Mr. Karan Rana appointed as Honorary Trade Commissioner for Strengthening India–PNG Trade Relations

The Head of Counter Terrorism Policing has declared Britain is facing a “worrying situation” as new figures revealed almost 1,000 live terror investigations are ongoing.Speaking to GB News following a national briefing, Laurence Taylor told Home and Security Editor Mark White that investigators are increasingly encountering “significant complexity”.Counter terrorism still remains the largest proportion of the caseload facing terror police.In April, the terror threat level was raised from “Substantial” to “Severe”, meaning an attack is “highly likely”. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Speaking to GB News following the briefing, the Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner said: “There is significant complexity volume in our casework going across everything from Islamist terrorism, extreme right-wing terrorism to foreign state interference.”Also to young people who are involved in extremist material online. It is a worrying situation, but one that we are working hard to address.”Questioned on how many potential terror plots they have blocked over the past year, Mr Taylor revealed: “We are currently dealing with a volume, I’m not going to go into specific numbers, but a number of live investigations that we and intelligence partners are actively engaged in addressing. “We have stopped a number of attacks over the past few years, 19 late stage attacks have been stopped, but they continue.”Mr Taylor stressed: “And of course, we will do everything we can to keep the public safe, but we can’t stop everything, which is why we ask for vigilance.”Asked by Mark if the counter terror police are “seeing a resurgence of ISIS and Al-Qaeda”, Mr Taylor argued that they have “never gone away”.He said: “They have been challenged in the past, but their ambition is growing and we are certainly seeing an ambition to influence activity in the UK. “Yes, Islamist terrorism within our terrorist casework is the biggest proportion. But the threat level increase was driven by an increase in extreme right-wing and other activity.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSCounter-terror police dealing with 800 live investigations as Iranian threat not slowing downAndy Burnham announces he voted for himself in Labour leadership contest… as the only candidateGraham Linehan to be paid £25,000 by Met Police after armed arrest at Heathrow”And that doesn’t include the foreign state interference that we’re having to address.”Questioned on the use of proxies in the UK by foreign state actors, Mr Taylor made clear that anyone found to be acting as a proxy will “go to prison for a very long time”.He told GB News: “Of course, the proxies are working on behalf of these foreign states, and they may not even realise that. “But let me be clear that the potential sentence you will get for working on behalf of a foreign state is huge. You will go to prison for a very long time. “You will not get paid, and that foreign state will not be stood next to you in the court. So I would urge people not to accept potential small amounts of money to commit criminality. This is very serious offending.”In the briefing, Mr Taylor also warned: “It feels very much like we’re on a knife-edge of extremism and polarising language that’s cutting through society, and that is leading to our doorstep in counter-terrorism policing.“To be really clear, we do not and will not tolerate those involved in terrorism in any form, or working on behalf of a foreign state, whether they know it or not. “And we will do all we can to stop them and bring them to justice.” Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

Grooming gangs whistleblower Maggie Oliver has hit out at successive governments for failing to deport Rochdale ringleader Shabir Ahmed.Speaking to GB News, Ms Oliver argued Ahmed “should have been deported 14 years ago” when he was convicted of his heinous crimes.Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to announce on Monday how the Government will change the 1971 Immigration Act, which currently prevents Shabir Ahmed from being deported back to Pakistan.Ahmed, 73, was released last week after serving 14 years for his conviction in 2012 for rape and sexual offences against girls, some as young as 12. He had been sentenced to 19 years in prison. