3 h. ago Tory chief Martin Dowey urged to 'step aside' as South Ayrshire Council leader by opposition

The council leader is at the centre of a political storm following the emergence of a recording.

Politics

29 h. ago Peter Dutton criticised as ‘illiberal’ for calling ABC and the Guardian ‘hate media’

Critics compare Coalition leader to Donald Trump while Labor communications minister suggests Dutton is ‘afraid of scrutiny’Polls tracker; election guide; full federal election coverageAnywhere but Canberra; interactive electorates guideListen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaAcademics and former journalists say Peter Dutton’s comments labelling the ABC and Guardian Australia “hate media” are “reminiscent of Donald Trump” and could backfire as the election campaign heads into its final week.The opposition leader addressed the party faithful at a rally in the Labor-held seat of Hawke on Melbourne’s outskirts on Sunday before the 3 May poll.Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Kemi Badenoch tells Keir Starmer to apologise to women after PM finally broke his silence on Supreme Court ruling and admitted trans women aren't women

The Leader of the Opposition told the Mail that the Prime Minister should say sorry to those who lost jobs or were harassed in the row over equality law.

Events

8 d. ago ‘Bordering on incredible’: Coalition under fire for planning to scrap Labor climate policies and offering none of its own

With Peter Dutton’s views on climate change in the spotlight, the focus has turned onto whether there will be any policies to reduce emissions in the next decadePolls tracker; election guide; full federal election coverageAnywhere but Canberra; interactive electorates guideListen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaGet our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcastThe Coalition is refusing to say if it will introduce any policies to cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade as it pledges to unwind most climate measures introduced under Labor.Peter Dutton’s position on the climate crisis came under scrutiny last week after he gave contradictory answers on whether he accepted mainstream climate science. Asked during a leaders’ debate on the ABC whether extreme weather events were worsening, the opposition leader said: “I don’t know because I’m not a scientist”.Dropping a Labor goal of 82% of electricity coming from renewable g...

Events

1 week ago South Ayrshire Council claims business support success in wake of hotel fire

A total of £417,000 was allocated to support Ayr businesses in 2024/25.

Events

1 week ago Turnbull says negative gearing ‘examined by every government’ – as it happened

This blog is now closedPeter Dutton insists he ‘believes in climate change’ after refusing to say if impacts of global heating worseningAnywhere but Canberra: Australian voters on what matters to themInteractive guide to electorates in the Australian electionListen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaSee all our Australian election 2025 coverageGet our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcastBoth parties claim victory in last night’s debateThe political reaction to last night’s debate is coming in thick and fast. No surprises here that the Liberals believe their leader Peter Dutton won with flying colours, while Labor has backed Albanese for the victory.I saw a very weak, indecisive Prime Minister and a very strong Opposition leader. And I was particularly blown away, Bridget, by the prime minister not fessing up that his own government modelled changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax with respect to homeownership.The prime minist...

Politics

1 week ago Australia news live: Turnbull says negative gearing ‘examined by every government’; measles warning issued for greater Melbourne area

Follow today’s news liveAnywhere but Canberra: Australian voters on what matters to themInteractive guide to electorates in the Australian electionListen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaSee all our Australian election 2025 coverageGet our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcastBoth parties claim victory in last night’s debateThe political reaction to last night’s debate is coming in thick and fast. No surprises here that the Liberals believe their leader Peter Dutton won with flying colours, while Labor has backed Albanese for the victory.I saw a very weak, indecisive Prime Minister and a very strong Opposition leader. And I was particularly blown away, Bridget, by the prime minister not fessing up that his own government modelled changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax with respect to homeownership.The prime minister says the government did not commission any advice on negative gearing or capital gains tax changes, but the t...

Events

1 week ago ‘Who is going to face Mr Trump’: Canada leaders’ debate dominated by US crisis

Mark Carney’s Liberals have surged in the polls since Donald Trump’s attacks on Canada, scuppering Conservative calls for change after Trudeau eraPrime Minister Mark Carney said the key question in Canada’s upcoming election is who is best to deal with Donald Trump as he faced his Conservative rival in a French-language leaders’ debate on Wednesday.Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said during the debate Canada needs change after a decade of Liberal party rule and Carney is just like his predecessor, Justin Trudeau. Carney responded: “Mr Poilievre is not Justin Trudeau. I’m not Justin Trudeau either. In this election the question is who is going to face Mr Trump.” Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Dutton admits he made mistake on Indonesia in ABC leaders’ debate as Albanese evasive on electricity prices

