Tuesday evening news briefing: Britain touted as future 'associate member' of the EU
Good evening. Britain could rejoin the European Union as an “associate member” under plans for the bloc’s dramatic expansion. Also, a claim relating to Russell Brand’s exit from his last television job has emerged.
Starmer tells Macron he wants ‘stronger’ UK-France relationship
Sir Keir Starmer told Emmanuel Macron that he would seek to build an “even stronger” relationship between the UK and France - if Labour wins power at the next general election. The Labour leader and the French President held talks in Paris today, with post-Brexit relations expected to have featured prominently. Read our live blog for the latest news. It comes after France and Germany proposed a four-tiered system under which the UK would be governed by the European Court of Justice if it were to join. Joe Barnes has the full story.
Nigel Farage calls City debanking report a ‘whitewash’
The Financial Conduct Authority said that information supplied by banks, building societies and payment companies suggested that no accounts were “primarily” closed because of a customer’s political beliefs between July 2022 and June 2023. However, the review is likely to face ridicule after regulators admitted that Mr Farage’s account closures at Coutts were not investigated as part of the review. Tim Foy has the full story.
Russell Brand left last major TV role after co-star called him a ‘predator’
It has been claimed that Russell Brand left his last mainstream television job after a presenter ambushed him on camera about sexual abuse allegations. Ewan Somerville has the full story. Meanwhile, a Labour adviser has said that Ed Miliband made a ‘terrible decision’ by agreeing to an interview with Brand during the 2015 election campaign. Catherine Lough and Dominic Penna have the full story. You can also follow the latest on our live blog.
Evening Briefing: Today’s essential headlines
Ukraine-Russia war | Western allies will send Ukraine dozens more tanks as it seeks to regain more lost territory in its counter-offensive. Read the latest from the war on our live blog.
Russell Brand | Alleged victims should be believed, says Georgina Baillie
NHS | ‘Militant’ doctors’ union blocked patients from care during strikes, says Steve Barclay
India | Dissident’s death drags Narendra Modi into global row
Scotland | UK Government acted unlawfully by quashing self-ID gender law, Lord Advocate tells court
Court case | Sara Sharif’s father and two relatives face murder trial
Pictured: Meghan makes surprise visit to homeless café during Germany trip
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were in Dusseldorf last week for the Invictus Games - before they flew back to their home in California.
Comment and analysis
Matthew Lynn | Anti-family ideology is destroying Britain’s prosperity
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon | Suspend Russia from the UN
Patrick O’Flynn | You’d have to pay me to buy an electric car
Tom Harris | We are all paying the price for Sadiq Khan’s vanity
Ross Clark | It’s time for a ban on NHS strikes
World news: Fears of full-scale war as Azerbaijan launches major assault
Baku’s defence ministry said it was using “high-precision weapons” to target Armenian forces as it launched “anti-terrorist operations” in Nagorno-Karabakh. The ex-Soviet neighbours have been locked in a decades-long dispute over the mountainous region, going to war twice in the 1990s and most recently in 2020. Read the latest on our live blog.
Feature of the day
Kristi Noem: Trump’s rumoured running mate whose two-year-old granddaughter has a shotgun
South Dakota governor, 51, is a rising Republican star described by the former president as a ‘warrior for American values’
The Telegraph’s Ukraine: The Latest team have travelled to the US, where they are visiting key military locations and interviewing top political figures. Watch the live event from the British Embassy in Washington. Follow the latest here.
Business news: Britain’s economy almost as weak as Argentina, warns OECD
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has warned that Britain will be one of the worst performing advanced economies this year and next, with only Argentina performing worse. Melissa Lawford has the full story. The prediction comes amid a row between former Bank of England governor Mark Carney and Liz Truss over whether Britain is turning into Argentina. Ben Marlow has argued why this is not the case - read his piece here.
Meanwhile, oil prices have surged to a 10-month high as Saudi Arabia’s energy minister declined to outline any changes to production cuts, which squeezed the market. And China has been invited to Rishi Sunak’s AI summit. Read the latest on our live blog.
Editor’s choice
Duty of Care campaign | The fight for the Online Safety Act
History | The tiny Dorset tank museum that’s conquered the world
Telegraph readers | ‘It’s a disgrace that Great Britain – a maritime nation – does not have a flagship’
Sport briefing: Today’s essential headlines
Rugby | Owen Farrell, George Ford and Marcus Smith could play together
Football | Jenni Hermoso slams new Spain head coach
Champions League | Newcastle United fan stabbed in Milan
Brian Moore | RFU revolt should see heads roll
Exclusive | ECB orders every English cricketer to undergo diversity training