68 h. ago UK politics live: Rayner ‘urged Reeves’ to raise taxes on wealthy pensioners in secret memo

The chancellor has been adamant she will not turn to tax rises to fund the government’s policies

Economics

2 d. ago UK politics live: Reeves defends ‘necessary’ winter fuel payment cuts amid speculation over U

Senior government figures are in talks about whether to U-turn on the chancellor’s winter fuel cuts within weeks

Politics

3 d. ago UK politics live: Reeves eyes fresh trade deal after striking EU Brexit reset pact

The chancellor is hoping an agreement can be secured with countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia

Politics

3 d. ago UK politics live: Reeves eyes trade deal with Gulf countries after striking EU Brexit reset pact

The chancellor is hoping an agreement can be secured with countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia

Politics

5 d. ago Labour DWP chief Liz Kendall refuses to rule out winter fuel payment u

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has defended the decision to take winter fuel payments from 'millionaire pensioners', but did not rule out changes to eligibility thresholds

Politics

8 d. ago UK asking other countries to host ‘return hubs’ for refused asylum seekers, Starmer confirms – UK politics live

PM on trip to announce increased cooperation against people smugglers alongside Albania’s prime minister, Edi RamaAll Commons Speakers, at least for the past 30 years, have complained about the government making major announcements to the media first, and not to parliament first. But rarely have any of them sounded quite as furious about this as Lindsay Hoyle, who this morning delivered an extended reprimand to the government about this at the start of an urgent question.The UQ was about plans to limit the use of prison recall – something announced by the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, at a press conference yesterday, while the Commons was still sitting. After pointing this out, and reminding MPs that details of the immigration white paper were given to the media extensively, long before the ministerial statement about it was delivered in the Commons on Monday, Hoyle went on to imply that, as well as regularly breaking the ministerial code, ministers were also guilty of hypocri...

Politics

2 w. ago Labour MPs must realise welfare system ‘needs reform’, says Reeves – UK politics live

Chancellor responds to growing rebellion from more than 40 MPs who have written to the prime ministerMore 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.Andrew Bailey has today added his voice to what Liberal Democrats have been saying for years: that we urgently need to rebuild our trading relationship with our closest and most significant economic partners in Europe.This isn’t about revisiting the past, it’s about boosting our economy and deepening cooperation for the future. Despite the government’s US deal, Trump’s trade tariffs are still hitting key British industries and threatening the livelihoods of people across the UK. Continue r...

Politics

2 w. ago “Existential threat” to Labour as Starmer defends winter fuel cuts

Following 45 Labour MPs grouping together and a crushing local election result, The Division Bell discusses this last week in politics

Events

4 w. ago Reform UK on course to win in two mayoral contests – UK politics live

Polling predicts victory for party in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull/East Yorkshire with the Greens possibly taking West of EnglandThere are six mayoral elections next week. Two of them are for single-authority mayors (Doncaster and North Tyneside), but the others are for combined-authority mayors (or regional mayors – like metro mayors, but not just covering city regions). Today YouGov has released polling covering all four of these contests and it suggests Reform UK is on course to win two of them easily. And the Green party is narrowly ahead in a third, the poll suggests.Here are the polling figures.In theory the Tories should be winning in Lincolnshire as they hold most of the parliamentary seats in the area and have dominated local politics forever. But it’s also the most Reform-friendly part of the country. It contains Richard Tice’s constituency and numerous seats in which they came second. Plus their candidate is a former Tory MP – Andrea Jenkyns, famous for her Boris Johnson...

Politics

4 w. ago Reeves hints at priority as she says ‘trading relationship with Europe arguably more important’ than US – UK politics live

Chancellor said she understood the focus on possible deal with US, but added the EU remained ‘our nearest neighbours and trading partners’Water company bosses face up to two years in prison if they cover up illegal sewage spills under new laws coming into force, PA Media reports. PA says:The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said no prison sentences have been handed to water company executives since privatisation despite widespread illegal sewage discharges, and the tougher penalties were essential because some firms have obstructed investigations.Environment secretary Steve Reed said: “Bosses must face consequences if they commit crimes. There must be accountability. From today, there will be no more hiding places.”I’m now pretty optimistic that we are moving in a good direction.In the end, I think everybody understands that this is about our security in Europe. It requires cooperation between democracies, friends, allies, countries with the same values.The...

Politics