Politics

Nigel Farage has said Tommy Robinson “won’t be” joining Reform UK after Elon Musk showed support for the jailed far-right activist on social media. The billionaire owner of X, who has spoken positively about Reform UK and is reportedly considering making a donation to the party, has been critical of the government’s handling of child

The government has launched an independent commission to “transform social care” – but proposals for major reform may not be delivered for years. The two-part commission will be led by Baroness Louise Casey, with the latter phase set to make its final recommendations for social care in England by the end of 2028. Ministers announced

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has denied the government is putting off social care reforms following criticism that a planned overhaul of the sector may not happen for years. Ministers have launched an independent commission, led by Baroness Casey, to “transform social care” – but the latter phase of the two-part commission will not make its

Kemi Badenoch has called for a national inquiry into the grooming scandal that took place across UK towns and cities, arguing one was “long overdue”. The Tory leader said 2025 “must be the year that victims get justice” after it emerged that Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, had rejected calls from Oldham council for a

A total of 36,816 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK in 2024, provisional government figures show. The figure is up 25% on 2023 when 29,437 people arrived in small boats. The number successfully making the journey in 2024 is the second-highest since records began in 2018. The total, however, is down 20% on

Sir Keir Starmer has hailed 2024 as a “year of change” as he shared his first New Year message as prime minister. But the Labour leader, who took office after a staggering general election victory over the Conservatives in July, admitted there is “still so much more to do” in 2025. It will include a

Parents who send their children to private schools could face higher fees from today as the government’s flagship VAT policy comes into force. Labour on Wednesday scrapped the VAT exemption and business rates relief for private schools, forcing some academic institutions to offset the hike with raised fees for parents. Others have entirely restructured, with

Three visitors’ books from Downing Street signed by some of the most famous names in modern history have been released to the public for the very first time. The gilt-edged volumes, covering the years 1970, when Edward Heath was prime minister, to 2003 when Tony Blair was in office, have been released to the National

The government has insisted that private school fees are “clearly out of reach for most people” as ministers continue to defend their VAT policy. On Wednesday, Labour will scrap the VAT exemption and business rates relief for private schools in a bid to fund 6,500 new teachers in the state sector. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson

A veteran Labour MP and the long-standing mayor of London are among a handful of politicians named in the King’s New Year Honours list. Former shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry, who has been made a dame, appears on the list alongside Sadiq Khan, who has been made a knight after securing a record third term

Labour would lose its majority and nearly 200 seats if a general election was held today, a new mega poll suggests. While Sir Keir Starmer would still come out on top, it would be in a “highly fragmented and unstable” parliament with five parties holding over 30 seats. More in Common, which used the data

Who fancies a festive game of Labour or Liz? The rules are quite simple – I’ll set out some quotes and you guess whether they came from a member of the current tax-raising and workers’ rights improving Labour administration or from the right-wing scourge of the anti-growth coalition and former prime minister Liz Truss. So

Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty. And besides, the pig likes it. Looking at the festive ding-dong that’s broken out between Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, you do wonder if the Tory leader should take on board this famous quote – because there was only ever going to be one winner from this

More than 150,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats since 2018. The government began recording the number of people who have made the dangerous journey almost seven years ago, on 1 January 2018. The milestone was reached on Boxing Day, when 407 people crossed the Channel on

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to his brother Nick, who died on Boxing Day aged 60 after suffering from cancer. The prime minister described his brother as a “wonderful man”, saying in a statement: “He met all the challenges life threw at him with courage and good humour. We will miss him very much.

Pistols, a deactivated World War I machine gun and a rifle were among items lost or stolen from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in the last two years. The Liberal Democrats are demanding an “urgent inquiry” after the missing firearms came to light. Data obtained by the party reveals more than 700 computers, laptops, phones, and