1 week ago UK faces legal challenge over asylum seekers’ deportations to Bulgaria

Deportees face inhumane treatment and torture, say lawyers contesting Labour’s migration policyThe UK government’s migration plans are facing an imminent challenge this week, with lawyers seeking to overturn deportations to Bulgaria due to allegations of brutal conditions faced by migrants and asylum seekers in the country.There have been more than 24,000 returns – both enforced and voluntary – from Britain since Labour’s election victory in July 2024, according to government figures. More than 200 people were returned to Bulgaria in 2024. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Where did Labour and the Tories suffer most in the local elections?

As Starmer and Badenoch suffer pressure following their parties’ crushing defeats, data correspondent Alicja Hagopian looks at where Labour and Conservatives performed the worst

Politics

3 w. ago Australian federal election 2025 live: vote counting underway after polls close in eastern Australia states – latest news

Voting booths closing across Australia as last polls suggest Albanese to be re-elected as Australian prime minister. Follow today’s news liveElection 2025 results LIVE: Australia votes tracker and federal seat countsListen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastUnder a perfect blue sky perhaps more reminiscent of home than the customary grey of London, ex-pats in Britain have been queueing up to vote at Australia House.The wait to cast a ballot has been up to 30 minutes with the line snaking out of the entrance and up and down the pavement. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Australian federal election 2025 live: polls close in eastern states as Australia vote count begins – latest news

Voting booths closing across Australia as last polls suggest Albanese to be re-elected as Australian prime minister. Follow today’s news liveElection 2025 results LIVE: Australia votes tracker and federal seat countsListen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastUnder a perfect blue sky perhaps more reminiscent of home than the customary grey of London, ex-pats in Britain have been queueing up to vote at Australia House.The wait to cast a ballot has been up to 30 minutes with the line snaking out of the entrance and up and down the pavement. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Australian federal election 2025 live: polls to close at 6pm and results to start coming in as Australia vote count begins – latest news

Voting booths set to close across Australia as last polls suggest Albanese to be re-elected as Australian prime minister. Follow today’s news livePolls tracker; Election guide; Interactive seat explorerParty policies; Micro parties explained; Full election coverageListen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastUnder a perfect blue sky perhaps more reminiscent of home than the customary grey of London, ex-pats in Britain have been queueing up to vote at Australia House.The wait to cast a ballot has been up to 30 minutes with the line snaking out of the entrance and up and down the pavement. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Badenoch apologises as Tories suffer heavy local election defeat

The Tory leader conceded the public was ‘still not yet ready to trust us’ after losing hundreds of councillors in a Reform UK surge.

Politics

3 w. ago Local election results live: Farage’s Reform snatch Runcorn from Labour while Tories’ vote collapses

Farage overturns Labour majority of nearly 15,000 votes in Runcorn and Helsby, as the Tories suffer in the mayoral and local council elections

Politics

3 w. ago Labour clings onto 'safe' mayoralty by a whisker from Reform as first results roll in from potentially seismic elections

In one of the first major shocks of the night, Labour's Karen Clark won the race to be mayor of North Tyneside, which has been held by the party since its inception in 2002, by just 444 votes.

Politics

3 w. ago Local elections live: Labour, Reform and Tories prepare for results as polls close and vote counting begins

Results for Nigel Farage and Runcorn and Helsby by-election will be most keenly awaited as Conservatives expect heavy losses

Politics

3 w. ago Polls close in contests which could see Labour and Tories suffer losses

A parliamentary by-election, more than 1,600 council seats across 23 local authorities, four regional mayors and two local mayors are up for grabs.

Politics

3 w. ago Polls close for local and mayoral elections in England and byelection result due

First mayoral race results expected around 2am with important Runcorn and Helsby byelection result about an hour laterPolls have closed across England for local and mayoral elections, as well as a key parliamentary byelection, with the first results due to be announced within hours.It is the first full-scale electoral test for Keir Starmer since the general election, and could have notable repercussions for Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch, as well as to a lesser extent for the Liberal Democrats and Greens. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Local elections 2025: What time polling stations open and close tomorrow

Campaigning in the 2025 local elections enters its final day as millions of voters in England will head to the polls tomorrow - the first major vote since last year's General Election

Politics

3 w. ago Frantic last 24 hours of campaigning for local elections as poll shows Reform set to win most votes

Politicians are out knocking on doors ahead of the contests in England, with the Tories and Labour trying to quell a surge by Nigel Farage's party.

Politics

3 w. ago Phasing out fossil fuels ‘doomed to fail’, says Tony Blair as he calls for rethink of net zero policy – UK politics live

‘Any strategy based on either phasing out fossil fuels in the short term or limiting consumption is a strategy doomed to fail,’ says former PMSeverin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor.Keir Starmer is not expected to campaign in the Hamilton byelection, a critical contest for Scottish Labour which takes place in early June, Anas Sarwar has confirmed.I wouldn’t expect Keir to be campaigning in the byelection. That’s not to say he won’t, but I’m not expecting Kier to campaign in the byelection.I’ll be on the stump campaigning for a Labour win. I’m the candidate for first minister next year. I’m the one that wants to remove the SNP from government.Next year, we’ve got to demonstrate to people that for all Nigel Farage might want to come here with his easy answers and create a bit of a circus, the reality is a vote for Reform only helps the SNP. If you want to get rid of the SNP, only Scottish Labour can beat them. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Plan to phase out fossil fuels ‘doomed to fail’, says Tony Blair as he calls for rethink of net zero policy – UK politics live

‘Any strategy based on either ‘phasing out’ fossil fuels in the short term or limiting consumption is a strategy doomed to fail,’ says former PMSeverin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor.Keir Starmer is not expected to campaign in the Hamilton byelection, a critical contest for Scottish Labour which takes place in early June, Anas Sarwar has confirmed.I wouldn’t expect Keir to be campaigning in the byelection. That’s not to say he won’t, but I’m not expecting Kier to campaign in the byelection.I’ll be on the stump campaigning for a Labour win. I’m the candidate for first minister next year. I’m the one that wants to remove the SNP from government.Next year, we’ve got to demonstrate to people that for all Nigel Farage might want to come here with his easy answers and create a bit of a circus, the reality is a vote for Reform only helps the SNP. If you want to get rid of the SNP, only Scottish Labour can beat them. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Canada election 2025 live: Most polls close after Trump’s tariffs dominate campaign

The Liberal Party – led by current prime minister Mark Carney – are seeking to extend their decade in power and beat Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative party

Politics

3 w. ago Thursday’s elections will be ‘tough’, PM admits as campaigning enters final week

The upcoming Runcorn and Helsby by-election will run alongside local elections and it is expected to be a tight contest between Labour and Reform UK.

Politics