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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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EHRC raises concern with Reform about ‘racial and sexual remarks’ in documentary
Watchdog writes to Nigel Farage’s party to ask what action it is taking to comply with the Equality Act The official equalities watchdog has written to Reform UK to raise concerns after an undercover TV documentary showed councillors and candidates for the party expressing racist and misogynistic views, with one of the party’s MPs complaining about ingrained sexism. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it had written to Nigel Farage’s party in the wake of revelations in ITV’s Undercover: A Year in Reform, which was broadcast in October. Continue reading...
Shabana Mahmood softens immigration plans in face of cabinet backlash
Exception for care workers will allow up to 300,000 people to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years Shabana Mahmood has softened plans to force low-paid workers to wait 15 years before settlement in the UK following a backlash from fellow cabinet ministers and backbench Labour MPs. Under pressure from health unions to make an exception for care workers, the home secretary has instead moved to allow up to 300,000 people to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years. Continue reading...
Xavier Becerra’s ‘California dream’ faces reality check as governor’s mansion beckons
Former US representative, health secretary and state attorney general is a shoo-in after a stunning comeback victory in primary It was Tuesday, and the man poised to be the next governor of California wanted to talk about Donald Trump . Xavier Becerra had come to Guelaguetza restaurant in Los Angeles to talk about Trump’s attacks on voting in the state, but instead found himself answering questions about a presidential provocation of a different order. Continue reading...
Arsenal have everything they need to repeat as Premier League champions | Jonathan Wilson
Sunday’s win at Liverpool showed the Gunners are deeper, more experienced, and are playing against a weaker class of contenders than last season Sign up for our free newsletter here Arsenal are three points clear at the top of the Premier League table . But given the team in second are Manchester City, who are likely to be facing at the very least a major points deduction , perhaps more significant is that they are five clear of Brighton in third. The season of domination that many anticipated from the champions appears to be coming to pass. Liverpool challenged them on Sunday. There was a 20-minute spell before half-time when they swarmed all over Arsenal, and Anfield felt at least like it did in the golden years of Jürgen Klopp, when it buzzed with an energy that could overwhelm visitors. But Arsenal got through that, reset at half-time, and navigated the second half with relative comfort. For the second league game running, they denied Liverpool a shot on target. This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian US. Subscribe for free here . Continue reading...
Driver who dragged cyclist under his car jailed for life for murder
Simon Richardson hit Michael Mullins, dragged him for more than a mile under his Volvo XC90, and ran him over A driver who ploughed into a headteacher who was cycling home from school and dragged him, trapped under his car, for more than a mile has been jailed for life. Simon Richardson, who ignored give-way signs at a junction before the collision, was told he must serve a minimum of 25 years after a jury last week found him guilty of murder . Continue reading...
How you (yes you) can fight dark money in elections | Judd Legum
Corporations and tech moguls have spent billions to push provocative – and often inaccurate – political ads for far too long Welcome back to How We Win, a Guardian opinion series with leading thinkers, offering bold ideas for America’s political future. Last week, Katie Phang argued that the Epstein files are a midterms sledgehammer . Today’s edition was written by Judd Legum , the founder and author of Popular Information . Sign up for future editions here . An unprecedented influx of cash from tech billionaires and corporate interests have been injected into the midterms to sway the election. We don’t have to accept the world as it is. There are several ways we can combat dark money, as the balance of power shifts in Washington. Continue reading...
Lindsay Clancy back in court seeking to dismiss murder charges after mistrial
Lawyers for Massachusetts mother who killed children argue new trial would violate double jeopardy rules Lindsay Clancy returned to court on Monday in an attempt to dismiss the charges that she murdered her three young children. The hearing Monday was the second time the Massachusetts mother has been in court since her trial ended with a deadlocked jury in September after jurors were unable to agree on a verdict. Continue reading...
Labour to end cooperation with Greens in 11 councils over ‘Zionism is racism’ policy
Deals with six Green council groups that have condemned the motion are to remain in place, says Labour UK politics live – latest updates Labour is to stop cooperating with the Green party in 11 councils across England following an ultimatum for Greens in local government to disown a new policy stating that “Zionism is racism”. A statement from Labour said coalitions or other deals with Greens would stop in all local authorities where they had refused to condemn the policy motion passed at their party conference last month, which also called for a single Palestinian state in place of Israel. Continue reading...
