Newslinks for Tuesday the 4th of November 2025

Shadow Home Secretary asks why police were not aware of and pursuing Huntingdon knife attacker before he boarded train

“Police are investigating whether the suspect in the Huntingdon train stabbings was involved in four knife-related incidents in the hours before the attack. Anthony Williams appeared in court on Monday charged with 10 counts of attempted murder following a mass stabbing on an LNER train from Doncaster to London on Saturday evening. There have been calls for an urgent investigation into the police’s handling of the case amid claims there were a string of missed opportunities to apprehend the 32-year-old before the incident. Speaking in the House of Commons, Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, told MPs on Monday that the public would have “many unanswered questions” about the attacker and events that led up to the incident. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the Cambridgeshire force and British Transport Police (BTP) both had questions to answer after Williams was linked to four knife incidents between Friday night and Saturday morning.” – Daily Telegraph

• Police may have missed three chances to stop Huntingdon train attack – Daily Express
• Police investigate four knife incidents possibly linked to train attack – Guardian
• Knife Mayhem. Cops under fire over suspect’s 24 hours of knife mayhem before ‘launching Huntingdon train attack’ – The Sun
• Why did no one stop him? Moment ‘knifeman who hurt 11 people in Huntingdon train rampage storms barber shop moments after stabbing 14-year-old boy – Daily Mail

Comment

• How Britain has become safer and scarier – Ben Sixsmith, The Critic
• Terror is becoming worryingly familiar in Britain – Ian Acheson, Spectator
• How policing will turn into politics – Dominic Adler, Unherd

Reeves set to break Manifesto promise and raise income tax in desperate bid for more cash

“Rachel Reeves will indicate she is prepared to break Labour’s manifesto promise not to raise income tax. In a rare pre-Budget press conference on Tuesday, the Chancellor will insist she will take the “necessary” steps to right public finances for “years to come”. The Treasury has not knocked down speculation that an increase in income tax rates – potentially by as much as 2p – is being considered in her Budget on Nov 26 to fill a financial black hole. Ms Reeves will address this speculation head on, insisting she has to make “important choices” for the economy. It comes after the Prime Minister’s official spokesman repeatedly refused on Monday to stand by Labour’s pledge last summer not to increase income tax, National Insurance or VAT.” – Daily Telegraph

• Rachel Reeves ‘weighing up more than 100 tax and spending plans’ – The Times
• Death by a hundred tax hikes? Reeves looking at blizzard of increases on ‘wealthy’ middle earners in Budget – Daily Mail
• Starmer fuels expectations of income tax rise in the Budget – FT
• Reeves to lay groundwork for tax rises in ‘candid’ speech about budget – Guardian
• Scrapping two-child benefit cap for all ‘still possible’ – The i

Editorial

• Britain has had enough of Rachel Reeves raiding workers with Labour’s endless tax-and-spend betrayal – The Sun

Comment

• My sources have told me about the catastrophic tax rises to come. Pensioners will be horrified… this is where Labour’s going to strike and it’s devastating – Jeff Prestridge, Daily Mail
• Starmer is a dead man walking…. and Britain’s sinking rapidly into a bankrupt socialist quagmire. But there’s worse loitering in the wings – Richard Littlejohn, Daily Mail

Meanwhile…. Farage junks last year’s Reform manifesto with new pledges some ‘borrowed’ from the Conservatives

“Nigel Farage has cast doubt over the future of the pensions triple lock under a Reform government, saying he could not predict if it would still be viable. In a speech rowing back on vast spending plans and tax cuts in the party’s last election manifesto, Farage said some of the substantial changes promised were no longer “sensible”. He blamed the Conservatives for raking up the national debt and accused Rachel Reeves of presiding over a “wealth drain” by pushing wealth-creators to leave Britain. However, Farage was forced to defend himself against suggestions he was breaking promises made by Reform in its last manifesto and in speeches and announcements up until July. In an attempt to wipe the slate clean, Farage hinted his support for cutting the minimum wage for young people and reversing Labour’s inheritance tax changes for farmers.” – The Times

• Nigel Farage warns Britain is on the verge of financial collapse with ‘extraordinary’ debt mountain… as he admits Labour chaos will delay tax cuts hopes – Daily Mail
• Farage abandons ‘unrealistic’ tax cut plans – Daily Telegraph
• Farage walks back on tax cut pledges after predicting ‘economic collapse’ – City AM
• What would UK economic policy look like under Nigel Farage’s Reform? – Guardian
• Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households despite pledging cuts – The Times
• Reform preparing for a 2027 election – as Farage warns of ‘economic collapse’ – The i
• Nigel Farage predicts date Keir Starmer will be forced to call early election – Daily Express
• Cash Out. Britain heading for ‘economic collapse’ and Starmer will be forced into an election within two years, Farage blasts – The Sun
• ‘Beyond ironic’: Reform-led council says flags must come down so Christmas lights can go up – Guardian

Comment

• Farage risks alienating loyalists in Reform’s bid for power – Patrick Maguire, The Times
• Reform need to refocus on Britain’s tax burden – John O’Connel, CapX
• Farage: Trust me with the economy – James Heale, Spectator
• At times it felt like Farage was even boring himself in speech – Tom Peck, The Times
• The far right can win in Europe but it struggles to govern – Gideon Rachman, FT

