3 d. ago John Rentoul answers your questions on Labour’s future – from welfare U

Chief political commentator John Rentoul answers your questions on Labour’s deepening welfare crisis, the rise of a Corbyn-Sultana breakaway party, and what it all means for Keir Starmer’s grip on government

Politics

4 d. ago Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer breaks silence on 'devastating news' of Diogo Jota's death

The Prime Minister has joined the growing list of people that have paid tribute to the tragic footy ace, who died in a horror crash just days after he married his childhood sweetheart

Politics

5 d. ago Rachel Reeves: Keir Starmer to give press conference after Chancellor seen crying

Keir Starmer will give a speech on the future of the NHS hours after facing questions about Rachel Reeves' future following her tears in the Commons at PMQs

Politics

5 d. ago Keir Starmer breaks silence after Rachel Reeves in tears at PMQs

Keir Starmer has said he and Rachel Reeves are in 'lockstep' as he praised the 'excellent job' she is doing as Chancellor after she was tearful during Prime Minister's Questions

Politics

9 d. ago Home discomforts send Trump rushing to project image of global patriarch

The tortured progress of the president’s tax-and-spend bill is likely to bring his supporters a big, ugly surprise – little wonder he was so keen to turn the focus to Iran and Nato“Daddy’s home.” So said a social media post from the White House, accompanied by a video featuring the song Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home) by Usher and images of Donald Trump at the Nato summit in The Hague.The US president’s fundraising allies were quick to market $35 T-shirts with his image and the word after Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, referred to Trump’s criticism of Israel and Iran over violations of a ceasefire by quipping: “And then Daddy has to sometimes use strong language to get [them to] stop.” Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Keir Starmer in huge DWP benefit cuts climbdown as he offers deal to rebels

Hundreds of thousands of people will avoid losing their Personal Independence Payments after Keir Starmer was forced into major climbdown to avoid a humiliating Commons defeat

Economics

1 week ago Incredible moment senior royal appears to mock Donald Trump on live TV

During his visit to the NATO summit at The Hague, Donald Trump met with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands - and many spotted a peculiar gesture by Maxima

Politics

1 week ago White House marks Trump’s return from Nato summit with ‘daddy’ music video

The White House marked Donald Trump’s return from the Nato summit with a special “daddy” music video.

Politics

1 week ago Without dignity, leaders fell at Trump’s feet in The Hague – and for what? All Nato’s key problems remain | Martin Kettle

The relationship with him is still volatile, the Ukraine strategy still unclear and Europe needs to ensure its collective defenceNato’s Hague summit was an orchestrated grovel at the feet of Donald Trump. The originally planned two-day meeting was truncated into a single morning’s official business to flatter the president’s ego and accommodate his short attention span. The agenda was cynically narrowed to focus on the defence spending hikes he demands from US allies. Issues that may provoke or embarrass Trump – the Ukraine conflict, or whether the Iranian nuclear threat has actually been eliminated by US bombing – were relegated to the sidelines.Instead, the flattery throttle was opened up to maximum, with Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte leading the assembled fawning. On Tuesday, Rutte hymned Trump’s brilliance over Iran; yesterday, he garlanded him as the vindicated visionary of Nato’s drive towards the 5% of GDP spending goal. No one spoiled the party. As the president’s own ...

Politics

1 week ago Putin's 'Doomsday Radio' spews out weird coded messages as NATO leaders meet

Russia's 'Doomsday Radio' began broadcasting a series of cryptic messages as world leaders including Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump met at a crucial NATO summit

Politics

1 week ago Keir Starmer to address nation after chilling 'prepare for war in UK' warning

Keir Starmer will give a press conference at the NATO summit in the Netherlands a day after the National Security Strategy said Brits must 'actively prepare' for war in the UK

Events

1 week ago ‘Another big success’: Nato leader flatters Trump before The Hague summit

Mark Rutte is keen to ensure US president’s support and secure agreement among members on defence spendingIn The Hague, the Nato summit waits for Donald Trump – and no one more so than the alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte. “You are flying into another big success,” Rutte wrote in a text on Tuesday, one of several released shortly afterwards by a hyperactive Trump as he travelled across the Atlantic in Air Force One.The sycophantic messages from the Dutchman had compared Nato’s plan to dramatically increase defence spending to the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend: “Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, that was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do.” Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Trump ‘flying into big success’ at Nato summit, claims Rutte who praises his ‘decisive action’ in Iran – Europe live

US president shares screenshot of congratulatory text message from Nato chief as he travels to summit in The HagueAnalysis: Summit set to be triumphant for Trump but deflating for UkraineWhittaker also says that he is expecting US president Donald Trump “might deliver some remarks” on his views on the summit, as he stresses that “we need to make sure that everyone’s investing in the common defence of the Alliance.”“I don’t want to sort of steal what he might say, nor do I claim to be able to read his mind and know what he’s going to say. But I think he has demonstrated through, again, decisive action leading to peace.”“And again, that’s good for Europe, because there’s been a lot of irregular flows of migrants through Europe, from the Middle East because of the instability. And so hopefully, with Syria now appearing to be stable, with Iran, maybe in check a little more than they had been, I think we could really see a generational moment here where the Middle East is more stable tha...

