2 h. ago ANDREW NEIL: Starmer's claim to be 'investing in Britain's renewal' is delusional drivel in a class of its own

'Our first job was to stabilise the economy and public finances,' Keir Starmer tweeted yesterday morning, a few hours before Rachel Reeves delivered Labour's spending plans.

Politics

4 h. ago Police come under attack during third night of disorder in Ballymena

Elsewhere, a leisure centre in Larne was set on fire.

Events

9 h. ago Police leaders say they will struggle to fulfil Labour’s promise to recruit 13,000 officers

Projected £1.2bn police funding shortfall expected to grow after spending review outlined fall in Home Office spending powerPolice forces will struggle to fulfil Keir Starmer’s promise to recruit an additional 13,000 officers and the public will “pay the price”, police leaders have warned, after the chancellor outlined a decline in Home Office spending power on Wednesday.The National Police Chiefs’ Council said it would be incredibly difficult to deliver the prime minister’s election pledge within the lifetime of this parliament, with a projected £1.2bn shortfall in police funding expected to grow. Continue reading...

Events

9 h. ago Labour promised people we would rebuild Britain – and that’s what we’re doing | Keir Starmer

This week’s spending review marks a new stage in the mission of national renewal, built on the foundations laid last yearKeir Starmer is the prime minister of the United KingdomThe mandate we received from the British people could not have been clearer. First, we had to stop the chaos and return Britain to economic stability. Second, we had to turn the page on Tory decline with clear Labour choices. Third, we were instructed to rebuild our country.Wednesday’s spending review turbocharged that rebuilding. It is an investment in Britain’s renewal, so working people have more money in their pocket, more pride in their community and more hope for their children’s future. It’s what people voted for. An NHS cutting waiting lists, with care closer to the community. Wealth and opportunity no longer hoarded by only a few towns and cities. Continue reading...

Politics

10 h. ago Government can hit NHS waiting times targets despite scepticism, says Reeves

The NHS has received a 3% increase in real terms per year in the Government spending review.

Events

11 h. ago Treasury minister dismisses claims spending review will lead to autumn tax rises – UK politics live

Darren Jones says such claims are ‘incoherent’ and the government is allocating money that has already been raisedSpending review: key points at a glanceGreen party MPs and activists joined a protest outside parliament today saying the government should use the spending review to announce a wealth tax. In a post on social media, Adrian Ramsay, the party’s co-leader, said:We expect the chancellor to take another axe to public spending today: decline by design from a govt that refuses to tax wealth to properly fund our overstretched public services & support the most vulnerable. We need to invest in a secure & fairer future. #TaxExtremeWealth Continue reading...

Politics

12 h. ago Britain will be ‘defence industrial superpower’ with extra cash, Reeves says

Defence is one of the areas of Government spending which benefited most at the spending review on Wednesday.

Politics

13 h. ago Reeves says use of hotels for asylum seekers to end ‘in this parliament’ – UK politics live

Chancellor delivers spending review, claiming asylum move will save £1bn and says health spending represents a record cash investmentSpending review: key points at a glanceGreen party MPs and activists joined a protest outside parliament today saying the government should use the spending review to announce a wealth tax. In a post on social media, Adrian Ramsay, the party’s co-leader, said:We expect the chancellor to take another axe to public spending today: decline by design from a govt that refuses to tax wealth to properly fund our overstretched public services & support the most vulnerable. We need to invest in a secure & fairer future. #TaxExtremeWealth Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago No guarantee waiting lists will fall to hit targets, health leaders say

The NHs will see a large proportion of the extra cash swallowed by pay rises for staff and existing commitments, experts say.

Events

14 h. ago Reeves pumps money into NHS as critics warn future tax rises ‘almost inevitable’

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out how she would spend hundreds of billions of taxpayers’ money over the rest of the decade.

Events

15 h. ago Starmer says he could ‘go on all morning’ about Labour’s success

Sir Keir Starmer has said he could “go on all morning” about Labour’s achievements in government - in his Prime Minister’s Questions speech, which started at 12 noon.

