General election latest: Anas Sarwar backs Abbott as Labour attacks Tories and SNP over green energy failures

In another headache for the Tories, Conservative MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme Aaron Bell has announced he is stepping down.

The former Conservative MP previously faced allegations of serious sexual assault himself which were investigated then dropped by Essex Police earlier this year.

He has now confirmed he will stand as an independent candidate at the general election.

He said: “Solihull deserves more than a whips appointed candidate who doesn’t get the issues.”

Donald Trump’s trial is not “my focus”, Rishi Sunak has said when asked if he would work with the convicted former US president if the Republican returns to power, David Lynch reports.

The Prime Minister refused to comment on the ex-president’s hush money trial conviction when asked by reporters.

A New York jury found Mr Trump guilty of falsifying business records becoming the first to be convicted of felony crimes.

Asked whether he was willing to work with a convicted felon in the White House if he wins July’s election, the Prime Minister said: “You wouldn’t expect me to comment on another country’s domestic politics or judicial processes.

“I’m focused squarely on the election here at home, talking to people across the country about the choice at our election.

Human right’s activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, Lawyer has accused Sir Keir Starmer of carrying an intentional and calculated strategy to dehumanise Black, Brown and Muslim MPs.

Speaking to BBC, Ms Mos-Shogbamimu said the treatment of Diane Abbott has been “absolutely diabolical”.

She added: “It is clear Keir Starmer has been running an intentional and calculated strategy to dehumanise, disrespect and disgrace Diane Abbott.

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“She is not just the first Black female MP, she is the most racially abused MP in the entire and British and Parliamentary history.

“The Labour party, what should have been her home, has become a nest of systemic racism which has been consistently put out against her and against Black, Brown and Muslim MPs.

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“What should have been a safe place is not a safe place anymore. It was his intention from day one to oust her and he lied about the investigation from day one.”

Attacking Sir Keir Starmer, she furiously said: “He has no respect for the British Black community. He has ignored many exposures of hate.

The wannabe Tory MP has dropped out of the race to represent Tunbridge Wells after two days after a clip emerged of him saying he never liked the area.

LBC presenter Iain Dale, who quit on Tuesday night to run for the Conservatives in the general election, has announced he was throwing in the towel.

It came after a clip from his For the Many podcast from 2022 where he told his co-host, former Labour home secretary Jacqui Smith: “I have lived in Tunbridge Wells since 1997, slightly against my will.

“I’ve never liked the place. Still don’t, and would happily live somewhere else.”

The Green party took aim at Labour’s plans to create a publicly owned energy company saying it will “not offering the real change we need”.

The party’s co-leader Carla Denyer told Today on BBC Radio 4: “If you compare it to Labour’s original commitment to spend £28 billion per year on green investment, this announcement of just £8.3 billion over the course of an entire parliament is tiny in comparison. It’s nowhere near enough to deliver Labour’s promise of green electricity.”

The Labour party confirmed he has flown to Scotland from Wales in private jet, despite vowing for a greener future with Labour.

He tells the audience: “Yes, we did use a private jet because we needed to get very quickly to Scotland from Wales yesterday. We have to use the most efficient form of transport in the middle of a very, very busy, general election campaign.

“We offset the carbon. We always do whatever we use transport in the air. So, that’s the approach we’re taking. We’ve got five weeks to take our argument to the country.

“I need to get across the country to speak to as many people as possible and from time to time we have to do it as efficiently as possible.”

The Labour leader seems to feed further speculation on whether Diane Abbott will stand for the party in Hackney North.

Asked about his stance, Sir Keir repeated his old line again: “No decision has been taken. So that’s the factual position. No decision to bar Diane.

“Obviously she’s got the whip back and she’s been a trailblazer for many years, but the fact remains no decision has been taken.”

Senior lawyer Martin Forde KC said that Labour is “uderestimating” the impact the party’s treatment of Diane Abbott and Faiza Shaheen is having on voters.

Asked about that, Sir Keir Starmer says the party has “brilliant candidates” and “many Black candidates” standing at the election.

Asked about barring Diane Abbott, he says he wanted a high standard of candidates at the start of the selection process.

The Labour leader has just ended his speech in West Scotland and is now taking questions from the press.

Asked about his remarks on working with convicted Donald Trump, he repeated his previous line saying: “We respect the decision on Trump’s case and the court process.”

He added that it is “up for the American people to decide” and a Labour government would work with whoever wins the US presidential race.

Starmer said: “We have a special relationship with the US but it is an unprecedented situation there is no doubt about that.”