British Steel: Why are MPs having an emergency session? April 12, 2025 Westminster had begun to wind down gently on Friday afternoon. Parliament had concluded its formal business on Tuesday in advance of Easter. The news therefore came as jolt that the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, had agreed to a request from the government to recall the House of Commons to sit from 11.00 am on Saturday; [...]
Heathrow warned about power supply days before outage closure, MPs told April 2, 2025 Heathrow Airport was warned about its power supply in the days before it closed because of an outage, MPs were told. Nigel Wicking, chief executive of Heathrow Airline Operators Committee, which represents airlines that use the west London airport, said there were a “couple of incidents” which made him concerned. The airport was closed to [...]
MPs’ salaries to hit £93,904 in April March 24, 2025 It has been confirmed that MPs’ salaries will rise by almost three per cent to £93,904 in the next financial year. Parliament’s expenses watchdog has announced members of the House of Commons will benefit from a 2.8 per cent increase in pay from next month. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) said the pay rise [...]
Ukraine peacekeeping talks reaching ‘military plan’ stage, says Starmer March 20, 2025 Talks on the Ukraine peacekeeping force are reaching the stage of a “military plan” aimed at “keeping the skies safe”, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister has said the “timetable now is coming into focus”, and that if a deal comes to fruition, the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ needs to be ready [...]
Jonathan Reynolds apologises to Parliament for ‘solicitor’ claim March 13, 2025 Jonathan Reynolds has apologised to the House of Commons and corrected the record over “inadvertently” claiming to have been a solicitor during a speech in 2014. The business and trade secretary said he should have made clear that he was a trainee solicitor when speaking during a debate on high speed rail. The term “solicitor” [...]
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 [...]
Man climbs Houses of Parliament holding Palestinian flag March 8, 2025 Emergency services have been called to the Palace of Westminster where a man has scaled one of the buildings. Video on social media shows a barefoot man stood on a ledge holding a Palestine flag several metres up Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben. At least nine emergency service vehicles lined Bridge Street in central [...]
Workers rights: Don’t let ‘rogue’ firms undercut good employers, MPs urge March 3, 2025 Changes to the government’s workers’ rights package should be made to ensure “rogue firms” don’t undercut Britain’s best employers, MPs have urged. The Employment Rights Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, should have loopholes closed to avoid some companies exploiting work insecurity, the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee (BTC) has [...]
International development minister resigns over cuts to foreign aid February 28, 2025 International development minister Anneliese Dodds has resigned over the Prime Minister’s cuts to the foreign aid budget. Dodds, a former shadow chancellor, has quit her posts in the foreign office and as women and equalities minister, in the wake of Keir Starmer’s move to reduce overseas aid to fund increased defence spending, which she revealed [...]
Defence spending to rise to 2.5 per cent by 2027 via aid cuts, Starmer confirms February 25, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has announced the “biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War” as he confirmed the UK would spend 2.5 per cent of GDP [gross domestic product] by 2027. The Prime Minister unveiled the policy in a statement to the House of Commons after reports he was set [...]