Why is Labour risking a row over migration? – podcast
As home secretary Shabana Mahmood announces her controversial migration plans, Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss the political context that has led to this announcement and why the timing for Andy Burnham – who is out of the country – is very convenient for him You can read Pippa’s story about reparations for the transatlantic slave trade here Send your questions for Pippa and Kiran to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com You can watch Politics Weekly on our YouTube channel here Continue reading...
Nigel Farage’s regular column for the Telegraph to end
Some sources suggest owners have terminated contract but others close to Farage say Reform leader has resigned Nigel Farage will no longer write a regular column for the Telegraph, becoming the latest prominent rightwing figure to leave the title’s roster under its new ownership. The Reform UK leader wrote for the broadsheet as recently as last week, condemning the first budget of Andy Burnham’s premiership and pledging to “scrap benefits for foreigners, abolish net zero targets” and “slash foreign aid”. Continue reading...
Republicans were hoping to flip this New Hampshire Senate seat – will Trump get in the way?
Republican John Sununu tries to distance himself from unpopular president in race against Chris Pappas that has gone from ‘toss-up to ‘lean Democrat’ Chris Pappas is stopping himself from getting too excited ahead of Tuesday’s midterm election. “I take nothing for granted,” said the four-term US representative and Democratic nominee for New Hampshire’s open Senate seat. “This is a very purple, competitive state. Elections are never in the bag here.” Continue reading...
Man accused of starting deadly Palisades fire to be retried for arson after mistrial
Case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, in Los Angeles comes four months after first trial ended with a hung jury A 30-year-old man accused of starting the deadly Palisades fire is being retried for arson this week, four months after his first trial ended with a hung jury. Federal prosecutors say Jonathan Rinderknecht, a former Uber driver, is responsible for the January 2025 wildfire, which killed 12 people and ravaged thousands of buildings in the Pacific Palisades. Continue reading...
Rare ant nest stolen from last place in England where species survives
Devon nature reserve says ‘reckless’ theft of narrow-headed ant colony sets back years of conservation work A nest containing up to 5,000 of England’s rarest ant species has been stolen from a nature reserve, a conservation charity has said. Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) said a nest of narrow-headed ants had been dug up and taken from Chudleigh Knighton Heath nature reserve in south Devon, which is the last place in England where the species still exists. Continue reading...
No 10 defends flight to Caribbean going via Manchester to pick up Burnham
Critics decry ‘Air Miles Andy’ after plane that took off from Stansted diverted to collect prime minister and wife A government-chartered plane taking Andy Burnham to a Commonwealth summit in the Caribbean made a stop-off in Manchester to collect him, Downing Street has said. The decision, which will have been more financially and environmentally costly than if the prime minister had travelled to London, leaves him open to accusations of hypocrisy after Labour repeatedly criticised Rishi Sunak for his use of private planes and helicopters for domestic travel when he was the prime minister. Continue reading...
Investigators search for cause in Florida plane crash that killed all nine onboard
A private plane headed to the Bahamas from Texas crashed in Palm Beach county and exploded on impact Sunday Investigators are searching for the cause of a plane crash in a heavily populated area of Palm Beach county, Florida, that killed all nine people onboard. The private Learjet 60, with the tail number N722BD, was en route from Austin-Bergstrom international airport in Texas to North Eleuthera airport in the Bahamas on Sunday when it suddenly plummeted out of the sky. Continue reading...
Guardian Essential poll: record number of Australians are turning their backs on the Melbourne Cup
Growing disdain for gambling and animal cruelty concerns drive sliding interest in race that once ‘stopped the nation’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A record number of Australians are turning their backs on the Melbourne Cup, with more than two-thirds surveyed saying they have low or zero interest in the annual horse race. Support for the Melbourne Cup has been sliding consistently for a number of years, but the Guardian Essential poll found just 9% of Australians said they had high interest in the race now – nearly half the proportion in 2025. Continue reading...
