Political news

• 8 Labour MPs Who've Quit Parliament After General Election Was Called

  19-04-2017 22:47
  
  Eight Labour Party MPs have announced they will not stand for re-election less than 48 hours after Theresa May signalled she was calling a vote.
  And the exodus Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is facing is likely to get worse amid fears his party will face a hammering when the country goes the polls on June 8, since the party trails in some polls by 20%.
  Gisela Stuart, a prominent Brexiteer during the EU referendum campaign, is the latest well-known figure to stand down, joining ex-Home Secretary Ala
  
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• Brussels starts to freeze Britain out of EU contracts

  19-04-2017 22:30
  Commission memo tells staff to prepare to ‘disconnect’ UK
  
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• SNP 'alliance' rejected by Corbyn

  19-04-2017 22:28 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Labour leader rules out a post-election deal in the event of a hung parliament.
  
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• Paul Ryan Praises 'Bold Leadership' Of Theresa May And Proposes US-UK Free Trade Deal

  19-04-2017 21:50
  
  Paul Ryan, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, has praised Theresa May’s “bold leadership” ahead of the snap general election.
  The senior Republican congressman told with an audience in central-London on Wednesday evening that he would work to strike a free trade deal between the UK and US following Brexit.
  He was speaking shortly after MPs voted to give the May the authority to bring forward the scheduled 2020 election to this year.
  “We just had a pretty int
  
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• Paul Ryan Praises 'Bold Leadership' Of Theresa May Ahead Of General Election

  19-04-2017 21:50
  
  Paul Ryan, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, has praised Theresa May’s “bold leadership” ahead of the snap general election.
  The senior Republican congressman told with an audience in central-London on Wednesday evening that he would work to strike a free trade deal between the UK and US following Brexit.
  He was speaking shortly after MPs voted to give the May the authority to bring forward the scheduled 2020 election to this year.
  “We just had a pretty int
  
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• General election campaigning begins as MPs back June poll

  19-04-2017 21:30 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Party leaders begin touring the country after MPs back Theresa May's call for a snap poll on 8 June.
  
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• Osborne quits as MP — but Cable and Clarke fight on

  19-04-2017 20:14
  Former chancellor leaves Westminster ‘for now’ to focus on role at Evening Standard
  
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• Kay Burley Rows With Tory MP Dominic Raab Over 'Skewed' TV Debates

  19-04-2017 20:03
  
  Just over an hour after MPs voted for a June general election, the first media dust-up of the campaign was delivered.
  While the UK faces major challenges ranging from Brexit and economic inequality, to a housing shortage and the deficit, the row centred on the issue most exercising broadcast media: whether there will be TV debates.
  So far, Theresa May has ruled out a live face-to-face with Jeremy Corbyn and other party leaders, though the BBC and ITV have signalled they will go ahead with debate
  
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• Bill Gates defends Britain’s foreign aid spending

  19-04-2017 19:48
  Microsoft founder urges Theresa May not to cut aid budget in manifesto
  
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• Manchester Gorton by-election cancelled because of general election

  19-04-2017 19:39 via bbc.co.uk
  
  By-election scheduled for 4 May is cancelled - the seat will be contested in general election on 8 June.
  
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• General election 2017: MPs vote in favour of 8 June poll by margin of 509 – as it happened

  19-04-2017 19:39 via theguardian.com
  
  Live coverage as vote confirms election will go ahead and former chancellor George Osborne says he will not standGeorge Osborne will stand down as an MP ‘for now’Election will give UK ‘strongest hand’ in Brexit talks, says MayMore Labour MPs stand down amid anxiety over seat lossesTV debates: May accused of running scaredAfternoon summary 6.34pm BSTThere’s a very clear choice at this election. It is a choice between strong and stable leadership under the Conservativ
  
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• Business needs the snap election to improve Brexit

  19-04-2017 19:32
  The campaign offers a chance to clarify terms and strike a deal
  
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• The mother of all U-turns? A snap election special - podcast

