We’re going to close this blog down now. Here are today’s main events:

• Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer has denied disclosing the names of Armed Forces members who raised concerns with him about alleged unlawful killings in Afghanistan to an inquiry.
• The Government has distanced itself from claims that it is expected to drop the previous Tory administration’s objection to the International Criminal Court’s application for an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu.
• Liz Kendall, the new Secretary for Work and Pensions, set out a string of new measures to get the British public working.
• More than seven million people could be in line for higher taxes on their pension savings if a stealth rise being promoted by Treasury officials were adopted by Rachel Reeves in her first Budget.
• The US government has offered a reward of up to $10m (£7.7m) to anyone with information that helps them find members of malicious cyber groups targeting America on behalf of foreign governments
• MPs have voted 323 to 81 – a majority of 242 – in favour of legislation allowing thousands of prisoners to be released earlier than originally planned.

Tom Tugendhat has been mocked by social media users after they noticed his campaign slogan accidentally spelt out “Turd”.

The former security minister announced on Wednesday he would be the first politician to launch a bid to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party.

His campaign website was also launched, which featured the slogan: “Together we can, Unite the party. Rebuild trust. Defeat Labour”.

Visitors to his website have noticed the first letter of each line spells out the acronym “Turd”.

By Thursday morning it had been changed so it read: “Together we can, Unite the party. Rebuild Trust. Win back the country.”

Former veterans’ minister Johnny Mercer will face no further action despite refusing to hand names over to the Afghanistan inquiry of those who informed him of special forces’ murder allegations.

A probe spokeswoman said the ex-Conservative MP had “provided further information”, but Mr Mercer said “it remains entirely inappropriate to name those who confided in me without their consent, and I will not”.

The inquiry’s chairman, Sir Charles Haddon-Cave, previously told Mr Mercer he potentially faced a prison sentence if he did not comply with an order compelling him to hand the names over.

The order was implemented after Mr Mercer repeatedly refused to hand over names of “multiple officers” who told him about allegations of murder and a cover-up during his time as a backbench MP while giving evidence to the probe in February.

He had until 4pm on Thursday to provide the names to the probe, but he said in a short statement on X that his “position remains unchanged”.

Announcing there would be no further action against Mr Mercer, an inquiry spokeswoman said: “Mr Mercer has provided further information in response to the Section 21 notice and agreed to assist the inquiry further.

“The inquiry team will be taking this forward.

“For the time being, the chair will not be taking further action in relation to the Section 21 notice or making further comment.”

More than seven million people could be in line for higher taxes on their pension savings if a stealth rise being promoted by Treasury officials were adopted by Rachel Reeves in her first Budget.

Civil servants are understood to be keen on restricting the amount of tax relief workers can claim on the money they pay into a pension.

The Chancellor has not yet begun the process of considering what measures to include in the Budget which is likely to take place in October, according to Government sources.

She is expected to wait until after the publication of a public spending audit next week which will show how much extra money needs to be raised to avoid cuts to services in future.

Treasury officials have pushed for a cap on pension tax relief of no more than 30 per cent, according to The Daily Telegraph. The measure was previously rejected by Jeremy Hunt, and pensions experts have urged the new Chancellor not to revive it.

If the cap did come into force, it would affect anyone paying the higher or additional rate of income tax – totalling more than seven million people by the next general election, according to projections from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

This represents a rise of around one million people now due to fiscal drag, by which more people are pulled into higher tax brackets as wages rise.

The Treasury and No 10 have refused to comment on any possible Budget measures. A Treasury spokesman said: “We have set out the need for economic stability and we have begun fixing the foundations so we can grow our economy and keep taxes, inflation and mortgages as low as possible.”

Click here to read the story by Hugo Gye and Callum Mason.

The US government has offered a reward of up to $10m (£7.7m) to anyone with information that helps them find members of malicious cyber groups targeting America on behalf of foreign governments.

The US State Department’s Rewards for Justice Programme is looking for Rim Jong Hyok, a North Korean national associated with Andariel, which has been active since around 2009.

