13 h. ago Livingston MP welcomes change in voting age for Westminster elections

The changes, published today in a new government strategy paper, will bring Westminster elections into line with Holyrood and local elections in Scotland, where 16 and 17-year-olds have had the vote since 2014.

Politics

17 h. ago Voting age to be lowered to 16 in UK by next general election

16- and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in all elections as part of changes including easier voter registration and a crackdown on foreign interferenceThe voting age will be lowered to 16 in the UK by the next general election in a major change of the democratic system.The government said it was a reform to bring in more fairness for 16- and 17-year-olds, many of whom already work and are able to serve in the military. It brings the whole of the UK voting age to 16. Scotland and Wales have already made the change for Holyrood and Senedd elections, as well as local council elections. Continue reading...

Politics

17 h. ago Voting age to be lowered to 16 across UK by next general election

16- and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in all elections as part of changes including easier voter registration and crackdown on foreign interferenceUK politics live – latest updatesThe voting age will be lowered to 16 across the UK by the next general election in a major change of the democratic system.The government said it was a reform to bring in more fairness for 16- and 17-year-olds, many of whom already work and are able to serve in the military. It brings the whole of the UK voting age to 16. Scotland and Wales have already made the change for Holyrood and Senedd elections, as well as local council elections. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Vote system change for electing London mayor 'good news for Labour but makes victory harder for Tories and Reform'

Will axing of first past the post encourage Sir Sadiq Khan to seek a fourth term in 2028?

Politics

1 week ago The Centre, Livingston welcomes American pretzel company as latest arrival

Auntie Anne’s, which is famous for its freshly baked, warm sweet and savoury pretzels, was founded by Anne Beiler and her husband Jonas in 1988 and started out at a Pennsylvania farmer’s market.

Politics

1 week ago ‘We need real change, not fiddling at the edges’: voters on Labour’s first year

People from across the UK discuss why the government is struggling to win the approval of a deeply divided publicFor Aiden Robertson, a 35-year-old consultant from Burnley, Labour’s first year back in government can only be summed up as “incredibly disappointing”.The year had been marked, he felt, by “dreadful communication, a lack of clear purpose, zero vision”, while Labour had been “pandering to Reform voters who will never back them”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago The leadership rumours inside Labour that speak volumes about Starmer’s future

Voters are unconvinced they have seen much change after the ‘14 years of Tory failure’ that Starmer so often talks about. Every day that this sentiment is allowed to fester, the likelihood of a coup within the Labour Party increases, writes Millie Cooke

Politics

2 w. ago House holds preliminary vote as Republican hardliners demand big changes to Trump bill – US politics live

Democrats criticize tax and spending bill as Republican holdouts remain opposed while Trump-imposed deadline loomsWhat’s in Trump’s major tax bill?Donald Trump on Tuesday toured “Alligator Alcatraz”, a controversial new migrant detention jail in the remote Florida Everglades, and celebrated the harsh conditions that people sent there would experience.The president was chaperoned by Florida’s hard-right governor, Ron DeSantis, who hailed the tented camp on mosquito-infested land 50 miles west of Miami as an example for other states that supported Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago House Republican hardliners demand big changes to Trump bill as Democrats urge holdouts to vote no on spending package – live

Most vocal critics of president’s tax and spending bill remain opposed as Trump-imposed deadline loomsWhat’s in Trump’s major tax bill?Donald Trump on Tuesday toured “Alligator Alcatraz”, a controversial new migrant detention jail in the remote Florida Everglades, and celebrated the harsh conditions that people sent there would experience.The president was chaperoned by Florida’s hard-right governor, Ron DeSantis, who hailed the tented camp on mosquito-infested land 50 miles west of Miami as an example for other states that supported Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago MTG calls pressure to meet Trump’s July 4 megabill deadline ‘a s***show’

Georgia populist tells Steve Bannon rush to vote through tax and spending legislation after multiple changes made in Senate ‘not realistic’ and ‘a dire situation’

Events

2 w. ago How every Welsh MP voted on controversial welfare change plans

Another late, and major concession, from the UK Government was needed to avoid an embarrassing defeat

Politics

2 w. ago Stirling Council under fire over staff contract changes as union mulls action

The controversial changes - voted through by councillors by a tight margin - would see changes to redundancy terms and also the introduction of settlement agreements for employees approved for voluntary redundancy.

Events

2 w. ago PIP changes explained with fears it will hugely impact Wales

What the PIP changes could mean for benefits claimants in Wales ahead of crunch vote

Politics

2 w. ago Rangers name change made official after US takeover and the real impact of move from PLC to LTD is clear

The change has kicked in following a shareholder vote at the EGM last month

Politics

2 w. ago 'Dickensian' benefit cuts slammed by leading Labour rebel as Starmer faces biggest revolt of his premiership

Ministers hope that the PM’s partial U-turn will be enough to win over sufficient Labour rebels to pass the Government’s welfare changes when MPs vote on Tuesday

Politics

2 w. ago Commons showdown on benefit reforms underway as Starmer faces biggest revolt by Labour MPs of his premiership

Ministers hope that the PM’s partial U-turn will be enough to win over sufficient Labour rebels to pass the Government’s welfare changes when MPs vote on Tuesday

Politics

2 w. ago Starmer’s authority under fire as Labour MPs threaten biggest revolt yet in crunch vote on benefit reforms

Ministers hope that the PM’s partial U-turn will be enough to win over sufficient Labour rebels to pass the Government’s welfare changes when MPs vote on Tuesday

Events

2 w. ago Keir Starmer still faces biggest rebellion of premiership over welfare reforms despite concessions

Ministers hopeful PM’s partial U-turn enough to win over sufficient Labour rebels to pass Government’s welfare changes when MPs vote on Tuesday

Politics

2 w. ago Revised Labour welfare measures could still push 150,000 into poverty

No 10 spokesperson says estimates in impact assessment written after changes to original bill ‘subject to uncertainty’More than 150,000 people could still be pushed into poverty by Downing Street’s welfare measures despite significant concessions to rebel MPs to protect those already on the benefits, according to the government’s impact assessment.It comes as ministers prepare to put forward the full package of changes ahead of a vote on Tuesday in which about 50 Labour MPs are still likely to oppose the bill. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Voices: This is the last chance for Labour and the Tories to stay relevant

Editorial: The British public has voted for change three times and been disappointed. If Starmer’s government doesn’t turn things around and if the Conservatives don’t regain some ground, Nigel Farage will be the beneficiary

Politics