Ukraine accepts US ceasefire deal and ‘ball is in Russia’s court’, says Trump March 12, 2025 President Trump has said that “the ball is in Russia’s court” to agree to a US peace deal after Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenksy, accepted a peace deal in Jeddah. The deal, brokered in Saudi Arabia, involves an immediate cessation of hostilities – and would facilitate the return of US support to Ukraine. The US and Ukraine [...]
Starmer needs to “smash the gangs” behind shoplifting and phone theft March 12, 2025 The clip shared on social media yesterday by the BBC’s Nicky Campbell was unremarkable only because variations of it can be seen every day. Two men frantically empty shop shelves of cosmetics, pouring them into large bags while onlookers film the outrageous scene. They make no effort to hide their faces and when their bags are [...]
MIPIM: Sadiq Khan hails ‘perfect time’ to invest in London March 11, 2025 Sadiq Khan has said London’s “weather has changed” as he flew the flag for the capital at a major property conference in France. The mayor of London attended Europe’s biggest real estate trade show – Le Marché international des professionnels de l’immobilier, or MIPIM – in Cannes for the first time, just two weeks after [...]
FCA clarity on defence investment and green rules welcomed by MPs March 11, 2025 MPs have welcomed a move by the financial watchdog, clarifying that defence investments aren’t constrained by green or sustainability rules. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) released a statement on Tuesday morning clarifying their position on sustainability and defence investments. A spokesperson said: “Our sustainability rules do not prevent investment in or finance for defence companies. [...]
Met Police investigating alleged ‘verbal threats’ by Reform MP Rupert Lowe March 11, 2025 A police investigation has been launched into claims of “verbal threats” allegedly made by MP Rupert Lowe. The 67-year-old MP for Great Yarmouth was suspended by Reform UK on Friday amid allegations about his conduct, which he denies. In an interview on right-wing commentator Dan Wootton’s YouTube channel, he suggested he was suspended by Reform [...]
Planning bill will ‘avoid bat tunnels’, housing minister claims March 11, 2025 The government hopes its planning reforms will “avoid bat tunnels”, the housing minister has said. It comes as Labour unveiled major changes to the UK’s planning permissions system – as part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill – with measures to overhaul how developers meet environmental obligations, replacing site-specific schemes with a general fund. Speaking [...]
Labour’s growth agenda? Necessary but not sufficient. March 11, 2025 Ministers will be deeply frustrated at the lack of economic growth, though they ought not to be surprised. Their own missteps have been well covered in this newspaper, and week after week new survey data reveals the extent to which government policies have dampened spirits, reduced hiring and spooked confidence. However, while their opening salvo [...]
Tories call on Labour to abandon flagship Employment Rights Bill March 10, 2025 The Labour government’s controversial Employment Rights Bill returns to Parliament on Tuesday when it will face a fresh assault from Tory MPs, with shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith claiming the Bill will “take Britain back to the dark days of the 1970s.” Labour’s flagship legislation aims to boost protections against unfair dismissal, improve conditions for [...]
EFL writes to Badenoch to question Tory U-turn on football regulator March 10, 2025 The EFL has written to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to express surprise at the party’s U-turn on support for an independent football regulator. The Football Governance Bill was first introduced by the last Tory government but has faced growing opposition from Conservative peers in the House of Lords. Badenoch, meanwhile, has described the proposed football [...]
The Editor’s Interview: Should the Tories be afraid of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK? March 10, 2025 In this episode, we see top Tory Andrew Griffth MP grilled by City AM Editor Christian May on the threat posed to the Conservatives by Nigel Farage's Reform UK.