https://www.scmp.com/rss/519146/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters A former top ⁠foreign ministry official said on Tuesday he had faced “constant pressure” from UK Prime Minister Keir ⁠Starmer’s office to speed up the appointment of his pick as the ambassador to the US, deepening a row that threatens the British leader. A war of words over who should ultimately take the blame for appointing Labour veteran Peter Mandelson to Britain’s highest diplomatic post despite his history and known ties to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has piled pressure on Starmer,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350900/ex-uk-official-says-he-felt-pressure-over-mandelson-pms-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350900/ex-uk-official-says-he-felt-pressure-over-mandelson-pms-office?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:13:02 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press British Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged on Monday that he made the wrong judgement when he picked Jeffrey Epstein’s friend Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, batting away a barrage of calls to resign over a scandal that has left his leadership teetering. Starmer said he would have withdrawn the appointment if he had known Mandelson had failed security checks, as he tried to explain why Mandelson was given the UK’s most important diplomatic post. Starmer placed blame... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350783/starmer-admits-mistake-appointing-mandelson-us-envoy-resists-calls-resign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350783/starmer-admits-mistake-appointing-mandelson-us-envoy-resists-calls-resign?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:46:21 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been putting her own spin on omotenashi, the Japanese concept of hospitality, to build personal rapport with foreign leaders as her diplomatic skills are put to the test about six months into office. Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, who was not widely known for her diplomatic experience before taking office, has been adding an element of entertainment to summit talks and relying on personal gifts to win over her counterparts. Most... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350665/how-sanae-takaichi-redefining-japanese-diplomacy-personal-touches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350665/how-sanae-takaichi-redefining-japanese-diplomacy-personal-touches?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 02:40:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Senior Cabinet ministers on Sunday rallied around UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose leadership is teetering over his decision to give Britain’s most important diplomatic job to Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished politician and friend of Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer will face restive lawmakers in Parliament on Monday to fight for his job after the explosive revelation that Mandelson was appointed ambassador to the United States despite failing security checks. Starmer says he is “furious” that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350654/allies-back-starmer-mandelsons-epstein-links-leave-uk-leader-fighting-his-job?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350654/allies-back-starmer-mandelsons-epstein-links-leave-uk-leader-fighting-his-job?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 17:34:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France and Britain said on Friday that they would lead a multinational mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasising the force would be entirely defensive and only deployed once lasting peace in the region was agreed. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the force was being set up as they co-chaired international talks in Paris focused on ensuring free-flowing trade through the critical shipping corridor. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350543/iran-war-france-and-uk-lead-defensive-force-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350543/iran-war-france-and-uk-lead-defensive-force-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:35:55 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced mounting pressure to quit on Friday over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as envoy to Washington, after it emerged the veteran politician had failed security vetting. The affair has haunted Starmer for months amid growing anger over Mandelson’s 2024 nomination to the top diplomatic post despite his close ties to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson, a long-time insider with Starmer’s ruling Labour Party, has held multiple ministerial posts since... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350451/uks-starmer-faces-calls-resign-mandelson-scandal-reignites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350451/uks-starmer-faces-calls-resign-mandelson-scandal-reignites?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:36:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain’s top foreign ministry official will leave his post after Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper lost confidence in him, a source said on Thursday, following a row over the security vetting of Peter Mandelson. The disclosure of the vetting failure has intensified pressure on Starmer over his appointment of Mandelson, Britain’s former US ‌ambassador, who is under police investigation for allegedly leaking government documents to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350376/epstein-row-uks-starmer-faces-calls-resign-over-report-mandelson-failed-vetting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350376/epstein-row-uks-starmer-faces-calls-resign-over-report-mandelson-failed-vetting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:33:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday said he would not “yield” to pressure to join the Iran war after US President Donald Trump threatened to scrap a UK trade deal. “We’re not going to get dragged into this war. It is not our war,” Starmer told parliament. “I’m not going to change my mind. I’m not going to yield. It is not in our national interest to join this war,” the Labour leader added. In a phone interview with Sky News, Trump threatened to alter an agreement struck with Britain... