Category Archives: UK Politics

How to funnel cash into British politics without anyone knowing who you are

LONDON — What connects a Lancashire manor house, several exclusive dining clubs, and a bronze sculpture of David Cameron on a bicycle? The answer is millions of pounds in opaque donations to Britain’s political parties. This is the weird world of “unincorporated associations” — shadowy groups which constitute one of the least-regulated and most-poorly understood […]

Kiss star Gene Simmons turns up to UK parliament … but deputy leaders bicker about WhatsApp

Prime minister’s questions: a shouty, jeery, very occasionally useful advert for British politics. Here’s what you need to know from this week’s session in POLITICO’s weekly run-through. Housekeeping: With Rishi Sunak in D.C., it was the deputies’ turn to allegedly shine at this week’s prime minister’s questions. BUT LET’S BE HONEST: The real news here […]

UK unveils plan to strip Chinese cameras from government buildings

LONDON — British government departments will have to remove all surveillance equipment made by Chinese companies under a plan unveiled under pressure from hawkish Conservative backbenchers. Ministers offered significant concessions to Tory rebels in the new procurement bill — which will set rules for companies competing for government contracts — over the use of security […]

Westminster’s Unwanted: All the UK MPs suspended by their parties since 2019

LONDON — Meet Britain’s fastest-growing political group: the suspended MPs. Booted out of their political tribes — at least temporarily — over a variety of headline-grabbing controversies, these British lawmakers are now sitting in the House of Commons as independent MPs. Incredibly, the nomadic bloc now totals 15 members of parliament — and actually outnumbers […]

UK’s Matt Hancock told to say sorry after lobbying MP watchdog

LONDON — Matt Hancock has been ordered to apologize to the House of Commons after writing an “unsolicited letter” in support of a fellow MP under investigation by parliament’s standards watchdog. A report by the Commons’ committee on standards found that the former U.K. health secretary — more recently found eating animal appendages on a […]

Keir Starmer: Speak up if you’ve got Labour harassment complaints

Keir Starmer urged anyone with allegations of sexual harassment against Labour politicians to “come forward,” as the party deals with the fallout from a series of misconduct claims. The U.K. opposition leader was speaking in Somerset days after the suspension of MP Gareth Davies. Davies lost the Labour whip pending an investigation after POLITICO reported […]

Labour MP registers complaint against Geraint Davies after harassment claims

LONDON — A sitting Labour MP has now registered a complaint against Geraint Davies as the party reels from allegations of misconduct against the long-serving backbencher. Two complaints have now been formally made to the U.K. opposition party, while two other women said they are considering coming forward. Davies was suspended from the party whip […]

Labour Party faces reckoning over sexual harassment claims

LONDON — The U.K. Labour Party has been plunged into a reckoning over internal processes after a series of sexual misconduct allegations against senior figures.  The revelation of sexual harassment allegations against the long-serving MP Geraint Davies, which resulted in his suspension Thursday, prompted dismay and recriminations across the party.  The Labour MP Rosie Duffield […]

Westminster WAGs: Who’d marry an MP?

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Google Play EN_Google_Podcasts_Badge Created with Sketch. Stitcher Acast Host Aggie Chambre speaks to Westminster spouses from across the political spectrum about the ups and downs of life married to a British MP. Felicity Mercer, wife and constituency aide of Tory MP Johnny, tells of her pride in her husband’s work, […]