Pippa Crerar

Reform UK’s former Wales leader jailed for taking bribes for pro-Russia speeches Police say Nathan Gill received at least £40,000 while he was an MEP from Oleg Voloshyn, an alleged Russian asset

NEW: Reform UK’s former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, has been jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 and a half years for taking bribes to make statements in favour of Russia when he was an MEP. Full story 👇

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

‘Too little, too late’: damning report condemns UK’s Covid response Report on handling of pandemic contains stinging criticism of ‘toxic and chaotic’ culture inside Boris Johnson’s No 10

Findings partic brutal about early 2020, describing the Feb as “lost month”. If lockdown was imposed a week earlier than March 16, it could've cut deaths in England by almost half. Many of same mistakes then "inexcusably" repeated - @peterwalker99.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

The 750-page document also has stinging criticism of “toxic and chaotic” culture inside Boris Johnson’s Downing Street – which it said the then PM. actively embraced – in which loudest voices held sway and women were sidelined.

BREAKING: The UK’s response to Covid was “too little, too late”, a damning official report on the handling of the pandemic has concluded, saying the introduction of a lockdown even a week earlier than happened could have saved more than 20,000 lives.

MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul Exclusive: Courts minister says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog

EXCL: Criminals will be stopped from “gaming the system” by choosing trial by jury to increase chances of proceedings collapsing, courts minister has said, promising to limit jury trials by next election - @jessicaelgot.bsky.social reports
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...

Labour outlines tighter rules on benefits and housing for people migrating to UK Refugee Council says plans would create ‘expensive bureaucracy’ and keep people in limbo

People who migrate to UK may be eligible for benefits & social housing only when they become British citizens.

Those who arrive by small boats could wait up to 30 years for long-term residency.

For latest on home secretary's plans read @syalrajeev.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

You just know there’s a Weegie somewhere determined to make that happen 🤭

It’s clearly a night to share @theguardian.com back page. World Cup, here we come!! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏆

Starmer pleads for government to unite in fightback after difficult week Prime minister tells cabinet budget leaks and infighting are distracting from priorities and delivering change

Keir Starmer has warned senior ministers & officials to stop briefing against one another & leaking details of budget

PM told cabinet last week’s political turmoil distracted from voters’ priorities & they shld focus on delivery not navel gazing 👇
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Lots of on record recollections about Farage’s conduct - some of it is just mind blowing 🤯

‘Deeply shocking’: Nigel Farage faces fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school Bafta-winning director among contemporaries urging contrition and apology from Reform UK leader, who denies the allegations

💥 NEW: ‘Deeply shocking’: Nigel Farage faces fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school

“He would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right,’ or ‘Gas them,’ sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers".

Read on for more...

www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-...

Tuesday’s @theguardian.com front page: Starmer faces Labour revolt over hardline asylum plans www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Shabana Mahmood plans to remove more families from UK in asylum shake-up Home secretary will also consult on ending financial support for those with children if refused asylum, document shows

The government's asylum plan confirms they intend to ramp up the deportation of families - including children. This aspect, in particular, causing unease among Labour MPs...

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Labour’s risky asylum pitch – podcast Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey look at radical plans from the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, to tackle the ‘out of control’ asylum system. Plus, has the briefing row only made Keir Starmer’s rivals m...

🚨 Labour’s risky asylum pitch...

In our latest podcast @kiranstacey.bsky.social & I look at home secretary Shabana Mahmood's plans to tackle the ‘out of control’ asylum system - and how they're likely to go down with MPs and the public...

www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

Monday’s @theguardian.com front page: Most sweeping reforms to asylum rules in a generation to be unveiled www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

‘Not for the faint-hearted’: is running the BBC an impossible job? After Tim Davie’s resignation, the next director general will face internal strife, external noise and looming talks over the corporation’s existence and purpose

NEW: What on earth happened at the BBC this week?

And why would anyone want to replace Tim Davie?

The behind the scenes concerns about this week’s impact on the BBC’s future:

www.theguardian.com/media/ng-int...

The Week in Westminster - 15/11/2025 - BBC Sounds Pippa Crerar assesses the latest developments at Westminster.

You can listen to the full programme here 👇https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002m905

🚨Lots to discuss on this week's BBC Radio 4's #WeekInWestminster!
💷 budget @chriscurtis94.bsky.social @rachaelmaskell.bsky.social
📺 BBC Tina Stowell & Anna Sabine
⚖️ state of prisons @davidgauke.bsky.social
🌹Labour leadership @pronouncedalva.bsky.social @luketryl.bsky.social
Ed: Harbinder Minhas

- Govt says decision to drop income tax plan nothing to do with political fall-out after Reeves signalled manifesto breach

- Defend decision to 'roll the pitch' on income tax rises - at that point they thought it might be necessary & leaving to just before budget would've spooked MPs and markets

- Improved forecasts result of stronger wage growth (higher tax receipts) which started to feed in last week

- But £20bn still big number - so expect income tax thresholds frozen, taxes on salary sacrifice schemes, fuel duty equivalent for electric vehicles - plus 'smorgasbord' of other measures.

Where we are on budget now👇

- Treasury confirms stronger than expected OBR forecasts means fiscal gap nearer £20bn than £30-£40bn. Reeves also wants headroom of £15bn

- Reeves doesn’t need to become first chancellor in 50 years to raise basic rate income tax - breaching central manifesto promise

Cabinet minister Lisa Nandy tells BBC: “There’s been speculation that she would, & then speculation today that she won’t…

“She won’t play fast & loose with people’s money, she does take our promises seriously & she’ll do everything she can to make sure those choices are the fairest possible.”

Extraordinary news late last night 👇

Rachel Reeves set to abandon plan to raise income tax in budget amid fears of political fallout-out from manifesto breach.

Chancellor now understood to be looking at cutting thresholds & “smorgasbord” of other measures instead.

Some Labour insiders think Team Starmer were following the Brownite playbook… but the outcome was significantly different. Great piece by @ecourea.bsky.social & co

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Pressure grows on Starmer to sack chief of staff over briefing row Growing calls for Morgan McSweeney to go after extraordinary briefing operation against Wes Streeting

But Starmer understood to have told MPs he will not sack McSweeney and won’t respond to demands for “consequences” for briefers. Full story by me & @jessicaelgot.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Second: “The scales are falling from people’s eyes [about Morgan]. I don’t know if it’s worse it’s done with Keir’s authorisation or that he’s so checked out he doesn’t know”

Third: “Consensus is forming in cabinet he’ll have to go. I keep thinking there must be bigger strategy I don’t understand”

Keir Starmer under pressure from ministers & MPs to sack Morgan McSweeney

“If it was an orchestrated campaign to shore up the PM, then it’s had the opposite effect; it’s spectacularly backfired. I don’t see how Morgan can survive when Keir has ended up in a weaker position than before.”

NEW: Wes Streeting says it’s “categorically untrue” that he’s plotting a coup against Keir Starmer.

“Whoever has been briefing this has been watching too much celebrity traitors.

“The briefing about me is the most unjustified attack against the faithful since Joe Marler was banished in the final.”

Wednesday’s @theguardian.com front page: No 10 on alert amid fears of challenge to leadership www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Starmer allies issue warning to PM’s rivals as fears grow over leadership challenge No 10 said to be in ‘full bunker mode’ over fears of attempt to oust him after budget or May local elections

EXCL: Downing Street has launched an extraordinary operation to protect Keir Starmer amid fears among PM’s closest allies he is vulnerable to leadership challenge in wake of budget.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...