  19-04-2017 18:57 via theguardian.com
  
  Anushka Asthana is joined by an expert panel to discuss the prime minister Theresa May’s historic decision to call a snap electionSubscribe and review: iTunes, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast & Stitcher and join the discussion on Facebook and TwitterIt surely is the mother of all U-turns as the prime minister, Theresa May, announces she will go to the polls after all. The Guardian’s political editor Anushka Asthana is joined by the Observer’s chief leader writer, Son
  
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• Gina Miller to launch tactical voting initiative against hard Brexit

  19-04-2017 18:39 via theguardian.com
  
  Campaigner whose legal challenge forced No 10 to seek parliamentary approval for article 50 sets out Best For Britain planGina Miller, the pro-EU campaigner behind a successful court challenge over article 50, is planning to launch a tactical voting initiative to support election candidates opposed to hard Brexit.In a possible sign of appetite among progressives to put party affiliation aside on 8 June, a crowdfunding page set up immediately after Theresa May called the snap election quickly exc
  
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• May manifesto to consign Cameron to her out-tray

  19-04-2017 18:22
  Prime minister keen to make a break with past as she shapes agenda
  
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• Key issues for the Conservative election manifesto

  19-04-2017 18:22
  Theresa May is keen to make a break from the past as she shapes UK agenda
  
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• Theresa May says no to general election TV debates

  19-04-2017 18:13 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Opposition parties criticise the prime minister's stance as ITV says it will broadcast a debate.
  
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• Snap election vote: MPs' debate

  19-04-2017 17:58 via bbc.co.uk
  
  MPs debated the motion to call a general election before casting their votes.
  
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• George Osborne to quit as MP for Tatton at election

  19-04-2017 17:57 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The ex-chancellor says he is leaving Parliament "for now" as he becomes the Evening Standard editor.
  
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• Jeremy Corbyn Rules Out 'Progressive Alliance' With Greens, SNP Or Lib Dems

  19-04-2017 17:52
  
  Jeremy Corbyn has firmly ruled out any “progressive alliance” or Westminster coalition with the SNP, Greens or Liberal Democrats in the 2017 general election.
  The Labour leader told his party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) on Wednesday that he would not support joint working with rival parties, HuffPost UK has learned.
  His remarks, in response to a question from Scottish Labour Party leader Kezia Dugdale, came as SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
  
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• George Osborne on quitting as an MP

  19-04-2017 17:34 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Former chancellor tells John Pienaar about quitting Parliament to edit the London Evening Standard.
  
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• May’s Scotland stance will ‘crumble’ if SNP wins, Sturgeon says

  19-04-2017 17:05
  Scottish first minister talks up prospects of a second independence referendum
  
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• BBC And ITV To Defy Theresa May And Hold General Election 2017 TV Debates Anyway

  19-04-2017 17:05
  
  Two of Britain’s biggest broadcasters are set to defy Theresa May’s threat to boycott TV election debates - by going ahead with them anyway. 
  ITV confirmed it would hold a televised leaders debate, as it did at the last two general elections, while the BBC said it would refuse to let the government stop it producing a programme in the public interest. 
  May had ruled out appearing in TV debates popularised by her predecessor, David Cameron, after announcing a snap election
  
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• These 13 MPs Voted Against Holding A Snap General Election On June 8

  19-04-2017 16:12
  
  MPs this afternoon voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing Theresa May to hold a snap general election on June 8.
  While 522 MPs decided to allow the prime minister to go to the country - 13 voted against.
  Ronnie Campbell (Lab, Blythe Vally)
  Dennis Skinner (Lab, Bolsover)
  Ann Clwyd (Lab, Cynon Valley)
  Paul Farrelly (Lab, Newcastle-under-Lyme)
  Jim Fitzpatrick (Lab, Poplar and Limehouse)
  Lady Hermon (Independent, North Down)
  Clive Lewis (Lab, Norwich South)
  Fiona Mactaggart (Lab, Slough)
  Liz McI
  
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• Theresa May wins backing for snap UK election

  19-04-2017 16:03
  Prime minister says poll victory would strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations
  
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• George Osborne to quit as MP

