Politics News Headlines - Yahoo! News UK

Saudi envoy kidnapped in Yemen begs king for help

Sat, 26 May 2012 10:22:49 +0100

DUBAI (Reuters) - A Saudi Arabian diplomat kidnapped by al Qaeda militants in Yemen urged the Saudi king to meet his captors' demand for the release of women prisoners, in a video message posted on the Internet on Saturday. "I plead the custodian of the two mosques (Saudi King Abdullah) to bring me back to my family, to my children and wife," said Abdallah al-Khalidi, the Saudi deputy consul in the Yemeni port city of Aden, who was abducted in March. "I plead King Abdullah ... ...

Iran has enough uranium for 5 bombs - expert

Sat, 26 May 2012 10:01:48 +0100

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has significantly stepped up its output of low-enriched uranium and total production in the last five years would be enough for at least five nuclear weapons if refined much further, a U.S. security institute said. The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a think-tank which closely tracks Iran's nuclear programme, made the analysis on the basis of data in the latest quarterly U.N. watchdog report which was issued on Friday. ...

Brother of blind Chinese activist goes missing - lawyer

Sat, 26 May 2012 09:10:51 +0100

BEIJING (Reuters) - The brother of blind activist Chen Guangcheng has gone missing, a lawyer said on Saturday, days after he fled his village in northeastern China to seek help for his son who has been detained in a case that has become a rallying point among rights activists. Chen Guangfu, the eldest brother of Chen Guangcheng, fled his home in Shandong province and arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to seek legal help for his son, Chen Kegui, who is being held on an attempted murder charge. ...

Cameron defends role in Murdoch takeover deal

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:47:21 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron rejected calls to fire his Culture Minister on Friday after a public inquiry heard how the minister had ignored warnings from staff to lend his support to a major Rupert Murdoch takeover deal. Appearing on a morning television show more commonly known for light-hearted issues, Cameron was tackled on his judgment in appointing a minister to rule on News Corp's bid for BSkyB who he already knew supported the deal. ...

Factbox - UK queen's 60 year reign - by numbers

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:58:36 +0100

(Reuters) - Here is a look at the queen's reign by numbers: POLITICS: - The queen is the second longest serving monarch. Only five other kings and queens in British history have reigned for 50 years or more: • Victoria (63 years) • George III (59 years) • Henry III (56 years) • Edward III (50 years) • James VI of Scotland (James I of England) (58 years) - The queen is the 40th monarch since William the Conqueror obtained the crown of England. - Since 1952 The queen has given Royal Assent to more than 3,500 Acts of Parliament. ...

Failing hospitals test gets go-ahead

Fri, 25 May 2012 09:01:00 +0100

Hospitals are to be ranked by how many patients are happy for their friends and family to receive the same care they do.

Patients to rate care in 'family and friends test'

Fri, 25 May 2012 08:55:33 +0100

Hospital patients will be invited to rate the treatment they receive and say whether they would recommend it to their loved ones, Prime Minister David Cameron will announce on Friday.

PM picked 'pro-Murdoch' minister for BSkyB deal

Fri, 25 May 2012 07:11:24 +0100

British Prime Minister David Cameron appointed a minister to decide on Rupert Murdoch's bid for control of pay-TV giant BSkyB, despite knowing that the official backed the deal, an inquiry has heard.

Scots' push for Britain breakup begins in earnest

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:05:54 +0100

EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Supporters of independence for Scotland will launch on Friday what they say is the biggest grassroots campaign in Scottish history, a move that could result in the demise of a 305-year-old union with England and the breakup of Britain. Seeking to tap into a cocktail of historical rivalry, opposing political tastes, and a perception that the British parliament in London does not nurture Scotland's national interests, the "Yes Scotland" campaign says it wants to win a referendum on independence in 2014 and for the country to become fully independent by 2016. ...

MPs warn over defence cost-cutting

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:04:00 +0100

Mass job cuts at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) are being determined by short-term cost-cutting, not long-term military needs, MPs have warned.

UK appointed pro-Murdoch minister to News Corp bid

Thu, 24 May 2012 21:46:03 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron gave the job of ruling on a multi-billion dollar takeover by News Corp to a minister he knew supported the deal, an inquiry heard on Thursday, reigniting accusations he was in hock to Rupert Murdoch. Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary who was handed the task of deciding whether to support Murdoch's $12 billion bid for BSkyB, had previously sent a memo to Cameron detailing his view that the takeover would be good for Britain. ...

UK police head for Libya to probe 1984 murder

Thu, 24 May 2012 18:22:58 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - A Scotland Yard team is to fly to Libya to investigate the murder of police officer Yvonne Fletcher, who was shot dead outside the Libyan embassy in London in 1984, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday. Fletcher, 25, died after being hit by a shot fired from the embassy during a demonstration against former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. After an 11-day siege, 30 Libyans in the embassy were deported and no one was ever charged with her killing. Cameron told reporters the police team visit was a "really positive step forward. ...

The memo that brings Hunt scandal to Cameron's door

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:03:45 +0100

David Cameron was dragged further into the row engulfing Jeremy Hunt today after another explosive evidence session at the Leveson inquiry.

Confirmed: Double-dip recession even worse than feared

Thu, 24 May 2012 14:33:52 +0100

Britain's economy shrunk more quickly than expected in the first quarter of 2011, in a setback to pundits who had doubted whether the UK really was suffering a double-dip recession.

