Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election - live: Polls to close in vote to replace shamed MP

Voting is about to close in a Scottish byelection triggered after the incumbent MP was found to have broken Covid rules.

Former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier was ousted from the Rutherglen and West Hamilton seat in August.

Ms Ferrier, who was kicked out of her party, travelled between London and Glasgow after testing positive for the virus.

A total of 14 candidates are on the ballot for the hotly contested South Lanarkshire seat, with either Labour or the SNP expected to win.

The constituency was last contested at the 2019 election, when five candidates vowed to win a seat in the House of Commons.

Ms Ferrier won the seat with a majority of 5,230, picking up 23,775 (44.2 per cent) of the votes on a turnout of 66.5 per cent.

Labour’s Gerard Killen came second with 18,545 votes (34.5 per cent) the Conservatives’ Lynne Nailon third on 8,054 (15 per ceny) and the Lib Dems Mark McGeever on 2,791 (5.2 per cent).

Janice Mackay, the now defunct UKIP’s candidate, came last with 629 votes (1.2 per cent)

Key Points

• Polls close at 10pm

• 14 candidates vying for seat vacated by Margaret Ferrier

• Voters go to the polls in Rutherglen and West Hamilton

Labour’s victory could help it ‘get an overall majority’, says polling expert

09:15 , Tara Cobham

Labour’s victory in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election confirms the party poses “a serious challenge” to the SNP and could help it “get an overall majority” in the next general election, polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice has said.

He said: “This result very firmly confirms the direction of travel indicated by the polls and that Labour do pose a serious challenge to the SNP’s continued dominance at Westminster.

“That potentially has implications for the overall outcome in the general election because if that were to happen, they would find it easier to get an overall majority.

“But also the kinds of increases that Labour have registered in their vote in this by-election, what they achieved in Selby, this is the kind of results that you see in advance of general elections when parties are on course to win.

“So, obviously, 12 months to go and all the rest of it, but I think one has to say that not only now are Labour clearly posing a serious, serious threat to the continuation of a deeply unpopular Conservative government south of the border, but they are now also posing a threat to a relatively unpopular – at least by its historical standards – SNP government north of the border.

“To that extent, I think they can reasonably claim to have done rather well.”

Labour win down to SNP – not us, says Tory minister

09:00 , Tara Cobham

The Tory transport minister has said the Labour win in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election was down to a “backlash” against the SNP.

Huw Merriman told Times Radio: “This was an election which is focussed against the ruling SNP government, so it’s no surprise to see a backlash.”

He added: “It’s a sort of natural consequence when there’s a backlash against a sitting government party and that was the SNP. So it’s no surprise at all to see them win it back.”

Sunak joins far-right Italian PM urging EU to act on illegal migrants

08:49 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak has joined forced with Italy’s far-right prime minister Giorgia Meloni to demand EU leaders show the “same sense of urgency” in trying to crack down illegal migration.

The pair are believed to be angry at Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez for refusing to put illegal immigrantion on the agenda for the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Granada on Thursday.

Despite the European leaders agreeing an eight-point plan on the issue at the sidelines of the summit, Mr Sunak and Ms Meloni said the EU had to understand that “now is the time for action”.

Adam Forrest reports:

Sunak joins far-right Italian PM urging EU to act on illegal migrants

Starmer’s hopes of becoming PM boosted after winning key by-election

08:40 , Tara Cobham

Keir Starmer’s hopes of winning the keys to No 10 at next year’s general election have been boosted after winning a “seismic” victory in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

Polling guru Prof John Curtice said the 20 per cent swing from SNP to Labour was a “remarkably good result” that put Sir Keir’s party on course to be the “dominant” force in Scotland again and win a majority in the Commons.

Labour has been confident it would take the Scottish seat from the SNP after the disgraced former MP for the area Margaret Ferrier broke lockdown laws to travel from London to Glasgow with Covid.

Kate Devlin and Adam Forrest report:

Starmer’s hopes of becoming PM boosted after winning key by-election

Watch: Scottish Labour leader hails ‘seismic’ victory

08:30 , Tara Cobham

Watch: Rutherglen results announced as Labour triumph

08:20 , Tara Cobham

Why Scotland is so important for Labour to avoid a hung parliament

08:10 , Tara Cobham

Labour’s by-election victory in Rutherglen is a “remarkably good” result that puts Sir Keir Starmer’s party on course to be the “dominant” force in Scotland again, said polling guru Prof John Curtice.

