15 h. ago The seaside 'labour of love' restaurant that's opened in time for the Edinburgh Festival

There’s an Irish twist at this new establishment

Politics

4 d. ago Lammy to host Vance in UK as Starmer denounces Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City – UK politics live

The foreign secretary is to welcome the US vice-president to Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence, and Gaza is expected to be on their agendaGood morning. Keir Starmer has this morning denounced the Israeli government’s decision to take over Gaza City, agreed overnight, saying it will “only bring more bloodshed”. He has been under growing pressure for a long time, from within the Labour party, as well as from the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and the Corbyn/Sultana independent leftwingers, to be more critical of Israel, and that led to the decision last week to recognise the state of Palestine. This morning’s statement, which will almost certainly have no practical impact but which is marginally stronger than what Starmer has been saying in the past, is fresh evidence of a shift in thinking.In his statement, Starmer said:The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. This action will do nothing to ...

Politics

5 d. ago Fact check: Bank has held rates four out of nine times since Labour took power

The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee held interest rates unchanged at several of its meetings since last year’s general election.

Politics

9 d. ago MP says he was sexually abused by former National Youth Theatre boss

The Labour MP said at least one friend from his NYT days was also abused by Michael Croft, who died in 1986

Events

3 w. ago Senior Labour MP urges UK to recognise Palestinian state ahead of UN conference

Emily Thornberry says recognition is vital step towards peace and without long-term solution war in Gaza will continueUK politics live – latest updatesA senior Labour MP has said it is time for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state as some western countries are due to press ahead with their own recognition plans at an international conference this month.Emily Thornberry, who heads the influential House of Commons foreign affairs select committee, said that without a ceasefire and a long-term political solution Israel’s war on Gaza – which has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians since 7 October 2023 – will continue. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Labour suspends Diane Abbott for second time over racism comments

Party investigating after MP said she did not regret remarks about people experiencing racism in different waysDiane Abbott has been suspended from the Labour party pending an investigation into an interview which she said she did not regret her past comments on racism.The veteran Labour MP has been disciplined for the second time over her remarks that people of colour experienced racism “all their lives”, differently to the “prejudice” experienced by Jewish people, Irish people and Travellers. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Diane Abbott is suspended from Labour for a second time after she doubles down on racism comments

The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP was previously suspended by the Labour Party in 2023

Events

3 w. ago What happened the last time a Labour government opted to lower the voting age?

There are parallels between the political conditions which faced Harold Wilson and Sir Keir Starmer’s current challenges.

Politics

3 w. ago General election saw Labour outspend Tories for the first time since 2005 with party pumping £30m into getting Keir Starmer's landslide

Official figures showed the party pumped £30million into securing Keir Starmer 's landslide majority in the 12 months running up to the poll, over twice the level in 2019.

Economics

3 w. ago Voices: Keir Starmer has asserted his power by suspending the Labour rebels – about time, too

The prime minister has cracked down on ‘persistent knobheadery’ in his party, as one source put it – he’s finally shown true grit, writes John Rentoul

Politics

3 w. ago Jess Phillips says Labour rebels should not be surprised by the action taken against them – UK politics live

Home Office minister defends Keir Starmer’s decision to remove whip from four MPs and says Labour must ‘act as a team’Good morning. Chief whips tends to be quite secretive, and when four Labour MPs had the whip suspended yesterday, there was no detailed, public explanation as to why they were being punished for rebelling when so many other backbenchers, who have also voted against the party, have not been singled out. As Eleni Courea and Jessica Elgot report in our overnight story, we were just told they were regular rebels.But the best explanation came from the Labour party source who told Geri Scott from the Times that the four MPs – Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff – were being punished for “persistent knobheadery”.I don’t think that the discipline that has been meted out over the last 24 hours is linked to [the welfare bill] because many more people voted against the government than these four people.I actually don’t know because I’m not pa...

Politics