On 15 June, we reported that Labour minister Mike Tapp was gloating about the decision to maintain Palestine Action’s ‘terrorist’ proscription. A day later, we reported he was trying to ensnare Zack Polanski into saying he supports Palestine Action – something which would have landed him with a lengthy prison sentence. In other words, he’s a nasty piece of work. And the nastiness has only continued:

Grow up. Homophobic innuendo isn’t going to get you out of this one.

Neither is pretending you’re a victim of antisemitism, which you conflate with opposing genocide.

You’re a government minister trying to get your political opponent arrested https://t.co/yAsyFBNjNB

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— Owen Jones (@owenjonesjourno) June 16, 2026

Palestine Action ‘debate’

The Tapp tweet above was in response to this:

I’m more disturbed that you spent the night thinking about me.

The antisemitism I’ve woken to from the extreme left over night is utterly unhinged, shameful and disturbing.

— Mike Tapp MP (@MikeTappTweets) June 16, 2026

The “unhinged law” in question has led to scenes like the following:

More than 100 Palestine Action supporters are arrested outside the Royal Courts of Justice after judges ruled the ban on the group was lawful https://t.co/1E9SiT2b6W

— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) June 15, 2026

In the UK, it’s now a terror offence to peacefully sit down holding a sign.

Do you feel terrified by the above images?

No?

Because Mike Tapp does, as he made clear with the tweet that kicked it all off:

Supporting Palestine
Supporting Palestine Action

Don’t support terrorists.

— Mike Tapp MP (@MikeTappTweets) June 15, 2026

And as many have pointed out:

labour mps love to say this and then not support palestine either https://t.co/u4EuFi6mxS

— adam (@resurrecti0ns) June 15, 2026

Tapp is a flagrant example of this, because – as Skwawkbox reported:

Labour Friends of Israel made Tapp an honorary vice chair. This group exists to forward Israel’s interests in the UK, which is a problem, because Israel’s interests include:

• Subjecting Palestinians to decades of apartheid.
• Committing genocide.
• Doing everything possible to break the ceasefire between the US and Iran, pushing the world ever closer to a fuel crisis that crashes the global economy.

When the non-Jewish Tapp says he’s faced ‘antisemitism’, what he means is people called out his political affiliations. This is how Zionist propaganda works. You can’t say a politician takes money from Israel’s backers – even if they do – because it sounds like ‘Jews control politics’. It’s a ‘get-out-of-jail-free card’, in other words; a way of using the sins of the past to obscure the sins of the present.

I just scrolled through maybe a few hundred comments (not all tbf) under Mikes heavily ratioed Palestine Action post and didn’t see a single one that could be antisemitic. Unless the definition has now broadened to calling him a dickhead. pic.twitter.com/Z1MFVTUbE1

— Razor Marone (@Streettough) June 16, 2026

Yes or no?

In response to Tapp’s ‘yes or no, do you support Palestine Action?’ question, PhD researcher Thanos Angelopoulos asked the following:

nine questions. Each yes or no.

1) Did the International Criminal Court issue arrest warrants on 21 November 2024 against Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare? Yes or no.

2) Is the United Kingdom a state party to the Rome Statute, legally obligated to arrest Netanyahu if he enters British territory? Yes or no.

3) Has the UK government continued to license arms exports to the State of Israel since those warrants were issued? Yes or no.

4) Has the UK government continued diplomatic and political cooperation with the government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu since those warrants were issued? Yes or no.

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5) Does the United Kingdom’s existing criminal legislation, including the International Criminal Court Act 2001, contain offences applicable to those who provide assistance to persons under ICC arrest warrant for war crimes? Yes or no.

6) Could a UK government minister who has personally and publicly endorsed the continuation of arms exports and political cooperation with a government headed by an ICC indictee face individual legal exposure under those same provisions? Yes or no.

7) Is it the case, as documented by the Campaign Against Arms Trade and Transparency International UK, that the United Kingdom maintains an extensive and ongoing revolving door between government and the arms industry, including the movement of former ministers and senior Ministry of Defence officials into companies that profit from continued UK arms exports to the State of Israel? Yes or no.

