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Top Cabinet Office official to give evidence to MPs about Peter Mandelson’s vetting – UK politics live

Permanent secretary, Cat Little, to give evidence to foreign affairs committee as pressure increases on Keir Starmer The UK government budget came in below its annual borrowing target by £700m, official figures show – but the Iran war is likely to blow a hole in Rachel Reeves’s carefully calculated fiscal “headroom” over the coming months. Tom Knowles has the story. Good morning. As Kiran Stacey, Pippa Crerar and Jessica Elgot report in the Guardian’s splash, “Keir Starmer is looking increasing

Keir Starmer issued urgent 10-word conscription warning - as major European power rearms

Britain needs to double the size of its land forces, a bombshell new report says.

Schools forced to cut back on support for Send pupils in England, poll finds

More than 70% have cut down in past year on teaching assistants, who play key role in helping children with Send Two-fifths of school leaders in England have been forced to cut back on support for children with special educational needs due to a financial crisis “more than a decade in the making”, according to a poll. Seven out of 10 (71%) leaders say they have cut down on teaching assistants (TAs) in the past year, while 49% have reduced support staff. The crisis could escalate as 81% warn of f

Falklands Islanders in St George's Day flags warning - 'you don't know how lucky you are'

EXCLUSIVE: Critics have suggested that the hoisting of St. George's and Union Flags is divisive and intimidating.

UK undershoots annual borrowing target by £700m

But Iran war likely to blow hole in Rachel Reeves’s carefully crafted fiscal ‘headroom’ in coming months The UK government came in below its annual borrowing target by £700m, official figures show – but the Iran war is likely to blow a hole in Rachel Reeves’s carefully calculated fiscal “headroom” over the coming months. The government borrowed a net total of £132bn for the financial year ending in March, the Office for National Statistics said. This slightly undershot the £132.7bn that the Offi

PM told to quit as senior civil servant set to face more Mandelson questions

Sir Keir Starmer has used his St George's Day speech to warn of "voices both here and abroad" seeking to stoke division in Britain.

UK and France strike new £662m small boats deal

The three-year agreement will see at least 50 riot-trained police officers drafted in to tackle violence and “hostile crowds”.

Yes, retail investment needs a boost – but the squirrel looks too tame | Nils Pratley

Ambition behind investing campaign is laudable, yet cutting stamp duty on share purchases, for example, would be much more savvy City firms bank on ‘savvy’ ad campaign to push Brits towards investing Red squirrel characters have a history in the public information game. Older UK readers may recall Tufty, who taught children about road safety in the 1970s. His chum, Willy Weasel, regularly got knocked down by passing cars but clever Tufty always remembered to look both ways. Now comes Savvy Squ

City firms bank on ‘savvy’ advertising campaign to push Brits towards investing

The campaign, fronted by a CGI squirrel, is part of government initiative to boost financial risk taking, amid fears UK growth is being stymied Nils Pratley: the ‘Savvy Squirrel looks a hit too tame’ City firms are pinning their hopes on a government-endorsed advertising blitz fronted by a finance “savvy” CGI squirrel to encourage cautious British savers to shift out of cash and start investing. The long-awaited retail investment campaign, which will cost up to £50m, is part of the chancellor

<a href='https://news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-keir-starmer-peter-mandelson-vetting-commons-iran-war-olly-robbins-12593360?postid=11567022#liveblog-body'>Riot police to be deployed to stop small boat crossings</a>

UK to pay France another £660m to curb Channel crossings

Three-year deal includes funding for a riot squad to ‘disperse’ people trying to board small boats The UK government has agreed to pay France another £660m to curb the number of asylum seekers travelling across the Channel, including plans to fund a riot squad to “contain and disperse” people trying to board small boats. Under a three-year deal to be signed on Thursday by the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, 1,100 enforcement, intelligence and military officers – an increase of 40% – will be emp

Farmers ‘forced to throw away food’ in new Keir Starmer Brexit betrayal

The UK's adoption of EU rules could force farmers to throw away oven chips, bread, cake and crisps, a major industry figure has warned.