A breach of the UK’s cyber defences is “likely, if not inevitable,” Britain’s AI minister has warned, as he unveiled new work under way aimed at preparing the country for serious incidents involving autonomous agents.

Kanishka Narayan said developers must “build machines that leave us human beings in charge” as the world crosses the threshold into “the age of superintelligence”.

In his first speech since his role was elevated to Cabinet level, he confirmed that scientists at Britain’s AI Security Institute were running tests on the latest models, including Google’s Gemini, to ensure “robust safeguards”.

It marks a reversal of the White House ban on UK access to the latest models from major American tech firms including Anthropic and OpenAI following lobbying from the minister.

Google previously said it would restrict access to Gemini to only a vetted group of cyber security experts to avoid misuse by hackers, but Mr Narayan said it would be among systems “rigorously” examined by UK scientists.

The British Government will also explore strengthening parts of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill and its wider regime to ensure key services such as hospitals and utilities are better protected from emerging risks, he said.

MPs will return to the Commons from 2.30pm.

Andy Burnham is set to give a statement a little after 3.30pm.

Nigel Farage has left the door open to working with “any” political party to help carry out its deportation plan.

The Reform UK leader said the Conservatives could not win the next general election because the party has “disappeared” in the Midlands and north of England.

But he added: “We would work with anybody, anybody from any party that would help us get this done. All right? Regardless of party, absolutely.”

Zia Yusuf and Nigel Farage (Image: Reform UK)

Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuf are now taking questions from journalists. (Image: Reform UK)

Zia Yusuf at Reform UK’s press conference (Image: Reform UK)

Reform UK wants to be able to detain 24,000 illegal immigrants at any given moment.

This presents a key question – where will they be held?

Nigel Farage speaking in front of a small boat replica (Image: Reform UK)

Reform UK will legislate to ensure that “deportation must be considered during the sentencing of foreign national offenders, Nigel Farage says.

He added that visas will automatically be cancelled.

Under Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuf’s plans, housing officers, food safety investigators, environmental health teams and trading standards will help immigration officials snare illegal migrants living in the UK.

Reform UK said the different “organs” of the state will be able to carry out “basic” immigration checks

Mr Farage is standing behind a replica of a small boat which carried 230 people across the Channel.

Reform UK’s leader said this is not a “small boat” crisis.

Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage has started speaking at his press conference.

Mr Farage said: “The country is currently facing a national security emergency, the first duty of government is to protect its citizens.

“We cannot accept more asylum seekers while we still have no idea how many people are in the country illegally and the threat they pose.

“A Reform government will always put British people first and protect our borders.”

Nigel Farage (Image: Reform UK)

Michael Knowles, our home affairs editor, has sent this in from the Reform press conference:

Unsurprisingly for this type of stunt, we’re in a warehouse near the South Coast. Projectors are beaming the names of Reform’s “Restoring Justice” onto the wall, and policy documents have been handed out. Unfortunately they are under embargo but some striking announcements are to come soon.

Kent County Council members are gathering in front of a huge inflatable mega dinghy.

It’s quite the backdrop for the Reform press conference.

The backdrop for Nigel Farage’s 11am speech is a small boat.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes snap of what it looks like. My colleague Michael Knowles is attending and will be bringing us all the latest from the press conference.

Backdrop to Farage press conference (Image: Daily Express)

Parliament returns on Monday for the first time in a few weeks. There will be a flurry of activity in Westminster once again now that party conference season has come to an end.

Proceedings in the Lords and Commons will resume from 2.30pm. Andy Burnham will make a statement a bit after 3.30pm.

Andrew Bowie, shadow energy secretary, has said the Prime Minister’s comments about Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum are “very dangerous and divisive”.

The senior Tory said: “Well, firstly, we need to see some evidence behind this claim. But we know that Russia and indeed Iran and other adversaries of ours around the world have been interfering or seeking to interfere in elections and referendums in this country and indeed within our allies for many, many years. But that Brexit referendum was a legitimate vote. People voted in this country in record numbers to leave the European Union. And I actually think it’s very dangerous and divisive of the prime minister to reopen this debate in such an explosive fashion. He knows that the division that was sowed by that referendum, the best way to resolve any lingering issues around that referendum is to get on and make the most of what we have now through Brexit, the best of the trade deals that we have, and indeed the benefits that we can get from being outside the European Union, such as being exempt from Trump’s tariffs that he introduced earlier this year.”

Andy Burnham (Image: Getty)

Here are the written ministerial statements due to be made in the Commons on Monday:

– Minister for the Cabinet Office: Artificial Intelligence Policy.

– Minister for the Cabinet Office: Procurement Reform: Measures to create good jobs and opportunities in the UK.

– Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Continuity of supply of telecommunications services.

– Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: National Museums to remain free for everyone.

– Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs activity during the conference recess.

– Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Digital Waste Tracking: Mandatory Use of the Report Receipt of Waste Service.

– Secretary of State for Health and Social Care: Health and care reviews, improvement and regulation.

– Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government: Improving housing availability and affordability.

– Secretary of State for Justice: Government Response to the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts.

– Secretary of State for Transport: Rolling Stock and Infrastructure Strategy.

– Minister for Women and Equalities: Launch of the National Taskforce for Tackling Misogyny.

