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The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

How war in Gulf reveals the ‘cut corners’ on British defence

With the army’s size halved since the cold war, UK ambitions to be globally deployable do not match the reality, experts say Middle East crisis – live updates If Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was a wake-up call for Nato, the war in the Gulf has brought some harsh realities home to the British public about the state of the UK’s armed forces. While air defence systems and fighter jets were already in place or deployed relatively swiftly, the time it took to send a single destr

Defence
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

Hundreds of asylum seekers moved from hotels to army barracks, Home Office announces

Refugee Council criticises Labour’s decision, saying military sites are unsuitable and ‘more expensive than hotels’ Hundreds of asylum seekers have been removed from government-funded hotels while others have been sent to live in army barracks, the Home Office has announced. Eleven “asylum hotels” in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have been closed, as first reported by the Guardian, and more will close “in the coming weeks”. About 350 claimants have been moved to the Crowborough military

ImmigrationDefence
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

The Guardian view on defence spending: should the UK’s security rest with Donald Trump? | Editorial

A former Nato chief demands more cash while fixing Britain’s global role. Before billions are spent, ministers must define the purpose of its military George Robertson’s claims about the prime minister’s “corrosive complacency” over Britain’s safety made headlines. But it is a howl of pain, not a sober security analysis. The former Nato secretary general and author of the government’s strategic defence review (SDR) wants Downing Street to back his view of Britain’s role in the world – as Robin t

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

UK woman fears being stranded in Spain over new Home Office border rules

Natasha Cochrane de la Rosa was refused boarding on flight to London because she was not aware of the rule change A British woman has told how she fears being stranded in Spain for months after being refused boarding a on flight back home to London because she was not aware of new Home Office border rules. Natasha Cochrane de la Rosa, 26, was born in the UK to a British father and a Spanish mother, but because of archaic laws she was not entitled automatically to British citizenship because her

ImmigrationDefence
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

Reeves arrives at IMF with little leeway to prove its UK downgrade wrong

Chancellor faced with fund’s forecast that impact of Iran war will leave Britain as G7’s biggest loser Iran war escalation could trigger global recession, IMF warns The Iran war is bad news for the global economy. But for some countries, the unfolding conflict is having a bigger impact than for others. The International Monetary Fund’s verdict is that Britain is the G7’s biggest loser. Amid the rising damage from the Middle East war, the Washington-based fund warned UK economic growth rate wou

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

Infected blood scandal compensation to rise

Additional £1bn allocated to payments for victims and their relatives, including extra £35,000 for former Treloar pupils Compensation payments will rise for people affected by the infected blood scandal, including an extra £35,000 each for pupils who were experimented on at school without their knowledge, the paymaster general has announced. The government has allocated £1bn for the payments. The final report of the inquiry into what has been described as the biggest treatment disaster in NHS hi

Healthcare
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

Group of Labour MPs proposes new policies to beat rightwing populism

The policies include a Swiss-style EU deal, lower electricity prices and reduced dependence on the US A group of Labour MPs is to propose a series of new policies to defeat rightwing populism, including a Swiss-style deal with the EU, lower electricity prices, a robust defence of climate policies and a reduced dependence on Washington. Among those contributing to a new collection of essays is the former cabinet minister Anneliese Dodds, who calls for a fundamental reappraisal of the UK-US relati

PoliticsDefenceEnvironment
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

‘Bizarre’ lack of urgency in putting UK on war footing, says defence review co-author

Fiona Hill, a former White House chief adviser, joins ex-Nato chief in criticising Starmer’s leadership on defence UK politics live – latest updates A co-author of Britain’s strategic defence review has joined criticism of Keir Starmer’s leadership on military policy, warning of a “bizarre” lack of urgency in defence planning. Fiona Hill, a former chief adviser to the White House on Russia, echoed the concerns of George Robertson, her co-author with Gen Richard Barrons on the strategic defence

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

Kemi Badenoch’s memory wipe and the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind | John Crace

Seemingly more gentle Tory leader is blessed with the ability to forget everything that happened the day before Please sit down. Loosen your clothing. Do not adjust your screen. Take several deep breaths. Close your eyes. Imagine yourself in your happy space. Your life might not be quite the same again. Hard to believe, but Kemi Badenoch has had a psychological makeover. Don’t get me wrong. We’re not talking a complete personality change. There hasn’t been a miracle. A laying on of hands by Don

The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

UK’s armed forces are in a sad state – and they have only themselves to blame

The MoD shows little sign of learning from its mistakes – no wonder the Treasury is reluctant to agree to its demands George Robertson, Tony Blair’s first defence secretary, a former Nato secretary general and an author last year of the latest in a series of evasive strategic defence reviews, accused Keir Starmer on Tuesday of a “corrosive complacency towards defence”. He said the prime minister was not willing to make the “necessary investment”. Lord Robertson could have directed his fire elsew

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

Scottish Greens pledge free bus travel and basic income in election manifesto

Party says plan for ‘radical change’ will be funded in part through higher taxes on aviation, gambling and landlords UK politics live – latest updates The Scottish Greens have called for free bus travel, thousands of extra teachers and doctors and a universal basic income among hundreds of uncosted manifesto pledges. The party is enjoying a bounce in Scottish opinion polls, with some putting it ahead of Labour, driven partly by the surging support for the Green party of England and Wales under

PoliticsEconomyEducationEnvironmentHousingHealthcare
The Guardian Politics14 Apr 2026

UK steel exports to EU at risk as bloc doubles tariffs and halves quotas

Decision to reduce duty-free quotas by 47% aimed at curbing Chinese imports Business live – latest updates The EU is to go ahead with plans to double tariffs and halve quotas on imports of steel from July, in a move designed to curb Chinese imports but which could damage UK exports to the bloc. The decision by EU lawmakers and member states after late night talks on Monday, will reduce duty-free quotas by 47%. Exact country allocations have yet to be determined. Continue reading...