… Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “The Chagos deal is dead. Thank God.” Streeting told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday that no money would be handed over to Mauritius “at this stage” while officials review the deal. …
… Reform UK came a distant third by these vote totals, and the Greens’ share was higher if they are given the votes in two wards where they stood aside. …
… The much-photographed election veteran was the main rival to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in an election race caused by Farage resigning, only to run again – which sparked a mass boycott by the other main UK parties. …
Reform UK has pledged to imprison the bosses of companies employing illegal migrants and said it would fine larger firms 10 per cent of their global revenues. …
… The Conservatives said that Labour had not delivered on its promises on migration, while Reform UK said if in government it would deploy the navy to ward off crossings.
France has hit out at a Reform UK plan to return migrant boats using the Navy, saying the proposals would violate its sovereignty and breach international law. …
… Critics say Musk amplified anti-immigration rhetoric during violent riots in Belfast Although at one point he toyed with donating huge sums of money to Reform UK, he since broke with Nigel Farage over Farage’s shunning of Robinson, and more recently has boosted the profile of Rup …
… Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called for a general election, saying Burnham “cannot be allowed to make the ‘biggest changes in politics for 40 years’ without a mandate”. …
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, supported calls for referendums in Suffolk on whether asylum seekers should be housed in military camps, saying referendums demonstrate public feeling and that people are "asking for help." The government is considering housing over 1,000 asylum seekers at RAF Barnham while their applications are processed, with residents raising concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, supported calls for referendums in Suffolk on whether asylum seekers should be housed in military camps, saying referendums demonstrate public feeling and that people are "asking for help." The government is considering housing over 1,000 asylum seekers at RAF Barnham while their applications are processed, with residents raising concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour.
The UK is reviewing its agreement to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after US President Donald Trump called the deal "terrible" at the UN General Assembly. The original deal would see the UK hand over sovereignty and pay an average of £101m ($136m) per year to lease back a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.
Sir Keir Starmer, who served as Prime Minister until July, has announced his resignation as MP for Holborn and St Pancras, a seat he has held since 2015. He cited a desire to focus on international affairs and work against violence against women and girls.
Icelandic voters rejected the government's proposal to restart EU membership negotiations in a referendum, with 52.8% voting no against 47.2% voting yes. Fishing industry concerns dominated debate despite international tensions cited as the reason for bringing forward the vote.
Count Binface, a satirical candidate, received 9,455 votes (26.9% of the vote) in the Clacton by-election, his best performance yet. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage won the seat with 63.3% of the vote.
Reform UK has pledged to imprison company bosses employing illegal migrants and fine larger firms 10 per cent of their global revenues, aiming to stop delivery and gig-economy companies from profiting from illegal workers without consequences. The party said it would make chief executives and directors personally and criminally liable for illegal workers employed by their firms, regardless of knowledge of workers' legal status.
A boat attempting to cross the Channel to the UK caught fire on Tuesday morning, with French authorities rescuing 157 people and taking them to port in Boulogne-sur-Mer. There are no reports of injuries or deaths.
France has criticised a Reform UK proposal to use the Navy to intercept migrant boats in the English Channel and return them to French ports without French consent, saying it would violate sovereignty and breach international law. Reform UK said the plan would protect British interests and that humanitarian missions do not violate maritime or international law.
Elon Musk made the film Citizen Vigilante, starring Armie Hammer and directed by Uwe Boll, free to view on X for 48 hours in late June. The film depicts an American vigilante killing police officers, judges, and others in an unnamed European country, and Musk's promotion briefly pushed it to the top of streaming charts on platforms including Apple and Amazon.
Andy Burnham, the new UK prime minister, is set to announce new support to help people with the cost of living crisis as his cabinet meets for the first time. He has vowed to provide "breathing space" for households struggling with costs and pledged to set out details on Tuesday.
Andy Burnham, the new UK prime minister, is set to announce support for households struggling with the cost of living crisis on Tuesday. Burnham has appointed a cabinet including John Healey as chancellor and Ed Miliband as foreign secretary, and pledged to provide "breathing space" for people facing financial hardship.
Andy Burnham, 56, assumed office as Prime Minister following Keir Starmer's resignation, becoming the seventh PM in a decade and the fifth in four years. He secured the premiership without a general election through Labour Party succession.