Russian attempts to interfere in the Brexit referendum were not successful, a Foreign Office minister has said.

Stephen Doughty told LBC: “We know what the result was. I don’t think they’ve succeeded in their efforts.

“I don’t think they’ve succeeded in their efforts to undermine our elections.”

He added: “The security minister’s been very clear that they’ve attempted but not succeeded, in his evidence that he gave previously on this.

“But the fact is that they are attempting to interfere, and we all need to be alert to that and respond accordingly.”

The Prime Minister’s Commons statement comes a day after he told a podcast interview it was “clear” that Russia had interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

He told The Rest Is Politics podcast that the UK and its allies had been “too much on the back foot” when confronting Russian interference and “haven’t informed people sufficiently about the extent to which people are seeking to disrupt the political process from overseas”.

But speaking to Times Radio on Monday, Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty declined to provide details of what form Russian interference took in 2016 and whether it had been successful.

He said: “I’m not going to get into the specifics of Russia’s actions against the UK, but what is clear is that Russia is attempting to interfere in democratic processes, not just in the UK but across Europe.”

Mr Doughty added that Russia was spending £1.5 billion on disinformation this year and called for a “whole of society effort” to respond to the threat Moscow poses to British democracy.

Asked whether interference could have changed the result of the 2016 referendum, he said: “The result is the result, and I think the Prime Minister has been very clear that he’s talking about attempts to interfere.

“The security minister has spoken about this before. I’m confident that both the British people and the British state are able to respond to and defend against these types of threats, but we need to be very honest that those threats exist.”

Andy Burnahm (Image: Getty)

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK would back an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine after Donald Trump claimed one had been agreed.

The US president earlier posted on social media that the two countries had agreed to immediately halt attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was unaware of the development but that it was “good news”, while Moscow has not yet commented.

Mr Burnham said: “Russia has intensified its strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure over the weekend.

“This is an attack on Ukrainian civilians, plunging them into cold and darkness.

“The UK strongly supports President Trump’s call today for a sustained energy ceasefire to start now.

“I discussed this with Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday: Ukraine is ready if Russia stops its attacks. This is the best route to get energy and fuel back into world markets.”

The UK continues to support President Volodymyr Zelensky, a Foreign Office minister has said after Donald Trump suggested Ukraine should replace its leader.

Stephen Doughty told Sky News: “We support President Zelensky.

“We’ve stood with Ukraine throughout this conflict.

“It’s very, very clear that this war was started as a war of aggression by Russia, by President Putin.

“We’ve always supported United States efforts to try and get a peaceful resolution, but Russia’s response has been to continue to escalate and to attack the people of Ukraine and cause absolute devastation, as we’ve seen in recent weeks.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham could meet Ukraine’s president in person soon, reports have suggested.

A Foreign Office minister declined to say whether the UK knew about the “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine before Donald Trump announced it on social media.

Asked whether the UK had been aware of the impending announcement, Stephen Doughty told Sky News: “There are a whole range of developments that happen on a daily basis on the situation in Ukraine, and we work very, very closely with the United States and with Ukraine on these matters.

“But as I said, the facts on the ground are that Russia is continuing to attack Ukraine overnight, and that is what matters.

“Ukraine needs to be safe. It needs to have its energy infrastructure secure, and we’ll continue to stand with them.”

Donald Trump (Image: Getty)

Andy Burnham will tell MPs it would be a “dereliction of duty” not to seek a new deal with the EU. In a Commons address on Monday, the Prime Minister is expected to reiterate his argument from the Labour Party conference that Brexit has done “more harm than good”.

He will call on all parties to support the Government’s approach in seeking a closer relationship with the EU, arguing such a move could help control immigration and boost growth.

At the Labour conference in Liverpool last month, Mr Burnham said he would set out the “options” for Britain’s long-term relationship with Europe around the time of a UK-EU summit planned for the end of the year.

He has suggested that those options could include rejoining the bloc.

MPs will return to the House of Commons this afternoon after recess for conference season.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to give a statement which could range from Brexit, to diesel or his ties to Manchester City.

The Express’s political team will bring you all the latest from parliament throughout the day!

Andy Burnham (Image: Getty)

Reform UK unveiled earlier this year to impose “visa freezes” on those wanting to visit the UK legally from countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan and Syria if they do not accept deportees.

These would halt any new visas for nationals of those countries – as well as Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia – which the party would target due to having significant levels of visas issued to the UK.

When it comes to other countries that would not be greatly affected by such a measure but have trade with the UK, the party is now saying it would go further with sanctions such as tariffs and airline bans to apply more pressure.

Reform UK will pledge to use tariffs to force countries to take back migrants in plans set to be announced tomorrow. Nigel Farage’s party had already vowed to impose visa bans on those wanting to visit Britain legally from countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia if they do not accept returns of illegal immigrants and foreign criminals.

But Reform is now planning to go further by also threatening sanctions such as tariffs and banning foreign airlines from using British airspace. The party highlighted Egypt as a possible target for the measures. Reform leader Mr Farage said: “I will not tolerate countries who won’t take back illegal migrants. I’ll impose tariffs, airline bans and visa bans on any country that refuses. Only Reform will end the invasion of our country forever.”

Nigel Farage (Image: Getty)