A senior Conservative says an alleged China-linked operative worked as a parliamentary researcher in their office, while the MP fears she was secretly filmed or bugged in a hotel as the aide accessed high-level briefings on UK China policy.
A US leader says he has brokered a breakthrough securing the release of hostages and a halt to military action in the region, with families due to be reunited and forces preparing to withdraw under an agreed timetable.
Kemi Badenoch pledged to abolish stamp duty as part of a £9bn tax cut funded by a crackdown on welfare and waste, saying the move would boost home ownership and reaffirm the party’s economic credentials against Labour and Reform.
The DPP said a case against two men accused of espionage collapsed because security advisers would not label China an enemy, drawing criticism that this stance risks undermining efforts to prosecute hostile state activity.
Police have dismantled a network accused of exporting tens of thousands of stolen mobile phones overseas, with about 300 officers making arrests across London and holding suspected kingpins after a lengthy investigation.
MPs are pressing for the PM’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell to explain the collapse of a China‑linked espionage case after charges were dropped against two men, amid criticism that ministers have not provided a clear account and warnings the decision could embolden hostile states.
Michelle Mone faces mounting calls to return £122 million linked to unusable Covid equipment contracts and to relinquish her peerage, following a High Court defeat and growing criticism over public funds.
Keir Starmer faced criticism for his forceful attacks on Nigel Farage during a party conference, with tensions escalating after further controversial remarks from David Lammy and heated exchanges over leadership and political rhetoric.
