British Politics

Dominic Raab has clashed with MPs as he sought to defend a cut to the government’s foreign aid budget by £8billion. Raab faced the International Development Committee on Thursday after last night’s confirmation that official development assistance (ODA) was being slashed from 0.7% to 0.5% of gross national income. Committee chairwoman Sarah Champion accused the foreign secretary of  […]

An inquiry was launched more than a year ago – when will it reach a conclusion? More than a year after it was revealed that Kathryn Stone, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, had begun an inquiry into how Boris Johnson‘s Caribbean break over the Christmas holiday in 2019 was funded, she has still to say a word […]

The SNP could miss out on a majority at the Holyrood election, according to a new poll. The Savanta ComRes survey for The Scotsman predicts the party will return 63 MSPs – two short of a majority and the same number as in 2016. However, there would still be a pro-independence majority at Holyrood, with […]

Downing Street has scrapped the Pick for Britain campaign to recruit British workers for seasonal farm roles after as little as 5% signed up. According to The Grocer, the government is now focusing on removing barriers to recruitment rather than running another national campaign. This comes as estimations suggest Britons made up between 5% and 11% of the […]

A former defence minister has described Boris Johnson’s government as a “cesspit” and the “most distrustful, awful environment” that he has ever worked in. A day after quitting his job, Johnny Mercer launched an extraordinary attack on Johnson and fellow ministers, accusing them of being “cowards” for backtracking on promises to end “vexatious historical investigations” of veterans who […]

The opposition has demanded that the powerful Liaison Committee of MPs holds an urgent investigation into Boris Johnson’s conduct after fresh revelations about Tory sleaze. The call came after it emerged the prime minister exchanged text messages with billionaire James Dyson over the tax status of his employees. Johnson promised the entrepreneur he would “fix” […]

Brexiteer James Dyson has moved his address to the UK, two years after relocating the Dyson head office to Singapore. Details for Weybourne Limited – Dyson’s parent company – were updated on Tuesday, records on the Companies House website show. The entry is listed as “change of details for Sir James Dyson as a person […]

Campaigners have hit out at an “inhumane” policy introduced to deport homeless people who are not UK nationals. The Home Office strategy was brought in last year as part of changes to the immigration system amid the government’s bid for tougher border restrictions and a “firmer and fairer” immigration system after Brexit. The plan means […]

The Alba Party’s manifesto is the only one “taking Scottish independence seriously”, Alex Salmond has said. At the launch of his party’s proposals, the former first minister took a swipe at the SNP and the Scottish Greens – the latter of whom he has previously accused of being “as weak as dishwater” on independence. During […]

Outspoken lockdown critic Laurence Fox is tied with an intergalactic bin in last place in the race for London mayor. The new Comres poll has Labour candidate Sadiq Khan clearly in the lead with 41% of the vote, followed by the Conservative Shaun Bailey at 28% with Lib Dem Luisa Porritt and Green Sian Berry significantly behind with […]

Sir Keir Starmer has grilled Boris Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions over alleged tax breaks he gave to Sir James Dyson’s employees. The leader of the opposition pressed Johnson over lobbying concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Citing correspondence between Dyson and Johnson over tax breaks, Sir Keir told the Commons: “What does the prime minister think is the […]

Sir James Dyson has said it is “absurd to suggest” texts he sent Boris Johnson on the tax status of his employees had broken lobbying rules. The BBC reported that Sir James had sent Johnson a series of messages in March last year to get assurances his employees would be exempt from tax rules if they moved […]

A minister has insisted millions of pounds spent on a new media room have not gone to waste after the government scrapped plans to hold daily televised briefings. Culture secretary Oliver Dowden defended the government for spending £2.6million of taxpayer funds adapting a room in No 9 for TV press conferences complete with microphones, Union Jack flags, podiums, cameras […]

Boris Johnson has been challenged over his conduct with businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri during a press conference from Downing Street. The prime minister was asked if he had acted with “honesty and integrity” in line with the code of conduct for people in public life, following reports about his relationship with the American businesswoman. Arcuri made […]