It claimed his targets include foreign businesses, government entities, and the defence industry.

Mr Hyok and others conspired to hack into the computer systems of US hospitals and other healthcare providers, install Maui ransomware, and extort ransoms, it is alleged.

MPs have approved measures designed to further limit them from taking up paid lobbying work.

They also supported a motion to establish a Modernisation Committee tasked with looking at reforms to House of Commons procedures, standards and working practices, and to consider further restrictions on second jobs to ensure MPs serve their constituents.

Under the existing rules, MPs must not provide paid parliamentary advice or become a parliamentary strategist or adviser, but are allowed to give advice on public policy and current affairs, and general advice as to how parliament works.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell warned the “loopholes” allow an MP to “use their privileged position and knowledge for personal gain”.

From 25 October, the Guide to the Rules relating to the conduct of MPs will be amended to remove the exemptions.

The Home Office has announced that 46 criminals and immigration offenders have been deported to Vietnam and Timor-Leste.

The flight, which left on Wednesday arrived in Timor-Leste (an island north of Australia) on Thursday after stopping over in Vietnam overnight.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Today’s flight shows the Government is taking quick and decisive action to secure our borders and return those with no right to be here.

“We thank the governments of Vietnam and Timor-Leste for their co-operation, without which this could never have happened.

“Our strong diplomatic bonds with other countries have never been more crucial to our mission to bring order back into the asylum and immigration system, tackling irregular migration, and making sure the rules are properly respected and enforced.”

The Labour Government is “looking at” the previous Tory government’s objection to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) application for an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, Downing Street has said.

No 10 did not confirm or deny reports that Sir Keir Starmer is expected to drop any legal challenge to the ICC’s pursuit of an arrest warrant against the Israeli premier for alleged war crimes against Palestinians by the end of the week.

But a No 10 spokeswoman reiterated the party’s emphasis on the independence of the Hague-based war crimes court and its chief prosecutor.

She also said “we reject the overall characterisation” in a New York Times article noting the UK would be edging away from its close ally the US on the conflict were it to ditch an appeal contesting the court’s jurisdiction over Israeli citizens.

The spokeswoman told reporters: “We reject the overall characterisation in that piece. The Government has been clear about Israel’s right to self-defence and its right to respond to a terror attack in line with international humanitarian law.

“We’ve been in lockstep with the US on this matter and also in our efforts with the US and other allies in terms of promoting regional stability.”

A North Korea-backed cyber group has been accused by the UK, US and South Korea of carrying out an online espionage campaign to steal military and nuclear secrets.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said the Andariel group has been compromising organisations around the world to steal sensitive and classified technical information and intellectual property data.

NCSC director of operations Paul Chichester said: “The global cyber espionage operation that we have exposed today shows the lengths that DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) state-sponsored actors are willing to go to pursue their military and nuclear programmes.”

The NCSC believes that Andariel is a part of DPRK’s reconnaissance general bureau (RGB) 3rd bureau, and the group’s malicious cyber activities pose an ongoing threat to critical infrastructure organisations globally.

Andariel primarily targeted defence, aerospace, nuclear and engineering organisations, but also acted against the medical and energy sectors.

The group has attempted to obtain information such as contract specification, design drawings and project details.

It also launched ransomware attacks against US healthcare organisations in order to extort payments and fund further espionage activity, the NCSC said.

Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer has denied disclosing the names of Armed Forces members who raised concerns with him about unlawful killings in Afghanistan to an inquiry.

Mr Mercer had been given until 4pm on Thursday to provide the names of personnel who told him that special forces units murdered civilians in Afghanistan – allegations the inquiry is investigating.

He had repeatedly refused to hand over details of their identities. Following the deadline, the inquiry stated it had dropped the threat of legal action after Mr Mercer provided “further information”.

But Mr Mercer subsequently posted on X: “I note the judge’s comments. My position remains unchanged from the beginning of the year.

“I will always do all I can to assist this important inquiry. I will not betray those I served with who have confided in me, whatever the cost.

