Former minister calls for phone tech to block live-streamed child sex abuse

Exclusive: Equalities minister says Tories are ‘chasing Reform into the gutter’ as they drop support for planned law to ban ‘conversion therapy’ Kemi Badenoch has “no interest in supporting LGBT+ people” or promoting tolerance more widely, a government minister has said, after the Conservatives dropped support for a planned law to ban so-called “conversion therapy”. The comments by Bridget Phillipson, the equalities minister, come after the Tories removed their previous backing for a law targeti

Lisa Nandy expected to meet leaders from television, film and publishing and could legislate if voluntary action deemed insufficient Ministers are considering changing the law to force the entertainment industry to better protect women and children in the wake of the revelations over David Walliams and the conviction of Russell Brand. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, is expected to meet leaders from the industry next week, taking in representatives from not just TV but also film and publishing

Departure of Tom Waterhouse, Reform’s ‘latest fall guy’, will be blow to party amid push towards professionalisation UK politics live – latest updates Reform UK’s general secretary has left the role as Nigel Farage’s party continues to face turmoil over questions about vetting failures and professionalisation. The departure of Tom Waterhouse comes after Reform UK’s leader on Hampshire county council, George Madgwick, was charged with 12 counts of rape and one of distributing indecent images of a

Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff also says the ‘thicket of rules’ about how PMs operate should be cleared away Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, has called for a rethink of “quasi-judicial” powers given to cabinet ministers such as the energy secretary’s ability to approve future oil and gas fields. McSweeney, who helped propel Starmer to power and served as his chief of staff until February this year, said he believed “quasi-judicial processes” were stopping wider cabi