4 h. ago UK politics live: Labour sounds ‘more like Reform than Reform’ on immigration, new MP claims

PM has faced backlash for the language he used in the speech setting out plans to crack down on legal migration

Politics

48 h. ago Labour MP says Starmer’s ‘island of strangers’ warning over immigration mimics scaremongering of far right – UK politics live

PM unveils new policies meant to drive down net migration by end of this parliamentQ: If you want to grow the economy, won’t these plans make it harder because it will be more difficult for people to get UK citizenship?Starmer says he does not accept the argument that high immigration is always good for growth. The last government had high immigration but stagnant growth.I promise that [net migration] will fall significantly, and I do want to get it down by the end of this parliament, significantly. Continue reading...

Events

51 h. ago Keir Starmer claims soaring immigration has done ‘incalculable’ damage to UK, economically and politically – UK politics live

PM unveils new policies meant to drive down net migration by end of this parliamentQ: If you want to grow the economy, won’t these plans make it harder because it will be more difficult for people to get UK citizenship?Starmer says he does not accept the argument that high immigration is always good for growth. The last government had high immigration but stagnant growth.I promise that [net migration] will fall significantly, and I do want to get it down by the end of this parliament, significantly. Continue reading...

Politics

53 h. ago Keir Starmer promises net migration will fall ‘significantly’ by end of this parliament – UK politics live

PM says policies will ‘take back control’ of migration as promised, but not delivered, by Tory BrexitersWhat change in rules means for migrants and employersQ: If you want to grow the economy, won’t these plans make it harder because it will be more difficult for people to get UK citizenship?Starmer says he does not accept the argument that high immigration is always good for growth. The last government had high immigration but stagnant growth.I promise that [net migration] will fall significantly, and I do want to get it down by the end of this parliament, significantly. Continue reading...

Politics

54 h. ago Keir Starmer to announce new measures to ‘tighten up’ immigration system – UK politics live

Prime minster to unveil immigration white paper that he claimes will be ‘clean break from past’What change in rules means for migrants and employersThe Conservatives have rejected suggestions that Keir Starmer is being tough on immigration. In a statement released overnight in response to the briefing about the white paper plans, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said:Keir Starmer pretends to be tough, but just weeks ago his MPs voted against our 10-year residency and economic contribution test for indefinite leave to remain. Now he says that immigrants who make no contribution should still be allowed to stay.He is trying to take steal credit for recent substantial reductions in visa numbers that resulted from Conservative reforms in April 2024.International recruitment is a lifeline for the homecare sector, enabling us to provide vital support to older and disabled people in their own homes. Care providers are already struggling to recruit within the UK. We are deeply concern...

Politics

5 d. ago Labour ‘throwing trans people under the bus’ says transgender councillor

Dylan Tippetts of Plymouth resigns from party ‘that does not support my fundamental rights’UK politics live – latest updatesOne of Labour’s only transgender councillors has resigned from the party, accusing it of “throwing trans people under the bus”.In a post on X on Friday morning, Dylan Tippetts, who has represented Compton ward on Plymouth city council since 2022, wrote: “I cannot continue to represent a party that does not support my fundamental rights. I cannot as a trans person continue to support the Labour party.” Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Disability benefit cuts impossible to support, 42 Labour MPs tell Starmer

Exclusive: backbenchers sign letter calling for change in direction on plans expected to be put to vote next month UK politics live – latest updatesMore than 40 Labour MPs have warned the prime minister that planned disability cuts are “impossible to support” and have called for a pause and change in direction.The letter from parliamentarians spanning the new intake and veterans, and from the left and right of the party, sets Keir Starmer up for the biggest rebellion of his premiership when the House of Commons votes on the measures next month. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago UK strikes trade deal with US as Trump touts ‘big announcement’: Live updates

The announcement comes after lengthy negotiations between both countries amid Trump’s global tariff war

Politics

6 d. ago UK politics live: Kemi Badenoch talking ‘rubbish’ over trade deal criticisms, say Indian officials

New Delhi officials say Tories previously agreed to a two-year national insurance exemption which Kemi Badenoch now claims amounts to ‘two-tier’ tax

Politics

6 d. ago Tory extinction ‘can’t be ruled out’, says Jeremy Hunt – UK politics live

