Trump does not back Netanyahu’s claim there is no starvation in Gaza and praises Starmer’s stance on immigration – UK politics live

Gaza set to be on the agenda as Keir Starmer meets Donald Trump in Scotland

In a column for the Daily Record, John Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, has said that, if the SNP get a majority in next year’s Holyrood elections, that will be a mandate for a second independence referendum. He said:

Over the next few months, the SNP will set out some radical policies that we know will transform Scotland – ambitious ideas that can be realised with the powers of independence.

For us to achieve that independence, the first step is to secure a legal referendum recognised by all. In 2011 we secured that reliable and dependable route when the SNP achieved a majority of seats at Holyrood.

Tariffs are very important for the Scottish economy and obviously scotch whisky is a unique product.

It can only be produced in Scotland. It’s not a product that can be produced in any other part of the world. So there’s a uniqueness about that, which I think means there is a case for it to be taken out of the tariffs arrangement that is now in place.

I think what’s important is that we focus on the solutions that are required now, and the absolutely immediate situation is a necessity for a ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to need to flow into Gaza so that the people of Gaza can be saved from the starvation that they face.

And I think President Trump is ideally positioned. In fact, he’s perhaps uniquely positioned to apply that pressure to Israel to ensure that there is safe passage for humanitarian aid to support the people of Gaza, who face an absolutely unbearable set of circumstances as a consequence of the conflict.

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Continue ReadingTrump does not back Netanyahu’s claim there is no starvation in Gaza and praises Starmer’s stance on immigration – UK politics live

I had nothing intelligent to say during the Euro 2025 final. That didn’t shut me up … | Zoe Williams

I watched the Lionesses’ victory with a group of fervent England fans. Only some of us were focusing on goals and stuff

If, like me, you know nothing about women’s football, you have to be really careful to emphasise that you also know nothing about men’s football, otherwise you move from the crowd of cheery bystanders, willing on a victory that will bring gaiety to the nation, into the crowd of the patriarchy, which has ground the women’s game down with a drone of contempt, only to – bad luck, patriarchy – make it stronger. As England v Spain drew near on Sunday, my 15-year-old wondered whether I had to emphasise anything – had I tried simply not talking?

An hour before kick-off, she tried to give me a crash course in staying silent. She wasn’t even intending to watch the match with me, just selflessly worrying about how it would affect other people’s vibe if I entered a fan environment without this life skill. It was too late for backstories, or a 30-second, “previously, in women’s football”, or even a quick refresh on the rules. The best thing would be if I didn’t talk at all. And that, sadly, was never going to happen.

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Continue ReadingI had nothing intelligent to say during the Euro 2025 final. That didn’t shut me up … | Zoe Williams

Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland overwhelmingly reject 3.6% pay rise

Royal College of Nursing members vote by large majority against accepting award in indicative vote run by union

Nurses have overwhelmingly rejected the government’s “grotesque” 3.6% pay award for this year, in a move that could lead to the NHS facing further strikes.

Royal College of Nursing members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have voted by a large majority against accepting the award in an indicative vote run by the union.

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Continue ReadingNurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland overwhelmingly reject 3.6% pay rise