Tories say mental health claim about Suella Braverman was ‘sent out in error’

The Conservatives have withdrawn a claim that Suella Braverman’s defection to Reform UK on Monday was connected to her mental health after criticism from across the political spectrum.Earlier, in an official statement it now says was “sent out in error”, the party said: “It was always a matter of when, not if, Suella would defect. The Conservatives did all we could to look after Suella’s mental health, but she was clearly very unhappy.”The statement was shared with journalists by a Conservative party spokesperson and swiftly condemned by MPs, peers and mental health charities for its brutality and indiscretion, as well as for trivialising and weaponising mental health struggles.Speaking to GB News after the statement was released, Nigel Evans, a former Conservative MP, said it was an “absolute disgrace” and “completely underhand”

Braverman’s predictable defection is Farage’s biggest political gamble yet

It was a full 90 minutes into the Reform UK rally – and 10 minutes into Nigel Farage’s speech – when the surprise guest who was also not a surprise at all came bounding on to the stage: ah, Suella Braverman, we were expecting you.If ever there was a definition of a high-profile yet semi-detached Conservative, Braverman was it. Although twice the home secretary, and also attorney general, she has been on the backbenches for more than three years and had precisely zero chance of advancement under Kemi Badenoch.Braverman’s sudden appearance at a Reform event in London held ostensibly to promote the party’s policy on veterans’ affairs had been kept a secret, including seemingly from some of the party’s media officers.But at the same time, precisely no one was shocked

Suella makes the ultimate sacrifice as she ditches Tories for Reform | John Crace

That noise? The sound of the barrel getting scraped. Only last summer, Reform insiders were briefing the rightwing media that the party would never welcome Suella Braverman into its ranks. Too much baggage. Too out of control. Reform wasn’t a convalescent home for disgraced and failed Tory MPs

A sad day for Labour and Andy Burnham | Brief letters

This is a sorry day for the Labour party. The decision to block Andy Burnham’s return to parliament (Report, 25 January) shows that the so-called “allies of Starmer” who dominate the national executive committee are more interested in keeping their tribe in power than in welcoming back one of Manchester’s finest former MPs. Expect to see a huge exodus of Labour party members, especially from Greater Manchester, including me.Susan TreagusManchester Andy Burnham’s latest move is simply about self-promotion, with no concern for the interests of the Labour party, or indeed of the country. It is not to the benefit of either for the government to get involved in a divisive leadership contest at a time when the country is faced with an untrustworthy US, and in the midst of massive global problems – from Ukraine and Greenland to the climate emergency

Reform says it would cut green policies to fund £2bn income tax cut in Scotland

Reform UK would slash what it calls “highly dubious” environmental protection measures to help fund a £2bn cut to income tax in Scotland if it won May’s Holyrood elections, the party has said.Malcolm Offord, the multimillionaire financier who was announced as leader of Reform UK in Scotland 10 days ago, used his first major speech to announce plans to realign the country’s tax system – where higher earners currently pay significantly more – with the rest of the UK and institute a 1p-in-the-pound cut across the board.Despite repeated polling showing Reform UK neck and neck with Scottish Labour for second place behind the Scottish National party, Offord claimed May’s election was a “two-horse race” between his party and the nationalists.He urged “moderate unionists no longer represented by the Tories” and “rational nationalists no longer represented by the SNP” to find “common ground” in their support for Reform, but dismissed any prospect of a second referendum on independence in the medium term.“I say no to the distraction of another referendum, for at least another 10 years, without ruling one out in the future,” he said

On Labour’s soft left, the question isn’t whether to challenge Starmer, but when

A spectre is haunting the most ambitious politicians in Labour – the question of timing. If you hope one day to become prime minister, you could blink and miss your moment.Andy Burnham clearly believed he did not have much time. But now he might have longer than he thought.Labour’s powerful soft left caucus currently has no candidate who is ready to challenge the prime minister