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578 headlines found — Page 4 of 49

The Guardian Politics12 Aug 2026

Bridget Phillipson condemns Richard Tice’s ‘chilling attempt to silence free press’

Labour chair says Reform deputy leader is trying to harass journalists over reporting on his financial affairs UK politics live – latest updates Richard Tice has been accused by Labour’s Bridget Phillipson of mounting a “deeply chilling attempt to silence the free press” after he sent a legal threat to the Guardian over its reporting on his financial affairs. Lawyers for Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, singled out a Guardian correspondent for her journalism about a series of Tice’s finan

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics12 Aug 2026

Nigel Farage and Count Binface: a visual guide to their electoral careers

Farage was elected to EU parliament five times before becoming Clacton MP, while Binface has been less successful – so far Nigel Farage has been standing in British elections since 1994, when he narrowly beat Screaming Lord Sutch of the Monster Raving Loony party into fourth place in a Commons byelection. He was elected five times to the European parliament before achieving his goal of abolishing his seat. Finally, after 30 years of trying, he was elected to the Commons as member for Clacton in

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics12 Aug 2026

Nigel Farage looks trapped and rattled - now the nationalist tide can be turned | Rafael Behr

There are more votes in tolerance and decency than in toxic division. It doesn’t take a great leap of political courage to fight back against Reform Nigel Farage can be confident of victory against a man posing as an ennobled space traveller with a dustbin on his head. At least, in Clacton he can. The refusal of major parties to contest this week’s byelection sets the bar low. But even if the competition were more serious than Count Binface, the Reform UK leader would be the favourite to win on

PoliticsDefenceReform
The Guardian Politics12 Aug 2026

Could Clacton bin off Nigel Farage? – podcast

Farage has taken a high risk gamble by resigning and forcing a byelection in his constituency. Nosheen Iqbal heads to Clacton to find out how voters feel Clacton was once a seaside jewel on England’s east coast. But these days there’s another story that’s told about this town. Clacton is one of the poorest, oldest and whitest places in the UK. People here have a life expectancy that is 18 years lower than those living in wealthier parts of Essex. Almost half the working-age population doesn’t ha

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics11 Aug 2026

Richard Tice accused of ‘nasty tactics’ over legal threat to the Guardian

Reform deputy leader condemned for seeking disclosure of documents that could reveal reporter’s sources Richard Tice has been accused of using “nasty tactics” in an attempt to intimidate journalists and deflect attention from his own financial affairs after issuing a legal threat to the Guardian. In a letter sent from his lawyers, a Guardian correspondent was singled out for her reporting on a series of Tice’s financial transactions that were referred to the National Crime Agency. Continue read

ReformCrime
The Guardian Politics11 Aug 2026

How viable are plans to free up prison space in England and Wales?

The PM is proposing three ways of increasing jail capacity – but none offer a quick or straightforward solution Andy Burnham said on Monday he was “increasingly confident” that PC Andrew Harper’s killers would not be freed in the new year. Determined to ensure that Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, who were jailed for 13 years in 2020 for manslaughter, serve their full sentences, he has asked the justice secretary, Alex Norris, to examine three options for increasing prison capacity. Continue read

DefenceReformCrime
The Guardian Politics11 Aug 2026

Burnham rough-sleeper pledge at risk from failures in housing ex-prisoners, charity warns

Analysis finds nearly one in six people leaving jail last year in England and Wales were released into homelessness Andy Burnham’s pledge to end rough sleeping is under threat from a failure to find accommodation for a growing number of newly released prisoners, a charity has warned. An analysis by the social justice charity Nacro has found that nearly one in six people leaving jail in England and Wales last year were released into homelessness, reaching the highest rate for five years. Continu

DefenceReformHousingCrime
The Guardian Politics11 Aug 2026

Rayner says Burnham won’t accept ‘system says no’ advice over prisoner release scheme – UK politics live

Burnham has asked the justice secretary Alex Norris to come to parliament in September with solution Good morning. Andy Burnham has been prime minister for three weeks and one day, and arguably he is performing his first U-turn. It is in relation to the prisoner early release scheme and, in particular, finding a way of ensuring that two of the killers of PC Andrew Harper are not included. Burnham has been looking at this for some time. Early last week he announced significant changes to the ear

PoliticsReformCrime
The Guardian Politics11 Aug 2026

PM asks justice secretary to find way to exclude PC Harper’s killers from early release scheme

Andy Burnham said to be ‘determined’ to work out solution after increasing pressure from family and police Andy Burnham has told the justice secretary to find a way to exclude PC Andrew Harper’s killers from the early release scheme aimed at easing prison overcrowding. The prime minister is said to be “determined” that a solution can be found after increasing pressure from Harper’s family and police not to allow Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter, to b

ReformCrime
The Guardian Politics10 Aug 2026

Arron Banks urged to set out extent of surveillance of journalists

Industry body says use of private investigators against reporters is ‘attack on our democracy’ after apparent admission by Reform donor The businessman and Reform UK donor Arron Banks is facing calls to lay out the extent of his surveillance of journalists, described by an industry body as an “attack on our democracy”. The News Media Association (NMA), which represents regional and national media, raised concerns after Banks appeared to admit over the weekend to hiring private investigators to s

ReformHousing
The Guardian Politics10 Aug 2026

From ticket booking fees to shrinkflation, six other ways Burnham could cut cost of living

The prime minister is promising to crack down on ‘rip-off’ business practices Andy Burnham has announced he will ban fake discounts and make it easier to cancel unwanted subscriptions in an effort to improve life for UK consumers. In the long run, these so-called “everyday fixes” may not make as much difference to your wealth as increasing mandatory contributions on pensions or capping rents, but they will get rid of some day-to-day frustrations. Here are six other things he could fix while he i

EconomyReformHousing
The Guardian Politics10 Aug 2026

Labour says Farage has ‘no serious answers’ to prisons crisis – UK politics live

Reform says it will free up space in jails in England and Wales by rapidly deporting all foreign offenders Good morning. Andy Burnham has said Middlemarch is his favourite novel, but he may not remember George Eliot’s line about the genial businessman Mr Vincy who “blustering as he was, had as little of his own way as if he had been a prime minister”. Burnham only took over in No 10 three weeks ago today. But already he is learning that Eliot had a point about the constraints of office. As PM, B

PoliticsReformCrimeRemigration