UK hopes to recognise Palestinian state 'in this parliament', says minister

Tasers to be used in prisons to tackle 'unacceptably high' levels of violence

Tasers can be used in prisons for the first time to tackle "unacceptably high" levels of violence, as part of a new trial.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said she is "determined to keep prison staff safe".

Specialist officers from two bases in Oxfordshire and Doncaster can now be deployed to incidents in adult male prisons in England and Wales, equipped with Tasers.

Reporters attending a demonstration were shown how they could be used in certain scenarios, where there is a threat to safety, including hostage situations or riots, and where multiple people are involved in "mass disorder".

One demonstration involved four prisoners who had become disruptive in the exercise yard.

After staff were forced to withdraw, three inmates turned on one and it was deemed there was an "immediate threat to life."

Officers gave verbal warnings before deploying the Tasers at a distance.

This trial will use the Taser 7 model, which is what police officers currently use.

It can generate 50,000 volts when triggered, but drops to about 1,500 volts when hitting the target.

Scottish FM to have dinner with Trump tonight ahead of talks

Scotland's first minister John Swinney has accepted an invitation to have dinner with US President Donald Trump in Aberdeenshire tonight, Sky News understands.

The meal will take place ahead of separate, widely publicised one-on-one talks between the pair tomorrow.

A source says Tuesday's talks are likely to happen before Trump cuts the ribbon on his new golf course, which is due to happen mid-morning.

Independent trade policy is 'benefit of Brexit' - but 'costs' as well, says minister

After weeks of tense negotiations, the EU agreed yesterday to a deal with the US for a 15% tariff rate (tax on imports to the US).

But, as noted by the Hungarian prime minister, that is not as good as the UK's 10% tariff rate, and Sky's Wilfred Frost asked Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds if he is pleased with that.

Barely concealing a smile, Reynolds replied: "My view is there's a lot of tension in the global trading system - can't deny that. My job is to try and get us the best possible terms of any country."

He pointed out that the UK is affected by the global trading environment, so the US-EU deal is "a very positive thing that's in our national interest".

Asked if the UK's better deal is a direct benefit of Brexit, Reynolds said: "I'm absolutely clear, I've said in parliament many times this is a benefit of being out of the European Union and having our independent trade policy. Absolutely no doubt about that.

"What I'm also driven by is the hard economic data. And you're right, there's been costs as well."

Wilfred put to Reynolds that Trump's negotiating tactics have borne fruit for him, and he said complaints about the US's trade position were not unique to the incumbent, and "there is a method" in what Trump is doing.

"I think you've got to engage with the agenda, as we have done, to try and get yourself the best possible terms for it," he said.

"But there are things that we should recognise. This wouldn't go away if there was a change of president in the US."

Senior minister 'hugely frustrated' by doctors' strike as they're 'not a last resort'

The business secretary has expressed his frustration at the decision by resident doctors to strike.

Jonathan Reynolds told Sky's Wilfred Frost: "I'm hugely frustrated by the resident doctors and the decision they've taken, given the improvements in the NHS over the last year and the pay deal that they got."

He pointed out that "the number of days lost to industrial action under this government is half what it was to the previous Conservative government".

"The Conservative Party's approach [is] always a lot of rhetoric, always a lot of tough talk. What it means is more strikes," he said.

"You get more strikes under Conservative governments because of the way they mishandle industrial relations."

He went on to say: "Nobody wants to go on strike. My frustration with this industrial action is it's not as a last resort.

"I think that is genuinely frustrating given the case and the issues involved here.

"But no one should believe or accept a Conservative argument that treating people with respect in the workplace leads to more industrial action. The opposite of that is true."

UK government will recognise Palestinian state 'in this parliament', says senior minister

We've just been speaking to the business secretary about the situation in Gaza, and whether the UK will be involved in airdrops of aid amid a catastrophic humanitarian situation.

Jonathan Reynolds told Sky's Wilfred Frost that "we know the only way to get sufficient quantities of aid into Gaza is for that [Israeli] blockade [of Gaza] to end"

But "the point about the airdrops is that we cannot wait - we've got to do something", he said.

"We can all see that the lapse in humanity on display," Reynolds continued, describing the situation as "unconscionable".

He went on to say that he is not aware of the "operational" details of the plan for airdrops, but insisted the UK government has taken action to pressure Israel into increasing aid access.

The government is under vast pressure to recognise a Palestinian state, and Reynolds told Wilfred that ministers "want to" and "will" do just that.

"The question is - how can we use that in a way that gives a genuine breakthrough to a real peaceful process?" he said.

"I know many countries around the world have already done this. To be frank, to be candid, it hasn't stopped the appalling scenes that we're talking about this morning.

"So we've got to use this moment - you can only do it once. Use it in a way that gets the breakthrough that we need. And the US is really important in that."

Wilfred as if the government will recognise a Palestinian state in this parliament.

The senior minister replied: "In this parliament, yes. I mean, if it delivers the breakthrough that we need.

"But don't forget, we can only do this once. If we do it in a way which is tokenistic, doesn't produce the end to this conflict, where do we go to next?"

-SKY NEWS