Labour to target rule-breaking ministers with financial sanctions July 21, 2025 Rule-breaking ministers will be targeted with sanctions and a new watchdog will be set up to improve standards in public life under new reforms introduced by the Labour government. As part of efforts to improve behaviour across politics, Keir Starmer has replaced an independent watchdog for former ministers – the Advisory Committee for Business Appointments [...]
Sir Robert Chote to leave UK Statistics Authority July 8, 2025 Sir Robert Chote has resigned as chairman of the UK Statistics Authority, which oversees official data published by a range of bodies including the Office for National Statistics. The UK Statistics Authority, an arms-length government body, has been involved in scrutinising the ONS’s troubles. Chote, who joined the UK Statistics Authority in 2022, will become [...]
Welfare: Starmer’s authority shattered as Reeves faces £5bn headache July 2, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has suffered a devastating hit to his authority whilst a £5bn spending headache looms for Rachel Reeves following the government’s u-turn to avoid a catastrophic defeat of its welfare bill. Just days away from his one year anniversary in Downing Street, the PM faced the most substantial backbench rebellion of his premiership [...]
William Hill shortens odds on Pat McFadden replacing Rachel Reeves June 11, 2025 William Hill has slashed its odds on senior government minister Pat McFadden replacing Rachel Reeves as Chancellor – down from 5/1 to 2/1. McFadden is currently Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – the most senior minister in the Cabinet Office – and is a close confidante of PM Sir Keir Starmer, playing a major [...]
Civil service cull can save £5bn a year May 30, 2025 Civil service cull can save £5bn a year, Policy Exchange says Cutting 80,000 civil service jobs could save the Treasury as much as £5bn pounds a year, a new report has found, as the government seeks to rein in spending in a bid to stick to its fiscal rules. The research by Westminster think tank [...]
Labour’s regional growth plan sees 12,000 civil servants moved outside London May 14, 2025 The government is on a mission to relocate 12,000 civil servant jobs across the UK to save taxpayers money — to the tune of £94m a year by 2032. Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden told the BBC this morning he hopes relocating civil servants “will make this government one that better reflects the country it [...]
Trump’s apparent change of heart on Russia ‘welcome’, says senior minister April 27, 2025 Donald Trump’s apparent change of heart about Russia is “welcome”, a senior UK minister has signalled. The US president turned his criticism towards Vladimir Putin on Saturday after meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky on the fringes of the Pope’s funeral in Rome. Images of the encounter within the Vatican showed the two leaders locked in [...]
Quango crackdown as Starmer reportedly set to slash civil service jobs March 12, 2025 The Prime Minister is reportedly planning to slash thousands of civil service jobs amid a crackdown on quangos, as he aims to radically overhaul the British state. Sir Keir Starmer will deliver a speech on Thursday, in which he will set out plans to cut thousands more Whitehall jobs than expected, according to the Guardian. [...]
Countries cannot be ‘dragooned’ into coalition of the willing, says McFadden March 9, 2025 Countries cannot be “dragooned” into the so-called coalition of the willing by the UK, a senior minister has suggested. Pat McFadden has said that nations have to “step forward themselves” if they want to be part of the group of nations willing to defend a peace deal in Ukraine. The UK and France have been [...]
City grandees named in the New Year Honours list 2025 December 31, 2024 Former HSBC boss Noel Quinn, Babcock chair Ruth Cairnie and the Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines are among the big names from business and industry to be included in the New Year Honours list for 2025. The trio of heavyweights were given knighthoods and a damehood for their services to industry, transport and financial [...]