The Standard Politics

New military childcare scheme to close ‘big gap’ between Scotland and England

Nick Forbes — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:53:11 GMT

Beginning in September 2026, the scheme could save armed forces families in Scotland up to £6,000 per child per year in childcare costs.

Officials to face questions after students turned away from meningitis jab queue

Jane Kirby — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:01:21 GMT

More than 100 students who were waiting in line for the meningitis vaccine were turned away when the queue reached ‘capacity’.

Michelle O’Neill backs ‘urgent meeting’ with Prime Minister on energy costs

Cillian Sherlock — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 22:19:40 GMT

Northern Ireland’s First Minister said the Government’s proposed energy price intervention is ‘completely tone-deaf’.

Scotland at a crossroads ahead of ‘critical’ election, says Reform’s Offord

Craig Paton — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 20:43:35 GMT

Party members met on Thursday as Reform’s candidates were announced and the policy platform was launched.

Nicola Sturgeon says leaving Holyrood is a ‘wrench’ as she makes final speech

Katrine Bussey — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:29:04 GMT

The former first minister of Scotland is stepping down from Holyrood at the next election.

Meningitis outbreak: Students turned away for vaccines in Kent

Jane Kirby — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:55:58 GMT

Two students have died and others are being treated in hospital as health officials try to establish why meningitis has spread so rapidly.

Iranian strikes on energy sites serious escalation of conflict, says John Healey

Christopher McKeon — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:53:54 GMT

The Defence Secretary was speaking during a visit to Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh.

Swinney says UK Government security briefing cancelled over lack of ‘babysitter’

Katrine Bussey — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:49:01 GMT

The First Minister said he had been expecting to speak to the deputy national security adviser on Thursday morning.

Stay-at-home pandemic order sent message NHS was closed – Covid-19 Inquiry

Ella Pickover — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:01:35 GMT

The coronavirus probe has published its report on the NHS during the crisis.

Campaigners warn of ‘damage’ caused by the Government’s aid decisions

Jonathan Bunn — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:05:20 GMT

Yvette Cooper announced allocations under the official development assistance (ODA) regime on Thursday.

Nigel Farage calls for ban on mass religious observances after criticism of Islamic prayer in Trafalgar Square

Rachael Burford — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:03:58 GMT

Sir Sadiq Khan was among worshippers at a Ramadan event in Trafalgar Square, which Tory shadow minister Nick Timothy as an ‘act of domination and division’

What is behind the Bank’s latest rates decision and inflation warnings?

Holly Williams — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 16:32:31 GMT

Policymakers voted unanimously to keep rates at 3.75%, with cuts now looking to be off the table as the conflict in the Middle East escalates.

Bank of England holds interest rates but hints at possible hikes

Anna Wise — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 16:32:23 GMT

The Bank left rates unchanged in a unanimous vote among all nine members of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

Hospital openings delayed by ‘repeated mistakes’ from QEUH, claims Sarwar

Rachel Keenan — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 16:15:43 GMT

The Scottish Labour leader made the comments during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday.

Crime in Croydon put centre stage of Tory local election campaign for England by Kemi Badenoch

Nicholas Cecil — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 16:08:31 GMT

The Tory leader told how local businesses in south London are being plagued by shoplifting

Yvette Cooper insists the UK will remain a ‘major player’ on aid despite cuts

Jonathan Bunn — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:49:03 GMT

The Foreign Secretary said hard choices had been made on allocations across the world as the Government aims for ‘partnership not paternalism’.

Health Secretary promises more meningitis vaccines as number of cases rise to 27

Jane Kirby — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:32:36 GMT

Wes Streeting said the spread of meningitis is not like Covid but he wanted more people to be protected.

Britain should rejoin EU, says Sadiq Khan as he slams 'humongous' cost of Brexit

Nicholas Cecil — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:28:16 GMT

The capital’s economy is £30 billion smaller than if the UK had stayed in the EU, says the London Mayor

Pete Hegseth blasts 'ungrateful' Europe as Trump's Iran war sparks economic chaos

Nicholas Cecil and Tamara Davison — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:27:43 GMT

US defense secretary condemns 'ungrateful' European allies for refusing to play their part in the conflict

Swinney says UK Government security briefing cancelled over lack of ‘babysitter’

Katrine Bussey — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:10:22 GMT

The First Minister said there was a ‘suggestion’ Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander would need to be at the briefing.

BBC World Service to see funding increased by extra £33m

Jenny Garnsworthy — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:17:34 GMT

The World Service is provided in 43 languages across the world and has an average weekly audience of 313 million.

Reform vows to cut number of MSPs and quangos in manifesto for Holyrood vote

Craig Paton — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:45:00 GMT

The party outlined its candidates and policy platform at an event in Renfrewshire on Thursday.

Cypriot president calls for ‘frank discussion’ about future of British bases

Christopher McKeon — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:17:20 GMT

Nikos Christodoulides said the two bases were a ‘colonial consequence’ as he appeared to cast doubt on their future.

Ministers will meet Swinney on US military use of Prestwick Airport, says Healey

Nick Forbes — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:14:57 GMT

The Defence Secretary also said the Scottish Government-owned airport is not being used for strike operations on Iran.

Rise of Reform partly due to racism, says John Swinney

Craig Meighan — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:15:54 GMT

Scotland’s First Minister also said some people support Nigel Farage’s party because they are ‘fed up with the state of our society’.

Tory chairman wades into row over MP's 'act of domination' attack on Muslim prayer in Trafalgar Square

Michael Howie — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:27:53 GMT

Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley accuses Kevin Hollinrake of ‘tying himself in knots’

New town the size of Winchester gets planning permission in east London to tackle housing crisis

Rachael Burford — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:58:51 GMT

Some 20,000 homes, two new schools, hotels, a care home, shops, pubs, bars, parks, offices and student accommodation, were officially signed off as part of the project

Sarah Ferguson may have freedom of City of York stripped by council

Pol Allingham — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:45:52 GMT

Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were given the honour as a wedding present from York in 1987

Trump's 'quagmire' nightmare: How US President could lose the Iran war even if his forces win every battle

Nicholas Cecil — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:03:40 GMT

‘The US now finds itself in the naval and air equivalent of the dynamic we faced in Iraq and Afghanistan,’ says Middle East expert Ilan Goldenberg

Trump warns US will 'massively blow up' world's largest gas field if Iran attacks Qatar again

Michael Howie — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:00:34 GMT

‘The pendulum of war has swung to a full-scale economic war,’ warns Iranian governor - as oil price rises again

Ed Miliband calls for fairness in business energy contracts amid Iran crisis

David Hughes — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 06:16:51 GMT

Mr Miliband said pricing needs to be ‘fair, transparent and fully justifiable’.