\n<\/p>\n
Anas Sarwar<\/strong>, the Scottish Labour leader, has said that he had a \u201creasonable\u201d conversation with Keir Starmer yesterday, despite Sarwar having not retracted his call for the PM to quit.<\/p>\n Sarwar said that he stood by what he said when he announced on Monday that he wanted Starmer to stand down.<\/p>\n But he also said he was \u201clooking to the future\u201d, implying that he is not actively trying to orchestrate Starmer\u2019s removal now.<\/p>\n The news on Monday that Sarwar was going to say Starmer should go prompted intense speculation as to whether cabinet ministers would also declare he no longer had their confidence. But all members of the cabinet did subsequently issue statements backing Starmer, it became obvious that there would be no immediate leadership contest, and on Wednesday Sarwar indicated that he wanted to draw a line under the dispute. He did not withdraw what he had said, but he did not repeat his call for Starmer\u2019s resignation either.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters today, Sarwar said he and Starmer spoke yesterday.<\/p>\n He said:<\/p>\n It was a perfectly fair and reasonable conversation about how we make sure that we are focused on the election on May 7.<\/p>\n He\u2019s determined that he wants to deliver for the people of Scotland.<\/p>\n I made very clear that I want a UK Labour government demonstrating it\u2019s delivering for Scotland, and I made clear that the choice in the election campaign is going to be between me and John Swinney [the first minister].<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t step back from what I said, I stand by what I said and what I stated, but I\u2019m looking to the future and the choice between me and John Swinney for this country.<\/p>\n The event saw Sarwar restate his party\u2019s support for nuclear energy, which allowed him to joke that he had taken the \u201cnuclear option\u201d twice in the same week.<\/p>\n Sarwar also said he felt \u201cliberated\u201d after calling Starmer\u2019s resignation.<\/p>\n \u201cHonesty is strength, not weakness,\u201d he said when asked if he felt stronger in his position after Monday\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n We have seen dishonesty from this SNP government time and time again.<\/p>\n I feel liberated and energised for the election campaign ahead, because, for me, my first loyalty and my first priority is to my country, Scotland.<\/p>\n <\/span>Anas Sarwar giving in Edinburgh today.<\/span> Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell\/Getty ImagesShare<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.43 EST<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n <\/span>Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n For a full list of all the stories covered on the blog today, do scroll through the list of key event headlines near the top of the blog.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/span>Keir Starmer being greeted as he arrives at the Munich Security Conference.<\/span> Photograph: Alex Brandon\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/p>\n In his Political Thinking podcast interview, Nick Robinson<\/strong> also asked Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, about his claim in 2014 that offering Ukraine membership of the EU would provoke Russia, triggering a war. Farage<\/strong> said that he had been right, and he said it was \u201codd to get so much abuse for being right\u201d.<\/p>\n When Robinson<\/strong> put it to him that Farage should have been backing those Ukrainiains in 2014 who were in favour of closer links with Europe, because they were standing up for freedom and democracy, Farage<\/strong> did not accept the premise of his question.<\/p>\n He replied:<\/p>\n That\u2019s the irony of the whole thing \u2013 that a democratically elected president of Ukraine was brought down by a street coup [in 2014]. Talk about democracy \u2013 actually, democracy was destroyed by those that wanted to drag Ukraine westward rather than eastward. In all of these things, picking goodies and badies is a very difficult game to play.<\/p>\n When Robinson<\/strong> asked if Farage was saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the current president, was not democractically elected, Farage<\/strong> said he was not talking about Zelensksyy. He said he was referring to Petro Poroshenko, the president elected after the Maiden revolution.<\/p>\n Poroshenko replace Viktor Yanukovych, who was seen as pro-Russian and corrupt and who triggered the Maidan revolution when he blocked a trade agreement with the EU that had been passed by the Ukrainian parliament.<\/p>\n In complaining about Yanukovych\u2019s overthrow, Farage was very much siding with the Russian view of Ukraine. In Ukraine the Maidan protesters are still viewed as heroes.<\/p>\n Farage claimed that his interpretation of Ukrainian history was \u201cbased on knowledge and fact\u201d, not emotion. When Robinson<\/strong> put it to him that he was happy to use emotive arguments himself, Farage<\/strong> claimed that he understood the situation better than most people.