Politics
Labour calls on Richard Tice to explain Quidnet tax arrangements
Labour urged Richard Tice to explain Quidnet's tax arrangements after a report alleged the company avoided nearly £600,000 in tax.
UK FACT CHECK POLITICS
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NHS hospitals urged to reject £330m data platform part-owned by Trump ally
Green Party membership tops 215,000 after tripling in six months under Zack Polanski
Jess Phillips reads names of 110 women in Commons International Women’s Day debate
UK troops under fire shoot down two drones as swarm hits coalition base, injuring personnel
Sons were suspects in almost one in five killings of women recorded in the UK over the past year
Irregular says lab-tested AI agents leaked passwords and bypassed antivirus controls
Released papers show Mandelson received £75,000 settlement after dismissal and vetting noted Epstein contact known to Starmer
Politics
MORE →Crime and Policing Bill returns to Lords as peers debate police escorts, child cruelty and officer misconduct
The Crime and Policing Bill resumed its report stage in the House of Lords, with peers debating amendments on police vehicle escorts, child cruelty offences and police misconduct procedures. Day five also covers proposals on face coverings while cycling, powers to stop keyless and electric vehicles, and notification requirements for people convicted of child cruelty. A further report stage day is scheduled for 18 March, after which the Bill could return to the Commons if amended.
Lawyers protest Courts and Tribunals Bill proposal to expand judge-only trials in England and Wales
Operation Black Vote chair warns Labour could alienate Black voters over jury trial curbs and slow equality action
England to introduce first V Levels in education, finance and digital from 2027
Lammy condemns leak from closed UK National Security Council meeting on US strikes on Iran
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood rejects Trump sharia law claims and unveils asylum and immigration reforms
NHS
MORE →Medical royal colleges chair warns anti-migrant rhetoric is deterring overseas NHS staff
Jeanette Dickson, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said anti-migrant rhetoric and reported racist abuse are discouraging overseas doctors and nurses from working in the NHS. She cited regulator workforce data indicating fewer overseas staff are arriving and more are leaving, and said the service relies heavily on internationally qualified clinicians. The Department of Health and Social Care said it will support overseas staff and that the NHS has zero tolerance for racism.
Resident doctors in England begin five-day strike as NHS warns of delays during flu surge
England resident doctors reject government offer, confirming five-day NHS strike from 17–22 December
Streeting warns of patient harm risk as resident doctors plan five-day strike from 17–22 December in England
Streeting offers non-pay package to resident doctors ahead of planned 17–22 December strike as NHS flu admissions hit early-December record
Streeting Doubles Specialist Training Posts in Bid to Halt Resident Doctor Strike
Elections
MORE →Modelling warns Labour could be left controlling as few as two London councils at May borough elections
New campaigning data and modelling, reported by GB News, suggest Labour could be left controlling as few as two of London’s 32 borough councils after the 7 May elections. Tony Travers of the LSE said the capital could be heading for a “political earthquake,” with the Greens targeting inner-London seats and Reform UK seeking gains in outer boroughs. The article also cites Labour’s third-place finish in February’s Gorton and Denton by-election.
YouGov poll puts Greens second on 21% ahead of Labour as Reform leads on 23%
Labour plans to repeal ministers’ power to direct Electoral Commission strategy
Omnisis poll puts Greens ahead of Labour in Gorton and Denton days before by-election
Government drops plan to postpone 30 English local elections after Reform UK legal challenge
Farage unveils Reform UK “top team”, naming Robert Jenrick as Treasury spokesperson
Middle East
MORE →UK charters second Dubai flight to help Britons return from UAE after Gulf travel disruption
The UK Government chartered a second commercial flight from the UAE on Tuesday after attacks across the Gulf disrupted air travel. The FCDO said the service is to help people who could not get seats on commercial routes, particularly vulnerable passengers, and that the flight is chargeable with document requirements. Officials estimate more than 45,000 British nationals have left the region since 1 March.
US Missile Strike Hits School in Khomeyn, Damages Homes Nearby, Iranian Media Reports
Markets cut odds of March Bank of England rate cut after oil jumps and gilt yields rise
Iran state media reports Mojtaba Khamenei selected as new supreme leader
Blair says UK should have backed Trump strikes on Iran as Starmer rejects offensive role
Trump calls for Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ as US–Israel strikes enter seventh day
Fact Checking News
MORE →Fact Check: “Drill the North Sea” won’t cut UK energy bills anytime soon
Claim: Reform UK, senior Conservatives and Donald Trump say the UK should “drill” the North Sea to bring down energy prices and boost security. Reality: UK oil and gas prices are largely set on international markets, so extra UK extraction would only marginally affect what households pay—especially in the near term. New exploration takes years (often decades) to turn into production, so it won’t change the next price-cap periods.
