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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
3934 stories archived
‘Don’t mention the special relationship’: how should UK’s next PM handle Donald Trump?
Little-known abroad, Andy Burnham has a chance to define a new era of US-UK relations. Should he seek to charm or bargain with the bully in the White House – or treat him ‘like a poorly informed constituent’? If, as expected, Andy Burnham becomes the British prime minister later this month, one of his first telephone calls is likely to be with Donald Trump. Trump’s mother was Scottish and he has a nostalgic fascination with Britain. But managing a relationship with the erratic, transactional and demanding US president has been a diplomatic minefield for Burnham’s predecessors. Continue reading...
How BT’s ‘no nonsense’ first female chief helped turn company around
The firm’s share price has risen 80% under Allison Kirkby’s leadership – but pressure remains for her to deliver further growth If timing is everything, then Allison Kirkby may have judged it perfectly. Since becoming BT’s first female chief executive more than two years ago the company’s share price has climbed 80%, an investor-pleasing turnaround that has seen Kirkby well-rewarded with a pay and bonus package of £5.6m last year , the largest for a boss of the telecoms company in well over a decade. However, there are questions over how much credit Kirkby can take for the apparent revival of the business. Continue reading...
Ukraine hopes to sign ‘drone deals’ with seven Nato countries by end of year
Kyiv offers expertise on how to develop radar systems and ground stations as it turns from buyer to security provider Ukraine hopes to sign major defence deals with at least seven Nato countries by the end of the year, according to a top official, highlighting a new aspect of Kyiv’s foreign policy intended to show it can be a provider as well as a recipient of military hardware and expertise. Kyiv has signed “drone deals” with six countries in recent months. Three are Middle Eastern states, who became eager for Ukrainian support after being targeted with Iranian long-range Shahed drones after the US-Israeli war on Iran began in spring. These are the same weapons that have targeted Ukrainian cities relentlessly over the past four years. Azerbaijan has also signed an agreement with Kyiv, as well as the Nato members Latvia and Lithuania. Continue reading...
The EU that the UK left no longer exists | Mujtaba Rahman
Andy Burnham’s rise has stoked talk of the terms for a future British return – but this is the wrong question The question of the UK’s relationship with the EU has resurfaced with Keir Starmer’s premiership drawing to a close and Andy Burnham, his likely successor, preparing to enter No 10. Wes Streeting, until recently one of the contenders for the top job and now a possible future chancellor of the exchequer, went as far as to say recently that Britain should be back in the EU . The “rejoin” debate in the UK has focused squarely and, parochially, on two things. The first is the cost imposed by Brexit on the UK economy , the second is the price of rejoining – in other words, whether the UK would be able to win back its previous opt-outs from the Euro and Schengen areas. Mujtaba Rahman is the managing director for Europe at Eurasia Group, a political risk research and consulting firm Continue reading...
H.R. 9600: Common Sense 250 Act of 2026
Bill Text: This bill's text is now available.
H.R. 9598: No Fencing at Lafayette Square Act
Bill Text: This bill's text is now available.
H.R. 9597: Civil War Defenses of Washington National Historical Park Act
Bill Text: This bill's text is now available.
H.R. 9601: CANADA Act
Bill Text: This bill's text is now available.
H.R. 9596: Federal Jobs for STARs Act of 2026
Bill Text: This bill's text is now available. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi [D-IL8] is the sponsor of this bill.
H.R. 9596: To remove educational barriers to Federal employment for workers who are skilled through alternative routes, and for other purposes.
Introduced: Sponsor: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi [D-IL8] This bill was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform which will consider it before sending it to the House floor for consideration. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi [D-IL8] is a member of the committee.
H.R. 8481: Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026
Bill Text: This bill's text for status (July 6, 2026) is now available.
Calls for independent review as police probe if cannibalism involved in four-year-old’s alleged murder
Police charge woman with murder after the body of a preschooler was found in a Central Coast home on Saturday Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The New South Wales opposition is demanding an independent review after it was confirmed the family of a four-year-old who was allegedly murdered was known to the department in charge of child protection. A woman has been remanded in custody and was on Sunday charged with murder after police found the body of a preschooler at a home on the NSW Central Coast. Continue reading...
Russia launches deadly missile and drone attacks on Kyiv
At least seven killed in the Ukraine capital in the second major assault on the city and its surrounds in less than a week Russia struck Ukraine’s Kyiv region with ballistic missiles on Monday, killing at least eight people and wounding dozens, authorities said, on the eve of a Nato summit in Turkey. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said rescue crews were pulling residents from buildings shattered by the overnight barrage. Continue reading...
Melbourne teacher receiving end-of-life care after horror head clash during suburban football game
Epping footballer Nathan Fitzgerald, 27, remains in hospital after hitting his head during a game in Lalor on Saturday Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A suburban Melbourne footballer is receiving “end-of-life” care in hospital after a horror head clash saw him fall to the ground and hit his head on a covered cricket pitch, his club says. High school teacher Nathan Fitzgerald, 27, was taken to Royal Melbourne hospital on Saturday after the incident during an Australian rules football game in Lalor, in Melbourne’s north. Continue reading...
