Tory MP says he expects to lose election as No 10 refuses to blame China for MoD ‘hack’ – UK politics live

Grant Shapps said the hacking of the Ministry of Defence “was the suspected work of a malign actor” but added “we cannot rule out state involvement”.

The defence secretary said the cyberattack shows the UK is facing “rising and evolving threats” adding: “The world is becoming somewhat more dangerous.”

Defense secretary Grant Shapps apologised to the armed forces personnel affected by the Ministry of Defence cyberattack.

Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday afternoon, he said: “I want to apologise for the men and women affected – it should not happen.”

He added that the plan to fix the system means it will not happen again.

However, the defense secretary threw the contractor, who was also working for the MoD< under the bus, saying “evidence of potential failings by them that may have made it easier” to be hacked.

Mr Shapps also read out a helpline number in the Commons.

Members of the Scottish Parliament have voted for new SNP leader John Swinney to be Scotland’s next first minister, succeeding Humza Yousaf who formally resigned from the post earlier on Tuesday.

Mr Swinney won the backing of 64 MSPs, with his nearest rival Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross picking up 31.

It comes just eight days after predecessor Humza Yousaf announced he was stepping down, after his decision to terminate the powersharing agreement the SNP had with the Scottish Greens at Holyrood left him facing a vote of no confidence in his leadership.

Britain is “imploring” Israel to reopen border crossings into Gaza, including Rafah, to ensure humanitarian aid can get though, a foreign minister has told Parliament.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon also echoed concerns over the threat of a military offensive on the southern city, where around half the population are children.

The Tory frontbencher said: “We are imploring Israel to ensure that the crossings that were shut are opened immediately, including in Rafah.”

He revealed the Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron had spoken to the president of Israel on Monday morning.

Lord Ahmad said: “We do believe this is an escalation which needs to be immediately resolved. Because there are now 600,000 children in Rafah, almost 50% of Rafah is children. We need to ensure their safety and security and at the moment we have not been reassured at all in terms of any detail of plans as to where these people would move.”

He added the suggested place of evacuation was “pretty barren land”.

An emotional Humza Yousaf said his heart would “forever belong to Scotland” as he told how leading his country had given him the opportunity to defy “racist bigots”.

Speaking from Holyrood’s front bench for the final time, he told MSPs about the racial abuse he had suffered since a young age.

“Young Humza Yousaf could never have imagined he would be able to lead this country,” the outgoing first minister said. “I was six years old when I was first told to go home, and I am afraid since then it has been a regular occurrence – in fact, almost daily if you look at my social media feeds.”

He said that “racial slur” had hurt him most “simply because I have no other home than this one, I never will, I never have”.

Mr Yousaf continued: “My heart will forever belong to Scotland. So to have the opportunity to defy the far right, to defy the racist bigots who told me to go home, to be in a position to serve my home, to contribute to public life in my home, and to have the opportunity to lead my home – that has been the most tremendous honour that I didn’t think was reserved for people who looked like me.”

David Lammy has appeared to suggest that Labour now believes arms exports to Israel should be suspended if an attack on Rafah goes ahead.

During exchanges in the Commons, he said: “The French government said the forced displacement of any civilian population is a war crime. Does the minister agree?

“Hamas is a terrorist organisation, its cowardly tactics are reprehensible but that does not stop Israel’s obligation to follow the rules of war or the government’s obligation on arms exports.

“Can the minister say why he thinks than attack on Rafah does not present a clear risk of a serious breach of international humanitarian law?

“Can he confirm whether he has received any assessment that the threshold has already been met.”

A Conservative MP has said he believes Labour will win the next general election.

Tory MP Paul Scully told the BBC: “There is a scenario that you can get to – if we come up with a vision, if we actually sell that vision to the country, rather than just going from crisis to crisis and trying to manage those crises – that you can get towards a hung parliament or reduce the losses.

“My personal view is that Labour’s going to win the election, but there is that scenario – if you’ve got the vision.”

Humza Yousaf gave his final speech as Scotland’s first minister to MSPs on Tuesday afternoon after officially resigning earlier in the day.

He said: “Let me offer thanks to every single colleague across the political divide for the kindnesses that you have shown me over the years.

“We often, and I’m guilty of this too, lament the toxic nature of our political debate and it’s true, there is entrenched tribalism that feels difficult to free ourselves from.

“However I will remember far more fondly the kindness and generosity of colleagues over the years.”