Politics

In a typical Nigel Farage tease, the Reform UK leader has said that a “well known Labour figure” will defect to his party next week. But who? Notice that he said a “Labour figure” rather than “Labour MP”. That perhaps suggests he means an ex-MP or a peer. Or someone who’s both. And after Nadhim…

A court has thrown out a £50m compensation claim against the Scottish government over its doomed deposit return scheme. Waste management firm Biffa won a contract as part of plans to bring in the scheme, and later took ministers to court when the initiative was shelved. Biffa had been seeking £51.4m in damages at the…

👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈 Robert Jenrick joins Reform and becomes the party’s second big name defection from the Tories in days – after former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi jumped ship earlier in the week. So how big of a blow is this to Kemi Badenoch? Beth Rigby,…

Labour MPs expect a “politically inept” U-turn from the government on banning social media for under-16s amid Conservative plans to force a vote on the issue.  Dozens of Labour MPs are pushing ministers to adopt an Australia-style ban, Sky News has been told. Politics Live: Sacked Tory defector Robert Jenrick speaks at Reform event Many…

Former senior Tory Robert Jenrick has defected to Reform UK after being sacked by Kemi Badenoch. The ex-Conservative leadership hopeful was dramatically ousted as shadow justice secretary and suspended from the Tory party on Thursday morning. Politics latest: Jenrick reveals why he defected There was instant speculation Mr Jenrick was defecting to Reform, but he…

Ministers have confirmed those already awaiting trial may lose their right to have their case heard by a jury – in a major escalation in the battle over the future of the justice system.  Weeks after Justice Secretary David Lammy declared the measures would not be retrospective, the courts minister Sarah Sackman has doubled down…

It’s one of the oldest and corniest of all political jokes. And there were groans as well as laughs when Kama Sutra Keir taunted Kemi Badenoch with it in the Commons. Mocking the Tories for changing prime ministers and other top posts, the PM declared in an attempt at raunchy humour: “They had more positions…

Ten British “far-right activists” have been banned from France for “reconnaissance and destruction activities” against small boats used in migrant crossings. The country’s interior ministry said in a statement that the individuals were identified as part of the Raise the Colours movement. Raise the Colours told Sky News it has not received formal notification of…

MPs have warned that recent and upcoming policies could be the final nail in the coffin for many pubs, as the Commons backed an increase in alcohol duty in line with inflation. Pubs have faced a toxic cocktail in recent years, including an increase in employer’s national insurance, the minimum wage, energy costs, business rates,…

A new rail line will be built between Birmingham and Manchester, the government has announced. However, no timescale for when it would be built was provided – or any other details, such as how it would be funded. The Treasury said it wants a new Birmingham-Manchester rail line, but it would not be “a reinstatement…