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Specialist courts for rape cases to be rolled out in England and Wales
Source: BBC Politics
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BBC Politics
Lib Dems call for action to improve safety in maternity care
Sir Ed Davey pledged to spend £600m a year on maternity services if the Lib Dems were in government.
The Guardian
Ed Davey rejects claims party is ‘sleepwalking into irrelevance’ under his leadership – UK politics live
Lib Dem leader says he is proud of party’s record at Brighton conference Good morning. Ed Davey became Lib Dem leader in 2020, which means he is technically the longest-serving leader of a national party in the UK. (“Technically” because, while Nigel Farage only became leader of Reform UK in his current incumbency in 2024, he had led it before when it was called the Brexit party and, if you include Ukip, he has been leader of the anti-migrant, anti-EU right in British politics for more than 20 years.) After six years in charge, it is inevitable that some Lib Dems are starting to complain and, with the Lib Dem conference taking place in Brighton, Davey has been giving interviews this morning where he has had to respond to complaints from his critics. The most vocal has been Julian Brazil , the leader of Devon county council, who told the BBC yesterday that the Lib Dems were “sleepwalking
The Guardian
What do you think of the MPs’ inquiry into UK Eurovision song contest failure? I give it nul points | Laura Snapes
There are obvious reasons why the UK flops and flops again, but that isn’t the point. This annual debacle is now part of our national identity Given that Britain’s politics are quite a sizeable reason that we do so badly in Eurovision: here’s something that will definitely, absolutely, categorically help us do better in the competition … interference from MPs. Digital, culture, media and sport committee chair Caroline Dinenage has announced that MPs will scrutinise the UK’s reliable failure in the competition to see where we’re going wrong, with a hearing to be held over the coming months. The answers surely don’t take that long to work out. Continue reading...
The Guardian
Lib Dems propose big tech levy to fund £250m online crime agency
Proposal one of many at conference responding to concern voters unaware of party’s policies or what it stands for The Liberal Democrats say they will tax big tech to finance a new online crime agency, as they try to address concerns that not enough voters know what the party stands for. The plan, to be announced at the party conference on Monday by the Lib Dems’ home affairs spokesperson, Max Wilkinson, would create a new Online Crime Agency focused on offences including child sexual abuse material, trafficking in drugs and weapons, and deepfake AI-generated pornographic images. Continue reading...
NPR Politics
President Trump navigates tough political waters with UNGA, Xi visit and AI
President Trump has a big week on the international stage, from the United Nations General Assembly to hosting the Chinese president at the White House.
The Guardian
UK minister warns of impact of Trump’s Iran war on next month’s budget
Bridget Phillipson says Burnham’s past criticisms of US president not an issue as PM prepares to meet Trump at UN Next month’s budget will be made more difficult by Donald Trump’s war with Iran, one of Andy Burnham’s cabinet ministers has said, while adding she did not expect the prime minister’s previous disparaging comments about the US president to be an issue. Burnham is expected to meet Trump early next week at the UN general assembly summit in New York, the pair having previously spoken twice by phone since Burnham entered No 10. Continue reading...