Politics

Britain’s manufacturing sector plunged to its worst level of decline for more than six years in June as the end of a Brexit-related stockpiling push continued to send shockwaves through the industry. The IHS Markit/CIPS UK manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed a reading of 48 last month, down from 49.4 in May. This put the index at its weakest level since February 2013. It was the second month in a row that the figure has been below 50, the...

Tory leadership candidate previously said pay rises should be paid for by getting rid of staff A union has warned Tory leadership candidate Boris Johnson’s warms words on pay rises mask an ugly plan to slash jobs. Johnson’s supporter Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Times that public sector workers would get a “fair” pay rise under Johnson. Warning prized public services are not safe in his hands, GMB said Johnson had previously indicated public sector pay rises could be...

The Liberal Democrat leadership front-runner said the Lib Dems could work with other parties 'given the threats our country faces'

Boris Johnson has brushed off Stormzy’s “f*** Boris” criticism on the Glastonbury main stage – and joked that he actually said “Back Boris”, but was misunderstood. Stormzy took aim at the Tory leadership candidate during his song Vossi Bop, which includes the lyrics “F* the Government and f*Boris”. Stormzy, who on Friday night became the first black British performer to headline Glastonbury’s main stage, prompted the crowd to chant the politically-charged lyrics. However, speaking after the Conservative Party’s leadership hustings...

Unite chief Len McCluskey urged MPs to ‘keep calm’ as shadow chancellor John McDonnell says Labour needs to ‘move now’.

Mr Johnson’s comments came after he pledged to take the UK out of the EU by the Halloween deadline “do or die”.

Chris Williamson, MP for Derby North, has been allowed to stay in the Labour party.

Diane Abbot has become the latest senior Labour figure to express concerns about the party’s policy on Brexit. The shadow home secretary – one of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest allies – said she was “beginning to worry” whether the party had got its strategy right. Her intervention will add to the pressure on the Labour leader to fully embrace a second EU referendum – something he has so far resisted. It follows a reportedly fractious shadow cabinet meeting on Tuesday when...

The first meeting of a group set up to find backstop alternatives had full and frank discussions, according to one member. Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, attended the first meeting of the business group set up to examine other options to the Brexit backstop on Wednesday. “I can say that there was very frank discussion and a chance for people to look at the parameters of what alternative arrangements would mean for the Northern Ireland border,”...