Politics

Politicians should stop tying themselves in knots in promising not to raise taxes, the head of an influential thinktank told Sky News – warning it could lead to something worse. Speaking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips show, Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, argued neither of the main parties

“Neither of them are blessed with natural charisma.” This rather damning assessment of both Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer – the UK’s choice of future prime minister – focuses on their speech and body language, not how they might lead the country. The leaders of the two main parties face weeks of interviews, speeches,

Police are reviewing a Conservative candidate’s campaign adverts after receiving allegations of election fraud. Robert Largan, who is fighting to keep his High Peak seat, has published a number of campaign materials in the colours of Labour and Reform UK. The graphics also included the phrases “Labour for Largan” and “Reform for Robert”. Live updates

The prime minister has taken a defensive approach, signalling the Conservatives’ worry about being so far behind in the polls. Sir Keir Starmer’s visits show the scale of their ambition and highlight Labour’s awareness of the challenge they face. They need to gain 125 seats to win the smallest possible majority. This campaign is being

Sir Keir Starmer’s team knew they would hit a wobble at some point in this campaign and Diane Abbott turned out to be it. After 72 hours of trying to stonewall questions about her future in the Labour Party, the leadership finally crumbled and Sir Keir performed the U-turn: Diane Abbott can stand for the

Diane Abbott is “free” to stand for Labour at the general election, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Labour leader on Friday told reporters: “The whip has obviously been restored to her now and she is free to go forward as a Labour candidate.” The veteran MP’s future appeared in doubt following reports she could

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of trying to purge general election candidates from the left of the Labour Party. Questions remain about whether veteran Corbyn ally Diane Abbott will be barred from standing again, while Labour suspended one candidate and declined to endorse another. Labour’s general election campaign has been overshadowed by the internal

Police will take no further action against Labour’s Angela Rayner after accusations surrounding her living arrangements in 2010. Officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) launched an investigation into the party’s deputy leader earlier this year, after reports suggested she may have lived primarily at her then-husband’s address in Stockport, despite registering to vote under her

Migration has taken centre stage on the first day of the general election campaign, with the prime minister and Labour leader trading blows on the government’s flagship Rwanda policy. Sir Keir Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of never believing in his deportation plan as he kicked off his campaign in Gillingham in Kent, a traditional Conservative

GB News could face punishment after a programme with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was found to have broken broadcasting rules. Regulator Ofcom said it is “starting the process for consideration of a statutory sanction against GB News” after finding that a “People’s Forum” featuring the prime minister breached broadcasting due impartiality guidelines. In response to

On Thursday, former prime minister Theresa May claimed this election – like every one – would be ultimately fought on the economy. Today, we got a sense of how that battle is going to play out. Jeremy Hunt, with his senior Conservative politician hat on, launched into a blistering attack on Labour, accusing the party

Those responsible in the infected blood scandal should face prison, the mayor of Greater Manchester has said. Andy Burnham, who secured his third term as mayor in the local elections earlier this month, has also warned victims should not be left in the “wilderness” waiting for justice. He said there had been a “criminal cover

An emergency measure has been triggered by the Ministry of Justice to deal with prison overcrowding in England. Operation Early Dawn will see defendants in police custody remain there – and not be transferred to magistrates’ courts for bail hearings – in case there is no prison space for that prisoner if they are remanded

Oh, dear! Rishi Sunak’s Safety of Rwanda Act was supposed to prevent this sort of legal challenge. The ink is barely dry on the act after it became law last month, and the government has already lost its first battle in the courts. Ruling ‘blows claims about Rwanda plan out of water’ – live updates

Former Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick has called for the Home Office to be split in two as part of a 30-point plan to curb migration. Mr Jenrick, who is seen as a potential Conservative leadership contender, has been ramping up pressure on Rishi Sunak over the issue after quitting his government post last year.

Wales’s first minister Vaughan Gething has said he is “entirely relaxed” after being accused of misleading the UK COVID Inquiry. Nation.Cymru reported on Tuesday that Mr Gething sent a text message in which he said “I’m deleting the messages in this group”. “They can be captured in an FOI [Freedom of Information request] and I

Andy Street’s interview with Sky News fired the starting gun for discussion over the future direction of the Conservative Party. But the battlefield immediately proved to be the Conservative WhatsApp group, also leaked to Sky News. There are two big conclusions about the leaks There are two Tory MPs publicly prepared to call on Rishi

The pups are at the polls once more as voters turn out for local elections with four-legged friends in tow. London mayor Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya Ahmed were accompanied by their dog Luna as they voted at St Alban’s Church in south London. Image: Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya Ahmed with their

Polls are to open for the local elections across the country, with the added extra of a by-election on the same day. Over 2,600 council seats are up for grabs across 107 councils in England, along with 10 mayoralties in major cities and combined authorities, and 25 London Assembly seats. A total of 37 police

Officers have raided the homes of the first people to be deported to Rwanda. It comes following the recent passing of the Safety of Rwanda Act, which declared the central African nation safe following concerns raised by the Supreme Court last year. A video released by the Home Office showed officers entering homes and bringing