We’re primarily overlaying the political response to the quickly unfolding state of affairs in Iran this afternoon.
But there are a few different political tales happening in Westminster, so we thought we would convey these to you briefly.
The Greens proceed to develop
The Green Party has introduced this morning it has hit 200,000 members, which chief Zack Polanski has known as a “political turning point”.
For context, the occasion had round 68,000 members round six months in the past, when Polanski took over as chief in September.
It nonetheless leaves the occasion in third place by membership measurement, with Reform UK claiming to have round 270,000 members, whereas Labour are thought to have barely fewer than 250,000 members.
Parties are very cagey about their membership figures – particularly if these are falling – however it might nonetheless make the Greens bigger than the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.
The rise in membership additionally comes after the Greens got here from third place to pole place within the Gorton and Denton by-election, trouncing Labour within the historically protected seat, and in addition placing Reform UK into second place.
Following hitting 200,000 members, Polanski added: “Let me be absolutely clear: Greens are not here to be disappointed by Labour, but to replace them. We will not wait politely for change; we are building it.”
Reform would strip some folks of their proper to vote
Elsewhere, Reform UK has additionally sought to generate headlines since Thursday’s by-election.
Nigel Farage introduced in a single day that the occasion would ban “wholesale” postal voting, solely leaving this as an possibility for some teams, such because the disabled and serving members of the army.
He additionally introduced Reform UK would strip the best to vote from Commonwealth residents, saying solely these with British citizenship would be capable of solid a poll on the basic election.
Farage mentioned: “For too long, postal voting has allowed our elections to be turned into a laughing stock, riddled with fraud, intimidation and outright cheating.
“Meanwhile, permitting non-Brits – folks with zero connection to this nation – vote on our future is absurd.”
Currently, people who are “a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen” can vote basically elections. This means citizens of 57 countries who’ve go away to enter or stay within the UK can vote.
Responding to that announcement, the Tories warned that “dashing to impose sweeping bans on postal voting is a kneejerk response that dangers disenfranchising pensioners, disabled folks and abroad British residents who depend on postal ballots to have their say”.
Kevin Hollinrake, the Tory pary chairman added: “We should safeguard our elections with proportionate, evidence-based reforms, not headline grabbing measures that would lock law-abiding voters out of our democratic course of.”
The government is launching a consultation on AI chatbots
Finally, the government announced it will be launching a consultation into the dangers posed by AI chatbots to children, and how to better keep young people safe online.
The consultation is set to begin next week.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Children’s lives on-line aren’t simply affected by what they see on social media, they spend time throughout an entire vary of on-line areas, every carrying its personal dangers.
“That’s why we’re launching the most ambitious consultation of its kind, looking at a sweep of measures to make every part of children’s online lives safer.”
It follows Tory requires a ban on social media for these 16 and under, as already carried out by Australia.
