UK Politics

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentSir Ed Davey has set out plans to “winterproof the NHS”, calling for a taskforce to be established to end the annual winter crises facing the health service.The Liberal Democrat leader used his conference speech to urge Sir Keir Starmer to “make this year the last winter crisis in our NHS”.After opening the speech by singing “Take a Chance on Me” by ABBA, Sir Ed pointed to the £376m which is spent on average each year tackling the winter crisis in the NHS, calling instead for the cash to be invested in shoring up the service.His proposed taskforce would spend £1.5bn in the next four years to build resilience in hospital wards, A&E departments, ambulance services and patient discharging.Addressing activists and MPs gathered in Brighton, Sir Ed said: “Practically every year I can remember, governments have ended up announcing hundreds of millions of pounds of emergency funding to help the NHS through another winter crisis. To paper over the cracks.Lib Dem leader Ed Davey kicked off proceedings by singing ABBA’s ‘Take a Chance on Me’ More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentOne of Britain’s leading trade experts has warned that the new border checks system for goods traded between the UK and the EU could make already dire trade figures even worse.Marco Forgione, director general of the Chartered Institute of Export and International Trade, has welcomed plans to delay bringing in those checks for fruit and vegetables at the border which could have had a devastating effect on UK supply chains.But he has said that if the implementation of the the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) for checks is badly handled then there could be serious problems.His warning comes as new research released by Aston University shows that Brexit is having a profoundly detrimental impact on UK trade.Sir Keir Starmer and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held a joint press conference on Monday (Phil Noble/PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentDavid Lammy has warned that climate change is a more urgent threat than terrorism or Vladimir Putin in a major speech in which he pledged to put the emergency at the centre of British foreign policy.Tackling the crisis, which is “accelerating towards us”, will also boost growth in the UK, the foreign secretary said. “The threat may not feel as urgent as a terrorist or an imperialist autocrat. But it is more fundamental. It is systemic. Pervasive. And accelerating towards us,” he warned.Mr Lammy blasted Russia’s “fascism” and “imperialism” last week on a visit to war-torn Ukraine. He made the vow after the death toll in central Europe rose to at least 15 in the wake of a series of devastating floods.Foreign secretary David Lammy making a speech on the climate crisis More

Labour MP defends Starmer over donor row: ‘He’s an Arsenal fan’Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseMy recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyondEric GarciaWashington Bureau ChiefA Labour minister has been grilled over Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to accept tens of thousands of pounds in gifts and hospitality, amid a row over his late declaration of a donation by a Labour peer to pay for dresses for his wife Victoria.Sir Keir was facing questions over the £5,000 donation from ex-Asos chair Lord Waheed Alli which he initially failed to put on his register of interests. The PM has insisted his team had reached out for advice on what declaration should be made and that rules are being followed.While the commissioner has decided not to investigate, Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle was repeatedly pressed by reporters on Tuesday about Sir Keir’s acceptance of gifts – totalling more than £65,000 in the nine months to May ahead of cutting the winter fuel allowance for millions of pensioners.Dame Angela told Times Radio she had no opinion on Sir Keir accepting gifts and accused the host of “ranting”. However she conceded to Sky News that she was not sure whether it was “possible to have an explanation” for accepting Coldplay tickets.Show latest update 1726583833Government urged to make ‘this year the last NHS winter crisis’Turning to the NHS, Sir Ed Davey told the Lib Dem annual conference: “We know the terrible state of the public finances thanks to the Conservatives’ shocking mismanagement. There can be no doubt about the scale of the challenge ahead.“Yet that makes it even more important to make the investment we’ve proposed in frontline NHS services – not less. Because if you invest wisely, if you make sure people can get the care they need, when and where they need it, if you bring down waiting lists and get people back to work, if you help people to stay healthy for longer, not only will you dramatically improve people’s lives, but you will actually save taxpayers’ money in the future and give the economy the boost it needs.“The problem is, the Treasury simply isn’t wired to think this way. Instead, we have the short-term negative thinking that leads governments to postpone hospital repairs and cancel new buildings – short-term thinking to save a bit of money now, even though you know it will only cost a lot more in the future.”The Lib Dem leader added: “What if, instead of stumbling from crisis to crisis, instead of throwing more and more money at just plugging the gaps, what if we invested now to make the NHS winterproof?