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Reacting to Ms Mahmood’s push to change legislation in order to have Ahmed deported, Ms Oliver told GB News: “My take on it is that this should have been done 14 years ago when he was sent to prison initially.”Again, too little, too late. Knee jerk reaction to a public outcry about what is a national scandal. They’re reactive again rather than proactive.”Ms Oliver argued successive Governments had hoped “this case would fade away like all the others”.Having worked on the Ahmed case herself, she explained: “What we should be seeing is Government leading on these things instead, and this isn’t just about the Labour Government, this is about Conservatives as well. They were in power for many years.”What I think is going on here is that when this Rochdale case, the case that I resigned over, Shabir Ahmed actually went through two trials. He was sentenced to 22 years on one trial and 19 years to serve in prison on the other. That’s 41 years, and he’s out in 14 years.”I think that the Government and the politicians all believe that this case would fade away like all the others, and when this man was released, there would be no outcry.”Ms Oliver stressed the case involving Ahmed is “just one abuser” out of “thousands up and down the country”.She said: “He is an example of what is going on in every town and city all around the country. This is not one abuser, this is thousands, and the victims affected are thousands and thousands. LATEST DEVELOPMENTSShabana Mahmood sets sights on changing law to deport Pakistan-born grooming gang ringleaderPakistan lays out conditions for Britain to deport Rochdale grooming gang leaderGrooming gang survivor urges Labour to stop early release of perpetrators: ‘Our lives are in danger'”I think what the Rochdale case is doing, it is very clearly educating the country on the huge failures in the system.”Criticising the Home Secretary, Ms Oliver argued the legislation blocking Ahmed’s deportation is “50 years old” and could have been changed many years ago.She told GB News: “We’ve got Shabana Mahmood saying we’re going to change the law, this is a 50-year-old law. It should have been changed many years ago. “But at the very latest, when it was announced that Shabir Ahmed and other abusers from Rochdale were going to be deported at the end of the sentence, we are now seeing that it is possible to change laws if they want to.”But in relation to this, we’re still only halfway towards ensuring that he is deported because Pakistan have said they’re not going to accept him back. That’s when we will really see whether there is determination to really do something about this.”Ms Oliver concluded Ahmed has shown “no remorse” and was given a “slap on the wrist” when he “should have served 41 years” for his crimes.She said: “14 years for what he did is a slap on the wrist. He refused to do any rehabilitation or sexual offences courses in prison. Only two years ago, probation or parole refused to release him because they considered he was still a danger to the community. “Shabir Ahmed should be serving 41 years, in my opinion, rather than invest all this money in keeping him in a hostel. Make him serve 41 years. I speak to victims and survivors every day – they don’t serve 14 years and then pick up their lives, they carry this for the rest of their lives.”Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

The Labour Government will move to change legislation “as quickly as possible” to deport grooming gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed, Chris Bryant has told GB News.Speaking to the People’s Channel, the Labour MP made clear that the Government wants the “vile, despicable man” removed from the country, following his release from prison.Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to announce on Monday how the Government will change the 1971 Immigration Act, which currently prevents Shabir Ahmed from being kicked out of Britain.Ahmed, 73, was released last week after serving 14 years since his conviction in 2012 for rape and sexual offences against girls, some as young as 12. He had been sentenced to 19 years in prison. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Pressed by GB News host Stephen Dixon on how quick he can be deported, Mr Bryant admitted he “wishes Shabir Ahmed was not in this country”.He said: “First of all, I think it’s really good that this vile, despicable man went to prison. And even though he’s out now and he’s under fairly strict conditions, I wish he was not in this country. I wish we were able to deport him immediately.”And I’m glad that Sir Keir Starmer, when he was Director of Public Prosecutions, made sure that this prosecution went ahead and that they were convicted and people went to prison.”Mr Bryant made clear that “all grooming gang issues must be tackled” by the Government.He said: “We need to tackle all of these grooming issues across the whole of the country, which is why it’s good that we’ve got a grooming inquiry ongoing. “I’m also glad that we’ve managed to deport something like 10,000 foreign criminals in the last two years. That’s a 36 per cent increase. “We’re doing far better than previous Governments and it’s the largest amount in the in the last decade.”Reflecting on the case of Shabir Ahmed, Mr Bryant highlighted the “two challenges” Ms Mahmood faces in having him deported back to Pakistan.He explained: “I want this man out of the country, but we’ve got two challenges here. First of all, the law that has been in place since the 1970s which says that you can’t deport somebody if they came here before 1973 and they’ve been here for more than five years.