Political news

• Oxfam: Deputy resigns over how sex claims were handled

  12-02-2018 23:42 via bbc.co.uk
  The UK charity's deputy CEO quits over how it handled sex claims, and a statutory inquiry is opened.
  
  Read more

• 'Trauma' Episode 1 Review: The 8 Burning Questions We Have As ITV's Latest Thriller Begins

  12-02-2018 23:02
  We’d only had 23 hours to recover from the ‘McMafia’ finale when ITV’s latest thriller ‘Trauma’ kicked off on Monday (12 February) night. Penned by the writer of ‘Doctor Foster’, ‘Trauma’ introduced us to two fathers, Dan Bowker and Jon Allerton, whose lives collided when Dan’s 15 year-old son Alex was stabbed and died in the trauma department, attended by consultant Jon. While Jon is used to dealing with death and
  
  Read more

• Theresa May urges 'one final push' on Stormont talks

  12-02-2018 22:04 via bbc.co.uk
  The UK and Irish prime ministers suggest a deal at Stormont has inched closer.
  
  Read more

• EU endgame is political unity not free trade, argues Boris Johnson

  12-02-2018 21:07
  Foreign secretary tries to reach out to remainers with liberal vision of life after BrexitThe founding fathers of the European Union did not create the common market to tear down barriers to trade but to pursue a political project, Boris Johnson will argue this week, in a speech setting out what he claims is a liberal vision for Brexit. The foreign secretary will call on remain and leave voters to unite, insisting that Britain can take advantage of the referendum vote for economic gain but only
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• May fails to reach deal to restore Northern Ireland power-sharing

  12-02-2018 21:03
  Parties urged to make ‘final push’ as DUP and Sinn Féin remain at odds over Irish language actTheresa May has left Northern Ireland without a deal that would have seen the restoration of power-sharing government in the region.The prime minister and the Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, had travelled to Belfast on Monday hoping that the main parties represented in the Stormont assembly would reach a compromise ending 13 months of political deadlock. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• UKIP chair to step down after leadership vote

  12-02-2018 20:46 via bbc.co.uk
  Paul Oakden is to step down after overseeing the vote on the future of leader Henry Bolton.
  
  Read more

• Nigel Farage: 'Brexit Betrayal' Will Plunge UK Into Chaos Says Man Who Helped Plunge UK Into Chaos

  12-02-2018 20:43
  The man who helped spark one of the most politically chaotic and disruptive periods in modern British history has said a “betrayal” of what he set in motion could “see this country plunged into a constitutional crisis”.Nigel Farage has warned leaving the EU was now in danger of being stopped by the Establishment. He said “Theresa the appeaser” is giving in to the EU on almost every part of the Brexit negotiation and Britain was being humiliated by the EU.
  
  Read more

• Jeremy Hunt ‘Hell Bent’ On Nursing Cuts, RCN Claims As Labour Vows To Restore Student Bursary

  12-02-2018 20:41
  Jeremy Hunt is facing a Parliamentary vote to stop the scrapping of nurses’ bursaries after the Government’s own research revealed the move is likely to deter ethnic minorities, women and mature students from working in the NHS.The Health Secretary has been accused by the Royal College of Nursing of being “hell bent” on reducing access to the profession after his department said postgraduate nurses will be forced to pay tuition fees for the first time.The controversial ch
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Brexit: Varadkar and May to work on plan for frictionless Irish border

  12-02-2018 20:31
  Leaders of Ireland and UK seek deal that does not need Northern Ireland to be in single marketTheresa May and Leo Varadkar are to work together to come up with a new plan on how to achieve a frictionless Irish border after Brexit that does not involve the EU demanding Northern Ireland stays in the customs union and single market.
  But speaking to reporters after bilateral talks in Belfast, the taoiseach admitted that achieving this was the “tricky bit” in Brexit talks.Continue reading
  
  Read more

• Northern Ireland executive deal hoped for this week

  12-02-2018 20:00 via ft.com
  Visit to Belfast by Theresa May and Leo Varadkar fails to break deadlock
  
  Read more

• Donald Trump Jr's Wife Hospitalised After Opening Envelope Containing White Powder

  12-02-2018 19:48
  Vanessa Trump, the wife of Donald Trump Jr, and two other people were taken to a New York hospital on Monday after she opened a piece of mail containing an unidentified white powder that was later determined to be non-hazardous, officials said.“The substance had arrived by mail and it was addressed to Donald Trump Jr,” said New York Police Department spokesman Carlos Nieves.Vanessa Trump, the daughter-in-law of US President Donald Trump, was hospitalised after she complained of nause
  