<\/p>\n He said:<\/p>\n [Those critics] wouldn\u2019t understand, would they? They wouldn\u2019t undertand that, unlike most other politicians, I\u2019m actually quite well read.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve got a broad sense of history and economics \u2013 far more, frankly and being honest, than most of our leaders of the other parties over the course of the last few years, and I am able to take a long-term view.<\/p>\n I think my understanding of Russian psychology was actually much deeper than any of the others\u2019.<\/p>\n Farage said the \u201cbiggest disappointment\u201d was that President Trump thought, when he got Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, Putin would behave rationally. And that has not happened, Farage said.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Kemi Badenoch<\/strong> has been speaking at the Welsh Conservative conference. She started with jibes about the unpopularity of the Labour government in Cardiff. But the Tories are hardly very popular there either.<\/p>\n More in Common<\/strong> has today published some polling for the Senedd elections in May and it suggests that Reform UK is well ahead.<\/p>\n <\/span>Polling for Senedd elections<\/span> Photograph: More in Common<\/p>\n Polling often does not provide an accurate guide to election results. But normally polling companies produce results that are broadly similar. That is not happening in Wales. While More in Common has Reform UK in the lead by seven points, a YouGov poll last month had Plaid Cymru 14 points ahead.<\/p>\n However, both polls suggest the most likely outcome after the election is a Plaid-led government. If the More in Common figures turn out to be accurate, Reform UK and the Tories would be close to having a majority \u2013 but Plaid is in a stronger position because it has it more potential coalition partners.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Brexit would never happened without YouTube, Nigel Farage<\/strong> has claimed.<\/p>\n The Reform UK leader made this assertion, about the influence of YouTube and social media generally, in an interview with Nick Robinson for his Political Thinking podcast.<\/p>\n Farage was arguing that (contrary to what Robinson was suggesting) that social media has been a force for good \u2013 although this argument is unlikely to impress voters as a whole, who now believe Brexit was a mistake by a margin of almost two to one.<\/p>\n When Robinson put it to Farage that social media was having a negative impact on children and families, Farage replied:<\/p>\n Hang on. We\u2019d never had had Brexit without YouTube. I wouldn\u2019t have existed without YouTube.<\/p>\n Nobody would know who Nigel Farage is without YouTube.<\/p>\n It was because YouTube came along my speeches in the European parliament started to reach enormous audiences, and then the Today programme started inviting me on because of the level of public attention that I was getting.<\/p>\n So, actually, social media has been quite an important part of, you can call it the populist revolt or whatever it is.<\/p>\n Farage said he was worried about some aspects of social media.<\/p>\n When Robinson put it Farage that because he was pro-Trump, he would not stand up to US social media companies, he did not accept that. And he said that \u201cof course\u201d he was worried about the impact of social media on under-16s.<\/p>\n Share<\/span>Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, disembarking from their plane as they arrived in Munich this afternoon for the security conference. Anas Sarwar<\/strong>, the Scottish Labour leader, has said that he had a \u201creasonable\u201d conversation with Keir Starmer yesterday, despite Sarwar having not retracted his call for the PM to quit.<\/p>\n Sarwar said that he stood by what he said when he announced on Monday that he wanted Starmer to stand down.<\/p>\n But he also said he was \u201clooking to the future\u201d, implying that he is not actively trying to orchestrate Starmer\u2019s removal now.<\/p>\n The news on Monday that Sarwar was going to say Starmer should go prompted intense speculation as to whether cabinet ministers would also declare he no longer had their confidence. But all members of the cabinet did subsequently issue statements backing Starmer, it became obvious that there would be no immediate leadership contest, and on Wednesday Sarwar indicated that he wanted to draw a line under the dispute. He did not withdraw what he had said, but he did not repeat his call for Starmer\u2019s resignation either.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters today, Sarwar said he and Starmer spoke yesterday.<\/p>\n He said:<\/p>\n It was a perfectly fair and reasonable conversation about how we make sure that we are focused on the election on May 7.<\/p>\n He\u2019s determined that he wants to deliver for the people of Scotland.