8) Does Section 53 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001 require the consent of the Attorney General, a political officer of the government, before any prosecution under that Act can be brought? Yes or no.

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9) Does the availability of procedural or constitutional defences to government ministers acting in their official capacity alter the underlying factual conduct of those ministers? Yes or no.

If the answer to each of the above is yes, the following should be happening under the United Kingdom’s own legal and policy framework.

The Strategic Export Licensing Criteria requires the government not to issue or maintain licences where there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law. The government has already made that assessment for around thirty licences.

The ICC arrest warrants, and the charges they contain, materially strengthen the case that this risk applies more broadly. Full suspension of the remaining relevant licences is the only position consistent with the UK’s own published rules.

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Continued authorisation of exports in these circumstances also raises serious questions about potential ancillary liability under the International Criminal Court Act 2001. An investigation by the Attorney General into ministerial decision-making, with knowledge of the ICC warrants, would be the appropriate next step.

Parliament has a duty to hold individual ministers to account for these decisions.

None of this is happening.

Tell us, Tapp, why none of this is happening?

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There are always receipts, aren't there, Tapp?https://t.co/GbUQLZiKgL pic.twitter.com/y39qH0ZqJO

— Thanos Angelopoulos (@Th_Angelopoulos) June 16, 2026

No politics here!

Tapp also accused his critics of ‘student politics’:

No, I preach politics like “stop murdering Palestinian kids”.

Oh: and “don’t attack pensioners and disabled people.”

You’re a glorified internet troll serving in one of the most despised governments in history. https://t.co/FChhEupN0W

— Owen Jones (@owenjonesjourno) June 16, 2026

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Under Keir Starmer’s sensible, grown-up politics, the party has gone from winning a substantial majority to this:

POLL | Reform lead by 7pts

Ref: 25% (-2)
Con: 18% (+1)
Grn: 17% (-)
Lab: 16% (+1)
Lib: 13% (+2)

Via @FindoutnowUK, 11 June
—
(+/- vs 4 June) pic.twitter.com/80wDdFEmQ0

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— Stats for Lefties (@LeftieStats) June 11, 2026

We’ll stick with the student politics thanks, Mike.

Featured image via the Canary

By Willem Moore

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On 16 June, we reported on a grim story from the Makerfield by-election concerning Reform. Local Reform councillors posted a picture which suggested they’d vote for Jimmy Saville if it allowed them to replace Keir Starmer. The problem is this means they would vote for Jimmy Saville – one of Britain’s most notorious sexual predators.

Since then, Reform have done what they can to distance themselves from the controversy. The problem is their attempts only made things worse. This is why a defensive post from Lee Anderson now looks like this:

Reform distraction tactics

As we reported on 16 June, Saville was a serious offender:

450 people accused him of sexual abuse. 82% of the victims were female; 80% of them were children. Saville used his position as a children’s entertainer to get away with this, as well as his connections within the media and charity sectors. He was a plague on this country, and no one should forget that.

It’s one thing for private individuals to make edgy jokes about paedophiles; it’s quite another for a political party which is arguing that the establishment doesn’t take issues like ‘grooming gangs‘ seriously.

The offending image from Reform UK was this:

Reform UK’s #Makerfield campaign team for @RobKenyonReform, including 2 Wigan councillors Gemma Painter and Lilian Rogers.

Photo ops with Jimmy Saville jokes.

Sick.@reformparty_uk and Kenyon, anything to say?

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Share this, make sure everyone in Makerfield sees it. pic.twitter.com/GHT3TFWCHj

— Reform Party UK Exposed (@reformexposed) June 15, 2026

While the defensive post from Reform chair Lee Anderson is now deleted, we can still get an idea of what he posted from the replies:

Lee Anderson now complicit in a lie.

Look at the one you’ve posted.

It’s not Rob Kenyon, and the logo is AI warped. Plus look at the union flag.

Why did your councillor Gemma Painter delete it and then her Facebook?

Because it was real.