  Read more

• Barack And Michelle Obama's Official Portraits Are Unveiled

  12-02-2018 19:39
  Former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama’s official portraits were unveiled on Monday at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC.Michelle Obama’s portrait, painted by Amy Sherald, was unveiled first:Then came the former president’s portrait, painted by Kehinde Wiley:Each of the Obamas spoke during Monday’s event.The former first lady spoke of her late father, who she says “sacrificed everything to give me and my brother the opportunities he
  
  Read more

• Oxfam’s deputy chief resigns over sex scandal

  12-02-2018 19:31 via ft.com
  Penny Lawrence ‘takes full responsibility’ as concern grows over handling of issue
  
  Read more

• Oxfam Scandal: Charity Commission Launches Statutory Inquiry Into Oxfam Over 'Cover-Up' Concerns

  12-02-2018 19:21
  The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into Oxfam amid concerns it might not have “fully and frankly disclosed” all details about the allegations in Haiti in 2011.The watchdog’s announcement came on a day when pressure mounted on the under-fire charity after its deputy chief executive resigned and ministers announced they had to set up a new unit to review safety across all parts of the aid sector in response to the scandal.In a statement on its websi
  
  Read more

• Oxfam Faces Inquiry Over Haiti Claims As Whistleblower Alleges Abuse In UK Shops

  12-02-2018 19:21
  The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into Oxfam over revelations its staff used prostitutes while working in Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake at the same time as the charity faced allegations of abuse taking place in its UK shops.On a day of mounting pressure on the under-fire charity, the charity regulator announced Oxfam might not have “fully and frankly disclosed” all details about the allegations in Haiti in 2011 that have triggered the rec
  
  Read more

• Brexiters owe us clarity on the sovereignty dividend

  12-02-2018 19:00 via ft.com
  Leavers know that voters do not want a much less regulated, much more open economy
  
  Read more

• Melrose urged to ask pensions regulator to examine bid

  12-02-2018 18:52 via ft.com
  Minister’s intervention reflects political concern about affect of approach on GKN
  
  Read more

• The Queen Backs Plans To Reduce The Use Of Plastics At Royal Residences

  12-02-2018 18:34
  The Queen has given her royal approval to plans to reduce the use of plastics in the kitchens and cafes of royal estates including Buckingham Palace.The changes include the phasing-out of plastic straws in public cafes at royal residences. They will be banned in staff dining rooms and takeaway containers for staff will be biodegradable or compostable.In addition, disposable plates and cutlery will be replaced with reusable alternatives across public cafes in Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holy
  
  Read more

• 6 Brexit Questions The Government Still Needs To Answer

  12-02-2018 18:22
  Boris Johnson is set to make a major speech on Brexit this week in an attempt to reshape the tone of the UK’s departure from the European Union.It is believed he is the first of several Cabinet ministers to give speeches on Brexit in the next few weeks, ahead of a Government ‘away day’ on the issue.While sweeping statements promoting the bright future which awaits the UK outside the EU have their uses, it would perhaps be better if the Government started filling in some of the
  
  Read more

• Human Rights Must Be At The Heart Of UK Trade Policy

  12-02-2018 17:42
  Last week, Prime Minister Theresa May left behind her warring Cabinet to travel to China on her mission to establish ‘Global Britain’ as the Brexit negotiations trudge on. Accompanied by International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and the largest-ever UK trade delegation, the Prime Minister was looking to reignite the so-called ‘golden-era’ of UK-China relations that the two countries experienced when David Cameron and George Osborne were at the helm in Downing Street.A renewe
  
  Read more

• How To Write The Perfect Love Letter

  12-02-2018 17:41
  With the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Carey Mulligan, Sally Hawkins, Colin Firth and Juliet Stevenson performing live renditions of letters past to packed-out venues, the letter is in rude health among both A-list actors and the public consciousness. Many of their readings are love letters, including correspondence between Napoleon and Josephine, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, and a heartrending exchange between a mother and JK Rowling.Alas, the inspiration from these famous letters only
  
