Browsing: UK Politics

Sir Keir Starmer plans to enhance the UK’s military capabilities, including buying more attack submarines, but has not committed to new defence spending ahead of the Strategic Defence Review.

Cliff Notes – Robert Jenrick says kill all Islamist terrorists in prison Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick advocates for arming prison officers with lethal weapons…

Friday’s front pages are reacting to the news of the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. After months of wrangling, Keir Starmer has finally signed a treaty to hand over the territory. The UK and US will keep their military base on the island, paying £101 million a year, and securing a lease for at least the next 99 years.

Friday’s front page headlines offer a wide variety of domestic and international news with ongoing coverage of the UK handing over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands offering a clear political divide. 

Labour’s plans to free up prison spaces in England and Wales have outraged the right-wing papers boldly claim that sex offenders will be roaming the streets. 

There are discussions around benefits – including the two-child benefit cap, as well as coverage of potential tax rises, splashed on the front pages.

Good morning – let’s grab a coffee and catch up on what’s making headlines in the UK and beyond today.

There’s some relief on the way for households as energy bills are set to fall for the first time in a year. Ofgem has confirmed a 7% cut to the energy price cap from July, which means the average household in England, Scotland and Wales will see their annual bill drop by around £129.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has signed a significant agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. As part of the deal, the UK will lease back the vital military base on Diego Garcia for £101 million a year, securing its use for an initial 99-year period.

In England, public sector workers are seeing a boost in their pay packets. Teachers and doctors will receive a 4% pay rise following recommendations from official pay review bodies. While education unions have largely welcomed the decision, they’ve warned that schools could face budget shortfalls without additional funding. Meanwhile, health unions have criticised a smaller 3.6% increase for NHS staff such as nurses and midwives.

On the global stage, tensions are rising after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a scathing attack on Keir Starmer and the leaders of France and Canada. Netanyahu accused them of siding with Hamas, following recent international criticism of Israel’s military actions. The comments came after two people were shot dead at the Israeli embassy in Washington, which has further strained diplomatic relations.

In the United States, the Trump administration has taken dramatic action against Harvard University, revoking its ability to enrol international students. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Harvard had failed to comply with immigration laws, while the university has called the move “unlawful” and a direct threat to academic freedom.

And finally, a suspect has been charged with the murder of two Israeli embassy staff members outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC. US prosecutors are treating the shooting as a hate crime and an act of terror, and have confirmed it’s a death penalty-eligible case. More charges are expected as the investigation continues.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a fierce attack on Sir Keir Starmer, along with the leaders of France and Canada, accusing them of effectively siding with Hamas by criticising Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has signed a major agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the strategic military base on Diego Garcia for £101 million a year.

Doctors and teachers in England have been given a 4% pay rise after the government accepted recommendations from public sector pay review bodies.

Most of Thursday’s UK newspaper front pages lead with the U-turn on the winter fuel payment cuts. Last year the government announced changes to the benefit which saw more than nine million pensioners lose out on payments worth up to £300 – after the eligibility threshold was tightened.

Good morning! Grab your coffee and let’s take a brisk scroll through today’s headlines…

In politics, Sir Keir Starmer has bowed to pressure and announced a U-turn on winter fuel payment cuts. The scheme, which had been scaled back to save £1.4 billion, left over 10 million pensioners without support. Starmer now says more pensioners will qualify again, with changes expected in the autumn Budget – though the exact numbers and timing are still under wraps. It comes after Labour lost big to Reform UK during recent local elections.

Meanwhile, a government-commissioned review has suggested that prisoners should serve only a third of their sentences in custody, rather than the current half. There are proposals to chemically castrate sex offenders in order to release them earlier in a bid to free up spaces in prisons.

In economic news, the UK government’s borrowing reached £20.2 billion in April, surpassing expectations and placing additional pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

After lots of glorious sunshine, the UK is set to experience a shift in weather just in time for the bank holiday weekend. The Met Office forecasts unsettled conditions, with many areas expecting rain or showers and more unpredictable weather patterns continuing into the half-term week.

Elsewhere, the UK government has been temporarily blocked from finalising a landmark deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, following a late-night injunction granted by the High Court.

