10 h. ago Michelle Mone told us ‘business isn’t easy’ during Covid. How are things now, your ladyship? | Marina Hyde

After a company she was linked to was ordered to repay £122m it made from pandemic deals, the baroness has embarked on a masterclass in victimhoodBy their own accounts, there have been two Westminster-adjacent victims of inflammatory language this week. One is the Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, hurt to the point of requiring smelling salts by some politically commonplace words spoken by the prime minister. And the other is legally besieged bra baroness Michelle Mone, who has always been performatively sensitive, with chaos as her rising sign.Alas, far from their shared victimhood drawing our two snowflakes closer together, in Michelle, we may have finally found the Tory from whom Nigel would not accept a defection to Reform. Which really means something, considering Britain’s would-be next prime minister currently has precisely zero peers in the House of Lords. Like the PPE she provided during the pandemic, Michelle would be deemed incredibly expensive and absolutely unusable.Marin...

Politics

13 h. ago Kemi Badenoch blasts Tory splitters 'who want to be a notch on Nigel Farage’s bed post'

Embattled Tory leader Kemi Badenoch sought to downplay the impact of a steady flow of defections from Conservative ranks to Nigel Farage's Reform party

Politics

40 h. ago Nigel Farage party 'utter snowflakery' blasted as 'ridiculous' Reform claim exposed

A Home Office minister has said it is 'utter nonsense' to suggest Keir Starmer is inciting violence against Nigel Farage and accused Reform UK's Zia Yusuf of 'utter snowflakery'

Politics

40 h. ago Reform’s suggestions Starmer is inciting violence ‘offensive’, minister says

Home Office minister Mike Tapp also insisted that the Home Office would not be involved in any decision to cut Nigel Farage’s security.

Politics

49 h. ago Keir Starmer's attacks on Nigel Farage backfire: Labour plunges in polls as PM ramps up his war of words with Reform

Labour has seen a slump in support since Keir Starmer stepped up his personal abuse of Nigel Farage, a survey found yesterday.

Events

57 h. ago Fact check: Are migrants catching and eating swans and carp?

Full Fact looks at what evidence there is to support a claim last week from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Events

60 h. ago Keir Starmer in humiliating climbdown as he insists 'Farage is not racist'

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was questioned on if he thought Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was racist after criticising his immigration policy

Politics

61 h. ago Miliband vows to permanently ban ‘dangerous and deeply harmful’ fracking

The Energy Secretary used the announcement to attack Reform UK, which has called for more extraction of oil and gas.

Politics

61 h. ago Miliband vows to ban fracking, labels Reform ‘ideological extremists’ and tells Musk to ‘get the hell out of our politics’ – live

Environmental groups have welcomed the energy secretary’s fracking announcementAt the Labour conference Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has just started his speech.Responding to the news that he will announce a total ban on fracking (see 9.19am), Asad Rehman, chief executive of Friends of the Earth, said:By providing a clear vision for our energy future based on helping people, not on ignoring the science, the energy secretary has sent an important message that the government is listening to communities.Fracking is and always has been unpopular, both with people facing it off locally and the wider public. The government must now translate its plans to ban fracking permanently into policy, alongside closing a loophole in planning law that still allows it to happen by the backdoor.Andy Burnham is doing a fantastic job as the mayor of Manchester. I actually worked closely with him. We’ve reset that relationship between Westminster and our mayors, and we’re working well together. So ...

Politics

61 h. ago Reform raise security fears for Nigel Farage after his protection was cut just before he was 'demonised' by PM

Policy chief Zia Yusuf accused Labour of 'incitement to violence' and alleged that the number of guards protecting Mr Farage had been cut by 75 per cent.

Events

61 h. ago On the day energy bills go up AGAIN... Ed Miliband vows to ban fracking and lashes out at Reform 'extremists' over Nigel Farage's pledge to scrap Labour's Net Zero drive

In a speech to Labour's conference in Liverpool, the Energy Secretary delivered a fresh Government attack on Nigel Farage 's party.

