7 h. ago Immigration debate live: Labour’s Mike Tapp accuses Reform’s Zia Yusuf of ‘feeding racism’ in fiery exchange

Debate grows fiery as Sir Keir Starmer faces growing calls to sack Lord Mandelson over links with Jeffrey Epstein

Events

8 h. ago Immigration debate live: Labour and Reform set to clash over record small boat crossings and asylum protests

The debate takes place after Sir Keir Starmer has faced growing calls to sack Lord Mandelson over his links with Jeffrey Epstein

Events

10 h. ago Starmer faces growing Labour revolt amid claim Mandelson dealt with Epstein after conviction: UK politics live

PM refuses to say whether he was aware of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein before appointment

Politics

15 h. ago Starmer says he has confidence in Peter Mandelson despite resurfaced ties to Jeffrey Epstein – UK politics live

PM was grilled by Kemi Badenoch on suitability of Mandelson for job as US ambassador Helena Horton is a Guardian environment reporter.Emma Reynolds, the new environment secretary, had a difficult job this morning: meeting a group of farmers after Labour caused fury in the rural community by introducing a new inheritance tax.The Treasury reserve, designed to be used for “genuinely unforeseen, unaffordable and unavoidable pressures” has recently been used to fund higher public sector pay and compensation payouts.In a letter to ministers, the chancellor said Treasury would only consider providing reserve funds to departments that have already maximised their savings Continue reading...

Politics

17 h. ago Keir Starmer will meet Israeli president Isaac Herzog as MPs express ‘grave concern’ at the visit – UK politics live

The visit is seen as highly contentious amid the war in Gaza and Israel’s bombing of Qatar in a targeted strike aimed at Hamas officialsPeter Mandelson, the British ambassador to the US, has spoken at length about how he regrets “very, very deeply indeed” his past friendship with the billionaire paedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.After new evidence about the extent of that friendship came to light yesterday, Mandelson gave an interview to the Sun’s editor-at-large in the US, Harry Cole, accepting that the disclosures were “very embarrassing to see and to read”.I just feel two things now – one, I feel a tremendous sense, a profound sense of sympathy for those people, those women, who suffered as a result of his behaviour and his illegal criminal activities.Secondly, I regret very, very deeply indeed carrying on that association with him for far longer than I should have done I just would say this during all the time I was an associate of his, I never saw the wrongdoing. I neve...

Politics

20 h. ago Voices: ‘A bully’s tool’: Readers slam new home secretary’s ‘desperate’ immigration rhetoric

Our community is dubious of Shabana Mahmood’s visa suspension plan – and accused Labour of pandering to Reform and ‘making threats like an empire’

Society

20 h. ago Rachel Reeves urged to ditch Labour pledge not to raise taxes: UK politics live

The CBI chief said that ‘geopolitics and global markets have shifted’ and Labour should rethink its policy not to raise tax

Politics

21 h. ago What is the endgame in this toxic immigration debate: is it friends and neighbours thrown out of the country? | Jonthan Liew

The notion of remigration was abstract, but the right is dragging it towards respectability. If the goal is homogeneous whiteness, they should say itDo they come for you at dawn or dusk? In the dead of night, or at family dinnertime? Will they come with masks and shields, or will they be kindly and sheepishly apologetic? Will they accept a cup of tea and a biscuit if offered? Will there will be bags already packed by the door, protocols prepped and drilled, a list of numbers to call? Will you go quietly and with dignity, or in a mess of curse words and screaming limbs?Perhaps right now this all feels a little fantastical and far-fetched. Perhaps it feels hard to imagine the great wave of remigration lapping up on the pristine middle-class doorsteps of Stroud or Stoke Newington. We can still have a chuckle about it. Maybe there’ll be a nice fat relocation cheque. A free one-way holiday on the British government. Always wanted to visit China at this time of year, and so on.Jonathan Li...

Events

38 h. ago Lucy Powell to stand for Labour deputy leadership after reshuffle sacking – UK politics live

Former leader of the Commons joins Emily Thornberry, Bridget Phillipson and Bell Ribeiro-Addy in raceKemi Badenoch has just delivered a speech offering to help Labour with legislationg for welfare cuts. I will post key points soon.She is now taking questions. Continue reading...

Politics

41 h. ago Emily Thornberry joins deputy Labour leader race and says Gaza and wealth tax among her priorities – UK politics live

Thornberry joins Bridget Phillipson and Bell Ribeiro-Addy in having said she will standEmily Thornberry, the chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, has confirmed that she is standing to be Labour’s deputy leader.In a statement on social media, she says:I’m running for Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.We fought hard for a Labour government. But we’ve made mistakes and must listen.We do have to accept that we have to have a discussion about what members don’t like and what voters don’t like, and what’s gone wrong.It’s very important to note that a load of Labour members and voters are unhappy about the handling of the situation in Gaza, the winter fuel allowance, the welfare cuts.The Labour party is a broad church and, actually, when we are able to have debates, when we are able to bring forward different views, it actually makes us better. It makes us more appealing to the electorate and, more importantly, it’s what the Labour membership wants to see.One homogenous view is ...

Politics

42 h. ago First cabinet minister enters race to become deputy Labour leader – UK politics live

Bridget Phillipson describes herself as ‘a proud working-class woman’ in statement announcing her bid to replace Angela RaynerWes Streeting, the health secretary, hasn’t just been on the Today programme this morning; he has been doing a media round, promoting the new NHS league tables for England, and in other interviews he has revealed more about why he is not committing to backing Bridget Phillipson for deputy leader at this point. (See 8.35am.)In an interview with Times Radio, Streeting said he would “certainly prefer the next deputy leader to be a woman”.[Phillipson] would definitely be a great deputy leader if she was chosen. There are other women in the race who I think would also be great deputy leaders. So I’m not endorsing anyone at this stage.Without being disrespectful to some brilliant women in London who are standing, like Emily Thornberry [whom] I’ve got a lot of respect for, I can well understand why lots of my colleagues are saying we should have a deputy leader from...

Politics

43 h. ago "Selling Manchester short": Reform UK's Northern Powerhouse Rail plan accused of being a 'cheap trick'

Leaders have condemned the insurgent party's calls to scrap Northern Powerhouse Rail

Politics

43 h. ago Labour deputy leadership live: Bridget Phillipson confirms plans plus all the latest candidates

Keir Starmer faces the prospect of weeks of manoeuvring to fill Angela Rayner's role as the race to replace her is set to stretch into October

Politics

50 h. ago Now Labour is revising its plans 'for migrants to live on military bases'

Labour is poised to revive plans to house migrants on ex-military bases less than a year after they were abandoned on cost grounds.

Events

53 h. ago Reform accused of having 'no plan' after saying it'd scrap high

Reform UK was last night accused of having 'no plan' for Britain after its deputy leader Richard Tice said it would scrap new high-speed rail schemes if elected

Politics

61 h. ago New home secretary Shabana Mahmood says she will not run for deputy leader after Labour accused of ‘stitch

Candidates will need backing of 80 MPs by 5pm on Thursday if they wish to standPaul Nowak, the TUC general secretary, used his speech to conference this morning to say that the TUC expected the government to deliver its workers’ rights bill “in full”. He said employment rights were “overwhelmingly popular with voters across the political spectrum”.And he condemned Reform UK for its stance on employment rights. After saying that Nigel Farage claimed to represent working class people, he went on:Here’s the truth – there is a world of difference between what Nigel says and what Nigel does.Every single Reform MP, including Mr Farage, voted against outlawing fire and rehire, against banning zero hours contracts and against day one rights for millions of workers.Ask yourself this fundamental question. Do you believe in your gut that that Nigel Farage really cares about the people of Clacton when he’s off collecting his speaker’s fees in the United States?Do you believe that Richard Tice r...

Politics

63 h. ago UK politics live: Thornberry and Haigh make Labour deputy leader pitches as race heats up

Labour’s national executive meeting to draw up plans for contest today

Politics

65 h. ago UK politics live: Starmer accused of deputy leader race ‘stitch

Labour’s national executive meeting to draw up plans for contest today

Politics

66 h. ago UK politics live: Emily Thornberry ‘first to jump into Labour deputy leader race’ as contest to kick off

Labour’s national executive meeting to draw up plans for contest today

Politics

67 h. ago UK politics live: Labour to launch deputy leadership race after Starmer completes cabinet reshuffle

Labour’s national executive meeting to draw up plans for contest today

Politics