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350216/uk-pm-starmer-says-not-going-yield-trumps-mideast-war-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350216/uk-pm-starmer-says-not-going-yield-trumps-mideast-war-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:35:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain’s King Charles will have tea and a private meeting with ⁠President Donald Trump during his US state visit later this month, as the UK government hopes his “soft power” can heal a damaging rift between the allies caused by the Iran war. The monarch and his wife Queen Camilla head across the Atlantic on April 27, a four-day trip ostensibly to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence from Britain but one that now has far greater significance amid a growing spat between Trump and ‌Prime... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350114/britains-king-charles-charm-trump-state-visit-overshadowed-us-uk-rift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350114/britains-king-charles-charm-trump-state-visit-overshadowed-us-uk-rift?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:27:55 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France’s interior minister is seeking to block US rapper Kanye West from performing in the southern city of Marseille in June due to his antisemitic remarks, a source close to the minister said on Tuesday. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is “highly determined” to ban the June 11 concert at Marseille’s Velodrome stadium and is exploring “all possibilities”, the source said. West, 48, has been heavily criticised for making antisemitic remarks and voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler. Britain has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350075/french-minister-seeks-ban-kanye-west-concert-marseille?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350075/french-minister-seeks-ban-kanye-west-concert-marseille?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:14:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain’s government said on Saturday it had ⁠put on hold ⁠its deal to cede sovereignty ⁠of the Chagos Islands – home to the US-British Diego Garcia airbase – which has been criticised by US President Donald Trump. British media reported that planned legislation underpinning the deal to cede the ‌islands to Mauritius, which needs the backing of Washington, would not be included in the government’s next parliamentary agenda. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said London would try to persuade... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349744/trump-critique-pauses-uk-handover-chagos-islands-mauritius?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349744/trump-critique-pauses-uk-handover-chagos-islands-mauritius?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:11:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Britain said on Thursday it had tracked and deterred three Russian submarines on an alleged month-long “covert operation” in UK waters in the North Atlantic near vital undersea cables and pipelines. Disclosing details of the joint mission with Norway and other unspecified allies, British Defence Secretary John Healey said there was no evidence the Russian vessels had damaged the subsea infrastructure. The UK minister said he was revealing the operation, which involved British warships and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349565/uk-tracked-russia-submarines-alleged-atlantic-covert-operation-defence-secretary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349565/uk-tracked-russia-submarines-alleged-atlantic-covert-operation-defence-secretary?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:55:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The rapper formerly known as Kanye West was barred Tuesday from entering the UK, where he was scheduled to headline the Wireless Festival in July, after a backlash over Ye’s history of antisemitic remarks. Festival organisers canceled the three-day outdoor event as a result of the travel ban and said those who had bought tickets would get refunds. Ye had been granted an electronic travel authorization which has now been withdrawn on the grounds that his presence in the U.K. would not be... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349297/uk-government-blocks-kanye-west-entering-britain-headline-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349297/uk-government-blocks-kanye-west-entering-britain-headline-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:44:23 +0000 Reuters Reuters The British government was under growing pressure on Monday to bar American rapper Kanye West from entering the country after he was named as the headline act for the Wireless Festival of rap and hip-hop music set for July. West, now known as Ye, has been criticised in the past for antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism, which have led on several occasions to his ‌social media accounts, including on X, being barred. The decision to book Ye prompted several companies to pull their... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349199/pressure-mounts-uk-government-ban-kanye-west-after-festival-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349199/pressure-mounts-uk-government-ban-kanye-west-after-festival-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:06:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Drinks giants Pepsi and Diageo on Sunday pulled out of sponsoring a music festival in London headlined by US rapper Kanye West, who has a history of antisemitic outbursts. The disgraced 48-year-old hip-hop star - now known as Ye - is due to play three nights at the Wireless Festival in London in July as part of a European comeback tour. A spokesperson for Pepsi, the festival’s top sponsor, said on Sunday that the brand “has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival”, without... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349102/british-pm-slams-london-music-festival-booking-kanye-west-sponsor-pepsi-quits-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349102/british-pm-slams-london-music-festival-booking-kanye-west-sponsor-pepsi-quits-event?