On the eve of crucial local elections across England, Prime Minister Keir Starmer came under intense scrutiny during Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions, facing criticism on border control, grooming gangs, and UK-US trade talks.
As voters prepare to cast ballots in 23 local authorities and six mayoral races, political tensions flared in Westminster. During PMQs, Starmer responded to sharp challenges from opposition leaders, including Reform UK’s Nigel Farage and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
Labour recently unveiled a new fly-tipping policy that would allow authorities to crush vehicles used in illegal dumping—part of an effort to show firm leadership ahead of Thursday’s vote. However, this announcement was overshadowed by growing concerns over migration and law enforcement.
Farage, capitalizing on rising public anxiety over small boat arrivals, cited data indicating that over 10,000 irregular migrants had arrived in the UK by boat in 2025—the highest figure for the first four months of any year. “Smash the gangs was nothing more than an election slogan,” he said, urging Starmer to declare a national emergency.
Starmer defended his government's strategy: “We are passing a borders bill with extensive powers to smash the gangs. We must take back control of our borders after the last government lost control.”
On grooming gangs, Kemi Badenoch pressed for a national inquiry. Starmer pushed back, saying such an inquiry had already taken place and hundreds of recommendations were being implemented. “I strongly believe we should listen to victims, and we've been listening to victims on this side for decades,” he added.
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey criticized the government’s lack of transparency over UK-US trade negotiations, calling for parliamentary votes on any final agreement. Referencing Canada’s experience with former President Donald Trump, Davey warned, “He can't be trusted to stick with it.” Starmer did not commit to a vote but assured MPs that any deal would follow proper parliamentary procedures.
With polls predicting gains for Reform UK, Thursday’s elections are seen as a major test of Starmer’s leadership and Labour’s grip on public trust.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions following last week’s deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, the State Department said on Wednesday.
Survivors’ advocates urged cardinals on Wednesday to elect a pope who will put the Church’s clergy-abuse crisis front and center, saying three consecutive pontiffs have failed to do so.
Ukraine expects to sign a revamped minerals partnership with the United States within 24 hours, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Wednesday, adding that future U.S. aid could count toward the deal’s funding.
China has lifted sanctions on five current and former Members of the European Parliament, signaling a move to ease tensions with the European Union and revive stalled trade negotiations.
The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday advanced President Donald Trump’s picks of private astronaut-entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to run NASA and aide Olivia Trusty to fill an FCC seat, moves that would hand Republicans a 3-2 majority on the telecom regulator.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions following last week’s deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, the State Department said on Wednesday.
Survivors’ advocates urged cardinals on Wednesday to elect a pope who will put the Church’s clergy-abuse crisis front and center, saying three consecutive pontiffs have failed to do so.
Ukraine expects to sign a revamped minerals partnership with the United States within 24 hours, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Wednesday, adding that future U.S. aid could count toward the deal’s funding.
China has lifted sanctions on five current and former Members of the European Parliament, signaling a move to ease tensions with the European Union and revive stalled trade negotiations.
The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday advanced President Donald Trump’s picks of private astronaut-entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to run NASA and aide Olivia Trusty to fill an FCC seat, moves that would hand Republicans a 3-2 majority on the telecom regulator.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
A deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port has left at least 40 dead, with more than 1,200 people injured, state media reported on Sunday, halting operations at one of the country’s most vital trade hubs.
North Korea has launched a new 5,000-tonne destroyer as part of Kim Jong Un’s plans to expand the country’s naval power far beyond its coastal waters.
A massive explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran on Saturday killed at least four people and injured nearly 600 others, officials said, prompting an urgent government investigation.
Twelve European Union member states have asked Brussels to trigger the “national escape clause” in EU fiscal rules, aiming to raise defence spending without facing budget penalties, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions following last week’s deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, the State Department said on Wednesday.
Survivors’ advocates urged cardinals on Wednesday to elect a pope who will put the Church’s clergy-abuse crisis front and center, saying three consecutive pontiffs have failed to do so.
Ukraine expects to sign a revamped minerals partnership with the United States within 24 hours, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Wednesday, adding that future U.S. aid could count toward the deal’s funding.
China has lifted sanctions on five current and former Members of the European Parliament, signaling a move to ease tensions with the European Union and revive stalled trade negotiations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions following last week’s deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, the State Department said on Wednesday.
Survivors’ advocates urged cardinals on Wednesday to elect a pope who will put the Church’s clergy-abuse crisis front and center, saying three consecutive pontiffs have failed to do so.
Ukraine expects to sign a revamped minerals partnership with the United States within 24 hours, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Wednesday, adding that future U.S. aid could count toward the deal’s funding.
China has lifted sanctions on five current and former Members of the European Parliament, signaling a move to ease tensions with the European Union and revive stalled trade negotiations.
The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday advanced President Donald Trump’s picks of private astronaut-entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to run NASA and aide Olivia Trusty to fill an FCC seat, moves that would hand Republicans a 3-2 majority on the telecom regulator.
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