C of E faces dilemma as far right claims Christianity to push agenda that often clashes with gospel message

In an exclusive interview, the head of the TUC says a customs union with the EU could boost the UK’s economy Keir Starmer should seek out a far closer relationship with Europe, including a possible customs union, the head of the TUC has said. Paul Nowak, TUC general secretary, said the British public recognised the need for a vastly improved trading arrangement and said it had become more urgent than ever because of the fickle nature of the relationship with Donald Trump’s United States. Continue reading...

Poll released by group as people gather for traditional Boxing Day hunts finds 76% of voters believe Labour prioritises urban issues over rural ones Keir Starmer’s government has been told it has “alienated rural people” as traditional Boxing Day hunts gathered across the UK ahead of plans to ban trail hunting. The warning came from the Countryside Alliance pressure group, which released a poll suggesting 65% of voters think the Labour administration unfairly neglects country communities. Continue reading...

A protest barring MPs from pubs is exposing deeper tensions between politicians and the communities they represent

The two countries’ relationship is “incredibly valuable in the kind of dangerous and turbulent world in which we live,” Canada’s High Commissioner to London, Ralph Goodale, tells POLITICO as he steps down.

Exclusive: Labour says Nigel Farage’s party should swiftly condemn Chris Parry after further comments emerge A Reform UK mayoral candidate who said David Lammy should “go home to the Caribbean” has suggested that at least eight other politicians from minority ethnic backgrounds do not have a primary loyalty towards the UK. Nigel Farage’s party has so far refused to condemn Chris Parry, a retired naval rear admiral who has been picked to contest the now-postponed Hampshire and the Solent mayoral election for the party, over his comment about Lammy, the deputy prime minister. Continue reading...

Review, which will focus on effectiveness of political finance laws, follows conviction of former Reform politician for accepting bribes * UK politics live – latest updates An independent review into the impact of foreign financial influence and interference in domestic politics from Russia and other hostile states has been announced after one of Reform UK’s former senior politicians, Nathan Gill, was jailed for accepting bribes from a pro-Kremlin agent. Amid growing concern inside the security services and parliament over the scale of the foreign threat to British democracy, the government-commissioned inquiry will focus on the effectiveness of the UK’s political finance laws. Continue reading...

Party says it has more than 268,000 members amid reports Labour membership has fallen below 250,000 Reform UK has claimed to be the largest political party in Britain, overtaking Labour which has reportedly seen its membership fall below 250,000. Nigel Farage’s party said it has more than 268,000 members on the live tracker displayed on its website. Continue reading...

Some warn proposal will decimate US tourism industry as free speech advocates say it will lead to people self-censoring Free speech advocates have accused Donald Trump of “shredding civil liberties” and “censorship pure and simple” after the White House said it planned to require visa applicants from dozens of countries to provide social media, phone and email histories for vetting before being allowed into the US. In a move that some commentators compared to China and others warned would decimate tourism to the US, including the 2026 Fifa World Cup, the Department for Homeland Security said it was planning to apply the rules to visitors from 42 countries, including the UK, Ireland, Australia, France, Germany and Japan, if they want to enter the US on the commonly used Esta visa waiver. Continue reading...

US president presses Zelenskyy to accept his peace plan and recycles far-right tropes on European immigration * Europe live – latest updates Donald Trump has hinted he could walk away from supporting Ukraine as he doubled down on his administration’s recent criticism of Europe, describing it as “weak” and “decaying” and claiming it was “destroying itself” through immigration. In a rambling and sometimes incoherent interview with Politico, a transcript of which was released on Tuesday, the US president struggled to name any other Ukrainian cities except for Kyiv, misrepresented elements of the trajectory of the conflict, and recycled far-right tropes about European immigration that echoed the “great replacement” conspiracy theory. Continue reading...

Reform campaign accused by ex-councillor of falsely reporting expenses during Farage’s run to become MP last year The Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, has been urged to “come clean” over his election campaign in Clacton after a former aide claimed his party breached spending rules. Farage’s campaign has been accused of falsely reporting his election expenses during his successful run to become an MP last year. Continue reading...