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The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Mandelson files: Starmer admits ‘I made a mistake’ – The Latest

Keir Starmer was warned of ‘reputational risk’ in making Peter Mandelson ambassador to the US due to his links with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to newly released files. The first batch of files raises new questions about the prime minister’s judgment, as well as the vetting process at the highest level of government. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s head of national news, Archie Bland – watch on YouTube Continue reading...

Defence
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

No 10 rejects claims it covered up Starmer’s role in Mandelson appointment

Downing Street denies former minister’s vetting and approval was rushed through after release of documents by government UK politics live – latest updates Downing Street has rejected accusations it covered up Keir Starmer’s role in appointing Peter Mandelson as the UK ambassador to Washington, after documents detailing the process showed no formal input from the prime minister. A day after 147 pages of documents were released by the government, No 10 also denied that the approval and vetting o

Politics
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Several Labour MPs in talks with Greens about defecting to the party, sources say

Exclusive: none of the MPs are yet near point of crossing the floor and want guarantees they would be reselected for their seat at next election UK politics live – latest updates Several Labour MPs are in talks about defecting to the Greens, but are seeking guarantees they would be backed electorally by their new party, the Guardian has been told. Zack Polanski, the leader of the Greens in England and Wales, has said publicly that he has chatted to Labour MPs about the idea of switching sides,

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Putin’s ‘hidden hand’ lies behind Iran’s drone tactics, UK defence secretary says

Top British army officer tells John Healey Iranian pilots are flying Shaheds much lower, making them more effective Middle East crisis – live updates Vladimir Putin’s “hidden hand” lies behind Iran’s military methods, the UK defence secretary, John Healey, has said, after a night in which drones struck a camp used by western forces in Erbil, northern Iraq. Healy was speaking after British officers at the UK’s military headquarters in north-west London had told him that Iranian and Iranian prox

Defence
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Glasgow’s only high-ladder fire engine unavailable during office block inferno

Revelation prompts questions over Scottish fire service’s capacity to deal with large fires after 2023 cuts Concerns have been raised about the capacity of Scotland’s fire service to deal with large fires like the one that gutted a Victorian office block in Glasgow as it emerged that the city’s only remaining fire engine with a high-reach ladder was unavailable on Sunday. The Scottish fire and rescue service confirmed that, while standard city-based fire engines were on the scene within minutes

The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Asylum appeal backlog doubles in a year, Home Office statistics show

Over 80,000 people in appeal queue against initial rejection at end of 2025 – 91% more than a year before The backlog of people awaiting asylum appeals after having their initial application turned down has nearly doubled in a year, threatening to undermine a key pledge of Keir Starmer’s government. Home Office statistics released on Thursday show more than 80,000 cases were waiting to be reassessed at the end of 2025 – a 91% increase on a year before. The backlog significantly outnumbers the nu

Immigration
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

UK government axes flagship global health project

Programme which supports schemes in six African countries was previously hailed as vital protection for Britain against future pandemics A flagship health project in Africa, which UK ministers said would play a vital role in protecting Britain from future pandemic threats, is being axed due to aid cuts, the Guardian can reveal. The Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) which supported development and training for healthcare staff in six African countries, will close at the end of the month, t

Healthcare
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Sons were suspects in almost one in five killings of UK women in last year, study shows

Figures recorded by Femicide Census over last 12 months indicate highest rate of matricide in 16 years The names of 19 women believed to have been killed by their sons in the last year will be read out in parliament on Thursday, as research showed that almost one in five women killed by men since the last International Women’s Day were victims or suspected victims of matricide. For the 11th year running, Jess Phillips will read out the names of the 108 women killed in the UK by men – or where a

Politics
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Mandelson due diligence report raised ‘serious questions’, minister admits – UK politics live

Nick Thomas-Symonds says he shares public’s ‘moral outrage’ over the former ambassador’s £75,000 severance payment We have early pictures from the newswires of prime minister Keir Starmer in Belfast this morning, in his first public appearance since the release of the first tranche of documents relating to Peter Mandelson. He is expected to speak to journalists during the visit, before heading to Cork in the Republic of Ireland. Four months after Peter Mandelson was sacked as UK ambassador to Wa

Politics
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

There is no denying Labour is in crisis – but in a strange way, Keir Starmer is equipped to save it | Zoe Williams

The fact that the PM is a pragmatist, light on ideology, could allow him to forge now essential links with other parties Even before Labour took power, since the first whispers that Keir Starmer wasn’t the Corbyn-in-a-tie candidate his leadership bid had promised, the same argument has been going on among Labour members. Should Starmer be trying harder to include the left flank of the movement? Perhaps he should, at the very least, stop trying to expel them. The same question informs orientation

The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

The assault on freedom with Mehdi Hasan and Arwa Mahdawi

Join us for Zeteo’s first-ever London event as award-winning journalist and editor-in-chief Mehdi Hasan leads a wide-ranging and timely conversation on the emerging global order. Date: Monday 8 June 2026 Times: 7.30pm-9.30pm (BST) Tickets for this event go on sale on 13 March at 6pm Are we witnessing a new rise in fascism and authoritarianism across the world, and how do we stop it? In the wake of the assault on Gaza and, now, the war against Iran, is international law dead? And who is really

Defence
The Guardian Politics12 Mar 2026

Families given a week to decide whether to leave UK voluntarily plead for more time

Home Office targets 150 families whose asylum claims were refused and offers them up to £40,000 to leave or face forcible removal Families who received notices asking them to agree to return to their home countries are begging the Home Office to give them more time to make a decision that will significantly affect their children’s futures. The Home Office has targeted 150 families whose asylum claims were refused and given them just seven days to make the decision, which would uproot their child

ImmigrationReform