News

Original reporting and the latest political headlines from across the UK.

Our Articles

Mainstream Headlines

Filtering by:Tag: defence×Source: The Guardian Politics×Clear all

603 headlines found — Page 12 of 51

The Guardian Politics22 May 2026

The Guardian view on Britain’s coming energy shock: mini-measures won’t suffice | Editorial

Consumer giveaways may soften the blow from the the war on Iran. But Britain’s vulnerability demands deeper state intervention and a faster transition Rachel Reeves’s announcement of a series of cost of living measures this week shows a government trying to prove it still has agency and relevance. The VAT cuts on summer attractions such as theme parks and soft-play centres, free bus rides for the under-16s in England and reduced import tariffs on food are politically useful, but they do not fund

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics22 May 2026

Wes Streeting insists he can win Labour leadership race despite ‘underdog’ status

In interview with Guardian, former health secretary sets out plans for government, including social care, tax and refugees Wes Streeting has insisted he can win over the Labour left, as he launches a shadow campaign for the party leadership, saying he has “beaten the odds” throughout his life and can do so again. The former health secretary, who called on Keir Starmer to resign as he quit the cabinet last week, warned Labour MPs that drifting on with Starmer in charge risked a Joe Biden situatio

PoliticsEconomyImmigrationDefence
The Guardian Politics22 May 2026

Healey asks Farage if any of £5m gift may have come from Russia-linked profits

Defence secretary also asks if billionaire’s company may have benefited from Iran war, which Reform leader initially supported UK politics live – latest updates Business live – latest updates The defence secretary, John Healey, has urged Nigel Farage to provide transparency about the £5m gift he received from a billionaire businessman, in particular over whether any of the sum could have been linked to Russia-connected profits. In a letter to the Reform UK leader, Healey also asked him to add

PoliticsDefenceReform
The Guardian Politics21 May 2026

Domestic abuse law fails to recognise danger of tech abuse, Lords committee told

Policy adviser Jen Reed says tech-facilitated abuse has become ‘increasingly prevalent’ and calls for its inclusion in Domestic Abuse Act The Domestic Abuse Act fails to fully recognise the danger of technology-facilitated abuse, such as location tracking or hidden stalkerware, a Lords select committee has heard. Tech abuse has become “increasingly prevalent” and “very commonplace now within a domestic abuse context,” said Jen Reed, the head of policy at University College London’s Gender and Te

PoliticsDefenceEducation
The Guardian Politics21 May 2026

Senior civil servants to get bonuses for first time to reward ‘doers, not talkers’

Senior staff will get 2.5% pay rise with bonuses for highest performers in plan to ‘rewire’ civil service Senior civil servants will get bonuses for exceptional performance for the first time under a new system that Darren Jones, the Cabinet Office minister, said would reward the “doers, not the talkers”. Jones, who is also chief secretary to the prime minister, said most civil servants would get a 3.5% pay rise, but senior staff would have a base increase of 2.5%, with 1% held back for bonuses

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics21 May 2026

TUC leader ‘angry’ at state of Labour but says it can recover to win next election

Exclusive: Paul Nowak recognises frustration with Keir Starmer’s government but urges party not to be fatalistic The UK’s most powerful union leader has said he is angry at the state of Labour and Keir Starmer’s government and warned that significant change is needed to prevent Reform UK from winning power. In his first intervention as the battle rages over the future of the Labour leadership, the TUC’s general secretary, Paul Nowak, said it was clear there was an “overwhelming sense of frustrat

PoliticsDefenceReform
The Guardian Politics21 May 2026

Reeves cuts VAT on summer days out to 5% as part of cost of living support

Chancellor says she will raise tax on global oil giants to help meet costs of plans and confirms freeze on fuel duty increases Business live – latest updates Rachel Reeves will cut VAT to 5% on summer attractions such as theme parks and softplay centres during the school holidays, as she aims to ease the impact of the war in Iran on cash-strapped households. The chancellor told MPs on Thursday she would also raise more tax from global oil firms operating in the UK, to help meet the costs of he

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics21 May 2026

Rachel Reeves tells foul-mouthed Reform UK heckler good manners matter

Chancellor wins support from Conservative Mel Stride, while Farage says he’d ‘like to buy man a pint’ UK politics live – latest updates Rachel Reeves surprised onlookers when she gave a stern rebuke to a foul-mouthed heckler who shouted at her from his van as she conducted a broadcast interview. However, the chancellor has won support from unlikely sources as Conservative politicians have leapt to her defence. Continue reading...

PoliticsDefenceReform
The Guardian Politics20 May 2026

UK struggles to reassure Ukraine after easing new sanctions on Russian oil

Diplomats mount salvage operation after ‘clumsy’ announcement upsets Kyiv The UK was last night desperately trying to reassure Kyiv its new sanctions policy on Russia did not weaken restrictions, after Ukrainian officials warned the change could help Moscow fund its war efforts. While Downing Street insisted the decision to allow the temporary import of Russian oil and jet fuel was only one element of a tougher overall sanctions package, a British minister conceded that the matter had been handl

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics20 May 2026

Badenoch says Labour ‘just want a better salesman’. It would be a good start

Starmer has a reasonable list of achievements in power but has undermined himself with a lack of political storytelling Net migration down by three-quarters, the biggest fall in NHS waiting lists for 17 years, knife crime cut by 10%, the economy growing the fastest in the G7, rising wages, energy bills and petrol prices held down, the biggest sustained rise in defence spending since the cold war, a massive expansion of free childcare … If Keir Starmer did tub-thumping lists of Labour’s achieveme

PoliticsEconomyImmigrationDefenceCrimeHealthcareRestore
The Guardian Politics20 May 2026

Russian jet causes ‘dangerous’ near collision after flying close to RAF spy plane

UK government calls incident ‘unacceptable’ after Su-27 jet comes within six metres of unarmed spy plane over Black Sea A Russian jet flew within six metres of an RAF spy plane flying at 500mph over the Black Sea, one of two mid-air incidents last month described as “dangerous and unacceptable” by the defence secretary John Healey. An Su-27 jet conducted six passes in front of an unarmed RAF Rivet Joint flying close to its nose, potentially risking a collision that could have triggered a diploma

Defence
The Guardian Politics20 May 2026

UK strikes £3.7bn trade deal with six Gulf states

Keir Starmer describes the agreement, worth double original estimates, as a ‘huge win’ for British businesses Keir Starmer has struck a trade deal with six Gulf states in what he described as a huge win for British business, ending four years of talks led by four different prime ministers. The deal will offer £3.7bn worth of opportunities for exporters – double the original estimates – particularly in the food and luxury car sectors but also defence, aerospace, hospitality and other services, th

DefenceHousingHealthcare