“As I have repeatedly stated, it remains entirely inappropriate to name those who confided in me without their consent. For the avoidance of doubt: I have not and I will not.

“I will always assist the inquiry (outside of those parameters). This process has placed an unacceptable strain on me and my family. I am no longer a public figure; I will not be commenting further.”

A solicitor representing two of the men allegedly assaulted by police at Manchester airport said they are family members of a Greater Manchester Police officer.

Speaking on BBC News outside Rochdale police station, Akhmed Yakoob said the incident, in which one man was kicked in the face as he lay on the ground, was an example of “police brutality”.

He added: “The people who were assaulted by the police are members of a police officer’s family who is currently serving in the Greater Manchester Police force.

“This man is now afraid to go to work. He went in today and spoke to his supervisor, and the only reason he is not going to work [is] because he is fearing for his own safety and he thinks, like his family members were the victims, he could be a victim.

“The family are okay but they are traumatised.”

Mr Yakoob said one of the men’s condition has “worsened” since Wednesday night, with a CT scan revealing there is “a cyst on his brain”.

“The main concern for us, for me, is that the family receive justice and this no longer happens again,” the solicitor went on.

“Just imagine a first-time visitor to the UK and they get to see the brutality from the UK police. They will not want to visit the UK again.

“I wouldn’t if I see that sort of brutality by people who were meant to be the protectors of the public, and not aggressors and oppressors.”

Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer has “provided further information” to the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan after he was issued with a final order to hand over whistle-blower names or potentially face criminal proceedings.

The ex-Conservative MP had until 4pm on Thursday to provide the names of personnel who raised concerns to him that special forces units carried out unlawful killings of civilians in Afghanistan.

He had repeatedly refused to hand over details of their identities.

An inquiry spokeswoman said: “Mr Mercer has provided further information in response to the Section 21 notice and agreed to assist the inquiry further.

“The inquiry team will be taking this forward. For the time being, the chair will not be taking further action in relation to the Section 21 notice or making further comment.”

The inquiry is investigating claims that special forces carried out extrajudicial killings in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013, shortly before Britain withdrew from the country alongside other Nato allies.

The Government has distanced itself from claims that it is expected to drop the previous Tory administration’s objection to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) application for an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said “we reject the overall characterisation” of a New York Times article claiming that Sir Keir Starmer could withdraw the UK’s opposition to the ICC’s pursuit of the Israeli Prime Minister by the end of the week.

She told reporters: “We reject the overall characterisation in that piece. The Government has been clear about Israel’s right to self-defence and its right to respond to a terror attack in line with international humanitarian law.

“We’ve been in lockstep with the US on this matter and also in our efforts with the US and other allies in terms of promoting regional stability.

“On the ICC, we’ve also spoken consistently about the importance of the independence of both the prosecutor and the court. It is for the prosecutor and the court to make a decision.

“Now, with regard to the previous government’s proposals around a submission, we are looking at that but I don’t have any further updates.”

By Hamish McRae

Liz Kendall, the new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, wants to get more of us working. In her first major speech this week she set out a string of new measures.

Among them was the aim to get another two million people working who for various reasons are not doing so.

The target is to try to get the labour participation rate up to 80 per cent. If that were to happen it would certainly be a massive help towards balancing the country’s books, for it would both bring in more tax revenue as well as cutting the welfare bill.

But it would also be an extraordinary achievement, because among the major economies, the UK already has one of the highest participation rates in the world. In the G7, only Germany is higher. So what’s up?

Read more here.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she shares “deep concern” about a video of a police officer kicking a man in the face as he lay on the floor at Manchester airport.

Ms Cooper added that it is “extremely important” that an Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation into the incident is able to proceed “swiftly” and “thoroughly”.

In a statement shared on X, she said: “This morning I have spoken to Greater Manchester Police and the Mayor of Greater Manchester about the urgent steps they are taking in response to the incident at Manchester Airport on Tuesday evening, and the video that circulated online yesterday.

“I share the deep concern surrounding the video and understand the widespread distress it will have caused.

