Mary Beard: ‘What are historians in the future going to find weird about us?’
Prolific broadcaster and writer is chair of the Booker Prize 2026 judging panel, and says her new book is for ‘people who haven’t really thought much about classics’
Labour Party (UK)
Stories related to the British Labour Party
Nine Days in May by Jonathan Schneer and Radicals: The Working Classes and the Making of Modern Britain by Geoff Andrews
Despite their defeat in two historic strikes, the British miners’ struggle raised huge questions for society
The British government has no business in banning Kanye West from the country
Free-speech absolutism is the only logical position in modern democracy. Yes, even when the speech is as base and bigoted as this
Starmer needs King Charles to deliver after US-UK Iran schism
British king travels to Washington at the end of this month on crucial state visit against backdrop of political tension
Trump is hastening Britain’s return to the EU
Economics, security and domestic politics all point the Starmer government towards Brussels
Nigel Farage’s ‘turquoise wave’ set to crash on Norfolk shores
Prosperous rural region of east England is among the areas the Reform UK leader intends to turn into a graveyard for the Tories
‘Angela is queen bee’: Rayner plots her return to top table of Westminster politics
UK’s former deputy PM is planning a podcast series and memoir. She may be a contender if Keir Starmer flounders - and she clears up her tax issues
Morgan McSweeney’s stolen phone gets Westminster’s conspiracy theorists in a lather
UK prime minister Keir Starmer limps into Easter recess with in-tray of wars, inflation and next tranche of Peter Mandelson files
Labour’s century-long hold on Wales faces collapse – but why?
Shifts in identity, social change and the strain of long incumbency mean Ireland’s nearest neighbour is about to undergo a sea change
Anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim sentiment duel for the attention of Britain’s political class
Jewish-owned ambulances are set on fire in London while Manchester mosque users stop hammer-wielding man from entering
Calls for an amnesty for British soldiers in Northern Ireland are based on a myth
Investigating past army misdeeds is a witch-hunt, right-leaning Britain is told, but where is the evidence?
Banning social media won’t work. Here is a smarter way to deal with the problem
It’s naive to think a blanket ban on social media will make the problem go away
Keir Starmer revels in telling Trump he is on his own in Iran
UK-US ‘special relationship’ is not dead yet – but the Starmer-Trump bromance is
Alliance participation in NI Assembly ‘cannot be taken for granted’, says Naomi Long
Leader addresses party conference in Belfast, with standing room only for guest speaker, Labour’s Andy Burnham
British PM Keir Starmer visits Belfast as many struggle with heating oil price surge
‘If companies fleece customers or rip them off, we will not hesitate to step in, and that includes on regulation,’ says PM
Labour MP’s partner among three arrested in UK on suspicion of spying for China
Police officers also search addresses in London, Wales and Scotland in national security investigation
EU criticised over ‘changing the goalposts’ in reset talks with UK
Report from House of Commons committee welcomes moves but argues Brussels is doing better out of it than London
The Irish Times view on the UK byelection: another blow for Starmer
After losing a Labour seat to the Green Party, the prime minister will nervously await polls in May
Manchester byelection defeat leaves Keir Starmer green around the gills
UK prime minister and Labour leader is running out of options
Embarrassing byelection defeat for Keir Starmer as Greens seize Labour stronghold
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK push Labour into third place in Gorton and Denton
How a Manchester byelection is potentially seismic for shape of British politics
Will it be grim up north for Labour or can it hang on to buttress Starmer’s position?
Boiling tensions, brittle loyalties: a crucial vote that may redefine UK’s national politics
Crucial byelection too close to call as Greens and Reform UK surge, while Labour hopes to hold on if its base doesn’t split
New Labour, New Britain?: Reconsidering the Blair years
Compelling book argues convincingly that the 1997-2007 government was not a continuation of Thatcherism
Peter Mandelson freed on bail following arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office
Former UK ambassador to US and Northern secretary was fired in September over links to Jeffrey Epstein
Starmer insists he will lead Labour into next election after turbulent week
UK prime minister acknowledges appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador was a ‘mistake’
Ireland has a lot of skin in the game of international politics
What might a prime minister Nigel Farage say or do in relation to Northern Ireland?
