British Politics

Campaigners and charities have condemned the government’s plans to overhaul the asylum system, with some branding the plans as “inhumane”. Particularly of concern are plans to judge asylum seekers on how they arrived in the UK and not on merit. Migrant Voice said the proposals would condemn asylum seekers “to a life in limbo with […]

The Commons speaker has been forced to reprimand Boris Johnson following his comments about Labour’s position on Kill the Bill protests. Sir Lindsay Hoyle interrupted Prime Minister’s Questions to rebuff remarks Johnson made accusing Labour of supporting the violent protests in Bristol over the weekend. Johnson was responding to a question by the leader of […]

Touring could become “prohibitively bureaucratic and expensive” for musicians and other performers based in the UK because of Brexit, a committee of peers has warned. The Lords EU Services Sub-Committee also warned in a report on Wednesday that significant gaps remain for the services sector trading with the bloc, causing a prolonged period of uncertainty. […]

British weather and “grow-your-own food” will be among the themes celebrated during the Festival of Brexit, organisers have announced. A total 10 teams have been chosen to host events which includes showcasing the largest home-made vegetable patch project in modern times. The carnival remains a contentious issue among the public who say it is ‘politically motivated’ and a waste of £120million […]

Vaccine campaigners have accused Boris Johnson of a “warped” understanding of the crisis after he joked that “greed” and capitalism had contributed to the success of the jabs. The prime minister made the comments at a private meeting of Tory MPs, but then hastily sought to backtrack as he praised AstraZeneca for supplying the Oxford vaccine at […]

The home secretary has said she will make “no apology” for tougher immigration rules as she announces “the biggest overhaul of the UK’s asylum system in decades”. Details of Priti Patel’s new plan for immigration, detailing how the government intends to deal with people entering the UK “illegally”, will be set out on Wednesday. The […]

Scotland’s first minister has said she would have resigned had she been found to have broken the ministerial code, but said she would not be “bullied” out of her position as she defeated an attempt to oust her. Nicola Sturgeon faced a vote of no confidence brought by the Scottish Tories, who claim she misled parliament […]

Fears are growing that ministers want to “bury” a report into the controversial practice of fire and rehire. The government asked Acas to review the policy and received its findings in February. But ministers faced claims of “sitting” on the report given its lack of a response. Research from trade unions has suggested an increase […]

Brexit has contributed to a shortage of flower pickers in the UK, a bulb grower has said. Ordinarily, Taylors Bulbs in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, harvests around 2.5 million cut daffodil flowers per year. Kevin Haynes, horticulture manager, said he expects the firm to harvest around a third of that this year due to a lack of […]

Sir Keir Starmer renewed calls for a public inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as the nation marked the anniversary of the first national lockdown. The Labour leader said on Tuesday that NHS staff and bereaved families are owed answers about what went wrong in the last year so the mistakes never […]

A Tory council candidate has been reprimanded by his own party after calling for Bristol to be bombed after Kill the Bill protests in the city turned violent. Stephen Halbhuber, a Conservative candidate for Eastbourne Council, faced immediate backlash after tweeting “just bomb Bristol” in response to a video showing protesters painting graffiti on a […]

People will be allowed to leave the UK to prepare a second home for rent or sale under new Covid travel rules coming into force on March 29. The latest restrictions will include a list of specific “reasonable excuses to travel” outside the UK, including what Labour has dubbed the “Stanley Johnson clause”. The prime […]

A Tory MP has clashed with a BBC chief over the lack of Union flags featuring in the corporation’s annual report. James Wild MP repeatedly asked new director-general Tim Davie why the flag had failed to appear on the report during a Commons grilling on the BBC’s role as a representative of Britain on the world stage. Davie […]

The Brexit vote and subsequent negotiations have reinforced an image of the UK as insular and exceptionalist. It will need a rebrand if it wants continued success away from the EU. As the UK prepares for economic recovery from COVID and makes the best of Brexit, it is striking that there has been no talk […]

