🇬🇧 UK Politics

March 27th, 2026

Today's top 5 stories, curated by Daily Direct.

BBC Politics

Will the UK ban social media for under 16s?

A US trial has exposed how Meta and Google deliberately engineered addictive features into their platforms, intensifying global pressure on governments to act. The UK is now facing renewed calls to follow Australia's lead and raise the minimum age for social media access to 16. With the Online Safety Act already on the books, the question is whether ministers have the political will to go further.

Read article →
Guardian UK Politics

Social media has led to a ‘complete rewiring of childhood’, says minister– UK politics live

The UK government has published new guidance recommending children under five be limited to one hour of screen time per day, as ministers warn that social media has fundamentally transformed how children develop. Children and Families Minister Josh MacAlister described the shift as "a complete rewiring of childhood" over the past decade. The guidance signals a push to establish new cultural norms around children's digital habits, with the government positioning itself as an active force in shaping family behaviour.

Read article →
Guardian UK Politics

Billy Bragg calls for big turnout at London march against far right

Billy Bragg is urging mass attendance at Saturday's Together Alliance march in central London, billed as the largest multicultural rally in UK history. The musician and political activist says the event is an opportunity to send a direct message to those attempting to divide the country. With far-right sentiment on the rise across Britain, organizers hope the turnout will mark a significant moment of public pushback.

Read article →
Guardian UK Politics

NHS bosses say resident doctors’ strike will cause ‘maximum harm’

The NHS pay dispute has escalated sharply after resident doctors rejected a £700m three-year pay offer and pulled out of negotiations, prompting NHS bosses to accuse the British Medical Association of deliberately targeting maximum patient harm with a six-day strike planned for next month. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has issued an ultimatum, giving doctors until 2 April to reverse course. The breakdown marks a significant hardening of positions on both sides, with patients set to bear the consequences.

Read article →
Guardian UK Politics

UK government must urgently apologise for forced adoption, MPs say

Lawmakers are pressing the UK government to formally apologise for its role in forced adoption before more survivors die without receiving any official acknowledgment of the harm done to them. A cross-party education select committee report calls on ministers to commit to an apology immediately and collaborate with survivor groups on its precise language. The urgency reflects a sobering reality: many of those affected are elderly, and time is running out for the state to reckon with this chapter of its history.

Read article →

Get this delivered every morning

Join thousands of readers who get the world's most important stories, curated daily.

Start reading free →