Policing minister makes statement on ‘intimidating and thuggish’ anti-migrant protests – UK politics live

Key events

Far-right activists gathered in two disruptive demonstrations in Dover and Portsmouth over the weekend, attempting to obstruct asylum seekers arriving on small boats from France. Many wore all black and balaclavas.

The action was seemingly organised by Daniel Thomas, an agitator better known as Danny Tommo, who has close ties with the far-right extremist Tommy Robinson. Thomas was recorded on the ground saying Portsmouth was now ‘ground zero’ for small boat crossings, and has threatened further action.

Lucy Hough speaks to political correspondent Ben Quinn:

Policing minister Sarah Jones claimed the Conservatives are behind “the frustration we see in our communities today”, as she spoke to MPs following protests in Dover and Portsmouth.

Referring to previous Conservative governments, the Labour minister continued: “Let us never forget that the frustration we see in our communities today is a product of chaos and crisis in the years that preceded the general election of 2024.”

Sarah Jones, the policing minister, told the Commons that the government “remain alert” for small boat crossings on lesser used stretches of the Channel.

“The gangs are never going to go quietly”, Jones said. “They are responding to the impact our work is having and we will adapt in turn.”

Minister says some agitators were 'intimidating and thuggish'

Some protestors showed “intimidating and thuggish behaviour” this weekend, Sarah Jones, the policing minister said.

But she added she did not seek to “minimise” legitimate concerns people had about small boat crossings.

“This government has taken action to fix the broken system we inherited and crack down on the people smugglers,” Jones said, pointing out that system-wide arrests were up 70%.

Sarah Jones added that “work is ongoing to establish any lessons and to ensure that intelligence is shared at pace” across law enforcement systems.

Jones said the protestors had began to disperse at 4am and no arrests were made on the night.

“There can be no excuse for threatening behaviour or serious disruption,” Jones said. “Disorder of any kind will never be tolerated.”

Sarah Jones, the policing minister, said “investigations are ongoing” into the disorder in Portsmouth.

“Where criminality is identified, those responsible should expect to face the consequences”, Jones added.

She said on Sunday a boat carrying approximately 120 people reached British shores “significantly further west” than most boat crossings.

At 8pm, Jones said, a group of more than 200 protestors reached the harbour, seeking to block the coaches from leaving.

In the Commons Sarah Jones, the policing minister, is making a statement about the anti-migrant disruption in Dover and Portsmouth. I am finishing now, but Charlie Maloney is taking over to cover the statement.

Zia Yusuf, Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson, has been in Portsmouth today. In a statement on social media, he claimed Andy Burnham was to blame for the disorder in the city because people were responding to the consequences of the government’s asylum policy.

While he was there, Yusuf was confronted by Daniel Thomas, a far-right agitator closely linked to Tommy Robinson. Thomas helped to organise the protests and he told Yusuf that he was not happy about Nigel Farage condemning the protesters for wearing balaclavas. Sky News has video of the encounter.

As Sky reports, Thomas told Yusuf:

You have to tell Nigel [Farage], he cannot – he did this before, when we had a million people on the streets of London ... he called us knuckledraggers ... Nigel needs to be very careful with his words.

From my colleague Jessica Elgot

New – Marc Stears, the director of UCL Policy Lab, is joining Number 10 as a special advisor to Andy Burnham.

Close to Ed Miliband, Stears has done a lot of work and research recently on the splintering progressive vote, especially stressing the importance of climate.

Sarah Jones, the policing minister, will be making a statement about the far-right, anti-migrant protests in Portsmouth shortly. Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey are talking about them on the latest episode of the Guardian’s Politics Weekly UK podcast. It’s just out.

Council leaders say reorganisation U-turn will create 'significant uncertainty' for staff

But other local government leaders have criticised the reorganisation U-turn on the grounds that it is creating uncertainty.

This is from the Local Government Association, which represents all councils in England.

Councils across the country will hold different views on the local government reorganisation (LGR) programme, for what it means for their areas, and the announcement of today’s review. But there is no excuse for the government’s mishandling of this process.

