Newslinks for Sunday 16th November 2025

Rayner plots move against Starmer

“Angela Rayner is laying the ground for a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer The former deputy prime minister and housing secretary is already offering Cabinet roles to MPs in exchange for their support, The Telegraph has been told. A source familiar with Ms Rayner’s moves said she was “on manoeuvres” and was “getting her ducks in a row” for a leadership bid, adding: “The unions will back her and help her.” Ms Rayner has also joined Tribune, a pressure group of MPs on the soft Left of the Labour Party, led by the architects of the welfare rebellion. Senior figures in the group say it currently has 70 members but is on course to reach 100, making it the biggest caucus of Labour backbenchers. It could be used as a leadership vehicle for a candidate in the future.” – Sunday Telegraph

• Streeting’s furious call with McSweeney over ‘coup’ claims – Sunday Times
• Labour MPs turn on Starmer and Reeves – FT
• Rayner plots to overthrow Starmer – Sunday Express
• Just when Starmer thought it couldn’t get any worse Rayner is back – Sunday Express
• What’s really happening in the race to unseat Starmer – Mail on Sunday

Comment

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Asylum seekers who arrive in UK illegally face 20-year wait

“Asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally will have to wait 20 years before they can apply for permanent settlement in the UK, Shabana Mahmood is to announce. The Home Secretary plans to end what she claims is the “golden ticket” of Britain’s “excessively generous” immigration system which currently guarantees migrants permanent residency after they have spent five years in the UK. On Monday, she will announce that refugee status is to become temporary, and those whose countries become safe will be immediately returned to their home nations. Their refugee status will be reviewed every 30 months.” – Sunday Telegraph

• Mahmood: ‘Illegal migration is tearing Britain apart’ – Sunday Times
• UK to curtail asylum seekers’ rights – FT
• Asylum seekers will lose benefits under Danish style curbs – Mail on Sunday
• Government set to make support for asylum seekers ‘discretionary’ – Observer
• ‘I’ll end golden ticket asylum’, says Mahmood – Sun on Sunday
• The growing backlog behind the asylum hotel crisis – FT
• People who could face deportation under Reform – Observer

Comment

BBC must get its house in order, Starmer to tell Trump

“Sir Keir Starmer is expected to tell Donald Trump that the BBC must “get its house in order” after the US president vowed to forge ahead with a lawsuit of up to $5bn (£3.8bn) against the broadcaster. The Prime Minister is set to use a call with Mr Trump this weekend to say he believes the BBC must uphold the highest possible standards, including correcting mistakes quickly. On Friday night, Mr Trump said he was still planning to sue the corporation, despite the broadcaster apologising for doctoring one of his speeches. Speaking on board Air Force One, the president told The Telegraph that he would formally seek damages of between “$1bn and $5bn” against the BBC as early as next week.” – Sunday Telegraph

• Don’t use licence fee cash to settle with Trump, BBC warned – Sunday Times
• BBC in complete crisis as Starmer backs Trump – Sunday Express

Comment

Badenoch: Britain deserves real leadership, not Labour’s endless U-turns

“If you want to know what Rachel Reeves is going to do with taxes at the Budget, save yourself the trouble of reading the latest briefing from the Treasury. Instead, try tarot cards or astrology. They’ll give you just as much insight into her strategy. In a harried press conference last week, she told us the fiscal situation was so dire that everything was in play when it came to upcoming tax rises. In an interview this week, the Chancellor was adamant that she needed to raise income tax or we could forget about new infrastructure and housing. Yet on Thursday night, an income tax rise was suddenly taken off the table. I’ve decided that this incessant yo-yoing can only be coming from her horoscope.” – Sunday Telegraph

• Reeves to hit families with new ‘death tax by back door’ – Sunday Telegraph
• Reeves becomes most unpopular Chancellor in history according to poll – Sunday Telegraph

Comment

Corbyn’s new party implodes as MP blasts ‘prejudice against Muslim men’

“Jeremy Corbyn’s new party has imploded with an MP quitting over what he claimed was “veiled prejudice” against Muslim men. It comes just two weeks before the first Your Party conference in Liverpool. Adnan Hussain, MP for Blackburn and a member of the Left-wing party’s steering committee, withdrew on Thursday (November 13). He claimed that Your Party’s culture had become “dominated by persistent infighting” and cited “very serious and damaging internal disputes” for his decision.” – Sunday Express

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