  Read more

• 'The Hunted Experience' Is Coming To London: Here's How You Can Take Part

  12-02-2018 17:23
  Ever watch ‘Hunted’ and feel convinced you could win the show? But can’t apply to compete because, y’know, it’d mean having to spend an entire month on the run?If - like us - this is something you grapple with a lot, we’ve got some news to brighten up your day.The makers of the Channel 4 show have announced plans for a live experience in London, inviting fans to take on the Hunters - for a far more feasible time of just 90 minutes.Opening in May, ‘T
  
  Read more

• I Will Never Regret Proposing To My Boyfriend - More Women Should Pop The Question

  12-02-2018 17:22
  It wasn’t exactly classy. Granted, it was at the top of a ski slope on a beautiful sunny day in the Alps, but it was also at the kind of bar where people dance on tables and bottles of champagne arrive via zip wire. But you can’t have everything.One moment I was gazing at the snow, drinking a G&T and telling my mate and some other girl that I was considering proposing one day. Next thing I knew I was standing on a giant beanbag, my heart hammering so hard I suspected an imminent
  
  Read more

• Police investigate death threats against Brexit supporters

  12-02-2018 17:14
  Andrea Leadsom among those sent letters by someone calling themselves ‘the real 48%’Prominent Brexit supporters including the Conservative leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, have been sent death threats by an anonymous source who signed off as “the real 48%”.Four letters that appear to have been sent by a remain supporter were reported to police on Monday. Six leave donors received correspondence last week.Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Say What? Nine Times Brexiteers Left Remainers Scratching Their Heads

  12-02-2018 17:13
  Unless you’ve been asleep for the last 18 months, you’ll know all too well that Brexit is the only show in politics town. Debate was raging long before voters went to the polls on June 23, 2016 and has continued full throttle ever since.  The issues on the table are ones of grave importance for the UK’s future - its trading relationships with the rest of Europe, and the government’s ability to cope with the mammoth changes that lay ahead.But the pressu
  
  Read more

• Going Bald: How To Fade Gracefully, According To Celebrity Hair Stylist SliderCuts

  12-02-2018 17:06
  When your hairline starts receding or thinning it can feel as though you no longer have control over the type of style you can rock and your options at the hairdressers are limited.But there are ways to work with your changing hairline that will earn you compliments, as Prince William showed when he sported a short crop that complimented his thinning hair.Ok, so not everyone is privy to the adoration that is associated with being born royal, but there are options for anyone dealing wit
  
  Read more

• Almost 700,000 Young People Are Expected To Ditch Facebook This Year

  12-02-2018 16:36
  If you feel like you are seeing more of your parents and their friends on your Facebook news feed of late, then you are probably right. This is after an industry forecast found Mark Zuckerberg’s social network is being ditched by teens and young adults and is growing in popularity for the over 55’s instead.In fact, the research by eMarketer estimates that Facebook will lose 2 million users under 25 in 2018. And less than 50% of internet users in the USA, aged 12 to 17 years old, will
  
  Read more

• No shared leave for shared leave minister

  12-02-2018 16:09 via bbc.co.uk
  Andrew Griffiths wants more dads to use the scheme - but says he is not allowed to himself.
  
  Read more

• Oxfam Deputy Chief Executive Penny Lawrence Resigns Over Haiti Scandal

  12-02-2018 15:39
  Oxfam’s deputy chief executive has resigned over the scandal of its workers using prostitutes in Haiti.Penny Lawrence, who was the charity’s international programmes director when the alleged sexual abuse happened, stood down on Monday, saying: “I am ashamed that this happened on my watch and I take full responsibility.”She is the first resignation from the charity after days of bad headlines about its staff using prostitutes, some of whom may have been underage, while wo
  
  Read more

• Snapchat's Snap Map Is Now Viewable By Anyone On The Web

  12-02-2018 15:38
  Snapchat’s Snap Map can now be viewed by anyone through a web browser.The company today announced that it would be making the feature available online, regardless of whether you have a Snapchat account or not.Unlike the app version of Snap Map which shows snaps and the locations of your friends, the web version only shows snaps that have been designated as publicly viewable.Interestingly, Snapchat sees this not just as a means of exploring cities but also as a news source.By using the heat
  
  Read more

• Rethinking Paternity Leave – Why The Case Grows Stronger By The Week

  12-02-2018 15:35
  A recent study by Warwick University and the Ifo institute in Munich has, for the first time, shown a direct link between longer parental leave and long term educational results.What was particularly startling about the results is that the parents’ own educational background was a core factor in the cognitive development of their babies, and longer term exam results – particularly for boys.While we’ve known about the maternal benefits to parental leave for many a decade, this s
  
  Read more

• NHS urges easing UK visa rules for non-EU medical recruits

  12-02-2018 15:17 via ft.com
  Employers join campaign after applications from Europe dry up following Brexit vote
  
  Read more

• Paraffin-Based Skin Creams Pose Fire Risk, So Should You Ditch Them?

