Political news

• Easter Weekend Snow Warning As 'Beast From The East' Could Return For Third Time

  24-03-2018 22:06
  Plummeting temperatures and snow could return to parts of the UK ahead of the Easter weekend, the Met Office has warned.If the “beast from the east” returns for a third time then unsettled conditions are expected to develop later on Monday and into Tuesday.Heavy rain and strong winds could strike the UK this week, forecasters have warned.Laura Paterson, the Met Office’s chief operational meteorologist, said: “The evolution of this system during the middle of next week is
  
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• Labour MPs challenge Corbyn on antisemitism and Brexit

  24-03-2018 22:01
  Explanations demanded over Facebook comment and sacking of Owen SmithJeremy Corbyn faces the most serious revolt by his own MPs since the failed coup of 2016 as senior figures publicly accuse him today of condoning antisemitism, while at the same time purging his inner circle of passionate pro-Europeans.MPs broke cover throughout on Saturday to demand that Corbyn appears before them on Monday evening to explain himself on both issues at the weekly meeting of the parliamentary party. One senior M
  
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• Keir Starmer: ‘We cannot allow Labour to break apart over Brexit’

  24-03-2018 22:00
  The shadow Brexit secretary has a tough mission: to keep 259 MPs singing from the same songsheetA year and five days before the UK is due to leave the European Union, Keir Starmer is confronting a series of uncomfortable truths. He never wanted Brexit to happen and still doesn’t – but he accepts there is nothing he or anyone else can do to stop it. Asked if the impending breach with our 27 EU partners is now inevitable, the shadow Brexit secretary is clear. “Article 50 was trig
  
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• Vote Leave Accused Of 'Cheating' During Brexit Campaign

  24-03-2018 20:59
  A whistleblower has claimed that the official Brexit campaign “cheated” and that the result of the EU Referendum “wasn’t legitimate”.Shahmir Sanni, who worked on the BeLeave campaign, said that Vote Leave used the separate group to get around strict spending limits set by the Electoral Commission.Vote Leave has strongly denied wrongdoing and said the £625,000 donated to BeLeave was within the rules.Speaking to Channel 4 News on Saturday, Sanni said: &ldqu
  
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• Kremlin Denies Sergei Skripal Asked Putin To Be Pardoned And Return To Russia

  24-03-2018 19:55
  The Kremlin has denied the claim that former Russian spy Sergei Skripal asked Vladimir Putin to be pardoned and to allow him to visit his home country.Skripal, who came to Britain in 2010 as part of a spy swap, wrote to the Russian president denying he was “a traitor” and asked for “complete forgiveness”, according to comments made to the BBC by his friend Vladimir Timoshkov.Both Skripal and his daughter Yulia remain in a critical condition after they were poisoned with t
  
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• Kremlin Denies Sergei Skripal Asked Putin To Be Pardon And Return To Russia

  24-03-2018 19:55
  The Kremlin has denied the claim that former Russian spy Sergei Skripal asked Vladimir Putin to be pardoned and to allow him to visit his home country.Skripal, who came to Britain in 2010 as part of a spy swap, wrote to the Russian president denying he was “a traitor” and asked for “complete forgiveness”, according to comments made to the BBC by his friend Vladimir Timoshkov.Both Skripal and his daughter Yulia remain in a critical condition after they were poisoned with t
  
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• Don’t mock the ‘hapless’ Brexiters – they are still pulling all the strings | Nick Cohen

  24-03-2018 19:30
  Ukip is dead but Nigel Farage remains the most significant politician since Margaret Thatcher, his influence everywhereIt’s easy to laugh at Britain’s unpopular populists. Ukip is dead. Farage has been reduced to being a minor radio personality in Britain and a down-the-bill warm-up act in Trump country. As for the supposedly serious Brexiters, the Observer’s revelations will surely discredit the Vote Leave crew, assuming they have any credit left to diss, that is. Related: Rev
  
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• Keep your enemies close: the splits and infighting behind the Leave campaigns

