Conservative co-chairman Nigel Huddleston says the party has a strong track record of delivering value for money through better services at lower costs.
He praised local Tory councillors for their commitment to community issues like road maintenance and social care, while downplaying defections as a normal part of politics.
Report by Covellm.
Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
A Tory minister has urged the Welsh Government to reconsider its requirements around steel as the UK Government races to avert the shutdown of Britain's last primary steelmaking plant. Shadow business minister Dame Harriett Baldwin said it's a "critical part of our national infrastructure" that the Scunthorpe plant is "kept going".
Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
MSP Jamie Greene has defected to the Scottish Liberal Democrats, just a day after dramatically quitting the Tories. The West Scotland MSP was unveiled as a Lib Dem at the party’s spring conference in Inverness. He had left the Scottish Conservatives on Thursday, writing a stinging letter to party leader Russell Findlay which accused his former party of having a “Reform-lite agenda”. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
A shadow Treasury minister says he welcomes the chancellor's ÂŁ2.2bn boost to defence spending, but adds, "to invest in defence you've got to have a strong economy as well" and that "growth has flatlined". James Wild says, "the threats that we as a country are facing are increasing and we need to step up with our allies to deal with those". Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The Conservatives have branded the Government’s welfare reforms as too little, too late, with Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall being urged to be tougher. Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately told the Commons: "The fact is £5 billion just doesn’t cut it. With a bill so big, going up so fast, she needed to be tougher." Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds says the Conservative leader is wrong to say she had negotiated a modernisation plan with British Steel for electric arc furnaces at Teesside and Scunthorpe. Ms Badenoch posted on X on Friday saying as business secretary in the last Conservative government she had negotiated the proposal, but it was "bungled" by Labour. After intervening, Ms Badenoch says: "Labour cannot negotiate. We were negotiating a modernisation deal that would have had limited job losses, just like we had in Port Talbot”. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Kemi Badenoch has accused Labour of dropping plans for five local grooming gang inquiries promised in January. The Conservative leader called for a full national inquiry and suggested a “cover-up”, claiming Labour's refusal to act shows dishonesty and a failure to deliver justice. She pledged to force another vote, warning the public would “see who is on their side”. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Elected councillors must "do what they need to do" to serve the people, Kemi Badenoch said after she suggested Reform and the Tories could form alliances at a.. Sky News
Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is in advanced talks to take a stake in a London-listed marketing specialist backed by Lord Ashcroft, the former Conservative.. Sky News
Around 85 graves were vandalised in the Muslim section of a cemetery in Watford. Hertfordshire Police said many of the damaged graves were believed to be "the resting place of babies and young children" at Carpenders Park Lawn Cemetery, Watford. Maria Mian Goncalves, whose daughter's plaque was damaged at the cemetery, said: "It's worrying and it's very upsetting. I just want some clarity at the moment and see why somebody would do this." Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner confirmed that the government has secured the raw materials needed to keep Scunthorpe steel plant going. It comes as the government stepped in over the weekend to take it over from Chinese company Jingye after it threatened to shut down one of the furnaces today. "We've got the raw materials, they've been paid for and we're confident that the furnaces will continue to fire," Ms Rayner said. Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The leader of the Liberal Democrats said the party has given the government their "full backing" to ensure a steel industry remains in the UK. It comes as British Steel staff and civil servants are racing to avert the permanent shutdown of Britain's last primary steelmaking plant. Sir Ed Davey condemned President Trump's tariffs and said it's "essential that we can have steel made in the UK". Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The family of 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose, who died after he was stabbed at school, have spoken for the first time as they described the extent of their grief. In an interview with Dan Walker to be aired on 5 News, Harvey's parents, Mark and Caroline, said they still go into their son’s room sometimes, which is unchanged since the day Harvey died. “I go in there because I just feel close to him," Mark said. The full interview will air on 5 News at 5pm on Monday. Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The mother of the 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose who was stabbed to death at his Sheffield school in February has vowed to campaign against knife crime. Speaking exclusively to 5 News presenter Dan Walker, Caz Willgoose says: “I’ve just got to fight for him, got to fight for them kids. Knife crime has got to change. I'm happy to go into schools and tell them the impact not just on us, on the people that were there. I think we don't even really realise how serious it is with how many kids carrying weapons into schools, which is why I want a knife arch.” The full interview will air on 5 News at 5pm on Monday. Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Kemi Badenoch warned that the Conservatives would lose “every single” council they won in 2021 if the general election results were applied to May's local elections. The Tory leader acknowledged..
![Tories urge Welsh Government to reconsider steel requirement [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250414/1408026242-Tories-urge-Welsh-Government-to-reconsider-steel-requirement.jpg)
![MSP Jamie Greene joins Lib Dems after quitting Tories [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250404/1407110438-MSP-Jamie-Greene-joins-Lib-Dems-after-quitting.jpg)
![Tories: We welcome defence boost but growth has flatlined [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250326/1406260946-Tories-We-welcome-defence-boost-but-growth-has.jpg)
![Tories: Labour needs to be tougher on welfare reform [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250318/1405426754-Tories-Labour-needs-to-be-tougher-on-welfare.jpg)
![Minister clashes with Badenoch over steel deal claim [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250412/1407876024-Minister-clashes-with-Badenoch-over-steel-deal-claim.jpg)
![Badenoch accuses Labour of grooming gang inquiry U-turn [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250410/1407695146-Badenoch-accuses-Labour-of-grooming-gang-inquiry.jpg)
![85 children's plaques vandalised at Muslim graveyard [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250414/1408066218-85-children-plaques-vandalised-at-Muslim-graveyard.jpg)
![Deputy PM 'confident' furnaces will continue firing [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250414/1408058558-Deputy-PM-confident-furnaces-will-continue-firing.jpg)
![Ed Davey says UK steel industry must be protected [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250414/1408058848-Ed-Davey-says-UK-steel-industry-must-be.jpg)
![Family of Harvey Willgoose speak out for first time [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250414/1408052876-Family-of-Harvey-Willgoose-speak-out-for-first.jpg)
![Mother of teen victim vows to campaign against knife crime [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250414/1408053166-Mother-of-teen-victim-vows-to-campaign-against.jpg)
![Badenoch warns Tories could lose all 2021 councils in May [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20250320/1405655618-Badenoch-warns-Tories-could-lose-all-2021-councils.jpg)
