5 h. ago ‘They feel betrayed’: how Reform UK is targeting votes in Britain’s manufacturing heartlands

In the first in a series, the Guardian maps out the rise in support for Farage and how parties are targeting the UK’s deindustrialised areasWhen Nigel Farage called for the nationalisation of British Steel on a visit to the Scunthorpe steelworks this spring, it was a marked change in direction for a man who had spent almost all of his political career campaigning for a smaller, Thatcherite state.Two years earlier, he had questioned why British taxpayers’ money should be thrown into keeping the fires of the very same blast furnaces burning. Back in 2018 he told an interviewer: “I supported Margaret Thatcher’s modernisation and reforms of the economy. It was painful for some people, but it had to happen.” Continue reading...

Politics

20 h. ago Britain is one step closer to compassionate, kind death for all | Kim Leadbeater

This historic day comes too late for many who supported my bill, but I will never forget their courage and selflessnessKim Leadbeater is Labour MP for Spen ValleyI am relieved and overjoyed by the historic vote on assisted dying in the House of Commons today. The road has been long and hard, and I am very aware that many others have been on that journey since long before I even became an MP. The question of whether to offer choice to people at the end of their lives was first raised in parliament in 1936 – almost a century ago.Since then, terminally ill people have pleaded repeatedly with MPs to heed their simple wish to have control and autonomy at the end of their lives. A courageous few have taken their cases to the courts, even while they confronted the prospect of their own imminent and inevitable deaths. The judges said it was for parliament to decide. Now, at last, the House of Commons has responded, and responded decisively to recognise the justice of their cause.Kim Leadbea...

Events

5 d. ago Dear Coleen: 'There’s been no physical affair, I still feel hurt and betrayed'

'I’m now very worried about the state of our marriage and what happens next.'

Politics

9 d. ago Reeves only a ‘gnat’s whisker’ from having to raise taxes in autumn, says IFS – UK politics live

Institute for Fiscal Studies says figures for projected departmental efficiencies savings from Treasury are not credibleReeves gambles on ‘renewing Britain’ to win voters’ trustRachel Reeves is now on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. Susannah Reid and Richard Madeley are interviewing her.Q: You must be disappointed about the growth figures? Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Britain’s voters can’t resist a messy drama. How fortunate for Nigel Farage and Reform | Marina Hyde

Former party chair Zia Yusuf was out – then he was back in. But the chaos won’t dent the party’s poll ratings one tiny bit It was a busy week for on-again off-again Reform chair Zia Yusuf, whose job over the past 11 months had been to reform Reform. (I know.) Zia quit on Thursday. Had his job split on Friday. Returned on Saturday. Chilled on Sunday. The job split seems to have endured though, as Yusuf will now run a UK version of Doge – as we know, the perfect role for highly emotional men – while this very morning, Nigel Farage was unveiling a new chair: Dr David Bull. David brings extensive experience with witchcraft, ghosts, spirits and beasts from his time as presenter of paranormal reality TV show Most Haunted Live, where he packaged the wailings of reekingly obvious charlatan/compelling spirit medium Derek Acorah for a studio audience. I can’t imagine what this CV could do for Reform, but Nigel Farage must have seen something in it.Derek Acorah crossed permanently to the spiri...

Politics

2 w. ago 'Killer' dad's former army squadmate reveals how they were 'betrayed' amid manhunt over daughters' murders

A former soldier who served with triple murder suspect Travis Decker has shared how his fellow squadmates feel 'betrayed' by the accusations that he killed his three young daughters.

Events

2 w. ago How to vote in the Britain's Got Talent 2025 final online and by phone

Viewers at home will have to vote for their favourite act in the final

Politics

3 w. ago Palestine to raise flag at World Health Organization for first time after historic vote

France and Japan voted in favour of the proposal while Britain abstained

Politics

4 w. ago Reform advert targeting Anas Sarwar branded 'blatantly racist' by Scottish Labour

A social media advert by Reform UK has been branded “blatantly racist” by Scottish Labour.

Events