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The Guardian Politics29 Apr 2026

Minister dismisses Labour rebels as ‘usual suspects’; Starmer prepares for final PMQs of parliamentary session – UK politics live

PM will face Kemi Badenoch and other MPs at final PMQs of the 2025-26 parliamentary session Good morning. Originally Keir Starmer was hoping that there would not be a need for a PMQs today, but we have got one, and it will definitely be the last of the 2024-26 parliamentary session. It will be a chance for Starmer to reflect on all the legislation passed. There is some relief that the government won the vote on Kemi Badenoch’s call for Starmer to be referred to the privileges committee with ease

Politics
The Guardian Politics29 Apr 2026

Rachel Reeves’s tax shake-up: time to plan ahead, from Isas to self-assessment

The chancellor’s changes will come into force in April 2027, affecting everyone from savers to landlords and sole traders. Experts say to act now Millions of people will be affected by a range of savings, investment and tax changes that take effect in just under a year’s time. “April 2027 may feel some way off, but when it comes to financial planning, a year is not a long time,” says Jason Hollands at the wealth management firm Evelyn Partners. Continue reading...

PoliticsEconomyHousing
The Guardian Politics29 Apr 2026

In the coming AI future, Britain must not end up at the mercy of US tech giants | Rafael Behr

Trump is volatile, capricious and unreasonable – but he belongs to the old world of analogue power. What comes next will be harder to manage Donald Trump is not impressed by soft power. He respects hard men with military muscle. But he can be moved by pageantry, which is the purpose of King Charles’s visit to Washington this week. Trump is flattered to rub shoulders with majesty. The good vibes are then supposed to radiate warmth through a political relationship that has been chilled by the war

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics28 Apr 2026

Starmer buys some time – but he could be running out of political capital

With a possible election ‘shellacking’ coming up, the PM is not out of danger despite his MPs backing over Mandelson Keir Starmer deployed the entire Labour machine – cabinet ministers, whips, even Gordon Brown – to shore up his support ahead of what was set to be a critical day for his premiership on Tuesday. And it worked. Labour MPs trooped dutifully through the voting lobbies to block Conservative attempts to refer him to the privileges committee – a process that would have dragged out the P

Politics
The Guardian Politics28 Apr 2026

The Guardian view on Starmer and Mandelson: questions that won’t go away | Editorial

The prime minister’s account is not false, but it seems partial. The omissions raise serious questions about his judgment and parliamentary accountability Whether a prime minister misled parliament is a serious matter. The pattern of statements made by Sir Keir Starmer about appointing Lord Mandelson as US ambassador may justify a parliamentary sleaze inquiry. Opposition parties claim that the prime minister misled MPs over the process that led to the peer taking the Washington job. But they wou

Politics
The Guardian Politics28 Apr 2026

No 10 dismisses Reeves’s reported plan for freeze on private rents

Downing Street says focus to remains on cutting bills, backing renters and lowering energy prices Downing Street has dismissed a freeze on private sector rents even as Rachel Reeves left the door open to the idea, after the Guardian revealed the chancellor has been considering it as an option to cut the cost of living. A No 10 spokesperson said on Tuesday freezing private sector rents was “not the approach we will be taking” after sources told the Guardian it was Reeves’s preferred solution for

PoliticsEconomyHousing
The Guardian Politics28 Apr 2026

Starmer sees off Tory calls for inquiry into Mandelson role after No 10 flexes muscle

Vote goes PM’s way but he faces anger from his own MPs who accuse him of creating perception of ‘cover-up’ UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer saw off an opposition bid to refer him to a standards committee over Peter Mandelson’s appointment after Downing Street deployed its full weight to force Labour MPs to shore up the prime minister. However, the Labour leader bore the brunt of anger from some of his own backbenchers who accused him of creating a situation where they would be pe

Politics
The Guardian Politics28 Apr 2026

MPs hear how question of pressure is at heart of Mandelson scandal

Key testimony over whether decision to grant security clearance despite vetting advice was influenced by No 10 UK politics live – latest updates The latest two witnesses to testify to parliament over Peter Mandelson’s appointment had plenty to offer headline writers. “A toxic hot potato” was how Philip Barton, the former top civil servant in the Foreign Office, described Mandelson’s links with Jeffrey Epstein, a view he would have shared with Downing Street if only he’d been asked. “A knife th

Politics
The Guardian Politics28 Apr 2026

Starmer staves off mutiny over Mandelson mess… but for how long? - The Latest

Keir Starmer has endured another bruising day as the saga surrounding Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador continues. The prime minister faced harsh criticism from his own MPs over his efforts to stave off a privileges committee investigation, while his former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney admitted putting pressure on the foreign office to expedite Mandelson’s posting in highly anticipated evidence to a parliamentary committee. So how much peril is the prime minister in? Lucy Hough s

Politics
The Guardian Politics28 Apr 2026

Morgan McSweeney does no lasting damage to Starmer in grilling by Emily Thornberry | John Crace

PM’s former chief of staff looked far from happy when forced into the open to face Commons committee He walks! He talks! He breathes! For most people, Morgan McSweeney is a quasi-mythical creature. A being that exists almost entirely in the shadows. If at all. Away from the public gaze. The legendary slayer of the Labour left, rumoured to have been shaped in the dark arts by Peter Mandelson, who went on to become the eyes and ears of the prime minister. Possibly even his brain. It was often said

Politics
The Guardian Politics28 Apr 2026

Starmer seems to think he can do no wrong – two weeks of Mandy-mania hearings point to the opposite conclusion | Marina Hyde

Bereft of any big ideas, or indeed policies, the PM is in his happy place: a never-ending parliamentary procedural process Have his enemies done it? Have the rebels managed to find a thermal exhaust port in the Death Starmer that would enable them finally to destroy it? No, would seem to be the answer after yet another morning of increasingly unwatchable procedural drama for the prime minister. You know what, it’s such a shame procedural rows aren’t a path to growth. The UK would be a global eco

Politics
The Guardian Politics28 Apr 2026

What did Morgan McSweeney and Philip Barton tell MPs about Mandelson’s vetting?

Key takeaways from appearance at select committee of PM’s former chief of staff and former Foreign Office chief UK politics live – latest updates Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s former chief of staff, gave his first public appearance at a high-stakes hearing of the foreign affairs select committee to be grilled on the appointment – and vetting – of the disgraced US ambassador Peter Mandelson. He was preceded by the former Foreign Office chief Philip Barton, the man who oversaw the early

Politics