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Tommy Robinson has just walked out of court with a victory that is already being called one of the most explosive free-speech moments in Britain. The terrorism-related case against him — linked to his refusal to hand over his phone PIN to UK police — was thrown out after the judge ruled the stop unlawful and reportedly said Robinson had been targeted because of his political views. This was not just about a phone. This was about power, politics, journalism, and whether the state can treat someone like a national security threat simply because it dislikes what they say. Robinson...

Tommy Robinson was detained by police on Saturday at Heathrow airport under counter-terrorism laws, after a week in which he rose to further prominence on social media. It was understood the far-right activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was stopped and had his phones seized under section 3 of the Counter-Terrorism Border Security Act 2019. Robinson used social media to claim he was detained for almost three hours and had his iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones taken, and to ask his supporters to donate money to fund his legal defence. A spokesperson for Robinson posted on X: “They likely...

A former Royal Navy commander has expressed concerns over reports Sir Keir Starmer could axe a new fleet of warships. Tom Sharpe, who commanded four warships during his 27-year career, said he fears ministers will take the “cheapest option” rather than the best one in the future of the Type 83 destroyer programme. Reports claim the Prime Minister is weighing up scrapping plans to build the warships, expected to replace the current Type 45s next decade. Mr Sharpe said there is a decision to be made about the programme, as the First Sea Lord pushes for a transition towards a...

Defence Secretary John Healey resigns This is breaking news - we'll have more details in our next post.

Alice Smith reposted Nina Wysocka @realninawysocka Elon Musk to Starmer: “Murderous migrants beheading innocent people in their hometown is what’s making people angry, not social media!”

In a joint letter signed by former ministers and all of the Labour chairs of Westminster select committees, the UK Government has been told there is an “urgent need for accountability and concrete consequences in response to Israel’s violations against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are spiralling by the day”. The letter to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was co-ordinated by Melanie Ward, the Labour MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy and the former chief executive of Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). It comes as Israel launches air strikes on Iran despite a so-called ceasefire, closes all...

Middle-class white men have been banned from a taxpayer-funded internship in a case of 'blatant discrimination'. The National Audit Office (NAO), a publicly-funded Government spending watchdog, said only applicants who were female, of black heritage or from lower socio-economic backgrounds could apply for its diversity internship this summer. In a job advert the watchdog said its six-week scheme aimed to 'support diverse talent' in accounting and was open to penultimate-year undergraduates studying any degree.

David Lammy has said he told the US vice-president, JD Vance, he was wrong to blame the murder of the British teenager Henry Nowak on mass migration. The deputy prime minister said he spoke to Vance by phone on Saturday to tell him “our democratic process is working well” and that he was wrong in his commentary about the murder. Keir Starmer suggested this week that the US was trying to interfere in British democracy after Vance claimed in a post on X that Nowak would be alive “if the last few generations of European elites had stood their ground...

Greater Manchester Mayor ​Andy Burnham is ‌considering holding a snap ​general election ​if he becomes ⁠British prime ​minister, the ​Sun newspaper reported on Saturday. He is ​also lining ​up British interior ‌minister ⁠Shabana Mahmood to be his chancellor, the ​newspaper ​reported, ⁠citing Labour insiders. Reuters ​could not ​immediately ⁠verify the report.

Tony Blair has accused Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting of putting Labour’s future at risk by abandoning the centre ground, warning that the party’s “almost infinite capacity for self-delusion” means it is likely to lose the next election. In a scathing 5,700-word attack on the prime minister and his would-be successors published on Tuesday night, Blair argued for the government to crack down on welfare spending, abandon restrictions on oil and gas and smooth relations with Donald Trump. His essay, a highly unusual intervention for a past Labour prime minister, is likely to draw a furious response from...

