1 week ago Afghan rights defender told she faces ‘no risk’ from Taliban as Home Office denies asylum

Woman who worked with western governments in her home country before fleeing the Taliban told to returnAn Afghan woman who risked her life to defend human rights in her home country before fleeing to the UK has been told by the Home Office it is safe for her to return after officials rejected her asylum claim.Mina (not her real name) worked for western government-backed projects and was involved in training and mentoring women across Afghanistan, which left her in grave danger even before the Taliban took over in 2021. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Starmer ‘disappointed’ Sentencing Council won’t change guidelines that have prompted fears of two tier justice – UK politics live

Justice secretary says ‘all options are on the table’ and threatens to change law Keir Starmer has said that he is “disappointed” at the Sentencing Council’s refusal to agree to the government’s request to withdraw the guidelines that have led to claims it is promoting “two-tier” justice. (See 11.44am.) Asked about the Sentencing Council’s letter this morning, he said:Look, I’m disappointed in this response, and the lord chancellor is obviously continuing to engage on this, and we’re considering our response.All options are on the table. I’m disappointed at this outcome, and now we will have to consider what we do as a result.Farage wants you to eat chlorinated chicken just so he can keep licking the boots of his idol Donald Trump. It’s so pathetic and unpatriotic. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Farage confirms he wants new NHS funding model but Labour says plan would lead to huge patient bills – UK politics live

Nigel Farage has tried to fend off claims that Reform UK would force people to pay to see a doctorNigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, also told Today that the UK should negotiate a wide-ranging trade deal with the US. This should include agriculture, he said. Farage acknowledged that in the past talks on this have been held up by Britain not wanting to allow food imports produced to America’s less rigorous standards, but he claimed the solution was just to give consumers a choice. He said:Now there’s been some concern about chlorine-treated chicken etc, but there is an answer to that which is label things, let consumers decide I would allow consumers in America to buy our products and consumers here to buy their products, and provided we have the right labelling, that’s good.It looks like Nigel Farage has had the full indoctrination at Mar-a-Lago. No one in this country wants chlorinated chicken on our supermarket shelves.Farage wants to sell out our hard-working British farmers for...

Economics

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves' visit to Wales: Handshakes, hugs, and a lesson in devolution

The chancellor spent a large chunk of her day trying to defend welfare cuts following her Spring Statement on Wednesday, March 26

Politics

2 w. ago Labour MPs threaten 'the mother of all rebellions' over benefit cuts with 'dozens' ready to revolt as child poverty hits record level

More than 30 backbenchers are said to be ready to vote against plans to make it harder to claim incapacity benefits and personal independence payments (Pip).

Events

2 w. ago ‘Good chance’ Reeves will have to raise taxes in autumn budget, thinktank says – UK politics live

Institute for Fiscal Studies also warns Reeves over her focus on sticking with fiscal rules regardless of real world eventsIn an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, said she would not accept free tickets for concerts again in the future.Asked about the controversy about her decision to accept two corporate tickets for a Sabrina Carpenter concert at the O2, she repeated the line that she used at her press conference yesterday – that a family member wanted to attend the concert (presumably one of her children, but she did not say that), and that she accepted tickets for a corporate box because security concerns meant it was not deemed safe for her to get normal tickets for the auditorium.I’m just saying I wouldn’t do it again. I felt I was doing the right thing. But I do understand perceptions.I am absolutely certain that our reforms, instead of pushing people into poverty, are going to get people into work.And we know that if you move from welfar...

Politics

2 w. ago Labour MPs threaten 'the mother of all rebellions' over benefit cuts with 'dozens' ready to revolt over Reeves' cut to cash for the disabled

More than 30 backbenchers are said to be ready to vote against plans to make it harder to claim incapacity benefits and personal independence payments (Pip).

Events

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves confronted by PIP claimant who fears being made homeless

In a series of interviews today Chancellor Rachel Reeves attempted to defend the controversial measures to cut sickness and disability benefits at her Spring Statement

Politics

2 w. ago Spring statement latest: Reeves won’t ‘escalate trade wars’ as Trump’s latest tariffs could hit UK economy

A 25 per cent tariff on vehicles imported to the US will come into effect on 2 April, the US president announced

Events

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves 'certain' benefits cuts won't push people into hardship amid growing Labour unrest

The Chancellor was also forced to defend Treasury minister Darren Jones who compared the benefits cuts to taking pocket money away from his children

Politics

2 w. ago Scottish Government will ‘look at every lever’ to avoid benefit cuts – Robison

It came after the Chancellor outlined cuts of almost £5 billion in her spring statement on Wednesday.

Politics

2 w. ago Reeves denies welfare cuts will increase poverty amid warning poorest set to be £500 a year worse off – UK politics live

The Resolution Foundation says the UK’s poorest will be £500 a year worse off by the end of the parliament due to the spring statementIn an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, said she would not accept free tickets for concerts again in the future.Asked about the controversy about her decision to accept two corporate tickets for a Sabrina Carpenter concert at the O2, she repeated the line that she used at her press conference yesterday – that a family member wanted to attend the concert (presumably one of her children, but she did not say that), and that she accepted tickets for a corporate box because security concerns meant it was not deemed safe for her to get normal tickets for the auditorium.I’m just saying I wouldn’t do it again. I felt I was doing the right thing. But I do understand perceptions.I am absolutely certain that our reforms, instead of pushing people into poverty, are going to get people into work.And we know that if you move ...

Events

2 w. ago Spring statement latest: Rachel Reeves refuses to rule out tax rises in autumn budget

Chancellor faces speculation she will be forced to find more money to balance the books

Economics

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves defends benefit cuts and denies further tax rises likely in autumn – UK politics live

Chancellor confirmed welfare cuts of £4.8bn in spring statement, but insisted the priority was to restore stability to the public finances Nick Robinson is interviewing Rachel Reeves on the Today programme now.Q: You promised just one budget a year, but yesterday you had to announce drastic cuts. What’s gone wrong?We’re not at the moment at a position where we want to do anything to escalate these trade wars.Trade wars are no good for anyone. It will end up with higher prices for consumers, pushing up inflation after we’ve worked so hard to get a grip of inflation, and at the same time will make it harder for British companies to export. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Spring statement latest: Reeves rejects warning that welfare reforms could push 250,000 into poverty

Chancellor faces speculation she will be forced to find more money to balance the books

Events

2 w. ago UK politics latest: Reeves refuses to rule out more cuts amid growing Labour backlash

Chancellor faces speculation she will be forced to find more money to balance the books

Politics

3 w. ago Rachel Reeves accused of 'balancing books on backs of poor' with Spring Statement benefit cuts

Blaming increased global uncertainty, Rachel Reeves squeezed £4.8billion out of sickness and disability benefits, leaving disabled people, their families and carers to bear the brunt

Politics

3 w. ago Reeves’s benefit cuts to plunge 250,000 people into poverty, government admits

There was outrage as the chancellor announced yet more welfare cuts which are now set to affect 3.2 million families

Politics

3 w. ago Reeves rejects own government’s findings of cuts pushing 250,000 into poverty

An impact assessment, published today by the Department of Work and Pensions, said 3.2 million families will lose an average of £1,720 a year as a result of the changes

Politics

3 w. ago Spring statement 2025 live: Reeves refuses to rule out more cuts amid growing Labour backlash

Chancellor faces speculation she will be forced to find more money to balance the books

Politics