Sir Keir Starmer has warned unions of "tough decisions on the horizon" over pay, saying the government will "not risk its mandate for economic stability". In a speech to the Trade Union Congress in Brighton, the prime minister said his policies would be both "pro-business and pro-worker".He criticised those "still stuck in the 1980s who believe that unions and business can only stand at odds". But Sir Keir said the
BBCThe government is planning to restrict winter fuel payments to only those pensioners who are receiving pension credit.BBC Verify has been looking at some of the claims made about this policy ahead of a vote in Parliament on Tuesday.'What I can guarantee for the state pension is that the increase under this government will outstrip any reduction in the winter fuel payment' - Keir StarmerSir Keir Starmer said this on
A former leader of the UK Independence Party who was also the party's first MEP in the East of England has died aged 90.Jeffrey Titford was described by a former colleague as "one of the fathers of Brexit". Previously an undertaker from Essex, Mr Titford began his political career as a Conservative councillor in Clacton before joining the Referendum Party, which later merged with UKIP.In 1999, he was one of
PA MediaMore than 30,000 jobs are under threat from the government's plans to ban new licences for oil and gas production in the UK, unions have warned.Delegates at the TUC Congress in Brighton narrowly voted in support of a motion calling for no ban to be implemented before a fully funded plan guaranteeing comparable jobs for all North Sea workers is agreed. Proposing the motion, Unite and the GMB -
ReutersHollywood star Idris Elba (left) speaks at the 10 Downing Street knife crime summit with PM Keir Starmer (right)The prime minister has pledged to "double down" on knife crime after a summit at Downing Street aimed at halving it over the next decade.Hollywood star Idris Elba joined Sir Keir Starmer and experts including police, technology companies and victims' families, to attend the first meeting of a coalition to tackle the
An anti-corruption charity says it has identified significant concerns in contracts worth over £15.3bn awarded by the Conservative government during the Covid pandemic, equivalent to one in every £3 spent.Transparency International UK found 135 “high-risk” contracts with at least three red flags - warning signs of a risk of corruption.Twenty-eight contracts worth £4.1bn went to firms with known political connections, while 51 worth £4bn went through a "VIP lane" for
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he removed a portrait of Margaret Thatcher from his Downing Street study because he doesn't like "pictures of people staring down at me". Speaking to Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Sir Keir said he "didn’t want a picture of anyone" in his study and he preferred landscapes. He added that he "might tolerate" a picture of former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry on his wall,
We need to be prepared to leave ECHR - TugendhatTory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat has said his party "lost the trust of the British people", but following its election defeat now has an "extraordinary opportunity to really rethink what it is we are offering". Speaking to Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he said there needed to be a "Conservative revolution" delivering "a higher wage, lower migration economy - not just shouting
One of the most significant figures of the devolution era will leave the Senedd in 2026.But Vaughan Gething's significance isn't always something he'd perhaps be comfortable with.His short reign as first minister will be remembered for the row over donations and then the leaked text messages.Deep divides emerged in Welsh Labour over both, and it remains to be seen how much division still exists amongst the party's Senedd members.Neither his
Getty ImagesJohn Swinney was "nervous" about Nicola Sturgeon's 2016 push for a second referendumJohn Swinney raised concerns with Nicola Sturgeon about her push for a second independence referendum in the wake of the Brexit vote, he has revealed in a new documentary.Ms Sturgeon said a fresh ballot on independence was “highly likely” after the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016.But Mr Swinney says he was “nervous” about how