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Here’s also images by Stephen… pic.twitter.com/MZr7MxKiyd

— Reform Party UK Exposed (@reformexposed) June 16, 2026

There’s also this post from Reform North Liverpool making the same claim as Anderson (screengrabbed in case they delete):

Here’s a closeup of that AI Rob Kenyon. As you can see, he’s running for a party which seems to be called ‘Rafcvim *INDECIPHERABLE*’:

Almost as robotic as the real thing.

Reform Party Exposed UK said this following the deletion:

Reform UK’s Chairman @LeeAndersonMP_ has deleted his post claiming the Councillor Gemma Painter photo of her with a man holding a sign saying “I’d rather vote for Jimmy Savile” was a fake.

He’s a head of the party and he’s clearly realised he’s posted a faked attempt to… pic.twitter.com/ZjpveEkpMd

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— Reform Party UK Exposed (@reformexposed) June 16, 2026

And they captured Anderson’s tweet for posterity:

Knowing how the right-wing mind works, we assume this means Anderson was up all night playing “X Box”.

Reputational damage

Reform politicians have tried to paint themselves as protectors of women while simultaneously not taking crimes against women seriously. We saw this when Farage insulted grooming gang survivors, and they demanded an apology from him. We saw it when Reform politicians pushed to end no-fault divorce, which would trap many women in abusive marriages. And we’ve seen it with the accusations of sexism in the party, which come from Reform politicians themselves.

Given all this, it’s unsurprising Reform councillors would think Saville is a big joke. Their whole party is a joke, so why not make it obvious to everyone?

Featured image via the Canary

By Willem Moore

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Iran foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has responded to Israel’s attempts to reject Donald Trump’s supposed ceasefire ‘memorandum of understanding‘ with Iran. Araghchi warned Israel – and Trump – that there is no prospect of any agreement to end the illegal US-Israel war unless Israel gets out of Lebanon completely:

The end of the war will not be complete without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied in Lebanon. Any military attack by Israel on Lebanon and the continued occupation of Lebanese territories from now on, in our opinion, is a violation of the MoU.

Araghchi continues to warn Israel that any attacks on Beirut will be punished by heavy missile and drone bombardment of the northern occupation. Israel continues to slaughter civilians in southern Lebanon while the occupation military takes a pounding from ‘first-person view’ drones.

Iran are in control

The ‘MOU’, even if the Iranians agree to it, has sent the US Israel lobby into a meltdown with Israel-firsters accusing Trump of surrendering to Iran.

Featured image via the Canary

By Skwawkbox

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Darlington by-election 1983 SDP-Liberal Alliance candidate, Tony Cook (l) out campaigning

4 min read2 hr

The Lib Dems love a good by-election – but, as Alistair Carmichael ruefully acknowledges, the favour is not always returned

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The Lib Dem love affair with by-elections probably started in 1963, when Eric Lubbock stormed to victory in Orpington. After decades in the electoral doldrums, we snatched a formerly safe Conservative seat and we have been hooked ever since.

Of course, in Lubbock’s days it was possible for a by-election result to come as a genuine surprise. In an age before 24-hour news channels, social media and internet polling, a big by-election swing would genuinely come out of the blue and, with the element of surprise, could also bring political oxygen and a bounce in the polls.

The predictions that come with big by-elections are rarely borne out. Sadly, the boast following by-election wins –  for greats like Shirley Williams and Roy Jenkins – that the mould of British politics had been broken, turned out not to be true.

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Thankfully, however, the predictions of a Lib Dem demise – after we finished behind the Hamilton Academicals’ Fan Club candidate in the Hamilton by-election of 1999 – were equally overstated.

To say that they don’t always meet their billing is not to deny their occasional lasting impact. By-elections can often be the coup de grâce for unpopular policies or struggling leaders.

The poll tax may have sparked riots on the streets of London, but it was a string of by-election losses in previously safe Tory seats that finally persuaded the then Conservative government to ditch it and later their leader, Margaret Thatcher.

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So, will we be adding Makerfield to that list of memorable by-election dramas? Almost certainly, although, as I write this, the reason is still to be determined.

