2 h. ago BBC chief rallies 'incredible' troops in face of 'attacks' over Donald Trump Panorama scandal

A top BBC chief urged her staff to 'check in' with colleagues who work in news following the 'attacks' over the Donald Trump Panorama scandal.

Politics

6 h. ago PM's chief aide Morgan McSweeney and Health Secretary Wes Streeting in 'shouting match confrontation' over Red

Health Secretary Wes Streeting is said to have had a 'shouting match' row with the PM's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney over brutal briefings.

Society

30 h. ago Euan McColm: It’s a vision thing – and sitting duck Sir Keir Starmer does not have it

Undermined by a crisis overseen by his own chief of staff, the Prime Minister is now a sitting duck with Wes Streeting the most credible candidate to replace him

Politics

30 h. ago Inside El Salvador’s hellish supermax prison: Migrant detainees deported by Trump tell of harrowing abuse and torture

The Trump administration deported dozens of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador earlier this year as part of the US’s migration crackdown

Events

66 h. ago Keir Starmer clears his chief of staff over 'toxic' briefings that branded his own MPs 'feral' despite growing calls for him to be sacked

The Prime Minister cleared Morgan McSweeney without even holding an investigation after he was accused of being at the centre of a disastrous briefing operation against Wes Streeting.

Events

69 h. ago Emails reveal Jeffrey Epstein and associate discussed ‘girls’ and travel

Revelation comes despite US justice department downplaying possibility that other men involved in Epstein’s abuseWhile Donald Trump’s justice department has downplayed the possibility that other men were involved in Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of teen girls, an email released on 12 November as part of the House oversight committee’s Epstein investigation shows an exchange between the late financier and an associate where they discuss “girls” and travel.Epstein sent an email asking “what is your schedule?” on 23 July 2010 to an associate. The latter responded the next morning saying: “the other girl name is [redacted].” The Guardian is withholding the associate’s name, as attempts to identify and contact him were unsuccessful. Continue reading...

Politics

2 d. ago PM’s chief of staff ‘not involved’ in briefing against ministers – reports

Sir Keir Starmer has faced calls to sack his top adviser, Morgan McSweeney.

Politics

3 d. ago Starmer defies calls to sack chief of staff, claiming briefing didn’t come from No 10

PM is standing by chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, despite calls to sack himKeir Starmer has attempted to draw a line under extraordinary briefings by his allies that No 10 feared Wes Streeting could launch a leadership coup, insisting he had been reassured it “didn’t come from Downing Street”.The prime minister gathered his senior staff to stress that briefings against cabinet ministers were “unacceptable” after apologising to Streeting for what had happened on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Starmer can’t afford to sack McSweeney, MPs say as new year coup rumours swirl

The prime minister says he has been ‘assured’ nobody in Downing Street briefed against his health secretary amid claims chief of staff Morgan McSweeney is ‘unsackable’

Politics

3 d. ago Starmer backs chief of staff after assurances briefing did not come from No 10

The Prime Minister said he would ‘absolutely deal with anybody responsible for briefing against ministers’.

Politics

3 d. ago Who is Morgan McSweeney? The chief of staff at risk of sacking

Several ministers and Labour MPs have pointed the finger at Mr McSweeney for singling out Health Secretary Wes Streeting

Events

3 d. ago Starmer’s shambles in No 10 risks handing power to Farage, Alastair Campbell warns

Tony Blair’s former director of communications intervention comes as the PM comes under pressure to sack his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney

Events

3 d. ago Ed Miliband urges Labour to move on after Starmer apologises to Streeting for hostile briefings from No 10 – UK politics live

Fallout from extraordinary briefing operation against Wes Streeting continues as calls grow for Starmer to sack his chief of staff Morgan McSweeneyGood morning. In an interview around this time yesterday morning, Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said that if Keir Starmer were to ring him about the anti-Streeting briefing by Starmer allies reported by the Guardian and others on Tuesday, Streeting would reply: “Why are you bothering with this.” It was an attempt to play down a new episode of Labour turmoil that has turned out to counter-productive for Starmer, but helpful for Streeting, and by the time the two men did speak last night, the conversation took a different tone.Starmer apologised to Streeting, journalists have been told. The conversation was short, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under pressure to sack. The pair also agreed they would speak again soon – which doesn’t mean much (they both attend cabinet, and have...

Politics

3 d. ago Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff arrested on fraud, tax and obstruction of justice charges

Williamson was Newsom’s chief of staff until late 2024

Events

3 d. ago Starmer investigates briefing war as pressure on chief of staff grows

The Prime Minister was forced to condemn briefings against his Cabinet after reports about a possible Wes Streeting coup.

Events

3 d. ago Nothing to see here: Trump press chief in full denial mode over Epstein

Karoline Leavitt defied the laws of moral physics to insist that the true wrongdoers were Biden and the DemocratsDonald Trump was described as “that dog that hasn’t barked” in email by Jeffrey Epstein. Don’t tell Kristi Noem, who has a way of dealing with troublesome hounds.The US president would love nothing more than to let sleeping dogs lie, but that hope was dashed on Wednesday when Democrats released emails suggesting that Trump was aware of Epstein’s sexual abuse of minors and had spent hours with one victim. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Pressure grows on Starmer to sack chief of staff over briefing row

Growing calls for Morgan McSweeney to go after extraordinary briefing operation against Wes StreetingKeir Starmer is coming under intense pressure from a wide range of ministers and MPs to sack his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, after No 10 was accused of an extraordinary briefing operation against the health secretary, Wes Streeting.Starmer is understood to have told MPs he will not sack his chief of staff and would not respond to several demands to ensure there were “consequences” for the briefers. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Keir Starmer under pressure over future of Morgan McSweeney amid briefing row

Ministers and Labour MPs point finger at PM’s chief of staff over No 10 operation that targeted Wes StreetingUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer is facing intense pressure over the future of Morgan McSweeney after the prime minister’s chief of staff was blamed for No 10’s pushback against a possible leadership challenge.After Starmer dodged a question from Kemi Badenoch at prime minister’s questions about whether he had full confidence in his key aide, Downing Street later clarified that he did. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago No 10 says Starmer has confidence in Morgan McSweeney after PM condemns attacks on cabinet members – UK politics live

PM’s spokesperson says he has confidence in his chief of staff after Starmer challenged over ‘toxic culture’ at Downing StreetThe No 10 briefing row is not the only story around this morning. Amy Sedghi is writing a live blog about the ongoing turmoil at the BBC and she has details of Donald Trump saying he has an “obligation” to sue the BBC.In a related development, Reform UK has pulled out of a BBC documentary about the party amid a row over the broadcaster’s editing of the Trump speech. Robyn Vintner has the story. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Keir Starmer says any No 10 briefings against ministers ‘unacceptable’

Starmer defends Wes Streeting at PMQs but dodges question on his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeneyUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has condemned as “completely unacceptable” any briefings against cabinet ministers from inside Downing Street as he tried desperately to close a rift at the top of government.Questioned by Kemi Badenoch at prime minister’s questions, Starmer defended Wes Streeting, the health secretary, who was the apparent target of a pre-emptive No 10 push against a feared imminent leadership challenge against the prime minister. Continue reading...

Politics