73 m. ago Keir Starmer and NATO chief Mark Rutte make major vow to ensure Ukraine stays 'in fight'

Keir Starmer today welcomed Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte to Downing Street, as the UK-led international fund to provide Ukraine with military equipment topped £2billion

Politics

2 h. ago Starmer loyalist Bridget Phillipson surges into pole position in Labour deputy leader race after she woos unions by vowing workers' rights overhaul WON'T be watered down

The Education Secretary, an ally of Sir Keir Starmer, has so far secured the backing of 44 Labour MPs in the battle to become the party's number two.

Politics

3 h. ago Phillipson the frontrunner as six female Labour MPs enter deputy leader race

Alison McGovern and Paula Barker latest to join contest, as well as Emily Thornberry, Lucy Powell and Bell Ribeiro-AddyWho is in the running for deputy leader?UK politics live – latest updatesBridget Phillipson has thrown her hat in the ring for the Labour deputy leadership contest, becoming the early favourite to win as she is most likely to meet the threshold of MP nominations.While Labour party members, many of whom are to the left of Keir Starmer’s leadership, could be suspicious of the education secretary’s role as a serving cabinet minister, she is likely to be seen by MPs as No 10’s de facto candidate and so will secure much of the “payroll” vote. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago No 10 warns against ‘further escalation’ after Israel strikes Hamas in Qatar

It comes ahead of a visit to the UK by Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Events

5 h. ago Starmer now one of the West’s most unpopular leaders – even ranking lower than Trump

Keir Starmer is more unpopular than most Western leaders, including Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni, as a new poll shows the prime minister’s approval rating hitting a record low

Politics

5 h. ago Cabinet minister Phillipson one of six contenders for Labour deputy leadership

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is the most senior figure going for the vacant role.

Politics

5 h. ago Starmer backs Mandelson after US ambassador calls Jeffrey Epstein his ‘best pal’

Sir Keir Starmer has given Peter Mandelson his full backing after it emerged the British ambassador to the US had described notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein as his “best pal”.

Politics

5 h. ago Israeli President 'must answer' war crimes allegations ahead of Keir Starmer meeting

The Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Israeli President Isaac Herzog must explain how he believes the Israeli government can achieve its aim in Gaza 'without genocide'

Politics

6 h. ago Starmer now one of the West’s more unpopular leaders – even ranking lower than Trump

Sir Keir Starmer is more unpopular than most Western leaders, including Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni, as a new poll shows the prime minister’s approval rating hitting a record low

Politics

6 h. ago No, that wasn’t Angela Rayner dancing and rapping: you’ll need to understand AI slopaganda | Marcus Beard

Be aware that the qualms about using AI imagery and deepfakes in politics are breaking down. It will soon just be part of the political language we all useThis week, an AI-generated rap featuring Angela Rayner racked up millions of views and tens of thousands of reactions on Facebook. Wearing a gold chain, Adidas tracksuit and handling suspiciously blurry-looking banknotes, it is obvious to most viewers that it is the product of generative AI. The creators, the Crewkerne Gazette, who run satire pages on Facebook and YouTube, have made a series of parody songs – all AI-generated – featuring other notable figures such as Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage and King Charles. With attention from millions of social media users, and even the national press, they are now pushing to get the song to the top spot in the UK Top 40.You can’t blame them. Low-effort, inflammatory, part-satire, part-commentary “AI slopaganda” has been flooding social media for months now. It has proved to be an effective w...

Politics

8 h. ago Lucy Powell to stand for Labour deputy leadership after reshuffle sacking – UK politics live

Former leader of the Commons joins Emily Thornberry, Bridget Phillipson and Bell Ribeiro-Addy in raceKemi Badenoch has just delivered a speech offering to help Labour with legislationg for welfare cuts. I will post key points soon.She is now taking questions. Continue reading...

Politics

8 h. ago Candidates vye for MPs’ backing in Labour deputy leadership race

Lucy Powell, who was sacked by Sir Keir Starmer as leader of the Commons last week, on Tuesday became the fourth MP to announce their candidacy.

Politics

10 h. ago Keir Starmer faces Labour backlash as Government decides Israel has NOT committed genocide in Gaza

The Government said it had not concluded Israel is acting with the 'intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group'.

Politics

10 h. ago Starmer hits out at Reform’s ‘politics of grievance’ as his new Cabinet meets

The Prime Minister also told his top team that economic growth is the Government’s top priority as it seeks to take on Nigel Farage’s party.

Politics

10 h. ago PM tells his 'Cabinet of patriots' they MUST revive Britain's stalling economy after panicky reshuffle triggered by Rayner's resignation

Keir Starmer insisted growth is the 'number one priority' as he gathered his new-look team in No10.

Politics

11 h. ago Phillipson and Thornberry join race to be Labour deputy leader

UK’s education secretary is a close ally of Sir Keir Starmer and will be seen as his preferred candidate

Politics

11 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

12 h. ago PM parades his 'Cabinet of patriots' after panicky reshuffle following Rayner's resignation as his personal ratings slip to new low

Keir Starmer is gathering his new-look team in No10 insisting they can 'deliver for working people'.

Politics

12 h. ago First cabinet minister enters race to become deputy Labour leader – UK politics live

Bridget Phillipson describes herself as ‘a proud working-class woman’ in statement announcing her bid to replace Angela RaynerWes Streeting, the health secretary, hasn’t just been on the Today programme this morning; he has been doing a media round, promoting the new NHS league tables for England, and in other interviews he has revealed more about why he is not committing to backing Bridget Phillipson for deputy leader at this point. (See 8.35am.)In an interview with Times Radio, Streeting said he would “certainly prefer the next deputy leader to be a woman”.[Phillipson] would definitely be a great deputy leader if she was chosen. There are other women in the race who I think would also be great deputy leaders. So I’m not endorsing anyone at this stage.Without being disrespectful to some brilliant women in London who are standing, like Emily Thornberry [whom] I’ve got a lot of respect for, I can well understand why lots of my colleagues are saying we should have a deputy leader from...

Politics

12 h. ago Wes Streeting: Israel’s president ‘needs to answer’ genocide claims

The Health Secretary said Israel’s president Isaac Herzog had to explain how his country could achieve its aims in Gaza without ‘ethnic cleansing’.

Politics