Politics

Targeted support for the poorest households who rely on heating oil is coming, we understand, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves set to make an announcement as soon as Monday. It follows calls from rural Labour MPs who have warned of constituents living in fuel poverty, unable to heat their homes, restock their supply, or afford the…

Dozens of MPs are calling for the government to formally apologise for Britain’s actions during its administration of Palestine in the first part of the 20th century. In September, the Britain Owes Palestine campaign group submitted a 400-page legal petition to the government, but has yet to receive a response. Politics latest: Reeves rows with…

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has warned petrol retailers of a “shared obligation” to keep prices down for motorists amid soaring prices and war in the Middle East. The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) had threatened to pull out of the Downing Street meeting with Ms Reeves and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband hours before, citing “inflammatory language”. That…

👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈 Keir Starmer has already admitted that appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador was a mistake. But after the first batch of documents was released, Beth, Ruth and Harriet ask the big question: we still don’t know how big that ‘mistake’ was –…

The UK is considering possible options to help defend shipping in the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks, the defence secretary has said. John Healey also signalled that British forces needed to be ready in coordination with allies to evacuate UK nationals from the Middle East if the US and Israeli war with Iran worsens….

Sir Keir Starmer will face accusations he misled the Commons over his appointment of Peter Mandelson if there is not “absolute consistency” between what he told MPs and government files, Harriet Harman has said. The former Labour deputy leader’s comments on Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast come after the government published documents detailing the vetting process…

A committee of MPs is launching an inquiry into the student loan system and whether it’s fair for graduates The investigation will put further pressure on the government to relieve the burden on young people. Politics Hub: Follow the latest The Treasury Committee, a cross-party group, said it’s responding to people who are “intensely dissatisfied…

In the end, the first drop of the Mandelson files contained neither a smoking gun nor bombshell revelation. The most newsworthy elements in this 147-page document detailing the vetting, appointment and severance of the ex-US ambassador were the eyewatering £75,000 payoff Peter Mandelson received for being sacked – he had asked for near £550,000 –…

👉 Listen to This Is Why on your podcast app 👈 The first batch of the Mandelson files have finally been released – but even though there’s still more to come, there are already serious questions for the prime minister. What was the vetting process before Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s ambassador to the…

Majorities of over 100 sound pretty healthy. But those numbers do not tell the whole story. There was an ominous warning for the government in the voting figures on its controversial jury trial reforms. The numbers revealed that in the two votes, 93 Labour MPs failed to support the government in the first vote and…