Author: James Carter

Sir Keir Starmer has told the British public to brace for an inflation spike caused by the Iran war, warning that even when the Strait of Hormuz reopens “it will not all return to normal” — and using the crisis to make the case for pulling Britain significantly closer to the European Union. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme ahead of next week’s local elections, the Prime Minister endorsed stark Bank of England projections that inflation could rise above six per cent, and said the country faced a choice between reverting to a failed status quo or taking “a…

Rupert Lowe, the Great Yarmouth MP and leader of newly formed political party Restore Britain, has confirmed that all of his party’s candidates are required to speak English as part of a rigorous vetting process ahead of the local elections on 7 May. Lowe, who split from Reform UK earlier this year to launch Restore Britain as a harder-line alternative on immigration, made the remarks in the context of candidate selection, saying the requirement was a basic standard of effective representation. Supporters have welcomed the pledge as common sense, drawing comparisons with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s own comments in 2024…

Sir Keir Starmer’s niece has been selected to stand in one of the safest Labour wards in London, sparking accusations of nepotism from local activists who say she was “parachuted into a safe Labour seat” because of her famous uncle. Ellie Sandover, who is in her mid-20s, will contest Bensham Manor ward in Croydon at next week’s local elections — a seat that has long been considered among Labour’s most secure in the capital. Her mother is Katy Swabey, one of the Prime Minister’s three siblings, who works as a nurse in the care sector. The selection has caused resentment…

From Friday, the legal relationship between millions of renters and their landlords changes in ways not seen for a generation. Whether it delivers the stability its architects promise is another matter entirely. For the first time in more than three decades, the fundamental terms on which private tenancies in England operate have been rewritten. The Renters’ Rights Act, which came into force on 1 May, represents the most substantial overhaul of the rental sector since the early 1990s — affecting an estimated 11 million people who rent from private landlords, as well as the landlords themselves. At its core, the…

Wes Streeting is preparing to fire the starting gun on a Labour leadership challenge in the immediate aftermath of next week’s local elections, with sources telling The Telegraph he has already secured the backing of more than 81 MPs — the minimum number required to trigger a contest — putting him on a collision course with rivals who are not yet ready to move. The Health Secretary’s calculation is straightforward and ruthless: strike fast, strike before Andy Burnham can get back into Parliament and before Angela Rayner resolves her tax troubles. A short race suits Streeting and nobody else. “Wes…

A former Conservative councillor who had already admitted nearly 50 offences of drugging, raping and sexually assaulting his wife has pleaded guilty to additional charges of making indecent images of children, after initially denying those offences. Philip Young, 49, appeared via video link from HMP Winchester on Friday to change his pleas on all remaining charges to guilty. He now stands convicted of one of the most extensive catalogues of sexual offending to come before the courts in recent years. Young had pleaded guilty in January at Winchester Crown Court to 11 counts of rape and 11 counts of administering…

Reform UK has expelled a councillor after leaked WhatsApp messages revealed he described the St George’s Cross as a “crusade” symbol and said he was “not aligned” with its use, preferring instead to fly the Union Jack. Cllr Aaron Roy, who had defected from Labour to Reform just last month, made the remarks during a private message exchange about a row over flag-flying in Hartlepool. The messages, obtained by The Sun, show Roy distancing himself from the St George’s Cross and questioning whether it was appropriate to display it alongside flags representing other nations. “Does this mean it’s ok to…

Two Green Party election candidates have been arrested on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred after allegedly posting antisemitic content online, including posts suggesting that attacking a synagogue constituted “revenge” and accusing the British government of being “overrepresented with Zionist Jews.” The Metropolitan Police detained two women aged 54 and 57 in London on Thursday morning under Section 19 of the Public Order Act 1986, taking them into custody for questioning. The arrests followed an investigation launched after concerns about antisemitic material posted online were reported to police on 21 April. The Met has not confirmed the identities of those…

The Bank of England has held its base rate at 3.75 per cent, with eight of the nine members of the Monetary Policy Committee voting to keep rates unchanged and just one member pushing for an increase. The decision was widely anticipated by economists, who had warned that the ongoing conflict in Iran had made it too soon for rate setters to move in any direction with confidence. Before the war erupted on 28 February, the Bank had been expected to cut rates today, reducing the base rate to 3.5 per cent in what would have been the first reduction…

Reform UK has announced plans to ban foreign nationals from accessing taxpayer-funded student loans, describing the current system as a “foreign student ponzi scheme” that has cost the British public more than £4 billion a year. Nigel Farage’s party says up to 300,000 foreign nationals living in the UK are currently drawing on student loans annually, with the cost to taxpayers having risen by 40 per cent in recent years — up from £3.2 billion in 2021-22. Under Reform’s proposals, maintenance loans, grants and all Student Loans Company funding would be restricted to British nationals only, with foreign nationals expected…