In sport, underdogs are stealing the spotlight. Crystal Palace shocked football fans by beating Manchester City 1–0 to lift the FA Cup – their first major trophy. Not to be outdone, Spurs ended their 17-year silverware drought with a scrappy 1–0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final, with Brennan Johnson the unlikely hero.

On the international front, there has been a shooting in the US with two Israeli embassy staffers shot dead near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

The WHO has said Gaza’s health service is ‘stretched beyond breaking point’ and Donald Trump held a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa – in which the US president ambushed his counterpart with unfounded claims of genocide against white South Africans.

Sir Keir Starmer has announced a U-turn on winter fuel payment cuts, following weeks of political pressure.

Wednesday’s headlines are dominated by the shock announcements from the UK government regarding the situation in Gaza. Despite being fairly silent and in line with the USA regarding the Middle East crisis, the UK government has finally taken a stand. The right-wing papers keep the story off the front pages, instead focusing on various domestic political stories.

Wednesday’s headlines are dominated by the UK government’s U-turn on its stance on the genocide in Gaza. For the right-leaning UK press, the story is largely kept off the front pages and replaced with domestic stories – mostly political.

Let’s grab a coffee and dive into this morning’s headlines — it’s a busy one! From rising inflation giving wallets a bit more to worry about, to the UK taking a firm stand on the Gaza crisis, and Donald Trump unveiling a space-age missile defence plan (yes, really) — here’s your quick catch-up on the stories making waves across the UK today.

Petro Pochynok, 34, has been charged with conspiracy to commit arson linked to two properties and a car associated with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

UK inflation rose to 3.5% in April, up from 2.6% in March, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This figure is higher than most forecasts — economists expected around 3.3%, while the Bank of England predicted 3.4%.

Dr Victoria Rose, a British surgeon in Gaza, described operating on two sisters with severe war injuries amidst ongoing airstrikes.

Sir Keir Starmer’s strategy to counter Reform UK is under scrutiny, as local elections reveal a significant threat, with Labour potentially losing up to 72 seats to Reform, based on recent voting trends.

Lucy Connolly’s appeal against a 31-month prison sentence for inciting racial hatred through an inflammatory social media post was denied, with the court finding no basis for reducing her sentence.

A roundup of the news dominating the UK every day.

Tuesday’s newspaper front pages cover the landmark EU deal that, according to the prime minister, puts the UK back on the global stage. The paper’s political leanings are as clear as ever in this morning’s headlines with the left-leaning press celebrating the UK rebuilding its relations with the EU – and highlighting the economic benefits that will come with it. The right-leaning press sees it as a betrayal of Brexit – even though many of the papers have acknowledged that Brexit in its current form does not work.

Good morning! Grab a coffee and let’s dive into today’s headlines.

In a significant development, the UK, France, and Canada have jointly warned Israel of “concrete actions” if it continues its military operations in Gaza and restricts humanitarian aid.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has secured a landmark “Brexit reset” deal with the EU, aiming to revitalise UK-EU relations. The agreement includes easing trade barriers, reintroducing the UK into the Erasmus programme, and establishing a new defence partnership. While the deal promises economic benefits, it has faced criticism over concessions like extended EU fishing access to UK waters.

On the trade front, the UK is actively pursuing a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, comprising six Gulf nations. Recent discussions between UK officials and Gulf leaders indicate progress towards strengthening economic ties in the region.

Internationally, tensions remain high as global leaders respond to the escalating situation in Gaza, with calls for ceasefires and increased humanitarian assistance.

Donald Trump has said Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” start negotiating towards a ceasefire and an end to the war – after a two-hour phone call with Putin.

The £9bn GDP boost from the UK-EU trade agreement announced by Sir Keir Starmer translates to only 0.2% of GDP by 2040, far less than the estimated 4% negative impact of Brexit.

The UK and EU have reached a new trade deal after extensive negotiations, with key provisions including improved travel for British passport holders and the reinstatement of pet passports for easier pet travel.

The UK and EU have finalised a post-Brexit trade deal after extensive negotiations, addressing contentious issues including fishing rights, which will now allow EU access to UK waters for 12 years.