UK Politics

Sir Keir Starmer has confided that he has never played golf before, which may prove to be a problem when he holds a bilateral with Donald Trump at the US president’s Turnberry course in Scotland on Monday.The location partially explains the nervous energy around the prime minister when he discusses this last-minute arranged meeting, as Trump spends a few days relaxing at his Scottish courses.“Golf is not something you can pick up in a weekend,” a source close to the PM said, envisaging the two holding their bilateral around 18 holes on the championship course.Trump visits his in South Ayrshire club in 2023, between his two presidential terms More

Sir James Cleverly has branded Nigel Farage’s Reform UK a a “one-man band” and warned voters that the party is nowhere near ready to govern.The former foreign and home secretary, who this week returned to the shadow cabinet, complimented Mr Farage as“funny”, “interesting” and “a very good communicator”. However, Sir James said Reform UK falls short of credibility.“The challenge he’s got is that he’s the only one in his party that you can describe in those terms,” Sir James told The Times. “If you’re going to be taken seriously as a party of government, that’s nowhere near enough. As much as he’s smart and funny and talented, he’s not omnipresent.”Questioning Reform’s ability to govern, the former home secretary said: “Who are Farage’s shadow chancellor, shadow home secretary and shadow defence secretary? The fact is he hasn’t got any of them. “That’s nowhere near good enough to be taken seriously as an alternative party of government. The British people deserve better.”Sir James complimented Mr Farage as ‘funny’, ‘interesting’ and ‘a very, very good communicator’ More

Donald Trump called UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer a “good man”, as he landed in Scotland where he will spend the weekend golfing at his two luxury resorts as part of a four-day visit.The US president was greeted by thousands of people hoping to catch a glimpse of him as he landed at Glasgow Prestwick airport in Ayrshire just before 8.30pm. Mr Trumpwas met by Scottish secretary Ian Murray as he walked off Air Force One at Prestwick.The pair could be seen shaking hands at the bottom of the aircraft stairs before Mr Trump walked across to a group of journalists to answer questions before leaving in his armoured car known as The Beast.Speaking to reporters at Prestwick airport, Mr Trump described Sir Keir as “a good man” and confirmed they will be meeting later.US president Donald Trump lands in Scotland on Friday evening More

Britain, France and Germany have demanded Israel “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid” into Gaza to ease the hunger crisis.”The humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza must end now,” Sir Keir said in a joint statement with German chancellor Friedrich Merz and French president Emmanuel Macron. A malnourished child in Gaza More

Peter Mandelson reportedly called Jeffrey Epstein “my best pal” in a book of messages collated for the notorious paedophile’s 50th birthday in 2003.Britain’s ambassador to Washington was reportedly included in a section titled “friends”, alongside Donald Trump and former US president Bill Clinton. A letter from Lord Mandelson included photographs of whisky and a tropical island, and called Epstein “my best pal”, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).The leather-bound album was put together before Epstein was first arrested in 2006. A spokesperson for Lord Mandelson declined to comment. Two years ago, Lord Mandelson said he “very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein”.Earlier this year, he reacted with a foul-mouthed rant when pressed about his friendship with the disgraced financier.Peter Mandelson says he regrets ever being introduced to Jeffrey Epstein More

Asylum seekers who refuse to move out of hotels into new accommodation will have financial and housing support removed from them, the government has warned.The new crackdown has been ordered by Keir Starmer’s government as it attempts to demonstrate it is taking action amid fears of a repeat of last year’s summer riots, with violence already seen in Epping in Essex after the far right fuelled protests at an asylum hotel.But the move also appears to be an attempt to get to grips with the continuing small boats crisis on the Channel, with fears of record crossings this summer.The issue has been seen as a key reason why Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is leading in the polls and taking votes away from Labour in their traditional heartlands.Police walk next to protesters in Epping (Lucy North/PA) More

Rachel Reeves has been given her strongest warning yet that she will have to break a key party manifesto pledge by hiking taxes, introducing charges to use the NHS or drop the triple lock guarantee on the state pension.The beleaguered chancellor raised taxes by £40bn in her first Budget last year, partly to fund record new investment in the NHS.But now the world’s most important financial watchdog has warned that she will probably have to break an election promise to raise “taxes on working people” – income tax, VAT or national insurance contributions by employees to balance the books.In a report on the UK economy – Article IV Consultation with United Kingdom – the International Monetary Fund warned: “Unless the authorities revisit their commitment not to increase taxes on ‘working people’, further spending prioritisation will be required to align better the scope of public services with available resources.”Chancellor Rachel Reeves More

Speculation is mounting that Keir Starmer is close to agreeing to officially recognise a Palestinian state, with pressure from inside Labour described as “overwhelming”.The prime minister is set to hold a call with fellow E3 leaders – French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz – today to discuss the crisis in Gaza amid growing fears of mass starvation being caused by the Israeli blockade on food and aid supplies.But it has been overshadowed by France’s decision to recognise Palestine, adding to pressure from divisions within Sir Keir’s own cabinet for the UK to follow suit.It comes as Sir Keir used his strongest language yet on the worsening crisis in the embattled enclave, describing the actions by Benjamin Netanyahu as “unspeakable and indefensible”.Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who came close to losing her seat to a pro-Gaza independent MP in last year’s general election, and several other cabinet ministers want immediate recognition of Palestine as a state.Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and Sir Keir Starmer were set to have a call about Israel/ Gaza More