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSShabana Mahmood sets sights on changing law to deport Pakistan-born grooming gang ringleaderPakistan lays out conditions for Britain to deport Rochdale grooming gang leaderGrooming gang survivor urges Labour to stop early release of perpetrators: ‘Our lives are in danger'”In this particular case, we’re looking at changing the law as quickly as we possibly can, but we need to make sure that we don’t have unintended consequences that affect perfectly innocent people.”The Labour MP continued: “And then the second bit of the challenge is, of course, it’s all very well for us to say we’re going to deport somebody – somebody’s got to allow that person to go into their country. And in this case, that’s Pakistan. “And Pakistan thus far haven’t been very helpful on this. But these are the two pieces of work that we are engaged in and we’re trying to work as fast as we possibly can to get the man out of the country.”Andy Burnham has said exactly the same as Keir Starmer, but we want to get him out of the country.”A senior Pakistani government official has said: “Our position is that (the UK) must listen to us too. Both sides need to apply standards. Pakistan cannot be railroaded into agreeing to terms and conditions that are suitable only to the UK.”These demands (to take back Ahmed) are being made about somebody who is now around 75 and who has spent more than 60 years in your country. “How is he our national when he is actually not our national? This is arrogance and a colonial mindset. It is unacceptable to us.”However, a Downing Street spokesman has confirmed it has raised the issue with officials in Islamabad. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

Ex-Clacton MP Douglas Carswell has hinted about standing against Nigel Farage in the upcoming Clacton by-election.Mr Carswell, who represented Clacton in the House of Commons as both a Tory and Ukip MP, admitted he was hopeful of his chances if he stood in the seat.The prominent Brexiteer said: “Perhaps I should stand in the Clacton by-election?“Be amusing and think I might actually win. Again.” TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Mr Carswell, who relocated to Mississippi after leaving Parliament, was considered a rival to Mr Farage despite defecting to Ukip in 2014.The pair ended up campaigning for different pro-Brexit groups in 2016, with Mr Carswell supporting Vote Leave and Mr Farage becoming a figurehead for Leave.EU.They found themselves again at loggerheads in 2017 when leaked emails appeared to suggest Mr Carswell mocked the suggestion Mr Farage should receive a knighthood.Mr Carswell won his Clacton seat in a by-election held in 2014, later retaining the seat as Ukip’s sole MP at the 2015 General Election.Despite Mr Farage previously accusing Mr Carswell of being a “fifth columnist” and a “Tory posh boy”, Mr Carswell last night appeared to defend Reform UK amid its ongoing financial scandal.The 55-year-old, who also argued the onslaught was “orchestrated”, said: “It’s a deep state operation.” Mr Farage resigned as the MP for Clacton and triggered the by-election after coming under pressure following reports he had received a £5million personal gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. The investigation, which is now paused after being launched by Parliament’s standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg, could still force Mr Farage to hold a second by-election if the complaint is eventually upheld.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSClacton by-election date set for August as Nigel Farage’s battle to return to Commons gets underwayClacton by-election branded a ‘Nigel Farage stunt’ as Tory defends decision not to stand a candidateWho is the real Count Binface? The man under the dustbin helmet challenging Nigel Farage in ClactonFurther revelations about long-term ally and convicted fraudster George Cottrell providing funding for security and staffing heaped more pressure on Mr Farage.Mr Farage has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claimed he is the target of an “establishment stitch-up”The 62-year-old, who previously led both Ukip and the Brexit Party, won the coastal constituency of Clacton with a majority of 8,405.Mr Farage’s victory in Clacton came after seven failed attempts to enter the House of Commons, including in Eastleigh in 1994, Buckingham in 2010 and South Thanet in 2015.Speaking to GB News in Clacton yesterday, Mr Farage said: “It seems that the media and political classes want to paint me out to be like a war criminal, as if everything I’ve ever done is wrong, is bent, is corrupt.”I don’t get a chance to properly answer it, and I don’t see why I should be judged by them.”He added: “We’ll ask the people here what they think, and if they give me a big endorsement, that