Guardian UK Politics
Labour urges Farage to stop evading scrutiny over £5m gift from crypto billionaire
Nigel Farage is facing mounting pressure from Labour to account for a £5 million personal gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, with the party demanding a "clear and truthful account" of the transaction. The call for transparency comes as a newly approved planning application reveals Farage intends to transform a rundown Kent property into a luxury beachfront home. The confluence of a major undisclosed gift and significant property spending is raising serious questions about the Reform leader's financial affairs.
Read article →Guardian UK Politics
Confessions of a political liveblogger: ‘I enjoy it professionally – but, as a citizen, you can think the country’s going to hell in a handcart’
Andrew Sparrow has spent over 15 years chronicling British political chaos in real time for the Guardian, making him one of the most seasoned observers of Westminster's relentless dysfunction. His work demands a rare professional detachment — the ability to report objectively on a system he may privately view with deep concern. The tension between his journalistic role and his perspective as a citizen offers a revealing window into how political media professionals navigate an era of near-constant institutional crisis.
Read article →Guardian UK Politics
Badenoch dismisses Starmer’s warning to tech firms and says social media ban for under-16s would be ‘much simpler’ - UK politics live
Kemi Badenoch has dismissed Rishi Sunak's — sorry, Keir Starmer's approach to regulating tech firms over child safety, arguing that a blanket social media ban for under-16s would be a far simpler solution than the government's current strategy. Badenoch accused the Prime Minister of lacking a credible plan to prevent children from sending and receiving explicit images. The row comes as the Home Office points to existing SafeToNet technology as proof that smartphone-level protections are already technically feasible, though critics note they are applied inconsistently across devices.
Read article →Guardian UK Politics
Child phone nudity law could largely end online child sexual abuse if widely adopted, Jess Phillips claims - UK politics live
A proposed law requiring phone manufacturers to activate built-in safeguards against children capturing nude images could dramatically reduce online child sexual abuse, according to former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips. The technology already exists within most smartphones and tablets but is routinely left disabled by manufacturers, making enforcement a matter of policy rather than innovation. Phillips argues that if the ban were properly implemented and adopted broadly, it could "basically eliminate" the problem — a significant claim that puts pressure on tech companies to act.
Read article →Guardian UK Politics
Keir Starmer to say ‘tech revolution must work for everyone’ in speech on AI – UK politics live
Keir Starmer is set to deliver a major speech on AI and technology policy, framing the government's approach around ensuring the benefits of the tech revolution are broadly shared. The address comes as the prime minister faces mounting internal Labour pressure, with Andy Burnham's anticipated byelection win for Makerfield fuelling fresh leadership speculation. Starmer has pushed back on suggestions he would step aside for Burnham, though those assurances are drawing skepticism from within the party.
Read article →Get this delivered every morning
Join thousands of readers who get the world's most important stories, curated daily.
Start reading free →