Row erupts over Tory plan to stop Soho pub goers standing up Hospitality London Mayor Sadiq Khan has slammed a plan backed by a Tory council to stop pub goers in Soho from drinking while standing up. Westminster Council, the now-Conservative-run local authority that covers London’s most popular drinking spots, has set out its ambition to radically limit “vertical drinking” or ordering drinks at the bar under a [...]
‘Businesses are not cash machines’ – Badenoch calls on Burnham to rule out tax rises Politics Kemi Badenoch has called on Andy Burnham to rule out tax rises as the new Prime Minister has made a series of small unfunded promises. The Tory leader said Burnham seemed “like a nice guy” and had a “sense of humour” yet she ridiculed the Prime Minister’s early flurry of policies. In her speech overlooking [...]
Starmer dodges questions on funding for defence spending Politics Sir Keir Starmer dodged several questions over funding for an uplift in defence spending as he appeared to suggest that the full defence investment plan will take weeks to be published. Starmer refused to confirm the publication date for a 10-year blueprint on defence spending as he stuck to a commitment that it would be [...]
Government aid ‘worth £28bn’ handed to terrorists, criminals and hostile states June 9, 2026 Billions of pounds of UK taxpayers’ money has been misspent as government aid and Covid relief funds ended up in the hands of terrorists, hostile states and criminal gangs, according to reports. A Cabinet Office dossier, unearthed by the Telegraph, found that more than £28bn ended up in the hands of the Islamic State and [...]
Conservatives have the right diagnosis, but can they cure Britain’s ailments? May 20, 2026 Mel Stride has set out his vision for the economic future of the UK, Matthew Bowles gives his analysis Westminster has spent much of the past week discussing the emergence of a supposed “Burnham premium” on British borrowing costs – the suggestion being that the mere prospect of Andy Burnham returning to national politics could [...]
London local elections 2026: Who will win in Waltham Forest? May 6, 2026 After wrestling over Waltham Forest since the borough was created, Labour and the Conservatives now face a new threat from the Greens. The Conservatives and Labour have played pass the parcel with Waltham Forest since its inception in 1965. Control of the borough has switched as much as eight times since its formation in 1965, [...]
London local elections 2026: Conservatives HOLD Kensington and Chelsea May 6, 2026 Kensington and Chelsea has been held by the Conservatives. The Tories comfortably retained the affluent borough, holding their seat count at 36. The Labour Party saw its seat count nearly halved, to seven, as the Lib Dems remained on two seats. The Green Party took one seat and one independent candidate was elected. Kensington stays Tory Kensington [...]
Local elections 2026: who will win in Hounslow Council? May 6, 2026 Labour is favourite to hold Hounslow Council in May 2026 – but only just. Reform UK is contesting all 62 seats, the Greens are targeting Chiswick, and independents are standing across the borough, as Band D council tax hits £2,185. With turnout typically low, even small shifts in vote share could reshape individual wards. Hounslow [...]
Local elections 2026: who will win in Hillingdon Council? May 6, 2026 CLICK HERE to view all the latest London election results The Conservatives have run Hillingdon since 2006 but their majority is slipping. Reform is targeting the Leave-voting area hard, a 4.99 per cent council tax rise is biting, and a £65m Heathrow-linked funding gap is straining local services. No overall control seems to be a [...]
Local elections 2026: Reform take control of Havering council amid wins across UK May 6, 2026 Reform UK have gained the London borough of Havering from no overall control. This is a notable result for Nigel Farage’s party, and the first prize from their strategy of targeting suburban areas on London’s outskirts. Other target areas include Barking, Bromley and Bexley – and it remains to be seen whether this win can be replicated [...]