Downing Street have said that “nothing is off the table” in terms of possible UK troop deployment for Ukraine, as Western military planning is set to intensify in London next week.
Number 10 said “thousands” of personnel would be required to support any operation whether by “sea, on land or in the air” as allies prepare “for all eventualities” amid diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Officials from the so-called coalition of the willing will “accelerate the pace and scale” of work to consolidate proposals for possible troop deployment across land, air or sea to safeguard any peace deal.
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer warned Vladimir Putin would face “severe consequences” for breaching any truce as he met defence planners for the first stage of talks at the UK’s Northwood military headquarters on Thursday.
In another setback for Rachel Reeves, UK Government borrowing soared above forecasts last month as public sector spending rose, putting pressure ahead of the spring statement next week.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing was £10.7 billion in February. This was £100 million more than the same month last year and the fourth-highest February on record.
In her spring statement next week, Rachel Reeves is expected to try blaming the drop on worsening global economics amid Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Key Points
- Fresh blow for Reeves as UK's official economic growth forecast 'set to be halved'
- Labour denies returning to era of austerity
- Bank of England holds interest rates amid concerns over inflation and Trump tariffs
- Bank of England governor says UK is facing 'a lot of economic uncertainty'
- Badenoch offers pessimistic vision for upcoming local elections
- Rachel Reeves 'to announce biggest spending cuts since austerity' in spring statement
Fact check: ‘Welfare bill’ cost and tracking Labour’s pledges
17:00 , Holly Evans
Fact check: ‘Welfare bill’ cost and tracking Labour’s pledges
Trade war risks increased prices, slower growth and jobs impact, minister warns
16:46 , Holly EvansAn intense trade dispute between the US and the EU would risk increased prices, fewer new jobs and slower growth in the economy, Ireland’s finance minister has said.
Paschal Donohoe said that the growing uncertainty and risks to the economy mean it is “correct” to rule out a bumper package of cost-of-living supports which have featured in recent Irish budgets.
He was speaking following the publication of a report on the potential impact of tariffs from the Department of Finance and Ireland’s Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
The analysis shows that modified domestic demand (MDD), which the Government regards as the most meaningful measurement for the Irish economy, would be between 1-2 per cent below its no-tariff baseline level after five years – depending on the extent of bilateral tariffs.
The potential impact on GDP is around 2.5-4% below a no-tariff baseline, according to the analysis.
Plaid Cymru leader warns voters to 'beware' Farage and Trump
16:01 , Holly EvansThe leader of Plaid Cymru has used his conference speech to warn people to “beware” Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Nigel Farage.
Speaking at Plaid’s spring conference on Friday, Plaid Cymru leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “’Courage calls to courage everywhere, and its voice cannot be denied’.
“That suffragist mantra rings just as true now as it did when it was first uttered more than a century ago.
“Because be in no doubt, those wishing to silence that voice are more energised, more organised, more enfranchised than they have been in a very long time.
“So, as Trump and Musk and Farage and their followers seek to profit from the currency of fear and hate, we too must show courage.
“We must be united and determined in exposing these morally bankrupt millionaires and billionaires who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
“Trump believes in Trump. Musk believes in Musk. Farage believes in Farage.
“Beware these men whose only real ideology is their ego.”
Plaid Cymru leader to say he will put Starmer ‘on notice’
15:10 , Holly EvansPlaid Cymru’s leader is set to say he will put Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “on notice” if he wins next year’s Senedd elections.
Speaking at the party’s spring conference in Llandudno on Friday, Rhun ap Iorwerth is expected to say the current relationship between the Welsh Labour and UK governments represents “a lose-lose for Wales”.
If elected first minister after the Senedd elections next May, Mr ap Iorwerth says he would put the Prime Minister “on notice” that the relationship between the governments “will change because our destination demands it”, and Wales will “take responsibility for its own actions”.
He will say: “The truth is that the establishment wants to stifle, even obstruct, our ambition.
“On one hand, Keir Starmer makes life more difficult for the most vulnerable – his and Rachel Reeves’ Tory-inspired benefits cuts will hit some of the most vulnerable people in coming weeks – and on the other, Eluned Morgan doesn’t want the powers that could make a difference to people’s lives.
“It’s a lose-lose for Wales.”
Is the UK facing a new age of austerity?
14:50 , Holly EvansThere are ever more signs that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will use her spring statement next week to introduce further public spending cuts, augmenting fears that the country could be on the verge of a new age of austerity. How has the growth agenda morphed so soon into something akin to its opposite?
Why might new cuts be needed?
The growth that was the theme of Reeve’s first Budget last autumn has failed to materialise, and economic forecasts have become ever more pessimistic. The Bank of England last month reduced its growth forecast for this financial year by half – from 1.5 per cent to 0.75 per cent, and predicted higher inflation. Worse, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research think tank, the combination of poor growth and rising interest rates has reduced the chancellor’s spending buffer – or fiscal headroom – from an estimated £10bn to zero. And while the effect of US trade tariffs could be less damaging to the UK than to EU and other countries, there could still be a cost.
Read the full analysis here:
The planning system is broken. Here’s how we should fix it
14:30 , Holly Evans
'Nothing off the table' in placing UK troops on the ground for Kyiv
14:10 , Holly EvansDowning Street on Friday said officials from allied countries will meet again at the same site next week to firm up a strategy to protect Kyiv as plans enter an “operational phase”.
Asked whether the focus of discussions had shifted away from the prospect of ground troops for Ukraine, a Number 10 spokesman said: “No, nothing is off the table on any of these fronts, so I wouldn’t start ruling anything out.
“But clearly thousands of troops will be required to support any deployment, whether that is at sea, on land or in the air.”
