New French surge teams will help tackle the launch of migrant mega dinghies like the one that brought 120 asylum seekers to Portsmouth on Sunday – but they may not be in place for weeks.
Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron last week announced plans to deploy 45 officers to western beaches in France to tackle launches from further along the coast, nearly tripling resources in the area.
But they were not in place in time to stop a boat carrying around 120 migrants that arrived in Portsmouth, triggering controversial protests with far-right demonstrators, including people dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, blocking roads to stop the asylum seekers from leaving.
Rob Reiner wins posthumous Emmy Award for The Bear
Hollywood director Rob Reiner has won a posthumous Emmy Award, nine months after his death.
How was Reiner killed?
What happened?
Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were found dead in their Los Angeles home last December.
How did they die?
The couple appeared to have died from multiple stab wounds.
Reiner’s son charged
The couple’s son Nick, 32, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Reiner’s posthumous Emmy
On Sunday, Reiner was announced as one of the winners at this year’s Emmy Awards ceremony.
He won the award for outstanding guest actor in a comedy after playing Albert Schnurr in a 2025 episode of FX series .
Record in the family
- It comes 48 years after Reiner won the second of two Emmys for his role on in 1978.
- Reiner also broke the record for the longest gap between acting wins in Emmy history.
- His father, Carl Reiner, previously held the record after winning the same category in 1995 for his role in , 37 years after he first won for .
Hollywood legend
Reiner was the director behind a number of cinematic classics, including (1989) (1987) and (1986).
“I know we all wish Rob could be here tonight to share in the celebration. I’m honoured to accept this Emmy on his behalf,” she added.
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UK POLITICS
Why tax rises are ‘likely’ – despite what Chancellor says
John Healey took a Beach Boys approach to his first keynote speech: it was all Good Vibrations.
But here’s what he isn’t telling you…
What did the Chancellor say?
On Monday, John Healey gave his first speech on economic growth as Chancellor ahead of the budget on the 28 October.
Healey gave un upbeat impression of the country’s economic future, promising: “More devolution, more public leadership and control, more investment, more innovation, more jobs”.
What else is the Chancellor planning?
- 1Public investment in the private sector- The Chancellor outlined his ambitions for pushing public finance institutions, known as PuFins, to deploy more private sector investment.
- 2Cutting red tape –Healey said he will cut Government red tape, such as excluding big infrastructure projects from facing the hold-up of judicial review from objectors.
- 3Fund for companies in the north – He also unveiled a £150m fund for companies in the north of England; however, in Treasury terms, this is pocket money.
Why taxes are still likely to rise…
- Key decisions, including when the UK will be spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence, have been deferred until next year, leaving the question of cost to the taxpayer unanswered.
- Donald Trump’s Iran war and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also continue push up prices of energy and other resources.
Watch: Healey on tax rises
Signs point to tax hikes
Some estimates suggest borrowing costs could take £12bn off the Government’s £23.6bn buffer against its fiscal rules. Up to another £4bn is expected to have evaporated due to lower-than-forecast net migration. Meanwhile, the VAT cut on electricity bills needs to be paid for as well.
It all makes for an even trickier Budget in late October, with the signs pointing to higher taxes or slashing spending.
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Germany’s far-right election result puts Europe on notice
Germany’s extreme-right party, backed by Donald Trump, has won a “sensational” victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Here’s what it could mean for Europe.
The election result
Preliminary results show that the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party secured a decisive victory in , winning 43.8 per cent of the vote to the ruling conservative CDU’s 17.2 per cent.
Having fallen short of an outright majority, the AfD cannot govern alone and will now need to engage in negotiations with rivals to form a coalition.
What do the results mean?
- 1If the AfD manages to form a government, it will mark the first time a far-right party has controlled a German state since WWII.
- 2Among its pledges, the AfD wants arts organisations to promote “German” culture and has promised “remigration”, including deporting naturalised Germans.
- 3In schools, meanwhile, it wants to ban the flying of the LGBT+ rainbow flag and said “patriotic” history should be emphasises over Nazi history.
Friends in high places
- Despite concerns about its extremist ideology, the AfD has some high-profile fans.
- Its “historic” election win has been praised by Russia’s presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
- The openly pro-Kremlin party has called for an end to Ukrainian aid.
- AfD also counts the likes of Elon Musk and Donald Trump amongst its supporters.
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Reactions to AfD victory
The AfD’s regional leader said the “sensational” result was “a signal for the whole of Germany – a self-confident signal.”
The German Chancellor, of rival party CDU, said he was “deeply shocked” by the result.
The US President promoted the AfD’s win on social media with a screenshot of the projected election result.
