65 m. ago Scots have ‘voted for change’, says Starmer following Labour’s surprise win

The Prime Minister congratulated his winning candidate and looked ahead to next year’s Scottish Parliament election.

Politics

3 h. ago Keir Starmer's muddled politics are reaching their limit. It's time for him to make a choice | Andy Beckett

Veer left or double down on the right? Either way, the prime minister needs to commit and sell it to an impatient electorateAfter less than a year in power, Labour has reached a familiar place. Keir Starmer’s troubled government is at a fork in the road, wondering which direction to follow. With the delivery of its spending review next week after several acrimonious delays, and a Commons vote on its divisive welfare cuts expected later this month, the government’s unity and morale are fragile. The public finances are severely strained, with ever more competing demands, such as for extra defence spending. Though much more energetic than its Tory predecessor, this government often seems opaque, unable to explain its purpose in a compelling way.Many voters and journalists – even more impatient than usual after years of manic politics – are already considering what might replace Starmer’s administration. At barely 20% in the polls, Labour is as unpopular as in its most disliked days und...

Politics

12 h. ago British Palestinians urge action from Government as relatives starve in Gaza

The group is asking the Government to impose comprehensive economic and diplomatic sanctions on Israel.

Politics

13 h. ago Keir Starmer grilled by schoolchildren on Messi v Ronaldo debate

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was grilled by schoolchildren during a visit on Thursday - with many keen to know his verdict on the Messi v Ronaldo debate.

Politics

16 h. ago Gerry Adams to donate 100,000 euros to Irish language and Palestinian charities

Mr Adams took the BBC to court over a 2016 episode of its Spotlight programme and an accompanying online story, which he said defamed him.

Politics

16 h. ago UK faces calls for 5% GDP defence spend, ahead of PM’s meeting with Nato chief

Mark Rutte, the secretary general of the alliance, said on Thursday he is proposing Nato members spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence.

Politics

16 h. ago Keir Starmer vows to attack child poverty crisis after free school meals boost

Keir Starmer said expanding free school meals to more than half a million more pupils next year was a 'down payment' on the Governments plans to drive down child poverty

Events

18 h. ago Should all children be given free school meals? Vote in our poll

Keir Starmer has announced plans to extend free school meals to all children in families receiving Universal Credit in England in a bid to tackle child hunger in the classroom - and we want to hear your thoughts

Politics

19 h. ago Starmer describes free school meal expansion as ‘down payment’ on child poverty

Ministers have announced plans to expand free school meals to all pupils in England in families on universal credit from September 2026.

Politics

19 h. ago Starmer steps up call for aid to flow into Gaza after US vetoes UN resolution

The Prime Minister said the situation in Gaza was ‘intolerable’ and No 10 stressed that Israel had obligations under international humanitarian law.

Politics

20 h. ago Keir Starmer to meet head of Nato amid speculation over spending commitments

Mark Rutte will visit Sheffield Forgemasters with Defence Secretary John Healey, and give a speech at Chatham House.

Politics

20 h. ago Over 100 of Britain's biggest athletes send powerful letter to Keir Starmer: 'Not a risk'

In a powerful open letter to the Prime Minister, Olympic champions, global medallists and rising stars have called on the government to back the bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships at the London Stadium with £45million of funding

Events

21 h. ago UK tourists to face major passport change at European holiday hotspot airport

The change follows the signing of a 'post-Brexit reset' deal by Sir Keir Starmer last month

Society

21 h. ago Brits can skip long passport queues at major European holiday destination from this week

Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas Symonds confirmed Keir Starmer's deal with the EU was delivering benefits already - allowing holidaymakers to zip through eGates instead of lengthy passport queues

Politics

23 h. ago Keir Starmer urged to implement new rule for older drivers immediately

Dr Peter Hampson, an Optometrist and Clinical and Policy Director at the Association of Optometrists (AOP), has urged Keir Starmer to introduce a new rule for older drivers

Politics

23 h. ago Reform UK chairman calls Farage’s newest MP ‘dumb’ over burqa ban calls

Zia Yusuf said it is ‘dumb’ for the party to urge Keir Starmer to do things Reform UK would not

Politics

23 h. ago What Keir Starmer's new free school meals plan means for London

The government has announced the major change to free school meals will take effect from next year

Politics

24 h. ago Keir Starmer urged to introduce stricter eyesight testing rules for all drivers

Experts are demanding new eyesight testing rules for drivers.

Politics

25 h. ago Badenoch to launch review examining whether UK should pull out of ECHR

It comes ahead of a speech Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch is expected to make on Friday.

Politics

27 h. ago Why is defence such a hard sell? The same reason Starmer is struggling in the polls | Martin Kettle

Decades of failures have left liberal democratic governments unable to command public confidence when it really mattersDefence reviews and foreign policy resets seem to turn up almost as often as the Sussexes’ lifestyle brand relaunches these days. Labour’s strategic defence review this week comes less than two years after the Conservatives’ hardly less detailed defence white paper in July 2023, which in turn was a “refresh” of Boris Johnson’s ambitious integrated review of defence and foreign policy of March 2021. By this measure, it must be doubtful if, come the 2030s, analysts will look back on Keir Starmer and John Healey’s review and say it broke the mould.The Labour government was entitled to try to put its own stamp on defence policy, of course, and its review team of George Robertson, Richard Barrons and Fiona Hill did a good, reasonably independent job. Yet this 2020s pattern of repeated strategic adaptation and refocus feels like the new normal now. It is also true that gr...

Politics