ITV News at Ten

ITV News at Ten began with an ITV Exposure investigation into Reform UK's vetting. It said Nigel Farage had promised to root out extremists and bigots, but undercover reporters found gaps and cases where people with controversial views were cleared or allowed to stand. The report included an undercover reporter in Reform's Westminster headquarters, a Reform MP discussing chauvinism, and claims that a mayoral candidate, Chris Parry, would be sacked over comments about David Lammy and other black and Asian politicians but was not. It also reported that Councillor Gavin Beals was registered on a white supremacist dating site but was not suspended, that Alex Lomas said he failed vetting twice before being allowed to stand, and that George Madgwick, Reform's Hampshire County Council leader, said the Portsmouth Patriots helped Reform candidates. Reform said it had improved vetting, commenced investigations in some cases and suspended some people, adding there is no room for racism. The Prime Minister condemned a poison in British politics, while Farage said parties cannot vet future comments. A former Reform councillor said vetting was non-existent at local level, and two Solihull councillors featured in the investigation left the party. The Ministry of Justice confirmed one of them, Alan Feeney, was suspended from his prison service job.

The broadcast also reported evidence in the Russell Brand trial, where one of his accusers broke down as she described an alleged rape in a hotel room in 1999. The court was shown photos she said Brand had made her take, and her police interview was played. Brand denies all charges and the trial continues. In another story, it was reported that the mother of Henry Nowak's killer, Kiran Kaur, who was convicted of assisting an offender after hiding the knife used by Vikram Digwa, is due to be released under the government's early release scheme after serving one year of a three-year sentence, possibly around the anniversary of Henry's death, and may be deported to India.

With less than two weeks to the budget, Chancellor John Healey gave clues at the IMF meeting in Bangkok, saying help with the cost of living would be targeted and temporary and that the government would do what it could for business and households as energy bills could rise by as much as 20% in January. He also spoke about stepping up pressure on Putin and sanctions on Russia. Finally, the programme reported Harry and Meghan's first joint public appearance since returning to the UK, visiting Nottingham as non-working members of the royal family. Meghan said it was great to be back, and the visit included a community recording studio and a reunion with the Grenfell ladies.