Newslinks for Wednesday 4th June 2025

June 4, 2025

Starmer handed five-week reprieve from Trump’s steel tariffs

“President Trump exempted British steel and aluminium exports from new 50 per cent tariffs while giving ministers five weeks to finalise details of a trade deal with the United States. In an executive order, Trump said UK exporters would be spared from the doubling of tariffs that are due to come into effect on Wednesday, but appeared to set a new deadline of next month for the deal to be finalised. The order stated that if the UK had not complied with “relevant aspects” of the Economic Prosperity Deal signed last month, then the US “may increase the applicable rates of duty to 50 per cent … on or after July 9”. – The Times

British industry exempted from Trump’s new steel tariffs – FT
Musk brands Trump’s flagship bill ‘a disgusting abomination’ – Daily Telegraph

Comment

Cleverly delivers direct challenge to Badenoch on net zero

“On the eve of a Holyrood by-election, and with the Tories in fourth in a recent Westminster opinion poll, Kemi Badenoch would dearly love to avoid talk of policy divides within her party or chatter about leadership challenges. Sir James Cleverly has delivered both. The former home secretary will drive a wedge between himself and the Conservative Party leader on Wednesday night by directly challenging her approach to net zero, which will be met with jubilation by Labour, the SNP, and especially Reform UK.” – Daily Telegraph

Badenoch dealt fresh blow as top Tory revolts over Net Zero plan – Daily Express

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Protect freedom to criticise Islam in law, Tory MPs demand

“The freedom to criticise Islam must be protected, Tory MPs have demanded amid a row over a man’s conviction for burning a Koran. Following a trial at Westminster magistrates’ court, Hamit Coskun, 50, was found guilty of committing a racially aggravated public order offence during a peaceful protest. Coskun set fire to a Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London earlier this year while declaring that Islam was a “religion of terrorism”. In an attempt to prevent future prosecutions, Nick Timothy, a Conservative MP, is proposing to put a Freedom of Expression (Religion) Bill before the Commons next Tuesday.” – Daily Telegraph

Senior officers warn police cuts will mean ‘some crimes must be ignored’

“Britain’s most senior police chiefs have directly warned Sir Keir Starmer that they will face “stark choices” about which crimes they investigate if the Treasury pushes ahead with cuts. In a significant escalation before the spending review, Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police, and other senior police officers have written to the prime minister warning him that cuts will have “far-reaching consequences”. They said negotiations between the Home Office and the Treasury were going “poorly” and further cautioned that there would be a return to cuts to frontline policing last seen under austerity.” – The Times

Reeves unveils £15bn for trams, trains and buses outside London

“Rachel Reeves is announcing £15bn for trams, trains and buses outside London as she launches a charm offensive to persuade fractious Labour MPs that her spending review will not be a return to austerity. The chancellor has begun meeting groups of backbenchers to argue that the money, part of a £113bn investment in capital projects over the rest of the parliament including transport, homes and energy, would only have happened under Labour. Just three Whitehall departments are still to agree their multi-year budgets with the Treasury before the spending review, the Guardian understands, with the home secretary, Yvette Cooper; the energy secretary, Ed Miliband; and the housing secretary, Angela Rayner, holding out.” – The Guardian

Starmer and Reeves face cabinet revolt over spending review – The Independent
Ministers fight over scraps as reality bites on spending review – The Times
Chancellor pledges £15bn investment to boost north – The Times
Reeves to back Manchester to Liverpool rail link – FT
Government to hand more than £1bn to Lower Thames Crossing in spending deal – FT
UK set to back Nato push for 3.5% of GDP on defence – FT
Nato ‘will force Britain to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence’ – The Times
And Nato demand for 3.5pc defence spending blows hole in Starmer’s review – Daily Telegraph

Comment

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Jenrick joins calls for Starmer to sack lefty lawyer Attorney General who represented Begum

“Robert Jenrick joined calls for the PM to sack his lefty lawyer Attorney General who represented IS bride Shamima Begum. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick yesterday blasted the PM for continuing to support Cabinet Minister Lord Richard Hermer, whose former client list also includes Gerry Adams and a right-hand man to Osama Bin Laden. In a viral video on social media, Mr Jenrick accused the Attorney General of having “spent much of his life defending those who hate Britain”. – The Sun

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Trump attacks BBC over Gaza misreporting

“The White House has attacked the BBC’s coverage of the Gaza conflict, accusing the broadcaster of taking Hamas’s word as “total truth”. Karoline Leavitt, Donald Trump’s press secretary, accused the BBC of having to repeatedly correct its reporting from the territory about aid distribution. The BBC’s coverage of the conflict has been repeatedly accused of bias against Israel, but the White House’s comments mark an extraordinary escalation in criticism of the broadcaster. On Tuesday night, the BBC denied Ms Leavitt’s claims and said it stood by its reporting.” – Daily Telegraph

Trump aide accuses BBC of treating Hamas claims as ‘total truth’ – The Times

Comment

‘Saying Trump is dangerous is not enough’, Sanders says – The Guardian

Cameron calls for DNA test of all sick children to build register

“Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton has called for all babies who are admitted to paediatric care to be tested for unusual genetic conditions as part of his campaign to cure 40 rare diseases. The former prime minister said that only the best hospitals routinely offered genome sequencing to infants and most tests were limited to looking for issues that doctors were currently able to solve. The issue is deeply personal to Cameron. His son Ivan, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy, died from a rare disease in 2009 when he was six, and Cameron’s mother died from Alzheimer’s this year.” – The Times