Future political histories may give it a chapter to itself, recounting the bold and gutsy move of the man who went on to become prime minister. Alternatively, it may become a footnote referencing a long-forgotten figure who reached for the stars and failed. There will, I suspect, be nothing between the two extremes.

That a by-election should be the path to 10 Downing Street is rare, but not without precedent. In 1963, it was a by-election in Perth that allowed Alec Douglas-Home to move from the red benches to the green and hence to No 10.

The by-election circus is a tame affair these days compared to the contests of yesteryear. Gone are the days of daily press conferences and packed-out public meetings. No longer are we entertained by the likes of the late Vincent Hanna skewering some poor unsuspecting and unprepared candidate. Like real circuses, the big beasts are no longer there.

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By-elections can often be the coup de grâce for unpopular policies or struggling leaders

In 1983, the SDP-Liberal Alliance campaign in the Darlington by-election came to grief when its candidate was caught on TV nodding in agreement with Screaming Lord Sutch (Monster Raving Loony Party). The campaign stalled, never recovered and he finished a distant third.

As a footnote to that particular incident, let me now reveal that, a week or so afterwards, I was in the overspill audience of a public meeting where Shirley Williams was speaking. From behind me there came repeated “hear hear” and “good point”. Turning to identify the source I was surprised to find that it was none other than Lord Sutch himself.

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For a Social Democrat to agree with a loony was the political kiss of death but for a loony to agree with a Social Democrat did no harm whatsoever.

Lord Sutch went on to feature in by-election campaigns for many years after that and ultimately finished off the Owenite SDP by beating them in the 1990 Bootle by-election.

Life is rarely fair. Always true but never more so than in a by-election.

Andy, Keir, Nigel et al – you have been warned. 

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Alistair Carmichael is the Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland

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Starmer was speaking ahead of the by-election on Thursday (Alamy)

2 min read1 hr

Keir Starmer has suggested that he would offer Andy Burnham a cabinet job if the Greater Manchester Mayor wins the Makerfield by-election on Thursday.

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The Prime Minister also reiterated that he would not walk away from Downing Street, saying that the Labour Party should focus on winning the Manchester mayoral election that would be triggered by Burnham becoming an MP, not a leadership contest.

On Thursday, voters in Makerfield will head to the polls in what is widely seen as the most significant by-election of recent times, with Burnham widely expected to launch a bid to replace Starmer in No 10 if he is victorious. 

Speaking to Sky News at the G7 in France, the Prime Minister described Burnham as a “huge asset”.

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“I’m sure I’ll talk to Andy after the weekend, of course I will. I’ve spoken to him many times in recent weeks,” he said.

“He’s a huge asset. He’s been a fantastic mayor in Manchester. If he comes back into Parliament…He’ll be a fantastic asset for our party and for the country.”

Asked if he would bring Burnham into his cabinet if the mayor wins in Makerfield tomorrow, Starmer said: “Oh, Andy is a great asset. And, yes, I want him to have a big role in government.”

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Starmer could face a formal leadership challenge within days of a Burnham victory in Makerfield, with not just Burnham but also former health secretary Wes Streeting expected to launch bids. The resignation of John Healey as defence secretary over defence spending last week put added pressure on the PM’s precarious position.

The PM has said he would fight any bid to replace him, but accepted that he has “got to turn things round” following bruising local election results in May.

“That’s what I want to do. And I’ve been very clear about that. Okay. Do I recognise that? That means we’ve got to turn things around. Yes, I do, but that’s what I want to do. But, yes, I recognise ahead of local election results. So we’ve got to turn that around.”

Burnham’s biggest obstacle to victory in Makerfield on Thursday is Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. A More In Common opinion poll published last week put candidate Robert Kenyon five percentage points behind Burnham (45 vs 40).

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Aerial drone view of Westbrook Bay, Margate Kent (Alice Baddeley/Alamy)

4 min read53 min

Britain under this Labour government faces a major challenge: how can we deliver economic transformation in left-behind communities at a time when money is tight?

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As the MP for a coastal constituency that has often been overlooked by Westminster, I believe this question must be central to Labour’s mission in government.