Any deployment will require significant support and the firming up of “basic logistics of … moving people and ensuring deployment rotations, so as the PM said we need to be prepared for all eventualities,” the official said.
“We’ve moved into an operational phase now and what that means is … bringing together military planners to look at the potential design of force structures, interoperability and what capability is needed to ensure a sovereign Ukraine is able to defend itself for generations to come.
“Next week, we’ll continue to accelerate the pace and scale of operational planning with further meetings at our Northwood headquarters as we look forward more closely at the details and structure of any future force.”
Lib Dems urge Starmer to seize frozen £25 billion Russian assets
14:01 , Holly EvansThe Liberal Democrats have called on Sir Keir Starmer to seize Russian assets after the Treasury said £25 billion worth has been frozen since the start of the Ukraine war.
A report released by the Treasury on Friday revealed the total, which accounts for all assets that have been sanctioned by the UK since February 2022 when the invasion of Ukraine began.
Some 2,001 individuals and entities have been sanctioned under the regime as of March 2024, according to the Treasury.
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “In the face of Donald Trump edging ever closer to an historic betrayal of Ukraine the Government cannot just sit on its hands and cower behind clunky legal processes.
“There is nothing stopping us, and those who say otherwise need to get out of the way.
“Emergency legislation needs to be tabled so that the Government can seize these billions and use them to support Ukraine. More Ukrainians are being killed everyday as Putin’s barbaric invasion continues. To stand idly by and not use these assets to support them in their struggle would be a shocking dereliction of duty.”
When is the Spring Statement – and what will be in it? From taxes to spending cuts
13:30 , Holly EvansRachel Reeves will soon give an update on her plans for the UK economy as she prepares to make the first Spring Statement of the new Labour government. The chancellor will also speak to an economic forecast as part of the event, with many predicting further spending cuts to come as the Treasury seeks to tackle ailing growth.
Ms Reeves will be delivering the statement on Wednesday 26 March. She had previously committed to one major economic event a year – the Budget – which usually comes in the Autumn. This is to "give families and businesses stability and certainty on tax and spending changes," she says.
This means there a no major policy announcements expected as part of the statement, although some have predicted that reduced spending targets and some key tax changes will be revealed.
Read the full article here:
Sir Keir’s ‘coalition of the willing’ is proving to be principled – and a rallying cry for Ukraine
12:45 , Holly EvansAfter a week of frenetic activity on the war front, there has been a welcome return to peace – if only the idea of it. High-level meetings in London and Brussels have served to clarify a few basics.
Military leaders met behind closed doors in London for what was billed as operational planning for Sir Keir Starmer’s “coalition of the willing”. EU leaders, meanwhile, thrashed out preparations for closer defence cooperation and the eventuality, however distant, of peace in Ukraine; Volodymyr Zelensky reported from Norway on his recent “friendly” phone call with Donald Trump.
With much of the recent action happening between Washington and Moscow, and with diplomatic meetings taking place in Saudi Arabia, it has been all too possible to neglect the role that could and should be played by Europe and the Europeans. Here was an illustration of why they matter.
Read the full article here:
Sir Keir’s ‘coalition of the willing’ is principled – and a rallying cry for Ukraine
Downing Street unable to confirm if Heathrow will be fully reopened on Saturday
12:32 , Holly EvansDowning Street would not say whether it is confident Heathrow Airport will be fully reopened by Saturday.
Asked whether this would be the case, a No 10 spokesman said: “Well, it’s clearly a fast-moving situation.”
He added: “The fire is still burning and I’m aware that the airport has announced a complete closure until midnight tonight as a result of the situation.
“It will be for emergency services and Heathrow to update on timescales for when this situation will be resolved. We do expect there will be significant direct disruption in the hours and days ahead.”
There was a “cross-government call” on Friday morning to deal with the immediate aftermath of the fire, the spokesman said.
He added: “The Department for Transport is working closely with Heathrow Airport, Nats (National Air Traffic Services) and all key operators to understand the situation and ensure a quick resolution so that the airport can reopen and flights resume as quickly as possible, and clearly we will do everything we can to support those affected and get things moving again.”
Electrical substation fire makes Heathrow look ‘vulnerable’, says Energy Secretary
12:08 , Holly EvansThe closure of Heathrow due to a fire at an electrical substation has made the airport look “vulnerable”, the Energy Secretary has said.
Europe’s busiest airport, which is supplied by the North Hyde electrical substation in west London, was impacted by the power outage caused by a fire on Thursday night.
A spokesperson for the airport said they had no choice but to close Heathrow until 11.59pm on Friday, adding that they expect “significant” disruption over the coming days.
London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters were still on the scene at Nestles Avenue in Hayes just before 6am with part of a transformer still alight.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said that National Grid told him they had not seen “anything like the scale” of what happened with the “seriousness” of the fire.
“But it makes Heathrow look quite vulnerable and therefore we’ve got to learn lessons, as I say, about not just Heathrow but how we protect our major infrastructure,” he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
Mr Miliband said the fire “appears to have knocked out a back-up generator as well as the substation itself”.
Over 5,000 migrants cross English Channel since January
11:40 , Holly EvansMore than 5,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel since the start of the year, figures show.
Some 341 migrants were detected crossing the Channel on Thursday, according to provisional Home Office data.
It means 5,025 arrivals have been recorded since January 1.
This is the earliest point in the year at which the 5,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.
Last year, 5,000 arrivals was passed on March 31.
The cumulative number of arrivals so far in 2025, 5,025, is 24% higher than at this stage in 2024, when the figure stood at 4,043, and 36% higher than at this point in 2023 (3,683).