The Prime Minister sought to reassure the Ukrainian leader as questions remain about UK sanctions on Russian oil, which critics say have been watered down. Downing Street said the Prime Minister had “reaffirmed the UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine” in his call with Mr Zelensky and “set out our ongoing commitment to do everything possible to debilitate and degrade Putin’s war machine”. Sir Keir told Mr Zelensky that the UK’s efforts meant there would be “less Russian oil on the market, with Russia weaker as a result”, a spokesperson added. The call followed criticism of a “short-term” trade licence issued...

Sir Keir Starmer has vowed not to "walk away" from Number 10 and insisted that he will stay to "fight the next election". The Prime Minister refused to set out a transition timetable on Monday amid mounting pressure, with growing suggestions that he could face Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting in any potential future leadership battle. Asked if his time as prime minister had effectively come to an end, Starmer said: "No, we've got a lot of work to do. "I'm very focused on what I consider to be my responsibility, my duty, and that is to the country." It...

Wes Streeting has called for a “proper contest” to replace Sir Keir Starmer and confirmed he would stand if the race is triggered, as he and other senior Labour figures make their pitch to replace the Prime Minister. In his first public appearance since resigning as health secretary, Mr Streeting set out a fledgling policy platform for a run at the Labour leadership. He said Britain must pursue a “new special relationship” with the European Union and signalled he wanted to see the country rejoin the trade bloc in the future. Mr Streeting is among the senior Labour figures to...

The full nationalisation of British Steel is expected to be announced in the king’s speech this week, a year after the government took over the daily running of the loss-making business from its Chinese owner. The steelmaker, which employs 3,500 people at its plant in Scunthorpe, came under government control last April amid fears that its owner, Jingye, was planning to shut down the site. British Steel operates the last two remaining blast furnaces in the UK, but its economic control remains with the Chinese company, which bought it out of insolvency in early 2020. An announcement confirming the plans...

Starmer made a speech to his party and cabinet, rambling all over the place, didn't wait for questions, went straight for 10 Downing, and won't come out, the press waiting outside. His cabinet members are resigning all day, including senior members. Keir allegedly sitting alone in the shower at #10, crying. I leave it to Mahyar to tell the rest.

Keir Starmer’s grip on power appeared to be slipping away on Monday as more than 70 Labour MPs publicly urged him to set out a timetable for his departure, despite his pledging to fight any challenge. The prime minister warned the country would “never forgive” Labour for plunging into the chaos of a leadership election – and that he intended to prove his doubters inside and outside the party wrong.

More than a hundred Labour Party politicians have called on Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer to set out plans to resign from his post following this week’s disastrous defeat in the local elections to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party. The knives are out for Prime Minister Starmer, who is now embroiled in a desperate fight to extend his political life after a historically poor performance in the rough British equivalent of a midterm election this week. Starmer’s Labour suffered heavy losses in councils across England, losing control of traditional “red wall” seats to Farage’s Reform party, while losing power in...

A NEW poll has put Keir Starmer's Labour Party in fourth place behind Reform, the Greens and Conservatives. The Find Out Now survey carried out this week put Labour on just 15%, a staggering three points behind the Greens as Zack Polanski's party continues to surge in popularity with voters. The poll of 2717 people put Reform UK on 33%, the Greens on 18%, the Conservatives on 16% and the LibDems on 11%. Labour came just 12% ahead of the SNP, who voters can only opt for in Scotland. Translated into seats, it means Reform would win a General Election...

🚨NEW: State of the Parties at 11AM Seats declared: 4762/4992 ➡️ REF: 1444 (+1442) 🌹 LAB: 997 (-1406) 🔸 LDM: 834 (+151) 🌳 CON: 773 (-557) 🌍 GRN: 515 (+375) ⚪️ OTH: 199 (+27)

In Barnsley, south Yorkshire, 50 years of Labour rule ended on Friday with Reform UK taking control. Voters in the area said they wanted to see change, with one saying Labour had abandoned the working class. For others, a dislike for Keir Starmer was their main motivation when casting their vote. BBC's UK editor Ed Thomas reports from Barnsley.