  19-04-2017 16:01
  Former chancellor leaves Westminster ‘for now’ to focus on role at Evening Standard
  
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• MPs Overwhelmingly Vote For Snap General Election 2017 On June 8

  19-04-2017 15:47
  
  A general election will take place on June 8, after MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of giving Theresa May the authority to call a snap poll.
  The prime minister shocked Westminster on Tuesday with the surprise announcement that she would seek an early election.
  Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act passed by the coalition government, May had to win the backing two thirds of MPs to bring the date of the 2020 election forward to this year.
  The vote in parliament this afternoon was passed by 522 t
  
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• Can 'expenses' MPs stand as candidates?

  19-04-2017 15:38 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Dennis Skinner ask for a guarantee no Conservative MPs being investigated over 2015 election expenses can stand in 2017.
  
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• Gina Miller Launches Crowd Funding Campaign To Tour Britain Opposing 'Extreme Brexit'

  19-04-2017 15:27
  
  The woman who forced the Government to let parliament vote on triggering Article 50 is now crowdfunding a campaign to tour the country during the election to prevent “extreme Brexit”. 
  Gina Miller, who suffered a wave of racist and sexist abuse for her legal battle that went to the Supreme Court, has already raised thousands for what she claims will be “the country’s biggest tactical voting drive ever” on a Go Fund Me page called “What’s b
  
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• Labour Shadow Minister Refuses To Answer THREE Times If Corbyn Will Feature On His Campaign Leaflet

  19-04-2017 15:17
  
  A shadow minister today refused three times to say whether Jeremy Corbyn would appear on his election leaflets. 
  John Healey, who heads Labour’s housing brief, dodged the questions in a BBC interview, insisting instead: “I’ll do my election literature in the way I’ve done it before.”
  Healey said he “could see” Labour and Jeremy Corbyn heading for victory in the snap general election called by Theresa May on June 8.
  But quizzed by Daily Politics pres
  
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• Yvette Cooper Launches Blistering PMQs Attack On Theresa May For Snap General Election 'Mistruths'

  19-04-2017 15:00
  
  Yvette Cooper fiercely attacked Theresa May during Prime Minister’s Questions, fuelling speculation she seek to replace Jeremy Corbyn if Labour loses the snap election.
  Cooper accused the Prime Minister of lying about Parliament “blocking Brexit” and said she “cannot believe a single word [May] says”.Theresa May looking at Yvette Cooper after she said that you can't believe a word the Prime Minister says. If looks could kill... #PMQs pic.twitter.com/WDcze07flC&
  
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• Tory MP faces battle with own local party over decision to stand in June election

  19-04-2017 14:51
  
  Conservative MP comes under renewed pressure over football club loan
  
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• PMQs: Corbyn and May on debt levels and economic records

  19-04-2017 14:48 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Theresa May responds to claims about debt levels under her party by saying Labour would have to borrow £500bn.
  
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• Brexit questions for UK ports

  19-04-2017 14:41
  There could be potential problems for goods that travel via the EU
  
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• George Osborne Quits Parliament 'For Now' As He Takes Over As Evening Standard Editor

  19-04-2017 13:37
  
  George Osborne has announced he is quitting as an MP “for now” and will not seek re-election to parliament at the snap general election called by Theresa May for June 8.
  In a letter to his local Conservative Party in his Tatton constituency, the former Tory chancellor said he would now focus on editing the Evening Standard.
  But he left open the possibility he would seek to return to the Commons at some point in the future.
  According to the newspaper he now edits, Osborne said: 
  
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• Labour And Liberal Democrats Urged To Unite In 'Progressive Alliance' At General Election

  19-04-2017 13:33
  
  Jeremy Corbyn and Tim Farron are being urged to join forces and unite to block a landslide election win for the Conservatives. 
  Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wants to form a “progressive alliance” to lock Theresa May out of Downing street. 
  Speaking outside Westminster 24 hours after a general election was announced, Sturgeon said: “If the Parliamentary arithmetic lends itself to the SNP being part of a progressive alliance to keep the Tories out
  
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• Foreign press digest

  19-04-2017 12:57 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Newspapers debate whether Theresa May made the right decision in calling a snap election.
  
