2 h. ago Emily Thornberry joins deputy Labour leader race and says Gaza and wealth tax among her priorities – UK politics live

Thornberry joins Bridget Phillipson and Bell Ribeiro-Addy in having said she will standEmily Thornberry, the chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, has confirmed that she is standing to be Labour’s deputy leader.In a statement on social media, she says:I’m running for Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.We fought hard for a Labour government. But we’ve made mistakes and must listen.We do have to accept that we have to have a discussion about what members don’t like and what voters don’t like, and what’s gone wrong.It’s very important to note that a load of Labour members and voters are unhappy about the handling of the situation in Gaza, the winter fuel allowance, the welfare cuts.The Labour party is a broad church and, actually, when we are able to have debates, when we are able to bring forward different views, it actually makes us better. It makes us more appealing to the electorate and, more importantly, it’s what the Labour membership wants to see.One homogenous view is ...

Politics

13 h. ago Norway’s Labour party wins election after seeing off populist surge

Success for party of the prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, despite increased support for rightwing Progress partyThe Norwegian Labour party has secured four more years in government after seeing off a surge of support for the populist right in a polarised election.Soon after the polls closed, the centre left was projected to win with 89 seats with the centre right taking 80 seats. A minimum of 85 seats are needed for a majority. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago Norway’s Labour party holds narrow lead in early election results

Party of the prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, likely to remain in government but results show surge in support for rightwing Progress partyThe Norwegian Labour party looked likely to remain in government as polls closed on Monday night, as preliminary results showed the centre-left had a narrow lead after a polarised election that saw a surge of support for the populist right.With 75% of the vote counted, state broadcaster NRK projected the centre left would win with 89 seats and that the centre right would take 80 seats. A minimum of 85 seats are needed for a majority. Continue reading...

Politics

49 h. ago Japan’s Shigeru Ishiba resigns as prime minister and says new leadership election should begin immediately

Ishiba has been in power for less than a year, but faced calls to resign from the right-wing faction of his own party after a bruising defeat in July

Politics

51 h. ago Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba set to resign, public broadcaster says

Ishiba has been in power for less than a year, but faced calls to resign from the right-wing faction of his own party after a bruising defeat in July

Politics

54 h. ago ‘People are so angry’: how wealth tax became a battleground in Norway’s election

Issue creates clear dividing line between left and right, as populists target voters with vow to scrap levyIt is the issue that has set the Norwegian general election alight: whether to keep, cut or abolish the national wealth tax. As the country prepares to go to the polls on Monday, Norway is in the grip of a ferocious national argument that is likely to rumble on whichever party wins.In an economy less then a seventh the size of Britain’s, the formuesskatt raises about 32bn kroner (£2.4bn). Multiply that by the difference in GDP, and the same rules applied in the UK could raise more than £17bn – serious money in tax terms. Defenders say the wealth tax has another benefit. They see it as the cornerstone of a progressive tax system that has helped to create one of Europe’s most equal societies. Continue reading...

Politics

2 d. ago Nigel Farage says Reform WILL deport Afghan women back to the Taliban if they arrive in Britain via small boats

The Reform UK leader has promised to deport 600,000 migrants over five years if his party wins power at the next general election.

Politics

3 d. ago We are on course to win a general election in two years, triumphant Farage tells his party 

The Reform leader used his keynote address at his party's confernece in Birmingham to twist the knife into Labour's wounds following the Deputy Prime Minister's exit.

Politics

4 d. ago Farage warns Labour chaos will force Starmer into 2027 general election

The Reform UK leader claimed waning confidence in the economy and the rise of Jeremy Corbyn’s left-wing Your Party will force Labour into an early election

Events

6 d. ago New Green Party leader wants to ‘reclaim’ populism after landslide win

Zack Polanski warned Labour: ‘We are here to replace you.’

Politics

6 d. ago Green party’s new leader Zack Polanski rules out any Starmer pact and attacks ‘charlatan’ Farage

Candidate defeats Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns to lead Greens in England and Wales with vision for ‘eco-populism’ movementZack Polanski has won the election to lead the Green party in England and Wales, with an overwhelming mandate for the party to adopt his vision to become a mass membership “eco-populism” movement directly taking on Reform UK.Polanski, who was the party’s deputy leader and is a Green member of the London assembly, defeated Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns by 20,411 to 3,705 votes in a ballot of party members. Ramsay and Chowns, who were standing as a co-leadership team, are two of the Greens’ four MPs. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Green Party to shift leftwards after landslide win by new leader Zack Polanski

Mr Polanski could offer a fresh headache to Sir Keir Starmer’s Government from the political left.

Politics

7 d. ago I had to stop raving after bunion surgery – so I became a DJ instead

Tina Woods, AKA Tina Technotic, now DJs around the world and has found a new sense of connection. She even believes it’s lowering her biological ageTina Woods was sitting in a taxi when the dancing bug bit. It was after midnight and she and two friends were heading home from another friend’s 60th birthday party. South-west London rolled past the window. They had had a bit to drink. As they passed Le Fez nightclub, they realised they didn’t want to go home. “We were like: let’s go dancing before we go to bed,” she says.Woods, then 56, had gone clubbing in her 20s, but on Le Fez’s dancefloor, as her body caught the beat, she had “an epiphany moment”, a shock of pure euphoria: “The joy I felt – the mind, body and soul connection – was like a lightning bolt.” She knew then that “dancing and music were going to be a bigger part of my life than I’d ever thought”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Guyana’s Irfaan Ali looks to ride oil boom to second presidential term

Fossil fuel wealth has helped transform the South American country into one of the world’s fastest-growing economies – which could be good news for the incumbent in the electionJubilation was in the air as thousands of horn-tooting, flag-waving, red-shirt-clad supporters of Guyana’s president, Irfaan Ali, made their way to a recent rally.Their party is predicted to easily win Monday’s general election on the back of an oil boom, which has helped transform the country into one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Voices: Angela ‘three homes’ Rayner has done nothing wrong – and the Tories know it

The Conservative Party is making a mistake by joining in the right-wing press vendetta against the deputy prime minister, says John Rentoul

Politics

1 week ago France on the brink: how a budget deficit became a political crisis

With the government facing defeat in a confidence vote, the nation’s economic problems will still need to tackledFrance is stuck in economic limbo, without a budget and soon, possibly, without a government. The prime minister, François Bayrou, has called for parliament to hold a confidence vote on 8 September and, now that parties of the left and far right have pledged to bring down the government, on paper he doesn’t have the numbers to win.On Tuesday, the Socialist party (PS) added its voice to the dissenters, allying it with the Greens and the far-right National Rally. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago New Jeremy Corbyn party poses 'more of a threat' to Greens than Scottish Labour

EXCLUSIVE: Sir John Curtice said Your Party could take votes off Scotland's most left wing parties.

Events

2 w. ago Anas Sarwar says Labour speaks for 'sensible majority' in Scotland after by

The Scottish Labour leader dismissed the threat posed by a new left-wing party under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.

Events

2 w. ago Alarm for Keir Starmer as more than a quarter of Labour members will consider joining Jeremy Corbyn's new left

The Survation research found 28 per cent of Labour members would consider leaving the party for the outfit being set up by Mr Corbyn.

Events

2 w. ago Who do YOU think is the most dull royal to party with? Author claims surprising senior Windsor was 'boring' dinner guest who overstayed their welcome and just 'smoked and drank'

During her life Margaret was known as something of a party animal who could smoke and drink most of her guests under the table.

Events