The elections expert said the 20 per cent swing from the SNP to Labour was “well above the kinds of swings we’ve seen in the opinion polls in Scotland”.

So what does it mean for the 2024 general election? Labour had been hoping to win 15 to 20 seats in Scotland in a bid to boost its chances of avoiding a hung parliament and winning an outright majority.

Adam Forrest reports:

Why Scotland is so important for Labour to avoid a hung parliament

Labour on course to be ‘dominant’ force in Scotland again, says John Curtice

08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Labour’s by-election victory in Rutherglen is a “remarkably good” result that puts Sir Keir Starmer’s party on course to be the “dominant” force in Scotland again, said polling guru Prof John Curtice.

The party’s candidate Michael Shanks won over 17,000 votes, out of a total of 30,000 cast – a remarkable 58 per cent of votes cast.

Prof Curtice told BBC Scotland: “That means the Labour vote in the constituency is almost as high as it was in 2010 before the tsunami that swept the Labour party from virtually every constituency in Scotland.”

He added: “If this kind of swing were to be replicated across Scotland as a whole you’d be talking about the Labour Party quite clearly being the dominant party north of the border.”

Adam Forrest has more.

Labour on course to be ‘dominant’ force in Scotland again, says John Curtice

Labour ‘on course’ for majority at general election, says John Curtice

07:49 , Tara Cobham

Prof John Curtice said he was “absolutely” surprised by the size of Labour’s victory Rutherglen – saying it was almost as high as the 60 per cent Labour won in the constituency in 2010 before the independence campaign saw the party’s vote collapse.

The election expert told BBC’s Good Morning Scotland that wins on that scale historically “on course for victory in a general election” he said – adding that you “cannot ignore the direction of travel”.

Scottish Conservatives face embarrassing defeat

07:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Scottish Conservatives came in third place, with Thomas Kerr polling 1,192 ahead of Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate Gloria Adebo, and Scottish Green Party candidate Cameron Eadie who secured 895 and 601 votes respectively.

A total of 30,531 votes were cast, with turnout standing at 37.2 per cent, well below the 66.5 per cent turnout in the last general election.

The loss of the seat to Labour will put further pressure on SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf – who has seen his party’s fortunes decline in the polls in the wake of the ongoing police investigation in SNP finances.

Starmer’s hopes of becoming PM boosted after winning key by-election

07:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Keir Starmer’s hopes of winning the keys to Downing Street next year have been boosted after winning the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

Labour has been confident it would take the Scottish seat from the SNP after the disgraced former MP for the area broke lockdown laws to travel from London to Glasgow with Covid.

But victory was seen as a crucial step to prove the party was on course for victory next year, and avoid tough questions at its party conference which opens this weekend.

Kate Devlin and Adam Forrest report.

Starmer’s hopes of becoming PM boosted after winning key by-election

Labour celebrates by-election win

06:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Keir Starmer hails ‘seismic’ win for Labour

06:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Sir Keir Starmer has hailed a “seismic result” for Labour after his party overwhelmingly won Scotland’s first recall by-election.

Labour candidate Michael Shanks won the Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat after securing more than twice the votes of his SNP rival Katy Loudon.

The result will pile more pressure on SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf – who has seen his party’s fortunes decline in the polls in the wake of the ongoing police investigation in SNP finances.

More here.

Sir Keir Starmer hails ‘seismic’ win for Labour in Rutherglen and Hamilton West

‘Remarkably good’ result for Labour, says John Curtice

06:16 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Sir John Curtice told BBC Scotland News it was a “remarkably good result” for Sir Keir Starmer’s party that puts Labour on course to replace the SNP as the “dominant” force in Scotland once again.

“It’s well above the kinds of swings we’ve seen in the opinion polls in Scotland. The Labour vote is up to nearly 59 per cent, that’s 24 points,” he said.

He continued: “That means the Labour vote in the constituency is almost as high as it was in 2010 before the tsunami that swept the Labour party from virtually every constituency in Scotland.”

“If this kind of swing were to be replicated across Scotland as a whole you’d be talking about the Labour Party quite clearly being the dominant party north of the border.”

‘I will be your champion’, says Shanks after by-election win

05:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Scottish Labour’s Michael Shanks today said it was the “honour” of his life to have been elected as the MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West.

Thursday’s by-election saw the SNP’s majority overturned by Labour after Mr Shanks won 17,845 votes.“Thank you to all those who helped deliver this result,” Mr Shanks said.

“The largest thanks goes to all those who have put their trust in me. My promise in return is a simple one: I will be your champion.”

