Labour wins Mid Bedfordshire by-election

Minister blames Labour for Rwanda bill delay

Responding to the record numbers of migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel, Gillian Keegan blames Labour for slowing the progress of the government’s Rwanda Bill. The education secretary says, "It is now stuck in the House of Lords and the House of Commons, held up by Labour MPs and Labour peers.” Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Rishi Sunak tears into Labour at a campaign launch event

Rishi Sunak has teared into Labour at a campaign launch at a Derbyshire bus depot this morning by raising the issue of cash-strapped local councils, saying Labour is "unable to balance the books when it is in local government". The prime minister then added “just look what’s happening here, Nottingham Council effectively bankrupt. After having a fire-sale of assets, they still can’t balance the books, in contrast to the extraordinarily well-run Conservative Nottinghamshire County Council". He also said that "whenever Labour runs something, they run it into the ground. In Birmingham, they have effectively bankrupted the largest local authority in Europe. They have saddled their constituents with a 21% council tax rise.” Report by Czubalam. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Labour challenges Sunak to name date of election

Labour has challenged Rishi Sunak to name the date of the next election. The shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth said it was in the “national interest” to declare the date as “businesses want to know what is happening.” Report by Ajagbef. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Ed Davey calls for freeze of fares on campaign in Shropshire

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and his candidate Helen Morgan campaign in the North Shropshire constituency after Owen Paterson resignation prompted a by-election. The Lib Dem leader calls Mrs Morgan a "brilliant" MP and says that "even life long Conservative voters" want to back her. He also calls for fare prices to be frozen saying "the railways are in a total mess" and "something needs to be done". Report by Czubalam. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Ed Davey insists MPs need more cyber security support

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey says that more support should be available for MPs to “make sure that security threats that we are seeing are dealt with properly.” It comes after reports of explicit images and flirtatious messages being sent to MPs as part of an alleged sexting scam. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Lib Dems call for a national emergency over sewage

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey calls for a “national environmental emergency” to be declared after raw sewage spills into England's waterways hit a record high in 2023. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Lib Dems launch local election campaign with giant egg timer

Sir Ed Davey launches the Liberal Democrat’s local election campaign in Hertfordshire, by flipping a giant egg timer to reveal the message "Time's running out Rishi!" Speaking to activists afterwards, the Lib Dem leader said Rishi Sunak “might have bottled the May election, he might be hoping the tide will turn as he squats in Downing Street for a few months more. But even the prime minister can't deny voters across England the chance to cast their vote in the local elections on 2 May.” Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Sir Ed Davey: Election date is the only thing PM controls

Sir Ed Davey tells the Liberal Democrats spring conference that the prime minister "sounds like he's already given up" and that setting the general election date is "pretty much the only thing left that Rishi Sunak controls any more". Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn