95 m. 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

18 h. ago Keir Starmer removes Labour whip from four ‘persistent rebel’ MPs

Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff pushed out and three trade envoys lose rolesUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has removed the Labour whip from four MPs for repeatedly breaching discipline and stripped three further Labour MPs of their trade envoy roles in an effort to assert his control over the party.The Guardian understands that the four MPs who have lost the whip are Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff. They were informed on Wednesday afternoon and told their positions would be kept under review. Continue reading...

Politics

19 h. ago Keir Starmer to remove Labour whip from at least four ‘persistent rebel’ MPs

Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff to be pushed out as PM takes actionUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer is to remove the whip from MPs for persistent rebellions, starting with at least four of them on Wednesday afternoon.The Guardian understands that four MPs set to lose the whip are Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman, and Chris Hinchliff. Continue reading...

Politics

20 h. ago UK politics live: ‘Angry’ Starmer says Tories have questions to answer over Afghanistan data breach

Email blunder triggered the evacuation of thousands of Afghans who were brought to the UK under a secret resettlement scheme

Politics

21 h. ago Rather be on holiday already? Starmer is flanked by glum ministers at last PMQs before summer break as he dodges on fears of MORE tax hikes

Flanked by glum ministers including Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner, Keir Starmer was pressed to spell out who will be protected from efforts to fill an estimated £30billion hole in the public finances.

Politics

22 h. ago UK politics live: Starmer says Tories have ‘serious questions’ to answer over Afghanistan data breach

Email blunder triggered the evacuation of thousands of Afghans who were brought to the UK under a secret resettlement scheme

Politics

22 h. ago PMQs live: Starmer says Tories have ‘serious questions’ to answer over Afghanistan data breach

Email blunder triggered the evacuation of thousands of Afghans who were brought to the UK under a secret resettlement scheme

Politics

23 h. ago Live: Starmer faces questions in final PMQs before summer recess

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch face off in Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday (16 July).

Politics

26 h. ago Final question on The 1% Club wipes out nine players as only two survive letters riddle

In a previous episode of the ITV show, hosted by Lee Mack, 11 contestants battled it out for the top spot during the final round of the competition.

Sport

43 h. ago Why DID Julian McMahon flee his secret Californian paradise, vanish from public life, only to die at the 'Mecca of Scientology'? Unanswered questions about actor's final years

The mystery surrounding Julian McMahon's death in the United States appears to grow murkier by the day.

Events

45 h. ago Thousands offered UK asylum in secret scheme after personal data of Afghans who helped British forces leaked by mistake – live

Dataset containing details of thousands of Afghans who applied for relocation to UK released ‘in error’ in 2022Helen Miller is taking over as director of the Insitute for Fiscal Studies thinktank this week, taking over from Paul Johnson, who established himself as the nation’s leading budget commentator.Budget commentary tends to focus on the Treasury’s fiscal rules, on how much “headroom” is available to Rachel Reeves (spare cash in the budget – based on spending plans and anticipated tax revenue, based on the OBR’s growth assumptions), and whether tax or spending plans need to change because the OBR’s forecasts have shifted.Labour came to office with the promise of a ‘mission-driven’ government – a commitment to long-term thinking and systemic reform. The ambition that we should be ‘raising our sights as a nation’ and finding ways to tackle the big challenges we face is the right one.Despite this, we continue to limp from fiscal event to fiscal event, obsessed with whether run of ...

Society

66 h. ago Heatwaves have caused 10,000 excess deaths in England in past four years, says Miliband – UK politics live

Energy secretary addresses MPs, telling them the UK is getting hotter and wetter with three times the number of days above 30 degreesAs Rowena Mason revealed recently, No 10 has issued guidance that in effect bans civil servants from any level of speaking at events where journalists are present.Today the Times has published a letter signed by almost 30 experts – including former senior officials, thinktank leaders, academics and union leader – saying this policy is a mistake because it is having “a chilling effect on public discussion” and that it should be withdrawn. They say:The government’s new guidance that prevents public officials from participating properly in public or stakeholder events is a mistake. Effective government relies on public servants, whose salaries are paid by the taxpayer, hearing directly from businesses, charities, academics and citizens to help them make better policy. They should be able to explain government activity to those same groups. Continue readin...

Politics

67 h. ago Streeting says BMA ‘shockingly irresponsible’ over tactics for doctors’ strikes – UK politics live

Health secretary welcomes talks with union but says members have been told not to inform trusts if they are going to take actionAs Rowena Mason revealed recently, No 10 has issued guidance that in effect bans civil servants from any level of speaking at events where journalists are present.Today the Times has published a letter signed by almost 30 experts – including former senior officials, thinktank leaders, academics and union leader – saying this policy is a mistake because it is having “a chilling effect on public discussion” and that it should be withdrawn. They say:The government’s new guidance that prevents public officials from participating properly in public or stakeholder events is a mistake. Effective government relies on public servants, whose salaries are paid by the taxpayer, hearing directly from businesses, charities, academics and citizens to help them make better policy. They should be able to explain government activity to those same groups. Continue reading...

Events

69 h. ago Starmer to meet Trump in Scotland this month as demonstrations planned against state visit – UK politics live

PM to meet US president during private visit in July as Stop Trump Coalition announces protest planned for SeptemberAs Rowena Mason revealed recently, No 10 has issued guidance that in effect bans civil servants from any level of speaking at events where journalists are present.Today the Times has published a letter signed by almost 30 experts – including former senior officials, thinktank leaders, academics and union leader – saying this policy is a mistake because it is having “a chilling effect on public discussion” and that it should be withdrawn. They say:The government’s new guidance that prevents public officials from participating properly in public or stakeholder events is a mistake. Effective government relies on public servants, whose salaries are paid by the taxpayer, hearing directly from businesses, charities, academics and citizens to help them make better policy. They should be able to explain government activity to those same groups. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Treasury minister says ‘headline’ rate of income tax won’t go up, in hint thresholds might be frozen in budget – UK politics live

Darren Jones also declines to rule out wealth tax when questioned about government plansRecord-breaking extreme weather is the new norm in the UK, a report by the Met Office says. Damian Carrington has the story.Here is the Met Office summary. And here is the full report.The number of days with temperatures 5°C above the 1961-1990 average has doubled for the most recent decade 2015-2024 compared to 1961-1990. For 8°C above average the number has trebled and for 10°C it has quadrupled. This shows how the hottest days we experience in the UK have increased in frequency dramatically in just a few decades. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Carlos Alcaraz shocked by BBC question from Annabel Croft after crushing Wimbledon defeat

Carlos Alcaraz was beaten by Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon men's singles final before giving an awkward response to an unusual question from the BBC's Annabel Croft

Events

5 d. ago Mixed reaction to Starmer’s migrant deal as charities add to calls for clarity

Some welcome a plan for a legal route to the UK but others worry about how people will be selected for deportationUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer’s migrant return deal is under scrutiny after charities called for more clarity on how people will be chosen for deportation and the EU said it was still assessing the agreement.No 10 said on Friday it was confident in the legality of the deal to return about 50 people a week to France in return for accepting the same number through a safe and legal route. Continue reading...

Economics

6 d. ago Macron blames Brexit for rise in migrant crossings as Starmer hails ‘breakthrough’ small boats deal: Latest

French president says Britons ‘sold a lie’ as plan to tackle small boat Channel crossings unveiled

Politics

6 d. ago Press conference in full: Starmer and Macron unveil migrant return deal after crunch talks

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron announce a migrant return deal with France intended to tackle illegal crossings over the Channel.

Politics

6 d. ago Starmer says ‘one in, one out’ deal with Macron to stop migrant boat crossings will start within weeks: Latest

France’s president ends three-day state visit to UK with announcement on plan to tackle small boat Channel crossings

Politics