Andy Burnham, who secured the Labour leadership after backing from 379 MPs and all 11 affiliated trade unions, said he is finalising cabinet decisions ahead of becoming prime minister on Monday, replacing Sir Keir Starmer. He declined to name his top team beforehand, saying early announcements would "cause complete chaos," but pledged his appointments would reflect all parts of the party and all communities.
Andy Burnham, the new Labour leader backed by 379 Labour MPs and all 11 affiliated trade unions, said he is finalising his cabinet ahead of taking over as prime minister on Monday, replacing Sir Keir Starmer. He pledged his appointments would reflect "all parts of our party" and "all communities," and outlined a vision including reforms to the social care system.
Police have arrested a 28-year-old man in South Yorkshire on suspicion of murder in connection with Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokesperson, who was found with serious injuries at her Devon home on Thursday.
The 78-year-old former Conservative minister was found with serious injuries at her Devon home on Thursday; police believe the attack occurred on Wednesday around 12:30 pm. Detectives are searching for a white male suspect after releasing a 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder.
A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of 78-year-old Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative MP and Reform UK spokesperson. Police found her body with serious injuries at her home in Devon on Thursday and said there is no indication the crime was politically motivated.
Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative MP who later joined Reform UK and became a Brexit Party MEP, has died at 78. She served as a Home Office and employment minister under John Major and was known as a prominent Brexit supporter.
The BBC's new director general Matt Brittin has described the traditional £180-a-year TV licence as "yesterday's model" and "no longer fit for purpose," and suggested the government reconsider a compulsory household levy that could be collected through utility bills, potentially reducing the fee if all homes participated.
Reform UK, a British political party, has proposed introducing visa restrictions on nationals of countries seeking reparations for the transatlantic slave trade, a move criticized as an attempt to punish African and Caribbean nations for asking for justice. The article argues that reparations are a legal and moral claim for repair of documented harm, not charity, and notes Britain's central role in building and profiting from the slave trade.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is weighing his political future as senior ministers urge him to set a timetable for departure following Andy Burnham's by-election victory, which opened a path for Burnham to challenge for the Labour leadership. US President Donald Trump predicted Starmer will resign, citing failures on immigration and energy policy.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch will argue in a speech that the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires public bodies such as schools and hospitals to promote equality, should be scrapped because it has become "a minefield" exposing public decisions to legal challenge. The Labour government meanwhile is promising a new equality and diversity strategy focused on getting working-class people into the civil service.
Sir Keir Starmer has accused tech billionaire Elon Musk of "trying to whip up division" following the death of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, whose killer claimed he was the victim of a racist attack. Musk posted on X criticising police treatment of the teenager and comparing media coverage to the George Floyd case, prompting the PM to accuse him of interfering in British politics.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called a case in which three teenage boys were spared custodial sentences over the rape of two girls "appalling" and said it was "right" that the Attorney General was reviewing the sentences. The boys received Youth Rehabilitation Orders instead of jail time for attacks in Hampshire in November 2024 and January 2025, prompting one victim to criticize the outcome as a "slap on the wrist."
UK public sector borrowing hit £24.3bn in April, the highest for that month since 2020, driven by higher spending on benefits and debt interest payments amid weak retail sales and deteriorating growth outlook.
UK government borrowing costs have reached an 18-year high and the pound has fallen as Andy Burnham pursues the Labour leadership, with analysts attributing the market movements to concerns that a Burnham-led government would increase borrowing.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a speech defending his leadership and vowing to tackle growth, defense, Europe relations, and energy issues, following devastating local election losses and mounting pressure from within the Labour Party to resign.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer plans to announce bolder action to address major challenges facing the country in a Monday speech, as he seeks to counter growing pressure from Labour MPs calling for his resignation following heavy election losses. Several potential challengers, including Angela Rayner and Catherine West, have publicly questioned his leadership, with West threatening to trigger a formal leadership contest if his speech fails to outline a credible plan to restore the party's fortunes.
Thousands of people gathered outside Downing Street on Sunday for a protest against antisemitism, led by main Jewish community organisations, in response to a string of recent attacks on synagogues and Jewish sites, including the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green.
Sir Keir Starmer has resisted calls to resign as prime minister after Labour suffered significant election losses across England, Scotland, and Wales, including ending its 27-year rule in Wales. Reform UK emerged as the big winner, picking up more than 1,400 seats in England and leading polling estimates with 26% of the vote share.