Politics

Published: 23 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Keir Starmer’s government has been urged to pursue closer trade ties with the European Union, highlighting a growing challenge for British exporters navigating post-Brexit agreements. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) described a strengthened EU trade deal as a “strategic necessity” to ensure companies can thrive, warning that the existing Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) is increasingly failing...

Published: 23 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The UK government is preparing to outlaw the practice of boiling lobsters alive, marking a significant shift in animal welfare policy across England. Ministers confirmed that killing crustaceans while they are alive and conscious will no longer be considered acceptable, as part of a broader strategy aimed at modernising and strengthening cruelty laws. The move reflects growing scientific...

Published: 21 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Kent County Council, a flagship authority under Reform UK, is facing widespread criticism for approving plans to spend tens of thousands of pounds on hiring political assistants, sparking debate over financial priorities and governance transparency. The controversy has reignited concerns about hypocrisy within the party, following similar allegations earlier this year in Warwickshire, where Reform councillors voted to...

ISLAMABAD – In a move that has sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s political landscape, a special court on Saturday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years of rigorous imprisonment. The conviction pertains to the "Toshakhana" case, involving the illegal retention and undervalued purchase of luxury state gifts—most notably high-end watches gifted by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The court's verdict handed the...

Published: 19 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. A Reform UK mayoral candidate, Chris Parry, has sparked widespread condemnation after questioning the loyalty of several politicians from minority ethnic backgrounds. Parry, a retired naval rear admiral chosen to contest the now-postponed Hampshire and Solent mayoral election for the party, previously told Labour’s David Lammy to “go home to the Caribbean where his loyalty lies.” His remarks,...

Published: 19 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The Liberal Democrats have urged the UK government to extend its inquiry into hostile foreign interference to include actions taken by the United States. Party officials argued that the US administration’s overt support for far-right nationalist parties across Europe constitutes clear outside interference. In a detailed letter to communities secretary Steve Reed, who is overseeing the independent review,...

Published: 19 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Local elections across England are at risk of being delayed again as councils managing mergers struggle with reorganisation. The government confirmed that 63 council areas could postpone voting until 2027, following earlier delays that pushed elections to May 2026. The disruption comes as two-tier authorities are being combined into single unitary councils, a process requiring significant administrative effort....

Published: 16 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The UK culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, is set to consider whether to launch an official investigation into the £500m takeover of the Telegraph titles by the owner of the Daily Mail, following a formal request from the Abu Dhabi-backed current owner of the Telegraph. RedBird IMI, which was forced to put the titles up for sale last spring...

Published: 16 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. BBC executives are “right to stick by their guns” in the face of a $10bn lawsuit filed by former US president Donald Trump, a UK minister has said, as pressure mounts on the government to publicly back the national broadcaster. Trump’s legal action targets the BBC over a Panorama programme that edited his January 6, 2021 speech in...

Published: 15 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Australia faces its deadliest terror attack in decades, with the Bondi Beach shooting leaving at least fifteen people dead. The attack occurred during the Chanukah by the Sea celebration, shocking the nation and prompting an urgent response from state leaders. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened a national cabinet meeting on Monday, agreeing to introduce stricter gun laws nationwide...