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The Guardian Politics13 Mar 2026

Patients face long journeys for medicines as pharmacies cut weekend hours

More than 20% of weekend availability lost in England since 2022, forcing some to turn to A&E, says national association People who need to obtain medication at the weekend are having to undertake long trips because more pharmacies are cutting their opening hours on Saturdays and Sundays. One in six pharmacies in England have reduced their hours at weekends since 2022, with some shutting altogether, as a result of “unsustainable” pressures on their budgets. Continue reading...

Economy
The Guardian Politics13 Mar 2026

Bleak economic data shows UK plc in trouble well before the Middle East crisis

Zero GDP growth in January will not help Rachel Reeves claim her policies have put UK in a stronger position to weather oil price storm Business live – latest updates UK economy unexpectedly flatlined in January, ONS data shows Even before Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury on Iran unleashed higher oil prices, threatening the outlook for growth and inflation, the UK economy was flatlining. That’s the bleak message in the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which showed

Economy
The Guardian Politics13 Mar 2026

So long, hereditary peers – but the Lords is still full of absurd anachronisms | Polly Toynbee

Two-thirds of voters want an elected second chamber. The government needs a radical legacy: it should use its rare majority for this Goodbye (almost) to the hereditary peers, voted out on Tuesday night. But they didn’t go without a vicious tooth-and-nail fight. Labour should be making much more noise about how the Tories blackmailed and threatened to the very last to hold on to the hereditary peerage (almost all Tories), despite 66% of voters wanting a democratically elected second chamber. Tori

Politics
The Guardian Politics13 Mar 2026

UK economy unexpectedly flatlined in January, official figures show

Monthly GDP figure comes as higher energy prices look likely to drive up inflation, dashing hopes of interest rate cut Business live – latest updates The UK economy entered the Middle East crisis after a weak start to the year, according to official figures showing flatlining January output before the US-Israel war on Iran hit global energy prices. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed zero growth in gross domestic product (GDP), down from an increase of 0.1% in December,

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics13 Mar 2026

BBC World Service funding freeze risks ‘opening door to hostile states’, MPs say

Cross-party committee says service is ‘jewel in crown of UK’s soft power’ but is diminished by poor governance Ministers risk “opening the door to propaganda from hostile states” and diminishing international trust in the BBC World Service by allowing its funding to be frozen at a crucial time, parliament’s spending watchdog has said. The cross-party public accounts committee (PAC) said it was deeply troubled by the fact the service was still unclear about its funding just weeks before its curre

Politics
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Starmer may face more resignations after release of Mandelson WhatsApp messages, say sources

PM has apologised for his handling of Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador, but next tranche of files could contain further damaging details Keir Starmer could suffer further resignations when ministerial WhatsApp messages are published in the next tranche of the Peter Mandelson files, senior government sources have told the Guardian. With officials bracing for the subsequent releases – expected to include informal communications alongside formal messages like those in the first batch

The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

In linking Iran to Russia, Healey could be laying ground for hard choices ahead

Defence secretary connects Middle East conflict to plight of Ukraine, sympathy for which remains relatively high After a week or so of wearing media coverage about the deterioration of the Anglo-American relationship and the belated decision to deploy Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus, it was time to move the conversation on. On a visit to the UK’s permanent military headquarters in Northwood, north-west London, the defence secretary, John Healey, asked two senior British military office

Defence
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

The Mandelson papers reveal a prime minister who would rather not hear from dissenting voices | Gaby Hinsliff

Warnings were ignored and processes rushed because No 10 had already made up its mind to let Peter Mandelson sail through The arrogance takes your breath away, even to the end. Sacked in disgrace for bringing shame upon those who trusted him, Peter Mandelson’s response, we now know, was to unsuccessfully demand half a million pounds of public money to go quietly, all while haughtily insisting upon his dignity as a servant of the crown. In other words, this week’s disclosures suggest Mandelson be

Defence
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

New Green MP calls for tolerance and inclusivity in first Commons speech

Former plumber Hannah Spencer, who won Gorton and Denton byelection, also says more MPs from manual working backgrounds are needed Hannah Spencer, the Green MP who won last month’s Gorton and Denton byelection, has used her first speech in the Commons to call for tolerance and inclusivity, and to argue for more people from manual working backgrounds to be elected to parliament. Saying she wanted to “make hope normal again”, Spencer used a speech in a debate about International Women’s Day to say

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Threats against female MPs having ‘chilling effect’ on women in public life, minister says

Security minister Dan Jarvis has announced new security measures ahead of May’s local elections Threats against female MPs are having a “chilling effect” on talented women thinking of going into public life but deciding not to, security minister Dan Jarvis has said. Warning that there was an “unprecedented” volume of threats against elected representatives – including assaults, vandalism, stalking and a “blizzard of online abuse” – Jarvis announced new security measures ahead of the local electi

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Why the hell did Starmer pick Mandelson? The latest mug on the media round had no idea | John Crace

Nick Thomas-Symonds unravelled under barrage of questions – as PM instead bored some mothers and babies in Belfast You could smell the fear among senior ministers on Wednesday night. No one wanted to be “that person”. The mug who would be sent out on the Thursday morning media round to answer the inevitable barrage of questions about Peter Mandelson. The equivalent to a two-hour-long walk of shame, and one entirely of the prime minister’s making. The Cabinet Office minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds,

Politics
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Gerry Adams was leader of IRA, ex-police officers tell high court

Two former members of Royal Ulster Constabulary testify at civil trial that Adams led proscribed organisation Gerry Adams was the leader of the Irish Republican Army, two former police officers have told the high court. The former Sinn Féin leader is being sued for symbolic “vindicatory” damages of £1 each by John Clark, Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock, who allege he was culpable for three separate IRA bombings in which they were injured. Continue reading...

DefenceCrime