The vast sums given to Nigel Farage’s party in recent days must lead to action on political funding The staggering sums gifted to Reform UK over the weekend have transformed the context for the representation of the people bill making its way through parliament. The announcement of two £36m donations from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, both crypto billionaires who have lived abroad, makes Andy Burnham’s decision not to impose a limit on political donations – a move he supported before becoming prime minister – look even more misguided. Fortunately the House of Lords still has the chance to amend the bill. It should take it by imposing meaningful limits on both political donations and party spending. It is unclear whether either man meets the criteria set out in the Rycroft review into foreign influence in politics. It set a maximum of £100,000 per annum for people who have not been in the UK for at least a year. Mr Delo previously lived in Hong Kong while Mr Harborne is based partly in Thailand; Nigel Farage said on Monday that he does not know the details of their movements. While ministers will view the prospect of a legal fight over eligibility with trepidation, they must do what it takes to ensure rules are met. Continue reading...

It’s not just that Nigel Farage claimed his movement abhorred the super-rich. It’s also the obscenity of individuals seeking so much sway over who runs the country As £72m in donations makes its way to Reform UK’s bank accounts, consider what Nigel Farage said on the eve of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union a decade ago. “This referendum is the people versus the establishment,” he declared. “It is the vested interest, it’s the rich, it’s the big business.” Just two years ago, Farage assailed “an unholy alliance of big business, big banks and big government”. He is also the same man who, when he debated with the then Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, in 2014, claimed to “represent the mercantile, trading, entrepreneurial end of society”, while his opponent “represents big banks, big government and big business”. Continue reading...

You can’t buy Dicky’s level of stupidity though it could be argued that Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo just have Never in the field of British politics has so much been given to so many by so few. You’d have thought Nigel Farage would have wanted to explain Reform’s sudden windfall from Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo himself. To bask in the glory of the donations from two down-to-earth, anti-establishment crypto billionaires. Men who know what it’s like to graft, who know the meaning of an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. There again, Nige is keen not to appear as a one-man band these days and he could do with some downtime to enjoy his own £5m handout. And besides, he’s got a police investigation into Reform party funding to worry about. Even so, it wasn’t the best of looks to send Richard Tice out on to the morning media round. Dicky may have his talents, but he keeps them well concealed. His main talent is the unfortunate ability to make Honest Bob Jenrick sound trustworthy. But he does always leave you guessing. Is he being wilfully stupid or is he naturally that half witted? Continue reading...

In an interview about the donations, he said they are compliant with the law ‘today’ Andy Burnham has cancelled engagements today and tomorrow following the death of his father Roy, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s, the Press Association reports. Burnham has spoken about his father’s illness which meant that he did not know his son had become prime minister. [We] will continue bringing forward further reforms to strengthen confidence in our democracy. Following on from the previous minister for democracy’s letter to you of 10 July 2026, we wanted to reiterate the government’s concerns, shared by many members of the public and parliamentarians, about the rise in the volume and concentration of money in UK politics. We have to limit the way financial power can end up dominating political power, to get to a politics that works for all people in all places. We believe spending limits on parties and candidates are too high, and ought to be reduced. Continue reading...

UK general secretaries had been split on issue but sources say they are likely to back strong words calling for action Trade unions are set to launch an intervention on Tuesday on political donations after the head of Britain’s trade union movement, Paul Nowak, said the government must act to “stop the super-rich corrupting our politics.” Union leaders met on Monday to discuss possible support for a domestic cap on donations. Discussions are expected to continue but sources said general secretaries were likely to back strong words calling for further action on political donations from wealthy individuals – but arguing that trade union members should be treated as individual donors giving small amounts. Continue reading...

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Firm, once part of Sanjeev Gupta’s empire, fell into administration last year but has failed to find buyer Business news – live updates One of Britain’s steelworks is to come into public ownership after the government said it would take over Yorkshire-based Speciality Steel UK (SSUK). Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, said officials would “work towards” acquiring the company to protect the jobs of its 1,300 workers in Rotherham, Stocksbridge and Brinsworth in South Yorkshire and Wednesbury in the West Midlands. Continue reading...

Special approval needed for amount that surpassed what Chris Wormald was ‘contractually entitled to’ The former head of the civil service Chris Wormald received a record payout of almost £860,000 when he was forced out of the top job in Whitehall by Keir Starmer. Cabinet Office accounts have revealed that the former cabinet secretary, who was sacked earlier this year , was paid £859,496 upon departure. The figure is an unprecedented amount, which required civil servants to seek a special direction from ministers to approve it because it was “greater than what Sir Chris Wormald would be contractually entitled to”. Continue reading...

