Caitlin Doherty
Politics
Reeves to have ‘conversations’ with US next week as work for deal continues
The UK is hoping a deal can help stave off the full brunt of US President Donald Trump’s sweeping 10% tariffs on all goods imported to the US.
17 Apr 2025
Politics
Starmer declines to say whether defence spending increase includes Chagos cash
The Prime Minister described the deal being negotiated with Mauritius as ‘extremely important for our security’.
26 Feb 2025
Politics
Healey suggests defence spending increase ‘something over £6bn’, not £13.4bn
It comes after the PM told the Commons: ‘Let me spell it out, that means spending £13.4 billion more on defence every year from 2027.’
26 Feb 2025Politics
Defence Secretary declines to say whether spending increase includes Chagos cash
A figure for the value of the deal has not been disclosed, but it has been reported at a cost of £90 million per year.
26 Feb 2025
Politics
Starmer denies Trump is setting UK policy as defence spending is increased
The Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference that he has been ‘arguing for some time’ that Europe and the UK ‘needed to do more’.
25 Feb 2025
Politics
Charities ‘shocked’ and ‘stunned’ by decision to cut aid to fund defence spending
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a dramatic increase in defence spending from the current 2.3% to 2.5% by 2027.
25 Feb 2025
Politics
Badenoch says US being realistic and UK needs ‘to be so too’
The Conservative leader also said she ‘wouldn’t be afraid’ to call Vladimir Putin a dictator if it were her heading to the White House for talks.
25 Feb 2025
Politics25 Feb 2025
Trump suggests it will be Europe that guarantees peace in Ukraine
The role of the US in any future deal is likely to be among the topics up for discussion later this week when Sir Keir Starmer heads to Washington.
Politics
Putin would accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine, Trump suggests
Sir Keir Starmer has previously said that he would be willing to put British troops on the ground as part of security guarantees.
24 Feb 2025
Politics
Badenoch to advocate putting British interests first in foreign policy speech
The Tory leader will also advocate a ‘need to disengage’ from international bodies if they are ‘taken over by activists or by autocratic regimes’.
24 Feb 2025
Politics
Child criminal exploitation and ‘cuckooing’ to be outlawed in new legislation
The measures will come in the Crime and Policing Bill due to be introduced to Parliament next week.
22 Feb 2025
Politics
Andrew Gwynne under investigation by Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
Mr Gwynne was sacked as a minister and suspended from the Labour Party earlier this month
21 Feb 2025
Politics
Russia has ‘learned nothing’ from ‘colonial failures and wars’, suggests Lammy
Foreign Secretary David Lammy was speaking at the G20 meeting of foreign ministers in South Africa.
20 Feb 2025
Politics
Healey compares Zelensky to Churchill with no wartime elections
John Healey said that he had seen Mr Zelensky’s ‘commitment to his country’.
20 Feb 2025
Politics
Reeves ‘absolutely committed’ to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said an increase in spending in line with what Labour promised in its manifesto will be done ‘in the proper way’.
20 Feb 2025
Politics
UK takes a different view to Trump on Zelensky, says Cabinet minister
Donald Trump repeated his attacks on the Ukrainian leader overnight after a war of words erupted between the two leaders.
20 Feb 2025
Politics20 Feb 2025
Body of UK-linked hostage believed to be among those returned by Hamas
The body of Oded Lifshitz, 84, is thought to be one of the four returned by Hamas on Thursday
Politics
Nigel Farage ‘hands ownership of Reform to members’, says party
‘We are pleased to announce that, as promised, Nigel Farage has handed over ownership of Reform UK to its members.’
20 Feb 2025
Politics
Zelensky says Trump in ‘disinformation space’ after claim that Kyiv started war
The US president also said he was ‘disappointed’ that the Ukrainian leader had complained about being left out of talks.
19 Feb 2025
Politics
Harold Wilson’s former press secretary Joe Haines dies aged 97
‘Lifelong Labour supporter’ Mr Haines died at his home in Tunbridge Wells on Wednesday, the party confirmed.
19 Feb 2025
Politics
West did ‘too little’ when Putin first invaded Ukraine, say Healey and Lammy
The Foreign and Defence Secretaries called on the UK and Europe to ‘do more’ to ‘share the burden’ of regional security
15 Feb 2025