A childhood rape survivor has accused Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Defence Secretary Wes Streeting of “laughing at victims” after the pair were caught on a hot mic joking about the government’s early prisoner release scheme. Jade Belgrove, a 30-year-old mother of five, said she felt “physically sick” watching the footage. She described the remarks as a “disgusting” cheap laugh that dismisses the trauma faced by survivors Mother-of-five Jade Belgrove, 30, accused newly a

Speaking from a traditional pub in Harlow, Essex, on Thursday, newly installed UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham delivered a clear message to the country’s struggling hospitality sector: help is on the way. In a video clip widely shared on X, Burnham declared that pubs should know “the cavalry is coming” to save them. He added: “This is our heritage. It’s working-class culture. Once pubs are gone, they don’t come back.”The comments came as Downing Street confirmed a major policy

George Finch, 19, vindicated after accusations over handling of Progress Pride flag request at Shire Hall In a significant ruling for local democracy and accountability, Reform UK councillor George Finch — the United Kingdom’s youngest-ever council leader — has been cleared of misconduct allegations linked to his 2025 request to remove a Progress Pride flag from Warwickshire County Council’s headquarters. The decision, highlighted in breaking reports today, centres on claims

According to GB News, nearly 100 small boat migrants crossed the Channel this morning onto the shores of the United Kingdom. More than 12,000 have crossed in total so far this year. More boats are expected in the rest of the week due to the hot weather. Anchor: Mark White

Natalie Fleet, the Labour MP for Bolsover and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, has resigned from her ministerial post just over two months after taking office. In a personal statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) earlier today, Fleet described the decision as “the bravest thing I’ve ever done.” She said she quickly found the contents of the role “overwhelmingly triggering” and informed the Prime Minister’s team th

"Hot Mic Joke" gone wrong In a moment that has sparked fresh controversy for the new Labour government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, senior cabinet members Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood were recorded making light-hearted remarks about the administration’s contentious policy of early prisoner releases. The incident occurred during an informal gathering of newly appointed cabinet ministers. A video circulated by political blogger Guido Fawkes captured Defence Secretary

Andy Burnham has taken office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Keir Starmer. A dedicated “Andy Burnham Tracker” on the UK Dispatching website monitors his progress and flags key developments and appointments from the early days of his leadership. (https://www.ukdispatching.com/andy-burnham-tracker) The tracker describes Burnham assuming the premiership after Starmer’s departure and lists several high-profile appointments, each tied to past

Anas Sarwar is expected to step down as leader of Scottish Labour and take up a ministerial position in Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s new government, according to reports emerging on Tuesday evening. The move would see Sarwar, who has led Scottish Labour since 2021, leave Holyrood politics and likely accept a peerage to sit in the House of Lords, allowing him to serve in a UK-wide ministerial role under Burnham. Leadership Under Pressure: Sarwar’s departure comes amid mountin

Peers have rejected the Tories' motion for one of Burnham's ministers to face parliamentary questioning this week, with the LibDems joining Labour in voting against Lord True's calls for a Lords debate on the new government's policies. 173 to 234, with a majority of 61 Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon said the Government will "welcome scrutiny", but... "In politics, as in life, patience is a virtue. This is day two of a new Prime Minister. The Governmen

New PM pledges £2 bus fares and 20% hospitality business rates cut to ease pressures on families and high streets Fresh from his appointment as the UK’s seventh prime minister in a decade, Andy Burnham is set to announce immediate measures aimed at tackling the cost-of-living crisis. According to an exclusive report, the new Labour leader plans to reintroduce a £2 cap on bus fares within days and outline a 20% reduction in business rates for the hospitality sector. These ste

Andy Burnham was sworn in as the United Kingdom’s 59th Prime Minister, succeeding Sir Keir Starmer. A new Prime Minister’s first duties is to appoint their a cabinet to govern the United Kingdom. Following a day of intensive discussions and negotiations Yesterday, Andy Burnham has completed his initial reshuffle. Below is the full list of his cabinet appointments: Louise Haigh – Deputy Prime Minister John Healey – Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed Miliband – Foreign Secretary

Andy Burnham arriving at Buckingham Palace to meet the King and to be sworn in as the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after becoming leader of labour

Kier Starmer is no longer Prime Minister

Veteran Conservative MP becomes the first parliamentarian to announce retirement in the current Parliament; cites nearly two decades of service and desire to give her successor time to prepare. Helen Grant OBE, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Maidstone and Malling, has announced she will stand down at the next general election, expected in 2029. The announcement makes her the first MP of any party in the current Parliament to confirm their retirement. In a media rel

Chatfield was elected in the May 2023 local elections, securing one of the two seats in the Oakham North East ward for the Liberal Democrats (alongside Hannah Edwards). He has served on several council committees, including Planning, Strategic Overview and Scrutiny, Audit and Risk, and Conduct. The complaints In June 2025, Conservative MP Alicia Kearns reported Chatfield’s social media activity to Rutland County Council. The posts, made over roughly a year, were described as

In one of his last acts as Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer has nominated Sir Sadiq Khan for a life peerage, elevating the Mayor of London to the House of Lords. The announcement forms part of a broader list of 26 new political peerages published by Downing Street today. The King has signified his intention to confer life peerages on the nominated individuals, with Sir Sadiq Khan listed among 16 Labour nominees. The full breakdown includes 16 from Labour, 5 from the Liberal D

Police Scotland has arrested and charged a University of Aberdeen staff member following inflammatory social media posts that celebrated the death of former Conservative politician Ann Widdecombe. Heather Herbert, 50, a web developer at the university who identifies as a transgender woman (born Scott Herbert, male), was taken into custody after posting messages expressing hope that Widdecombe had suffered an “extremely painful death.” Background on Ann Widdecombe’s Death Ann

In a sign of growing fragmentation within Britain’s populist right, Rupert Lowe’s newly formed Restore Britain party has successfully lured multiple councillors away from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Since launching as a registered political party in February 2026, Restore Britain has attracted at least a dozen defectors, many of them former Reform representatives, raising questions about stability, loyalty, and the long-term viability of the broader anti-establishment movement.

Ann Noreen Widdecombe, the outspoken British politician, author, and television personality, died aged 78 in July 2026 at her home in Haytor Vale on Dartmoor, Devon. Her death, which police are treating as murder, marked the end of a remarkable public life defined by strong Christian principles, traditional conservative values, and a willingness to embrace the spotlight long after leaving Parliament. Early Life and Education of Ann Widdecombe Born on 4 October 1947 in Bath, S

In one of the most bizarre twists in recent British politics, Nigel Farage has resigned as MP for Clacton-on-Sea, triggering a by-election he plans to contest on or around 6 August 2026. Farage framed the snap poll as a "people versus the establishment" showdown amid scrutiny over his finances, including an undeclared £5 million gift and other perks. But the gambit has backfired spectacularly. Labour, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens, and other major parties have