The UK has long been a global leader in financial services. Today, we have a unique opportunity to lead again – this time in building the digital infrastructure that will define the future of finance. Around the world, governments are racing to modernise capital markets. From stablecoins and tokenised bonds to blockchain-based settlement and smart... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
A senior minister has referred to the Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, as a “fat bloke in a wetsuit”. Torsten Bell, who serves jointly as a pensions and Treasury minister, delivered the remarks while speaking to a fringe event at Labour Party conference. Bell said: “What Britain needs to tackle [Reform UK leader Nigel] Farage... Read more » The post Labour branded ‘nasty party’ after minister calls Ed Davey ‘fat bloke in wetsuit’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
Delivering the Robin Cook memorial lecture was one of the greatest privileges of my time in Parliament. But it wasn’t just a privilege – it was a burden too. The name Robin Cook still carries a weight that few in politics today can match. To honour it properly meant going beyond platitudes, to wrestle with... Read more » The post Clive Lewis: ‘Robin Cook showed us politics at its most serious. Labour has lost that balance’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
Immigrants will be required to meet stricter conditions in order to earn the right to stay in the UK permanently, under a new government crackdown. Labour has announced that a government consultation will be launched on plans to make settlement dependent on paying national insurance, claiming no benefits, learning English to a high standard, volunteering... Read more » The post Immigration crackdown necessary for ‘open, generous, tolerant’ society, Mahmood says appeared first on Politics...| Politics.co.uk
Keir Starmer has been urged to throw his support behind some form of proportional representation (PR) in order to embed Britain’s “progressive majority”. Paul Sweeney, member of the Scottish parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow region, warned that without electoral reform, the country could face a “horrendous scenario” leading to the “extinction of the United Kingdom”.... Read more » The post Back electoral reform to embed ‘progressive majority’ and thwart Farage, Starmer urged...| Politics.co.uk
Andy Burnham has vowed to continue the debate he has instigated over the direction of the Labour Party under Keir Starmer’s leadership, in a direct response to his internal critics. In his first major intervention at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, Burnham criticised a “climate of fear” in the party, which he suggested had been... Read more » The post Andy Burnham criticises ‘climate of fear’ in Labour with vow to continue ‘debate’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
A little more than a year after their resounding general election win, the Labour Party gathers in Liverpool this weekend hoping to rekindle the goodwill that swept them into office in the summer of 2024. After a bruising year of negative headlines and sliding poll numbers, the word is that this year’s conference slogan will... Read more » The post Renewing the message: how can Labour fix its broken comms? appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
Taking on the NIMBYs. Beating the blockers. The end goal is commendable, but is this how UK voters would like to be described? Since July, the UK has seen a fresh new government come into power that, recent polling suggests, is greener than ever when it comes to supporting ambitious climate action. At the same... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
Vaccinations were first trialled in 1796 by Edward Jenner, a rural country doctor in Berkeley, in my constituency. He published the results of his work in 1798. Since their introduction, it is estimated that vaccines have saved more than 500 million lives, and they remain the single most effective health intervention ever. The story of... Read more » The post Dr Simon Opher: ‘Reform UK’s vaccine crankery is a dangerous threat to our national security’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
The Terminally Ill Adults Bill has its second reading in the House of Lords today. I was devastated when it was passed by the House of Commons earlier this year. I’m not ashamed to say that my reaction is rooted in both my Christianity and my liberalism. Modern, John Stuart Mill liberals believe in individual... Read more » The post Tim Farron: ‘My opposition to assisted dying is rooted in liberalism and Christianity’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
When we talk about the great health challenges facing the UK, cancer and heart disease rightly come to mind. But too often we overlook dementia – the leading cause of death in this country for some time. Behind that statistic is a person, a family, and a community living with the uncertainty that this condition... Read more » The post Douglas McAllister: ‘A dementia diagnosis should be a right, not a waiting game’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
Labour’s Employment Rights Bill is set to fundamentally improve work for the millions of workers stuck on exploitative short and zero-hours contracts. But it’s not a done deal — key hurdles still need to be overcome to deliver what we promised at the last election. Not least the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats who have been... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
