Why has government reversed its decision to postpone 30 local polls across England?

The government has U-turned on its decision to postpone 30 local elections across England, which are due to take place in May. How did we get here, and why?In January the government confirmed local elections affecting about 4 million people across England would be postponed amid slow-moving efforts to reorganise the structure of local government.The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) stressed it was a postponement and not a cancellation. Under plans to end the two-tier system of local government throughout much of England, district and county councils taking on different responsibilities in the same area would be replaced by single-tier “unitary” authorities.With the MHCLG saying elections for these new councils would be held in 2027, the argument was that it was an unnecessary expense to hold dozens of elections for a single year, and that the existing councillors could carry on

Starmer’s options in funding a further defence spending rise would be limited

Keir Starmer has few options if he wants to increase annual defence spending by up to £14bn before the end of this parliament.In last summer’s spending review, the government set out plans to increase defence spending from 2.3% of national income, or gross domestic product (GDP), in 2024-25 – about £66bn, to 2.6% in 2028-29.But now there are hints that the embattled prime minister wants to go much faster

Deeper and down with Keir Starmer | Brief letters

Rafael Behr says many voters see Keir Starmer as “the archetypal status quo politician” (Keir Starmer is the bandage that Labour can’t rip off for fear of opening old wounds, 11 February). They could be on to something, since the band of that name is renowned for its dull, predictable output, which has included Accident Prone and, more optimistically, Come On You Reds and The Party Ain’t Over Yet.Mike HineKingston upon Thames, London You published a number of letters critical of Keir Starmer, but let us be thankful that he has not inflicted as much damage as Margaret Thatcher or David Cameron.Richard BartholomewColchester I understand “spad” at Westminster means special adviser. I spent my career working for British Rail

Britain ‘needs to go faster’ on defence spending, Starmer says

Keir Starmer has said Britain “needs to go faster” on defence spending, though any increase to military budgets in this parliament would probably not be as high as the £15bn suggested in an overnight report.At a press conference in south-west London, the prime minister was asked to comment on a BBC report that No 10 wanted to increase the defence budget to 3% of GDP by 2029.In reply, Starmer said the threat from Russia was obvious and likely to endure even if the fighting in Ukraine could be stopped. “We need to be alert to that, because that’s going to affect every single person in this room, every single person in this country, so we need to step up.”He then emphasised “that means, on defence spending, we need to go faster,” which was initially interpreted as a clear indication he sympathised with the 3% spending proposal, though the figure did not appear to have been signed off by the Treasury

Cabinet Office looking into Starmer-linked thinktank after it investigated journalists

The Cabinet Office is examining the commissioning of a report that made false claims about journalists who were investigating Labour Together, the thinktank closely linked to Keir Starmer, a cabinet minister has said.Liz Kendall, the science and technology secretary, indicated it would not be a formal inquiry, as demanded by the Conservatives and some Labour MPs, noting that the trade association for the PR industry was carrying out such an investigation.Downing Street declined to comment on what form the process would take. It is understood that it is likely to be led by the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team.The standards committee of the Public Relations and Communications Association is examining a report compiled by the PR consultancy Apco Worldwide into the “sourcing, funding and origins” of a November 2023 Sunday Times report about Labour Together

New UK border rules for dual nationals are discriminatory against women, campaigners say

New rules requiring British dual nationals to show a UK passport when entering Britain are “discriminatory” against women, campaigners claim.From 25 February, British dual nationals are required to present a British passport when boarding a plane, ferry or train to the UK, or attach a new document, a “certificate of entitlement”, which costs nearly £600, to their second passport.Campaigners say it will pose particular problems for some women in Greece and Spain who took out citizenship after Brexit because of British rules requiring names to exactly match on the UK and second passports.In Greece, women are required to keep their maiden name after marriage to a Greek national, meaning those whose British passports use their husband’s name will fall foul of the name-match rule.In Spain, Britons married to Spaniards carry two surnames on official ID, the maiden name of their mother and their father’s surname, while in the UK their British passport will only have one surname