Worry in Europe
- However, the result in Saxony-Anhalt was met with trepidation by many European leaders.
- It comes after research in June found almost one in four voters in Europe now support far-right parties, with the rate growing nearly fivefold since the mid-1990s.
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‘No bailout’ for Jaguar Land Rover amid job cut reports
The Government is facing calls to “mitigate” thousands of job losses, but “challenging” business conditions mean manufacturers will continue to struggle.
JLR to cut as many as 4,000 jobs
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will meet with the leadership team of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) this week after it emerged that Britain’s largest car manufacturer is set to .
The cuts are largely expected to impact office roles, with the majority of job losses affecting its UK operations, where around 34,000 staff in total are based (compared to just under 10,000 overseas employees).
Aiming to save £1.7bn
- Job losses will be spread over the coming two years, JLR said, as part of efforts to save about £1.7bn.
- There will be a voluntary redundancy programme for salaried and management teams.
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The Government’s response
We understand that this will be an uncertain and concerning time for affected workers, their families and wider communities.
Reynolds said he will aim to “mitigate any job losses” in meetings with JLR leadership. However, when asked by the BBC on Sunday whether there could be financial support to protect jobs, the Business Secretary replied: “Not if it’s to bail people out.”
Hundreds protest Portsmouth ‘mega-dinghy’ – what we know
Hundreds of protesters clashed with police in Portsmouth after migrants from a “mega-dinghy” were brought ashore by lifeboats.
Here’s what we know.
What happened?
Protesters gather
Hundreds gathered in Portsmouth on Sunday night to protest the arrival of migrants from a small boat.
What sparked it?
Around 140 migrants were brought to shore in Hampshire after travelling to the UK on a single “mega-dinghy”.
What did they do?
Crowds tried to stop the migrants being taken to an asylum processing centre in Kent.
Investigation launched
- About 200 demonstrators who gathered were on Monday, police said.
- A handful of police offers were treated for injuries at the scene, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said.
- Several police, coastguard and border force vehicles were also damaged.
- An investigation to identify offenders responsible for any officer assaults, criminal damage or other criminal offences has been launched.
‘Closest I’ve been to an insurrection’
Portsmouth resident Sue Dewey, who watched the scenes unfold from her balcony, said: “It was a very surreal night, that was the closest I’ve ever been to an insurrection.”
Asked if she is worried similar incidents will happen again, she replied: “Yes, we are worried it’s going to happen again… the ferry had to be stopped, lots of things had to be stopped because of it yesterday.
Watch: Protesters clash with police
Who is behind the protests?
Some of the demonstrators at Portsmouth were dressed in all black and wore face masks, similar to those who joined an anti-migrant protest which blocked the Port of Dover on Saturday.
Daniel Thomas, a former bodyguard for far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who has claimed credit for the Dover protest, live-streamed himself at the Portsmouth protest.
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- Treasury Chief Secretary Emma Reynolds called the protestors’ behaviour in Portsmouth and Dover “thuggish and intimidating”.
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “This is a serious situation, it’s about to get significantly worse.
- He added: “The government needs to act, I suspect it won’t. But remember, peaceful protests good, uniforms and masks bad.”
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‘Significant issue’ to come?
- In the wake of the protests, police warned that ministers will have a “significant issue” if people traffickers shift their routes further west of Dover.
- Places like Portsmouth along the hundreds of miles of England’s south coast are “not set up” for the arrival of migrants, Hampshire and Isle of Wight police and crime commissioner Donna Jones said.
- “My concern, as a police and crime commissioner, is that we don’t have this repeated,” she added.
Why Reform are fighting to replace Farage
The political “mood board” at the Reform UK conference over the weekend ranged from gloomiest black to the teal-suited larkiness of Nigel Farage. Yet the UK’s biggest political figure laced his gutsy “I will survive” message with a bleaker one about his family wishing he would quit frontline politics.
What challenges is Farage facing?
The Reform leader has faced heavy scrutiny for an undisclosed £5m “personal gift” he received in 2024.
Farage’s senior adviser, George Cottrell, is a convicted felon.
Now, the party is under the lens again after a documentary appeared to show Reform officials discussing donations from foreign financiers.
Challenges within Reform
- 1 – Farage says his family “begged” him to quit politics following the murder of Reform member Ann Widdecombe.
- 2Lack of professionalism – Farage spoke of Reform’s lack of professionalism after the sting and admitted he “wasn’t listening” carefully.
- 3Party infighting – Reform’s home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, is frequently at odds with treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick on issues like the details of how migrant deportations would work.
Reform’s future
The most likely outcome is that Farage, still the stardust of Reform, however tainted by the slew of funding scandals, will be the candidate at the next election in a do-or-die moment.