  12-02-2018 14:57
  Creams used to treat skin conditions like eczema pose a major fire risk and may have contributed to hundreds of deaths, the fire service has warned.Chris Bell from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the creams soak into fabrics including bedding and clothing, which can easily ignite if they come into contact with naked flames, cigarettes or any other heat source. “Hundreds of thousands of people use them, we’re not sure how many fire deaths might have occurred but it co
  
  Read more

• Tory Cabinet Minister Andrea Leadsom Reveals 'Despicable' Death Threat

  12-02-2018 14:27
  Conservative Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom has recieved a death threat signed “the real 48 per cent”.The leading Brexiteer tweeted a photo of the threat addressed to her House of Commons office on Monday morning.The letter said: “If you attempt to take away part of someone’s identity, there are consequences.“We have watched as you have led us to the edge of the abyss. We will watch no longer. You have taken lives on our side. Now we will take lives on yours.I
  
  Read more

• The Dos and Don'ts Of Public Marriage Proposals After Idris Elba Popped The Question On Stage

  12-02-2018 14:24
  Actor Idris Elba proposed to his girlfriend, Sabrina Dhowr, on stage at a screening of his new film ‘Yardie’. While some on social media swooned at his very public declaration of love, hearing those four magic words in front of a crowd is not everyone’s cup of tea.One HuffPost UK reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, broke up with his boyfriend shortly after he proposed at a work Christmas party. “I was 19, in California, and it was my first Christmas awa
  
  Read more

• Ian Blackford rules out running for SNP deputy leader

  12-02-2018 14:19 via bbc.co.uk
  The SNP's Westminster leader says he will not join the contest to succeed Angus Robertson.
  
  Read more

• The NHS Desperately Needs To Solve Its Technology Issues

  12-02-2018 14:10
  There has been a fair amount of press coverage of the NHS and its problems recently. The national treasure, so precious to us all is in trouble. Horror stories of long waits in corridors abound, overstretched GPs leave the service, unable to take the pressure, data leaks and hospitals report being near breaking point, while surgeons, even when they have the time and the operating theatres, end up being frustrated by the fact that operations are cancelled because there are no beds to send patient
  
  Read more

• Minister for Shared Parental Leave...Can't Take Shared Parental Leave

  12-02-2018 14:08
  "How can you say that without laughing?!"@EmmaBarnett finds out that the Minister for Small Business, @AndrewGriffiths, who is being interviewed to promote shared parental leave - can't take shared parental leave himself, because he's a minister.#EmmaBarnettShowpic.twitter.com/MGaZb1cZ7O— BBC Radio 5 live (@bbc5live) February 12, 2018The Minister responsible for Shared Parental Leave has revealed he is not allowed to take Shared Parental Leave.In an interview with the BBC’s Emma Barn
  
  Read more

• Oxfam Workers 'Could Face UK Prosecution' Over Alleged Use Of Underage Prostitutes In Haiti

  12-02-2018 13:59
  Oxfam charity workers who allegedly used underage prostitutes in Haiti could be prosecuted in the UK, a former UN worker has said.Andrew MacLeod warned “predatory paedophiles” used charities to travel to the developing world and gain access to children, and added “people need to go to jail” for authorities to tackle the issue.After it was revealed Oxfam workers had used prostitutes in Haiti after the devastating earthquake there, some of whom may have been underage, MacLe
  
  Read more

• Liam Colgan Missing: Scottish Man Disappears On Hamburg Stag Do

  12-02-2018 13:45
  Concern is growing for a Scottish man who went missing in Hamburg during his brother’s stag do.Liam Colgan was last seen in the early hours of Saturday morning in the German city.He had organised the trip for around 18 people ahead of his brother’s wedding in March.The 29-year-old has not been seen since 1.30am on Saturday in the Hamborger Veermaster bar in the Reeperbahn area.Police became involved in the search when he failed to show up for activities on the Saturday afternoon.Alan
  