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• Election 2017: The no-nonsense guide

  19-04-2017 11:35
  
  Here's our no-nonsense guide to the things that really matter during the election campaign, for those unfortunate enough not to have booked a two-month holiday to Timbuktu.
  
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• General Election 2017 Polls That Show Labour Will Lose Are Wrong, Says John McDonnell

  19-04-2017 11:28
  
  John McDonnell has said the polls that show the Conservative Party has a commanding lead over Labour are wrong.
  “I don’t believe the polls. They got them wrong at the last election. They got them wrong in the referendum. They even got them wrong with Trump’s election in America - so I don’t believe the polls,” he told Sky News this morning.
  A YouGov survey for The Times on Monday gave the Conservatives a huge 21 point lead over Labour.
  The survey showed May on 44% w
  
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• May insists election will ‘strengthen’ Brexit talks

  19-04-2017 11:27
  MPs expected to back PM’s call for a snap poll on Wednesday
  
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• The Waugh Zone April 19, 2017

  19-04-2017 11:02
  
  The five things you need to know on Wednesday, April 19…1) SNAP DRAGOONS
  She had to be dragooned into taking it seriously, but once Theresa May made her mind up, a snap election looked like an obvious choice. Only a small inner circle of trusted senior Cabinet ministers were given advance notice, including Philip Hammond, Michael Fallon, David Davis, Amber Rudd and Boris Johnson, as well as the party chairman and chief whip.
  In my WaughZone special last night, I went through the rational
  
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• Don't fall into the trap: Labour MPs should vote against a general election

  19-04-2017 10:30
  
  Labour MPs should defy their leader and stop this election
  
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• General Election 2017: Theresa May Says She Will Not Take Part In TV Election Debates

  19-04-2017 10:18
  
  Theresa May has confirmed she does not want to take part in any televised election debates with Jeremy Corbyn during the campaign.
  The prime minister this morning told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme “we wont be doing the TV debates”.
  “I believe in campaigns where politicians get out and about and meet the voters. It’s what I have always believed in. It’s what I still believe in. I still do it as prime minister who is a constituency MP. I still go out and knock
  
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• Lib Dems rule out coalition with Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour

  19-04-2017 10:16
  Pro-EU party is looking to sweep seats in Remain constituencies
  
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• Lib Dems rule out coalition with Corbyn’s Labour

  19-04-2017 10:16
  Pro-EU party is looking to sweep seats in Remain constituencies
  
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• Election 2017: May's great lie

  19-04-2017 10:16
  
  This isn't about Brexit, it's about May wanting to expand her majority
  
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• Daily Mail's 'Crush The Saboteurs' Front Page Prompts Backlash

  19-04-2017 10:00
  
  Theresa May on Wednesday distanced herself from the tone taken by some newspaper’s in covering her decision to call a snap election, which some have labelled “chilling” and “bitter and twisted”.
  The Daily Mail sent shudders across social media with its front page featuring a close-up of the prime minster with the headline: “Crush the saboteurs”.
  It described May’s decision as a “stunning move” and claimed she was calling the bluff
  
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• Tim Farron Interview On Channel 4 News Sees Lib Dem Leader Branded An 'Absolute Disgrace'

  19-04-2017 09:29
  
  Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has been branded an “absolute disgrace” after again refusing to say if he thinks homosexuality is a “sin”.
  Farron appeared on Channel 4 News on Tuesday and was quizzed by Cathy Newman on whether he continued to hold the beliefs he tried to defend to her in 2015, a day after he was made party leader.
  The latest round of questioning was prompted by Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday announcing plans for a snap general election on June 8
  
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• Labour vows to tax ‘rich’ earning more than £70k

  19-04-2017 09:18
  Shadow chancellor says party would cap top pay and ask companies to pay ‘fair share’
  
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• Five non-Brexit battlegrounds in the 2017 election

  19-04-2017 06:01
  Policy divide wider than ever on economy, education, pensions, Scotland and austerity
  
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