January 2025
-
The next guest on tonight’s edition of Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge is the former Tory defence secretary, Grant Shapps, and we start by asking about reports that the Labour government is set to back a third runway at Heathrow. He tells Sophy Ridge that the move is “absolutely right”, saying: “It’s crazy it’s taken all these years. “I…
-
Finally, Sophy Ridge asks former defence secretary Grant Shapps how he thinks new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is performing so far. He replies that she is “putting her all into this”, but “under hugely difficult circumstances”. “It’s way too early to start judging a leader – you’ve got to give her time to get on and establish…
-
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has expelled Rauf Aregbesola, a former Minister of Interior and ex-Governor of Osun State, over alleged anti-party activities. Aregbesola, who led Osun State for two terms, was accused of breaching Article 21 of the APC Constitution, which outlines disciplinary measures for members. His expulsion was confirmed in an official letter…
-
Rarely has a speech been so heavily trailed in the media, with so many of the details – from the third runway at Heathrow to the revived Oxford-Cambridge corridor and the nine new reservoirs across the country – pre-briefed and leaked to the press in advance. So you might have thought there were no surprises…
-
There’s been plenty of reporting and noise around the selection by the British government of Lord Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador in Washington. Mr Trump’s campaign director called Lord Mandelson a “moron” – and beyond that, there’s been plenty to suggest his arrival here might not be plain sailing. So here’s what I know for…
-
A total of 10 Labour MPs have broken ranks with the government to support a proposed law to establish a compensation scheme for WASPI women – women affected by changes to the state pension age. The bill is being proposed by the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, and it passed its first Commons hurdle by…
-
The government has no plans to expand the definition of extremism, a Home Office minister has said after a leaked review suggested the UK should focus on concerning behaviours and activity rather than ideologies. Dan Jarvis told the Commons: “This work did not recommend an expansion in the definition of extremism, and they are not,…
-
Green Party MP Siân Berry asked an Urgent Question on potential airport expansion during yesterday’s session in the House of Commons. On Sunday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves hinted that the government would support a third runway at Heathrow, saying “sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand in hand”. Responding, Mike Kane, the transport minister, reiterates that…
-
Wales’s first minister has said she is unsure the European Union would want the UK to re-join as the country “didn’t behave very well” in recent years. Eluned Morgan told Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth that allowing the country back into the bloc was “not going to be as straightforward as [he] and [she]…
-
The development of DeepSeek demonstrates why the UK must “go further and faster to remove barriers to innovation” in the AI sector, Downing Street has said. Asked whether the government would be open to using Chinese AI such as DeepSeek in Whitehall, the prime minister’s spokesman said: “We’ve got some of the strongest data protection…
-
Sir Keir Starmer wants to bring down “staggeringly high levels” of migration but will not set “arbitrary” caps, Downing Street has said. “We’re going to publish a White Paper to set out a comprehensive plan to end these staggeringly high migration numbers,” the prime minister’s spokesman said. “As the prime minister has previously said, we…
-
England’s chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, has said it would be “extremely difficult” to have a list of illnesses that would apply under the proposed assisted dying legislation. Asked if there could be a list of conditions, Sir Chris told MPs on the assisted dying bill committee: “If I’m honest, I think it would…
-
Sir Keir Starmer has refused to confirm the widely expected announcement on support for Heathrow expansion. However, he did reiterate that the government would back pro-growth policies. On Sunday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves hinted that the government would support a third runway at Heathrow, saying “sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand in hand”. Asked if…
You must be logged in to post a comment.