Opposition leader also says ‘I’ll let scientists pass that judgment’ when asked if climate change impacts getting worse in second showdownPolls tracker; election guide; full federal election coverageAnywhere but Canberra; interactive electorates guideListen to the first episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaGet our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcastPeter Dutton has admitted he made a mistake by wrongly claiming the Indonesian president had announced a proposal for Russia to base military aircraft in Indonesia, and declined to state whether the impacts of climate change were getting worse.The opposition leader has also confirmed his plan to reduce the size of the federal public service by 41,000 positions by 2030 would not pay for the entirety of the Coalition’s policy platform, suggesting further cuts to government spending may be necessary.Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Too much like Trump? Australia’s opposition leader Peter Dutton risks turning off voters

Dutton has taken the Liberal party further to the right, but his strategy of aping the US president could be unravelling as Trump tariffs cause chaosSee all our Australia 2025 election coveragePeter Dutton, the man who would be prime minister of Australia, is one of the hard men of the country’s politics.So, with Australia facing a federal election now set for 3 May, it was not a huge step for him to start road-testing some of the language and policies of Donald Trump after his win in the US last November. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Russia jails four journalists for alleged links to Alexei Navalny’s movement

Court hands out sentences of over five years for extremism, accusing journalists of working for the late politician’s Anti-Corruption FoundationA Russian court has convicted four journalists of extremism for working for an anti-corruption group founded by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny and sentenced them to five and a half years in prison each.Antonina Favorskaya, Konstantin Gabov, Sergey Karelin and Artyom Kriger were found guilty of involvement with a group that had been labeled as extremist. All four had maintained their innocence, arguing they were being prosecuted for doing their jobs as journalists. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Russia jails four journalists for alleged links to Alexei Navalny anti

Court hands out sentences of over five years for extremism, accusing journalists of working for the late politician’s Anti-Corruption FoundationA Russian court has convicted four journalists of extremism for working for an anti-corruption group founded by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny and sentenced them to five and a half years in prison each.Antonina Favorskaya, Konstantin Gabov, Sergey Karelin and Artyom Kriger were found guilty of involvement with a group that had been labelled as extremist. All four had maintained their innocence, arguing they were being prosecuted for doing their jobs as journalists. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Keir Starmer's team releases tax bill and it's very different to Rishi Sunak's

Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner have released their tax returns for the first time since the general election - with the PM paying over £50,000 in tax while leader of the opposition

Economics

2 w. ago Hungarian opposition leader tells supporters he will restore Western alliances if he defeats Orbán

The leader of Hungary’s largest opposition party is vowing to end his country’s international isolation if elected in 2026 as he challenges Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 15-year rule

Politics

2 w. ago Bobi Wine to run for president in Uganda’s 2026 election ‘if I am still alive and not in jail’

Exclusive: Opposition leader says he has ‘no choice’ but to challenge Yoweri Museveni’s regime, despite threats and previous attacksThe musician turned opposition leader Bobi Wine has said he will stand again against Uganda’s authoritarian leader, Yoweri Museveni, in next year’s presidential elections. Despite being jailed, attacked, shot, and facing threats of violence, including from Museveni’s son, Wine said he felt he had little choice but to try to advance the hope for change that was energising Ugandans, especially the young.“We cannot just give the election to General Museveni,” he said, in an interview with the Guardian. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Luxury seaside flats to replace former Prestwick fitness centre

The green light’s been given to the proposals by South Ayrshire Council planners.

Politics

3 w. ago Maybole travel scheme driven off course as South Ayrshire Council goes back to drawing board

Officials will now work on a new plan before coming back to the public.

Transport

3 w. ago Improvements noted at previously under fire children's home in Ayrshire

Bosses at the South Ayrshire Council-owned 28 Cunningham Place were told last year to take “urgent and decisive” action to improve service delivery.

Society

3 w. ago Could Marine Le Pen’s guilty verdict help fuel the far right? – podcast

The parliamentary leader of France’s far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, has been banned from public office for five years for embezzlement, ruining her chance of a presidential run. Angelique Chrisafis reportsIt is a sentence that has prompted anger among rightwing leaders across the world and led to accusations that democracy is being threatened. This week, Marine Le Pen, the parliamentary leader of the National Rally (RN), the largest opposition party in the French parliament, was banned for five years from public office for embezzlement. Along with more than 20 others, she was found to have used money for European parliament assistants to pay party workers.The shock sentence could end Le Pen’s hopes of running for president in 2027. She is now appealing and has hit back furiously, as have her supporters and allies. Some of her support could hurt her more than it helps, however. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said in response that “more and more European capi...

Politics

4 w. ago Norway urged to drop ‘crazy’ ban on investment in defence companies

Opposition leader vows to overturn rule barring $1.8tn fund from holding stakes in defence sector if her party wins election

Politics