Guardian UK Politics
Reform UK local election candidate was twice disciplined by Tories over ‘racist comments’
Reform UK is fielding a council candidate who was twice disciplined by the Conservative Party over allegedly racist comments, including reportedly using a racial slur while calling for people of Pakistani heritage to be shot. The party disowned Derek Bullock in 2023, yet he has since found a home on Reform's local election slate. The revelations add to scrutiny of Reform's vetting processes ahead of the May 7 contests, where more than 5,000 council seats across England are up for grabs.
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UK forced to shelve legislation to return Chagos Islands to Mauritius
The UK has abandoned its bid to legislate the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after losing critical backing from Washington. With the parliamentary session closing in weeks, officials concede there is simply no time left to push the bill through. The collapse marks a significant blow to a deal that had already faced fierce political opposition at home and abroad.
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UK shelves Chagos deal after Trump opposition
Britain has indefinitely shelved its landmark agreement to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius following sustained pressure from the Trump administration, which condemned the deal as a strategic concession. UK officials insist the agreement is not dead, but acknowledge that time has run out to push it through. The standoff leaves the future of the strategically vital Diego Garcia military base in limbo.
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Sky News UK
Police review complaint about Reform UK's free energy bills competition
Reform UK's free energy bills competition has attracted the attention of law enforcement, with police confirming they are reviewing a formal complaint about the promotion. The scrutiny adds political pressure to the populist party at a sensitive time, raising questions about the legality and mechanics of the offer. How the review unfolds could have implications for both the party's reputation and its campaign tactics.
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Remaining in Nato is in best interests of US, says Keir Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pushed back against Donald Trump's threats to withdraw the US from NATO, arguing that continued membership remains firmly in America's national interest. Starmer's comments, delivered at the close of a Gulf tour focused on the Iran ceasefire and the Strait of Hormuz, also called on European allies to shoulder a greater share of the alliance's burden. The remarks signal growing European urgency to demonstrate NATO's value to a skeptical White House.
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