4 h. ago Legal aid lawyers face chaos following cyber attack, says representative body

Chris Minnoch, of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group, said lawyers have called the representative body ‘in tears’ over the situation.

Events

17 h. ago DoJ urged to investigate US group accused of working as Modi

Prominent Sikh gurdwara says Pennsylvania-based Hindu American Foundation has promoted ‘interests of the BJP’One of the largest Sikh houses of worship in the US is calling on the Trump administration to investigate a non-profit it has alleged is working as a “foreign agent” on behalf of the the Indian government and prime minister Narendra Modi.The Fremont Gurdwara Sahib, which said it draws 5,000 Sikh worshippers every week and is a “fulcrum” of the Sikh community in the US and around the world, has asked the Department of Justice to launch a national security investigation into the Hindu American Foundation, to determine whether the Pennsylvania-based non-profit should be required to file as an Indian foreign agent. Continue reading...

Economics

18 h. ago Lack of recent meetings with Treasury an ‘issue of concern’, says Swinney

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will lay out her spending plans on Wednesday.

Politics

21 h. ago Elton John told 'we've got your back' by minister after he slams Government as 'losers' on AI copyright

The world-famous pop star says the Government’s current plans would let AI firms to ‘commit theft, thievery on the highest scale’

Politics

25 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

34 h. ago Rachel Reeves in standoff over policing and council budgets days before spending review

Chancellor still at negotiating table on Sunday as Home Office demands more cash Rachel Reeves has been locked in a standoff over the policing and council budgets just days before this week’s spending review, which is set to give billions to the NHS, defence and technology.Yvette Cooper’s Home Office and Angela Rayner’s housing and local government ministry were the two departments still at the negotiating table on Sunday fighting for more cash, after weeks of trying to reach a settlement. Continue reading...

Economics

34 h. ago Rachel Reeves strikes 11th hour deal with Angela Rayner to break cabinet civil war deadlock

Exclusive: The Treasury agreed a late deal with Angela Rayner’s Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government on Sunday evening, just days before Rachel Reeves publishes the spending review

Events

37 h. ago The Guardian view on child poverty: free school meals are a help, but not a panacea | Editorial

Giving lunch to more pupils is a good move – but poor nutrition points to deeper problems that ministers must faceIt was Ellen Wilkinson, education minister in the Attlee government, who announced in 1946 that free school dinners would be introduced, along with free school milk, at the same time as child benefit. No doubt Rachel Reeves, who has a picture of Wilkinson on the wall of her office, is aware of this – and also that the Treasury subsequently decided the policy was unaffordable. The meals were subsidised instead.Despite these initial charges, and later price rises, poorer children did gain, and keep, an entitlement to free school meals. The announcement last week that this is being extended in England to all those whose parents or carers claim universal credit – rather than restricted to families with incomes lower than £7,400 – should be welcomed by all objectors to child poverty. Being assured of a hot lunch in the middle of the school day makes pupils’ lives be...

Politics

37 h. ago Disability benefit cuts will affect Wales disproportionately, campaigners say

UK government declined to conduct Wales-specific impact assessment for plans, despite calls from first ministerDisability benefit cuts planned by the UK government will disproportionately impact the lives of people in Wales, campaigners have said.Research released by the data analytics company Policy in Practice last week estimated that 190,000 people – 6% of the population – could have their incomes slashed by up to 60% by the end of this parliament if eligibility for personal independence payments (Pip) is tightened as proposed in a March green paper. Continue reading...

Politics

40 h. ago Minister says AI ‘does lie’ but defends Government amid copyright row

Peter Kyle acknowledged the technology was ‘not flawless’ as he insisted the Government would ‘never sell downstream’ the rights of artists.

Politics

40 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

40 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

42 h. ago Minister refuses to rule out cuts to police and housing budgets in spending review

As the Treasury continues to lock horns with Angela Rayner and Yvette Cooper over housing and police force budgets, Cabinet minister Peter Kyle sends a strong signal of the government’s intent

Politics

43 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

51 h. ago Andrew Malkinson ‘not finished’ fighting for reform after wrongful conviction

The 59-year-old had his conviction overturned in 2023 after years protesting his innocence.

Politics

68 h. ago Ministers accused of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ over UK’s soft power around the world

Government’s own advisers warn of funding crisis for BBC World Service, British Council and universitiesAs US retreats, is there a ‘soft power’ opportunity for UK?Ministers have been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” over threats to the UK’s soft power around the world, as some of their own advisers warned a funding crisis is undermining key institutions promoting British influence.Members of the government’s new soft power council, set up by ministers earlier this year, warned the BBC World Service, the British Council and universities – regarded as the bodies at the forefront of the UK’s soft power efforts – all face major financial pressures. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Energy minister leaves Government after two weeks for health reasons

Downing Street announced Baroness Margaret Curran had left her role as an energy minister on Friday afternoon.

Politics

3 d. ago Show us your BritCard: Minister confirms Government looking at introducing ID app in illegal immigration crackdown

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said that ministers 'know we need to look at all the actions we can take' to reduce the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats.

Politics

3 d. ago Netanyahu defends arming Palestinian clans accused of ties with jihadist groups

PM says it ‘saves lives of Israeli soldiers’ despite accusations government is giving weapons to ‘criminals and felons’The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has admitted arming clans in Gaza that he says are opposed to Hamas, following accusations that members of these criminal gangs allegedly looted humanitarian aid and have ties to jihadist groups.Netanyahu’s comments came after Israeli media reports quoted defence sources as saying Netanyahu had authorised giving weapons to a clan reportedly led by a man known as Yasser Abu Shabab, a Rafah resident from a Bedouin family, known locally for his involvement in criminal activity. Israel allegedly provided Abu Shabab’s group, which calls itself the “Anti-Terror Service”, with Kalashnikov assault rifles, including weapons seized from Hamas. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago British athletes and icons' stark £45m warning before London 2029 World Championships bid

In a powerful open letter to the Prime Minister, Olympic champions, global medallists and rising stars called on the government to back the bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships in London

Events