34 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

55 h. ago Keir Starmer grilled by schoolchildren on Messi v Ronaldo debate

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was grilled by schoolchildren during a visit on Thursday - with many keen to know his verdict on the Messi v Ronaldo debate.

Politics

3 d. ago Voices: I went on hunger strike to save my wife – why won’t Starmer help Laila Soueif like he helped us?

While Richard was sitting hungry and cold on the London pavement, he had a visit from Keir Starmer, then leader of the opposition. Days later, he called Nazanin – on house arrest in Tehran – and committed to do what he could to help get her home, recall Richard Ratcliffe and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Events

8 d. ago Keir Starmer's plans for 'return hubs' to take migrants from the UK could be hijacked by Russian spies, MI6 warns

The Prime Minister is eyeing up deals with Balkan countries, and some in Africa, to house failed asylum seekers.

Events

9 d. ago ‘The brand is broken’: is there any way back from abyss for Tories?

Conservative party has repeatedly proved able to adapt and reinvent itself – but this time might be differentAt a carefully staged factory visit rich in pre-written lines, one part of Keir Starmer’s delivery felt entirely unscripted: his insistence that Reform is now his main electoral challenger, rather than a Conservative party “sliding into the abyss”.This was, one No 10 source said afterwards, “not posturing”, but simply an acknowledgement that under Kemi Badenoch there appeared to be no way back for a party slumping in the polls and that followed up a disastrous general election with almost equally bad local results at the start of this month. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Keir Starmer's emotional message to Liverpool on visit after parade crash horror

In a visit to the Liverpool today, Keir Starmer said the whole country watched in horror after a car ploughed into a crowd in Water Street - leaving 79 people, including children, injured

Events

3 w. ago Moment Keir Starmer was humiliated live on TV over his plans to send asylum seekers to the Balkans, as he is accused of being 'in full panic mode'

Keir Starmer faced humiliation over his latest attempt at a migrant crackdown yesterday.

Events

3 w. ago UK in talks to deport failed asylum seekers to Balkans as Keir Starmer visits Albania

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed talks over plans to set up 'returns hubs' overseas to send failed asylum seekers to during a historic visit to Albania

Events

3 w. ago Mark Carney takes swipe at Keir Starmer as Canadian PM says his country was 'not impressed' with offer of British state visit for Donald Trump

Mark Carney said the invitation 'cut across' messages his government is trying to send to the White House in response to threats against Canada's sovereignty.

Politics

4 w. ago Watch: Keir Starmer arrives in Kyiv for historic joint visit with global leaders

Watch the moment the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Kyiv alongside the leaders of France, Germany, and Poland—the first time leaders from all four nations have travelled to Ukraine together. Their historic visit marks a unified call for peace as the war continues.

Politics