Rochdale grooming ringleader banned from returning to Britain

“A Rochdale grooming gang leader faces a lifetime ban from Britain after secretly leaving the country. Adil Khan, a “vile” child rapist who impregnated a 13-year-old, has been subjected to a Home Office deportation order that bars him from ever returning to the UK. The convicted paedophile left Britain after fighting deportation for nearly a decade, claiming that removing him would breach his human rights by depriving his teenage son of a “role model”. Greater Manchester Police said officers discovered that Khan, 55, was no longer at home when they conducted their normal post-prison release compliance checks last month. A spokesman said: “On our most recent visit on Oct 21 [Khan] was not there and our inquiries have since established he has left the country. We are working alongside the Home Office in our efforts to locate him.” It is believed Khan may have left for Europe.” – Daily Telegraph

• Rochdale grooming gang ‘monster’ who trafficked vulnerable girls and made a 13-year-old pregnant won’t be allowed back into Britain after fleeing the country – Daily Mail
• Britain records Europe’s biggest increase in asylum claims – The Times
• Councils spending thousands cleaning ‘flag wars’ graffiti – The i

Today

China pressured British university to stop human rights research

“China successfully put pressure on a British university to cease research into human rights abuses. Sheffield Hallam University, a public research institute in South Yorkshire, ordered one of its most senior professors to halt her work on allegations of forced labour in the Xinjiang region of China. Prof Laura Murphy, of the university’s Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice, was told in February that her research into the alleged persecution of Uyghur Muslims must stop. Sheffield Hallam claimed the decision was made because of administrative issues and denied that it was related to commercial interests.After Prof Murphy threatened to pursue legal action, the university apologised. In October, it lifted restrictions on her research.” – Daily Telegraph

Today

BBC under fire for anti Trump bias, after whistleblower points to doctored Jan 6 footage

“The BBC “doctored” a Donald Trump speech by making him appear to encourage the Capitol Hill riot, according to an internal whistleblowing memo seen by The Telegraph. A Panorama programme, broadcast a week before the US election, “completely misled” viewers by showing the president telling supporters he was going to walk to the Capitol with them to “fight like hell”, when in fact he said he would walk with them “to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard”. The “mangled” footage was highlighted in a 19-page dossier on BBC bias, which was compiled by a recent member of the corporation’s standards committee and is now circulating in government departments. The dossier said the programme made the US president “‘say’ things [he] never actually said” by splicing together footage from the start of his speech with something he said nearly an hour later. It claimed senior executives and the BBC’s chairman had ignored and dismissed a string of serious complaints raised by the corporation’s own standards watchdog.” – Daily Telegraph

• The BBC accused of ‘shocking’ breaches of impartiality by a senior whistleblower – after Panorama ‘doctored’ Donald Trump speech and ‘censorship’ of trans debate – Daily Mail
• Why Trump speech scandal could be costly for the BBC – Daily Telegraph
• BBC humiliated as internal report reveals broadcaster ‘doctored’ Trump speech – Daily Express

French taxi driver acquitted of stealing ‘incoherent’ David Lammy’s luggage

“A taxi driver has been cleared of stealing cash and luggage from David Lammy after a court heard that the Deputy Prime Minister’s claims were “incoherent”. Nasim Mimun, 40, had faced up to three years in prison after being accused of taking property belonging to Mr Lammy, 53, and his wife, the artist Nicola Green, also 53, following a 370-mile journey through the Alps in April. But a judge at Bonneville criminal court dismissed the case on Monday, ruling there was “zero proof that Mimun intended to keep the goods”. Mr Mimun told The Telegraph after the verdict: “The court ordered my acquittal. David Lammy, France didn’t believe you!” The dispute began when the couple were picked up in Forli, near Bologna, on April 10, following the King and Queen’s state visit to Italy, en route to a French ski resort” – Daily Telegraph

• French taxi driver cleared of stealing from David Lammy after fare dispute – Guardian

Margaret Thatcher’s belongings including desk and cigar box sell for staggering six-figure sum at auction

“The contents of one of Margaret Thatcher’s former homes has sold at auction for £730,000. The items, including the final portrait photo of the Tory Prime Minister — who died aged 87 in 2013 — were taken from a house in Chester Square in London’s Belgravia. The Sloane Street Auctions sale was the third of furniture and effects — and fetched far more than expected. A mahogany desk, which the Iron Lady used for writing speeches, sold for £16,000 eight times its estimate of £2,000. Other lots included a portrait photograph which sold for £4,500 — over ten times its estimated value, A silver cigar box gifted by an ex-president of Colombia, Virgilio Barco Vargas, expected to go for £500, fetched £18,000.” – The Sun

News in Brief

• • Is stamp duty the worst tax in Britain? – Mitchell Palmer, CapX
  • North Sea oil is Labour’s next civil war – Henry Hill, Unherd
  • The folly of disarmament. Why Sultana is living in fantasyland – Patrick Porter, The Critic
  • Harry and Meghan deserve the same fate as Andrew Windsor – Lee Cohen, Spectator