Politics

Published: 05 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The UK defence funding has faced scrutiny as ministers continue to defend delays to the military spending plan. Defence funding remains critical as the government seeks to bridge a growing £28bn gap, which has already affected major programmes including the Tempest fighter jet. Luke Pollard, the minister for defence readiness and industry, insisted the plan is “a bigger...

Published: 05 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Fresh criticism has erupted around the Department for Work and Pensions after senior MPs accused its leadership of allowing a damaging culture to grow around carer allowance administration. The growing carer allowance controversy centres on how thousands of unpaid carers were pushed into unexpected debt through systemic failures. Lawmakers say repeated warnings were ignored, leaving vulnerable people exposed...

Published: 05 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. A growing Starmer crisis is shaking Westminster after senior Labour MPs warned that the prime minister’s position now looks increasingly fragile. Anger has spread quickly across the parliamentary party following controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador. The Starmer crisis intensified after fresh disclosures about Mandelson’s past links with Jeffrey Epstein triggered uproar in the Commons. What...

Published: 04 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online After months of sharp rhetoric and public insults, US President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro struck a notably conciliatory tone following a high-profile meeting at the White House, signalling a potential thaw in relations between Washington and Bogotá. The closed-door bilateral talks, which lasted around two hours, covered a wide range of sensitive regional issues, including...

Published: 04 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has condemned Russia’s renewed attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as “barbaric” and “particularly depraved”, after a wave of overnight strikes plunged large parts of the country into darkness amid dangerously low winter temperatures. The comments came after Starmer held talks with US President Donald Trump, only hours after Russian missiles and drones...

Published: 04 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libya’s former leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and once regarded as his most likely successor, has reportedly been shot dead, according to Libyan media and international news agencies. He was 53. Confirmation of his death emerged on Tuesday when the head of Saif al-Islam’s political team told the Libyan News Agency that he...

Published: 04 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The Metropolitan Police has launched a formal criminal investigation into Lord Peter Mandelson following serious allegations that he leaked sensitive government information to the late US financier Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a senior cabinet minister during the global financial crisis. The inquiry, confirmed on Tuesday, centres on claims of misconduct in public office and has sent shockwaves...

Published: 03 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The focus on Trump-Petro meeting has dominated diplomatic discussions across Washington and Bogotá, capturing global attention. This high-stakes encounter between Donald Trump and Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro marks a rare opportunity for dialogue after months of intense verbal sparring and accusations surrounding regional security, drug trafficking, and geopolitical influence. Analysts warn that the outcome of this Trump-Petro meeting...

Published: 03 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The European Union has shown an open mind on UK customs union discussions, signalling potential for closer trade ties. In comments to the BBC, EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis confirmed the bloc was ready to engage constructively with the UK, highlighting the possibility of a customs union as part of broader economic discussions. The focus on a customs...

Published: 03 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Peter Mandelson is facing growing scrutiny over allegations of a leak to Jeffrey Epstein, raising serious concerns about misconduct. New disclosures suggest Mandelson sent confidential government documents to Epstein during the global financial crisis, potentially compromising sensitive economic policies while he served as business secretary under Gordon Brown. The focus keyword “Mandelson leak” appears repeatedly as officials demand...