57 h. 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

58 h. ago Councillor quits Labour and says she intends to join Reform UK

Sue Haworth, a former cabinet member of Bolton Council, has left former party members 'baffled' at her plans to defect

Politics

61 h. 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

65 h. ago Here’s the truth about Britain’s immigration hysteria: Starmer and co have whipped it up to get cheap votes | Nesrine Malik

He is part of a political establishment that is fuelling a crisis way beyond the point that they can ever be seen to solve it. It’s a cynical, idiotic doom loopImmigration has been a fixture of Britain’s political discourse for so long, it now feels, like Voltaire’s god, that if the issue did not exist, we would have to invent it. What would our politics look like, what would the broad majority of Britain’s media do with themselves, without immigration? It has become such a feature of the country’s political culture, it amounts to a sort of historical exhibit: “rivers of blood”, the “hostile environment”, “go home” vans, “controls on immigration” crockery, the Brexit “breaking point” poster, the Windrush scandal, “stop the boats”, “island of strangers”. And now, summer riots.What conjoins all of these is one thing: misinformation. I have banged on for years in this column about the disconnect between immigration discourse and the reality of how hard and expensive it is to enter the ...

Politics

4 d. ago Voices: Why Starmer will be back for another stab at welfare cuts

Despite the humiliating U-turn on cuts to disability benefits, the prime minister has not given up on reducing ballooning social security spending. Ministers believe they have now found a way to proceed – and how to quash any rebellion, says Andrew Grice

Politics

4 d. ago DVLA warning as over 70s could face 'mandatory' tests to keep driving licence

The DVLA has warned drivers over 70 that they could face 'mandatory' vision and cognitive tests in the future in order to keep their driving licences, as well as a major overhaul of the use of driving licences as proof of age

Events

4 d. ago Labour lays the ground for September tax bombshell as Rachel Reeves looks to fill £50billion black hole in nation's finances

Labour is laying the ground for tax reforms this autumn that could spell misery for millions.

Economics

6 d. ago Reeves confirms Treasury reviewing gambling taxes – UK politics live

Gambling tax reform is being strongly promoted by Gordon Brown, the former Labour PM who also spent 10 years as chancellorRushanara Ali, the homelessness minister, is facing criticism for hiking rent on a property she owns by hundreds of pounds, reportedly just weeks after the previous tenants’ contract ended, PA Media reports. PA says:Four tenants who rented a house in east London from Ali were sent an email last November saying their lease would not be renewed, which also gave them four months’ notice to leave, the i newspaper reported.Ali’s property was then re-listed with a £700 rent increase within weeks, the newspaper said. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Londoners face ‘maximum’ council tax hikes to limit huge funding blow from Labour reforms, warns IFS

Cash for inner London town halls will be 11-12% lower in 2028-29 in real terms under the reforms, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies

Events

6 d. ago Inner London boroughs will be big losers in Labour's plan to shake

Cash for inner London town halls will be 11-12% lower in 2028-29 in real terms under the reforms, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies

Politics

7 d. ago Labour accused of using Jimmy Savile’s name to ‘bait’ Nigel Farage

Lawyer for abuse survivors criticises ministers for using late TV presenter’s ‘toxic’ name for political point scoringUK politics live – latest updatesLabour’s use of Jimmy Savile’s “toxic” name appeared to be an attempt to “deliberately bait” Nigel Farage and would distress survivors of child sexual abuse, lawyers for victims of the late TV presenter has said.Alan Collins, the head of the abuse team at Hugh James solicitors, said it was “concerning” to see Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, and others use Savile’s name to try to “score points over political opponents”. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Labour blasts John Swinney for 'peddling myth' that only SNP can defeat Reform at Holyrood election

The SNP leader previously warned only his party could defeat Reform at the Hamilton by-election - only for Labour to then claim victory in South Lanarkshire.

Politics

7 d. ago Jimmy Savile’s name being used for ‘disturbing’ political point scoring, says lawyer for victims

Alan Collins said that he doubted ‘any online legislation would interfere with the criminal activities of a latter-day Savile’

Politics

8 d. ago TonyInterruptor by Nicola Barker review – satire that sees right through you

This brilliantly over-the-top comedy about an unworldly heckler explores art and authenticity – being tripped up by it is part of the funAs TonyInterruptor begins, musician Sasha Keyes is in the middle of an improvised trumpet solo. A man stands up in the audience and says, “Is this honest? Are we all being honest here?” He points at Sasha and adds, “You especially.” Soon a video of the episode appears online, with a companion clip of Sasha’s vitriolic reaction: “Some random fucking nobody some dick-weed, small-town TonyInterruptor.”Given the times we live in, this naturally leads to Sasha’s trial by social media for artistic fraudulence and abusive conduct. But the shockwaves soon extend to everyone adjacent to the event: Fi Kinebuchi, the self-styled “Queen of Strings”, who was playing with Sasha at the time; India Shore, the teenager who posted the first video; India’s father, Lambert, an architecture professor with a secret crush on Fi Kinebuchi; his wife Mallory, who divid...

Politics

8 d. ago Poland is sliding back towards populism. Democrats elsewhere should heed our mistakes | Karolina Wigura and Jarosław Kuisz

Donald Tusk has failed to offer a positive vision for the future. Without one, liberals will just be an interval between populist actsWe were travelling across Poland by train the day after the country’s sensational parliamentary elections in autumn 2023. When news of the results came through, passengers in our compartment fell into each other’s arms, rejoicing as though a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Hard as it was to believe after eight years, the national populists of the Law and Justice party had been ousted from power on a record turnout of 75% of voters. We felt the potential of democracy to change things for the better as a physical sensation.Less than two years have passed but this enthusiasm has disappeared without trace. The Law and Justice-backed candidate Karol Nawrocki won the presidential election run off in June with 50.89% of the vote, securing the admiration of Donald Trump in the process. Days before Nawrocki’s swearing in on Wednesday [6 Augu...

Politics

9 d. ago Nigel Farage 'fanning flames of hatred' with 'dangerous' claims of 'cover

One Labour MP described Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as a 'fake patriot' who is seeking to 'exploit division and fan the flames of hate for his own political gain'

Politics

9 d. ago Reform UK gets first police and crime commissioner after Tory defection

Rupert Matthews has joined Nigel Farage’s party as he says the ‘dark heart of wokeness’ needs removing from the justice system.

Events

9 d. ago Labour reignites row with Nigel Farage as Home Office minister Jess Phillips says Reform UK is 'empowering modern

Home Office minister Jess Phillips launched a fresh attack on Reform's promise to scrap the Online Safety Act.

Politics

1 week ago Cut red tape hindering marine restoration to boost coastal towns – Tory MPs

Kitty Thompson, head of campaigns at CEN, said offering solutions for coastal communities could also help the Conservatives challenge Reform.

Politics

1 week ago Hibs' motivation at Dundee revealed as David Gray gives Lewis Miller transfer update after big win

What a difference a year makes for Gray and Co as Pressley sees ‘green shoots’ in defeat

Politics