Miliband ‘very confident’ hundreds of thousands of green jobs will be created
11:05 , Holly EvansEd Miliband has said he is “very confident” the Government will create “hundreds of thousands” of jobs with its green plans, but did not put a figure on how close it is to Labour’s manifesto target of 650,000.
The Energy Secretary said net zero represents “the growth opportunity of the 21st century”, and that the sector grew at a faster rate than the economy as a whole last year.
It comes as Mr Miliband announced the first major project for the publicly-owned Great British Energy.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday morning, he was asked about 650,000 new jobs pledged in the manifesto.
He told the programme: “We’re confident we’re going to provide hundreds of thousands of jobs as a result of our drive to net zero.
“This is the growth opportunity of the 21st century. Turn your back on net zero and you turn your back on business investment, good jobs, innovation for the future, and Britain leading in the key industrial areas of the future.”
Pushed again on the figures, former Labour leader Mr Miliband said: “I’m very confident that we will create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the green economy.” He also said he is “confident” the Government will meet its pledges.
Labour’s clean power push ‘undermined’ if bills stay high, top donor says
10:41 , Holly EvansOne of Labour’s biggest donors has said the party’s push towards clean power will be “undermined” if it fails to slash energy bills by the next election.
Dale Vince, founder of energy firm Ecotricity, told the PA news agency: “They came in promising to cut bills, the whole promise of energy independence is to get bills down and keep them there.”
He added that if bills do not fall “it undermines the whole case for the green transition in many ways, because the thing that the average person cares about is the cost of living and how to pay energy bills”.
Mr Vince has given more than £5 million to Labour and he was the party’s biggest corporate donor at the last election.
Labour has promised to reduce bills by £300 a year by 2030, and is aiming to decarbonise the power grid by the same time.
Stanley Tucci and Stephen Fry call on Starmer to rethink ‘shameful’ benefit cuts
10:16 , Holly EvansStanley Tucci, Brian Cox and Sir Stephen Fry have piled pressure on the government to U-turn on controversial welfare cuts.
The celebrities have branded the cuts, which will see around a million people lose their disability benefits, “shameful” and warned they have left those affected fearful for the future.
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that the current system is “morally and economically indefensible”, with the government estimating its measures will save more than £5bn a year by the end of the decade.
Read the full article here:
Stanley Tucci and Stephen Fry call on Starmer to rethink ‘shameful’ benefit cuts
Farage called suspended Reform MP’s behaviour ‘disgusting’ in private texts
10:00 , Holly EvansSuspended Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe said Nigel Farage “must never become prime minister” after the party leader allegedly called his behaviour “disgusting” and “contemptible” in leaked private messages.
Mr Farage accused Mr Lowe of “damaging the party just before elections” in a WhatsApp conversation with a member of the Great Yarmouth MP’s staff, the BBC reported.
It comes as new polling suggests the fallout from the Great Yarmouth MP’s ousting is now hurting Reform. The weekly Techne UK tracker poll revealing the Tories level with Reform on 23 per cent each for the first time in two months.
Read the full article here:
Farage called suspended Reform MP’s behaviour ‘disgusting’ in private texts
Treasury minister stresses Labour will 'never play fast and loose' with finances
09:49 , Holly EvansCommenting on official figures showing Government borrowing topped forecasts last month, Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: “We must go further and faster to create an agile and productive state that works for people.
“That’s why we’re refocusing the public sector on our missions and, for the first time in 17 years, going through every penny of taxpayer money line by line, to make sure it is helping us secure Britain’s future through the plan for change.
“At the core of this urgent mission is sound public finances, based on our non-negotiable fiscal rules.
“This Government will never play fast and loose with the public finances.”
'Another major blow' to Reeves as borrowing figures increase
08:56 , Holly EvansThe latest borrowing figures are “yet another major blow to the Chancellor’s faltering plan for growth”, the Liberal Democrats said.
Lib Dem Treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper said: “Today’s concerning figures are yet another major blow to the Chancellor’s faltering plan for growth and show her approach is simply not working.
“The Chancellor has failed to turn the page of the years of Conservative economic vandalism. Instead, Reeves’s jobs tax will hammer small businesses, painting herself into a corner on her own fiscal rules.
“The only way to rebuild our public services is through meaningful growth, but unless the Chancellor sees sense and scraps her jobs tax at the spring statement hardworking families and small businesses will continue to pay the price.”
UK Government borrowing overshoots forecasts ahead of spring statement
08:38 , Holly EvansUK Government borrowing soared above forecasts last month as public sector spending rose, putting pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of her spring statement.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing was £10.7 billion in February.
This was £100 million more than the same month last year and the fourth-highest February on record.
It was also £4.2 billion more than had been forecast by the Government’s official forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), and more than some economists had been expecting.
The borrowing figure refers to the difference between what the Government spends on the public sector and what it receives in income from tax and other receipts.
Overall central government spending totalled £93 billion in February, £3.8 billion more than the same month last year, when the Conservative government was in power.
What Labour’s crackdown on government credit cards reveals about its approach to public spending
07:00 , Holly EvansThe dour Scotsman holding the title of chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Cabinet Office minister, Pat McFadden, doesn’t seem much of a space cowboy but he has in common with Elon Musk an apparent zeal to eliminate waste.
Being more sensible and considerably less excitable than his (rough) US counterpart, McFadden has not yet egregiously breached the British constitution but he has summarily abolished almost all of the civil service “credit cards”, a distinctly Doge-like action. It’s more than just a symbolic move…
What’s the problem?
Read the full analysis here:
What Labour’s credit card crackdown says about its public spending approach
Labour’s welfare ‘reforms’ are nothing of the sort – and they don’t go anywhere near far enough
06:01 , Holly EvansWhen I resigned from David Cameron’s government as the secretary of state for work and pensions in 2016, welfare stood at £61.6bn. By the end of this parliament, it is projected to be £108.7bn. Sickness benefit alone, which was £19bn back then, is set to rise to £32bn.
