UK

Sue Gray quits: Defence secretary says Labour cabinet is ‘most unified’ he’s ever served inYour 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 ChiefSir Keir Starmer is delivering a statement at the House of Commons on the 7 October anniversary and the conflicts in the Middle East.But Sir Keir’s address has been overshadowed by a recent row surrounding ex-party gate investigator Ms Gray, who quit after fearing she was “becoming a distraction” ahead of Rachel Reeve’s budget.Downing Street rejected suggestions that Sir Keir Starmer has a “woman problem” after he replaced his former chief of staff Sue Gray with Morgan McSweeney.The prime minister was accused by Rosie Duffield of “having a problem with women” after sensationally quitting the Labour Party over his “greed”.During a press conference, No 10 was quizzed over the claims after most senior woman behind the scenes had stood aside with a man taking over her role. But a spokesperson said: “I wouldn’t accept that characterisation at all.”The major resignation and the government’s decision to delay his government’s first budget until the end of October gathered criticism from major Labour figures.Former Tony Blair aide, Alastair Campbell, warned the prime against taking “too many missteps”.Another Blairite, John McTernan, said the Labour government had “completely lost grip” and it was “delivering drift” rather than change after losing Ms Gray as No 10 chief of staff.Show latest update 1728312621PM: We stand with all communities against hatredSir Keir Starmer has declared his commitment to “stand against hatred” towards religious communities in the UK. He told the Commons: “We stand with all communities here in the United Kingdom against hatred of Jews and Muslims.“Because any attack on a minority is an attack on our pride values of tolerance and respect and we will not stand for it.”( More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorWatch live as Sir Keir Starmer is expected to make a statement in the House of Commons to mark the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks.The prime minister has said that the UK “must unequivocally stand with the Jewish community” and reiterated his calls for a ceasefire as he marked one year since the Hamas attacks in Israel, which triggered Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza and Lebanon.Sir Keir described October 7 2023 as “the darkest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust” and said that “collective grief has not diminished” in the year since.Today Israeli civilians mark the anniversary of Hamas’ deadly attack, during which they killed around 1,200 people and took 251 more hostage in Gaza, 101 of which remain in the enclave.Nearly 42,000 Palestinians have since been killed by Israel’s retaliatory air and ground attack in Gaza, according to the local, Hamas-run health ministry.The first anniversary comes against a backdrop of escalating violence in the Middle East, with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office having helped hundreds of people to leave Lebanon in recent days.At least 10 firefighters have been killed in an Israeli strike on a municipal building in the town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, the local health ministry has reported.Smoke could be seen billowing over parts of southern Lebanon as Israel resumed its airstrikes that it claims are targeting Hezbollah.The Lebanese health ministry, a separate authority to the Iran-backed group, says 22 people were killed and 111 wounded in Israeli strikes across the south yesterday. More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorNigel Farage has U-turned on his claim that he was told not to hold the face-to-face meetings with voters as a result of security concerns in his Essex constituency.The Reform UK leader found himself at the centre of a row after parliamentary sources disputed the suggestion he was given such advice from security teams, given it would interfere with his democratic duties.When asked on Monday, “which one of you is lying” – in reference to conflicting claims from himself and parliamentary sources – the Reform UK leader responded: “The Speaker’s Office is always right.”Nigel Farage found himself at the centre of a row about security guidance More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorLabour election guru Morgan McSweeney will take over as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff after Sue Gray quit, citing fears she was “becoming a distraction” to the government.The ‘Partygate’ report author has been a high-profile figure in Sir Keir’s top team since she was appointed while Labour was in opposition last year. However, in recent weeks Sir Keir’s Downing Street operation has been plagued by reports of infighting, and rows over Ms Gray’s £170,000 salary dominated headlines. Ms Gray’s departure on Sunday triggered a wider reshuffle of Number 10. She will be replaced as chief of staff by Mr McSweeney, one of the key figures in Labour’s election campaign who is reported to have clashed with Ms Gray.Sue Gray resigned as Downing Street’s chief of staff and has taken on a new role More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorAn unlikely alliance of independent schools, trade unions and tax experts are heaping pressure on Rachel Reeves to delay a tax raid on private education.Fears are growing that if the government goes ahead with its plans to introduce VAT on school fees in the middle of the school year it will cause job losses and put children’s education in chaos.It comes as the government has insisted that it will stick with the plans which were in the Labour manifesto at the election to help fund an extra 6,500 new teachers at state schools.Reports over the weekend suggested that there had been a wobble on the issue similar to one with tackling so-called non-doms because it appeared VAT would not raise as much as previously expected. Details are expected to be confirmed in the Budget on 30 October. Reeves plans a tax raid on private school fees More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer is under growing pressure as Labour heavyweights warned he has lost his grip on the political narrative, after he was forced to accept the resignation of his chief of staff over the weekend. Sue Gray resigned from her position after weeks of reported tensions in Number 10.Labour grandee Baroness Harriet Harman has said the turmoil that culminated in her resignation has been “uncomfortable” for the prime minister, warning that nobody wants to see political infighting on the front pages of newspapers.But she added that missteps and “clunkiness” should be expected by a new government in its early weeks.Alastair Campbell, who was Tony Blair’s communications chief in No 10, denied that the current situation is a “complete irrecoverable shambles”, but warned: “You cannot make too many missteps in government.”He said: “Government is harder than opposition. Labour governments are held to a much higher standard than Tory governments. I hope this is the reset that is needed”.Mr Campbell said the “winter fuel announcement dropping out of the sky” is an example of Labour not talking to the country.“You add that to the freebies stuff it again spoke against the narrative with which they won the election which was all very high standards in public life”, he added.John McTernan, who was Sir Tony’s political secretary, also piled in on Sir Keir’s administration, saying the government has “completely lost grip”, warning it is “delivering drift” rather than change.He told Times Radio the government has “lacked a political narrative and the political drive and the momentum that drove them through the election to a great victory”.Baroness Harman said she hoped Ms Gray’s resignation would mark a reset, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “This has been a squall. It has been uncomfortable.Labour former cabinet minister Harriet Harman More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorSue Gray, the former senior civil servant who rose to fame when she was handed responsibility for untangling the ‘Partygate‘ saga, has resigned as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff and will take up a new role in government.Ms Gray said she was standing down because it had “become clear to me that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change”.Concerns over the power of Ms Gray in government were recently raised when it was revealed she is paid more as chief of staff than the prime minister.The BBC revealed last month that Ms Gray asked for and was given a salary of £170,000 after July’s election – about £3,000 more than Sir Keir.Tensions flared in Sir Keir’s Downing Street operation after the salary revelation, although the party said at the time she “had no involvement in any decision on her pay”.A power struggle had reportedly been playing out between Ms Gray and Sir Keir’s election guru Morgan McSweeney since Labour’s general election win. Mr McSweeney will now replace Ms Gray as the prime minister’s chief of staff.Sue Gray said she looked forward to continuing to support the prime minister in her new role More