58 h. ago Badenoch insists Tories are still the main opposition to Labour

The Tories won just 6% of the vote in a Scottish Parliament by-election this week.

Politics

65 h. ago Keir Starmer's muddled politics are reaching their limit. It's time for him to make a choice | Andy Beckett

Veer left or double down on the right? Either way, the prime minister needs to commit and sell it to an impatient electorateAfter less than a year in power, Labour has reached a familiar place. Keir Starmer’s troubled government is at a fork in the road, wondering which direction to follow. With the delivery of its spending review next week after several acrimonious delays, and a Commons vote on its divisive welfare cuts expected later this month, the government’s unity and morale are fragile. The public finances are severely strained, with ever more competing demands, such as for extra defence spending. Though much more energetic than its Tory predecessor, this government often seems opaque, unable to explain its purpose in a compelling way.Many voters and journalists – even more impatient than usual after years of manic politics – are already considering what might replace Starmer’s administration. At barely 20% in the polls, Labour is as unpopular as in its most disliked days und...

Politics

3 d. ago Italy’s citizenship referendum could make the country fairer. It's a miracle it's happening at all | Jamie Mackay

For decades, the state has been tightening its rules around who qualifies as Italian. This is a chance to fight backWhen I first moved to Italy in 2012, I had no idea that more than a decade later I’d still be here. Back then, being British I had the luxury of EU citizenship, and thus of not overthinking things. I was excited by the prospect of spending time in a country that I’d always been fascinated by, and that was that. And yet, post-Brexit, I’m still here. Italy is my home. My community is here and I’ve made my career here. I speak the language fluently, and I’m even making progress with the hand gestures. Politically, I’ve lived through seven prime ministers – from Mario Monti to Giorgia Meloni – but, sadly, one thing I’ve never been able to do, in all these years, is vote in an election.This weekend, Italians will participate in a referendum that includes a proposal to halve the time of legal residency required for non-EU adult foreigners to apply for Italian citizenship, fr...

Politics

5 d. ago Alba Party urges independence supporters to 'max the Yes vote' at Hamilton and Larkhall by

EXCLUSIVE: Kenny MacAskill compared this week's Hamilton by-election with the historic vote in 1967 that saw Winnie Ewing triumph.

Politics

5 d. ago Mongolia PM resigns after losing confidence vote that followed weeks of protests

Critics had called for Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai to step down after reports of his son’s lavish spending Mongolia’s prime minister has resigned after he failed to receive enough support in a vote of confidence in parliament, Mongolian media has reported. The country’s embassy in Washington confirmed it.Prime minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai received 44 votes, well short of the 64 needed, according to news site ikon.mn. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Mongolia's prime minister resigns after losing a parliament vote of confidence after protests

Mongolia’s prime minister has resigned after he failed to receive enough support in a vote of confidence in parliament

Politics

6 d. ago Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland's presidential election

Conservative Karol Nawrocki has won Poland’s weekend presidential runoff election, according to the final vote count

Politics

1 week ago Israel confirms plans to create 22 new settlements in occupied West Bank

Defence minister says move ‘prevents establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel’Middle East crisis live – latest news updatesIsrael has said it will establish 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, including the legalisation of outposts already built without government authorisation, after a security cabinet vote held in secret last week.Israel occupied the West Bank, capturing it from Jordan, in the six-day war of 1967. Since then, successive governments have tried to permanently cement Israeli control over the land, in part by declaring swathes as “state lands”, which prevents private Palestinian ownership. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago White House stunned as Hegseth inquiry brings up illegal wiretap claims

Exclusive: Trump advisers lose confidence in Pentagon leak investigation Hegseth used to justify firing three top aidesThe White House has lost confidence in a Pentagon leak investigation that Pete Hegseth used to justify firing three top aides last month, after advisers were told that the aides had supposedly been outed by an illegal warrantless National Security Agency (NSA) wiretap.The extraordinary explanation alarmed the advisers, who also raised it with people close to JD Vance, because such a wiretap would almost certainly be unconstitutional and an even bigger scandal than a number of leaks. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Mongolia PM expected to call vote of confidence in the face of protests

Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai is expected to call a vote of confidence this week after questions were raised over his family’s wealthThe political direction of mineral rich Mongolia is to be put to the test, with the country’s prime minister expected to call a vote of confidence in his premiership, amid claims that allegations swirling about his son’s lavish lifestyle are being exploited to push the country back to authoritarianism.Mongolia has been an outpost of parliamentary democracy since 1992, uneasily squeezed between superpowers Russia and China. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago DNC set to vote in weeks on removing David Hogg after young progressive announces plans to fund challengers

‘If we’re to redo this election, it truly just sends a horrible message that we really do not want out there at this moment,’ Hogg says

Politics

3 w. ago Republican fiscal hardliners block key vote for Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ – live

In a major setback for Trump’s sweeping tax agenda, five Republicans stood in the way of passing the bill from advancing toward a full House vote next weekAlso on Iran, AFP reports that Trump said earlier that Tehran should make a quick decision on an American proposal for a nuclear deal or “something bad will happen”.Speaking in Abu Dhabi as he finished his Gulf tour, Trump said his administration had handed Iran a proposal for a agreement, adding that “they know they have to move quickly or something bad is going to happen”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Stirling politicians open up over Holyrood assisted dying vote

The highly-debated topic was in the spotlight this week as the Scottish Parliament held an initial vote on proposals to allow the practice in Scotland - with local representatives on both sides.

Politics

3 w. ago ‘Just wildly illegal’: top Democrats push to censure Trump’s plan to accept Qatar jet

Four senators, including Cory Booker, say they’ll press for vote against president’s plan to take $400m gift from QatarTop Democrats in the US Senate are pushing for a vote on the floor of the chamber censuring Donald Trump’s reported plan to accept a $400m luxury jet from the royal family of Qatar for use as Air Force One and later as a fixture in the Trump’s personal presidential library.Four Democratic members of the Senate foreign relations committee said on Monday that they would press for a vote later this week. They said that elected officials, including the president, were not allowed to accept large gifts from foreign governments unless authorized to do so by Congress. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Assisted dying: When will MSPs vote on Scotland's Assisted Dying Bill? How will they vote? What happens?

MSPs will vote on Scotland’s assisted dying legislation this week.

Politics

4 w. ago Half of people fear timing of assisted dying law alongside benefits cuts, poll shows

MPs due to vote on controversial legislation this week, but Labour prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to miss debate

Events