‘Disappointing night for the SNP’, says Yousaf

05:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Humza Yousaf said it was a “disappointing night” for the Scottish National Party following an embarrassing defeat in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

“Circumstances of this by-election were always very difficult for us,” he said in a social media post.

He claimed the collapse in the Tory vote, which “went straight to Labour” was a significant factor.

“We lost this seat in 2017, and like 2019 we can win this seat back. However, we will reflect on what we have to do to regain the trust of the people of Rutherglen & Hamilton West.”

Voices: Starmer’s stonking by-election victory shows Scotland is coming home to Labour

05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

If Keir Starmer was at all worried about his party conference getting off to a good start, well, his fears may be said to be safely allayed now. Not only is this a clear victory, but the swing of 20.4 percentage points suggests a haul of 30 or 40 seats at the next general election.

That might well leave the SNP at Westminster next year with a mere handful of seats – crucial and huge progress for Starmer if it comes to pass.

In its way the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election is every bit as significant for Labour as the recent results in Uxbridge and in Selby.

It’s more than in line with general polling trends. It’s like a reset to the old days of Labour dominance. Labour will be making the most of it. So they should, writes Sean O’Grady.

Starmer’s stonking by-election victory shows Scotland is coming home to Labour

Labour leader Starmer says it is ‘time for change’

04:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Labour leader Keir Starmer has hailed the “seismic result” for the party after Michael Shanks convincingly won the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

He said the constituency had “sent a clear message” that it is “time for change”.

“I have always said that winning back the trust of people in Scotland is essential,” he said.

“Tonight’s victory is the culmination of three and a half years of hard work and humility on that journey.

“I am grateful to everyone who has put their faith in us today – we will work every day to repay it.”

ICYMI: The buck ‘stops with me’ if SNP fails to win, said Yousaf

04:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Before tonight’s result was revealed, Humza Yousaf said the buck stopped with him if the SNP failed to win Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

The Scottish first minister stated the contest could be determined by the party’s effort on polling day.

He conceded the SNP was facing “some very difficult circumstances” in the seat, which had been held by Margaret Ferrier.

“Ultimately, the buck stops with me as leader of the SNP. If you don’t retain a seat I will be answerable to my membership in that regard,” he said during the campaign.

More here.

Yousaf: The buck ‘stops with me’ if SNP fail to win key by-election

Scottish Labour congratulates Michael Shanks after win

03:52 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

“A huge congratulations to our fantastic candidate Michael Shanks,” Scottish Labour wrote in a social media post on X, following his victory in the Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election.

“You led a positive campaign focused on the priorities of people across Rutherglen & Hamilton West. We know you’ll do an amazing job representing this constituency.”

Labour celebrate by-election victory

02:12 , Graeme Massie

Scottish Labour leader welcomes victory

02:07 , Graeme Massie

“This seismic result shows Scottish politics has changed. Scots are tired of two tired, failing and incompetent governments. Scottish Labour is now the party of change and tonight demonstrates Scotland will lead the way in delivering a Labour Government,” tweeted Anas Sarwar.

Starmer’s hopes of becoming PM boosted after winning key by-election

02:00 , Graeme Massie

By-election was seen as a big test for Keir Starmer ahead of the next general election.

Starmer’s hopes of becoming PM boosted after winning key by-election

Labour plans for supervised toothbrushing in schools - but teachers aren’t happy

02:00 , Matt Mathers

Supervised toothbrushing could be brought into school classrooms across England under new Labour proposals to improve the nation’s oral health.

The party says the idea, along with providing an extra 700,000 urgent dentist appointments, would form part of a plan to fix the dentistry crisis.

Jane Dalton reports:

Labour plans for supervised toothbrushing in schools - but teachers aren’t happy

Labour wins Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election

01:49 , Graeme Massie

Labour has won the Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election. More to follow.

Rise in hate crimes against trans people could be fuelled by politicians, Home Office admits

01:30 , Matt Mathers

A rise in hate crimes against transgender people may have been fuelled by politicians’ comments, the Home Office has admitted.

Transgender hate crimes rose by 11 per cent in the year to March 2023, to their highest rate since the figures were first recorded in 2012. Recorded crimes increased from 4,262 in 2022 to 4,732 this year, while religious hate crimes were also up by 9 per cent.

Holly Bancroft reports:

Rise in anti-trans hate crimes could be fuelled by politicians, Home Office admits

Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election: Key statistics

00:30 , Matt Mathers

When voters went to the polls in Rutherglen & Hamilton West on Thursday, it was only the second time that the SNP has had to defend a seat at a Westminster by-election.

