98 m. ago Fact check: The Foreign Office spent £521,527 on restaurants and bars

Claims circulated online that the spending was solely made by the Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Economics

1 hour ago Watch live: David Lammy to announce new Russia sanctions on third anniversary of Ukraine invasion

Watch live as foreign secretary David Lammy is expected to announce new sanctions against Russia on the third anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on Monday, 24 February.

Events

3 h. ago White Lotus star Patrick Schwarzenegger 'frustrated' as people think he's a 'nepo baby'

Patrick, 31, has a standout role in the third season of the hit series White Lotus and shocked viewers with a full on nude scene in the opening episode.

Events

4 h. ago Spurs fan who sent David Lammy offensive emails including 'you hate white people' during a barrage of drunken messages is spared jail

Matthew Rumsby, 42, sent eight 'grossly offensive' emails to the Tottenham Labour MP, 52, in just over three hours on September 23.

Events

33 h. ago Can a brown Hindu be English? English people say yes. Why do so many on the right say no? | Kenan Malik

An argument about Rishi Sunak’s identity reveals how ideas of ethnicity and race have become conflated‘They think they’re English because they’re born here. That means if a dog’s born in a stable it’s a horse.” That was a staple of the comedian Bernard Manning’s routine back in the 1970s. Enoch Powell had, a decade earlier, expressed the same sentiment in more refined language: “The West Indian or Asian does not, by being born in England, become an Englishman. In law he becomes a United Kingdom citizen by birth; in fact he is a West Indian or an Asian still.”Few today would laugh along with Manning or take seriously the claim that only white people can be English. Britain has transformed over the past half-century and most English people now embrace Ian Wright and Idris Elba as being as English as David Beckham or Joanna Lumley. Continue reading...

Politics

41 h. ago UK to unveil raft of new sanctions to 'turn the screws' on Russia over Ukraine

Foreign Secretary David Lammy will set out the sanctions on Monday to coincide with the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Politics

41 h. ago UK to unveil new Russia sanctions to mark three years of Ukraine war

The US has started negotiations on ending the conflict with Russia, but excluded Kyiv from the talks.

Events

69 h. ago David Lammy describes Hamas’s release of wrong body as ‘sick and abhorrent’

Israeli authorities said what were supposed to be remains of Shiri Bibas were in fact the body of an unidentified woman from Gaza.

Politics

3 d. ago Keir Starmer urged to ramp up defence spending – UK politics live

This is ‘probably one of the most alarming times for Britain’s defence since the second world war’, says Lib Dem leader Ed Davey as he calls for more spendingHello and welcome to our rolling coverage of UK politics.The Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has said the government must swiftly ramp up defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP).I’ve never known a time like this, it is probably one of the most alarming times for Britain’s defence and security since the second world war, with our closest ally changing their position. So we have to debate it, it is going to be difficult.I don’t think there’s an easy solution, but we have put some ideas on the table. One idea we have put is to increase the digital services taxes, a tax on about 20 multinational companies with turnovers of over £500m and we would raise it from the current 2% to 10%.Foreign secretary David Lammy is in South Africa for the second day of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting.Scottish Labour leader Anas ...

Politics

3 d. ago UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy issues Rwanda warning over 'blatant risk' of war

David Lammy said further Rwandan action in DRC would 'have consequences' as he accused it of a 'blantant breach' of international law. Labour is currently repealing the Tory Safety of Rwanda Act

Events

3 d. ago David Lammy snubbed by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov at G20

Sergey Lavrov walked out of the G20 meeting in South Africa just before Mr Lammy began his speech

Politics

3 d. ago Russia has no ‘appetite’ for peace in Ukraine, says David Lammy

The Foreign Secretary cast doubt on Russia’s seriousness about achieving peace in Ukraine, at a meeting of G20 foreign ministers.

Politics

3 d. ago Foreign Secretary David Lammy: Russians have no ‘appetite’ for peace in Ukraine

The spat between the US and Ukraine continues to escalate

Politics

3 d. ago Russia has ‘learned nothing’ from ‘colonial failures and wars’, suggests Lammy

Foreign Secretary David Lammy was speaking at the G20 meeting of foreign ministers in South Africa.

Events

4 d. ago ‘Russia has learned nothing’ over Ukraine war, says David Lammy – UK politics live

UK foreign secretary criticises Russia over Ukraine war, saying it ‘faces a test’ over Ukraine war as he speaks at G20 foreign ministerial meetingAs well as appearing on the airwaves this morning to promote Labour’s £270m Arts Everywhere fund, culture secretary Lisa Nandy also supplied some quotes for the press release accompanying the launch.She said:Arts and culture help us understand the world we live in, they shape and define society and are enjoyed by people in every part of our country. They are the building blocks of our world-leading creative industries and make a huge contribution towards boosting growth and breaking down barriers to opportunities for young people to learn the creative skills they need to succeed.The funding we are announcing today will allow the arts to continue to flourish across Britain, creating good jobs and growth by fixing the foundations in our cultural venues, museums, libraries and heritage institutions [and] will ensure that arts and cultural ins...

Politics

4 d. ago Starmer backs Zelensky after Trump calls Ukrainian leader ‘a dictator’

A former head of MI6 suggested the dispute between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky would be ’emboldening’ for Vladimir Putin.

Politics

5 d. ago Musk boasts about ‘thrashing bureaucracy’ as Trump expands power grab over independent agencies – US politics live

Billionaire claims he is implementing ‘will of the people’; regulatory agencies now accountable to the White House in potential violation of constitutionMusk and Trump put on lovefest in Sean Hannity interviewFederal judge refuses to block Musk team’s access to US government dataAs Donald Trump’s administration continues to fire thousands of federal workers and radically slash federal spending, some Republicans are growing unnerved, Axios reports.As the cuts start to hit GOP lawmakers’ districts and states, some have told Axios there is a larger conflict brewing over the constitutional issue of whether the president can bypass Congress on such decisions.I think you’re going to see a clash when they start abolishing [agencies]. Say like USAid, right? We authorized that. That’s a creature of Congress. If they try to do something like that, then you’re going to get into a constitutional argument or crisis.Before making cuts rashly, the administration should be studying and staffing to ...

Politics

5 d. ago Baffling optical illusion tricks the mind into seeing black and white photo in colour

The exhibit called The Girl with a Pearl Earring has left people dumfounded as to why they see it in black and white

Events

6 d. ago UK summons Rwandan high commissioner as Congo fighting continues

Rebels, reportedly backed by Rwandan troops, have captured two cities in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Events

6 d. ago Hack to stop cats and foxes pooing in garden, including 33p vegetable they hate

Attracting a variety of wildlife to your garden can be an enjoyable and rewarding pastime, but when it comes to uninvited guests, it's a different story. An expert has shared advice on how to deter foxes and cats

Politics