Politics latest: Former Conservative minister Robert Jenrick at campaign launch event in race to replace Sunak (2024)

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has been asked about her feelings on the one of the most controversial parts of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Yesterday, Italy's Angela Carini quit her boxing match against Algeria's Imane Khelif after just 46 seconds.

Khelif's inclusion was controversial due to a previous failed gender eligibility test - you can read more about what happened here.

Speaking to Sky News, Ms Nandy said: "It was a very uncomfortable watch.

"It was an incredibly short watch, but incredibly uncomfortable to see.

"And I know from being here in Paris that there are a lot of women competitors who are very concerned, not just about whether we're getting the balance right between inclusion, fairness and safety in boxing, but in other sports as well."

She added that the situation was more complex than what was being portrayed on social media.

In terms of the government's role, Ms Nandy said it was to make sure the right guidelines were in place for the bodies which operate sporting competitions.

She was not able to confirm if the bout would have gone ahead in the UK.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has called for Huw Edwards to return the money he made from the BBC after being arrested.

Speaking to Sky News, the Labour frontbencher said Edwards "ought" to hand back the cash he earned since November last year, when he was arrested over serious indecent images of children.

The disgraced broadcaster has since stopped working for the publicly funded broadcaster, and admitted his guilt earlier this week.

She said it was "wrong" for Edwards to keep taking the salary until he resigned.

The Welsh newsreader was one of the BBC's most highly paid stars.

"It's not a good use of taxpayer's money," Ms Nandy added.

"I think most people in the country would agree with that."

However, she says it is "up to him" on whether he does hand back the cash.

Pollsters at YouGov have done some research on how people feel about the various Tory party leadership contenders.

While the opinion of the general public is interesting - it is not necessarily informative about the way the race could go.

Tory MPs will whittle down the contest to a final two by October, and then paid-up members will get to vote on who they want.

For this reason, the polling on how 2024 Tory voters feel gives greater insight into how the race may go.

Looking at the figures, James Cleverly appears to be the favourite - with a net rating of +16.

He is followed by Tom Tugendhat, just behind on +15.

The order then goes: Robert Jenrick (+8), Kemi Badenoch (+4), Mel Stride (-8) and Priti Patel (-11).

Ms Patel is also the most well-known among the general public - but also has a massive number of people that do not like her, the poll suggests.

Sky News' hugely popular politics podcast Electoral Dysfunction will go on tour in September after a busy summer covering the general election.

A series of live shows around the UK will be hosted by Sky's political editorBeth Rigby.

She will be joined by regular panellistRuth Davidson, who is a Conservative peer, and a number of special guests at the events in London, Salford, Liverpool and Glasgow.

During the shows, audiences will get their chance to ask questions and get the panel's thoughts on the world of politics and podcasting.

👉For more information on dates and tickets for Electoral Dysfunction LIVE click here👈

The podcast has reached over two million downloads since it was launched earlier this year - and it regularly features at the top of the charts.

Founding contributor and Labour MPJess Phillipsrecorded herfinal episodeearlier this month after being appointed a government minister.

Electoral Dysfunction Live, September dates:

• London - Thursday 12th, Bloomsbury Theatre (SOLD OUT)
• Salford - Monday 16th, Lowry Quays
• Liverpool - Sunday 22nd, St George's Hall
• Glasgow - Thursday 26th, The Glee Club

Audiences can expect sharp dissection of the latest spin from Westminster and beyond, combined with plenty of lively discussion.

During what will be a significant time in global politics - with the UK a few months into a new government and the US election fast approaching - the team will discuss which politicians are succeeding, and who risks having a so-called "electoral dysfunction".

Click here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts

One of the areas Labour has wielded the axe to reduce what it claims is £22bn of unfunded spending by the last government is technology and artificial intelligence.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said no new funding for the programmes had been allocated in the previous government's spending plans, and therefore will not be taken forward.

This means an £800m project for a new supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh has had its plug pulled, and £500m of AI research funding has also been cancelled.

Another pool of £300m for AI research will go ahead.

A DSIT spokesperson said they were "absolutely committed to building technology infrastructure that delivers growth and opportunity for people across the UK".

The government says it is looking at ways to invest in computer infrastructure.

Andrew Griffiths, the Tory shadow science secretary, accused Labour of having "lower ambitions" for the UK's tech sector.

Home Office minister Lord David Hanson has said there is a "potential" for more violence this weekend.

Speaking to LBC, he was asked how concerned he was about further unrest.

Lord Hanson said: "There is that potential.

"But I always say to anybody who's organising this, we will be watching you. If you are organising this now, we will be watching you.

