Politics

Reports a female MSP had a secret recording device planted in her office by a member of her own staff are “completely and utterly unacceptable”, SNP leader John Swinney has said. Scottish parliament officials are investigating the alleged bugging incident by a man, which is said to have taken place in 2023 at Holyrood. The…

Sir Keir Starmer and other ministers will hold regular news conferences in a radical shakeup of government communications. The announcement on Thursday, shortly before parliament broke up for Christmas, was criticised by “furious” political journalists who raised concerns about transparency from a government that promised to raise standards. Former Tony Blair adviser Tim Allan, who…

Christian Turner is a mandarin’s mandarin. His appointment to the most glamorous posting in the UK diplomatic service is a victory for the Sir Humphreys over the politicians. After the disaster and humiliation of Peter Mandelson‘s demise over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, it always made sense to appoint a scandal-free career diplomat as his…

It is too late to investigate whether Nigel Farage broke election law on spending at the general election, Essex Police has said. The Reform UK leader had been referred to the police following claims by a former member of his campaign team that the campaign to get Mr Farage elected in Clacton last year overspent….

Foreign Office data has been compromised by hackers, a minister has confirmed to Sky News, but he said the government is “fairly confident” that no individual data has been accessed. Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant told Sky’s Mornings with Jones and Melbourne that the government first became aware of the hack in October, and was…

The British government is hoping a change in German law will help stop small boat crossings to the UK. The measures to criminalise the facilitation of migrant smuggling towards the UK, agreed more than a year ago, have now been passed by German legislators. British ministers say they mean gangs will no longer be able…

The elections watchdog has criticised the government for offering to consider delaying 63 local council elections next year – as five authorities confirmed to Sky News that they would ask for a postponement. On Thursday, hours before parliament began its Christmas recess, the government revealed that councils were being sent a letter asking if they…

Resident doctors in Scotland have voted to go on strike in January – as their union called on the devolved government to present a “credible” pay offer. The British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland announced on Friday that 92% of its members who voted in the ballot were in favour of the industrial action. The turnout…

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said she is “rebuilding” the party as she marks her first year in the job. Ms Badenoch also said she had spent the last 12 months “giving the country a serious alternative to Labour’s weakness: a plan for a stronger economy and stronger borders”. The leader, who was elected on…

Rachel Reeves was never going to resign over her failure to apply for a permit to rent out her house in south London. She is unlikely even to face a fine from Southwark council – the mea culpa from the estate agent will have absolved her of much of the political guilt. The episode is…