So it is with disability benefit, which is set to rise from £11bn to some £31bn. To govern is to choose. Against the backdrop of an increasingly unsafe world, the need to invest significantly more in defence, and a flatlining economy, further reform of welfare is a necessity.
The pandemic response has hit the welfare budget hard. The rise in sickness benefit claims poses a challenge to the government, particularly because some 60 per cent of claims since Covid are from mental health issues. The majority of these are for depression and anxiety.
The health department has declared that the best treatment for depression and anxiety is going back to work. That is why, as sickness benefit moves into universal credit, the possibility of large-scale reform opens up for the government.
Read the full article here:
Iain Duncan Smith: Labour’s welfare ‘reforms’ are nothing of the sort
What the latest interest rates mean for your mortgage, savings and bills
04:01 , Holly EvansThe Bank of England (BoE) have today announced a hold on the Bank Rate - what we might simply call the interest rate - at 4.5 per cent, keeping it the lowest it has been in the UK since mid-June 2023.
Around that time, with inflation rising fast and the BoE seeking to stem it, the base rate jumped from 3.5 per cent at the start of February to 5.25 per cent by August - causing a sharp increase in mortgage repayments, a battle for savers among banks and plenty of other side effects.
With both inflation and interest rates (generally, slowly and not always constantly) on the way back down, February saw the first decrease the BoE (or their Monetary Policy Committee, technically) have applied since November last year, amid an eventual government aim to stem inflation at two per cent.
Read the full article here:
What the latest interest rates mean for your mortgage, savings and bills
Brexit created ‘mind blowing’ 2bn extra pieces of paperwork - enough to wrap around world 15 times
03:00 , Holly EvansBrexit has created a “mind blowing” nearly two billion extra pieces of paperwork for businesses - enough to wrap around the world 15 times.
If they were all laid end to end they would also reach to the moon and half way back again, an analysis of research by the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade by the Liberal Democrats found.
Lib Dem trade spokesperson Clive Jones said it showed the scale of red tape plaguing British businesses since the UK’s withdrawal from Europe.
Read the full article here:
Brexit has created a ‘mind blowing’ 2billion extra pieces paperwork
Half of Reform UK voters don’t believe in the Covid vaccine, poll shows
02:01 , Holly EvansHalf of Reform UK voters have little or no confidence in Covid-19 vaccines, compared with the general public who overwhelmingly trust the jabs, a YouGov poll has found.
Those who back Nigel Farage’s party have a “distinct” attitude towards the vaccines, with 50 per cent saying they do not trust them.
That compares to 71 per cent of the public who said they trust the Covid jab a great deal or a fair amount, and just 24 per cent of voters who said they do not trust it much or at all. Reform voters are also significantly more likely to not have been vaccinated against Covid during the pandemic, the poll found.
Read the full article here:
Half of Reform UK voters don’t believe in the Covid vaccine, poll shows
Tories facing ‘extremely difficult’ local elections, Badenoch warns
01:00 , Holly EvansThe Conservatives are facing an “extremely difficult” challenge in May’s local elections, Kemi Badenoch warned as she launched the party’s campaign to win town halls.
The Tory leader was also defiant about the threat her party faces from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, urging voters to remember politics is not “showbusiness” and that “you will have to live with what you vote for”.
Voters across a number of county councils and unitary authorities in England will go to the polls on May 1, the first major electoral test since last July’s election.
Read the full analysis here:
Tories facing ‘extremely difficult’ local elections, Badenoch warns
Labour’s welfare ‘reforms’ are nothing of the sort – and they don’t go anywhere near far enough
17:03 , Holly EvansIain Duncan Smith: Labour’s welfare ‘reforms’ are nothing of the sort
Starmer backs calls for Netflix’s Adolescence to be shown in schools
00:00 , Holly Evans
Keir Starmer backs calls for Netflix’s Adolescence to be shown in schools
Fresh blow for Reeves as UK's official economic growth forecast 'set to be halved'
Thursday 20 March 2025 23:12 , Tara CobhamThe UK’s official economic growth forecast for the year is set to halve, according to reports.
The Telegraph reports the expected growth rate for the 2025 financial year will be downgraded by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) next week.
In a blow to Sir Keir Starmer’s government, which has repeatedly claimed growth is a key priority, the growth rate for April to March 2026 will reduce from 2 per cent to around 1 per cent, the newspaper reported.
Rachel Reeves is expected to attempt to blame the drop on the global economic landscape as it worsens amid Donald Trump’s tariffs. The chancellor is due to lay out her spring statement to MPs on Wednesday.
Protesters disrupt House of Lords demanding unelected chamber be abolished
Thursday 20 March 2025 23:00 , Holly Evans
Protesters interrupt House of Lords demanding unelected chamber be abolished
Starmer ‘not doing enough to end tsunami of sick notes’ pushing up benefits claimants
Thursday 20 March 2025 22:00 , Holly EvansLabour’s plans to cut the welfare bill do not go nearly far enough, the former minister who brought in the biggest reform of benefits since their creation in the 1940s has warned.
In a week where Keir Starmer’s government announced plans to remove disability benefits from an estimated 1 million claimants, former Tory work and pensions secretary Sir Iain Duncan Smith said more must be done to stop “a tsunami of so called fit notes signing people off work forever”.
Writing exclusively for The Independent, Sir Iain also raised problems with a culture where young people leave school “and go straight to their sick beds”.