  24-03-2018 19:20
  The battle of the Brexiters has resurfaced in revelations over the use of campaign fundsAcrimony, distrust and recrimination have ravaged the battle over Brexit since the summer of 2016. Yet in the run-up to the EU referendum, the same toxic atmosphere characterised the relationship between some of the groups campaigning to secure Britain’s EU exit.Vote Leave. Leave.EU. Grassroots Out. Labour Leave. BeLeave. There was seemingly a pro-Brexit group for every occasion. The constant warring me
  
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• Labour seeks cross-party consensus on Irish border Brexit deal

  24-03-2018 19:17
  Pro-EU MPs could join forces to ensure law states there will be no infrastructure on Irish border Labour is seeking to build cross-party consensus in parliament behind plans that will enshrine into law a promise not to have any infrastructure, customs posts or cameras on the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit. The plan, which will be announced on Sunday by shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer, would force the government to honour what is to date only a political commitment
  
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• Why young, inexperienced BeLeavers were perfect for the Brexit campaign

  24-03-2018 19:14
  Vote Leave didn’t know how to reach liberal Eurosceptics. But Darren Grimes and his friends, with their witty internet adverts, could do just that• Brexit insider claims Vote Leave team may have breached spending limitsThe handful of teens and twenty-somethings who made up BeLeave seemed an unlikely group to attract the attention of Britain’s most powerful Brexiters, but long before they got a large, controversial donation from Vote Leave they had made their way to the heart of
  
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• Revealed: Brexit insider claims Vote Leave team may have breached spending limits

  24-03-2018 19:12
  Whistleblower alleges that electoral spending rules could have been manipulated over controversial donation and that Vote Leave ‘tried to delete key evidence • Brexit whistleblower Shahmir Sanni: ‘Did Vote Leave use me? Was I naive?’• The ties that bind Canadian data firm AIQ to Leave campaign and Cambridge AnalyticaA whistleblower who worked for the official Vote Leave campaign has broken cover to raise concerns that the masterminds behind the 2016 vote – inclu
  
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• The Brexit whistleblower: 'Not cheating is the core of what it means to be British' – video

  24-03-2018 19:03
  Shahmir Sanni, who worked for the official Vote Leave campaign, today breaks cover to raise concerns that the group behind the knife-edge 2016 vote in favour of Brexit – including key figures now working for Theresa May in Downing Street – may have broken the law by flouting referendum spending rules and then attempting to destroy evidence. Sanni claims that a donation of £625,000 was made by Vote Leave to an independent referendum campaign organisation called BeLeave. San
  
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• It is finally ‘game over’ for Labour’s cowed moderates

  24-03-2018 19:00 via ft.com
  Jeremy Corbyn this week completed his takeover of the party machine
  
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• Westminster Bullying: Party Leaders Urged By Civil Service Union To Back Inquiry Into Allegations Against MPs

  24-03-2018 17:52
  The senior civil servants’ union has urged all party leaders to “put aside the politics” and publicly back an independent inquiry into bullying by MPs of Parliamentary staff.Dave Penman, general secretary of the First Division Association, told HuffPost that a probe ordered by the House of Commons Commission last week should cover specific allegations of mistreatment as well as the wider culture in Westminster.The Commission, which oversees management and other internal issues
  
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• Plaid Cymru 'would hold Wales independence referendum'

  24-03-2018 16:57 via bbc.co.uk
  In a conference speech, Adam Price called Wales "a wealthy country whose people live in poverty".
  