After Angela Rayner’s resignation last week, the sweeping cabinet reshuffle that followed, and the blundering defenestration of Lord Mandelson mere days later — a restlessness has descended on the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party). The avoidable errors, the steady stream of strategic miscalculations, are eroding the togetherness and morale of Labour MPs. The Lord Mandelson scandal... Read more » The post Week-in-Review: Mandelson scandal exposes fragility of Starmer’s standing appeare...| Politics.co.uk
Lord Mandelson may no longer be US ambassador, but Starmer still has many questions he must answer about this debacle. The post Gavin Williamson: ‘Appointing Mandelson was a grave error – Starmer must be held accountable’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
Reform UK contends fracking would fix Britain’s energy crisis. But here’s the truth: it wouldn’t cut your bills, it wouldn’t keep the lights on, and it would cause a lot of pollution. Even in the best-case scenario, fracking would give us just a few years of gas. And guess what? That gas would be sold on global markets at the same price as gas... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
Successful reshuffles have a theme and act as the launchpad for a refreshed government. Keir Starmer’s first major frontbench shake-up may be such an event. Unexpectedly bold and wide-ranging, this was the biggest mid-term reshuffle in nearly 20 years in terms of cabinet-level moves. It could well turn out to be the most significant moment... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
Labour MP for Ealing North. Former researcher to Emily Thornberry, and then Deputy Mayor in London for housing. Former Islington Councillor. Elected in 2019.| Politics.co.uk
“Summer is definitely over”, exhaled a self-assured sounding Keir Starmer on Monday. The prime minister had just kicked off the new parliamentary term with a relatively wholesale rejig of his Downing Street operation. A new “chief secretary to the prime minister” post was created; Darren Jones, rated in Downing Street, was poached from the Treasury... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
I knocked on enough doors as the Labour candidate in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich during last year’s general election to know what topics come up in conversation with voters unprompted. Whether the professional political class like it or not, voters care deeply about immigration and security. Rightly or wrongly, they see our borders as porous... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
Ahead of tomorrow’s launch of the Government’s long-awaited 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS, the Medical Defence Union (MDU) has responded to the details announced so far. Dr Matthew Lee, Chief Executive of the MDU, said: On the 10 Year Health Plan overall “This is a big moment for the NHS. Our members are... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to postpone the implementation of muirburn licensing. The government had planned to introduce a licensing scheme ahead of 15 September – the start of the new muirburn season. However, a range of organisations, including BASC, raised serious concerns about the readiness... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
MP Comment | Politics.co.uk
A group of cross-party MPs have set out a “ready to go” blueprint for an independent review of the UK’s first past the post (FPTP) electoral system. The all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for fair elections, the largest of its kind in Westminster, has developed the terms of reference for a “national commission on electoral reform”... Read more » The post Cross-party MPs publish ‘ready to go’ blueprint for electoral reform commission appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
When Nigel Farage stood up this week and outlined his so-called “plan” for immigration, he didn’t sound like a democrat. He sounded like Vladimir Putin. He called for uniformed officers to raid Britain’s villages, towns and cities, disappearing people off our streets for rendition to countries they may have never even set foot in. No... Read more » The post Ben Goldsborough: ‘Nigel Farage and Reform UK would break what makes Britain strong’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.| Politics.co.uk
At 10pm on July 4, 2024, when the exit poll was revealed — making it clear that Keir Starmer would be our next prime minister — our hopes for a better relationship between the UK and Europe, with all the economic benefits that would bring, were solidified. The public’s general mistrust in politics considered, to... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
Kemi Badenoch has backed a UK version of Elon Musk’s US government efficiency drive, DOGE, calling for a “revolution” in the public sector. The Conservative leader revealed she is “looking very closely” at DOGE’s slash-and-burn cost-cutting model. Asked on the Daily T podcast if Britain needs a similar initiative, Badenoch responded: “I think so.” She added:... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
Keir Starmer | Politics.co.uk
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Top TV chef Tony Singh has marked the start of the grouse shooting season with a spin on a traditional dish. Working with the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the proud Scot has unveiled his new recipe: Grouse Parmo. In a nod to the traditional ‘Parmo’, or ‘Teesside Parmesan’, Tony’s version combines the... Read more »| Politics.co.uk
Elon Musk has deleted a post on X in which he spread fake news about “detainment camps” being established in the Falkland Islands.| Politics.co.uk