The economic case is clear. Coastal economies have grown at half the national average since the financial crisis, yet they possess enormous potential that is currently being squandered – from port and renewable energy potential, to the creative economy and fantastic people crying out for better opportunities. If we could match that potential with institutions and capital capable of turning it into sustained economic growth, it could be a huge gamechanger for our whole economy.

That is why development corporations deserve far greater attention. Widely used across Europe, these bodies operate outside of short-term political cycles while remaining accountable to local leaders and communities. Their purpose is simple: to bring together public and private capital, assemble land, deliver infrastructure and unlock long-term regeneration.

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For many left-behind areas, development corporations could be transformative. They offer a way to move beyond the piecemeal funding competitions and short-term grant schemes that have too often characterised centralised government thinking.

Yet their potential is currently being held back by the way Britain treats borrowing. Under existing arrangements, borrowing undertaken by development corporations is counted as public debt under the Chancellor’s fiscal rules, effectively treating it in the same way as borrowing directly undertaken by the Treasury. This creates a powerful disincentive for ambitious regeneration projects, even when those investments are commercially viable, low-risk and capable of generating substantial long-term returns.

This constraint is increasingly being recognised by investors themselves. Last year, some of Britain’s largest pension funds and insurers urged the government to allow development corporations greater borrowing flexibility for major regeneration schemes. They argue that the current system makes it harder to acquire land, invest in infrastructure and bring forward housing and growth projects that would ultimately strengthen the economy. Giving development corporations the ability to borrow responsibly would unlock a powerful mechanism for growth.

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These organisations can capture the increase in land values created by planning decisions and infrastructure investment, then turn those gains into housing, transport improvements, public spaces and further economic development. Rather than relying on repeated injections of central government funding, they can help create a virtuous cycle of regeneration.

This is not an argument for abandoning fiscal discipline. Fiscal rules exist to ensure governments can meet their obligations and maintain market confidence. But those rules should not prevent well-governed investment vehicles from pursuing commercially sound projects that expand the tax base and strengthen local economies.

For many left-behind areas, development corporations could be transformative

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We already rightly distinguish between day-to-day spending and capital investment because they have fundamentally different economic effects. The same principle should apply here. If bond investors trust that development corporation borrowing will deliver strong economic returns, this shouldn’t impact government borrowing costs.

Many European countries make far greater use of publicly backed development bodies in this way, but Britain remains unusually centralised, both in how investment decisions are made and how they are financed. Too often, projects that could deliver economic transformation are delayed not because they lack economic merit but because of Whitehall accounting conventions. Imagine what locally accountable development corporations could achieve if given the tools to act.

Britain’s economic future depends both on the success of its cities and on the renewal of places like those at the coast that have too often been left behind. Development corporations offer a vehicle for that renewal. Giving them the ability to borrow outside the fiscal rules, within clear parameters and for clearly defined regeneration purposes, would not weaken our growth strategy – it would strengthen it.

If we are serious about tackling Britain’s regional inequalities, we must stop treating regeneration as a cost and start recognising it as an investment in our country’s future. 

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Polly Billington is Labour MP for East Thanet

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We’re lucky enough to live in an era where there are endless tech developments being released all the time.

It might be exciting to witness these from afar, but actually participating in them gets expensive pretty fast.

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That’s why here at HuffPost, we’re always on the lookout for opportunities to invest in tech for less.

There’s no better time to do that than during Amazon Prime Day, which sees savings across hundreds of brands.

And it’s fast approaching, so ahead of the sale launching next week, we’ve rounded up the best early Amazon Prime Day tech deals to shop now.

Keep reading for the best TVs, tablets, and more to grab at a discount now.

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When is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day launches on 23rd June and will run until late on 26th June. While the sale usually lands in July, this year Amazon has moved it forward to June to mark its 20th anniversary.

How can I get involved in Amazon Prime Day?

Ahead of the sale launching on 23rd June, you’ll want to become an Amazon Prime member if you’re not already. That way, you’ll get instant access to the best deals on Amazon when Prime Day starts next week, and you can even start saving some of your favourite products now to prepare.

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Best early Amazon Prime Day tech deals to shop now

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