“I welcome the initiation of an independent investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct following a referral from Greater Manchester Police.

“It is extremely important that the IOPC are able to begin the investigation swiftly and conduct it thoroughly, examining all of the evidence, with clear and transparent ways for all those affected to be able to raise their concerns with the IOPC.

“I welcome the engagement by the Mayor of Greater Manchester with local communities. It is essential that the police have the trust of communities and the public rightly expect high standards from those in charge of keeping us safe.

“I am continuing to receive updates from Greater Manchester Police. It is vital that we now allow this investigation to proceed fairly and independently.”

By Alexa Phillips

The NHS has issued a blood shortage alert, saying it has less than two days’ worth of some blood types.

The public has been urged to donate and hospitals have been told to restrict the use of O type blood. O negative donors are often called “universal donors” because they can donate red blood cells to anyone of any blood type.

Just 8 per cent of Britons have O negative blood but it makes up for around 16 per cent of hospital orders.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said it only has 1.6 days’ worth of O negative blood and overall national supplies across all blood types is 4.3 days.

It said stocks of blood have dropped to “unprecedentedly low levels” because of a “perfect storm of increased demand of O type blood from hospitals following the recent cyber attack which has impacted London hospitals” and reduced collections due to high levels of unfilled appointments at donor centres in city and town centres.

Read more here.

The performance of more than 40 per cent of adult prisons in England and Wales have been rated as of “concern” as levels of violence and self-harm soar, figures show.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said this explained why she had “no choice but to act” in deciding to release thousands of prisoners earlier than planned to cut overcrowding, while the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the data exposed the “scale of the prison system in crisis”.

Out of the 119 adult prisons in England and Wales, just over four in 10 (42 per cent, or 50) were rated of “concern” or “serious concern”, according to analysis of the figures for the year to March.

London prisons such as high-security jail Belmarsh as well as Feltham B were among 35 rated of concern, while the 15 considered to be of serious concern included category B facilities Wandsworth and Pentonville.

The number rated serious concern has increased by six since the previous 12-month period.

Just 13 were awarded the highest rating of outstanding, the annual prison performance ratings for 2023-24 showed.

Further emergency measures could be introduced in response to the prison capacity crisis, the Justice Secretary said, after MPs approved measures to release thousands of prisoners early.

Shabana Mahmood said Operation Safeguard, in which police cells are used to house offenders, and Operation Early Dawn, which seeks to manage the flow of prisoners from police cells to the courts, are among the options available to her if required.

Earlier, the House of Commons backed legislation to reduce the amount of time some prisoners must spend in jail before they are automatically released, from 50 per cent of their sentence to 40 per cent.

MPs have voted 323 to 81 – a majority of 242 – in favour of legislation allowing thousands of prisoners to be released earlier than originally planned.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs that the prison population remains “within a few hundred places of collapse” and the Government will continue to monitor it closely in the coming weeks.

The legislation reduces the amount of time prisoners must spend in jail before they are automatically released from half of their sentence to 40 per cent.

The move, which does not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or other similar violent offences, is expected to result in 5,500 offenders being released in September and October.

Labour’s flagship plans to introduce minimum pay levels in low-paid sectors like social care are at risk of failure without the full support of employers, the Institute for Government (IfG) think-tank has warned.

Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner are to push ahead with the fair pay agreements policy as part of a wider package of workers’ rights reforms unveiled in last week’s King’s Speech.

The agreements will be introduced for social care workers first before being expanded to other sectors.

A fair pay agreement would allow unions to collectively bargain on behalf of everyone who works in a particular sector, such as care workers, who would then be entitled to a nationally agreed wage whoever their employer is.

IfG programme director Nehal Davison worked for seven years as a civil servant in former New Zealand premier Jacinda Ardern’s government, where fair pay agreements were introduced for a year before being axed.

In a new blogpost for the IfG, Ms Davison says the UK Government’s plans for the legislation to be introduced in its first 100 days are ambitious, given it took nearly five years for the same measures to be implemented in New Zealand due to wrangling between unions and employers over better pay and conditions.

Read more here.