UK Politics

The Conservatives have proposed spending £10 billion over ten years on a new UK air defence system if they return to government. Named Britannia Shield, it would bring together radar, command systems, interceptor missiles and equipment to counter drones, according to the party’s announcement reported by ITV News⁠. The plan is an opposition party pledge. No decision

The Green Party of England and Wales has adopted a motion that says Zionism should be treated as a form of racism. Israel responded by barring the party’s leader, Zack Polanski, from entering the country. Members approved the motion at the party’s conference on Sunday, 4 October, by 1,022 votes to 813. It declares the

Kemi Badenoch has pledged to abolish the £100,000 income limit that excludes some working parents from childcare support, announcing the proposal as the Conservative Party’s annual conference opened in Birmingham. The Conservative leader said a future government led by her party would remove the threshold for funded childcare hours and the Tax-Free Childcare scheme. The

The UK government has announced plans to prevent airlines charging parents extra to sit with children under 14, alongside measures to remove fees for correcting simple name mistakes on flight bookings. The proposals would require airlines to seat eligible children with a parent or accompanying adult without an additional charge for that arrangement. Ministers want

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has cancelled his official engagements following the death of his father, Roy Burnham, at the age of 86. Downing Street confirmed the death on Monday, 14 September, and said the Prime Minister would not attend engagements scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. Mr Burnham had been expected to host business leaders at

The leaders of the governing parties in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to sign a joint declaration calling for their nations to have the right to determine their constitutional futures. Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru, John Swinney of the Scottish National Party and Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Féin are due to meet

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has challenged Prime Minister Andy Burnham over how his government intends to pay for increased UK defence spending, bringing national security and the state of Britain’s public finances into the centre of their first clashes in Parliament. The exchange came during Burnham’s first Prime Minister’s Questions since entering Downing Street. Badenoch