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236 headlines found — Page 9 of 20

The Guardian Politics9 Mar 2026

Definition of anti-Muslim hate will not harm free speech, says Steve Reed

Communities secretary tells MPs that government has to act against record levels of hate crimes A new definition of anti-Muslim hate will not restrict freedom of speech, the communities secretary has pledged, as he said that “clear expectations” will still be set for new arrivals and existing communities in Britain to learn English. MPs were told by Steve Reed that the government had a duty to act against record levels of hate crime against Muslims, but that “you can’t tackle a problem if you ca

PoliticsCrime
The Guardian Politics9 Mar 2026

HMS Dragon will head to Cyprus in next couple of days, says defence secretary

John Healey tells Commons crews working hard to prepare warship after criticism over slow response to drone attacks HMS Dragon will set sail in “the next couple of days”, the defence secretary has said, meaning the British destroyer may not arrive in the eastern Mediterranean until after the weekend. John Healey told the House of Commons that navy crews were working “tirelessly, 22 hours a day” to prepare the warship, as he faced accusations of not acting fast enough to protect British interests

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics9 Mar 2026

X suspends 800m accounts in one year amid ‘massive’ scale of manipulation attempts

Social media company tells MPs of continual fight against state-backed attempts, with Russia being most prolific Elon Musk’s X said it has suspended 800m accounts over a 12-month period as it fights the “massive” scale of attempts to manipulate the platform. The social media company told MPs it was continually fighting state-backed attempts to hijack the agenda on its network, with Russia being the most prolific state actor, followed by Iran and China. Continue reading...

Politics
The Guardian Politics9 Mar 2026

Labour lawyers ‘blocked’ from briefing MPs on jury trials overhaul before vote

Leader of rebel group says there is deep concern within Society of Labour Lawyers about courts and tribunals bill Lawyers affiliated to Labour were “blocked” from briefing party MPs to share concerns about plans to cut the number of jury trials in England and Wales, it has been claimed. The allegation was made by Karl Turner, the leader of a backbench rebellion against a flagship government bill that would remove the right to a jury trial in thousands of cases, before the first chance by MPs

PoliticsCrime
The Guardian Politics9 Mar 2026

Britons don’t want any part of Trump’s war fixation – the sooner Labour realises that the better | Owen Jones

Kowtowing to US foreign policy in Iraq and Afghanistan had disastrous consequences. Why are leaders making the same mistake all over again? Here is the sort of analysis you’re being served up by our esteemed commentariat. Keir Starmer’s positioning on the Iran war, we are told, reveals a prime minister with no political compass. True, but talk about burying the lede. The story here is not Starmer’s lack of political acumen. British involvement in the Iran war is not a policy question on which re

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics9 Mar 2026

Is the UK government prepared for oil price hikes? – podcast

Oil prices have already shot up thanks to the US-Israeli war in Iran. But what is the economic fallout likely to be? Will interest rates rise? What about inflation? Could the cost of borrowing increase – and by how much? Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss how the cost of living might be hit and the political implications of that Continue reading...

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics9 Mar 2026

The Badenoch dilemma: what to do now the Tories are no longer the default rightwing option | Henry Hill

A ‘Kemi bounce’ has geed the party up, but as it heads into the May elections it still lacks the policies to win voters over The Conservative spring conference in Harrogate over the weekend illustrated two important truths about Kemi Badenoch’s leadership. The first is that she has indeed started to find her feet and operate at a much more effective tempo, as attested by the gradual rise in her personal favourability ratings since last September. The second is that this is not delivering nearly

Politics
The Guardian Politics9 Mar 2026

Starmer seeks to reassure public over cost of living as oil surges above $100 a barrel - UK politics live

The prime minister is facing pressure from unions and some backbenchers to prepare a support package as oil and gas prices threaten to push up inflation Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics as governments around the world brace for major disruption to energy supplies as a result of the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran. Keir Starmer is expected to promise to protect the British public from the economic impact of the war after oil prices surged past $100 a barrel for the

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics8 Mar 2026

Alba party to wind up and not contest Scottish election

Pro-independence party formed by Alex Salmond in 2021 had suffered membership fall and financial crisis The Alba party has announced that it will wind up and not field any candidates for the 2026 Scottish parliament election. The pro-independence party was formed in 2021 by the late Alex Salmond as a “new political force” but has been suffering from a sharp fall in membership and a financial crisis. Continue reading...

Politics
The Guardian Politics8 Mar 2026

The Guardian view on secrecy in parliament: hiding the names of MPs’ staff would undermine democracy | Editorial

Security concerns must be treated seriously. But with trust in politics fraying, transparency has never been more necessary The recommendation that the names of MPs’ staff should be removed from a decades-old register, made by the House of Commons standards committee, is a retrograde step away from transparency. It is also appallingly timed. Public confidence in institutions including the government is fragile. A Labour MP resigned the whip just this week, after her husband was arrested on suspi

Politics
The Guardian Politics8 Mar 2026

Starmer speaks with Trump after president criticises lack of UK support for Iran strikes

Leaders discuss military cooperation day after Trump hit out at PM over lack of immediate backing for attacks Middle East crisis – live updates Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to Donald Trump and discussed their military co-operation through the US use of RAF bases “in support of the collective self-defence of partners” in the Middle East, Downing Street has said. The call comes after Trump intensified his criticism of Starmer over the lack of immediate UK support for the US-Israeli strikes on Ira

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics8 Mar 2026

While people feel the foundations of their lives are shaking, this deep crisis will continue | Clive Lewis

The partisan debate since the Gorton and Denton byelection risks blinding us to the truth. People are rejecting wholesale the way our politics has developed As the days pass since the earthquake that was the Gorton and Denton byelection, the result is being parsed in the usual ways. A mid-cycle protest vote and frustration with the pace of “delivery”. Some have even blamed the electorate itself. More reflective voices have called for a “reset” or a reaffirmation of “Labour values” – often shorth

Politics