Huhne partner loses damages claim

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:38:50 +0100

MP Chris Huhne's partner Carina Trimingham has lost her privacy and harassment claim against Associated Newspapers.

No 10 unleashes Tory gay marriage opposition with free vote move

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:12:41 +0100

Downing Street has bowed to ministerial opposition to its plans to legalise gay marriage by giving all MPs a free vote.

No eurozone answers as crisis drifts on

Thu, 24 May 2012 08:39:36 +0100

David Cameron has called for "decisive action soon" to resolve the ongoing eurozone crisis.

Cameron vows to fight EU financial tax

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:36:43 +0100

British Prime Minister David Cameron lashed out at fellow EU leaders Wednesday for reviving a proposal for a financial transaction tax, saying it was a bad idea and he would fight it all the way.

Euro: Enough is enough says Cameron

Thu, 24 May 2012 01:03:54 +0100

David Cameron has called for a "lasting solution" to the eurozone crisis after enduring 18 EU summits on the subject since he became Prime Minister.

Must try harder: £35bn remains in uncollected tax

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:01:00 +0100

HMRC has failed to collect £35 billion in tax, partly due to the fact it has laid off staff responsible for collecting the money.

PM rapped over 'idiot Balls' jibe

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:26:21 +0100

David Cameron has lost his temper with Ed Balls after the shadow chancellor teased him to "chillax, and have another glass of wine".

Clash over 'easier sacking' report

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:26:21 +0100

David Cameron and Ed Miliband have clashed in the House of Commons over the controversial report commissioned by the Prime Minister which called for changes in the law to make it easier for businesses to sack staff.

Leveson vs Paxman: 'You could become an irrelevance'

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:21:05 +0100

Jeremy Paxman was in typical form when he appeared at the inquiry into media standards today, as he told Lord Leveson: "Your challenge will be to stop yourself becoming a total irrelevance."

PM Challenges Euro Judges On Prisoner Votes

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:38:05 +0100

David Cameron has set up a clash with Europe by signalling he will fight plans to force the UK to give prisoners voting rights.

Aung San Suu Kyi to address Parliament on June 21

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:25:33 +0100

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi will be given the rare honour of addressing Britain's parliament on June 21 during her landmark first trip abroad in more than two decades, it was announced Wednesday.

Cameron lashes out: Ed Balls branded a "muttering idiot"

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:10:06 +0100

David Cameron branded Ed Balls a "muttering idiot" in an angry outburst during PMQs today.

'We can't fix Britain with the Lib Dems'

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:37:28 +0100

The coalition government will not solve Britain's fundamental problems because of its ideological divide, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned.

Growth plan pressure on EU leaders

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:27:32 +0100

David Cameron and fellow EU leaders are to meet in Brussels under intense pressure to agree new economic growth plans ahead of a crucial Greek election vote.

Balls: We'll back prisoner battle

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:27:32 +0100

Labour will back David Cameron if he chooses to fight an ultimatum issued by human rights judges giving Britain six months to change the law on prisoners' voting rights, shadow chancellor Ed Balls has said.

Boris meets his new opponents

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:51:40 +0100

Boris Johnson will sit down for his first mayoral question time today, as he faces the men and women who could make his life difficult in the four years ahead.

Beecroft stings 'socialist' Cable

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:37:50 +0100

No 10 adviser Adrian Beecroft has launched a stinging attack on Vince Cable after his proposals to scrap unfair dismissal were vetoed by the Liberal Democrats.

MPs scared of News International - Watson

Tue, 22 May 2012 20:46:07 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - MP Tom Watson, an outspoken critic of Rupert Murdoch who played a prominent role in exposing phone hacking at his British newspaper business, said on Tuesday politicians had been scared of being targeted by the media mogul's tabloids. Watson, a member of the opposition Labour Party, said ministers and members of Parliament (MPs) had been unwilling to take on Murdoch's News International because of its "mystique" and the threat of "ridicule and humiliation. ...

UK given prisoner votes deadline

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:47:15 +0100

The row over prisoners' voting rights has erupted again as human rights judges gave David Cameron six months to change the law in Britain.

Parliament to probe ex-Murdoch aides over hacking

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:58:33 +0100

British lawmakers on Tuesday referred three former executives of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. to their standards committee over claims they misled parliament over the phone-hacking scandal.

Commons to probe hacking 'lies'

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:21:32 +0100

The Commons standards watchdog has been asked to examine claims that three former News International executives lied to MPs examining the phone-hacking scandal.

Parliament's justice: MPs debate News International punishment

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:24:39 +0100

Parliament is conducting an unprecedented debate in modern British politics, as MPs discuss how to pursue News International executives who have been found to have misled the media committee.

Lord Clegg? Lib Dem leader won't rule out becoming a peer

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:25:21 +0100

Nick Clegg refused to rule out becoming a peer in an unreformed House of Lords today, during deputy prime minister's questions.

Britain 'too snobby', Clegg warns

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:02:13 +0100

Snobbery is "hobbling our economy", Nick Clegg has claimed.

Chillaxed Cameron broke off from Nato meeting to go sightseeing

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:30:24 +0100

David Cameron broke off at the end of the Nato summit in Chicago to go sightseeing, Barack Obama has joked.

Households to pay more under coalition's energy plans

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:26:44 +0100

Consumers will have to pay even more for their energy to fund the switch to renewable energy, under legislation to be published later.