The first occasion was in May 2021, when the party successfully held the seat of Airdrie & Shotts – albeit with a reduced majority.

Here are some more key facts and figures from the constituency.

Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election: Key statistics

Turnout confirmed to be 37.19%

00:17 , Graeme Massie

The turnout figures for the by-election have been confirmed by officials in Scotland, with an overall turnout of 37.19 per cent. A total of 30,531 votes were cast from an electorate of 82,104.

ICYMI: SNP win in Rutherglen by-election would ‘force’ Westminster to listen – Yousaf

23:30 , Matt Mathers

An SNP win in the key by-election would “force the Westminster establishment to listen” and take notice of Scotland, the country’s first minister has said.

Speaking ahead of a final weekend of campaigning in Rutherglen and Hamilton West, Humza Yousaf also said that he believes Labour is taking people in the constituency for granted by believing they will vote for leader Sir Keir Starmer’s “pathetic offering of the Tory status quo.”

Lucina Cameron reports:

SNP win in Rutherglen by-election would ‘force’ Westminster to listen – Yousaf

‘Seismic’ by-election victory could launch Labour to Number 10, says Sarwar

22:30 , Matt Mathers

The leader of Scottish Labour has said a win in Thursday’s “seismic” Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election could springboard his party to victory in the next general election.

Mr Sarwar pointed to the election of SNP stalwart Winnie Ewing in Hamilton in a 1967 poll, as well as the Glasgow East by-election the party won in 2008.

“I believe this has the potential to be a seismic by-election and then as a launchpad as we head towards that next general election,” he added.

Full report:

‘Seismic’ by-election victory could launch Labour to Number 10, says Sarwar

Counting begins

22:05 , Matt Mathers

That’s it - the polls have closed and the votes are now being counted in the Rutherglen and West Hamilton byelection.

A result is expected early tomorrow morning, sometime between midnight and 2am.

Stay tuned for the latest updates.

How did the parties perform last time?

21:53 , Matt Mathers

Ferrier won the seat with a majority of 5,230 in 2019, picking up 23,775 (44.2 per cent) of the votes on a turnout of 66.5 per cent.

Labour’s Gerard Killen came second with 18,545 votes (34.5 per cent); the Conservatives’ Lynne Nailon third on 8,054 (15 per ceny) and the Lib Dems Mark McGeever on 2,791 (5.2 per cent).

Janice Mackay, the now defunct UKIP’s candidate, came last with 629 votes (1.2 per cent)

Who are the candidates?

21:52 , Matt Mathers

In total there are 14 candidates running in the Rutherglen and West Hamilton byelection.

You can view the full list here.

The election will be the first in Scotland to require voters to show photo ID before they are allowed to cast their ballot following a change in Westminster legislation that governs elections to the House of Commons.

Counting will be conducted at the headquarters of South Lanarkshire Council in Hamilton, with a result expected in the early hours of Friday.

Where is Rutherglen and West Hamilton?

21:40 , Matt Mathers

Rutherglen and West Hamilton is located southeast of Glasgow and has an electorate of 80, 918.

Ms Ferrier last won the seat at the 2019 general election, which saw Boris Johnson secure a landslide majority for the Conservatives.

Labour’s Ged Killen was the MP from 2017 to 2019 after defeating Ferrier in 2017.

Labour’s Tom Greatrex was the MP from 2010 to 2015 while his colleague Lord McAvoy represented the seat from 2005 to 2010.

21:34 , Matt Mathers

Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the Rutherglen and West Hamilton byelection in Scotland.

Voting closes at 10pm, with a result expected in the early hours of Friday morning, sometime between midnight and 2am.

Stay tuned for all the latest updates including the result and what it means for all of the political parties.

Should Britain have closer ties with the EU? Have your say

21:15 , Jane Dalton

France and Germany are pushing plans to offer Britain and other European countries “associate membership” of the EU in a move that could rebuild Britain’s ties with the bloc.

The Independent wants to hear your views:

Tell us if the UK should have closer ties with the EU

Deleting transport promise ‘absolute farce'

20:50 , Jane Dalton

The shadow transport secretary has condemned as an ‘absolute farce' the disappearance of a government promise to revolutionise Bristol public transport.

