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1220 headlines found — Page 70 of 102

The Guardian Politics16 Apr 2026

SNP pledges to cap bread and milk prices if it wins Scotland’s parliamentary elections

John Swinney unveils his party’s manifesto, saying cost of living is the ‘defining issue’ for voters on 7 May The SNP will cap supermarket prices for essential goods like bread and milk if it retains power, John Swinney has pledged, after describing the cost of living as “the defining issue of this election”. With polls pointing to a fifth Holyrood term for the Scottish National party, its leader said he would use devolved public health powers to fix prices on 20 to 50 items such as bread, milk,

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics16 Apr 2026

Starmer tells social media firms in No 10 meeting ‘things can’t go on like this’

PM summons senior figures from Meta, TikTok, Google and X and says social media is ‘putting our children at risk’ Keir Starmer has told social media bosses “things can’t go on like this” in a Downing Street meeting over internet safety. The prime minister summoned senior figures at Meta, TikTok, Google and X to No 10 on Thursday morning as his government considers imposing new restrictions on platforms, including an Australia-style ban for under-16s. Meta owns Facebook and Instagram, and Google

Politics
The Guardian Politics16 Apr 2026

Contingency plans in place for possible food shortages if Iran war continues, minister confirms – UK politics live

Peter Kyle did not dispute Times’ report that under a ‘reasonable worst-case scenario’ supermarkets might start running out of some items The SNP is to bring in a national ban on smartphones in classes if it wins May’s Holyrood election, John Swinney has pledged. As the Press Association reports, the first minister and SNP leader insisted the devices were “a distraction from learning” pledging legislation after the election to ban them across Scotland. PA says: Currently head teachers have the p

PoliticsDefenceEducationHousing
The Guardian Politics16 Apr 2026

Is Keir Starmer ‘complacent’ on defence? – podcast

Keir Starmer has hit back at Labour peer George Robertson’s criticisms about defence funding. Why has the government been slow to prioritise defence and what trade-offs is Keir Starmer willing to make in order to increase spending? Guardian Live: Can Labour come back from the brink? With a difficult set of May elections approaching, Labour under threat from the Green party and Reform UK, and Keir Starmer’s popularity in freefall, can he survive as leader of the Labour party? The Guardian’s Gaby

PoliticsDefenceEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics15 Apr 2026

MPs vote against social media ban for under-16s a second time

Commons rejects proposal by 256 to 150 to side with government on plan to tackle online harms affecting children MPs have voted against a proposal to ban under-16s from using social media for the second time, as the prime minister summoned tech bosses to demand tougher action on internet safety. The House of Commons rejected a Lords amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill that imposed a new age limit on using social media platforms, amid pressure from parents and campaign groups

PoliticsEducationHousing
The Guardian Politics15 Apr 2026

Boosting military spending by slashing welfare is not the answer, senior Labour figures warn Reeves

MPs and peers say pitting defence and welfare against each other risks losing public support for increased spending on the military Senior Labour figures have warned that Rachel Reeves must find alternative ways to increase military spending rather than slashing welfare, saying it risks public support for investment in defence. Pressure has been mounting from Labour backbenchers for the Treasury to urgently agree the defence investment plan (Dip) after George Robertson, a former Nato secretary g

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics15 Apr 2026

Government’s 1.5m housebuilding target in England is suffering subsidence | Nils Pratley

As the country’s biggest housebuilder cuts land buying and the Iran war pushes up costs, setting an ambitious figure appears even more foolish This is what the government didn’t want to hear when its target to build 1.5m new homes in England during this parliament already looked out of reach. The country’s biggest housebuilder is trimming its purchases of new land because the Iran war has created “a less certain backdrop”. Barratt Redrow’s “disciplined approach” isn’t a downing of tools, it shou

PoliticsDefenceHousing
The Guardian Politics15 Apr 2026

Ex-Tory and Labour councillor Richard Bingley joins Reform for May elections

The much-travelled politician, who has also been a member of Ukip, will stand for election to Thurrock council At first he was a Tory councillor, before switching to Labour. Then came a stint in Ukip, followed by a return to the Conservatives that ended in ignominy amid a row over trees. And now, the much-travelled Richard Bingley is representing Reform. If Bingley is elected to Thurrock council in Essex on 7 May, it will represent something of a resurrection for the man with a case for being Br

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 Apr 2026

Reform or Plaid? Whichever way Welsh voters go, the country will be utterly transformed | Will Hayward

Each party has its own version of nationalism to offer voters in May’s Senedd election: closer ties to England or more independence for Wales It’s fair to say that the UK will change after the elections on 7 May. But few places will change as thoroughly as Wales. The polls suggest that after the vote our next Senedd will be led by either Plaid Cymru or Reform: this would make it the first time in 100 years that Welsh Labour is not the largest party in Cymru. However, Plaid and Reform’s visions f

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics15 Apr 2026

Starmer rejects accusation that Labour is ‘complacent’ on defence funding

PM responds to warnings by former Nato chief George Robertson, saying defence spending is increasing rapidly UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer has said he does not agree with George Robertson’s comments about the government’s “corrosive complacency” on defence funding, as the prime minister faced sustained pressure on the issue. Questioned in the Commons about the warnings by Robertson, the former Labour defence secretary and Nato chief who co-authored a defence review for the gov

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics15 Apr 2026

Scottish Labour leader calls claim he tried to do Reform deal a ‘desperate lie’

Anas Sarwar says there have been ‘no stitch-ups, no deals, no backroom chats, no back-channel contact with Reform’ UK politics live – latest updates Anas Sarwar has dismissed as “a desperate lie from a desperate man” a claim by Reform UK’s Scotland leader, Malcolm Offord, that he offered to do a deal with the hard-right party to keep the Scottish National party out of power. Offord made the claim on Channel 4’s Scottish leaders’ debate on Tuesday evening, alleging the Scottish Labour leader ca

PoliticsDefenceReform
The Guardian Politics15 Apr 2026

Balancing UK’s welfare and defence spending ‘not zero-sum game’, minister says

Treasury minister James Murray hits back at George Robertson’s criticism over military budget UK politics live – latest updates A Treasury minister has said balancing welfare and defence spending “is not a zero-sum game”, amid stark warnings that the UK will have to increase its military budget to ensure national security during global volatility. James Murray, the chancellor’s deputy, said the government was pushing ahead with the biggest sustained increase in defence investments since the co

PoliticsEconomyDefence