UK

Keir Starmer has been warned he must “accelerate” co-operation with other leading economies in the wake of Donald Trump’s tariff wars and that it would be “naïve” to believe the damage is over. The US President was forced to announce he would delay tariffs above his base rate of 10 per cent, which affects the UK, for 90 days, in the wake of days of market turmoil that sparked a fire sale of US government bonds.The exception is China, where Mr Trump instead raised his levy on Chinese imports to 125 per cent. Economists warned the prime minister must now look to other allies to stabilise the economy as the events of the past week showed the US was “not a reliable” trade partner. Sir Keir Starmer has called for cool heads over Donald Trump’s tariffs (PA) More

The son of an ex-Aston Villa and Bulgaria captain is standing for Reform UK in the May local elections. Stiliyan Petrov, whose father of the same name is Bulgaria’s most capped player, hopes to represent Nigel Farage’s party in Lapworth & West Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Reform announced his candidacy in a flashy video in which Mr Petrov does kick ups in an homage to his footballing roots, while promising voters “a voice that will actually represent them”. Stiliyan Petrov Jr. of Reform UK with Nigel Farage More

A robot mine sweeper is being trialled by the British Army to eventually clear explosives on the front lines.It is hoped the device, called WEEVIL, will replace current mine-clearing methods that require a three-person crew to operate in hazardous areas.The new technology can be operated via remote control by a single person from several miles away and is fitted with a mine plough to clear a safe path.The prototype was successfully tested in Newcastle on a surrogate minefield, and the technology is now being passed to the British Army for further development.Luke Pollard, minister for the armed forces, said: “It won’t be a moment too soon when we no longer have to send our people directly into harm’s way to clear minefields.“This kit could tackle the deadly threat of mines in the most challenging environments, while being remotely operated by our soldiers several miles away.”The robot was developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and Newcastle-based firm Pearson Engineering.The Ministry of Defence said there are no current plans to provide it to Ukraine.DSTL military adviser Major Andrew Maggs said: “WEEVIL is the perfect combination of tried and tested technology and modern advancements.“By enhancing existing vehicles with new capabilities, we’re able to maximise their potential and give our troops a much-needed advantage, particularly in missions where time and safety are critical.” More

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to approve a major nuclear power plant alongside a slew of mini reactors in a bid to boost Britain’s stagnant economy. The prime minister will approve investment for the construction of the Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk before the June spending review, The Times reported, as well as unveiling plans for a fleet of small modular reactors (SMRs) across the UK. Sizewell C is expected to be up and running in 2035 and will provide 7 per cent of Britain’s energy demand at a cost of £20 billion.More nuclear power plants will be approved across England and Wales, the Prime Minister has said (Chris Radburn/PA) More

Nigel Farage earned £40,000 speaking at an event hosted by a company that helps the super rich move to other countries in order to reduce their tax bills. The Reform UK leader and MP for Clacton, who made his name being highly critical of illegal migration and promoting British nationalism, gave a keynote speech at an event held by Nomad Capitalist in Kuala Lumpur in September. Nomad Capitalist bills itself as a company which creates “bespoke, holistic strategies for successful investors and entrepreneurs to legally reduce their tax bills, diversify and protect their assets, become global citizens and maximise their freedom”. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaking in Northampton earlier in April (Joe Giddens/PA) More

Gordon Brown has called for an “economic coalition of the willing” to tackle the impact of Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, arguing the UK should go much further in its post-Brexit cooperation with the EU. The former prime minister called for impacted countries to adopt coordinated economic policies, including a reduction of interest rates, as well as urging Britain to go even further in renewing its ties with the EU and collaborate in a way that is “even more extensive than removing post-Brexit trade barriers”.He called for a “Europe-wide, off-balance-sheet, special-purpose defence and security fund” in order to release resources elsewhere, saying that to “build back better” following the tariffs the UK must work “ever more closely with the EU”. Gordon Brown is calling for Britain to adopt closer ties with the EU More

Patients are facing a “postcode lottery” for GP appointments with one in 10 people waiting more than a month to be seen in some areas, new research shows. The number of month-long waits hit a record high last year and in almost 95 per cent of areas there was an increase in people waiting 28 days or more.The figures, compiled by the House of Commons Library, demonstrate the uphill battle facing Labour as it ramps up recruitment of family doctors in a bid to cut waiting times and ease pressure on the NHS. Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced on Tuesday that an extra 1,503 GPs have been recruited since October, with the health secretary prioritising services closer to patients’ homes.But the number of general practitioners per patient has fallen drastically in the past decade, leaving the system under significant strain.Below, The Independent has mapped the regions where most patients are facing waits of a month or more for appointments: The House of Commons Library research showed that 100 out of 106 sub-Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) saw the number of 28-day or longer waits for GP appointments jump in 2024 compared with a year earlier. The starkest rise was in Sunderland, where there was a 51 per cent increase in month-long waits, followed by North East Lincolnshire with a 46 per cent jump and North Cumbria which saw a 38 per cent spike. The research, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, found Kent and Medway was the area with the most month-long waits in the country, with 781,000, rising by more than a fifth from 2023’s level. Derby and Derbyshire had the second highest number of month-long waits, with 722,000, up 14 per cent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, more than one in 10 patients was forced to wait more than a month to see a GP in areas including Gloucestershire, Chorley and South Ribble, Derby and Derbyshire and Dorset last year.Regionally, the south west had the highest portion of patients waiting 28 days or more for an appointment, with 7.7 per cent. Second worst was the north east and Yorkshire, followed by the east of England and the south east. The Liberal Democrats said the figures revealed a “reveal a stark postcode lottery that is leaving people in vast swathes of the country without the care they deserve”. They called for patients to have a legal right to see their GP within seven days or 24 hours if in urgent need. The party said this could be done by recruiting 8,000 additional GPs. Wes Streeting said 1,503 GPs have been recruited since October More