Author: Eniola Amadu

Following the resignation of Wes Streeting from the UK goverment, James Murray has been appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care . The appointment was announced in a post on the prime minister’s official page on X. It stated: “The Rt Hon James Murray MP has been appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.” The MP for Ealing North has held several positions in both government and opposition, including Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury from October 2020 and Deputy Mayor of London for Housing. Murray joined Keir Starmer’s cabinet as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury…

Former Health Secretary, Wes Streeting has expressed his readiness to contest against Keir Starmer as UK Prime Minister if there is an opportunity. He made this known at a conference organised by the thinktank Progress confirming his willingness, and accused Starmer’s leadership approach of discouraging innovative policy ideas within government, describing the culture as “heavy-handed.” Wes Streeting criticised the Labour Party’s performance during its first two years in government, arguing that the administration entered office without enough preparation. The former health secretary also described Keir Starmer’s proposed winter fuel allowance cut as a “catastrophe” and said the party had failed…

Jess Phillips, the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Yardley, has stepped down from her position and publicly urged the Prime Minister to consider resigning, citing growing frustration over what she described as persistent delays in delivering meaningful reforms within government. In her resignation letter, Jess Phillips expressed a mixture of respect and disappointment toward the Prime Minister. She wrote: “I think you are a good man fundamentally, who cares about the right things, however I have seen first-hand how that is not enough.” Her statement suggested that good intentions alone, in her view, have not translated into effective governance or…

Keir Starmer has stood his ground, telling the cabinet he would remain as prime minister, insisting that the threshold required for a leadership challenge had not been reached, as ministers publicly expressed support for the leader. It was also revealed that the PM did not hold any one-on-one meetings before or after cabinet, except with his close ally, Richard Hermer. Starmer told ministers he planned to continue leading the government despite pressure over his position. A source said Wes Streeting tried to speak privately with Starmer after the meeting but was unable to do so. Read also:  Starmer under pressure…

The British government has revealed the deployment of the HMS Dragon to the Middle East as part of preparations for a possible multinational mission to safeguard shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz. HMS Dragon, an air defence destroyer, was deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean in March following the outbreak of the conflict involving Iran, with the aim of supporting the defence of Cyprus. The movement to the Middle East comes after France deployed a carrier strike group to the southern Red Sea as part of joint efforts between both countries on a defensive strategy focused on securing confidence in…

The head of Reform UK, Nigel Farage has been directed to parliament’s standards watchdog following a report he received a £5m donation from a party donor that was not declared Rules governing MPs require the declaration of any “personal benefit” received within the 12 months before taking office, with registration expected within one month of election, a requirement highlighted by the Conservative Party in its referral. The donation, reportedly made by Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne, is said to fall within that reporting period. However, according to the MPs’ code of conduct parliamentary guidelines allow certain personal gifts to go…

The UK has announced it will pay for 200 French officers to detain and deport asylum seekers in a move to curb Channel crossings. A facility in Dunkirk will be used to detain migrants from 10 countries, as France agrees to act against those attempting to reach the United Kingdom in small boats for the first time. The 10 countries include: Vietnam, Yemen, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Iraq and Syria. These countries according to the Home Office were the top 10 who crossed the channel by small boat last year. While officials say the scheme could result…

UK Parliament has passed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, introducing a lifetime ban on cigarette purchases for anyone aged 17 and under. Lawmakers in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords have approved the final draft of legislation designed to phase out smoking among future generations by restricting access based on age. The bill, which is expected to receive Royal Assent, will also grant ministers powers to regulate tobacco, vaping and other nicotine products, including controls on flavours and packaging. The measures are part of efforts to address smoking-related harm, with tobacco use remaining a major contributor…

Reform UK has pledged to review asylum decisions made over the past five years if it wins the next general election. Under the proposals, up to 400,000 people could face deportation, including those granted asylum, individuals who have overstayed visas, and migrants from countries a Reform-led government would classify as safe. The Labour Party government has also announced stricter immigration measures, including plans to reduce the use of asylum hotels and disrupt human trafficking networks. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party has criticised Reform for adopting similar policies “without the detail,” while the Liberal Democrats described the proposals as an “impractical farce.”…

The Labour Party has accused Reform UK’s vetting process of being “clearly not fit for purpose” after two more candidates in May’s local elections were linked to offensive or potentially racist social media content. Reform UK has faced a series of controversies involving several candidates ahead of the 7 May local elections in England, as well as those standing for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, despite Nigel Farage stating that the party’s vetting procedures had significantly improved. A Reform candidate in the Isle of Wight, Alan Stay, shared posts on Facebook containing racist and sexist material. This included repeated use…