Month: February 2025

A second MP has lost the Labour whip over his membership of a WhatsApp group containing offensive comments, after a minister was sacked for his involvement. Oliver Ryan, who was elected to represent the Burnley constituency last summer, had been under investigation over the remarks and was due to meet the chief whip on Monday. It comes after former health minister Andrew Gwynne apologised for “badly misjudged” comments he made in […]

The King has taken the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister on a tour of the Cornish housing project he inspired – in a rare joint engagement between the monarch and political leaders. Charles was accompanied by Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner during three visits in Nansledan, a 540-acre extension to the seaside town of Newquay. It is understood that the unusual engagement follows discussions about housing in past […]

The UK will have to “wait and see” if Donald Trump provides more clarity on his threat to impose tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports to the US, a minister has said. In comments on his way to the Super Bowl late on Sunday, the president said he will impose 25% tariffs on “any steel coming into the United States”, adding that aluminium will also be subject to additional […]

The Irish government is being urged to enact a bill banning trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land within the next 12 months. Frances Black, who first introduced the Occupied Territories Bill into the Dail in 2018, said that she does not mind if the ban is under her bill or new legislation. But she said it was important the ban is not “watered down” in any new draft […]

Simon Vickers will serve a minimum term of 15 years A father who stabbed his 14-year-old daughter in the heart while they were “play-fighting” in the kitchen has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 15 years after he was convicted of her murder. Jurors found Simon Vickers, 50, guilty after they heard how he had given three different accounts of what happened in the seconds before he […]

Farmers will stage another tractor protest outside Parliament on Monday as they continue their campaign against changes to inheritance tax rules. The tractor rally, organised by Save British Farming, comes as MPs debate an e-petition with more than 148,000 signatures calling to keep the current inheritance tax exemptions for working farms. Labour has insisted it will not make a U-turn on its plans to introduce a 20% inheritance tax rate […]

US pop star Taylor Swift, US President Donald Trump, Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi, actor Paul Rudd and Oscar-winning actress Anne Hathaway were among the A-list stars watching the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans. Singer Swift was spotted in her suite at the Superdome, wearing a simple white tank top and denim shorts, about an hour before play began. Trump made history on Sunday as the first sitting president to […]

Nearly half of unmarried people who live with their partner and share a pet with them would consider including their animal in a cohabitation agreement in the event they split up, a survey has found. But only about a quarter (26%) of unmarried couples surveyed who live together have a cohabitation agreement in place. Cohabiting couples who do not have such an agreement may face complications if the relationship ends, […]

The Philadelphia Eagles ended the Kansas City Chiefs’ bid to win an unprecedented three straight Super Bowls as they ran out 40-22 winners in New Orleans. The Eagles defence dominated and pressured Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throughout the evening, sacking him a career-high six times and intercepting him twice. Opposite number Jalen Hurts was named the most valuable player after he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns, as well […]