Politics

Sir Keir Starmer will lose the general election campaign “on day one” unless he shifts his position on transgender rights, party strategists have warned. Advisers have been telling the Labour leader since late 2021 to “deal with” the issue and explain to voters that “self-ID is not going to happen”. Sir Keir’s position has evolved

The singling out of Albanian migrants in the UK has been a “very, very disgraceful moment in British politics”, the country’s prime minister has said. Edi Rama, who is in Britain for talks with Rishi Sunak, said it is essential that relations between the two countries are not defined by a few “rotten apples”. “Unfortunately

Did Boris Johnson intentionally mislead Parliament about what he knew and when about rule-breaking events in Number 10? The privileges committee maintains it is “very likely” he did. Wednesday’s appearance in front of the privileges committee was billed as the day of reckoning for the former prime minister, with all the jeopardy that it brought.

Rishi Sunak’s tax details have been released following months of political pressure, showing that he paid £432,493 in tax in 2021/22. Much of the tax was paid on his capital gains earnings, which were more than £1.6m in that tax year. The prime minister paid £325,826 in capital gains tax and £120,604 in UK income

Boris Johnson’s future is in the balance as he is set to give evidence to MPs investigating whether he misled parliament over partygate denials. The former prime minister will appear before the cross-party privileges committee at 2pm on Wednesday for a session of questioning that is due to last four hours – but could be

A man has been charged with sending offensive and indecent messages to Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner. David Perry has been charged with sending the MP a grossly offensive message and an indecent message. The 66-year-old, from Weybridge, Surrey, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 11 April. Greater Manchester Police said the

Nicola Sturgeon has urged the SNP candidates vying to succeed her as first minister to “protect the ingredients of success” – telling Sky News the leadership contest so far has been “a less than edifying process”.  In a Beth Rigby interview due to air at 9pm on Sky News, Ms Sturgeon acknowledged the turmoil in

The DUP says its MPs will vote against a key aspect of Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal when it is put to a crunch vote in parliament this week. In a statement, party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said while the Windsor Framework represented “significant progress” in addressing concerns with the Northern Ireland Protocol, it does not

Boris Johnson’s defence against claims he lied to parliament about whether he knew about Downing Street lockdown parties could be published today. The former prime minister’s case was submitted to the privileges committee by barrister Lord Pannick KC, and allies believe his position – that he was unaware any gatherings broke the rules – will

The government “doesn’t relish” deporting migrants to Rwanda but is being “forced” to pursue the controversial policy because of the rise in Channel crossings, a cabinet minister has claimed. Oliver Dowden was asked by Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday if he is “comfortable” with the idea of sending children and families to the east African

There was only ever going to be one outcome as the SNP fought off the flames of crisis after crisis. This is the week the party changed forever. Peter Murrell has been in charge of the SNP since 1999 and arguably was pivotal in its strategy to become a political force in Scotland. But in

Junior doctors and the government are set to enter talks following a 72-hour-strike which saw more than 175,000 appointments reorganised. The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents the clinicians, has pledged they will announce new strike dates if the government makes a “substandard” offer. On Friday evening, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC)

The home secretary is set to travel to Rwanda this weekend as the government’s deal to send asylum seekers to the country remains mired in legal challenges. It is 11 months since the UK agreed the deal, which would see people who claimed asylum in Britain deported to the central African nation to have their

Teacher strikes will be paused for two weeks while education unions and the government hold “intensive” talks over pay, workload and conditions. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan will meet with representatives today – with discussions to continue over the weekend until Sunday. The National Education Union (NEU), National Association of Headteachers (NAHT), NASUWT The Teachers’ Union,

Boris Johnson has been re-selected to run as the Conservative candidate in Uxbridge and South Ruislip for the next general election. The former prime minister and current MP will again contest the northwest London seat, which he first won in 2015, in the next election that is due to be held no later than January

TikTok will be banned from UK government phones amid security concerns around the Chinese-owned video app, Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden has announced. In a statement to parliament, Mr Dowden said there “could” be a risk to how government data and information is used by the app. He said that while TikTok use is “limited”,

Labour has said it will oppose plans to abolish the lifetime pensions allowance, calling it a “tax cut for the rich”. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the party will force a vote on the policy next week, predicting it could “unravel as quickly as it began”. Ms Reeves compared it to Liz Truss’s doomed attempt

Just six months ago, the economy was on the brink, with markets concerned that the UK would not be able to pay back its spiralling obligations. Debt costs were rising.   Yet fast forward to today, and Jeremy Hunt delivered another heavy spending budget – doling out £21bn a year, funded by yet more borrowing,

Hundreds of thousands of workers will strike today in what could be the biggest walkout since the current wave of industrial action began. Teachers, university lecturers, civil servants, junior doctors, London Underground drivers and BBC journalists will form picket lines around the country to coincide with the chancellor’s budget, amid continuing dissatisfaction with issues including

After the debacle of Liz Truss’s September mini-budget, with all its mega ramifications, and an autumn statement eight weeks later that performed an about-turn so big that the country’s tax burden hit a 70-year-high, Wednesday’s budget will be all about stability and sticking to the plan. “No big bangs in this budget,” is how one