Covid victim’s daughter tells of disgust over Downing Street parties

20:20 , Jane Dalton

The daughter of a Covid victim who died alone in hospital said bereaved families in Northern Ireland were left “disgusted” by revelations of Downing Street parties during lockdown:

Covid victim’s daughter tells inquiry of disgust over Downing Street parties

Call for furlough payments for parents of sick children

19:47 , Jane Dalton

A couple handed in a petition to 10 Downing Street, in support of Hugh’s Law, which calls for financial assistance for the parents of long-term sick children, in memory of their six-year-old son, Hugh, who died of a rare form of cancer in 2021.

The new law would provide parents with a furlough-style payment while caring for their sick child in hospital. It is currently awaiting its second reading in parliament.

Government U-turns on HS2 alternative after less than 24 hours

19:26 , Jane Dalton

The government has U-turned on its pledge to reopen a railway line - less than a day after it was announced as an alternative to the northern leg of HS2:

Government U-turn on HS2 alternative less than 24 hours after announcement

Starmer ‘cannot commit' to HS2 northern leg

19:15 , Jane Dalton

Sir Keir Starmer has said he cannot promise a Labour government would reverse the government’s decision to scrap HS2:

Keir Starmer says he cannot commit to building HS2’s northern leg

Pledge to revolutionise Bristol transport vanishes

18:43 , Jane Dalton

A pledge to ‘revolutionise mass transit in Bristol’ has apparently been deleted from a government web page on transport updates.

This is how the page looked before Thursday:

And this is how it looks now:

Boris Johnson’s ex-food tsar attacks Sunak’s smoking ban

18:12 , Jane Dalton

Boris Johnson’s former food tsar has launched an attack on Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban, saying it is “odd” to prioritise cigarettes over junk food, as health leaders pile pressure on the prime minister to do more to tackle the growing obesity crisis. Exclusive:

Boris’s ex-food tsar attacks smoking ban and calls for obesity focus

Euston HS2 plan depends on private funding

17:44 , Jane Dalton

HS2 will not be extended to Euston unless enough private investment is secured.

Rishi Sunak’s commitment to extend the high-speed railway to the central London station is contingent on a substantial proportion of the cost being met by private funds, according to the PA news agency.

If not enough money is found, HS2 will permanently stop at Old Oak Common in the capital’s western suburbs.

A Government spokesperson said: “There is already support and interest from the private sector. Ministers have had discussions with key partners since the announcement and the Transport Secretary will be meeting with the Euston Partnership in the coming weeks.”

Commons showdown expected over HS2

17:12 , Jane Dalton

Rishi Sunak is expected to face a Commons showdown with MPs over the cancellation of HS2’s northern leg, as he refused to apologise for his decision:

Commons showdown expected over Sunak’s decision to axe sections of HS2

Public ‘misled’ as pledge to reopen rail line dropped

16:39 , Jane Dalton

The government has been accused of misleading the public after an apparent pledge to reopen a railway line was dropped 24 hours later.

Documents showed on Wednesday that the Leamside Line in Northumberland would be reopened using money saved by axing HS2 north of Birmingham, the Northern Echo reported. According to the newspaper, a document stated: “The Leamside Line, closed in 1964, will also be reopened.”

But by Thursday all reference to the line appeared to have been removed.

Transport minister Richard Holden told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the Government was now only “committed to looking into it”.

Henri Murison, chief executive of business group the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, wrote on social media: “Yesterday we were led to believe this was happening – so I welcomed it.

“Misleading the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and northern public (is) not a good way to build trust.

“I’m writing to (rail minister) Huw Merriman today and will seek clarification urgently.

“The Leamside Line is integral to Northern Powerhouse Rail and must be built in full.”

The 21-mile route, between Pelaw, Gateshead and Tursdale, County Durham, was closed as part of the Beeching cuts.

Humza Yousaf appears on cover of Time magazine as a ‘next generation leader’

15:14 , Andy Gregory

Scotland’s first minister Humza Yousaf has appeared on the cover of US publication Time Magazine, which has included him in a list of 10 “next generation leaders”, owing to his youth and the fact he is the first Muslim leader of a Western country.

He appears alongside the likes of actor Florence Pugh, racing driver Jamie Chadwick, drag queen Pattie Gonia and Ghanian visual artist Prince Gyasi.

Speaking to the magazine, Mr Yousaf outlined his upbringing, issues of race and religion, as well as the impact of the 9/11 attacks on him as a teenager, and spoke about what the SNP has to do to increase support for Scottish independence.

“The way we shift the dial on independence is give people a little bit of hope, and I believe the SNP can absolutely do that,” he said. “The challenge over the past few months, to be frank and to be blunt, is that we’ve not been able to get cut through because of other events that have dominated the party space.”