Boris Johnson has said coronavirus restrictions are being eased “once and for all” as the UK marks the anniversary of the first national lockdown. The prime minister offered his “sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones” and praised the “great spirit” displayed ahead of the nation pausing in remembrance on Tuesday. With the […]

Conservative rebels have failed in their bid to prevent ministers from signing trade agreements with countries implicated in genocide following Brexit. The House of Commons voted 319 to 297, majority 22, to disagree with a Lords amendment to the Trade Bill. This would have established a parliamentary panel of judicial experts to determine whether any […]

First minister Nicola Sturgeon did not breach the ministerial code, an independent inquiry has concluded. The finding clears the first minister of any wrongdoing in the Salmond inquiry into sexual assault complaints. An investigation by James Hamilton found that Sturgeon did not breach the ministerial code, following allegations she failed to record meetings with Salmond and others in […]

The government has acquired a second plane painted in the colours of the Union flag to ferry the prime minister and other dignitaries around on short-haul trips. The six-month-old Airbus A321 was captured at Stansted Airport at the weekend with the new red, white and blue paintwork, The Independent revealed. Downing Street came under fire last […]

Technical problems delayed Priti Patel’s appearance in the House of Commons ahead of an update on the protests in Bristol. MPs had assembled in the chamber for Home Office questions at 2.30pm, but problems in allowing MPs to appear virtually in the chamber caused speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to suspend business immediately. He told the […]

The Scottish government has published a draft Bill for a second vote on independence. Constitution secretary Mike Russell said that while the timing of such a vote should be determined by the next Scottish parliament, ministers believe people living north of the border “have the right to decide how we recover from the pandemic and […]

Britain must brace for another wave of coronavirus infections being imported from Europe as cases rise on the continent, Boris Johnson has warned. The prime minister said he expected the third wave of Covid-19 infections, seen in countries such as France and Italy, to “wash up on our shores as well”. But Johnson said he […]

The independent inquiry into whether Nicola Sturgeon breached the ministerial code is expected to be released imminently, according to reports. An investigation by James Hamilton QC has been examining whether Scotland’s first minister misled parliament. He is also examining if she should have recorded meetings with Alex Salmond and whether she prolonged the government’s defence […]

A Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter has criticised Nigel Farage for blaming the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement for some of the Bristol riots on Sunday evening. Thousands took the streets over the weekend to protest against legislation giving police increased powers to shut down peaceful protests. Demonstrations turned ugly when protesters began hurling projectiles at officers and set vehicles […]

Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would not fight “yesterday’s wars” after rejecting criticism of a pro-EU choice for the Hartlepool by-election. Dr Paul Williams, who was an opponent of Brexit and backed a People’s Vote, is standing in the constituency in which almost 70% voted to Leave in the 2016 referendum. But the Labour leader has […]

Policing minister Kit Malthouse has sparked chaos in the Home Office after going to work while waiting for the results of a Covid test. Home Office staff in London were forced to self-isolate and a deep-clean was arranged and air vents changed after Malthouse’s test came back positive, the Sunday Times reported. Government guidance says workers […]

Independence for Scotland would be like Brexit on a rocket to Mars, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has said. Speaking at the UK Liberal Democrat spring conference, Rennie said now is not the moment for the “long, divisive, argumentative, exhausting, all-consuming event” of another referendum on the issue. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has […]

Questions are bring raised about David Cameron’s latest lobbying attempt after it emerged he pressured the chancellor in private texts to issue hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of emergency Covid loans to a company he was advising. The Sunday Times reported the former prime minister sent multiple texts to Rishi Sunak’s private phone in April 2020 badgering […]

MPs can “send a signal” to China and “give hope” to victims of human rights abuses by supporting a House of Lords amendment to the post-Brexit Trade Bill, a former Conservatives leader said. The government will seek in the Commons to overturn the amendment which would limit its ability to strike agreements with countries involved […]