Politics

Labour’s post-election honeymoon looks to be over as it faces pressure this week over winter fuel payments, releasing prisoners early, and the state of the NHS. Two months after winning a historic majority, Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers have a busy week as they face pressure not just from other parties, but their own

Former home secretary Suella Braverman has been criticised by a watchdog for publicly condemning the Metropolitan Police over its handling of pro-Palestinian protests in the capital. The Conservative MP wrote a scathing article in the Times last November accusing the force of “double standards for allowing what she deemed a “hate march” to go ahead

The Spectator magazine has been sold to hedge fund tycoon and GB News’s biggest shareholder Sir Paul Marshall for £100m. The title is one of the UK’s most influential political magazines and counts former prime minister Boris Johnson and ex-chancellor Nigel Lawson as past editors. The transaction decouples it from the search to find new

Budget hotels could be used to house newly freed prisoners as the government lets offenders out early to ease pressure on the justice system. The government started its operation to end custodial sentences for some prisoners after 40% time served rather than 50% today, with around 1,700 people expected to be let out. Justice Secretary

Prisoners set to be released early tomorrow have been trawled through in an attempt to not let domestic abusers go, the policing minister said. Tuesday will see about 1,700 prisoners released early to alleviate overcrowded prisons in England and Wales. The government said serious violent criminals, terrorists and domestic abuse perpetrators will not be released

The requirement to bring photo identification to vote in the general election “discouraged some people” from casting their ballot, a watchdog has said. The rule came into force in 2023 after Boris Johnson’s Conservative government introduced the new law to parliament. But the first time the impact was tested at a general election came in

Iran has sent short-range ballistic missiles to Russia and the Kremlin “will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine”, the US secretary of state has said. Speaking during a visit to the UK, Antony Blinken said the development was “a threat to all of Europe” and showed how Iran’s “destabilising influence reaches far beyond the

Sir Keir Starmer warned during the election campaign of the need for “tough decisions”, but carefully avoided setting out where the axe would fall.  Now it’s clear who will be losing out – starting with most pensioners losing winter fuel payments worth up to £300 – unease is bubbling under the surface. Politics live: Number

Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico’s Jack Blanchard are back with their daily guide to the day ahead in politics in under 20 minutes. On the day of a big Commons vote on the future of winter fuel payments, Jack and Sam discuss whether this is really the first big test of

MPs will vote later on a controversial plan by the new government to remove the winter fuel payment from the majority of pensioners. The move – which will see around 10 million people lose the payment of up to £300 to help with energy costs – has been defended by Labour, who said “tough decisions”

A new political term, and a new reality for the Conservatives, as what’s left of the party regroups in Westminster and gets down to the business of picking a new leader. On Monday, it was the turn of Kemi Badenoch and James Cleverly to officially launch their campaigns ahead of the first knock-out round on

The UK will suspend some arms sales to Israel, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has announced. Mr Lammy said the decision comes following a review of export licences for UK arms which found there was a “clear risk” that the weapons would be used in a way that could breach international law. Around 30 of 350

The economy could have crashed had the government not found savings by cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners, a minister has said. Lucy Powell told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that the loss of the benefit, which will now be means tested, was necessary because of a “£22bn blackhole” left behind by the Conservatives. Politics

The Tories will not win back trust of the British people by simply “pointing out how terrible Labour are”, Kemi Badenoch will say. Speaking at the launch of her Conservative leadership campaign on Monday, the former Business Secretary will attack the new government as failing to offer “something better”. But despite reeling off a list

One-word Ofsted judgements for state schools are being scrapped with immediate effect in a move that has been hailed as a “landmark moment for children”. Previously, the education watchdog awarded one of four marks to schools it inspects: outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate. From this academic year, four grades will be awarded across the

As the photos of Angela Rayner raving in an Ibiza nightclub confirm, the deputy prime minister enjoys her time off. But hey, it was August. And, to be fair, hours earlier she chaired a meeting in Whitehall on building safety, before jetting off to the Spanish holiday isle. But while “Angela Raver” was enjoying the

A Labour politician has defended himself as a “renters champion” despite flats he rents out reportedly found to be in poor condition. Jas Athwal, the newly-elected MP for Ilford South, owns 15 rental flats, but some tenants have claimed they regularly have to clean their bathroom ceilings to remove mould. In an investigation first reported

SLDP leader Colum Eastwood has announced his resignation as party leader. Mr Eastwood has been leader of the Northern Irish nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) for nearly a decade after he was elected in 2015. His resignation comes just eight weeks after retaining his Westminster seat in Foyle with a reduced majority of

Is it last orders for puffing with a pint? Almost certainly. With Labour’s massive 172-seat majority in the Commons, smoking in pub gardens and outside football stadiums, nightclubs and restaurants looks certain to be stubbed out. Politics live: Tories and Farage attack talk of outdoor smoking ban During his visit to Gauloises-loving Paris, Sir Keir