Sunak’s axing of HS2 leg could harm investor confidence, warns senior MP

14:36 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak’s move to curtail HS2 could harm investor confidence in the UK, the Labour chair of the public accounts committee of MPs has warned.

Dame Meg Hillier said: “Stop-start approaches on large and complex infrastructure projects plainly do not represent value for money for the taxpayer. And this approach undermines wider confidence that government programmes for major infrastructure investment will be delivered. In a globally competitive world companies may now choose to invest their time and skills in other countries.

“The original plans for HS2 were calculated on the basis of the line extending beyond Birmingham, both the cost to the taxpayer of construction, and the boost to local economic development.

“As a committee we have been raising concerns about HS2 for a full decade, so this latest change is little surprise. It has been confirmed that HS2 will run to London Euston, but it was only in July that we warned that government does not know what it is trying to achieve with the planned new station there, and we had raised concerns about the considerable cost of the two-year pause which had been presented by government as a money-saving move.

“Our HS2 Euston report highlighted that the costs of such major course-changes are not that simple. We will continue to closely scrutinise the delivery of HS2, and it is likely we will be examining the costs of this latest decision in the months to come.”

UK ‘to sign intelligence-sharing deal' with EU border agency

14:11 , Andy Gregory

The UK is set to sign a deal with the EU’s border agency to get access to the bloc’s intelligence on migration, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Officials in London and Brussels have concluded the substance of the agreement, which sources said is in the “final stages” and could be announced this week. It would allow domestic agencies to monitor the entirety of the EU’s external borders rather than just shared frontiers, according to the paper.

It comes as Rishi Sunak meets European leaders at a summit in Granada, where Downing Street said he will announce bilateral initiatives with Belgium, Bulgaria and Serbia to increase intelligence-sharing and operational co-operation.

Under the plan, the UK would work with Belgium to try to disrupt organised immigration crime and clandestine entry to Britain and seek to co-operate further with Serbia on prosecuting and disrupting criminal networks.

Cancelling HS2 contracts to cost hundreds of millions of pounds

13:49 , Andy Gregory

Paying off contracts previously awarded for cancelled HS2 sections will cost hundreds of millions of pounds, the transport secretary has indicated – as he suggested the cost of pulling out of the agreements will “broadly balance out” with money recovered from selling land and property acquired for the high-speed railway.

HS2 Ltd figures show £562m was spent on land and property for HS2 north of Birmingham. And government figures show a total of £2.3 billion had been spent on those phases as of June. A £300m contract for ground works north of Birmingham was awarded last week, but it is likely that most if not all of this spending can be withdrawn.

Repeatedly pressed about how much would be spent paying off contracts, Mark Harper told BBC Breakfast he could not say “in detail”, adding: “We’ve made some assumptions. But we’ve also made some assumptions about the money we’ll recover from land sales, we think they will broadly balance out. They may not exactly.”

Watch: Starmer says HS2 should be scrapped in resurfaced clip

13:00 , Tara Cobham

‘Sunak did not consult us on HS2 plans,’ says northern leader

12:30 , Tara Cobham

West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin said Rishi Sunak had not consulted northern leaders on his transport plans.

She told BBC Breakfast: “It also feels quite frustrating that when the Prime Minister was on the platform, he was saying ‘I know what the North needs’.

“He hasn’t spoken to any northern leaders and we could have been helpful in trying to work out what was actually a priority for us and it is that capacity that HS2 was there to solve.”

She also complained about a lack of detail on the transport schemes announced by Mr Sunak.

“We’ve had a decade of underfunding on transport in the North. Now we’ve been given the things that we’ve been campaigning on, pots of money – we don’t know what they are, we don’t know where they’re coming from, we don’t know the timeframe.”

Politicians risk exposing Trans people to hate crimes, reveals Home Office

12:02 , Tara Cobham

A rise in hate crimes against transgender people may have been fuelled by comments by politicians, the Home Office has admitted.

Transgender identity hate cimes have risen by 11 per cent in the year up to March 2023, the highest number since these figures started being recorded in 2012.

Recorded crimes have gone from 4,262 in 2022 to 4,732 the year after.

A Home Office briefing outlining the statistics published on Thursday said: “Transgender issues have been heavily discussed by politicians, the media and on social media over the last year, which may have led to an increase in these offences, or more awareness in the police in the identification and recording of these crimes.”