Today’s announcement, however, will have caused significant uncertainty, after councils have invested scarce public money and countless hours in the government’s LGR programme. People’s jobs, lives and wider commitments have been affected. Staff, councillors and their families cannot be expected to put their lives on hold while ministers undertake a review which is a mess of their own making. Particularly at a time when local services remain under real pressure, this is no way to treat local government.

The LGA represents all parties in local government. Normally it reaches a consensus view before it comments on political issues. On this occasion, it said it could not reach a consensus, and it said this was a “majority view” of its leadership.

Mike Short, head of local government at Unison, the union representing many local government workers, made a similar point. He said:

This pause prolongs the uncertainty felt by local government employees. Their jobs, futures and the services they deliver are in even greater limbo.

And Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive at the LGIU (Local Government Information Unit), a council thinktank, said:

What began as the most ambitious change to local government in a generation now looks in danger of becoming a colossal white elephant – a huge drain on time, resources and goodwill.

Those councils undergoing local government reorganisation have been trying to implement a massively complex project, under intense pressure and to very challenging timescales. LGIU’s concern is not the merit or otherwise of the LGR decisions – many others have made well-argued cases both for and against the many proposals that were submitted.

Our overriding concern is that local government leaders, staff and councillors have strained every sinew to meet the deadlines set by MHCLG. Today’s announcement – whatever the reasons behind it – rides roughshod over thousands of hours of work.

County councils in England were particularly opposed to the proposed local government reorganisation because county councils operate in a two-tier system (with district councils), and the main purpose of the plan was to replace two-tier councils with unitary councils (on the grounds they are supposedly more efficient).

Today the County Councils Network issued a broadly positive statement about the reorganisation U-turn. Its chair elect, Sean Matthews, said:

Many of our members had serious concerns [about the reorganisation] and felt the decisions taken over the last six months would not deliver any of these aims – with the previous Starmer government shifting substantially from its own criteria to create new authorities covering populations of 500,000 or more. Others were concerned how decisions were made, the robustness of the process and the underpinning evidence.

The CCN called on the new administration in government to take ownership of the programme – reviewing the decisions made and only proceeding with proposals that can deliver sustainable councils and protect services. We are pleased they have taken ours, and our councils’ concerns on board by announcing a pause and review of the programme today.

Many of our members will be relieved that the decisions they viewed as damaging to local services and financially unsustainable have been withdrawn or are being reviewed. For our councils that do want to proceed with reorganisation in their area, we will support them in their next steps and we will be seeking further clarity from government in the coming days.

Lib Dems claim local government reorganisation could put 'essential services and vulnerable people at risk'

The Tories have described the government’s local government reorganisation U-turn as a “total humiliation”. David Simmonds, the shadow local government minister, said in a statement:

This is yet another total humiliation for this Labour Government, who have once again been exposed breaking the law in an attempt to force their top-down programme of local government reorganisation on communities.

Ministers are only backing off because they have been found out in the face of relentless Conservative opposition to their gerrymandering. Their behaviour shows that [Andy] Burnham and [Angela] Rayner’s promise to empower local communities is completely hollow: their intention was always to dictate downwards.

And, in her statement, Zöe Franklin, the Lib Dem local government spokesperson, says services are at risk.

This is an embarrassing and chaotic climbdown, which has resulted in already cash-strapped councils wasting huge sums on plans the government told them were legally watertight.

Many local authorities, on the frontline of delivering vital services such as adult social care and Send support, were relying on this reorganisation to survive financially. Many are now left with nothing, potentially putting essential services and vulnerable people at risk.

Farage claims Reform UK triggered council reorganisation U-turn by using judicial review court challenges

Reform UK politicians are normally the first to complain about the courts being used to obstruct the wishes of an elected government. But Reform councils in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex launched judicial review proceedings to block the local government reorganisation plans that were going to abolish those county councils and Nigel Farage, the party leader, has claimed that it was these moves that triggered the government U-turn announced today.

In a statement, Farage said:

Reform UK not only argued that this government’s plans for local government reorganisation were an unmitigated disaster, but we once again put our money where our mouth is.

Earlier this year we took on the government and forced them to give the vote back to millions of people after Labour tried to cancel democracy. Now, thanks to our judicial reviews in affected Reform-led councils, the government has backed down on their plans yet again.