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• BBC Journalist Frank Gardner Criticises Heathrow Airport's Treatment Of Disabled Passengers

  24-03-2018 16:34
  A BBC journalist has criticised Heathrow Airport’s treatment of disabled people after he was kept waiting on a plane for nearly two hours while staff tried to locate his wheelchair.Frank Gardner, who was returning to London on a flight from Ethiopia, was forced to wait on the stationary aircraft on Saturday morning when his wheelchair was taken to the terminal, rather than the plane door.The BBC security correspondent posted updates on Twitter, saying he was “so utterly sick” o
  
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• Modern Headlights Are 'Blinding Drivers' Says RAC

  24-03-2018 15:05
  Modern headlights are so bright that they are temporarily blinding drivers, with some motorists taking several seconds to fully regain their sight after being dazzled by oncoming traffic, according to the RAC.The lights that have been installed on newer models are causing a road safety hazard for drivers, the RAC Opinion Panel survey of 2,061 motorists found.The vehicle industry’s move from traditional halogen headlamps to the brighter, newer xenon and LED headlamps appears to provide
  
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• Stormzy Vehemently Denies Presence Of Class A Drugs In Instagram Video

  24-03-2018 13:33
  Stormzy has fiercely denied accusations class A drugs were present in a video he posted on Instagram. Some fans believed they saw packets of suspicious white powder on his Instagram Story on Friday (23 March), which showed him and his friends at a party playing poker. After speculation began swirling online, Stormzy’s rep has now issued a statement insisting this was not the case. “There was 100% no coke or class A drugs present at the house,” they said. &ld
  
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• Sport Relief 2018: 8 Must-See Highlights From This Year's Telethon

  24-03-2018 12:47
  Friday (23 March) night proved to be a good one for Sport Relief, as the charity raised over £38 million during their bi-annual telethon. A whopping £38,195,278 was pledged on the night, which will now go to help a number of causes both in the UK and abroad. While the figure was £17m down in the record-breaking total that was raised during the last telethon in 2016, it was still an evening to remember, as these stand-out moments prove...Kylie gets everyone &
  
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• Stephen Parkinson Accused Of Publicly Outing Shahmir Sanni In Brexit Intimidation Row

  24-03-2018 12:16
  Theresa May’s political secretary has been accused of publicly disclosing the sexuality of a former partner who turned whistleblower to accuse Vote Leave of breaking electoral law.Lawyers for Shahmir Sanni say a communique on behalf of Stephen Parkinson is the “first time a Downing Street official statement has been used to out someone”.In a statement, his lawyer said: “My client is now having to come out to his mother and family tonight, and members of his family in Paki
  
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• Prevent takes on UK far-right in battle over anti-Muslim views

  24-03-2018 12:00 via ft.com
  New programme is particularly aimed at steering students away from rightwing extremists
  
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• Owen Smith: Corbyn made mistake sacking me over Brexit stance

  24-03-2018 11:34
  Former shadow Northern Ireland secretary defends call for referendum on final deal with EU
  Owen Smith has called Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to sack him from the shadow frontbench a mistake, and defended his choice to break with Labour party policy by calling for a referendum on the final Brexit deal. Smith was sacked as the shadow Northern Ireland secretary on Friday evening after writing an article in the Guardian on the issue. He said his decision to openly support a second Brexit vote was
  
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• DuShon Monique Brown Dead: 'Prison Break' And 'Chicago Fire' Star Dies, Aged 49

  24-03-2018 10:45
  US actress DuShon Monique Brown has died at the age of 49. The star, best known for playing Katie Welch in ‘Prison Break’, passed away on Friday (23 March) at St. James Olympia Field Hospital, a spokesperson for the Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed to the Chicago Tribune. Her cause of death has not yet been determined. DuShon had a recurring role in ‘Prison Break’ as Fox River nurse Kate, who was Sara Tancredi’s friend,
  
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• Labour's Owen Smith 'stood by principles' on Brexit

  24-03-2018 10:28 via bbc.co.uk
  The Labour MP says Jeremy Corbyn made a 'mistake' in firing him for calling for a second referendum.
  