Politics

1 week ago Unthinkable Russia should outproduce us, Nato’s Rutte says, as summit waits for arrival of Trump – Europe live

Nato secretary general urges alliance to push for military investment before arrival of US president this eveningAnalysis: Summit set to be triumphant for Trump but deflating for UkraineWhittaker also says that he is expecting US president Donald Trump “might deliver some remarks” on his views on the summit, as he stresses that “we need to make sure that everyone’s investing in the common defence of the Alliance.”“I don’t want to sort of steal what he might say, nor do I claim to be able to read his mind and know what he’s going to say. But I think he has demonstrated through, again, decisive action leading to peace.”“And again, that’s good for Europe, because there’s been a lot of irregular flows of migrants through Europe, from the Middle East because of the instability. And so hopefully, with Syria now appearing to be stable, with Iran, maybe in check a little more than they had been, I think we could really see a generational moment here where the Middle East is more stable than...

Politics

1 week ago Keir Starmer responds to ceasefire crisis as Trump says Iran and Israel both broke deal

Keir Starmer said Israel and Iran "need to get back" to the ceasefire deal after Donald Trump accused both sides of violating the agreement

Politics

1 week ago Photos from The Hague as NATO leaders including Donald Trump gather for historic summit

NATO leaders are gathering in the Netherlands for the start of a historic two-day summit that could unite the 32-member security organization around a new defense spending pledge or widen divisions.

Politics

1 week ago ‘US is here to stay’, says Trump’s Nato representative, at ‘most consequential moment in alliance’s history’ – Europe live

US permanent representative to Nato says country ‘not going anywhere’ before Donald Trump visit to summitAnalysis: Summit set to be triumphant for Trump but deflating for UkraineWhittaker also says that he is expecting US president Donald Trump “might deliver some remarks” on his views on the summit, as he stresses that “we need to make sure that everyone’s investing in the common defence of the Alliance.”“I don’t want to sort of steal what he might say, nor do I claim to be able to read his mind and know what he’s going to say. But I think he has demonstrated through, again, decisive action leading to peace.”“And again, that’s good for Europe, because there’s been a lot of irregular flows of migrants through Europe, from the Middle East because of the instability. And so hopefully, with Syria now appearing to be stable, with Iran, maybe in check a little more than they had been, I think we could really see a generational moment here where the Middle East is more stable than it has ...

Politics

2 w. ago Zelenskyy warns Russia could attack a Nato member within five years as summit waits for Trump’s arrival – Europe live

Ukraine president urges leaders to increase defence spending more rapidly as Nato summit braces for Donald Trump to attendAnalysis: Summit set to be triumphant for Trump but deflating for UkraineKicking off the Nato Public Forum, Dutch justice and security minister David van Well says the organisers looked at some 40 scenarios that could disrupt the summit, including state actors, terrorists, activists, and cyber-attacks.I think you’re probably in one of the safest spaces in the world right now.“That could be sabotage, that’s one of the things that we’re looking into. And then the question is, well, who was behind it? That can be activist group, it can be state actor led, it can be any kind. “In my view, this is slow because we believe that starting from 2030 Putin can have significantly greater capabilities.Today, Ukraine is holding him up. He has no time to drill the army, and they are all getting annihilated and wiped out at the battlefield.” Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Armed by America: how Europe’s militaries depend on the US – a visual analysis

The EU wants independence on defence but it is buying thousands of weapons from the US each yearEuropean leaders will meet with Donald Trump at a Nato summit on Tuesday, as the alliance prepares to approve a significant boost to defence spending. A new target for every member to spend 5% of GDP – more than double Nato’s current benchmark – marks a major win for the US president, who has long railed against America footing the bill for Europe’s security.That concern is now increasingly mutual. European governments are pursuing an unprecedented push for military independence, amid fears the US is no longer a reliable ally. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Keir Starmer to meet Volodymyr Zelensky in UK after leader's dire Putin warning

Volodymyr Zelensky is set to hold talks with the Prime Minister in the UK, hours after at least seven people were killed in Russian air and drone strikes in Kyiv

Events