Politics

15 h. ago Reeves says use of hotels for asylum seekers to end ‘in this parliament’ and NHS spending to rise 3% a year – UK politics live

Chancellor claims asylum move will save £1bn and says health spending represents a record cash investmentSpending review: key points at a glanceGreen party MPs and activists staged a protest outside parliament today saying the government should use the spending review to announce a wealth tax. In a post on social media, Adrian Ramsay, the party’s co-leader, said:We expect the Chancellor to take another axe to public spending today: decline by design from a govt that refuses to tax wealth to properly fund our overstretched public services & support the most vulnerable. We need to invest in a secure & fairer future. #TaxExtremeWealthSenior SNP figures held a secret meeting on Monday night to discuss removing John Swinney as party leader, The Herald has learned, following last week’s defeat in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse byelection.One of the 25 attendees said the first minister had two weeks to come up with a new strategy on independence — or risk facing a leadership...

Politics

15 h. ago PM picked ‘wrong Chancellor and wrong priorities’, claims Badenoch

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir Starmer of appearing at the despatch box ‘all puffed up and self-righteous’.

Politics

15 h. ago Keir Starmer fails to rule out further tax rises to fund his winter fuel U

The Prime Minister refused to set out in the House of Commons how Labour would stump up the estimated £1.25billion needed for his humiliating reversal.

Economics

16 h. ago PMQs: Starmer says there is ‘no easy answer’ to finding way of seizing frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine – UK politics live

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, asks prime minister about frozen Russian assets in the UK after sanctioning of two Israeli ministers on TuesdayGreen party MPs and activists staged a protest outside parliament today saying the government should use the spending review to announce a wealth tax. In a post on social media, Adrian Ramsay, the party’s co-leader, said:We expect the Chancellor to take another axe to public spending today: decline by design from a govt that refuses to tax wealth to properly fund our overstretched public services & support the most vulnerable. We need to invest in a secure & fairer future. #TaxExtremeWealthSenior SNP figures held a secret meeting on Monday night to discuss removing John Swinney as party leader, The Herald has learned, following last week’s defeat in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse byelection.One of the 25 attendees said the first minister had two weeks to come up with a new strategy on independence — or risk facing a leadership ch...

Politics

16 h. ago Minister criticises UK’s ‘obsession’ with ‘laughing’ about sunburn

Sir Chris Bryant said too much exposure to the sun can be fatal.

Politics

16 h. ago Spending Review LIVE: Keir Starmer faces PMQs before Rachel Reeves sets out spending plans

There are fears the Chancellor’s Spending Review will see London miss out on key funding

Politics

16 h. ago Spending review 2025 – live: Rachel Reeves to unveil plans for £600bn budget

Sir Keir Starmer being quizzed at PMQs before chancellor set to outline Labour's spending plans for NHS, housing and defence

Economics

17 h. ago Watch live: Starmer faces Badenoch at PMQs ahead of Rachel Reeves spending review

Watch live as Keir Starmer faces Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions ahead of Rachel Reeves’ much-anticipated spending review on Wednesday (11 June).

Politics

18 h. ago Rachel Reeves says she ‘chooses investment’ as she prepares to unveil Labour’s spending review – UK politics live

Chancellor will reveal how the government plans to spend almost £1.4tn in 2026-27, rising to almost £1.5tr in 2028-29In Wales politcians from almost all parties have been complaining for years about the UK governments decision to categorise HS2 as a project for England and Wales, even though the line does not go through Wales at all. Treating it as a project that nevertheless benefit Wales means Wales does not get equivalent money for its own infrastructure, under the Barnett formula.According to a report by ITV Cymru, Wales will get £445m for rail in the spending review. ITV quotes a Welsh Labour source as saying:This investment is more than Wales would have had so far had HS2 been Barnettised. It will make a massive difference economically and politically.We need to go much further and faster to get one step ahead of the tactics used by small boat gangs.That is why we will boost investment to secure our borders, with up to £280m per year in the Border Security Command by 2028/29. ...

Politics