9 h. ago First asylum seekers will be sent back to France in days as ministers 'straining at the bit'

Asylum seekers who arrived in small boats will be sent back to France as soon as Monday under a one-in one-out deal Keir Starmer struck with French President Emmanuel Macron

Politics

12 h. ago Labour's small boat migrants deal to be 'overwhelmed with last

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp - who served as an immigration minister in Boris Johnson's government - said Labour's plan would be overwhelmed by legal challenges.

Economics

15 h. ago Minister says Government ‘straining at the bit’ to control migration

The first flight could be as early as Monday, it is understood.

Politics

43 h. ago Officials were aware of Mandelson emails to Epstein before Starmer defended him

The Prime Minister is understood not to have been aware of the contents of the emails until Wednesday evening.

Politics

62 h. ago Brits heading to Greece on holiday face new bans in two months

The Greek government is considering extending a ban on short-term rentals. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking at the Thessaloniki International Fair, spoke on the topic of holiday lets

Politics

2 d. ago Macron has defied the will of the people. He leaves the French public no choice but to Block Everything | Rokhaya Diallo

The president they call Jupiter has repeatedly shown utter disregard for the public voice at the ballot box. No wonder we are taking to the streetsThe protests that rocked France this week did not come out of the blue. For more than a year now, our country has been in a state of unprecedented political turmoil. You can date this crisis to June 2024, when Emmanuel Macron unexpectedly called a snap election that produced gridlock in the national assembly, rendering all subsequent governments unable to govern. This week’s events have added another historic chapter to the tumult.For the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, a government collapsed after a vote of confidence initiated by a prime minister. François Bayrou, in office for just nine months, chose to place his ministerial fate in the hands of an openly hostile hung parliament. The outcome was a foregone conclusion: even the right, though partly represented within his government, broke ranks – a third of the conserva...

Politics

3 d. ago Spotlight falls on Starmer’s political judgment after Mandelson sacking

Decision to end support for US ambassador over Jeffrey Epstein links comes just before Donald Trump state visit Keir Starmer is facing serious questions about his political judgment after he was forced to sack his US ambassador, Peter Mandelson, over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.In the second damaging departure for the government in a week, the prime minister withdrew support for Lord Mandelson over emails to Epstein from 2008 suggesting his sentence for soliciting a child for prostitution should be challenged. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Epstein’s shadow hangs over special relationship before Trump state visit

Jeffrey Epstein’s toxic legacy has touched the US and UK governments and the royal family.

Politics

3 d. ago Pressure mounts on Mandelson over ‘sickening’ links to Epstein

A Government minister said emails between Lord Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein made him ‘shudder’.

Events

3 d. ago Hedgehog highways could become requirement for new buildings

Lords amend planning bill to include protections for wild animals, including bird-safe glass and swift bricksHedgehog highways and bird-safe glass could become requirements for all new buildings as members of the House of Lords push through amendments to the government’s planning bill.This may cause a headache for ministers, who have tried to avoid burdening developers with laws on nature measures such as “swift bricks”. The new Lords amendments include mandated provision for these nesting boxes, which campaigners say are crucial for the survival of the threatened species. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Ban new floating bus stops to protect disabled people – Tories

Shadow transport minister Jerome Mayhew accused the Government of being ‘deaf to the blind and not prepared to take effective action’.

Politics

4 d. ago Attack on asylum hotel ‘absolutely despicable’, says Swinney

The Cladhan Hotel in Falkirk has been the subject of a number of protests in recent weeks.

Events

4 d. ago Swinney says there is a ‘real chance’ for a better deal on tariffs for Scotch

The Scottish First Minister spoke after discussing the issue with US President Donald Trump in the White House on Tuesday.

Economics

4 d. ago Poland shoots down drones over its territory amid Russian attack on Ukraine

Donald Tusk says operation was launched after ‘repeated violations of Polish airspace’Follow the latest updates livePoland scrambled its own and Nato air defences to shoot down drones that entered its airspace on Wednesday during a Russian attack on Ukraine in what the Polish army called an “act of aggression” as Warsaw got involved in the war in its neighbouring country for the first time.The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, said early on Thursday that operations were continuing and that he was in “constant contact” with the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte. Tusk called for an emergency meeting of the council of ministers at 8am local time, a government spokesman said. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Macron appoints Sébastien Lecornu as France’s new prime minister

Defence minister has served in all of the president’s governments

Politics

5 d. ago RAF Scampton unsuitable for asylum use and must have ‘positive’ future – council

West Lindsey District Council says it remains ready to help deliver a regeneration plan for the former air base, creating thousands of jobs.

Events

5 d. ago France to get third PM in a year as Bayrou resigns after confidence vote

Prime minister hands in resignation after thousands of protesters gather to celebrate ousting and plan day of actionThe French prime minister, François Bayrou, has handed in his resignation after losing a confidence vote that has plunged France into government collapse and political crisis.Emmanuel Macron has said he will appoint a new prime minister in the coming days, who would then have to form a new government. This will be the third French prime minister in a year, whose first task will be the major challenge of agreeing a budget among a divided parliament. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Germany's schadenfreude over Britain's 'asylum chaos': German media gloats UK has 'lost control of migration despite Brexit' and 'society and infrastructure is groaning'

The popular Bild outlet claimed both civil society and infrastructure were 'groaning' under the weight of illegal and legal migration.

Events

5 d. ago Keir Starmer faces Labour backlash as Government decides Israel has NOT committed genocide in Gaza

The Government said it had not concluded Israel is acting with the 'intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group'.

Politics

5 d. ago Starmer hits out at Reform’s ‘politics of grievance’ as his new Cabinet meets

The Prime Minister also told his top team that economic growth is the Government’s top priority as it seeks to take on Nigel Farage’s party.

Politics