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The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

The Belfast riots, Palestine Action protests. What is terrorism now – and why the hypocrisy? | George Monbiot

The right is obsessed with ‘two-tier policing’. This is indeed a two-tier government – but the real victims are progressives “If you are targeting people on the basis of the colour of their skin,” the Northern Ireland secretary, Hilary Benn, asked last week, “how else can you describe them? That is racist thuggery.” It is. But there is another way of describing the actions of the rioters burning people out of their homes in Belfast, though ministers somehow cannot bring themselves to say it. Ter

Housing
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Lib Dems to urge Labour to drop ‘torpor and timidity’ on EU and rejoin single market

Exclusive: Ed Davey to make call ahead of 10th anniversary of Brexit vote, in strengthening of party’s position on EU The Lib Dems will urge Andy Burnham to end Labour’s “torpor and timidity” towards the EU as they call for the UK to rejoin the single market, in a notable strengthening of their own position. Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote next week, Ed Davey will challenge Burnham to scrap Labour’s red lines on the customs union and single market if he becomes prime minister an

Defence
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Will a ban keep the UK’s kids off social media? – podcast

Governments around the world want to keep under-16s off YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Australia has introduced a ban and now the UK is doing the same. Stephen Byrne and Chris Stokel-Walker report Keir Starmer announced on Monday that he wanted to ban under-16s from social media. Parents were calling out for more controls he said. But their children … well, their children have other ideas. “Snapchat, for example, is one of the best things that’s happened to me,” a 13-year-old tells Helen Pidd. “

Housing
The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

The tide is turning on Thames Water: special administration looks best

It is still not totally clear what the government wants but the political mood seems to be shifting towards a decision Thames Water nationalisation moves closer as government objects to rescue deal At last, Emma Reynolds, the environment secretary, has opined on the future of Thames Water. So what’s it to be? A takeover by the company’s creditors? Special administration, which would allow anyone to pitch up with an offer while the state temporarily funds the company? Or even a quick flush to f

PoliticsDefenceEnvironment
The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

Starmer’s waning influence is apparent at awkward G7 summit

British prime minister was left making small talk unsure if a meeting with Trump and Zelenskyy was going ahead The wait for Keir Starmer’s first session of the G7 gathering in Évian-Les-Bains was undoubtedly awkward. A meeting about the future of Ukraine had been due to start at 9am but more than half an hour later Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron were nowhere to be seen. On a live Reuters feed, Starmer could be seen standing next to the leaders of Canada and Japan as they m

DefenceHousing
The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

EU and UK announce summit to discuss ‘reset’ in post-Brexit relations

The meeting has been delayed due to resistance over details of the youth mobility scheme allowing under-30s freedom to work and study in Europe The EU and the UK have announced they will hold their next summit to discuss the “reset” in relations between London and Brussels on 22 July. The summit, which will be held in Brussels, has been delayed several times, with talks over a youth mobility scheme allowing under-30s to work, travel or study in each other’s country deadlocked in recent weeks, fu

The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

Trio of senior defence figures accuse Starmer of underfunding military

PM hit by three-pronged attack from ex-defence secretary, former defence minister and chief of defence staff UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer is leaving British troops underfunded and unable to carry out the operations he expects from them, according to scathing remarks delivered in parliament on Tuesday by three senior defence figures. The prime minister came under fire in separate interventions from his former defence secretary John Healey, the former defence minister Al Carns

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

Labour MP bringing back assisted dying bill urges House of Lords to finish its job

Lauren Edwards dismisses party internal concerns and criticises ‘anti-democratic’ way bill was halted The Labour MP Lauren Edwards who will bring the assisted dying bill back to the Commons has said she will not be dissuaded by concerns about Labour divisions, saying MPs should allow the House of Lords to finish its work on the bill after it was blocked from a vote by peers. It also can be revealed that the Labour MP and disability rights campaigner Marie Tidball is to co-sponsor the bill, along

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

Starmer carries on regardless as G7 leaders ponder question of leaving gift | John Crace

‘I am going to fight on,’ said the PM. Perhaps his delusion was more deep-rooted than the others had feared Shortly before he arrived in Évian at the beginning of the week, Emmanuel Macron set up a new WhatsApp group for world leaders. Only Keir Starmer wasn’t included. Call it the G6, if you like. The idea was to have a safe space to discuss how best to deal with the UK prime minister. Should they confront head-on that this was going to be his last G7? That next year’s outing would be an athlei

The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

Farage’s plan for equal pay legislation may cost female workers money, say unions

General secretary of TUC calls Reform proposal ‘a smokescreen for slashing women’s rights’ UK politics live – latest updates A law proposed by Nigel Farage to “strengthen women’s rights” could cost female workers money by removing equal pay for work of equal value, unions have said. A proposal, made by Reform UK days before the Makerfield byelection, to introduce a Women and Motherhood Protection Act that it says will restore equality before the law has been described as “shameless and decepti

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

Refugee groups condemn Tory plan to remove judges from asylum appeals

Conservatives accused of attack on ‘crucial safeguards’ and of fostering ‘climate of hostility’ towards judiciary Refugee groups and lawyers have described Conservative proposals to strip judges of their powers to rule on asylum seekers’ appeals against deportations as “an attack on the concept of justice and equality under the law”. In a speech on Tuesday, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said a Conservative government would quit the European convention on human rights (ECHR) and abolish

ImmigrationDefenceEnvironmentReformRemigration
The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

Starmer denies being snubbed by Trump at G7 summit

PM did not have bilateral meeting with US leader but says pair had ‘very productive’ conversations in group sessions Europe live – latest updates Keir Starmer has denied being snubbed by Donald Trump at the G7 in France after the two did not have a bilateral meeting at the summit. The prime minister, who did meet the US president in a series of discussions involving other leaders, said he had a series of “very productive, very good conversations” with Trump. He added that Britain was ready to