Palestine Action latest: High court to decide whether Home Office terror ban was lawful – UK Times

The High Court is to rule on whether the Home Office’s decision to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws was lawful on Friday.

Palestine Action’s co-founder Huda Ammori is taking legal action against the department over the then-home secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to proscribe the group under the Terrorism Act 2000.

The activist group had been allowed to challenge the Home Office over its proscription as a terrorist organisation after the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal.

You can read more about why the group was banned below:

The Independent’s political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:

It is important that the background of the next top civil servant is “looked at carefully”, a minister has said.

Sir Keir Starmer has been under pressure in recent weeks over failings in the government’s vetting process, as highlighted by Lord Peter Mandelson and Lord Matthew Doyle.

As his cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald leaves the job, the prime minister has been urged to vet his replacement thoroughly. It comes as top home office civil servant Dame Antonia Romeo is said to be the the frontrunner to replace Chris, despite allegations of bullying.

Water minister Emma Hardy told Times Radio on Friday that the government must “look very carefully” at a successor’s background.

“I think that’s certainly something that’s become even more important in the last few weeks,” she said.

“So I think it’s important that her background is looked at carefully.”

Reform UK’s candidate in an upcoming by-election has called for women and young girls to be given a “biological reality” check, as he gave his views on how Britain should tackle its impending “fertility crisis”.

In the video, Mr Goodwin – who is standing for Reform UK in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election – argued: “We need to explain and educate to young children, the next generation, the severity of this crisis.”

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke has this exclusive below:

The Independent’s political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:

Sir Keir Starmer’s outgoing cabinet secretary is to receive a payout of over £250,000, as he became the latest of the prime minister’s top team to resign.

Sir Chris Wormald stood down as Britain’s top civil servant after just 14 months on Thursday evening, just days after the resignations of chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and communications chief, Tim Allan.

Typically, the civil service offers those who voluntarily leave one month’s pay per year of service, up to 21 months. Having joined the civil service in 1991, Sir Chris would be eligible for the maximum amount, said to be £260,000.

However, payments of more than £95,000 have to be authorised by the Treasury under value-for-money rules.

No 10 declined to comment on reports Sir Keir Starmer had been forced to sign off the payment through a formal “ministerial direction”, as it did not meet Whitehall’s value-for-money rules.

A former cabinet secretary has criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s government for briefings against civil servants, after Sir Chris Wormald left the post this week.

Gus O’Donnell described the briefings as one of the current Labour government’s “biggest failings” and urged the prime minister to “get a grip” on his special advisors.

“Where it’s shabby is the fact that we’ve got to this place and that they have briefed anonymously against the cabinet secretary, saying it’s not working,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.

“You’ve seen it right from the start with Sue Gray briefings against her. This is the fundamental problem that and that is something the prime minister can solve by getting a grip on his special advisors.”

A minister has said Sir Keir Starmer is “keen to make sure we have the team we need” following a number of high-profile departures from Downing Street in recent days.

Water minister Emma Hardy told Sky News: “Well, I think he (Sir Keir) is keen to, sort of, you know, look at his team and make sure that we have the team we need to deliver on the priorities this year.”

She added the prime minister is “absolutely dedicated to cutting the cost of living”.

“I know for definite that’s what people talk to me about here, and how they constantly talk to me about problems around the cost of living,” she said.

“So I think it’s right that he has a team that is able to drive that forward.”

The Independent’s political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:

Sir Keir Starmer is facing claims that he has thrown his cabinet secretary “under the bus” as he seeks to reset his Downing Street operation following a turbulent start to 2026.

Sir Chris Wormald has stood down as Britain’s top civil servant after just 14 months on Thursday evening, just days after the resignations of chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and communications chief, Tim Allan.

But water minister Emma Hardy rejected criticism of the prime minister, who has been accused of throwing his team “under the bus” by Kemi Badenoch.

“No, I really don’t think he is,” she told Sky News. “But of course, Kemi’s going to say things like that.”

Defending Sir Keir’s many changes in his top team, she added: “He’s keen to look at his team and make sure that we have the team we need to deliver on the priorities this year.”

A major union has given its backing to Angela Rayner if Labour fails to win the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.

Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), has publicly backed Angela Rayner to replace him, marking the first time a leader of one of Labour’s affiliated unions has openly supported an alternative to Sir Keir.

Ms Eslamdoust told the Daily Telegraph: “If we were to come third, I think Keir’s time will be up.”

But a spokesperson for Ms Rayner said there was “no contest and no vacancy”.

The spokesman added: “Angela has been clear Labour must come together, avoid distraction and work as a team to deliver for the public.”

You can read the full story below: