Newslinks for Tuesday 9th December 2025

Trump’s Ukraine peace deal on brink of collapse

“Donald Trump’s peace plan is on the brink of collapsing after Volodymyr Zelensky insisted Ukraine had no obligation to cede territory to Russia. Kyiv is set to send the US president a Europe-backed counter proposal on Tuesday following an emergency Downing Street summit. The revised plan was intended to balance out a previous draft, presented by the US, seen as widely favourable to Russia. But the Ukrainian leader’s rejection of Russia’s demand to give up the entire eastern Donbas region of Donetsk and Luhansk, which Kyiv still controls parts of, is unlikely to appease Moscow. Mr Trump will remain unsuccessful in his efforts if he cannot get both sides to agree to terms, plunging his latest plan into uncertainty.” – Daily Telegraph

• US assures UK it is ‘committed to durable peace in Ukraine’ – Daily Telegraph
• Zelensky says European peace plan close – FT
• Deal to release £100bn for Ukraine nears, Starmer says – The Times
• European leaders rally around Ukraine – Guardian
• Starmer tells Zelensky the UK is ready to hand over £8bn in frozen Russian assets – Daily Mail
• Britain on brink of losing Atlantic to Russia, navy chief warns – The Times
• ‘Trumpism is here to stay. We’re never returning to old Republicanism’ – Daily Telegraph

Comment

>Yesterday:

Strip Khan of power to run Met, report says

“Sir Sadiq Khan should be stripped of responsibility for overseeing the Metropolitan Police after a slump in public confidence in the force, a report has recommended. Only 45 per cent of Londoners believe the Met is doing a good job in their local area, down from 69 per cent in 2016, according to the study by the Policy Exchange think tank. The report, led by a former Scotland Yard detective chief inspector, blamed the decline in confidence on the force’s failure to detect high-volume crime such as thefts, its poor handling of large-scale protests and not strengthening neighbourhood policing. The report recommended that the Home Secretary should replace Sir Sadiq, the London Mayor, and take over responsibility for oversight of policing in the capital”. – Daily Telegraph

Tories vow to deport child grooming dual nationals

“People with dual nationality who are convicted of grooming children should be stripped of their British citizenship and deported, say the Conservatives. The Tories want the rule to apply even to those born in the UK, and Britain must impose visa restrictions and withhold aid if countries such as Pakistan refuse to take back offenders. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also called for mosques to be compelled to cooperate with officials as she outlined her vision for Labour’s stalled national inquiry into grooming gangs yesterday. Mrs Badenoch made the demand as she and Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp set out the party’s terms for a statutory inquiry into rape gangs, which they said should ‘leave no stone unturned’. – Daily Mail

>Today:

>Yesterday:

Take a week off work if your distant cousin dies, says Labour

“Workers will be entitled to a week off work to mourn the death of a distant family member under proposals being considered by ministers. Sir Keir Starmer’s new workers’ rights bill could give employees the right to a week’s leave following the deaths of in-laws, cousins, uncles and nieces. A death within an employee’s “chosen family” – defined as “close friends and relationships that are not related but take the place of a traditional family” – would also qualify them for unpaid time off. The expansion of bereavement leave, which is currently only mandatory for the death of a child under 18, is one of several measures planned under the Employment Rights Bill championed by Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister.” – Daily Telegraph

• Former Deputy PM blames ‘vested interests’ for workers’ rights delays – The Times
• Rayner warns Starmer ‘now is not the time to blink or buckle’ on her flagship workers’ rights bill – Daily Mail
• What would a Rayner government look like? – FT

Comment

Reform spreading sex toy lies about me, says Farage accuser

“Nigel Farage’s “election fraud” accuser has denied claims by Reform UK that he kept sex toys in an office drawer, and said the party was trying to smear his reputation. Richard Everett, a former member of Mr Farage’s campaign team, has complained to police about an alleged £9,000 disparity in the spending return Reform submitted for Clacton-on-Sea after last year’s general election. But the party says Mr Everett is a “disgruntled former councillor” who was expelled earlier this year for alleged “inappropriate sexual behaviour”, and denied that any laws were broken. The police report has exposed an extraordinary row between Mr Farage and his former ally in Clacton, where he won a parliamentary seat for the first time last year, on his eighth attempt. Mr Everett has spoken exclusively to The Telegraph about his claims that Mr Farage misled authorities about his election expenses – a crime that can carry a jail sentence.” – Daily Telegraph

• Reform UK councillor’s firm fined £40,000 for hiring illegal worker – FT
• Campaign for Farage’s Clacton seat was a ‘juggernaut’, say candidates – Guardian

Other political news

• Trans women not a risk in changing rooms, says NHS tribunal judge – Daily Telegraph
• NHS maternity failings leave women feeling blamed for poor care – The Times
• Starmer faces growing Labour revolt over child puberty-blocker trial – The Sun
• Channel migrants smuggling heroin for gangs – Daily Telegraph
• The new and unsurprising threat from people smugglers – Editorial, Daily Telegraph
• Lawyers for teen asylum seekers say ‘horrific’ footage of schoolgirl rape is a ‘riot risk’ – Daily Express
• Teacher banned after telling Muslim child that Britain is Christian country – Daily Telegraph
• Trump turns on Paramount as it launches $108bn Warner Bros bid – Daily Telegraph
• Blair ruled out of Gaza’s ‘board of peace’ – The Times
• Syrian president: We can be one of leading countries in the world – Daily Telegraph
• Brigitte Macron caught calling feminist hecklers ‘stupid bitches’ – The Times

News in Brief