Politics

Getty Images By Faisal Islam & Lucy Hooker BBC News The chancellor is considering a cut in National Insurance, rather than income tax in the Budget, the BBC understands. Jeremy Hunt is expected to make final decisions on his 6 March Budget plans at the end of this week. A leading think tank has warned

PA Media By Kate Whannel Political reporter, BBC News Ex-Tory party deputy chair Lee Anderson has said his words were clumsy but has refused to apologise for suggesting Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists. Mr Anderson was suspended as a Tory MP following his remarks which he says were borne out of frustration at the

UK Parliament By Paul Seddon Politics reporter, BBC News The SNP says it will push for another Commons debate on Gaza following the chaotic vote on the conflict on Wednesday. There was uproar in the Commons when Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle allowed MPs to vote on a Labour amendment to the SNP’s ceasefire motion. It

Getty Images By Thomas Mackintosh BBC News Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson has been suspended from the party after “refusing to apologise” for comments aimed at Sadiq Khan. The Conservative Ashfield MP told GB News on Friday “Islamists” had “got control” of the mayor of London. Responding on Saturday, Mr Khan described the remarks

Getty Images By Peter Saull & Paul Seddon BBC News Police should get extra powers to tackle protests outside Parliament, the author of a government-commissioned review has urged. Crossbench peer Lord Walney said MPs needed protecting from “intimidation” that could influence how they vote. His comments come after Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle cited the

UK PARLIAMENT By Paul Seddon Politics reporter, BBC News Sir Lindsay Hoyle is facing continuing pressure to quit as Commons Speaker over his handling of a vote on Gaza. The SNP’s Stephen Flynn has called for a vote on Sir Lindsay’s future, after chaotic scenes in the chamber. The Speaker has apologised for giving MPs

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. By Paul Seddon Politics reporter, BBC News A row has erupted after the Commons Speaker allowed MPs to vote on a Labour motion on the Israel-Hamas conflict. The amendment from Sir Keir Starmer would allow Labour MPs

Sky By Sam Francis, political reporter & Henry Zeffman, chief political correspondent BBC News Labour has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza for the first time since the outbreak of the conflict in October. The move comes after days of party debate on how to vote in Parliament on an SNP motion calling

Reuters By Steven McIntosh Entertainment reporter Ofcom has launched an investigation into the impartiality of a GB News programme which featured a Q&A session with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. People’s Forum: The Prime Minister was filmed in County Durham and was broadcast on 12 February. The format saw members of the public question the prime

Getty Images By Sam Francis Political reporter Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said a “ceasefire that lasts” must “happen now” in the Israel-Gaza conflict. He was speaking at a Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow, a day after it passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. On Wednesday, there will be a

By Laura Kuenssberg Presenter, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg It’s probably raining. It’s cold. The sofa is comfy. It’s been a long day and the polling station feels like miles away. Behind the huge headlines of Labour’s victories and the Conservatives’ by-election thumpings, it’s worth paying attention to voters’ instinct – not to choose one party

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. By Becky Morton Political reporter Keir Starmer has said Labour has “more work to do” after it inflicted two by-election defeats on the Conservatives. The party overturned majorities of 11,220 in Kingswood and 18,540 in Wellingborough, where

PA Media Voters are going to the polls to elect new MPs in Kingswood and Wellingborough. The by-elections will decide who will replace former Conservative MPs Chris Skidmore and Peter Bone, with both seats won by the Tories at the last general election in 2019. Polling stations opened at 07:00 GMT and close at 22:00,

By Kate Whannel Political reporter, BBC News Labour will act to block people not fit to be MPs, shadow defence secretary John Healey has pledged, as the party struggles to deal with an ongoing row about comments made by its candidates. He insisted the party was diligent when picking candidates to be MPs but added:

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he took “decisive action” over comments made by Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali about Israel and Jewish people. Labour has been criticised for initially standing by Mr Ali after it emerged he

Getty Images By Kate Whannel Political reporter, BBC News Labour has defended standing by its candidate in the Rochdale by-election, despite his remarks about Israel. Shadow minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told the BBC Azhar Ali’s comments were “completely and utterly unacceptable”. However, he said the prospective MP understood the “gravity of the offence that has been