Read the full article here:
Starmer ‘not doing enough to end tsunami of sick notes’ pushing up benefits claimants
Jeremy Hunt hits out at ‘hyperbolic’ Brexit claims of backers like Boris Johnson
Thursday 20 March 2025 21:00 , Holly EvansFormer chancellor Jeremy Hunt has hit out at Brexiteers who inflated the economic benefits of the UK’s departure from the European Union.
Mr Hunt, who voted Remain in 2016, criticised what he described as some of the "more hyperbolic claims” of some Brexit’s backers - who included former Tory PM Boris Johnson.
But in a foreword to a new report, Mr Hunt also said he believed "many claims” about the negative impact of Brexit on the economy “were overly exaggerated" and the UK’s departure had "much less impact on British exports to the EU".
Read the full article here:
Jeremy Hunt hits out at ‘hyperbolic’ Brexit claims of backers like Boris Johnson
Is Liz Kendall now the most formidable woman in Starmer’s cabinet?
Thursday 20 March 2025 20:00 , Holly EvansIt was Liz Kendall who first made “country before party” a meme. In the wreckage of Labour’s 2015 election defeat, she was interviewed and said she would run to be leader of the party. When asked whether the party wanted to hear her hard truths about why it lost, she said she would always put the country before it.
It was the last time for many years that someone had the courage to tell Labour what was right, rather than what it wanted to hear. She was rewarded with a humiliating 4.5 per cent of the vote in the leadership election that Jeremy Corbyn won.
Her campaign manager, Morgan McSweeney, drew a lesson from that experience. If you wanted to change the country, you had to win the leadership of the Labour Party, and to do that, you had to tell Labour members what they wanted to hear. His next leadership campaign, for Keir Starmer, was more successful.
Read the full analysis here:
Is Liz Kendall now the most formidable woman in Starmer’s cabinet?
Starmer accused of waging new ‘war on countryside’
Thursday 20 March 2025 19:00 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has been accused of waging “war on the countryside” after the government quietly scrapped a grant that helped local groups buy closure-threatened pubs.
The Community Ownership Fund, which launched 2021 with the aim of handing out £150m worth of grants by the end of 2025, was cancelled early with £135m having been allocated to date.
As the number of pubs in England and Wales sits at a record low, with more than 400 closing their doors for good in 2024 alone, there is growing concern in rural areas that the cancellation of the fund just days before Christmas will damage communities across the country.
Read the full article here:
Starmer accused of new ‘war on countryside’ after community grant axed
Lammy calls for Putin to accept unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine
Thursday 20 March 2025 18:00 , Holly EvansThe UK called on Vladimir Putin to commit to a “full and immediate ceasefire” as Russian forces continued to bombard Ukraine.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the Russian leader should agree to the US and Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire.
Military chiefs from the UK and its allies were meeting to discuss how a peacekeeping force could operate in Ukraine to deter further Russian attacks if a deal to end the war is reached.
Read the full article here:
Lammy calls for Putin to accept unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine
Martin Lewis warns Labour £5bn benefits cuts are ‘fraught with challenges’
Thursday 20 March 2025 17:00 , Holly EvansMoney expert Martin Lewis has shared his initial analysis of Labour’s newly announced changes to the welfare system, calling them “fraught with challenges”.
The reforms were announced by work and pensions secretary on Tuesday, with the measures amounting to £5 billion in cuts to welfare. This was mostly concentrated on scaling back health and disability-related benefits as part of Labour’s ‘Pathways to Work’ Green Paper.
Writing on social media platform X in a rare intervention, Mr Lewis said: “PIP (Personal Independence Payment) is often an individual's lifeline, the difference between an unsustainable life and a manageable one. The govt says those in 'genuine need' will be protected, yet that all boils down to matter of definition.”
Read the full article here:
Martin Lewis warns Labour £5bn benefits cuts are ‘fraught with challenges’
Calls for a minister dedicated to coastal communities
Thursday 20 March 2025 16:42 , Holly EvansCoastal communities deserve “longer, better, healthier lives”, Liberal Democrat MP Steff Aquarone said, as he called for a dedicated minister to have responsibility of coastal communities.
The North Norfolk MP said coastal communities should receive more direct Government attention, as he highlighted the disparity in health and life expectancy compared to those who live inland.
Referring to a report by England’s chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty on health outcomes in seaside towns, Mr Aquarone said: “What he uncovered was shocking.
“We have higher rates of poor health and disease, the rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer are higher, and those diagnosed with these diseases have poorer outcomes, they also suffer with them for longer.”
He added: “Our coastal communities deserve to live longer, better, healthier lives than they do now.”
Not a scrap of evidence against me, says Sturgeon as police probe dropped
Thursday 20 March 2025 16:20 , Holly EvansFormer Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said there was not a “scrap of evidence” of wrongdoing against her in the Operation Branchform probe as she was cleared.
Police Scotland said on Thursday it has dropped the investigation into Ms Sturgeon and former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie in relation to the party’s finances.
It came as Ms Sturgeon’s estranged husband and former party chief executive Peter Murrell appeared in court charged with embezzlement.
Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were arrested in 2023 in relation to Branchform, but were released pending further investigation.
Speaking to journalists outside her home near Glasgow, she said she is “relieved” to have been cleared, and admitted the past two years have been “difficult” and “frustrating”.
Read the full story here:
Protesters interrupt House of Lords demanding unelected chamber be abolished
Starmer arrives at meeting with military chiefs to discuss Europe's future security
Thursday 20 March 2025 15:49 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has arrived at a meeting of military chiefs from the UK and its allies to discuss details of a future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister travelled to the meeting at a military site in Greater London after visiting the UK’s latest generation of nuclear submarines in Barrow-in-Furness in the north west of England.
