Reeves says she and PM Starmer dropped an income tax rise, calling pre-Budget leaks damaging as a Treasury investigation examines ministers and officials.
Israel approves 764 West Bank homes as Smotrich pushes settlement expansion, while Palestinians warn the move undermines hopes for a future independent state.
Andy Burnham rejects claims of a Labour leadership bid but says he would return to government if called as Keir Starmer dismisses speculation over his position.
Lisa Nandy defends London Mayor Sadiq Khan after Donald Trump’s harsh remarks, praising his record on housing, transport, and youth safety.
NHS London chief Chris Streather warns against a Christmas doctors’ strike as flu cases surge, urging vaccinations and caution during festive events.
Labour suspends Hounslow councillor Hina Mir after revelations she employed an illegal worker at her home, prompting an internal party investigation.
Haringey Council unanimously approves a 36-home redevelopment at a Wood Green timber yard, despite objections over building height and privacy impacts.
Whitmore Lights Festive fun day set to shine in West Harrow
South Africa (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Eswatini received $5.1 million from the Trump administration under a confidential agreement to accept at least 15 third-country deportees from nations like Vietnam, Cuba, Laos, Yemen, and the Philippines, sparking legal challenges from human rights groups
UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A mutated H3N2 influenza strain, identified as subclade K with seven new mutations, drives an early and potentially severe UK flu season, with hospital admissions up 56% year-on-year and predictions of the worst outbreak in decades. Experts
UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Storm Bram battered the UK on 9 December 2025 with 90mph winds, heavy rain causing over 80 flood warnings, and widespread power outages affecting thousands, leading to M4 Severn Bridge closure and major travel disruptions across England,
UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Baroness Anne Longfield, former Children’s Commissioner, has been appointed to lead the UK’s national inquiry into grooming gangs child sexual abuse, following months of delays and resignations. The three-year, £65 million probe for England and Wales will