United Kingdom

    Jo Swinson has apologised to the Liberal Democrats for a dismal election in which she lost her seat and the party slipped to 11 MPs, but said she did not regret fighting on a defiantly pro-remain platform. Naming some of the MPs ejected as her party lost 10 of its pre-election tally of 21, including the Brexit spokesman, Tom Brake, and all the recent defectors from the Conservatives and Labour, Swinson said: I’m so sorry I couldn’t get them re-elected. In a speech to party activists, Swinson said she had been an unapologetic voice of remain in this election. The stance prompted some criticism inside the Lib Dems, notably the pledge to revoke Brexit without a second referendum if the party won a majority. Obviously it hasn’t worked, Swinson said. And I, like you, am...

    Jeremy Corbyn has hinted that he will step down as Labour leader in the early part of next year. In the wake of his party’s resounding general election defeat, which prompted Mr Corbyn to say he will not lead Labour into another general election, he was asked about his timetable to leave. The Labour leader replied: The National Executive will have to meet, of course, in the very near future and it is up to them. It will be in the early part of next year. Mr Corbyn added: This election was ultimately taken over by Brexit and we as a party represent people who voted both Remain and Leave. My whole strategy was to reach out beyond the Brexit divide to try and bring people together, because ultimately the country has to come together. When asked what went wrong, Mr C...

    The Conservatives have won the general election and Boris Johnson will enjoy a commanding House of Commons majority, the broadcasters' exit poll suggests. The poll conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of Sky News, the BBC and ITV News - forecasts the Tories will win 368 seats, with Labour on 191 seats, the SNP on 55 seats and the Liberal Democrats on 13 seats. To form a majority government in the Commons, a party needs to win more than 325 seats. The exit poll suggests Labour are set for a hugely disappointing night, with the party forecast to secure their lowest number of seats for decades. The exit poll numbers would give Prime Minister Boris Johnson a Commons majority of 86, vindicating his decision to push for a winter election. It also puts the UK on course to ...

    The presidential nature of a campaign dominated by the leaders of the two largest parties has been illuminated by research that also reveals how Labour and the Conservatives have hidden away senior figures deemed to be embarrassing or off message. Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn appeared in 31.7% and 26.9% of media coverage analysed by researchers, while the third most prominent figure to feature was the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell. The research suggests a huge focus across the media on a small number of leading figures, with the top 10 on the list accounting for 93% of total coverage. By contrast, the campaign’s “invisible” men and women – who were relegated to taking selfies on the election trail or rallying constituency parties – include cabinet ministers ...

    Britain’s political leaders set out their stalls to i readers as millions of voters deliver their verdict on their parties’ rival policy platforms following a tense and fractious election battle. The party leaders criss-crossed the UK on the final day of campaigning in an attempt to win over some of the estimated six million people wavering over how to vote. The outcome of the election could have a profound impact on the nation’s future direction as Boris Johnson has vowed to “get Brexit done” next month if he remains in Downing Street. An SNP advance would also reinvigorate calls for a second Scottish independence referendum. The final burst of campaign activity followed a shock poll suggesting that Britain could be heading for another hung parliament because Labo...

    Free counter terrorism training is being made available to the public to teach them how to react to a major incident. The training, which was devised by counter terrorism officers and security experts, was previously only available to staff working in crowded areas. But Counter Terrorism Policing has now opened the training modules to people who want to become so-called "CT Citizens", so they can spot the signs of suspicious behaviour. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) said the London Bridge terror attack on November 29 was a "stark reminder" of the "ongoing threat and the need for vigilance". However, the NPCC said the decision to open the training to the public was not made in response to the attack, which left two people dead. The online training, whi...

    Boris Johnson is looking at abolishing all TV licences, signalling the BBC could face a new threat from a post-Brexit US-UK trade deal. Speaking on the campaign trail in Tyne and Wear’s Washington, the Tory leader cast doubt on whether the publicly-funded broadcaster still makes sense in the long-term without TV licence fees. It underlines the fact the prime minister could be eyeing up radical changes to the UK’s media landscape as he prepares to enter negotiations with Donald Trump over post-Brexit trade if he wins Thursday’s election. In a document published by the US Chamber of Commerce, reported on by HuffPost UK, American firms made clear they did not want any culture carve out for the BBC. The USCC’s submission to the US administration said Johnson should be...

    Extinction Rebellion have blocked a road by Heathrow Airport by lying in front of a bulldozer. Dozens of environmental activists lay down on the tarmac outside the transport hub on Sunday afternoon amid high police presence, blocking two lanes. Part of Bath Road, above Tunnel Road roundabout, was closed as they assembled a full-size pink tractor with a “bulldozer” shovel at the front, strewn with newspaper headlines on air pollution. Protesters descended on the airport earlier en masse, cycling in convoy down the M4 with a makeshift “bulldozer” tricycle, halting several lanes of traffic. They are protesting plans to build a third runway at Heathrow next year, forming part of XR’s 12 Days of Crisis campaign pressuring party leaders before the country goes to the po...

    Britain's longest-running rail franchise, which began serving the West Coast Main Line in March 1997, operated its final service on Saturday night. Following the last journey, the 9.42pm departure from London Euston to Wolverhampton, Virgin Trains tweeted to say thank you to its passengers for travelling - after posting this earlier in the day. The end for Virgin Trains, which is co-owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Stagecoach, comes after its bid to continue running trains on the line was disqualified by the Department for Transport in a row over pensions. Britain's longest-running rail franchise, which began serving the West Coast Main Line in March 1997, operated its final service on Saturday night. Following the last journey, the 9.42pm departure...

    Royal Navy military personnel have taken the blame for leaking WhatsApp message that sparked a rumour that the Queen had died. Officials have apologised for any misunderstanding after claims that HRH had passed away went viral. On Sunday 1 December, a screenshot from a WhatsApp group chat was posted on Facebook and Twitter. Inside the image was a conversation believed to be between individuals serving in the Royal Navy stating what equipment personnel would need for an exercise to do with the royal's passing. A user called Gibbo, wrote on the group chat: Queen's passed away this morning, heart attack, being announced 930 AM tomorrow (sic). The message also says: Channel dash 0800 tomorrow in full number 1s, in your black kit bag you need: 1 set of 3s 1 set of 4s ...