“The government could and should make this year the last winter crisis in our NHS.”Andy Gregory17 September 2024 15:371726582813Ed Davey reveals rejected election stunt ideas Wing walking on a biplane was among the stunt ideas “rejected” during the Lib Dem election campaign, Sir Ed Davey has suggested.He told conference delegates that he is “not supposed to tell you what stunt ideas were rejected – not least because they’re still trying to persuade me to do them for the next election”.He added: “But I’ll let you into a little secret. It was only health and safety rules that stopped me putting my hand up a cow’s behind or wing walking on a biplane.”Andy Gregory17 September 2024 15:201726582266Ed Davey sings to Abba as he arrives for conference speechSir Ed Davey sang along to Abba’s “Take A Chance” as he arrived on stage for his Brighton conference keynote speech.The leader of the Liberal Democrats said: “It’s been joyful, hasn’t it? Getting together to celebrate, and to start planning the future – having fun, but with a serious focus.“It reminds me of our election campaign. Do you know they wanted me to wear a wetsuit today? But I said it was abseiling or nothing, so here we are, having a party after winning our largest number of MPs for over 100 years.”( More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentThe attorney general is coming under pressure to ask for a legal review of the suspended sentence handed to former BBC presenter Huw Edwards.Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has told The Independent that he is writing to Lord Hermer asking him to appeal the six-month suspended sentence for the disgraced BBC personality who previously admitted three charges of “making” indecent photographs.The court heard that the 63-year-old paid up to £1,500 to Alex Williams, 25, who sent Edwards 41 illegal images, seven of which were of category A, the very worst kind.Of those images shared over WhatsApp, the estimated age of most of the children was between 13 and 15, while one was aged as young as between seven and nine.Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of former BBC broadcaster Huw Edwards stands in the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, London (Elizabeth Cook/PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentWatch live as Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey addresses the final day of the party’s conference in Brighton on Tuesday 17 September.He is expected to say the party must “repay” the trust “in full” that was given to them by voters at this year’s general election when he takes to the stage.Sir Ed will also pledge to “finish the job” of defeating the Conservatives after the Lib Dems secured 72 seats in parliament.In his speech, the MP for Kingston and Surbiton is expected to speak again about the NHS – which has been a key topic at the four-day event – as well as those standing to be the next leader of the Conservative Party.The Lib Dems became parliament’s third biggest party again after the general election in July with 72 MPs now sitting in the Commons, including many who won seats from the Conservatives. More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentThe prime minister will avoid an embarrassing investigation into a failure to declare a donation by a Labour peer that paid for dresses for his wife Victoria.Sir Keir Starmer was facing questions from the Opposition over the £5,000 donation from Lord Waheed Alli, which he initially failed to put on his register of interests. The peer, a leading Labour donor, received a high-level security pass for Downing Street in the weeks after the election and made a donation to Sir Keir of accommodation over several weeks worth more than £20,000.The prime minister has insisted his team had sought advice on what declaration should be made and that rules were being followed.Tory chairman Andrew Griffith asked the parliamentary standards commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, to investigate a potential breach of the rules.Mr Griffith wrote: “There must be a full investigation into this scandal given this is not the first instance of the prime minister failing to declare donations and abiding by parliamentary rules.“It beggars belief that the prime minister thinks it’s acceptable that pensioners on £13,000 a year can afford to heat their home when he earns 12 times that but apparently can’t afford to clothe himself or his wife.Sir Keir faced questions over his alleged failure to register on time high-end clothing given to Lady Starmer by a prominent party donor More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentWatch live as David Lammy announces Labour’s pledge to have the UK be the first major economy to deliver clean power by 2030.On Tuesday, 17 September, the foreign secretary will position action on the climate and nature crisis as central to his department’s remit as he pledges the Foreign Office’s commitment to the global clean energy transition.Speaking at Kew Gardens in Richmond, Mr Lammy will say Labour is “firing the starting gun” on its pledge to create a global clean power alliance that will facilitate sharing knowledge and technology to help more countries reach net-zero emissions.Of the government’s 2030 pledge, Mr Lammy will say: “We will leverage that ambition to build an alliance committed to accelerating the clean energy transition.“And today we are firing the starting gun on forming this new coalition.“While some countries are moving ahead in this transition, others are being left behind.“We need to accelerate the rollout of renewable energy across the globe in the way that this Government is doing at home.”The alliance also aims to help countries “leapfrog” fossil fuels, transition to renewable power systems with global investment and finance, and speed up the supply of critical minerals needed for energy grids and storage. More