36 m. ago Argentina’s Javier Milei calls Spanish Prime Minister ‘local bandit’ in latest war of words

Milei previously called the Spanish PM’s wife corrupt which led to a diplomatic spat between the two countries

Politics

39 m. ago Zia Yusuf issues humiliating apology for row over Reform MP's 'dumb' burka ban question that saw him quit Farage party

Mr Yusuf used a BBC interview to say he regretted a tweet in which he said Sarah Pochin had asked a 'dumb' question at Prime Minister's Questions last Wednesday.

Politics

6 h. ago Could an alliance of eight small countries turn out to be Europe’s anchor? | Paul Taylor

Amid geopolitical storms and the rise of populism, the ‘Nordic-Baltic eight’ is gaining clout as a bulwark of western resolveWith Europe’s political kaleidoscope spinning wildly in the populist winds, a group of northern countries is gaining weight as a geopolitical anchor. Known as the Nordic-Baltic eight (NB8 in diplomatic jargon), it brings together small northern European states that, individually, might have little clout in international security and politics. But since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, they have wielded growing influence as a pressure group for western resolve, offering an attractive blend of democratic security, defence integration and societal resilience.Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden established their regional cooperation format in 1992, after the end of the cold war, with regular meetings of prime ministers, parliamentary speakers, foreign and defence ministers and senior government officials. It beg...

Politics

12 h. ago Keir Starmer unveils plan to help one million schoolkids in major tech drive

The Prime Minister will announce plans to help around one million school-age children gain skills in technology under a new TechFirst scheme to help them learn AI and computing skills

Science

21 h. ago Thousands protest in Madrid against government of prime minister Pedro Sánchez

Ruling Spanish Socialist Workers’ party has faced series of corruption allegations over past yearTens of thousands of people have gathered in central Madrid to protest against the government of Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, and to demand an early general election as his party, his administration and his family continue to be beset by a succession of corruption allegations.Sunday’s protest, called by the opposition conservative People’s party (PP) under the slogan “Mafia or democracy”, attracted between 45,000 and 50,000 people, according to the central government’s delegation to the region. Organisers, however, put the attendance at 100,000. Continue reading...

Politics

21 h. ago Thousands protest in Madrid against Pedro Sánchez’s government

Ruling Spanish Socialist Workers’ party has faced series of corruption allegations over past yearTens of thousands of people have gathered in central Madrid to protest against the government of Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, and to demand an early general election, as his party, his administration and his family continue to be beset by a succession of corruption allegations.Sunday’s protest, called by the opposition conservative People’s party (PP) under the slogan “mafia or democracy”, attracted between 45,000 and 50,000 people, according to the central government’s delegation to the region. Organisers put the attendance at 100,000. Continue reading...

Politics

23 h. ago Molly Russell’s father urges PM to act over online harms as ‘app cap’ considered

Ian Russell told Sir Keir Starmer to ‘act decisively’ in toughening legislation to protect young people online.

Politics

30 h. ago Canada won’t become the 51st US state – but could it join the EU?

Donald Trump’s extraordinary threats have angered Canadians and Europeans, and the idea of a new kind of transatlantic alliance is gaining traction Joachim Streit has never stepped foot in Canada. But that hasn’t stopped the German politician from launching a tenacious, one-man campaign that he readily describes as “aspirational”: to have the North American country join the EU.“We have to strengthen the European Union,” said Streit, who last year was elected as a member of the European parliament. “And I think Canada – as its prime minister says – is the most European country outside of Europe.” Continue reading...

Politics

34 h. ago Is Angela 'Two Homes' Rayner paying the council tax surcharge on her grace

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was last night facing questions over whether she is paying her own council tax surcharge on her second home.

Economics

36 h. ago Sir Tom Jones shares late wife's poignant final advice as he faced losing his love

Sir Tom Jones was married to his wife Melinda "Linda" Trenchard for 59 years before she died in 2016, and the legendary singer has opened up on her tragic advice to him

Politics

36 h. ago Thomas Tuchel responds to England fans labelling Keir Starmer a '****' after supporters sang abusive chants about the Prime Minister during the Three Lions' lacklustre 1

Some foul-mouthed individuals made their feelings toward Starmer clear during an uneventful first half and their songs were audible live on ITV.

Politics

39 h. ago Diane Abbott says Starmer speech on Britain becoming 'island of strangers' is 'fundamentally racist'

Announcing his immigration white paper last  month, the Prime Minister said his new strategy would 'finally take back control of our borders and close the book on a squalid chapter'.

Politics

39 h. ago Zia Yusuf returns to Reform UK just 48 hours after quitting as chairman

The 38-year-old businessman said his decision to stand down had been the result of ‘exhaustion’ and working for 11 months ‘without a day off’.

Politics

41 h. ago Zia Yusuf announces return to Reform UK two days after quitting as chair

Party chair says he will lead a ‘Doge team’ inspired by Elon Musk and Donald TrumpZia Yusuf has said he will return to Reform UK, just two days after quitting the party.Yusuf was the rightwing party’s chair but resigned on Thursday after suggesting it was “dumb” of the party’s newest MP to ask the prime minister if he would ban the burqa. Continue reading...

Politics

43 h. ago Voices: Rachel Reeves is undermined by a ‘spend now, pay later’ prime minister

John Rentoul says Keir Starmer is guilty of Trussonomics, albeit on a smaller scale, making promises without knowing how to pay for them – hoping that the chancellor can sort it out later

Politics

44 h. ago Tom Jones shares heartbreaking words his wife told him before dying of cancer

Tom Jones was married to Melinda "Linda" Trenchard for 59 years before she died in April 2016 and he has since shared the heartbreaking message she told him before taking her final breath

Events

44 h. ago Tom Jones reveals tragic message his wife gave to him just before she died

To mark his 85th birthday, Tom Jones has released a statement on his Instagram social media feed as he celebrates the major milestone

Events

63 h. ago Carney invites Modi to G7 summit despite strained ties between Canada and India

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in Alberta later this month

Politics

65 h. ago The Guardian view on Scottish politics: Labour wins the seat but not – yet – the argument | Editorial

A Tory collapse, the SNP’s slump and Reform’s rise signal a volatile shift – and the return to deal-making after the next Holyrood electionLabour’s victory in the Holyrood byelection offers the UK government a rare political comfort but not, perhaps, the strategic breakthrough it might like to imagine. A late flurry of welfare signalling, a dogged ground campaign and a carefully staged visit to a Govan shipyard by Sir Keir Starmer helped shore up Labour’s appeal to its traditional voters in Scotland’s industrial belt. Yet as Prof John Curtice has noted, Labour’s share of the vote actually declined compared with the last time voters cast ballots here in 2021 – a year in which the party was placed a distant third and was polling at the same dismal level of public support, 20%, it has today.The prime minister will gladly pocket Davy Russell’s win in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. But it is a foothold. There is still a steep climb to the summit. More te...

Politics

66 h. ago ‘Lots of bumps in the road’: Keir Starmer faces testing month before one

From spending review to China audit to assisted dying vote, June’s events have potential to lift or darken Labour moodAs Keir Starmer approaches his first anniversary in Downing Street, there will be several things he wishes he had done differently. But before he can contemplate that July milestone, he faces a busy month strewn with political bear traps.June has proven a difficult time for successive prime ministers: Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak all had to contend with deeply unhappy parliamentary parties reeling from heavy local and European election losses. Continue reading...

Politics