There’s been a huge backlash against Reform UK after the party received £72m from two crypto billionaires over the weekend. Paul Nowak, the TUC leader, said the money showed democracy was ‘in crisis’. Labour is pushing for tighter restrictions on political donations which could be retrospective, but Reform is confident this will not affect its new war chest. How much does this money change the political landscape? And with Labour receiving millions from unions, will its new rules backfire? Please keep sending your comments and questions to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com . Please follow and subscribe to the Politics Weekly YouTube channel here Continue reading...

Company behind ChatGPT tells ministers to seize ‘political window’ on regulation as cross-party committee warns of rising threats to human rights UK politics live – latest updates OpenAI has urged British lawmakers to capitalise on renewed fears over AI safety and impose legislation reining in the technology. The company behind ChatGPT said the UK government should act immediately, following a call by its arch-rival Anthropic to curb AI development. Continue reading...

Leaders in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland discuss independence and call for constitutional change at summit Westminster’s time is coming to an end, the first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have said at a summit aimed at putting the UK’s Celtic nations on the path to independence referendums. The Plaid Cymru leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth; the Scottish National party leader, John Swinney; Sinn Féin’s vice-president, Michelle O’Neill, and the president and leader of the opposition in Ireland, Mary Lou McDonald, met in Cardiff on Monday to sign a memorandum of understanding recognising that “the political landscape across these islands is changing”. Continue reading...

Prime minister had been due to speak at the TUC conference in Brighton UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham has cancelled his engagements for Monday and Tuesday after his father, Roy, died. Among other plans, the prime minister had been due to speak to the TUC conference in Brighton on Tuesday. Continue reading...

The idea that GPs are ignoring guidelines and ‘overprescribing’ doesn’t hold water. Instead, look to our social and economic crises Dean Burnett is a doctor of neuroscience A new NHS report has revealed the highest ever levels of antidepressant use recorded in England, with roughly one in seven people prescribed an antidepressant item in 2025-26. This has resulted in a swathe of media coverage expressing alarm over the increase, with questions about what could, or should, be done to reverse the trend. Such a high level of antidepressant use should, of course, prompt concern and reflection. But the popular claim that has taken hold is that antidepressant use is too high because of “ overprescribing ”, as Dr John Read, a professor of clinical psychology, says in the Daily Mail. This is the idea that patients are being prescribed antidepressants when they shouldn’t be, or when better, safer alternatives are available. Dean Burnett is a doctor of neuroscience and the author of The Idiot Brain and Emotional Ignorance Continue reading...

Richard Tice says contributions are legally compliant after author of review into overseas donations says rules will be applied retrospectively Reform UK’s deputy leader has declined to say when two crypto billionaires who gave a combined £72m to the party returned to the UK, as the architect of a review into overseas donations said anyone here for less than 12 months would be subject to a limit on donations. Richard Tice said that while he was completely confident Reform had complied with all current and proposed laws on donations, he could not say when Ben Delo returned to the UK from Hong Kong, or how much time the Thailand-based Christopher Harborne spent in Britain. Continue reading...

US officials reportedly raided envoy’s London home and took him to American airbase without warning Met police UK politics live – latest updates British ministers face calls to act after US authorities secretly flew out of the UK a diplomat accused of possessing indecent images of children. US officials reportedly raided the diplomat’s London flat in August before taking him to an American airbase and flying him out of the country, without warning the Metropolitan police. Continue reading...

‘Commonsense change’ looks to end current confusion and put ‘passengers first, not shareholders’ when services are disrupted Rail passengers whose trains are cancelled will have the immediate right to travel on other operators’ services to finish their journey without further charge, ministers have announced. The “commonsense change” will take effect from Sunday 20 September, ending the confusion in Britain where many pre-booked tickets are not valid on other firms’ trains. Continue reading...

Exclusive: New research identifies thousands who profited from trafficking enslaved Africans and traces some financial links to institutions still operating today Continue reading...

Electoral Commission finds abuse, particularly of women, minority ethnic and disabled people, is affecting candidates’ behaviour Abuse and intimidation of election candidates is “a serious and growing concern”, the Electoral Commission has said, as a review of this year’s local and mayoral elections in England revealed a surge in threats to those who stood. More than half of the candidates for Labour or Reform UK reported abuse while those most likely to be targeted were women, people from minority ethnic backgrounds and those with disabilities. Continue reading...

More than 800 businesses ask PM to make good on pledge, or risk more closures and job losses Hundreds of UK hospitality businesses, backed by celebrity chefs including Angela Hartnett and Heston Blumenthal, have asked Andy Burnham to lay out plans to lower VAT for the sector, urging him to make good on his previous pledge. More than 800 businesses have written an open letter to the prime minister as part of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, to warn that without a “fairer tax burden for hospitality”, there will be more closures and job losses, and fewer opportunities for young people. Continue reading...