Starmer facing further pressure over appointment of ally despite sex offender link
Concerns raised that Matthew Doyle campaigned in 2017 for man who was charged with having child abuse images
How Downing Street scrambled to ensure Keir Starmer survived to fight another day
There was a very real chance the PM would be out after losing two senior staffers but well-organised support bought him vital time
Epstein files fallout could affect Ireland through Keir Starmer and in a more opaque way
Micheál Martin urged to raise issue of Irishman held for in US by Ice for five months despite having valid work permit
Keir Starmer fights for political future as Scottish Labour leader urges resignation
Irish Government sources indicate vastly improved relations with Britain will survive any leadership change
Starmer ‘not prepared to walk away’ after Scottish Labour leader calls for him to step down
‘Too many mistakes’ by Downing Street says Anas Sarwar amid continued fallout from Mandelson ties to Jeffrey Epstein
Keir Starmer: What happens if he resigns or his leadership is challenged?
UK’s Labour PM in crisis following revelations of former US ambassador Peter Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein
Irish adviser’s resignation may not be enough to save Keir Starmer
Democrats in US are getting worked up about what Donald Trump might do in advance of November’s midterm elections
Explainer: What next for Keir Starmer and the Labour Party?
If UK prime minister quits, an interim leader could be chosen, but he could also limp on as no clear contender has emerged
Keir Starmer battles to save his premiership after resignation of Corkman Morgan McSweeney
Cork man Morgan McSweeney quits over recommendation of Peter Mandelson as ambassador
Irish man Morgan McSweeney resigns as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff
Irish man said he took ‘full responsibility’ for advising Starmer to appoint Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to the US
UK police search properties in investigation into Mandelson over Epstein ties
Files released by US justice department include emails suggesting Mandelson leaked government documents to Epstein
Morgan McSweeney: Starmer’s embattled chief of staff may soon need to update his LinkedIn
Irish man who helped mastermind Labour’s return to power facing calls to be sacked by MPs angry over Peter Mandelson scandal
Starmer urged to sack Morgan McSweeney over Mandelson appointment
Cork-born adviser Morgan McSweeney under fierce scrutiny for sending the peer to Washington
It’s ironic how it took a Corkman to teach UK’s Labour to sound like English patriots
It has been helpful for Ireland, too. But Morgan McSweeney’s reign could be coming to screeching halt
What do the women want? Nice frocks, good sex and, as Nicola Coughlan knows, one more key element
Thankfully, the Irish Bridgerton star is engaged in a psy-op to bring down the sexy empire from within
Westminster braces for ‘Mandelson Files’ as Starmer wobbles on his most bruising day
Release of documents on appointment of disgraced former ambassador spells real peril for prime minister and his Cork-born adviser Morgan McSweeney
Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson will go down in history as crawlers and creeps
If we want to understand why democracy is in such trouble, we can learn plenty from the careers of two men who were once stellar figures in democratic politics
Suella Braverman’s defection is a calculated risk for Nigel Farage
Reform UK leader’s welcome of flood of Tory defectors suggests killing that party is still his main aim, rather than killing Labour
Keir Starmer takes big gamble as his allies block Andy Burnham’s Westminster byelection bid
Starmer may be blamed if Labour loses byelection to Reform or Greens while party star and leadership rival is made sit it out
‘It’s a fortress’: Is China building a mega embassy or a spy nest in London?
UK government, keen for better relations with China, has given go-ahead for sprawling new embassy despite security concerns
Keir Starmer’s allies launch ‘Stop Andy Burnham’ campaign to block parliamentary return
Resignation of a Manchester MP has triggered a byelection
EU seeking ‘Farage clause’ in Brexit ‘reset’ agreement with UK
Guarantee seen as means of ensuring bloc is not left out of pocket should Reform leader win general election
‘When you call people invaders, you are calling them the enemy. That sets a tone’
UK Labour peer says home secretary is ‘unnecessarily hardline’ on asylum seekers and he doesn’t ‘denigrate’ Reform voters
John Gapper: British business has an opportunity to defy the gloom
Entrepreneurs are more optimistic than the headlines are about the UK’s economic potential
Here’s the unpopular truth: many of us have never had it so good
Ireland has never been better off, yet a narrative of State failure dominates political debate and much of the media
Starmer under siege: the runners, riders and risks of Labour’s next power struggle
As polls worsen and MPs mutter about local elections, Labour’s factions are lining up their champions, from Wes Streeting to Angela Rayner
The UK’s prime minister, its king and their new annus horribilis
Keir Starmer’s 2025 was turbulent as Reform UK kept up the pressure, while King Charles dealt with the fallout of his brother Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein
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Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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