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Donald Trump’s administration has issued a warning to Sir Keir Starmer not to censor American tech companies amid criticism of Britain’s online safety law.
The UK Government introduced its long-awaited Online Safety Act at the end of last week, adding strict age verification barriers to thousands of popular websites, forums, and social media services.
Major platforms, like X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, Discord, Bluesky, and Grindr, have implemented these checks.
American officials have said they are monitoring developments in Britain with “great interest and concern”.
Speaking to The Telegraph, a US State Department official said: “President Trump has made it clear that free speech is one of our most cherished freedoms as Americans.
“Accordingly, we have taken decisive action against foreign actors who have engaged in extraterritorial censorship affecting our companies and fellow citizens.
“We will continue to monitor developments in the UK with great interest and concern.”
The newly introduced law has also faced criticism from Reform UK, who said it would repeal the act if the party was elected.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle accused Reform leader Nigel Farage of being “on the side of people like Jimmy Savile” earlier this week.
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Son of free Israeli hostage ‘disappointed’ by Government’s decision over Palestine statehood
The son of a freed Israeli hostage abducted by Hamas has said he is “very disappointed” by the Government’s decision to potentially recognise a Palestinian state.
Ada Sagi was taken from her home on October 7, 2023, and held by Hamas for more 53 days.
Her son Noam Sagi, who grew up on the kibbutz where Ada Sagi was seized, told the BBC’s Today programme: “I’m very disappointed, like so many people – I think by stating where we want to end up, it’s not where we’re at.
“I think we need to be very accurate with where we’re starting and where we want to end up, and I think [Sir Keir Starmer] missed the whole point of how to best get there.”
‘You don’t get the change you want overnight’: Minister insists measures being taken to crackdown on small boat crossings
Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports, Gareth Thomas, has insisted measures are being taken to crackdown on small boat migrants after almost 900 attempted to cross the Channel yesterday.
Speaking to GB News this morning, the Harrow MP said: “I hope people watching this will recognise that we inherited a very significant problem and I hope they will recognise that we are taking a series of measures to beginning to address that problem and I hope they recognise they will recognise that you don’t get the change you want overnight.
“We have to both crack down on the gangs and address the action on the beaches where the small boats are setting off from, we have to give our police and authorities additional powers which we are doing through legislation that is going through Parliament as well.
“And we have to give the people who are tempted to get onto those small boats the routes to getting there if they are genuine asylum applicants, to get them properly processed.”
He added: “I appreciate it is frustrating, we feel deeply frustrated at what was left for us to sort out, but measures are being taken.”
Reform voters prefer Jeremy Corbyn over Keir Starmer, new polling shows
Reform voters prefer Jeremy Corbyn over Keir Starmer, new polling shows
PA
Reform voters have been shown to prefer Jeremy Corbyn to Sir Keir Starmer in four key metrics, according to a new survey.
The poll of some 2,000 Reform UK voters suggests the 76-year-old former Labour leader is more authentic, hardworking, intelligent and honest than the Prime Minister.
Despite Corbyn leading the charge on a hard-left ticket, 65 per cent of Reform voters say Corbyn is more authentic than Starmer, with just 35 per cent saying the opposite.
Reform voters only voted Starmer ahead in one area – on the world stage – where 56 per cent backed the Prime Minister, compared to 44 per cent who backed Corbyn.
Rachel Reeves told tax rises in autumn will force retail prices up
Rachel Reeves has been told that raising taxes in the autum Budget will trigger a surge in shop prices.
In a survey of Britain’s biggest retailers by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), some 85 per cent had raised prices in response to measures brought in since Labour came to power in 2024.
BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson warned the Chancellor that a fresh round of tax increases would force retailers to push up prices further.
“Retail was squarely in the firing line of the last budget, with the industry hit by £7billionn in new costs and taxes,” the leader of the BRC, which represents more than 9,000 stores that employ 300,000 workers, said.
“Retailers have done everything they can to shield their customers from higher costs, but given their slim margins and the rising cost of employing staff, price rises were inevitable.”
Minister refuses to rule out sacking Nats chief over traffic control chaos
A minister has refused to rule out sacking Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe after a failure affecting the air traffic management system.
Asked whether Rolfe will be “fired”, Gareth Thomas told Times Radio: “Well, I think the first thing is to find out what went wrong, and that’s why the Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is going to be summoning the chief executive.”
The business minister earlier said he was “extremely concerned” that passengers had their flights cancelled and their holidays delayed.
“I would encourage people to get in contact with their airline carrier and the airports if their flights are still being delayed,” he said.
“We are summoning – the Transport Secretary (Heidi Alexander) is summoning – in today the chief executive of of Nats to help us get to the bottom of what went wrong yesterday.
“Clearly, an incident happened two years ago and measures were taken then.
“It looks like those measures weren’t enough but we need to get to the bottom of what exactly happened, and conversations will take place today.”
‘Its time to pay up’: Government crackdown on late payments by businesses
‘It’s time to pay up’ says Sir Keir Starmer in late payment crackdown
PA
Firms which persistently pay their suppliers late are set to face fines worth potentially millions of pounds as the Prime Minister warned that “it’s time to pay up”.
Sir Keir Starmer has said “too many hardworking people are being forced to spend precious hours chasing payments” in a process which he described as “exhausting”.
As part of a drive to support small businesses, the Government is set to unveil plans to give the small business commissioner bolstered powers to fine large companies which persistently pay their suppliers late.
The commissioner will also receive new powers to enforce a rule that customers must pay their supplier within 30 days of receiving a valid invoice, unless otherwise agreed, with spot checks to help identify breaches.
Upcoming legislation will also introduce maximum payment terms of 60 days, reducing to 45 days.
Britain’s recognition of Palestine is a ‘political judgement’, says minister
Britain’s recognition of Palestine is a “political judgment”, a minister has said in response to fears the plan to do so could break international law.
Asked whether recognising Palestine was compliant with international law, services minister Gareth Thomas told Times Radio: “Yes, we believe it is”.
He added: “In the end, recognition of another state is a political judgment and over 140 countries have already recognised Palestine, and we’re determined to do so in September if Israel does not end the violence in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and agree to a lasting route towards a two-state solution, and to no annexation in the West Bank.”