MPs are stepping up their calls for the government to publish its plan for Brexit in a formal policy document. A number of Conservative MPs have joined Labour in asking for a White Paper on the government’s negotiating objectives, arguing it will allow for a fuller debate on Brexit. It comes after the Supreme Court […]

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is to use his first speech in Scotland in 2017 to attack the SNP’s budget. Mr Corbyn will make a speech in Glasgow to accuse the Scottish government of “devolving austerity and passing the buck”. He will also accuse Theresa May of engaging in a “race to the bottom” with her […]

The prime minister and taoiseach (Irish prime minister) have pledged to do what they can to resolve the political crisis caused by the RHI scandal. Theresa May and Enda Kenny talked on the phone on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Secretary of State James Brokenshire is to hold talks with all the parties to try to find […]

Jeremy Corbyn says he would like to see a maximum cap on the amount people can earn. The Labour leader said he thought introducing the limit would be “the fairest thing to do”. Mr Corbyn said he was “not wedded to a figure” but told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Let’s look at it.” He […]

The UK will be unable to buy privileged access to the single market after it leaves the EU, says one of the top UK officials to have worked in Brussels. Jonathan Faull, who retired last week, said that access to the single market “is not something that’s on sale”. He also warned the UK should […]

The price of petrol and diesel in the UK has risen to its highest since July 2015, following a three-pence-a-litre increase in December alone. The average cost of unleaded petrol hit 117.23p at the end of the month, with diesel reaching 119.63p, the RAC said. The wholesale price of both fuels has risen significantly, following […]

Labour is “too weak” to win a general election alone and should consider working with rival parties, a left-of-centre think tank has said in a report. Andrew Harrop, the Fabian Society’s general secretary, said there had been a “complete meltdown” of support in Scotland. His study also cited party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s unpopularity and a […]

Campaigners for a “hard” Brexit have asked business groups across Europe to put pressure on their governments for a free trade agreement with Britain. Leave Means Leave has written to the chambers of commerce in all the other 27 EU states, asking them to call for a “sensible agreement regarding the terms of Britain’s exit […]

The government is to introduce a £60m annual fund to help areas of England with high levels of second-home ownership to “tackle the problem”. The money, to be shared by 150 councils over five years, will go into providing “affordable” housing for first-time buyers in places where demand is high. The money has been raised […]

The prison population of England and Wales should be cut to 45,000, a former deputy prime minister and two former home secretaries have urged. In a letter to the Times, Nick Clegg, Ken Clarke and Jacqui Smith said jails had become unacceptably dangerous. They said inmate numbers had risen to more than 85,000 since Michael […]