🚨🇺🇸 I'm moving to DC next month to join @thetimes team across the pond as Washington Correspondent
Will miss my incredible colleagues here after two years in Westminster but very excited for the new job!
EXC: More than 100 Labour MPs signed a letter sent to chief whip yesterday with concerns about welfare cuts, raising the prospect of a parliamentary defeat for the government unless it changes course
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At Robert Jenrick's Tory leadership launch in Newark, a video is shown beforehand of him visiting "all four nations". In the section for Northern Ireland, a screen behind him says "Welcome to Dublin"
Exclusive: Driving licences will be digitised and available on phones this year, paving the way for it to become the go-to proof of identity for tens of millions of people
The digital driver’s licence will be available on a new Gov.uk app
EXCLUSIVE
Some local elections *will* be postponed from May '25. All 21 county councils asked to send in restructuring plans by mid-January. Ministers select a first round of councils and lay legislation to postpone elections by mid to late February. Postponed till '26 or '27.
Is the leak inquiry back on?
12:52pm - Sir Keir Starmer has been assured that no No 10 staff have engaged in briefing against Cabinet ministers after he reiterated to them it is “completely unacceptable”, Downing Street said.
1.38pm - Rachel Reeves: “Well, there I think is
NEW: Latest on the welfare rebellion
- Total of about 170 Labour MPs have privately made clear they're unhappy with the plans
- Of those, rebels believe 60 up for voting against, the rest considering abstaining
- PPSs are prepared to resign
- Some concessions appear inevitable
🚨Exc: Migrants sent to Rwanda face being flown out to another country if the medical care they need isn't available there
British taxpayer will cover the costs of treatment abroad in Belgium, India, Turkey, or one of seven east African countries, under contract signed last week
NEW: No bounce in the polls for Tories despite Kemi Badenoch's conference announcements, weekly YouGov voting intention poll for The Times/Sky News shows - while the Greens hit a record high
RefUK 27% (=)
LAB 20% (=)
CON 17% (=)
LDEM 16% (-1)
GRN 13% (+1)