He arrived with Defence Secretary John Healey and was met by the UK’s chief of joint operations, Lieutenant General Nick Perry, as well as his French counterpart Major General Philippe de Montenon.
MP suggests Lammy 'unshackle his own chains' and cease arms licences to Israel
Thursday 20 March 2025 15:37 , Holly EvansIndependent MP Shockat Adam referred to David Lammy’s family links to slavery before suggesting he could “unshackle his own chains” and ensure the UK ceases all arms licences to Israel.
The MP for Leicester South told the Commons: “I, along with a billion Muslims around the world, began my (Ramadan) fast on Tuesday morning not with just some food and water but with the screams of 400 innocent men, women and children ringing in our ears as they were burnt alive in their makeshift tents.”
Mr Adam criticised Israel for its actions in Gaza and the West Bank before accusing the UK of providing “military support and our airbases in Cyprus”.
He went on: “Can I ask the minister – and take this as it’s sincerely meant, the minister has passionately spoken about his heritage and his ancestors who were shackled in the chains of slavery – to unshackle his own chains and to immediately cease all arms licences and, despite the £6.1 billion economic ties, to impose economic sanctions and put in place a viable process of recognising the state of Palestine?”
Mr Lammy replied: “(Mr Adam) brings powerful rhetoric to this House this afternoon but let me say to him that notwithstanding the horrors of the conflict that has begun, we are three days into that conflict and it’s my job to use all endeavours I can to get back to that ceasefire.”
Labour denies returning to era of austerity
Thursday 20 March 2025 15:15 , Holly EvansA Labour Treasury minister has rejected claims that the government is returning to a Conservative-style police of austerity, ahead of Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement.
Reports in The Guardian have suggested the chancellor will unveil the biggest set of cuts since George Osborne’s era, with certain Whitehall departments facing a seven per cent cut.
In a Q&A at the Institute for Government thinktank, asked about this claim, Jones replied: “Just factually, it would be incorrect to say that we are doing what the Conservatives did after 2010.
“The numbers will be published next Wednesday, but as you saw at the budget last year, we are increasing public spending, and we’ve increased it quite a lot.
“The fact is that we’ve got to do this modernisation and reform agenda. But we’re not, factually, taking an approach that is just blindly cutting spending because we think we should just reduce spending without a plan for how to get there. So I wouldn’t recognise that kind of definition of what’s taking place.”
Labour’s welfare ‘reforms’ are nothing of the sort – and they don’t go anywhere near far enough
Thursday 20 March 2025 14:49 , Holly EvansWhen I resigned from David Cameron’s government as the secretary of state for work and pensions in 2016, welfare stood at £61.6bn. By the end of this parliament, it is projected to be £108.7bn. Sickness benefit alone, which was £19bn back then, is set to rise to £32bn. So it is with disability benefit, which is set to rise from £11bn to some £31bn. To govern is to choose. Against the backdrop of an increasingly unsafe world, the need to invest significantly more in defence, and a flatlining economy, further reform of welfare is a necessity.
The pandemic response has hit the welfare budget hard. The rise in sickness benefit claims poses a challenge to the government, particularly because some 60 per cent of claims since Covid are from mental health issues. The majority of these are for depression and anxiety. The health department has declared that the best treatment for depression and anxiety is going back to work.
That is why, as sickness benefit moves into universal credit, the possibility of large-scale reform opens up for the government.
Read the full opinion article here from Iain Duncan-Smith:
Iain Duncan Smith: Labour’s welfare ‘reforms’ are nothing of the sort
Welfare system overhaul does not amount to cuts, insists Scottish Labour leader
Thursday 20 March 2025 14:44 , Holly EvansAnas Sarwar has denied that Labour’s decision to slash £5 billion a year from the welfare budget amounts to cuts.
The Scottish Labour leader rejected claims – including from within his own front bench – that the benefits system overhaul amounts to austerity because overall spending on welfare is still set to increase.
He said it is right that the UK Government focuses on encouraging more people into work and he criticised the Scottish Government for an “inefficient” benefits system north of the border which he said had wasted tens of millions of pounds.
UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced on Tuesday £5 billion worth of proposed welfare changes, largely stemming from a big reduction in support for those off work due to disability and ill health.
Around a million people are expected to lose their disability benefits as part of the welfare overhaul, experts believe.
Speaking to reporters at Holyrood, Mr Sarwar denied the move amounts to cuts, and he said it will not come into effect this year.
Told the UK Government is cutting the welfare budget by £5 billion, he said: “No, you’re wrong actually because currently welfare spending across the UK is £50 billion, and the new proposals will mean it’s projected to be £64 billion.”
Starmer says EU's increase in defence spending gives opportunity for joint work
Thursday 20 March 2025 14:31 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has said there was scope for greater co-operation with the European Union after Brussels’ plans to increase defence spending would block the money being used to buy from UK arms firms.
The Prime Minister told Sky News: “I’m very pleased that the EU is signalling their intent to spend so much on defence.
“I’ve been making the argument, as others have, that all of us in Europe need to step up, not just in relation to Ukraine, but more generally, in our own collective self-defence.
“That does mean more spend, more capability, more co-ordination, and I want to have those discussions with our European allies. We’re continuing those discussions with them, because I do think the scope for more joint work is here.”
Coalition of the willing 'working at pace' to reach plans for peacekeeping force
Thursday 20 March 2025 14:24 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer said members of the so-called coalition of the willing were “working at pace” to develop plans for a peacekeeping force if there is a deal to end the Ukraine war.
The Prime Minister said the political momentum was being turned into “military planning” with a meeting of defence chiefs on Thursday.
He told Sky News the “timetable now is coming into focus” following talks between the US and Russia.