Has the US finally fallen in love with football? – podcast
Has the success of the US men’s team – and hosting the World Cup – finally made Americans fall in love with football? With Guardian US soccer correspondent Jeff Rueter For decades, the US has been unmoved by the charms of the beautiful game. As Guardian US soccer correspondent Jeff Rueter , a boyhood fan of the sport, explains, football in America was a ‘ramshackle’ affair – unloved, boring, a little alien. But, Helen Pidd hears, things are beginning to change. The US men’s national team is thriving in the World Cup they are hosting, and Americans are being won over by travelling football teams and fans, from the Scots in Boston to Algerians in Kansas Continue reading...
Explained: Folarin Balogun’s World Cup red-card reversal, Trump’s phone calls and Fifa’s rationale
The surprise move deeming the US striker eligible to play came after the American president reached out to the governing body to appeal for the change Donald Trump has been conspicuous by his absence so far at the World Cup, but unusually he may have been making his presence felt behind the scenes with some quiet diplomacy. In addition to failing to attend a game, despite the USA’s impressive progress to the last 16, Trump had not mentioned the tournament on social media since offering some bland recognition of record attendance figures on 28 June. All that changed on Sunday when he took to Truth Social to thank Fifa for its highly unusual decision to overturnsuspend striker Folarin Balogun’s suspensionban from Monday’s last-16 tie against Belgium. Continue reading...
Mauricio Pochettino praises Fifa for Balogun U-turn: ‘We celebrate the decision’
Trump called Infantino to reverse Balogun ban US plays Belgium in World Cup last 16 on Monday Mauricio Pochettino hailed Fifa’s shock decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban on Sunday, reiterating his claim that the call to issue the US striker a red card was harsh. “Everyone that really loves the sport and trusts ethics and integrity, I think we celebrate all that decision,” Pochettino said. “We were punished enough against Bosnia Herzegovina to play with 10 men for 30 minutes [because of] a decision that was completely unfair. … 99.9% of people agree there was an unfair red card.” Continue reading...
Minister calls on Burnham to show path to 3.5% target on UK defence spending
Dan Jarvis, who wants to stay on as defence secretary, says he is confident PM-in-waiting values national security The new defence secretary, Dan Jarvis, has called on Andy Burnham to increase defence spending dramatically from 2030 and “evidence the trajectory” towards a Nato target that would mean £25bn a year more for the military by the middle of the next decade. The former paratrooper said he was confident that the prime minister-in-waiting valued national security, as he openly lobbied him for cash that would probably have to come from cuts elsewhere. Continue reading...
‘Nepotism and bias’ rife in England and Wales police leadership, report finds
Inquiry co-chaired by David Blunkett uncovers loss of focus on fighting crime, plus low standards and need for reform Police leadership in England and Wales is plagued by “nepotism and bias” and too many chiefs have lost focus on fighting crime, a government-backed report has found. The inquiry, co-chaired by former home secretary David Blunkett, found a reset was needed at all levels, with scores of top officers facing misconduct inquiries. Continue reading...
Making public transport fully accessible ‘could boost UK economy by £176bn’
Report says current network of buses, trains and stations effectively locks 2.8m people out of workforce Investing in the UK transport network to make it fully accessible to disabled passengers could boost the economy by £176bn by helping millions more people into work, according to a report. Making the economic case for an inclusive transport network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) said the current system was inaccessible to almost a quarter of the working-age population. Continue reading...
Ministers to crack down on political donations as Farage faces calls for second inquiry
Measures to be announced to make funding more transparent amid new revelations about Reform UK leader Ministers will launch a crackdown on large political donations on Monday, as Nigel Farage faces a possible second investigation into gifts he received from a convicted fraudster before becoming an MP. The government will announce a series of measures to make political funding more transparent, including restrictions on donations from foreign-based benefactors. Continue reading...
Mobile internet coverage in UK worse than any EU or G7 country, Which? says
Analysis finds services cheaper but country ranks 57th in network performance and 70th for download speeds British holidaymakers watching online videos while they sit on a European beach this summer are likely to be pleasantly surprised: the signal should be better than at home. Mobile coverage in the UK is worse than in any of the 27 EU member countries, and every other member of the G7 group of large economies, according to analysis by consumer group Which? of data from Opensignal. Continue reading...
NHS to rate English trusts on tackling violence and racism towards staff
Exclusive: Published league tables will rank acute, ambulance and mental health trusts on six measures The NHS will rate trusts according to how well they tackle racism, violence and sexual misconduct towards staff, the government has announced. From July, all NHS acute, ambulance and mental health trusts in England will be judged and ranked in published league tables on six main measures of wellbeing, affecting more than 1.5 million staff. Continue reading...
Anthony Albanese apologises ‘unequivocally’ for podcast comment about Kylie Minogue
Prime minister picked pop singer in game of ‘shag, marry, date’ on comedy podcast Anthony Albanese has apologised “unequivocally” for his comments while playing a ‘shag, marry, date’ game on a comedy podcast where he nominated Kylie Minogue for all three categories. The prime minister issued a statement on Monday morning after receiving criticism over the weekend for his appearance on the Bush Deep podcast with comedian Nikki Osborne. Continue reading...