sends a big message to the establishment.”Both political parties and media, frankly, are not talking about the same things the country is talking about. These last two weeks, never-ending stories about me and Reform.”Mr Farage is not facing a challenge from any of the mainstream parties, with the Tories, Labour, and Liberal Democrats all confirming they will not field candidates in the seaside seat. However, Count Binface is looking to challenge Mr Farage in Clacton.The parody figure, who has never visited the Essex coastal constituency, emerged as the main anti-Reform candidate.Mr Farage appeared somewhat surprised after the main parties decided to stand aside.He told The Daily Mail: “Why would they [not contest]? It’s a real election.” Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

The Clacton by-election is expected to take place on August 13 after Reform UK Chief Whip Lee Anderson moved the writ in the House of Commons.While it is up to the local authority to organise the specifics of the election, the law states it must take place between 21 and 27 working days from now.This means the vote will take place between August 7 and August 17.Elections in the UK have taken place on Thursdays since the 1930s, making August 13 the likely date for polls to open. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Moving the writ in the House of Commons, Mr Anderson said: “I beg to move that Mr Speaker do issue his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ for the electing of a member to serve in this Parliament in the constituency of Clacton.”Despite speculation Liberal Democrat and Labour MPs could block the Clacton by-election, MPs today nodded through the vote without any opposition.Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Farage had “run himself into a cul-de-sac” over his move to resign as the Clacton MP. Speaking from the Nato summit in Ankara, the outgoing Prime Minister said: “Nigel Farage has been utterly exposed in this complete stunt that he was trying to set up.”He’s run himself into a cul-de-sac and it was a stunt and everyone can see that.”And there’s a reason for that and that’s because he’s up to his neck in sleaze and he doesn’t want to answer questions about it.”Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the Government yesterday to block the by-election, saying the people of Clacton need “all the facts” before heading to the polls.He said the Reform leader is “playing chicken” after a probe was launched into his finances over a £5million gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harbourne.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSClacton by-election branded a ‘Nigel Farage stunt’ as Tory defends decision not to stand a candidateWho is the real Count Binface? The man under the dustbin helmet challenging Nigel Farage in ClactonAndy Burnham vows to rebuild UK’s ‘hard power’ with billions to British defence firmsHowever, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she “will accept Nigel Farage’s request to be appointed steward and bailiff of the Manor of Northstead”, the formal mechanism for him to resign.”It is a farce and a desperate distraction, and the people of Clacton deserve better,” she said.”But if he wants to spend the summer arguing with a bin, I won’t stop him.”Moving the writ, Mr Anderson said: “I beg to move that Mr Speaker do issue his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ for the electing of a member to serve in this present Parliament for the County Constituency of Clacton in the room of Nigel Paul Farage, who since his election for the said County Constituency has been appointed to the office of Steward and Bailiff of His Majesty’s Manor of Norstead in the County of York.”Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle responded: “The question is that I do issue my warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ for the electing of a member to serve in the present Parliament for the County Constituency of Clacton in the room of Nigel Paul Farage, who since his election to the said County Constituency has been appointed to the office of Steward and Bailiff of His Majesty’s Manor of Norstead in the County of York.”As many of that opinion say aye.”Members of the House called out “aye” to which Sir Lindsay concluded: “I think the ayes have it. The ayes have it.”The by-election has been condemned by opposing politicians, with Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Restore saying they would not stand.However, Count Binface has declared his candidacy, with the parody candidate being accepted as Mr Farage’s main contender.He said: “I will be a unity candidate and pledge to build at least one affordable house.”Nigel Farage says he wants the people versus the establishment. So be it. Leave him to me.”Reclaim, the Rejoin EU party, the Monster Raving Looney Party and the Climate Party have said they will stand. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter