12 h. ago Government’s deal with Iraq to return illegal migrants will ‘deter small boat arrivals’, says Starmer – UK politics live

Prime minister says ‘strengthened partnership with Iraq will secure our borders’ as more councils in England plan to challenge asylum hotelsTrain fares in England are now expected to rise by a higher-than-expected 5.8% next year, causing concern among passenger groups.Rail ticket increases are usually calculated by adding one percentage point to July’s inflation reading on the retail prices index (RPI), which came in 0.2 points above forecasts on Wednesday at 4.8%. Continue reading...

Politics

25 h. ago Government signs deal with Iraq to return illegal migrants in latest bid to deter small boats

It comes after an £800,000 deal last year with Baghdad to help the country crack down on smuggling networks

Events

25 h. ago Government strikes returns deal with Iraq in latest bid to deter small boats

The agreement signed during a visit to the UK by Iraq’s deputy prime minister will allow for the ‘swift’ return of failed asylum seekers.

Politics

40 h. ago Ed Davey calls for review of terrorism legislation after Palestine Action arrests – UK politics live

The Lib Dem leader is seeking a review of the laws to prevent the ‘en masse’ arrestsIt is “absolutely essential” for the US to be part of European security guarantees for a potential Ukrainian peace deal, but there is “lots more work to be done” on what they will entail, a minister has said.“The really important progress yesterday was on the security guarantees, these issues that the prime minister and president Macron have been leading on within Europe, with 30 countries involved in planning with a coalition of the willing to make sure we can provide those guarantees.Those guarantees are really important. You’re right to say that there’s now lots more work to be done on the nature of those guarantees. That’s what is now under way.You’ve seen that happening immediately. It was already under way, as I say, across 30 countries, and now the United States is going to be involved in that.In the House of Commons, we abstained [from the decision to make Palestine Action a proscribed organi...

Events

6 d. ago Watch live: Starmer welcomes Zelensky to Downing Street ahead of Trump

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer welcomes Volodymyr Zelensky to 10 Downing Street on Thursday, 14 August, a day before Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are due to meet.

Politics

9 d. ago Palestine Action is a ‘violent organisation’, Downing Street says after mass arrests over the weekend – UK politics live

Anyone showing support for Palestine Action ‘will feel full force of the law’, says justice minister as government defends decision to proscribe protest groupRichard Adams is the Guardian’s education editorStudents in England are expected to receive A-level grades that are closer to normal for the first time since the Covid pandemic triggered school closures and exam cancellations.If the student, for instance, needed three As [and] gets AAB, as long as the B is not in something that’s absolutely crucial for the course, I think there’s a very strong possibility the student would find they’d be getting a place. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Anyone showing support for Palestine Action ‘will feel full force of the law’, justice minister says – UK politics live

Government defends decision to proscribe protest group after mass arrests at a demonstration in Westminster over the weekendIn other news, a hostile environment era deportation policy is being expanded by Labour as the government continues to try to limit the threat from Reform by talking and acting toughly on migration.Foreign criminals from 15 more countries, including India, Bulgaria and Australia, face deportation before they have a chance to appeal against the decision to remove them, in a widening of the government’s “deport first, appeal later” scheme.Richard Dannatt wrote privately to two separate Home Office ministers asking them to address the “threat” posed by the group after its activists targeted a factory in 2022.The activists caused extensive damage to the factory which is run by Teledyne, a US multinational that sells technology for military, aerospace and other applications. Lord Dannatt has been a paid adviser to the company since 2022. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Vance says UK and US have ‘disagreements’ over Gaza, as he confirms Trump does not back Palestinian state recognition – as it happened

David Lammy is hosting the US vice-president at Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence in Kent, where they will discuss the Middle EastThe SNP is calling for the recall of parliament so that MPs can approve sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu in the light of his decision to extend the occupation of Gaza. In a statement Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, said:A genocide is happening before our eyes in Gaza. Words of condemnation aren’t anywhere near enough - if we have any hope of stopping this genocide strong actions are desperately needed, now. That means Keir Starmer needs to recall Westminster and take concrete steps to sanction the Israeli government. Those sanctions must include ending all arms sales to the Israeli military, stopping all training, logistical and military support to the IDF, directly and personally sanctioning Netanyahu and his ministers and finally and immediately recognising the state of Palestine before it is brutally wiped off the map. If the ...

Politics

1 week ago Vance says UK and US have ‘disagreements’ over Gaza, as he confirms Trump does not back Palestinian state recognition – UK politics live

David Lammy is hosting the US vice-president at Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence in Kent, where they will discuss the Middle EastThe SNP is calling for the recall of parliament so that MPs can approve sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu in the light of his decision to extend the occupation of Gaza. In a statement Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, said:A genocide is happening before our eyes in Gaza. Words of condemnation aren’t anywhere near enough - if we have any hope of stopping this genocide strong actions are desperately needed, now. That means Keir Starmer needs to recall Westminster and take concrete steps to sanction the Israeli government. Those sanctions must include ending all arms sales to the Israeli military, stopping all training, logistical and military support to the IDF, directly and personally sanctioning Netanyahu and his ministers and finally and immediately recognising the state of Palestine before it is brutally wiped off the map. If the ...

Politics

1 week ago Vance meets Lammy in UK as Starmer denounces Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City – UK politics live

The foreign secretary is hosting the US vice-president at Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence, and Gaza is expected to be on their agendaThe SNP is calling for the recall of parliament so that MPs can approve sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu in the light of his decision to extend the occupation of Gaza. In a statement Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, said:A genocide is happening before our eyes in Gaza. Words of condemnation aren’t anywhere near enough - if we have any hope of stopping this genocide strong actions are desperately needed, now. That means Keir Starmer needs to recall Westminster and take concrete steps to sanction the Israeli government. Those sanctions must include ending all arms sales to the Israeli military, stopping all training, logistical and military support to the IDF, directly and personally sanctioning Netanyahu and his ministers and finally and immediately recognising the state of Palestine before it is brutally wiped off the map. If...

Politics

1 week ago Vance to arrive in UK for Lammy meeting 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 agendaJohn Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, says Israel’s decision to occupy Gaza City is “completely and utterly unacceptable”. In a message on social media, the SNP leader said:The decision of the Israeli government to seize control of Gaza City is completely and utterly unacceptable. It will create even more human suffering for the Palestinian people and further escalate the conflict. The international community must stop Israel and secure a ceasefire.Netanyahu’s brutal plan to take control of Gaza is yet another declaration of intent to commit war crimes. The UK must do more than express disapproval: end military cooperation and arms sales, recognise Palestine, demand an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week 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

2 w. ago Keir Starmer downplays warnings that taxes will have to be raised in autumn

PM says he doesn’t recognise some figures in independent forecast that projects £51bn shortfall in public finances UK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has sought to play down warnings that the government will be forced to raise taxes this autumn and said some of the figures being circulated “are not ones I recognise”.The prime minister was responding to forecasts from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), which projected a shortfall of up to £51bn in the public finances, given a number of factors had knocked the chancellor’s plans to stay within Whitehall spending limits, including higher debt interest payments and U-turns on welfare spending cuts. Continue reading...

Events