Former chancellor says he does not expect the Conservatives to die out as a party but he says it is a possibilityKeir Starmer starts by saying rising tensions between India and Pakistan will be of serious concern for many across Britain. The government is enouraging de-escalation, he says.He says tomorrow the nation will fall silent to commemorate VE Day. The armed forces protect our freedom, he says. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago UK politics live: Hunt admits Tories ‘can’t rule out’ party extinction after disastrous local elections

Comes as Starmer and Badenoch clash over government’s newly-struck UK-India trade deal and Labour’s winter fuel payment cuts

Politics

7 d. ago PMQs live: Starmer and Badenoch clash on winter fuel and India trade deal in first debate post local elections

Tory leader piles pressure on prime minister to restore winter fuel payments to all pensioners

Politics

7 d. ago UK politics live: Labour insists India trade deal does not undercut British workers after ‘two

Starmer to soon face grilling at PMQs over newly-struck agreenment and local election losses

Economics

7 d. ago UK politics live: Labour denies claims India trade deal undercuts British workers ahead of PMQs

Badenoch claims she previously ‘refused to sign this deal’ over national insurance tax break for some Indian and British workers

Economics

8 d. ago Welsh Labour first minister says she is ‘losing patience’ with Starmer’s policies

Eluned Morgan says her government will move ‘to the left’ and urges UK Labour to reconsider budget cutsUK politics live – latest updatesThe Welsh first minister and leader of the Welsh Labour party has said she is “losing patience” with UK Labour and made it clear she is “tacking to the left” as she tries to counter a growing threat from Reform UK and Plaid Cymru.Eluned Morgan told the Guardian she wanted Keir Starmer to rethink policy changes on welfare and the winter fuel allowance and described the Labour party as a “messy family”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Streeting admits Reform could be main opposition by next election – UK politics live

Health secretary tells Sky News that the party are ‘definitely a threat’ following byelection and council resultsLabour targets international students claiming asylumThe Conservatives will come back from their poor results in the local elections but it will have to be a “slow and steady” effort, party leader Kemi Badenoch has said, PA reports.She told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “I am sorry to all of those councillors who’ve lost their seat”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Badenoch apologises for local election results as Reform warned there are ‘no simple answers’ – UK politics live

Shadow chief treasury secretary Richard Fuller says Nigel Farage’s party must do more than just ‘point at problems’‘We can’t just talk to the right’: what will Labour do now?Headteachers are taking legal action against Ofsted, England’s schools watchdog, over fears that its new inspection regime is “even worse than before” and likely to harm the mental health of school leaders.The National Association of Head Teachers said it had lodged a claim for a judicial review against Ofsted “over the potential impact of their inspection proposals” and for inadequate consultation over its new system of grading schools.Somehow the focus on school leader mental health and wellbeing has got lost along the way during Ofsted’s consultation process.We must not forget that the catalyst for these changes was the tragic death of Ruth Perry and widespread acceptance that the inspection regime was placing school leaders under intolerable pressure. However, there appears to have been very little thought g...

Events

1 week ago Local election results live: Badenoch sorry for Tory ‘bloodbath’ as Farage gloats Conservatives are finished

Reform takes control of 10 councils, snatches dramatic victory in Runcorn by-election and wins two mayoral contests

Politics

1 week ago ‘No simple answers’ for Reform after local election success, senior Tory warns – UK politics live

Shadow chief treasury secretary Richard Fuller says Nigel Farage’s party must do more than just ‘point at problems’‘We can’t just talk to the right’: what will Labour do now?Labour MP Rachael Maskell has urged her party to scrap winter fuel and welfare policies that she said are pushing voters away, reports the PA news agency.The York Central MP told BBC Breakfast that Labour has “special responsibilities” to serve the needs of people.We’re not any other political party, we were created to serve the needs of people across working areas of our country so that people had a real voice of the kind of change that they wanted to see.I think it’s now time, if Labour are going to go further faster, to pick up that voice, to put our fingers on the pulse and to understand that that responsibility that the 1945 government set out putting that safety net in place at the welfare state is on our watch and is our responsibility.People went cold last winter and that’s not what a Labour government s...

Events

1 week ago Local election results live: Reform wins spate of councils as Farage gloats that Tories are ‘finished’

Reform snatched a dramatic victory in the Runcorn by-election, beating Labour by six votes

Politics