News

Original reporting and the latest political headlines from across the UK.

Our Articles

Mainstream Headlines

Filtering by:Tag: politics×Source: The Guardian Politics×Clear all

1231 headlines found — Page 44 of 103

The Guardian Politics11 May 2026

UK borrowing costs rise as Starmer speech fails to dispel investor ‘jitters’

Bond yields creep higher on concerns about potential for political instability and rising inflation Business live – latest updates UK politics live – latest updates The cost of government borrowing has crept higher as Keir Starmer’s crucial speech failed to dispel investor “jitters” in the bond markets over political instability combined with fears of rising inflation. The yield, effectively the interest rate, on the benchmark 10-year UK government bonds (known as gilts) rose eight basis poin

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics11 May 2026

What did Keir Starmer say in ‘last chance’ speech to save his premiership?

Address was billed as make-or-break amid mounting speculation of a challenge. Has he done enough to hang on? Who are the main threats to Keir Starmer’s Labour leadership? UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer’s speech and press conference on Monday morning was almost universally billed as his final chance to save his premiership. Was it enough? And what – if anything – did he actually offer? Continue reading...

Politics
The Guardian Politics11 May 2026

Keir Starmer vows to prove doubters wrong in make-or-break leadership speech

PM makes series of policy pledges including seeking new deal with EU and says he will fight any challenge Who are the main threats to Keir Starmer’s Labour leadership? UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer has said he will prove his doubters wrong as he warned Labour was facing “very dangerous opponents” in a make-or-break speech, with leadership rivals on the brink of a challenge. Starmer said he would fight any leadership challenge and would not “walk away” from his responsibilitie

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics11 May 2026

Starmer to say ‘incremental change won’t cut it’ in major make-or-break speech to avert leadership challenge – UK politics live

Prime minister will try to convince Labour MPs to back him after suffering major election losses last week Good morning. The news this morning is full of speculation about whether or not there will be a Labour leadership contest. A better way of explaining the situation might be to say that a leadership contest is already under way; Angela Rayner issued what was in effect her manifesto late yesterday afternoon (although she also hinted she would be happy for it to be delivered by Andy Burnham a

Politics
The Guardian Politics11 May 2026

Wales has been hit by a political earthquake – and the UK government is in a very tricky position | Will Hayward

If Starmer’s Labour refuses to concede more powers to Plaid Cymru, the triumphant independence party, it will only accelerate its own decline On Saturday, I stood on the steps outside the Senedd, listening to the leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, take questions from the media. It was one of those rare moments of almost feeling history being made. As one of the other journalists said to me: “I have never seen a political event like this in Wales.” A crowd of Plaid supporters had gathered t

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics11 May 2026

Minority groups brace for surge in racism after Reform UK election gains

Members of minority communities in Birmingham and elsewhere fear results could lead to rise in hostile rhetoric Conceding defeat at the election count at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Friday, the outgoing Labour leader of the city council, John Cotton, made a plea. “What I would encourage the next administration in this city to do, whatever form that administration takes, is that it ensures it champions the diversity of this city,” he said. Labour’s 14-year rule of the local authority had come t

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

The Tories are still on life support – so why is Badenoch in celebratory mood?

Party leader has been vocal about its gains in London and there is a feeling that its losses could have been worse By any sane person’s reckoning, the Conservative party had a night to forget in Thursday’s local, mayoral and devolved elections. It lost about 500 councillors in England and ceded control of three local authorities to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK – losing to the rightwing upstarts in England, Wales and Scotland. Why then is Kemi Badenoch hailing these results as proof that “the Conserv

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

Plaid Cymru leader plans minority Welsh government built on cooperation

Rhun ap Iorwerth says he hopes to work with other parties and press the UK government for extra powers UK politics live – latest updates The leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has vowed to form a stable minority government in the Senedd and said he would seek out mature cooperation from all opposition parties. Ap Iorwerth said his administration would press the UK government for extra powers over policy areas such as policing and justice and focus on results rather than engaging in polit

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

The Guardian view on the Welsh and Scottish elections: Plaid’s triumph heralds a new era in devolved politics | Editorial

Progressive nationalist parties now hold power in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. That will be a challenge for the United Kingdom’s overcentralised state When the Scottish and Welsh assemblies were created on the eve of the millennium, the then Labour government in Westminster believed that it had engineered a win-win situation. Devolution, it was hoped, would see off any nationalist threat in Scotland and Wales. Meanwhile, the Labour party’s longstanding political dominance in both nations woul

Politics
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

Nicola Jennings on Keir Starmer’s reaction to the election results – cartoon

Continue reading...

Politics
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

Starmer faces perilous 24 hours as Streeting preparing for leadership bid

Chances of Starmer remaining in No 10 appear to be diminishing as about 40 Labour MPs call for him to quit UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer is facing a perilous 24 hours as allies of Wes Streeting said he was prepared to bid for the leadership if the prime minister’s premiership falls apart this week. Starmer was hoping to save his job with a speech that sets out his vision for turning the country around on Monday, after a disastrous set of local election results in which the par

Politics
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

Thousands attend rally against antisemitism outside Downing Street

Conservative and Reform leaders cheered as they address crowd, while Labour’s Pat McFadden met with boos and shouts of ‘where is Starmer?’ Thousands of people gathered outside Downing Street on Sunday to protest an increase in antisemitic hate crimes and violence, as senior politicians and interfaith leaders called for unity. The Standing Strong: Extinguish Antisemitism rally, backed by more than 30 Jewish groups, drew thousands of people to Whitehall, as Conservative and Liberal Democrat party

PoliticsCrime