Holly Bancroft reports:

Politicians risk exposing Trans people to hate crimes, reveals Home Office

Transport Secretary says cutting HS2 ‘is in UK’s interest’

11:30 , Tara Cobham

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the decision to cut HS2 north of Birmingham “is in the interest of the country” as he shrugged off criticism from Tory former premiers David Cameron and Boris Johnson.

He told Sky News: “They’re absolutely entitled to their opinion. I worked closely with both of them in government and was very proud to serve with them. But that was a number of years ago.

“The facts have changed, the costs of the project have escalated, the patterns of travel have changed post-pandemic.

“So this Government’s taken a different decision. The Prime Minister’s taken a different decision that he thinks and I think is in the interest of the country.”

Sunak refuses to repeat Braverman’s claim ‘hurricane’ of migrants coming

11:00 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak declined to repeat Suella Braverman’s claim that a “hurricane” of mass migration is coming and dodged questions on whether she was right to vilify people seeking to migrate to the UK as part of an “invasion”.

The Home Secretary’s comments in her Tory conference speech caused unease among some senior Conservatives.

Asked whether he agreed with her words, the Prime Minister told the BBC’s Today programme on Thursday: “Illegal migration is putting unsustainable pressure on our country and, for me, it is non-negotiable that it should be the British people who decide who comes to our country and not criminal gangs.

“I made a speech myself eight months ago about illegal migration. I pointed out the number of people who potentially could come to the UK, figures that have been mentioned by international organisations. That’s clearly unsustainable, which is why we’re taking action to stop the boats.”

He said it is “right when people come here that they integrate”.

When it was put to him that he was happy with the Home Secretary’s remarks, Mr Sunak said: “Your words, not mine.”

Watch: Rishi Sunak Defends His Decision To Ban Smoking

10:30 , Tara Cobham

‘Seismic’ by-election victory could launch Labour to Number 10, says Sarwar

22:07 , Matt Mathers

The leader of Scottish Labour has said a win in Thursday’s “seismic” Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election could springboard his party to victory in the next general election.

Speaking to journalists in Cambuslang on Wednesday, Anas Sarwar said: “We’ve had seismic by-elections before, and it’s fair to say that the Labour Party in recent times has been on the wrong side of those seismic by-elections.”

Mr Sarwar pointed to the election of SNP stalwart Winnie Ewing in Hamilton in a 1967 poll, as well as the Glasgow East by-election the party won in 2008.

Craig Paton reports:

‘Seismic’ by-election victory could launch Labour to Number 10, says Sarwar

Tetchy Rishi Sunak defends smoking ban and HS2 U-turn

10:15 , Tara Cobham

A tetchy Rishi Sunak defended his decision to ban smoking but not impose restrictions on junk food, saying cigarettes are “different to a pack of crisps or a piece of cake”.

The prime minister said smoking, which he banned for future generations as a flagship policy in his first Tory conference party speech as leader on Wednesday, was “unequivocally the single biggest preventable cause of death, disability and illness in our society”.

And he said it was “chemically addictive”, praising his own plan to ban it as “the single biggest intervention in public health in a generation”.

Archie Mitchell reports:

Tetchy Rishi Sunak defends smoking ban and HS2 U-turn

Rishi Sunak’s Tory conference speech goes up in smoke

10:00 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak came under fire within hours of delivering his first Conservative Party conference speech as two former Tory prime ministers took aim at his flagship plans.

In a wide-ranging address, the PM finally announced he was scrapping the northern leg of HS2 – as first revealed by The Independent – and unveiled a ban on cigarettes for the next generation.

But in an extraordinary attack, David Cameron denounced the decision to axe the high-speed line beyond Birmingham as the “wrong one”, saying that a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” had been lost.

Kate Devlin, Adam Forrest and Jon Stone report:

Rishi Sunak’s Tory conference speech up in smoke as Cameron and Truss attack plans

Home Secretary being taken to court over anti-protest legislation

09:45 , Tara Cobham

The Home Secretary is being taken to court over new anti-protest legislation.

Liberty has told Suella Braverman, “See you in court,” after it was granted permission by the High Court on Wednesday to take legal action against her.

The human rights organisation said the Government has “unlawfully introduced new anti-protest legislation, which had been democratically rejected by Parliament just a few months earlier”.

Rishi Sunak declines to apologise to North of England for scrapping HS2

09:27 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak declined to apologise to people in the North of England for cutting HS2 north of Birmingham.

In a pre-recorded interview broadcast on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday, the Prime Minister was asked whether he would apologise for the Tory Party’s “false promises” made over many years.