Sir Keir said: “That’s why it’s important today that we’re turning the political momentum that we had on the weekend, in the meeting that I convened of nearly 30 political leaders, turning it today from the political concept into military plans.
“So, that’s what’s happening and today those plans are focusing on keeping the skies safe, the seas safe, and the borders safe and secure in Ukraine and working with Ukrainians.
“Now, we’re working at pace, because we don’t know if there’ll be a deal – I certainly hope there will be – but if there’s a deal, it’s really important that we’re able to react straight away.”
Demonstrators disrupt House of Lords to demand abolition of unelected chamber
Thursday 20 March 2025 14:16 , Holly EvansProtesters have disrupted proceedings in the House of Lords demanding the abolition of the unelected chamber.
A group of around half a dozen people in the public gallery threw leaflets, shouted and sang during the demonstration at noon on Thursday.
The House was adjourned for a short time as the demonstrators were escorted out.
Protester Lucy Porter, 50, a primary school teacher from Leeds, said she was “campaigning for a house of the people”.
On the Lords, she said: “It’s a symbol of everything that’s outdated.
“We don’t have a functioning democracy in this country.”
The leaflets, apparently modelled on an album by the Sex Pistols punk band, had written on them: “Never mind the Lords here’s the House of People.”
On the other side it stated: “Aristocrats and oligarchs: Out.
“Posties, mums, nurses and neighbours: In.
“Replace the House of Lords to save the UK.”
Watch: Protesters disrupt House of Lords demanding unelected chamber be abolished
Thursday 20 March 2025 14:05 , Holly EvansHalf of Reform UK voters don’t believe in the Covid vaccine, poll shows
Thursday 20 March 2025 13:50 , Holly EvansHalf of Reform UK voters have little or no confidence in Covid-19 vaccines, compared with the general public who overwhelmingly trust the jabs, a YouGov poll has found.
Those who back Nigel Farage’s party have a “distinct” attitude towards the vaccines, with 50 per cent saying they do not trust them.
That compares to 71 per cent of the public who said they trust the Covid jab a great deal or a fair amount, and just 24 per cent of voters who said they do not trust it much or at all. Reform voters are also significantly more likely to not have been vaccinated against Covid during the pandemic, the poll found.
Read the full article here:
Half of Reform UK voters don’t believe in the Covid vaccine, poll shows
UK must increase size of army to reverse 'irresponsible' cuts under Tories
Thursday 20 March 2025 13:45 , Holly EvansThe UK must increase the size of the army if it is serious about building the so-called coalition of the willing, the Liberal Democrats have said.
As Sir Keir Starmer is set to meet senior military leaders to discuss the operational phase of a Ukraine peacekeeping force, Helen Maguire, Lib Dem defence spokeswoman, said: “If Starmer is serious about building a coalition of the willing for Ukraine, he needs to give the British military more of the troops it needs to credibly support a reassurance force.
“As military chiefs meet in London today, the Lib Dems are urging the Prime Minister to now commit to reversing the Conservatives’ staggeringly irresponsible 10,000 troop cuts to the Army. That they allowed these reckless cuts to take place while there was a war raging on our continent is shameful.
“Reversing these cuts will send a clear message to both our allies and the dictator, Putin: that the UK is ready to step up and help guarantee a just peace for Ukraine, if one can be agreed.”
What Labour’s crackdown on government credit cards reveals about its approach to public spending
Thursday 20 March 2025 13:30 , Holly EvansThe dour Scotsman holding the title of chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Cabinet Office minister, Pat McFadden, doesn’t seem much of a space cowboy but he has in common with Elon Musk an apparent zeal to eliminate waste.
Being more sensible and considerably less excitable than his (rough) US counterpart, McFadden has not yet egregiously breached the British constitution but he has summarily abolished almost all of the civil service “credit cards”, a distinctly Doge-like action. It’s more than just a symbolic move…
What’s the problem?
Read the full article here:
What Labour’s credit card crackdown says about its public spending approach
British citizen injured in Israeli attack on UN compound in Gaza
Thursday 20 March 2025 13:15 , Holly EvansDavid Lammy has confirmed that a British national was wounded in an Israeli attack on a UN compound in Gaza on Wednesday, as he said recent attacks had been an “appalling loss of life”.
The Foreign Secretary told MPs: “Yesterday morning a UN compound in Gaza was hit, I can confirm to the House that a British national was amongst the wounded.
“Our priority is supporting them and their family at this time.”
Mr Lammy added that the attacks on Gaza on Tuesday night had caused the largest Palestinian death toll on a single day since the war began.
He said: “A number of Hamas figures were reportedly killed, but it’s been reported that over 400 Palestinians were killed in missile strikes and artillery barrages. The majority of them were women and children.
“This appears to have been the deadliest single day for Palestinians since the war began. This is an appalling loss of life, and we mourn the loss of every civilian.”
Starmer ‘not doing enough to end tsunami of sick notes’ pushing up benefits claimants
Thursday 20 March 2025 13:03 , Holly EvansLabour’s plans to cut the welfare bill do not go nearly far enough, the former minister who brought in the biggest reform of benefits since their creation in the 1940s has warned.
In a week where Keir Starmer’s government announced plans to remove disability benefits from an estimated 1 million claimants, former Tory work and pensions secretary Sir Iain Duncan Smith said more must be done to stop “a tsunami of so called fit notes signing people off work forever”.
Writing exclusively for The Independent, Sir Iain also raised problems with a culture where young people leave school “and go straight to their sick beds”.
