Browsing: UK Politics

The UK has been temporarily spared from a steep hike in US steel and aluminium tariffs, following a new executive order signed by former President Donald Trump. While tariffs on other countries doubled from 25% to 50% starting Wednesday, the UK will remain at 25%—for now.

Most of the newspapers react to the government’s Defence Secretary Review plans, announced by the prime minister yesterday. The UK is set to spend an extra £2bn on drones and AI in a bid to make the country “battle ready” – but some papers (right-leaning Conservatives) warn that a tax rise will likely be on the way to pay for it. New submarines are set to be built in what some papers suggest is a warning to Russia, and the review lays out plans to recruit more people for the army, with a paid stint in the military for school leavers being considered.

AI is dominating the UK newspaper front pages this morning after the prime minister announced his defence strategy yesterday. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has laid out plans to grow the British Army as he vows to put the country on a war footing and be prepared for Russian threats. 

Good morning! ☕ Let’s grab a coffee and dive into the headlines for Tuesday, 3rd June 2025. After weeks of glorious sunshine, the grey skies have returned. A touch of morning rain is on the way – so don’t forget your brolly if you’re heading out.

Leading the news in Britain is news that the UK government’s AI bill has been defeated in the House of Lords again (for the fourth time) as peers back an amendment to the bill that would require AI companies to reveal which copyrighted material they have used.

The UK government’s proposed Data (Use and Access) Bill has faced its fourth defeat in the House of Lords. Peers voted 242 to 116 in favour of an amendment that would require greater transparency from tech companies using copyrighted material to train artificial intelligence models.

YouTube comedian and magician Archie Manners has been hired full-time by the thinktank Resolute 1850, now set to be renamed The Centre for a Better Britain.

The UK government is prepared to take Roman Abramovich to court for the proceeds of his £2.5bn Chelsea FC sale, aiming to direct the funds to humanitarian causes related to the Ukraine war.

This week’s news kicks off with big announcements from the UK government regarding defence spending, commentary around illegal crossings of the English Channel as the number of those crossing in a single day rises and of course a lot of chatter about the sunshine!

Most of Monday’s newspapers lead with the prime minister’s strategic defence review, which is set to be released later today. The papers have a preview of what is likely to be in the review – which will outline the government’s priorities for military and spending in the coming years.

Monday’s front pages are dominated by two stories: the upcoming announcement of the Strategic Defence Review and the illegal crossings of the English Channel.

Several newspapers report that results from a new trial suggest that exercise is “better than drugs” in stopping cancer from returning.

Elsewhere, the rest of the front pages are made up of standalone reports including everything from Liz Truss flogging Whiskey to reports that Britain is set for a sunny June.

Good morning! ☕ Let’s grab a coffee and dive into the headlines for Monday, 2nd June 2025. The sun is shining over the capital this morning, so let’s soak up the rays while catching up on the latest news.
Much of the news dominating the UK headlines focuses on international events, however, there are a handful of UK-focused stories – mostly around the UK’s defence spending and plans set to be announced later today in the Strategic Defence Review.

The UK will build up to 12 new conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines, as part of a sweeping Strategic Defence Review to be announced on Monday by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The submarines will begin replacing the current fleet from the late 2030s and are designed to safeguard Britain and its NATO allies for decades to come.

The UK government plans to establish at least six new weapons factories as part of a £6bn rearmament initiative to bolster its defence capabilities amid rising threats, particularly from Russia.

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.