of higher taxes, the Times said.

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