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855 headlines found — Page 53 of 72

The Guardian Politics31 Mar 2026

UK sends more troops to Gulf amid Donald Trump jibes over British military involvement

John Healey says extra deployment is response to ‘expanding threat’ from Iran Middle East crisis – live updates UK politics live – latest updates The UK is sending more military support to the Gulf taking the total deployment to 1,000 troops, amid more jibes from Donald Trump about Britain’s refusal to get involved in offensive operations against Iran. Speaking from Qatar where he met UK troops, the defence secretary, John Healey, said the extra deployment was in response to an “expanding thr

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics31 Mar 2026

Steel bosses warn ‘back door’ loophole in UK trade rules could lead to job cuts and closures

New measures will protect Tata and British Steel but allow foreign pre-made parts into the UK, say industry bosses Steel bosses have warned ministers that a “back door” in new trade rules could hit British manufacturers and lead to job cuts and factory closures by allowing a vast array of foreign products to still enter the UK tax-free. The loophole means pre-made steel parts ranging from bridge sections, columns and door frames, all the way to smaller rods and tubes used in buildings, will esca

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics31 Mar 2026

King Charles’s state visit to US to go ahead, Buckingham Palace confirms

Visit with Camilla to take place in late April despite calls for it to be delayed because of US war against Iran UK politics live – latest updates The king’s state visit to the US is to go ahead next month as planned, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. Charles and the queen’s long-expected trip to see Donald Trump will take place in late April, despite calls for it to be postponed because of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Continue reading...

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics31 Mar 2026

BMA dismisses Starmer’s 48-hour warning over resident doctors’ strike plan – UK politics live

Prime minister threatens to withdraw NHS training posts for residents doctors if they don’t call off strike The grooming gangs inquiry will directly examine whether ethnicity, culture or religion influenced offending and whether they shaped the institutional response, the Press Association reports. Good morning. Keir Starmer is chairing a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee later to discuss the Iran war, but domestic issues don’t go away and he (or, to be more accurate, his sta

PoliticsDefenceHealthcare
The Guardian Politics31 Mar 2026

The toughest job facing the new head of Ofcom: tackling the blatantly partisan GB News | Polly Toynbee

It will take a regulator with grit and guts to enforce the UK’s impartiality laws. This is Labour’s chance to remedy our twisted media landscape Labour feels more sure-footed. A stronger sense of its own identity flows from standing up to Donald Trump, his war and his insults. MPs are less often looking over their shoulders at the right and its media. Here comes one test. Selecting a new chair of the media regulator Ofcom is in its final phase: which of two reported frontrunners is appointed w

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics30 Mar 2026

Kemi the attention-seeker somehow always makes two plus two equal five | John Crace

The looming oil crisis caused by the Iran war gives the Conservative leader a platform from which to jump to the wrong conclusions Losing sleep over the war in Iran? Worried sick about the cost of living? Can’t pay your energy bills? Then relax. Because Kemi Badenoch has a displacement activity for you. It’s becoming increasingly easier to understand the Conservative leader by viewing her as a hyperactive five-year old at the back of the class who is constantly disruptive. Who can’t get through

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics30 Mar 2026

May elections come at time of war on two fronts, Starmer says

At campaign launch, PM acknowledges concern over events in Ukraine and Iran as well as over rising cost of living UK politics live – latest updates The 7 May elections are taking place against a backdrop of “war on two fronts”, Keir Starmer has said, as he pledged action to tackle the resurgent cost of living crisis. Launching Labour’s English local elections campaign in Wolverhampton on Monday, the prime minister said: “We’re facing a war on two fronts – the Ukraine war, now four and a bit ye

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics30 Mar 2026

Families hardest hit by energy crisis could be given funds dispensed by local councils

As the war in Iran continues, ministers debate several options for extending support to households Middle East crisis – live updates Families hardest hit by the looming energy crisis caused by the conflict in the Middle East could be given funds dispensed by local councils, under plans being considered by UK ministers keen to keep a lid on costs. As concerns increase about the impact of rising fuel and energy costs in response to a drawn-out war in Iran, a government official said several opt

Defence
The Guardian Politics30 Mar 2026

How will the Iran war play at the ballot box in May? – podcast

Pippa Crerar and Jessica Elgot look at how the continuing and deepening conflict in the Middle East will hit people in the UK, and how it could impact May’s elections. Plus, as parliament breaks for recess, has the assisted dying bill reached the end of the road? Continue reading...

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics30 Mar 2026

Starmer to say Iran war means Labour’s values needed more than ever at local elections campaign launch – UK politics live

UK PM to chair meeting in Downing Street on how government responds to economic consequences of Iran war later on Monday Good morning. Keir Starmer will today chair a meeting in Downing Street on how the government responds to the economic consequences of the Iran war, which has the potential to upend much of what the government is trying to do to improve living standards. And so he is probably not too happy about the fact that this morning he has to attend an event in the West Midlands launchin

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics30 Mar 2026

MPs wary of move against Starmer while war is raging

Even after electoral disaster, Iran war gives many MPs pause for thought about timing of leadership contest A week after Labour’s election victory in July 2024, officials at Labour HQ held their first crisis meeting about the May 2026 local elections. The party had just secured a 174-seat majority and already strategists were predicting it would be very tough, though none were assuming the prime minister’s own position would be vulnerable. Continue reading...

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics29 Mar 2026

Rachel Reeves to tell G7 accelerating shift to clean energy is best defence against energy price shocks

Starmer to convene major energy industry and insurance figures to draw up emergency plans amid continued blockade of strait of Hormuz Rachel Reeves will warn G7 nations they must move faster on clean energy to insulate economies against global price shocks from oil and gas as she and the energy secretary Ed Miliband meet G7 finance and energy ministers on Monday. Keir Starmer will also gather major energy industry and insurance figures to thrash out what emergency measures might be needed to con

Defence