"We have powers under existing legislation to stop you organising this now and to take action accordingly, and if you do take action and are not part of any organised group, be prepared to face the full force of the law on this criminal activity."

Asked whether those involved are from the far right, he said: "Some individuals will have far-right opinions, in my view, some might be caught up in the summer madness. Some might be people who've got genuine concerns.

"Whatever those concerns are, there are mechanisms where they can raise them with their member of parliament, they can peacefully protest and they can take those issues forward."

You can follow the latest on the situation in the wake of the Southport stabbings on our live blog below.

The race is still on to be the next Conservative leader.

Here's who is running this time, to replace Rishi Sunak:

The Essex MP, a former home, education and foreign secretary, was a loyal lieutenant for both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak.

Part of his brief as home secretary was theplan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda- something he is said to have had reservations about in private.

He caused controversy last year - and was forced to apologise - after making ajoke about date rape, which he admitted may have undermined the government's work to tackle drink spiking.

The former security minister and soldier is regarded highly among the One Nation group of moderate Tory MPs.

But he has said he would consider leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if it "doesn't serve our interests" - a change in his stance seen as appealing to the right of the party.

Mr Tugendhatis notable for his hawkish stance onChina, although this became more muted once he entered government.

Mr Jenrick held several ministerial roles, including communities secretary and immigration minister.

Heresigned from the latter over Mr Sunak's Rwanda bill, suggesting it wasn't robust enough.

His stint as communities secretary was marred by him fast-tracking a £1bn housing development proposed by a Tory donor.

A long-standing ally of Mr Sunak, he was dubbed "the minister for the morning round" during the general election campaign, facing the media more than any of his colleagues.

He served as work and pensions secretary through Mr Sunak's premiership, and has stayed on to shadow the role.

He also had a spell in the Treasury, both as financial secretary and paymaster general, during Theresa May's tenure in Number 10, and went on to chair the Treasury Select Committee between 2019 and 2022.

Dame Priti is seen as one of the more traditional right-wing MPs in the Conservative Party.

She has put herself forward as the candidate to reunite the party and insisted "authentic" conservative values such as defending freedom, promoting enterprise, keeping people safe and spreading opportunity remained popular with the public.

Dame Priti - who stayed loyal to Boris Johnson - has promised members would be rewarded for their loyalty under her leadership with a greater voice in policy and the direction of the party.

The former business secretary is seen as a darling of the right and has impressed some in the party with her no-nonsense approach.

Ms Badenochhas promised to "speak the truth again" and wants to renew the party by 2030 by reconfirming "our belief in the nation state and the sovereign duty it has, above all else, to serve its own citizens".

Ms Badenoch has been outspoken on issues includingwomen's rights, equality, and identity politics.

We've been hearing from Home Office minister Lord David Hanson.

He is asked if the government is worried about a summer of riots after a series of violent events.

He tells Sky News: "Hot weather, political issues always cause concern.

"What we want to do is to take steps as a government in supporting the police to deal with this.

"There is no excuse for rioting and criminal behaviour, and those people who wish to potentially undertake it need to know that the prime minister yesterday has charged the police with taking action to ensure that criminal convictions persist in the events of that activity taking place."

On what the government is doing to help police forces with the rioting and disorder, Lord Hanson says the various constabularies have not asked for extra resources.

Instead, the minister says, they "want to have the political support to have a programme of activity, which they've now got from the prime minister, to take action under existing legislation and existing resources".

He adds that the business and culture secretaries will be meeting with social media companies to have "discussions" about the way in which disinformation has spread and the "triggers" that have led to the unrest.

A senior Labour politician who lost their seat in a shock result on election night has hinted at a future return to parliament.

Jonathan Ashworth, the former Labour MP for Leicester South who was defeated by an independent candidate, told Beth Rigby's Electoral Dysfunction podcast that he was "still around" and "not going anywhere".

👉Click here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts👈

Shortly following his election defeat, Mr Ashworth, who was set to get a cabinet role in government, was appointed head of the influential Labour thinktank Labour Together.

Asked by Rigby whether he could return to Westminster if the circ*mstances allow - such as in a by-election, for example - Ms Ashworth said: "I'm still around. I'm still going to be involved. I'm not going anywhere."

Rigby interjected: "I'm going to put a wager on here with myself, obviously betting on political events - ill-advised, if you're in our business - but I could see a by-election situation where Jon Ashworth is back. Just putting it out there."

Mr Ashworth replied: "Well, all I would say is people got into a lot of trouble betting on politics in recent weeks. So just be careful!"

The former Labour MP, who represented Leicester South from 2011 until the election, was ousted by Shockat Adam, an independent candidate who stood on a pro-Gaza platform, by just 979 votes.

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