Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 26 Jun 2016

1. Jeremy Corbyn sacks Benn over leadership coup

Hilary Benn has been sacked from the shadow cabinet over claims he was plotting a coup against Jeremy Corbyn. The shadow foreign secretary was reportedly encouraging ministers to resign should the leader ignore a vote of no confidence. A Labour source told the BBC Corbyn had "lost confidence" in Benn, who said there was "widespread concern" about Corbyn’s leadership.

2. HSBC 'will move jobs to Paris if UK leaves single market'

HSBC would move up to 1,000 staff from London to Paris if the UK left the single market, claims the BBC. The relocated employees would be those who already process payments made in euros for the lender in Canary Wharf. The Brexit vote means the UK will need to renegotiate its trade relationship with the European Union - including whether it remains part of the single market.

3. Millions sign petition calling for second referendum

More than 2.5m people have signed an online petition calling for a second EU referendum. The petition already has more signatures than any other on the parliamentary website and as it has passed the 100,000 threshold, parliament will consider it for a debate. However, Nigel Farage has responded to the petition saying the vote was not a “best of three” affair.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

4. Anti-Polish flyers distributed as post-Brexit racism grows

Abusive flyers urging Poles to go back to their home country were distributed outside a school within hours of the result of the EU referendum. The laminated cards stated: “Leave the EU, No more Polish vermin” and “Go home Polish scum.” Baroness Warsi, a former co-chairwoman of the Conservative party, has made public a dossier of alleged racist incidents since the Brexit vote.

5. Islamic State supergrass is helping British detectives

The first Islamic State supergrass is assisting British police. Mohamed Abrini, the “man in the hat” linked to the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, has been helping British detectives gather intelligence on suspected terrorist plots and jihadist sympathisers in the UK. A supergrass is a suspect who helps the authorities in return for immunity from prosecution or a lenient sentence.

6. Obama declares major disaster as floods cause chaos

Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in the state of West Virginia, where the worst floods in more than a century have left at least 24 people dead. The US president ordered federal aid for three of the worst affected counties, where residents will now receive grants for temporary housing and repairs. More than 30,000 homes and businesses are without power.

7. Government spends £600,000 to fight Straw torture case

The government has spent at least £600,000 of taxpayers’ money trying to stop a civil case being brought against Jack Straw by a husband and wife who allege that British intelligence was complicit in their detention, rendition and torture. The couple were seized in Malaysia and rendered via Bangkok to Libya in 2004 in an operation conducted jointly by MI6, the CIA and Libyan intelligence.

8. Justine Greening congratulated after coming out

International development secretary Justine Greening was congratulated yesterday after announcing she was in a same-sex relationship. As London’s gay pride parade took place, the Tory MP, who backed the “remain” campaign, tweeted: “Today’s a good day to say I’m in a happy same-sex relationship, I campaigned for Stronger In but sometimes you’re better off out! #Pride2016”.

9. Child abuser convicted the day after his suicide

A man has been convicted of child abuse the day after he killed himself in what is believed to be a legal first in England. Darren Turk, 54, had been on trial for the rape and sexual assault of boys at the boarding school where he once worked, but killed himself on the eve of the jury delivering their verdict. It's believed to be first time in UK that dead man has been convicted.

10. Al-Shabaab kill over a dozen in Mogadishu hotel attack

At least 14 people were killed when gunmen swept into a hotel in Mogadishu and took hotel guests hostage, police and medical workers said yesterday. Security forces then hunted down the attackers and ended the assault, which began with an explosives-laden vehicle blowing up at the hotel gate. The Islamic extremist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility.