18 minutes ago UK politics live: Badenoch refuses to commit to reversing rise in employers’ national insurance in speech at CBI

Tory leader says she will not ‘comment on every bit of micro-policy’Q: Are you feeling the pressure? There is a petition signed by 2 million people calling for another election.Starmer says he is not surprised that people who did not support Labour in the first place want the election to be re-run. But that is not how the system worked.I’m not surprised, quite frankly, that as we’re doing the tough stuff, there are plenty of people who say, ‘Well, I’m impacted.’I think anybody who’s turned around an organisation or a business will tell you, and they’re right, if you’re really going to turn something around, you have to do the hard yards upfront. Don’t look at a tough decision and then leave it for a year or two.So we’re doing the tough stuff. But in the budget, which is probably the tou...

Politics

19 minutes ago Storm Bert: environment secretary says flood defences in ‘worst condition on record’ after Tory government – live updates

Steve Reed has criticised previous administration and promised £2.4bn to improve facilitiesHave you been affected by flooding in the UK? Get in touchNorthamptonshire Police have warned people in the area “while the flooding remains ongoing, please avoid all unnecessary travel and do not drive through floodwater of any depth – it is not worth the risk.”In Yate in the west of England, BBC Bristol reports that about 100 properties were flooded overnight, and residents had to be evacuated. Continue reading...

Events

19 minutes ago UK politics live: McVitie’s boss says it’s hard to understand why businesses would invest in Britain

CBI chief Rain Newton-Smith said that business had been caught ‘off-guard’ by national insurance hikes

Economics

25 minutes ago London council apologises for overcharging mother for care after family told of £7,000 debt

Woman’s daughter raised alarm after telling Kingston Council she was not aware family had fallen into arrears of more than £7,000

Economics

26 minutes ago Trump’s defense pick Pete Hegseth faces scrutiny over sexual assault claims and attacks on UN and Nato – US politics live

Hegseth comments on the Geneva conventions and new sexual misconduct allegations raise questions over suitability to lead PentagonTrump Pentagon pick urges US to ignore Geneva conventionsIn the last three days president-elect Donald Trump finished up making his major cabinet announcements.If you missed them, here is a quick roundup.Trump chose Brooke Rollins, president of the America First Policy Institute, to be agriculture secretary.Trump named Scott Bessent, a longtime hedge-fund investor who taught at Yale University for several years, to serve as Treasury secretary.Trump picked Russ Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget. Vought was OMB chief during Trump’s previous term in office and has been deeply involved in Project 2025 in recent years.Trump announced Sebastian Gor...

Events

27 minutes ago Loose Women reveals huge show first as Charlene White shares 'biggest ever announcement'

Loose Women will be broadcast live for 25 consecutive hours in December as the ITV show looks to help support people and encourage them to talk about mental health

Events

32 minutes ago Ed Sheeran breaks silence on Ruben Amorim exchange after Man United backlash

Ed Sheeran has apologised after interrupting Ruben Amorim's interview with Sky Sports after Manchester United drew 1-1 at Ipswich on Sunday

Politics

39 minutes ago Ding Liren beats Gukesh Dommaraju in World Chess Championship 2024 Game 1 – as it happened

Ding wins Game 1 when Gukesh resigns after 42 movesExplainer: all your pre-match questions, answeredOur Leonard Barden has filed his final dispatch ahead of today’s opening game. Barden, who’s written the Guardian’s chess column every week since September 1955, doesn’t divert from the general consensus in his assessment of the match.The preliminaries are nearly over: who will win? I expect Gukesh to be cautious in the first few games, then to probe and push hard in the middle of the match. Ding’s 2024 form has been so wretched that it is difficult to see how he can keep his title. A 7.5-4.5 margin for Gukesh looks about right. Continue reading...

Sport

42 minutes ago Sniper Elite Resistance offers more of the same – but it’s hard to complain with stealth this good

While not making any major gameplay strides, Sniper Elite Resistance is doing right by the franchise's penchant for creative stealth opportunities and dense map design.

Events

42 minutes ago Prince Andrew and Fergie still live together but author gives verdict on remarriage

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew have remained the best of friends despite their divorce in 1996 - and it has prompted speculation they will remarry in the future

Politics