[ad_1] The UK government is working with Mauritius to finalise a deal on the future of the Chagos Islands, Downing Street has said. Under the proposed agreement, Mauritius would gain sovereignty of the islands from the UK, but allow the US and UK to continue operating a military base on one of the islands for an initial period of 99 years, at a cost to the British taxpayer.UK government sources
[ad_1] A former Conservative cabinet minister who admitted placing three bets on the date of the 2024 general election is set to be awarded a seat in the House of Lords.Sir Alister Jack, who served as Scottish Secretary under Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, is expected to be given a peerage in Sunak's resignation honours list.He has previously said he did not breach any rules and has not
[ad_1] Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said the UK is best-placed to eventually overturn trade tariffs set to be imposed by President Donald Trump.The UK is expecting to be hit by new US tariffs on Wednesday, when Trump is planning to unveil a raft of new taxes on goods imported into the US.Reynolds said he expected all countries to be affected by the tariffs, despite his efforts to negotiate an
[ad_1] Getty ImagesDemocracy Minister Rushanara Ali is planning a "series of new measures" to protect against foreign political interference.Tech billionaire Elon Musk, now adviser to US President Donald Trump, caused some concern in the UK when it was reported he could donate as much as £78m ($100m) to Reform UK through a UK branch of his social media company X.A public petition to remove loopholes that allow wealthy foreign individuals
[ad_1] An emergency law to override new rules about how to sentence offenders from ethnic minorities will not be passed before Easter, government sources have confirmed.Guidelines due to come into effect in England and Wales on Tuesday advise judges to consider the lives of offenders from ethnic minority and other backgrounds before deciding on punishment, prompting claims of "two-tier justice".The prime minister said he was "very disappointed" the Sentencing Council
[ad_1] Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has said he wants to replace the Conservatives as the "party of Middle England", as he launched his campaign for the local elections.Sir Ed said the Lib Dems were vying for votes in 20 Tory-run council areas and aiming to overtake the Conservatives as the second-biggest party in local government.The Lib Dem leader told activists May's elections were a "two-horse race" between his
[ad_1] The government has agreed a new funding package with pharmacy negotiators in England, leading some pharmacies to call off protests that were planned for later this week.One group representing thousands of local pharmacies was preparing to take action involving cuts to opening hours from Tuesday, but they say that will be delayed while they consider the deal. Others have said the funding package is a "step in the right
[ad_1] EPANigerian migrants facing deportation from Libya this month The UK is hosting a two-day international meeting to tackle what it calls the global threat of illegal migration. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to urge the summit, which will welcome representatives from more than 40 countries, to disrupt the "vile trade" of people-smuggling gangs and avoid pitting "nations against one another".The talks, which begin on Monday and are
[ad_1] The government will introduce legislation to Parliament this week to override independent guidance on how offenders from ethnic minorities should be sentenced.It comes after the Sentencing Council refused a request from Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood to reconsider its new instructions for judges.The guidelines, which come into effect on Tuesday, say judges should commission reports for offenders from certain minority groups that look at their background and circumstances before deciding
[ad_1] Paul SeddonPolitical reporterBBCThe home secretary has said plans for new checks on unauthorised working will help cut levels of illegal migration.Yvette Cooper has announced plans to expand the range of companies that can be fined for not carrying out right-to-work checks on casual workers.Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, she said criminal gangs were using the prospect of illegal work to lure people into trying to enter
