43 h. ago Farage claims transformation of British politics as Reform makes major gains

Widespread local election wins raise prospect of populist party becoming Labour’s main opposition

Politics

1 week ago How CAN Labour MPs campaign for a Pakistan airport while rubbish piles up in streets? Multiculturalism has failed: MATT GOODWIN

As I write this, mounds of bin bags are continuing to pile up on Birmingham 's festering streets. Fly-tipping is rife, as are the rats - some as big as cats - that scurry through the streets.

Events

1 week ago Keir Starmer urges MPs to ‘lower the temperature’ in debate on gender ruling

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pushes PM on what she says is a change of stance over definition of a womanUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has urged MPs to “lower the temperature” in debating last week’s supreme court ruling on gender, as he was challenged repeatedly on the subject by Kemi Badenoch during prime minister’s questions.The Conservative leader, who took the place of her shadow equalities minister, Mims Davies, to respond to a Commons statement about the ruling on Tuesday, used all her allocation of questions to push Starmer over what she said was his change of stance. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago ‘I like pushing boundaries’: Yinka Shonibare on his landmark art show in Madagascar

The British-Nigerian artist explores colonialism and connection in his first major solo exhibition in Africa. Plus, a grime MC goes oyster farmingHello and welcome to The Long Wave. Earlier this month I was in Antananarivo, Madagascar, where I checked out the British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare’s first major solo exhibition in Africa. For this week’s newsletter I caught up with him about the landmark show, and learned a lot about the growing Malagasy art scene.Madagascar is not a country that figures prominently in media – western or otherwise (beyond the children’s film) – and as such it was difficult to know what to expect. I hadn’t imagined an opportunity to visit, and so Fondation H’s invitation to the capital to explore the art scene felt once in a lifetime. It was certainly a long way to travel for an exhibition: from London, with a stopover in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the journey topped 15 hours, though as soon as I landed in Madagascar I was instantly taken by its lush, gr...

Politics

1 week ago British Steel halts redundancy plans after Government rescue

In March, British Steel’s Chinese owners announced plans to shut down its Scunthorpe furnaces and cut jobs.

Events

1 week ago Shock for British seller as Far East bird paintings hung in his family home for four decades are found to be worth almost £1MILLION

The paintings were commissioned by a Chinese emperor and had remained in the Far East for almost 200 years until they were acquired by a British army major.

Economics

1 week ago Coldplay draws 200,000 fans as Hong Kong bets big on concert tourism boost

The British band were the first major international act to perform at the newly-opened Kai Tak Sports Park

Politics

1 week ago ‘The people’s pope’: what the papers say about the death of Pope Francis

Pope Francis, an outsider Jesuit pontiff from Argentina, is being mourned across the globe – here is the front-page reaction in BritainThe death of Pope Francis has reverberated around the world, with the Catholic leader remembered by millions as a Jesuit pontiff who pushed for social and economic justice.Here is how the major British newspapers responded to the news. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Major tourist destination declares 'pre emergency' in warning to British holidaymakers

Holidaymakers may want to avoid the destination over the next few days, as a number of alerts about hazardous weather conditions have been issued.

Events

3 w. ago Keir Starmer 'saved British Steel to stave off Reform challenge in Labour heartlands'

The government used a rare Saturday sitting of Parliament yesterday to push through emergency legislation effectively taking control of the industry.

Politics

3 w. ago Bill to save British Steel plant becomes law after king’s approval

Emergency legislation giving government power to instruct British Steel to keep plant open passed unopposedBusiness secretary says British Steel owners Jingye wanted ‘excessive amount’ – videoProposals to save British Steel’s Scunthorpe blast furnaces have been granted royal assent after an extraordinary parliament sitting on Saturday.Emergency legislation giving the government the power to instruct British Steel to keep the plant open passed the Commons and Lords in a single day unopposed. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago Parliament approves emergency powers to take control of Scunthorpe steelworks

Emergency legislation giving the Government the power to instruct British Steel to keep the plant open passed both the Commons and Lords in one day.

Politics

3 w. ago SNP claim double standards as MPs told Grangemouth 'not comparable' to British Steel

Emergency legislation is being pursued to save the British Steel plant at Scunthorpe from closure.

Politics

3 w. ago Moment MPs back move to take control of British Steel in emergency debate

MPs have backed the government’s plans to take control of British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant in a rare weekend emergency debate in parliament on Saturday, 12 April.

Politics

3 w. ago MPs approve Government bid to take control of Scunthorpe steelworks

The emergency legislation passed the Commons unopposed.

Politics

3 w. ago British Steel latest: MPs back move to take control of Scunthorpe plant in emergency debate

Sir Keir Starmer’s emergency bill to save Scunthorpe steelworks plant from closure approved by Commons

Politics

3 w. ago British Steel nationalisation is ‘likely option’, says business secretary

MPs recalled to Parliament to debate bill after Chinese owners said furnaces were not financially viable

Politics

3 w. ago British Steel latest: Nationalisation ‘likely’, says business secretary as MPs debate emergency law

The prime minister will pass a bill through parliament in a single day on Saturday

Society

3 w. ago MPs debate emergency law to take control of British Steel after Chinese owners’ ‘excessive’ demands – live

No 10 has published a draft law that would give the business secretary the power to direct the companyIt’s been a busy morning for Sarah Jones, who is now on BBC Breakfast.Asked whether the government had received any private offers for the company’s Scunthorpe plant, Sarah Jones said:There is not at the moment, to answer your question, a private company that is there willing to invest at this point.When we came into government, there was a deal on the table with Tata Steel in Port Talbot.We negotiated in 10 weeks a much better deal, but there was a private company willing to invest, who are now investing.We are hoping that the company will co-operate with what we are asking them to do, we hope that we will give them a notice and they will continue.If they do not, we will step in. Now the company will be liable for any costs that we incur, and we will seek to get that money back.We have the £2.5 billion fund for steel which we had in our manifesto, that we will use if necessary, so ...

Society

3 w. ago MPs begin debating emergency law to save British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant

MPs returned to Westminster on Saturday after being recalled from recess to debate the emergency legislation intended to save the Scunthorpe plant.

Politics