Even so, senior Reform figures can, however, calculate odds – and whether it is Tice, whose friends describe him as “always on standby” if a new leader is needed, Jenrick, whose old Tory frenemies joke he wakes up every day with the mantra “I will become leader…” or Yusuf, the man whose diehard views could pave the way to a rapprochement with Restore Britain, this party is in search mode for what follows the Nigel era.
Go deeper on this topic
Farage rivals begin to circle after Reform’s nightmare week
The i Paper
For now, Farage, who was given a hero’s welcome by activists at this year’s annual conference, remains firmly in control. But the man long viewed as politically untouchable is looking more vulnerable as the vultures begin to circle.
Watch more from The i Paper
The Home Office is still unable to say when the new surge unit will be in place beyond that it will become operational in the next few weeks.
Officers in the surge unit will also be unable to intervene to stop boats when they are in the sea, but ministers hope that by tackling people smugglers further upstream along the migration route, they can clamp down on mega dinghy launches.
People smugglers’ new tactics
The rare landing in Portsmouth will stoke concerns that people smugglers may continue to try and exploit new routes, after Sunday’s dinghy was launched from Cherbourg in the Bay of Seine, about 170 miles from Calais where most small boats usually set off for Dover.
It is thought to have made one of the longest journeys of any small boat, and landings as far west as Hampshire are rare, but officials believe it is a sign of new tactics.
While small boat crossings are down 43 per cent this year, people smugglers launching bigger dinghies in recent weeks has sparked fresh protests in the UK.
Eight boats carrying 625 people arrived in the UK having crossed the English Channel on Sunday, Home Office data shows, including the mega dinghy picked up by lifeboats near the Isle of Wight and brought to shore in Portsmouth.
Violent protests in Portsmouth
Official vehicles were damaged and a handful of police officers injured during a stand-off with around 200 anti-migration protesters after the migrants were brought to shore, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said.
The force has launched an investigation into potential assaults and criminal damage after the black-clad activists attempted to block migrants being driven away from Portsmouth overnight on Sunday.
Portsmouth City Council leader Steve Pitt heavily criticised the decision to bring lifeboats carrying migrants to shore in the city, claiming it had “put people at risk” and caused “needless disruption”.
He said the Home Office has “serious questions to answer” after an “unsuitable” location was chosen to disembark the RNLI boats carrying the 120 or so migrants on Sunday.
The founder of a group of protesters who were condemned after blocking roads in Dover on Saturday was also on the scene in Portsmouth.
Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, is an associate of far-right anti-migrant activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, and defended protesters wearing masks because “no one wants to be labelled far right”.
Thomas founded the group Patriot Platform in July, promoting it as a project to build “a mighty patriotic army”, partly to push back against migrants arriving in the UK by small boat.
He confronted Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf in Portsmouth on Monday, telling him that party leader Nigel Farage needs to be “careful with his words” after he labelled demonstrators at the controversial Unite the Kingdom rally in London earlier this year “knuckle-draggers”.
On Monday, Farage claimed there was a difference between the masked protesters in Dover and the “little old ladies in Portsmouth”.
In a video posted on X, he said: “Masked marches on the streets of Dover, and a huge, spontaneous protest on the streets of Portsmouth last night.
“You’d be right in thinking that this country is now on the edge of serious civil disturbance.
He added: “But let me please say this: people wearing masks, dressed up in a similar type of uniform to a paramilitary, is not going to solve this problem.
“There is a marked difference between what happened in Dover and what happened last night in Portsmouth, the only way we’re going to solve this is through the ballot box.”
‘Poison seeping into our streets’
The Prime Minister told Labour MPs at a closed-doors meeting of the parliamentary party: “There’s a lot at stake and it requires us to counter fear with positivity and hope.
“We have a responsibility in the times that we’re living in… it’s the solemn responsibility to prevent the politics of poison seeping into our streets.
“We’re here to speak to the politics of hope and of positivity.”
Burnham talked about how the Labour Party has a proud record of bringing hope to people.
“We have to fulfil our historic mission all over again and bring hope to a divided country, to lift people and make them feel that things are possible, that we can make people’s lives better, make them feel that politics can work. We can give people a sense of positivity again. We can change this country for the better. Never accept the narrative that there’s nothing we can do.”
“In the times in which we live, we’ve got to be quite clear and leave the public in no doubt about what Britain stands for. We stand for a sense of fairness, for justice. We will never ever accept any form of racism in our communities.”
Burnham is also believed to have told MPs that Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband would deliver a Commons statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict tomorrow, fuelling speculation that he will announce sanctions on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.