NSW council refuses to show world-renowned Gaza artwork over ‘unacceptable’ safety risk
Exclusive: Shoalhaven council says Wall of Tears installation by Phil Buehler posed risk to staff, visitors and tenants Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A New South Wales local council has refused to show a world-renowned artwork about children killed in Gaza after asking organisers to investigate hiring “armed guards” to counter the risk of “community conflict” over the mural. The group, Shoalhaven Friends of Palestine, was aiming to show the Wall of Tears installation by American artist Phil Buehler at the Shoalhaven Regional Gallery in Nowra on Tuesday, following the work being exhibited around Australia, including on the front lawns of Parliament House in Canberra in September. Continue reading...
Reddit and libertarian group challenge Australia’s under-16s social media ban in high court
Social network and Digital Freedom Project, led by NSW state MP John Ruddick, seek to overturn ban on grounds of implied freedom of political communication Australia’s world-leading under-16s social media ban will face its first major legal challenge on Tuesday, as Reddit and an advocacy group headed by a libertarian politician seek to overturn the law in the high court. Nearly 11 months ago, 10 platforms – Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Kick, X, Twitch and Threads – were required to deactivate or suspend the accounts of users they determined to be aged under 16 years. Continue reading...
ICE, inflation and Trump: gen Z readers share their concerns heading into the voting both
Young voters have many of the same concerns as the larger voting cohort, even if many are not registered to vote The 2026 US midterms are approaching against a backdrop of growing political uncertainty, with young voters increasingly mobilizing around concerns about the country’s future. Although nearly 50 million Americans aged 18 to 29 are eligible to vote in the midterms, almost half remain either unregistered or civically disengaged, according to US Census Bureau data . Continue reading...
‘Done for the day’: US ambulance driver abandons patient and takes Uber home
Patient with chest pains rescued by Cleveland EMS after driver of private ambulance gets lost and leaves An ambulance driver in Ohio abandoned a patient they were taking to hospital after getting lost and decided to call an Uber and go home. The bizarre incident played out in Cleveland last week when the patient was being transported to the Cleveland Clinic with chest pain. According to the local broadcaster KWTX: “The ambulance driver got lost, told her he was done driving for the day, and called an Uber.” Continue reading...
Russell Brand is not a ‘psychopath who rapes people and thinks it’s normal’, court told
Defence barrister says earlier allegations about comedian’s sexual conduct ‘poisoned the wells’ of justice as trial continues Russell Brand is not a “psychopath who rapes people and thinks it’s normal” and is respectful when women say no, a court has heard. Brand’s barrister, Ian Winter KC, said allegations about the comedian’s sexual conduct in 2023 had “poisoned the wells” of justice. He also said there had been “monstrous delays” in the women in the criminal trial coming forward to police. Continue reading...
‘It’s been a while’: hero’s welcome for UK man after 28-year walk across the world
Former paratrooper Karl Bushby arrives back in Hull and becomes first person to walk continuously across planet After a 28-year odyssey spanning 29 countries, 36,000 miles, facing down polar bears, kidnappers and a spell in Russian custody, Karl Bushby was finally back home in Hull – and immediately got lost. “I’ve no idea which direction I’m going. Everybody point the way,” he said as he walked through a crowd of wellwishers in the city’s Queen Victoria Square. He added: “Sorry to keep you all waiting – it’s been a while.” Continue reading...
Greenpeace activists create ‘boulder barrier’ in North Sea to deter industrial fishing
Action taken to prevent bottom trawling in the marine protected area and conserve porpoise populations Greenpeace activists have dropped boulders in the North Sea to snag the dragnets of industrial trawlers fishing in a marine protected area. Activists onboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise dropped the giant stones to form an underwater barrier around the Southern North Sea marine protected area (MPA) – the UK’s most bottom-trawled MPA. Continue reading...
‘It’s clear they are under-vaccinated’: Amish under spotlight amid Pennsylvania measles outbreak
As Josh Shapiro, the governor, mounts outreach program, members say ‘you don’t get to change anybody’s mind’ Making hay was more than a figure of speech last week at the New Holland auction house in Pennsylvania last week, where a ton of top quality hay bales were going for upwards of $400, up about 20% from last year. For members of the Lancaster settlement, a term used to describe the Amish population that settled here in 1760, the price of hay was only part of the discussion: the price of horses, donkeys and milk were also topics of conversation and, as it has been for year or more, a potentially deadly outbreak of measles. Continue reading...