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The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

Nine in 10 UK voters across parties support right to abortion, poll finds

YouGov survey shows cross-party consensus – but that many fear abortion access could be reduced New polling has found that whatever their party political leanings, an overwhelming majority of people support the right to access an abortion – although young people, in particular, fear reproductive rights may be reduced. The YouGov polling, commissioned by MSI Reproductive Choices to mark its 50th anniversary, found nine in 10 people support the right to access an abortion. Continue reading...

Politics
The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

UK to pay for French officers to deport asylum seekers from war-torn countries

Removal site in Dunkirk will hold people of 10 nationalities trying to reach UK in small boats under new deal with French UK politics live – latest updates The UK will pay for 200 French officers to detain and deport people seeking asylum from some of the world’s most oppressive and war-ravaged regimes under a new UK-France deal to try to reduce Channel crossings. In what is being billed as the first time the French government has agreed to target those heading to the UK in small boats, a remo

PoliticsImmigrationDefenceRestoreRemigration
The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

Cat Little’s evidence to MPs is destined for civil service textbooks | John Crace

The Cabinet Office permanent secretary’s 100 minutes before the foreign affairs committee are required viewing UK politics live – latest updates Here we go again. Some of the public may have had enough of the Peter Mandelson scandal by now, and would rather the focus returned to things such as the Iran war and the cost of living crisis. But Westminster has barely started on Mandy. Can’t get enough of him. This one will run and run. You can almost hear the groans from No 10. By now it has final

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

In Peter Mandelson evidence, Cat Little had the best weapon: an audit trail

Where Olly Robbins relied on recollections, Cabinet Office’s top civil servant was at pains to link her account to paper trail Seen through the Westminster bubble, the Peter Mandelson vetting affair looks like an age-old conflict pitting ministers against mandarins. Yet the latest top civil servant to testify to parliament over what some are now calling “Mandygate” gave an intriguing account that suggested it has never been as simple as that. Cat Little, the top civil servant at the Cabinet Off

Politics
The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

Former Labour MP calls for Starmer to face Commons committee over Mandelson vetting

Karl Turner, who lost Labour whip after criticising PM, calls for privileges committee to examine if Starmer misled parliament UK politics live – latest updates A former Labour MP has joined opposition parties calling for Keir Starmer to face a Commons committee to examine whether the prime minister misled parliament as the government’s crisis surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington continues. Karl Turner, who lost the Labour whip last month after making a se

Politics
The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

Five things we learned from Cat Little’s evidence to MPs about the Mandelson saga

Top civil servant reveals more details of vetting process and lack of paper trail for approval of Mandelson’s appointment UK politics live – latest updates In more than 90 minutes of evidence to the foreign affairs select committee about the Peter Mandelson scandal, Cat Little, the head civil servant in the Cabinet Office, was low key and often cautious. But she did reveal several pieces of new information – or at times information different to that given to the same committee by Olly Robbi

PoliticsHousing
The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

Olly Robbins refused to hand Mandelson vetting summary to Cabinet Office, says Cat Little

In evidence to MPs, Cabinet Office’s top civil servant disputes claim her department suggested vetting might not be needed UK politics live – latest updates Olly Robbins refused to hand Peter Mandelson’s vetting summary to the Cabinet Office, the civil servant who leads the department has said. The summary – which would have revealed that Robbins, the now-sacked Foreign Office head, had granted Mandelson clearance against the advice of security officials – was instead provided to Cat Little by

Politics
The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

‘This is not the country I moved to’: the British Indians showing support for Nigel Farage

Savitha Prakash, a first-generation immigrant running in local elections in Harrow, says Reform UK aims to ‘put Britain first’ Savitha Prakash, an NHS doctor living in the London borough of Harrow, believes there are similarities between the Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, and India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi. “He’s [Modi] one of those people, like Nigel, he walks the talk. He made [a] difference to the country,” said Prakash, who chairs Reform UK’s branch in Harrow. In particular, the 47-y

PoliticsImmigrationReformHealthcare
The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

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

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics23 Apr 2026

Mapped: the elections that could deliver ‘unprecedented’ losses for Labour

All signs point to a record-low performance for Labour in May in what will be a moment of high jeopardy for Keir Starmer Labour is on track for its worst local election performance, data analysed by the Guardian shows, in a blow that will pile further pressure on Keir Starmer’s leadership. Barring a drastic change in fortunes, Labour’s vote-share could fall to historic lows across elections for councils in England and devolved parliaments in Wales and Scotland on 7 May, with big gains for Reform

Politics
The Guardian Politics22 Apr 2026

Britain’s military dependence on US ‘no longer tenable’, says former Nato chief

Lord Robertson says diplomatic tone from White House is at ‘historic low’ and two allies are likely to keep diverging UK politics live – latest updates Britain’s high military dependence on the US “is no longer tenable” and the UK has to become increasingly independent of the special relationship with Washington, a former Nato chief has warned. Lord Robertson, who last week accused British leaders of a “corrosive complacency” towards defence, said on Wednesday the traditional allies were diver

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics22 Apr 2026

Ministers speak out in cabinet meeting over Starmer’s sacking of Olly Robbins

Sources say cabinet ministers warned PM against alienating civil service after firing of official over Mandelson scandal UK politics live – latest updates Cabinet ministers have expressed concern about Keir’s Starmer’s decision to sack Olly Robbins as the Foreign Office’s top official over the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal as they warned him not to alienate the civil service, sources have told the Guardian. Several ministers spoke out about the decision to sack Robbins during a gloomy cabine

PoliticsDefence