<\/p>\n I made very clear that I want a UK Labour government demonstrating it\u2019s delivering for Scotland, and I made clear that the choice in the election campaign is going to be between me and John Swinney [the first minister].<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t step back from what I said, I stand by what I said and what I stated, but I\u2019m looking to the future and the choice between me and John Swinney for this country.<\/p>\n The event saw Sarwar restate his party\u2019s support for nuclear energy, which allowed him to joke that he had taken the \u201cnuclear option\u201d twice in the same week.<\/p>\n Sarwar also said he felt \u201cliberated\u201d after calling Starmer\u2019s resignation.<\/p>\n \u201cHonesty is strength, not weakness,\u201d he said when asked if he felt stronger in his position after Monday\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n We have seen dishonesty from this SNP government time and time again.<\/p>\n I feel liberated and energised for the election campaign ahead, because, for me, my first loyalty and my first priority is to my country, Scotland.<\/p>\n <\/span>Anas Sarwar giving in Edinburgh today.<\/span> Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell\/Getty ImagesShare<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.43 EST<\/p>\n Keir Starmer<\/strong> has landed in Germany where he will attend the Munich Security Conference. Jakub Krupa<\/strong> is covering the conference on his Europe live blog.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Liberal Democrat support for the Scottish government\u2019s budget is not a signal a potential deal could be struck with the SNP after the Holyrood election, Ed Davey<\/strong> has said. As the Press Association reports, the Lib Dems in Scotland announced the deal with the SNP government on Thursday, securing more funding for hospices and 40% rates relief for hospitality firms \u2013 an increase from the 15% proposed initially. PA says:<\/p>\n The government was not forced to make a deal with other parties to get the votes required to pass the budget, with Labour having announced before the plans were unveiled it would abstain and effectively wave it through its three parliamentary stages.<\/p>\n Speaking to PA on Edinburgh\u2019s Portobello Beach this morning, the Lib Dem\u2019s UK leader hailed the deal.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got a hugely brilliant deal for Scottish business and the care and hospice sector here \u2013 I\u2019m really proud of that,\u201d Davey said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe budget was going to go through, because Labour had said they were going to abstain, but we still managed to use our skill to negotiate a brilliant deal, particularly on business rate relief for the hospitality sector.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if the deal was a sign of potential future co-operation with the SNP, Davey said: \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that \u201cunlike any other party\u201d, the Lib Dems had managed a deal.<\/p>\n \u201cThe failure of the Scottish Conservatives is huge,\u201d he said. \u201cScottish Labour failed, the Scottish Greens failed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the Liberal Democrats who managed, even though this budget was going to go through without our support, to get something for Scottish business, and I\u2019m so proud of [Scottish Lib Dem leader] Alex Cole-Hamilton and the team in Holyrood.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/span>Ed Davey taking part in a clean-up on Portobello beach in Edinburgh.<\/span> Photograph: Lesley Martin\/PAShare<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.50 EST<\/p>\n There were two council byelections yesterday.<\/p>\n The Conservatives have held a seat in Worth Valley, Bradford, where counting only took place this morning.<\/p>\n There is a lot more interest in the result from Fletton and Woodston in Peterborough, where Reform UK has won a seat that was previously held by Labour. Labour came fourth.<\/p>\n Election Maps UK<\/strong> have posted the results.<\/p>\n Fletton & Woodston (Peterborough) Council By-Election Result:<\/p>\n \u27a1\ufe0f RFM: 29.4% (New) No TUSC (-1.9) as previous.<\/p>\n Reform GAIN from Labour.Afternoon summary<\/h2>\n
Farage claims democracy in Ukraine ‘destroyed’ by Maidan revolution and those wanting closer links with Europe<\/h2>\n
Brexit would never have happened without YouTube, Farage claims<\/h2>\n
<\/span> Photograph: Stefan Rousseau\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/p>\n‘Honesty is strength’ – Anas Sarwar says he does not regret calling for PM to quit, but stresses he’s now ‘looking to future’<\/h2>\n
Starmer arrives in Germany for Munich Security Conference<\/h2>\n
Ed Davey says Lib Dem support for Scottish government’s budget doesn’t mean post-election deal with SNP planned<\/h2>\n
\ud83c\udf0d GRN: 27.6% (+16.2)
\ud83c\udf33 CON: 21.8% (-11.8)
\ud83c\udf39 LAB: 16.8% (-31.2)
\ud83d\udd36 LDM: 4.4% (-0.7)<\/p>\n
Changes w\/ 2024.<\/p>\n