He replied: “No. What I want to say to everybody is that what we’re doing is going to be better. It’s going to be better for our country.

“You keep using the word scrap but what we’re doing is replacing HS2 with something that’s going to benefit far more people in far more places and far quicker.

“Every penny that would have been spent on this project, £36 billion, is going to be reinvested in every form of transportation, not just heavy rail and in every part of our country.”

He repeated his claim that “the facts have changed” with a pandemic that has “totally changed business travel”.

“The right thing to do is to have the courage to change direction and do something different and that’s what I’ve done.”

Rishi Sunak reported to police over Nicola Sturgeon joke

09:15 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak has been reported to police in Scotland over comments made about former first minister Nicola Sturgeon in his Tory conference speech.

Mr Sunak sought to make fun of the former SNP leader after she was arrested and questioned as part of Police Scotland’s investigation into her party’s finances – dubbed Operation Branchform.

Ms Sturgeon was released without charge following her arrest back in June.

Now Chris McEleny, the general secretary of the rival pro-independence Alba Party, has reported Mr Sunak to the force for contempt of court allegations, as the prime minister’s comments come amid a live police investigation.

Katrine Bussey reports:

Rishi Sunak reported to police over Nicola Sturgeon joke

Farage: ‘My policies now mainstream in Conservative Party’

09:00 , Archie Mitchell

Former UKIP and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has said the things he fought for have become "quite mainstream within the Conservative Party".

He told ITV's Good Morning Britain that his views had previously been characterised by senior Conservatives as "extreme", "bad" and "wrong".

He added: "Those things we have fought for have become quite mainstream within the Conservative Party. I was welcomed with open arms (at the party's conference)."

He also said it was "very nice" of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to say he could return to the Conservatives but he would not be doing so.

Brabin: Sunak did not consult northern leaders on HS2 plans

08:45 , Tara Cobham

West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin said Rishi Sunak had not consulted northern leaders on his plans to rip up the northern leg of HS2.

She told BBC Breakfast: "It also feels quite frustrating that when the Prime Minister was on the platform, he was saying 'I know what the North needs'.

"He hasn't spoken to any northern leaders and we could have been helpful in trying to work out what was actually a priority for us and it is that capacity that HS2 was there to solve."

She also complained about a lack of detail on the transport schemes announced by Mr Sunak.

"We've had a decade of underfunding on transport in the North. Now we've been given the things that we've been campaigning on, pots of money - we don't know what they are, we don't know where they're coming from, we don't know the timeframe."

Ask John Rentoul anything about Tory Party conference revelations

08:30 , John Rentoul, chief political commentator

The Independent’s chief political commentator John Rentoul will be taking your questions on the fallout from the Conservative Party conference this afternoon.

What has the conference taught us about the current state of the Conservative Party? What do the prime minister’s plans mean for the future of Tories? And what does the apparent divide in the party mean as we close in on the next general election?

If you have a question about any of the revelations from the Tory Party conference, submit it now, or when I join you live at 2pm on Thursday 5 October for the “Ask Me Anything” event.

Register to submit your question in the comments box under this article. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments section to leave your question. For a full guide on how to comment click here.

Ask John Rentoul anything on Tory Party conference – from HS2 to smoking bans

Voters go to the polls in Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election

08:15 , Tara Cobham

Voters are going to the polls in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

The seat was vacated after former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier was ousted in a recall petition.

Ms Ferrier was kicked out of the SNP for breaching Covid regulations by travelling between London and Glasgow after testing positive for the virus.

Speculation about her position followed by the recall petition and subsequent ballot have led to months of campaigning in the seat.

SNP candidate Katy Loudon goes up against Labour’s Michael Shanks and Tory hopeful Thomas Kerr in the by-election on Thursday.

Craig Paton reports:

Voters go to the polls in Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election

Lord Bethell: ‘Sunak smoking ban should be first step’

08:00 , Archie Mitchell

Lord Bethell welcomed Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban, and said the measure should be “the first step in several”.

The Tory former health minister called for a levy on tobacco profits to help people quit, tougher measures to ensure licensing of shops and new measures to tackle obesity.

“There isn't a Taliban rebellion on this at all,” he said, suggesting early opposition from Liz Truss and others opposed to so-called nanny state policies was limited.

Lord Bethell added: “People realise that the health of the nation is poor.

“The pandemic showed that, the waiting lists show that. We've got too much chronic disease. The workforce absence we've got around the country shows there are too many people who are poorly and people are a bit fed up with it.

“I think we do need to make concrete steps to improve.”