Economics

62 h. ago Nigel Farage’s security cut by parliamentary authorities, Reform claims

Reform’s Zia Yusuf accused Labour of running a campaign of ‘demonisation’ against Mr Farage.

Politics

62 h. ago Ed Miliband vows to ban fracking and warns Reform would ‘trash our climate commitments’ – UK politics live

There is currently no permanent ban in law, just a temporary moratoriumAt the Labour conference Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has just started his speech.Responding to the news that he will announce a total ban on fracking (see 9.19am), Asad Rehman, chief executive of Friends of the Earth, said:By providing a clear vision for our energy future based on helping people, not on ignoring the science, the energy secretary has sent an important message that the government is listening to communities.Fracking is and always has been unpopular, both with people facing it off locally and the wider public. The government must now translate its plans to ban fracking permanently into policy, alongside closing a loophole in planning law that still allows it to happen by the backdoor.Andy Burnham is doing a fantastic job as the mayor of Manchester. I actually worked closely with him. We’ve reset that relationship between Westminster and our mayors, and we’re working well together. So I’ve got...

Events

63 h. ago Voices: Why Starmer’s ruthless attacks on Farage are the only way to beat Reform

Following his forthright conference speech, the prime minister’s announcement of a review into how the European Convention on Human Rights is used in asylum cases is the latest sign he is confronting Reform UK’s grievances head on, says David Aaronovitch

Events

63 h. ago Ed Miliband to announce total ban on fracking – UK politics live

There is not currently a permanent ban in law, just a temporary moratoriumSome people have argued that it is a mistake for Keir Starmer and Labour to talk about Nigel Farage and Reform UK as much as they have. There is a case for saying that this just shores up the credibility of a party with only five MPs, and it switches the news agenda towards immigration and small boats (issues where Reform UK polls well) and away from “Labour issues” like health.And art of this argument is that, by calling the Reform UK migration policy racist, Labour is also making it easier for Farage to leverage grievance (which, as Starmer himself argued in his speech yesterday, is part of what lies behind Reform UK’s electoral support.I think it’s a mistake to pretend this isn’t the fight of our times.If it is the fight of our times, we’ve got to recognise that, and we’ve got to be in it. I think simply ignoring it is a mistake, a political mistake.No, not at all. There is a political fight that has to be ...

Politics

64 h. ago Now Keir Starmer blames BREXIT for Channel crisis and calls dinghies carrying migrants the 'Farage boats' but is forced to clarify that the Reform leader isn't 'personally racist'

Keir Starmer described Nigel Farage as 'formidable' amid a backlash at the aggressive stance in his address to the party faithful.

Events

64 h. ago PM brands Channel crossings ‘Farage boats’ because Brexit has hampered returns – UK politics live

PM also says he does not believe Nigel Farage or Reform voters are racistHelena Horton is a Guardian environment reporter.Ed Miliband is due to take to the stage to deliver his speech today, and he is set to announce a “total ban” on fracking.I am about to announce something you have been calling for and campaigning on, which is to ban fracking for good. You called for it, I’m going to do it, thank you for your campaigning.What an amazing result for our environment, our local communities, and the thousands of committed people and groups right across the country who’ve spent years fighting for fracking to be banned for good – including the many who signed 38 Degrees supporter Geoff’s recent petition. Not long ago, it felt like fracking might make a comeback, with Reform UK pushing to put it back on the agenda. But thousands of us stood up, demanded a permanent ban, and made our voices impossible to ignore. Continue reading...

Politics

67 h. ago Reform leader Nigel Farage is not a racist, says Prime Minister

The comments come after Sir Keir said Reform migration policy was ‘racist’ and ‘immoral’.

Politics

3 d. ago Sir Keir Starmer blasts 'snake oil merchant' Nigel Farage and digs out Andy Burnham

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has used his leadership speech at the Labour Party Conference to attack Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and claimed he 'doesn't like Britain'

Events

3 d. ago Starmer vows Labour will never surrender Britain to ‘enemy’ Farage in rousing party conference speech

Keir Starmer received a huge reception from the party faithful as he gave his most impassioned speech yet as leader

Politics