Veterans minister Johnny Mercer was reportedly sacked by Number 10 despite hours earlier saying he was a “valued” minister. There had been speculation Mercer was intending to resign after frustration at a lack of progress over legislation to protect British veterans who served during the Troubles. Downing Street confirmed last night that the prime minister had […]

Boris Johnson personally promised Sir James Dyson he would “fix” an issue over the tax status of his employees after he was directly lobbied by the entrepreneur, it has been reported. The BBC said it has seen a series of text messages between the two men after Sir James was unable to get the assurances […]

Downing Street has scrapped plans for White House-style press conferences despite more than £2.6 million having already been spent on the media room. The room in No 9 Downing Street has been kitted out with cameras and rows of chairs for journalists, and the prime minister’s press secretary Allegra Stratton was due to field questions […]

A permit required by lorry drivers entering Kent after the end of the Brexit transition period has been scrapped. The Department for Transport also announced that a moveable barrier installed on the M20 will be dismantled over the weekend. The traffic management measures were introduced in Kent amid fears that the UK’s withdrawal from the […]

The government faces possible legal action after a former Conservative parliamentary candidate was revealed as the contact for a £100 million deal for personal protective equipment (PPE). The contract to supply face masks was awarded in July 2020 to Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd (PDL) without any competition, although details were not published until March. The Good […]

The equalities minister has hit out at those that have attempted to discredit the findings of a controversial report on racial disparities. Kemi Badenoch said “appalling abuse” had been meted out to members of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (Cred) and false assertions have been made about their work. Her statement comes one […]

Boris Johnson has claimed Johnny Mercer is a “valued” minister as he tries to stop him resigning from government. Veterans minister Mercer is thought to be unhappy about a lack of progress in dealing with former personnel being investigated for killings during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He has been heavily involved in the Overseas Operations […]

David Cameron and Rishi Sunak have been sent a series of demands by a parliamentary inquiry into the former prime minister’s lobbying activities for Greensill Capital. The Commons Treasury Committee wrote to the pair on Tuesday, setting a May 6 deadline to answer the questions ahead of a possible appearance before MPs over the controversy. […]

Defence minister Jonny Mercer is set to resign shortly, reports suggest. Sky News deputy political editor Sam Coates tweeted the minister would soon hand his resignation to Boris Johnson. “Defence minister Johnny Mercer likely to (try to) resign shortly I understand. He is understood to have indicated such to colleagues,” Coates posted. “BUT he is not […]

With millions expected to turn out to voting stations across Wales, Scotland, and England on May 6, we wanted to find out how you will be voting. More than 5,000 seats are up for grabs in county councils, district councils and unitary authorities across England.  Of those, the Conservatives are defending 2,052 seats and Labour 1,621. The […]

The DUP leader has said it is “simply not the case” that her party is boycotting north-south political meetings in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol. Arlene Foster’s comments came as other executive parties held a series of meetings on Monday to discuss two DUP no-shows at sectoral meetings of the North South Ministerial Council […]

Researchers argue the divides in England are even stronger than between the different nations of the United Kingdom. For many of us, a national identity is an essential part of who we are. For others, it’s a source of division. National boundaries, like any boundary, imply that some are on the outside. As long as […]

David Cameron and Rishi Sunak could be called before MPs to answer questions about the former prime minister’s lobbying activities for Greensill Capital. The Commons Treasury Committee will seek to question the pair after it emerged Cameron sent text messages to the chancellor as he sought to gain access to Government-backed coronavirus loans for Greensill. […]

The prime minister has vowed to take action on the Northern Ireland Protocol if the EU refuses to ditch “absurd” aspects of the post-Brexit trading arrangements. Johnson said his government was currently working on “sandpapering” the Protocol, which governs Irish Sea trade post-Brexit, to address some of the concerns about trade disruption. In an interview […]