9 h. ago Ministers accused of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ over UK’s soft power around the world

Government’s own advisers warn of funding crisis for BBC World Service, British Council and universitiesAs US retreats, is there a ‘soft power’ opportunity for UK?Ministers have been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” over threats to the UK’s soft power around the world, as some of their own advisers warned a funding crisis is undermining key institutions promoting British influence.Members of the government’s new soft power council, set up by ministers earlier this year, warned the BBC World Service, the British Council and universities – regarded as the bodies at the forefront of the UK’s soft power efforts – all face major financial pressures. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Police warn Starmer of ‘stark choices’ on investigating crimes if faced with cuts under spending review

Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley among senior police officers who reportedly issued direct warning in letter to prime minister ahead of spending review

Events

4 d. ago Opioid ‘hundred times stronger than heroin’ linked to UK clubbing deaths for first time

Nightclubs such as Ministry of Sound and Fabric have issued warnings over the new blue-green pill being sold in London

Events

4 d. ago PM Sir Keir Starmer calls on nation to be ready for war with Mad Vlad's Russia

The prime minister warned the 'threat of Russia cannot be ignored' and said the UK must prepare for battle as he announced £15bn spending on nuclear weapons programmes

Events

5 d. ago John Swinney takes aim at 'real threat' of Nigel Farage's 'far

The First Minister has warned voters not to give Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party a foothold in Scottish politics.

Events

5 d. ago Minister warns UK faces 'new threats in very dangerous world' and 'is not in peace'

Defence minister Luke Pollard warned that Brits are now living in a "very dangerous world" and that "new threats" are facing the country as our military lingers from a "lack of investment"

Events

6 d. ago Britain faces attacks from Russia ‘daily’, minister warns ahead of Starmer’s defence review

Defence secretary John Healey admits the size of the army will not start to grow until at least 2029 as he appears to confirm Labour want to buy fighter jets capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons

Events

7 d. ago Israel’s ‘violations’ in Gaza make world more dangerous, Norway warns

Low respect for international law and human rights set worrying precedent, international development minister saysIsrael is setting a dangerous precedent for international human rights law violations in Gaza that is making the whole world more dangerous, Norway’s international development minister has warned.Norway has played a historical role in the region, including by facilitating the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians that led to a celebrated breakthrough deal in 1993. Last year it recognised the Palestinian state, one of a minority of European countries to do so. Continue reading...

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7 d. ago Drones, AI and new technology will dramatically change nature of war, UK defence review to warn

MoD document expected to highlight dangers posed by Russia and China, and shortfall in UK troop numbersBritain is facing “a new era of threat” with drones, artificial intelligence and other technologies changing the nature of warfare more fundamentally than at any other point in history, the government’s strategic defence review is expected to conclude on Monday.The 130-page document written by three advisers to the prime minister, Keir Starmer, will warn of the “immediate and pressing” danger posed by Russia and is expected to try to draw heavily on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago ‘New era of threat’ amid changing face of war, UK defence review to warn

MoD document expected to highlight dangers posed by Russia and China, and shortfall in UK troop numbersBritain is facing “a new era of threat” with drones, artificial intelligence and other technologies changing the nature of warfare more fundamentally than at any other point in history, the government’s strategic defence review is expected to conclude on Monday.The 130-page document written by three advisers to the prime minister, Keir Starmer, will warn of the “immediate and pressing” danger posed by Russia and is expected to try to draw heavily on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago England could run out of drinking water within TEN YEARS as mass immigration fuels rapid population growth, warns minister

Emma Hardy said the country faces an 'infrastructure crisis' as she set out plans for the Government to seize take control of the planning process for two new reservoirs.

Events

9 d. ago England could run out of drinking water within TEN YEARS, warns minister

Emma Hardy said the country faces an 'infrastructure crisis' as she set out plans for the Government to seize take control of the planning process for two new reservoirs.

Events

9 d. ago Trump warns Netanyahu against bombing Iran because he is 'very close' to nuclear deal with Ayatollah

President Donald Trump warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against taking any kind of action that could disrupt the Iran nuclear talks, the president revealed on Wednesday. 

Events

1 week ago UK politics live: minister defends Labour’s justice record after warnings of threat to public safety

Housing minister says previous government left prison system in state of ‘criminal neglect’ amid warnings over early release plan The government is seeking to give a boost to smaller developers with faster planning decisions and financial backing to speed up building new homes.It will set out the detail of proposals to cut red tape and for planning decisions to be shifted away from councillors and towards expert officers as part of efforts to meet Labour’s pledge to build 1.5m homes by 2029-30.We’ve inherited, as you know, a housing system that’s not building enough homes part of the reason it is broken is that we’re overly reliant on a small number of large volume housebuilders. So we’ve got to diversify the housing market and get smaller housebuilders back in the game.In the 1980s they used to produce about 40% of all homes. Today it’s less than 10%, and so the package we’re announcing today allocating land specifically to SME housebuilders, providing them with more financial supp...

Events

1 week ago Start planning ration packs with chickpeas for Russian attack on UK's food supply chain, experts warn

Experts warned that ministers had given little thought to how groups such as vegans or Muslims would be fed if Britain's 'vulnerable' food supply chain was knocked out.

Events

1 week ago Cabinet minister breaks ranks to condemn assisted dying legislation

Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, said there was a 'curtailed' debate in the House of Commons over what would be 'such wide societal change'.

Politics

1 week ago Reform a ‘real threat’ at future elections, Welsh first minister warns

Eluned Morgan said she was “really fearful” the party could make gains in Welsh parliament

Events

1 week ago God saved Trump to give Europe last chance to get its act together, says Albanian prime minister

Edi Rama, who has just secured his fourth term as prime minister of Albania, warned Europe had been ‘sleepwalking’

Politics

2 w. ago Children with special needs in England may lose legal right to school support

Exclusive: Schools minister declines to rule out replacing EHCP documents as part of plans to change Send systemHundreds of thousands of children with special needs could lose their legal entitlement to extra support in schools in England under plans being considered by ministers, a move that campaigners warn could force thousands more pupils out of mainstream education.The reforms relate to education, health and care plans (EHCPs), statutory documents families have relied on for more than a decade to guarantee their children’s right to support for conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and mental health issues. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Labour figures urge recognition of Palestinian state at UN conference

Ministers told ‘symbols matter’ and move would give Palestine stronger footing in future peace talksMinisters are under pressure from inside and outside Labour to recognise Palestinian statehood at a UN conference next month, with party grandees arguing it would bolster prospects for peace and demonstrate moral leadership amid escalating tensions. Alf Dubs, the veteran Labour peer and Holocaust survivor, said the symbolic recognition of a Palestinian state would offer Palestinians “the self-respect they’d have if they had a proper state,” and provide them a stronger footing in any future peace negotiations.“Even if it doesn’t lead to anything immediately, it would still give Palestinians a better standing,” Lord Dubs said. “Symbols matter.” The former cabinet minister Peter Hain echoed the call, warning that “delaying recognition until negotiations are concluded simply allows Israel’s illegal occupation to become permanent”. Lord Hain argued that formal recognition should be “a cata...

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