News

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

Our Articles

Mainstream Headlines

Filtering by:Source: The Guardian Politics×Clear all

3149 headlines found — Page 99 of 263

The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Forced adoption survivors to get full apology from UK government, says Phillipson

Education secretary describes historical practice in England as a ‘shameful period’ in country’s history Downing Street is to make a full apology on behalf of the state to those affected by historic forced adoption in England, the education secretary has confirmed. Bridget Phillipson, giving evidence to MPs on the education select committee on Wednesday, described it as a “shameful period” in the country’s history. Continue reading...

PoliticsEducationReform
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Labour came to power with no big idea for relations with EU, says former top diplomat

Ivan Rogers, Britain’s EU ambassador from 2013 to 2017, says party’s ideas did not ‘remotely measure up’ to challenge UK politics live – latest updates Labour arrived in power with no big idea on the future relationship with the EU, a former British ambassador to Brussels has said. Ivan Rogers, Britain’s EU ambassador from 2013 to 2017, said Labour presented “a ragbag of issues” on the EU in its manifesto, which didn’t “remotely measure up to the challenge of the times” and would “make no meas

Politics
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Surprisingly benign UK inflation data signals a softer Iran war hit than feared

War’s impact on UK cost of living more muted than first forecast suggesting fuel price rises have failed to spill out more widely across UK plc UK inflation stays at 2.8% as slowing food prices offset transport costs Business live – latest updates As soon as Iran choked off oil supplies through the strait of Hormuz at the start of March, there were dire warnings about rocketing UK inflation and the drastic action the Bank of England might take to rein it in. At one point, investors were expec

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Russian warship incident in Channel deeply concerning, says Starmer

PM says firing of warning shots at yacht was reckless and UK is dealing with proxy attacks from Russia ‘every day’ Warning shots fired by a Russian warship sailing across the Channel on Tuesday morning were “deeply concerning and reckless”, Keir Starmer said from the G7 summit on Wednesday as he warned that the UK was dealing with proxy attacks from Russia “every single day”. The prime minister said the Ministry of Defence had assessed that the Russian vessel was drifting and fired the shots wit

Defence
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Keir Starmer says he wants to offer Burnham ‘big role’ in government to avoid leadership contest – UK politics live

Former health secretary Wes Streeting also threatened to launch a leadership contest if the prime minister did not set out a timetable to step down Good morning. Keir Starmer is still in France for the G7 summit but – as Margaret Thatcher discovered on a trip to Paris in November 1990 – acting as a statesman on the world stage does not protect a PM from a leadership challenge at home and, on that front, there has been a small development overnight; Starmer is now being told explicitly he will fa

Politics
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Wes Streeting says he could launch leadership challenge next week

Former health secretary calls on Keir Starmer to step down to end ‘uncertainty and paralysis’ Wes Streeting has said he would be prepared to challenge Keir Starmer and spark a Labour leadership contest as early as next week. The former health secretary, who quit the cabinet last month, said “uncertainty and paralysis” would have to be ended and that he would give the prime minister at least the weekend to think about it. Continue reading...

Politics
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Reader Q&A: ask reporter Hannah Al-Othman anything about the Makerfield byelection

Tomorrow is Andy Burnham’s day of destiny as he seeks to return to parliament in a bid to become prime minister. Hannah Al-Othman has been part of our team covering this pivotal campaign. She’ll be online at 1pm BST to answer your questions Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion Ahead of tomorrow’s byelection in Makerfield, the Guardian’s North of England correspondent Hannah Al-Othman will be here to answer your questions about anything from tactical voting to the loc

Politics
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Capital gains tax: more people have to pay, so here’s what you need to know

The rules have changed and more taxpayers are being pulled into the net, not only the wealthy Less generous rules have turned capital gains tax into a “cash machine” for the government, with income from the levy soaring by almost 80% to £24bn in the last tax year – equivalent to well over £800 a household. A series of changes to the way the charge works means more people are being pulled into the capital gains tax (CGT) net, and not only the wealthy. And, given the scale of the change, this week

Economy
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

The Belfast riots, Palestine Action protests. What is terrorism now – and why the hypocrisy? | George Monbiot

The right is obsessed with ‘two-tier policing’. This is indeed a two-tier government – but the real victims are progressives “If you are targeting people on the basis of the colour of their skin,” the Northern Ireland secretary, Hilary Benn, asked last week, “how else can you describe them? That is racist thuggery.” It is. But there is another way of describing the actions of the rioters burning people out of their homes in Belfast, though ministers somehow cannot bring themselves to say it. Ter

Housing
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Lib Dems to urge Labour to drop ‘torpor and timidity’ on EU and rejoin single market

Exclusive: Ed Davey to make call ahead of 10th anniversary of Brexit vote, in strengthening of party’s position on EU The Lib Dems will urge Andy Burnham to end Labour’s “torpor and timidity” towards the EU as they call for the UK to rejoin the single market, in a notable strengthening of their own position. Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote next week, Ed Davey will challenge Burnham to scrap Labour’s red lines on the customs union and single market if he becomes prime minister an

Defence
The Guardian Politics17 Jun 2026

Will a ban keep the UK’s kids off social media? – podcast

Governments around the world want to keep under-16s off YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Australia has introduced a ban and now the UK is doing the same. Stephen Byrne and Chris Stokel-Walker report Keir Starmer announced on Monday that he wanted to ban under-16s from social media. Parents were calling out for more controls he said. But their children … well, their children have other ideas. “Snapchat, for example, is one of the best things that’s happened to me,” a 13-year-old tells Helen Pidd. “

Housing
The Guardian Politics16 Jun 2026

The tide is turning on Thames Water: special administration looks best

It is still not totally clear what the government wants but the political mood seems to be shifting towards a decision Thames Water nationalisation moves closer as government objects to rescue deal At last, Emma Reynolds, the environment secretary, has opined on the future of Thames Water. So what’s it to be? A takeover by the company’s creditors? Special administration, which would allow anyone to pitch up with an offer while the state temporarily funds the company? Or even a quick flush to f

PoliticsDefenceEnvironment