Only Reform had the backbone to stand up to these reckless plans. This is yet another embarrassing defeat for Labour. Only Reform backs real democracy.

List of counties and areas in England where local government reorganisation plans have been cancelled or shelved

Here is the list of the four counties where local government reorganisation plans have been scrapped: Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

And here are the 14 counties and areas where local government reorganisation plans have been put on hold pending a review.

Derby and Derbyshire

Devon, Plymouth and Torbay

East Sussex and Brighton

Gloucestershire

Hertfordshire

Kent and Medway

Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire

Oxfordshire and West Berkshire

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

Warwickshire

Worcestershire

There are two other areas where the government was considering reorganisation but had not yet taken a decision over a proposed way ahead: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and West Sussex. In these areas, reorganisation is also on hold.

In the Commons, Angela Rayner, the communities secretary, has just given a statement about her plans to cancel some local government reorganisation plans, and to delay others. (See 2.20pm.) Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker, said it was relief to have an announcement that had not been briefed to the media in advance.

On the subject of Liverpool, the Department for Transport has confirmed that Liverpool city region is getting £86m to bring its bus services under public control. In a news release, the DfT says:

Millions of passengers across the Liverpool city region are set to benefit from better, more reliable bus services as the city becomes the first to bring its network under public control under this government.

In a huge boost for local growth, the government will provide £86.3m of funding until 2029 to deliver better services for passengers, as well as a share of a new one-off £3m pot to help mayors take control of their services.

This funding will give the combined authority the power to plan bus networks to run services where they are needed most. Like in London and Greater Manchester where bus services are franchised, this also means local leaders in Liverpool will have more say over routes, branding and fares, which could mean cheaper journeys across the city.

No 10 refuses to deny report saying the Sun won't be getting any favours from Burnham while he's PM

Downing Street had refused to deny an Observer story saying that Andy Burnham intends to ensure that the Sun newspaper does not get any special editorial favours from him as PM.

That suggests Rupert Murdoch’s favourite tabloid won’t be getting exclusive interviews, or special articles for publication carrying Burnham’s byline.

The Observer report was written by Tom Baldwin, a former Labour communications director, who explained:

Although neither Burnham nor his official spokespeople have said anything explicit since he entered No 10 about ending cooperation with the newspaper, three separate sources close to him have privately said he intends to maintain a stance of granting the tabloid “no special favours”.

His position is understood to be causing “consternation” within the headquarters of the newspaper’s owner, Rupert Murdoch’s News UK, where executives have long since been used to the Sun getting access and securing influence at the very highest level of government.

Burnham’s decision is understood to relate to the Hillsborough tragedy. He grew up near Liverpool and had friends who were at the Hillsborough match, and campaigning for justice for the families of victims became one of the big causes of his political career. As a young culture secretary, Burnham gave a speech at the Hillsborough 20th anniversary memorial in 2009 which was instrumental in persuading him that the government had to redouble its efforts to ensure the full truth came out.

No paper did more to smear the Hillsborough fans than the Sun, which falsely claimed that their behaviour was to blame for the crush that led to 97 people being killed. Although the paper has apologised, and all those involved in that reporting have long since moved on, the paper is still reviled on Merseyside.

Asked about the Observer story at the Downing Street lobby briefing, the PM’s spokesperson did not deny the claim that the Sun would not be getting special favours from the new PM. Asked repeatedly about the story, the spokesperson just said that Burnham would be engaging “with a wide range of media, including new forms of media”, as he has been doing already.

Lucy Powell, the deputy Labour leader, has issued this statement following the moving of the writ for the Holborn and St Pancras byelection. (See 2.41pm.)

Labour has hit the ground running in Holborn and St Pancras. We’ve been out every day speaking to local residents about their priorities and it’s clear that Andy Burnham’s message of hope is really cutting through. Since this byelection was announced we’ve had thousands of conversations on the doorstep right across the constituency and Labour activists and supporters will be speaking to thousands more in the coming days.

While others talk, Labour is delivering the progressive change people in Holborn and St Pancras want to see. We’ve taken early action to give people vital breathing space on the cost of living, and we’re taking on the long term challenges people really care about, like ending rough sleeping, tackling youth unemployment and making sure we finally fix our social care system.