10 h. ago Minister says Labour ‘won’t take a chainsaw to the civil service’ amid cuts backlash

The man described as ‘Keir Starmer’s unofficial deputy prime minister’ insists he has not set targets in slashing the number of civil servants as he unveils reforms

Politics

11 h. ago Minister vows 'radical' changes to the Civil Service under cost

Pat McFadden unveiled plans for major reform of Whitehall in a bid to modernise and cut the eye-watering cost of the system to taxpayers.

Politics

11 h. ago Government verdict on UK conscription as 'defences step up for new reality'

Intergovernmental Relations Minister Pat McFadden addressed the conscription issue after Labour announced major spending increases to the defence budget as the world gets more dangerous

Politics

19 h. ago Labour ministers cost the taxpayer £2million after racking up hue travel bill in just 90 days

From jaunts to the Euros and the Olympics in Paris to meetings in Indonesia, Japan and Ecuador, Labour ministers racked up a £2.1 million bill for travel from July to September last year.

Economics

35 h. ago Islamophobia charity Tell Mama facing closure after funding pulled by government

Police sources raise alarm over cut as anti-Muslim hate incidents in Britain hit record highThe government is cutting all funding for the Islamophobia reporting service Tell Mama, leaving it facing closure weeks after it revealed a record number of anti-Muslim hate incidents in Britain.Since its foundation in 2012, Tell Mama has been wholly funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to run its reporting service, which received almost 11,000 reports in 2023-4, and support victims of Islamophobia. Continue reading...

Politics

39 h. ago From staff cuts to aid reductions, UN humanitarian agencies scramble in wake of US funding freeze

Trump administration freezes on U.S. foreign aid have led many United Nations organizations to cut staff, budgets and services in places as diverse as Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine and even the United States

Politics

56 h. ago Scots Labour MP meets UK Government minister in bid to bring AI jobs to Glasgow

EXCLUSIVE: Gordon McKee met with AI minister Feryal Clark on Thursday to discuss the possibility of Scotland's largest city becoming an AI Growth Zone.

Politics

58 h. ago Young adults receiving disability benefits should be forced to seek work or training or have their cash stopped, says report backed by David Blunkett

Former Labour minister Lord David Blunkett is indorsing a call for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to be made 'conditional' for those aged 18-30 to combat spiraling joblessness.

Economics

4 d. ago Bid to stop children 'doom scrolling' on social media apps such as TikTok and Snapchat is watered down after Labour ministers oppose tough crackdown

Labour MP Josh MacAlister proposed legislation to protect under-16s from addictive social media content on sites like TikTok and Snapchat .

Politics

4 d. ago Labour MP says Starmer ‘taking the axe’ to UK’s aid budget to fund defence

Labour MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion also said a ‘scandalously large amount of ODA’ had been spent ‘on domestic refugee costs’.

Economics

4 d. ago Tories push for answers after Labour minister claimed to be in the Middle East 'pushing for a Gaza peace deal'... was photographed on stage at London's iconic Ronnie Scott's jazz club

Hamish Falconer, the Middle East minister, was photographed attended a swanky lunch event at Ronnie Scott's in Soho yesterday.

Politics

4 d. ago Welfare cuts expected in Spring Statement spark fears for Scottish services

The Spring Statement will come later this month

Politics

4 d. ago Service sector job cuts speed up as firms brace for tax rises

Companies face growing costs when the minimum wage and employer taxes rise at the start of the new financial year in April.

Economics

5 d. ago Labour is accused of placing its relationship with Beijing over national security

Labour has been accused of placing its ties with authorities in Beijing over its national security interests after government chose to leave China off its updated register of foreign influence.

Events

5 d. ago Treasury team urged to bus officials around England amid fears of ‘ignorance’

Labour MP Graham Stringer asked: ‘Can the Treasury minister provide coaches to send Treasury officials round the English regions?’

Politics

5 d. ago JD Vance claims he was not referring to Britain or France in jibe about European troops – UK politics live

US vice president says he ‘didn’t even mention’ UK or France in jab about ‘20,000 troops from random country’ protecting UkraineMichelle O’Neill, Northern Ireland’s first minister, has described a decision to build thousands of lightweight missiles for Ukraine in a Belfast factory as “incredulous”.The Sinn Féin leader in Northern Ireland, who is also boycotting the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the White House, said the money should be invested in infrastructure and peace.I find it really incredulous that at a time when public services are being cut left, right and centre.At a time when we have endured 14 years of austerity ... I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Tories accuse Vance of being ‘deeply disrespectful’ to Britain and France with jibe about European troops – UK politics live

James Cartlidge, shadow defence secretary, says US vice president has ‘ignored service and sacrifice’ after Britain and France sent troops to AfghanistanMichelle O’Neill, Northern Ireland’s first minister, has described a decision to build thousands of lightweight missiles for Ukraine in a Belfast factory as “incredulous”.The Sinn Féin leader in Northern Ireland, who is also boycotting the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the White House, said the money should be invested in infrastructure and peace.I find it really incredulous that at a time when public services are being cut left, right and centre.At a time when we have endured 14 years of austerity ... I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Labour ministers are urged to use billions in Russian assets

At the weekend, Rachel Reeves announced that she would use the profits of frozen Russian assets to fund a £2.26 billion loan scheme to help Kyiv fund its reconstruction and buy weapons.

Politics

5 d. ago Local people to ‘control where Whitehall cash goes’ under neighbourhoods plans

Money will be made available from April 2025, with projects expected to be able to get up and running in 2026.

Events

6 d. ago Starmer faces pressure from senior Labour MPs over cuts to overseas aid budget

Labour former minister Barry Gardiner argued the cuts will lead to more deaths.

Events