Author: Fatimah Idera

UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves had encountered pressure about the higher taxes imposed on companies profiting from the economic fallout of the US-Israel conflict with Iran. A coalition of charities, trade unions, and advocacy groups has urged the government to introduce new windfall taxes on sectors benefiting from the crisis as households grapple with rising living costs. In a joint letter addressed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Reeves, organisations including Greenpeace UK, National Education Union, and Tax Justice UK argued that billions could be raised by taxing excess profits. The groups identified energy firms, banks, defence contractors, agricultural traders, and…

The United Kingdom has signalled a tougher stance against Russia’s “shadow fleet,” with Defence Secretary John Healey confirming that British forces are now prepared to board and detain sanctioned vessels operating in UK waters. The move follows months of preparation after ministers identified a legal framework earlier this year. Meanwhile, final approval was recently granted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, allowing military action against ships suspected of evading sanctions imposed over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Healey said the delay was necessary to ensure proper training, coordination with allies, and a clear legal basis. He described the development as a strong…

The former UK justice minister and Conservative MP, Crispin Blunt, has been fined £1,200 after pleading guilty to multiple drug possession charges. Blunt, 65, admitted to four offences at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, following a police raid on his home in Surrey in October 2023. Also, authorities found him in possession of substances including cannabis, methamphetamine which is commonly known as crystal meth and GBL, a chemical sedative. During sentencing, Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram criticised Blunt’s actions, noting that his former role overseeing prisons, probation and justice placed him in a position of public trust. Read related news: Justice Salami…

Sir Keir Starmer’s director of communications, Tim Allan, has resigned, just a day after the prime minister lost his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney. Allan is the fourth communications chief to leave Downing Street in under a year, having served five months. In a statement, he said he was stepping down “to allow a new No 10 team to be built.” The resignations follow the fallout from revelations about Lord Mandelson’s links to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. McSweeney resigned on Sunday, taking responsibility for advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson as ambassador to the US in 2024. Starmer dismissed Mandelson…

Morgan McSweeney, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, has resigned, taking full responsibility for advising the PM to appoint Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US last year, a decision he now admits was wrong. In a statement, McSweeney said he accepts responsibility for the controversial recommendation, while Starmer expressed gratitude for his service, calling him “a key figure in our party’s work.”  Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said, “It’s about time,” but added that Starmer must also take responsibility for his own decisions. McSweeney, a central figure in the Starmer project, masterminded Labour’s 2024 general election landslide victory…

A Reform UK councillor for Redditch East in Worcestershire, has quit the party over plans to raise council tax, saying he cannot support the financial burden on residents.  He announced on BBC Politics Midlands that he will now sit as an independent councillor. Worcestershire County Council has warned it faces “effective bankruptcy” and has applied to the government to raise council tax by up to 10% from April. Taylor described the council as failing with £600 million in debt and said the proposed tax increase would hit already struggling residents. “They’re going to pay more and receive less,” he said.…

Police have searched two properties linked to former Labour minister Peter Mandelson as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that homes in north London and Wiltshire associated with Lord Mandelson were searched. He has not been arrested, and officers said enquiries are ongoing.The investigation follows the release of documents by the US Department of Justice, including emails from 2008 suggesting Lord Mandelson, then UK business secretary, discussed sensitive government information with Epstein. The messages appear to reference plans for a one-off tax on bankers’ bonuses…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, admitting he was wrong to appoint Lord Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the United States and saying he “regrets believing his lies” during the vetting process. Speaking at an event in East Sussex, where he was originally due to outline his government’s Pride in Place strategy, Starmer instead opened his remarks by addressing the growing controversy surrounding Mandelson’s links to the disgraced financier. He said no one was aware of the depth and darkness of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein at the time of his appointment in 2024.…

Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has defended the government’s proposed immigration reforms, insisting they are fair and necessary despite strong opposition from Labour MPs concerned about their impact on migrants and key sectors of the economy. Appearing before the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, Mahmood argued that recent levels of migration to the UK have been unprecedented and require a firm response. She said settlement in the UK is “a privilege, not a right” and questioned whether allowing permanent residence after just five years was reasonable. Under the proposals, most migrant workers would have to wait 10 years up from…

An independent MP has been arrested for a second time in connection with multiple alleged sexual offences. Former Labour MP Dan Norris, 66, is now under investigation over allegations including the rape of two women, sexual assault of a third woman, voyeurism and upskirting. Police said the latest arrest follows an earlier one in April 2025, when Norris was detained over allegations of rape, child sexual offences and child abduction. Officers have since confirmed they are no longer investigating the alleged child-related offences. The remaining allegations are said to have occurred between the 2000s and 2020s. Norris, who previously served…