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• Zoe Ball Moved To Tears As She Discovers Sport Relief Cycle Total

  24-03-2018 10:10
  Zoe Ball was moved to tears as she discovered her Sport Relief cycle had raised over £1 million for the charity. The presenter cycled 350 miles from Marlow to Brighton in memory of her boyfriend Billy Yates, who took his own life last year after struggling with depression. During Friday (23 March) night’s Sport Relief telethon, Zoe appeared in the studio to find out the amount of money her challenge had personally raised for this year’s appeal. She was astounded
  
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• Jeremy Corbyn Faces Growing Outrage Over 'Weasel Words' 'Anti-Semitic' Mural Apology

  24-03-2018 09:58
  Jeremy Corbyn is facing a growing backlash - including from his own MPs - over his apology for appearing to defend an anti-Semitic mural.The Labour leader admitted “regret” after he made a “general comment” on Facebook in 2012 about a piece of street art depicting caricatures of Jewish men playing Monopoly, saying he should have “looked more closely at the image”.Prominent Labour backbencher Yvette Cooper has said she was “really troubled” and
  
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• Hero French Police Officer Arnaud Beltrame Dies After Hostage Situation In Trebes

  24-03-2018 08:52
  A heroic French officer who swapped himself for a hostage during an attack on a supermarket in Carcassonne has died of his injuries, a top security official said.Arnaud Beltrame, who once served in Iraq, had been raced to hospital fighting for his life after the siege in which he took the place of a female hostage at the Super U store in the town of Trebes, near the Pyrenees mountains that divide France and Spain.He had managed to surreptitiously leave his mobile phone on so that police outside
  
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• 8 Explosive Claims In Rebel Prince, The New Book On Charles

  24-03-2018 08:20
  A “devastating” new biography of Charles, the Prince of Wales, portrays the heir apparent as “pampered and petulant” surrounded by chaos and seething with malice.In Rebel Prince, investigative author Tom Bower reveals the trials and tribulations of Charles’ decades-long wait for the throne, gleaned from interviews with 120 sources.“He’s a pampered, petulant prince and a man who, while he wants to do good and does do good, does not realise that he&rs
  
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• Isolation And Missed Chances To Grieve: What Happens When A Rough Sleeper Dies

  24-03-2018 08:11
  Richard died in his 70s. He lived in South London, and he was homeless.He had no surviving family but he did have a thriving network of friends through Spires, a charity that helps homeless and disadvantaged people.But something went wrong, and when he died six years ago, no one attended his funeral.Pamela Mhlophe, a women’s service manager with Spires, was tasked with identifying Richard’s body. She had promised to provide him with a loving send off.“The Coroner said there was
  
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• Earth Hour 2018: How To Cut Your Electricity Usage Year-Round To Save The Planet

  24-03-2018 08:00
  At 8.30pm on Saturday (24 March), lights will be switched off for one hour around the world to mark Earth Hour, the world’s largest event to protect the planet. The period of darkness is designed to raise awareness of the environmental challenges we face and what we can do to tackle them. Last year, more than nine million people took part in the UK alone, with iconic landmarks including Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Blackpool Tower, The Kelpies, Bright
  
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• Award-Winning Chef Tom Aikens On How To Eat Fish Sustainably

  24-03-2018 08:00
  At a time where vegetarianism and veganism is on the rise – becoming more and more of a cultural as well as an ethical choice ­– it’s really difficult to know how you can make your diet as sustainable as possible if you opt to continue to eat meat.Tom Aikens, founder of chic restaurant franchise Tom’s Kitchen and the youngest ever British chef to receive two Michelin stars, believes being a sustainable seafood lover isn’t just possible, but incredibly impor
  
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• Genetics and the truth about selective schools

  24-03-2018 06:06 via ft.com
  Government policy is favouring children who already have a head start
  
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• Expat Russians fear cold front in ‘Londongrad’

  24-03-2018 05:00 via ft.com
  Rich settlers, bankers and property developers all left exposed to fallout from Skripal case
  
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• Listen: The use and abuse of data in politics - plus May's Brexit breakthrough

  24-03-2018 04:16 via ft.com
  Will the revelations about the British firm's Facebook strategy undermine the votes for Brexit and Donald Trump?
  
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