  Read more

• 'Peter Rabbit' Film Criticised For Showing 'Food Allergy Bullying'

  12-02-2018 13:43
  The new ‘Peter Rabbit’ movie has faced criticism from allergy suffers over a scene in which characters deliberately pelt an allergic man with blackberries. American allergy organisation Kids With Food Allergies Foundation, who saw the scene ahead of the film’s cinematic release, made others aware of what happened on Facebook on 10 February, writing: “The new movie, Peter Rabbit, has a scene that may be disturbing to young viewers who have a food allergy.&ld
  
  Read more

• Six speeches to set out Brexit vision

  12-02-2018 13:33 via ft.com
  Choice of speakers suggestive of the profound tensions in Theresa May’s cabinet 
  
  Read more

• Schizophrenia Patients Calmed Using Pioneering Video Game Technique

  12-02-2018 13:29
  Schizophrenia patients could soon be trained to control their verbal hallucinations using an MRI scanner and a video game.The pilot study by scientists at King’s College London and the University of Roehampton found that they were able to help patients teach themselves a mental strategy that could ease their symptoms.Around 70% of people with schizophrenia hear voices, which can cause enormous levels of distress and disruption to their daily lives. What’s worse is that 30% of those p
  
  Read more

• Police Can Identify You In Seconds Using Handheld Fingerprint Scanner

  12-02-2018 13:11
  West Yorkshire Police are to trial a new technology that allows police officers to identify a person in seconds using a mobile fingerprint scanner.In the past identifying a suspect would require a trip to the nearest police station, wasting precious time. Now by using the mobile fingerprint scanner combined with a new app, police officers will have access to the UK’s two main fingerprint databases.As an early example of how the technology is already being used West Yorkshire Police cited a
  
  Read more

• Alan Partridge Returns To The BBC For New Series

  12-02-2018 13:08
  A-ha! Alan Partridge is returning to the BBC for a brand new show. Steve Coogan is reprising his role as the spoof broadcaster in a six-part series called ‘This Time With Alan Partridge’.The show will see Alan handed a career lifeline - the chance to stand in (temporarily) as co-host on the fictional evening weekday magazine show, ‘This Time’.It will mark the character’s first return to live TV since his 90s chat show ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’
  
  Read more

• Your questions

  12-02-2018 13:07 via bbc.co.uk
  We answer your questions on plans to raise council tax across much of England.
  
  Read more

• Welsh Assembly expansion plans put to public consultation

  12-02-2018 13:05 via bbc.co.uk
  An expert panel says the Senedd needs up to 30 extra members to cope with a growing workload.
  
  Read more

• Victoria Beckham's Last New York Fashion Week Show Ended With A Touching Family Moment

  12-02-2018 13:05
  Victoria Beckham shared hugs with her family during her swan song catwalk show at New York Fashion Week.Her husband David Beckham and their three youngest children Romeo, Cruz and Harper sat in the FROW next to Anna Wintour. They offered their support as the show, on Sunday 11 February, proved an emotional one for Beckham who went off catwalk to embrace her family. The 43-year-old mother-of-four, who entered the fashion world as the underdog, has been showing her collections
  
  Read more

• 'Fifty Shades Freed' Reviews: 10 Most Savage Lines From Critics' Responses To The Final Film In The Trilogy

  12-02-2018 12:58
  It just wouldn’t be February without a deluge of scathing reviews aimed at the ‘Fifty Shades’ franchise, would it?Over the weekend, ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ debuted in cinemas, and true to form, the critics were not exactly full of praise as the BDSM-themed romance trilogy (which, this time around, boasted a wedding, a kidnapping, a controversial pregnancy and a completely unnecessary haircut scene) reached its *ahem* climax.Perhaps tellingly, UK journalists weren&rsquo
  
  Read more

• Ukip Leader Henry Bolton Will Cut Power Of Party Chairman Under Make-Or-Break Reforms

  12-02-2018 12:25
  Under-fire Ukip leader Henry Bolton is set to release his blueprint for party reform at noon in a last-ditch attempt to save his political career.Bolton, who was handed a vote of no confidence by Ukip’s ruling committee last month, will put out his proposed changes to how the party is run in a bid to win the support of rank and file members.Bolton’s future is set to be decided at a crunch meeting in Saturday, where members will decide whether to back him as leader and adopt the new c
  
  Read more

Follow @political_UKnws on Twitter!