Read the full article here:
Starmer ‘not doing enough to end tsunami of sick notes’ pushing up benefits claimants
Interest rates decision will be 'palpable letdown' to households seeking mortgage relief
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:50 , Holly EvansResponding to today’s interest rate decision by the Bank of England, Suren Thiru, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Economics Director, said: “The decision to keep interest rates on hold will be a palpable letdown to those households looking for relief from high mortgage bills and businesses preparing for April’s major jump in business costs, including the national insurance hike.
“While the vote to ‘hold’ was emphatic, there was enough in the meeting minutes to suggest that rate setters remain concerned over the health of the economy, keeping the door wide open for a May interest rate cut.
“With inflation set to rise further and international headwinds growing, the path to materially lower interest rates remains filled with uncertainty. As such, rate setters will probably continue to maintain their slow and steady approach to loosening policy.”
Reeves must 'take responsible steps' to ensure interest rates cut
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:37 , Holly EvansThe Chancellor must use the coming spring statement to “take responsible steps” that will pave the way for an interest rates cut, the Tories said.
Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, said: “Interest rates staying higher for longer will mean higher mortgages for millions of people across the country.
“Because of Rachel Reeves’ Budget, inflation is above the Bank of England’s target, making it harder to bring interest rates down.
“Next week, during her emergency budget, the Chancellor must take responsible steps on spending, borrowing and debt to allow the Bank of England to cut interest rates.”
Rachel Reeves says she is 'fighting every day' to put money in pockets of working people
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:34 , Holly EvansIn response to the Bank of England holding interest rates, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “We’ve had three rate cuts since the summer, but there’s still work to do to ease the cost of living.
“That’s why I’m fighting every day to put more money in the pockets of working people to deliver our plan for change, and why we protected workers’ payslips with no rise in national insurance, income tax or VAT, boosted the national living wage and froze fuel duty.
“In a changing world, I’m determined to go further and faster to kickstart growth, and bring in a new era of stability, security and renewal that protects working people and keeps our country safe.”
What the latest interest rates mean for your mortgage, savings and bills
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:24 , Holly EvansWhat the latest interest rates mean for your mortgage, savings and bills
What is the impact of inflation?
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:20 , Holly EvansWhen the BoE made the Bank Rate cut last month, inflation had been on the decline. However, a mid-February report showed Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rose to 3 per cent in January, from 2.5 per cent in December.
With inflation therefore rising again - and, importantly, rising by more than expected - interest rates were always unlikely to be cut this time around.
Lower interest rates can be used to encourage businesses to resume investing as the cost of borrowing is lower, which can give the wider economy a boost.
However, it can also lead to rising prices as investment in more jobs or salaries mean people have, and spend, more money; therefore the reverse is also seen as true in that if demand is lower, it can help reduce these potential price rises - or in other words, it can help stem inflation.
The BoE have stated they’ll take a cautious approach to reducing the interest rate so as not to see a sharp spike in inflation, as was seen a couple of years ago.
Bank of England governor says UK is facing 'a lot of economic uncertainty'
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:12 , Holly EvansAndrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, said: “There’s a lot of economic uncertainty at the moment.
“We still think that interest rates are on a gradually declining path, but we’ve held them at 4.5% today.
“We’ll be looking very closely at how the global and domestic economies are evolving at each of our six-weekly rate-setting meetings.
“Whatever happens, it’s our job to make sure that inflation stays low and stable.”
Eight members of bank's Monetary Policy Committee vote to maintain base rate
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:09 , Holly EvansThe Bank of England has held interest rates after eight members of the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to maintain the base rate at 4.5 per cent.
One member of the committee, Swati Dhingra, voted for a sharper reduction to 4.25 per cent.
Full story: Bank of England holds interest rates amid concerns over inflation and Trump tariffs
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:03 , Holly EvansInterest rates have been held at 4.5 per cent by the Bank of England (BoE) amid mounting global uncertainty and growing trade tensions sparked by Donald Trump.
That was the level reached in February when the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) made its first cut since November last year, in so doing bringing the rate down to its lowest level since mid-2023.
While the interest rate is still expected to fall further over the remainder of the year, only two further cuts are now expected across 2025 amid an ongoing battle with inflation, rising costs for businesses and an uncertain wider economic outlook.
A significant portion of that uncertainty is due to Donald Trump’s trade tariffs being placed – and altered or withdrawn at short notice – which has created unrest in industries and could see the cost of selling their goods to the United States rise significantly. While the UK has yet to implement any retaliatory tariffs, an escalating trade war could significantly hit economic growth as well as consumers’ spending power.
Read the full story:
Bank of England deliver interest rates verdict amid inflation and Trump tariffs
Breaking: Interest rates held at 4.5%
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:01 , Holly EvansThe Bank of England has held interest rates at 4.5 per cent, as expected.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates and analysis.
Lib Dems say voters 'haven't forgiven the Conservatives' for damage caused
Thursday 20 March 2025 11:57 , Holly EvansThe Liberal Democrats described the Tory local election launch as a “desperate attempt to shore up the crumbling Conservative vote”.
Responding to the launch event, Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “The first brick in the blue wall came tumbling down in Buckinghamshire in the Chesham and Amersham by-election. Now Kemi Badenoch is back there in a desperate attempt to shore up the crumbling Conservative vote as people in the home counties turn to the Liberal Democrats.
“Whilst Kemi’s Conservatives compete with Reform in their policy agenda, the Liberal Democrats are focused on delivering for residents on issues including the cost of living, sewage in our rivers and the emergency in our NHS and care. Voters in Buckinghamshire and across the country haven’t forgiven the Conservatives for all the damage they’ve done. Badenoch will hear the very same if she knocks on doors today.
“Voters have a clear choice in May, and across the country, including in Buckinghamshire, they are turning to the Liberal Democrats as community champions who will stand up for them.”