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:00:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse King Charles III will visit the United States in late April, Buckingham Palace said on Tuesday, despite some calls for the trip to be cancelled or delayed amid the Iran war. Confirmation of the monarch’s first state visit to the US comes at a rocky time for the so-called US-UK “special relationship”, with US President Donald Trump repeatedly criticising Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reticence over the US-Israel war against Tehran. The trip by the king and Queen Camilla would “celebrate the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348570/king-charles-pay-state-visit-us-late-april-amid-iran-war-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348570/king-charles-pay-state-visit-us-late-april-amid-iran-war-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:55:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will on Monday convene senior government and military officials alongside energy, shipping, finance and insurance sector leaders to discuss the Middle East war, his office said late on Sunday. The round table meeting in Downing Street will examine the impact of Iran’s effective closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz, which has driven up oil prices and costs in various sectors around the world. Participants will include representatives from energy giants Shell,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348327/uks-pm-starmer-host-industry-leaders-middle-east-war-talks-monday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348327/uks-pm-starmer-host-industry-leaders-middle-east-war-talks-monday?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 21:52:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British police said on Wednesday they had arrested two men over a London arson attack on four volunteer ambulances run by a Jewish organisation. The arrests came after police said they were investigating an online claim of responsibility by a little-known Islamist group which has possible links to Iran. The ambulances were set on fire early Monday while they were parked next to a synagogue in an area of London with a large Jewish population. The Metropolitan Police said two men aged 47 and 45... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347868/uk-police-arrest-2-men-over-jewish-ambulances-arson-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347868/uk-police-arrest-2-men-over-jewish-ambulances-arson-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:40:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Britain is sending short-range air defence systems to the Gulf to help counter Iranian missile attacks, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday. “We’re deploying short-range air defence systems to Bahrain at speed,” Starmer told a parliamentary committee, adding the UK was “doing the same with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia”. The UK is working with industry to “distribute air defence missiles to Gulf partners”, which have faced waves of Iranian barrages in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes, and has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347637/uk-sending-air-defence-systems-gulf-help-counter-iranian-missile-attacks-starmer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347637/uk-sending-air-defence-systems-gulf-help-counter-iranian-missile-attacks-starmer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 17:35:24 +0000 Reuters Reuters British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to chair an emergency meeting ⁠on the economic fallout from the ⁠war in Iran on Monday, with Finance Minister Rachel ⁠Reeves and Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, the government said. Investors are bracing for another stormy week in financial markets after Iran said it would strike the energy and water systems of Gulf neighbours if US President Donald Trump follows through with a threat to hit Iran’s electricity grid. Britain is watching with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347516/uks-starmer-calls-emergency-meeting-economy-iran-war-risks-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347516/uks-starmer-calls-emergency-meeting-economy-iran-war-risks-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:43:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump shared a video on his Truth Social network on Sunday of a television comedy skit portraying a terrified British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hoping to dodge a phone call with the American leader. The skit, broadcast on the premiere of the new British version of Saturday Night Live – adapted from the long-running US show – shows Starmer, played by George Fouracres, panicking inside 10 Downing Street at the prospect of a call with Trump. Starmer turns to a fake David... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347512/trump-reposts-saturday-night-live-video-mocking-starmer-truth-social?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347512/trump-reposts-saturday-night-live-video-mocking-starmer-truth-social?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 20:19:48 +0000 Reuters Reuters The UK ⁠government gave authorisation on Friday ⁠for the US to use military bases in Britain to carry out strikes on Iranian missile sites that are attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. British ministers met on Friday ‌to discuss the war with Iran and Iran’s blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Downing Street statement. “They confirmed that the agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes US defensive operations to degrade the missile... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347394/uk-allows-us-use-its-bases-strike-iran-missile-sites-targeting-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347394/uk-allows-us-use-its-bases-strike-iran-missile-sites-targeting-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 19:07:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain will ⁠roll out meningitis vaccines to students at a university in southeast England after an “unprecedented” outbreak of the disease killed two people while the number of new cases jumped to 20. The UK Health Security Agency said all those affected were young people. A 21-year-old student at the University of Kent and a teenage student at a school in ‌the town of Faversham have died. Six of the nine confirmed cases are group B (MenB), the agency added. It was also aware of a baby with a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347095/unprecedented-spread-uk-races-contain-deadly-meningitis-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347095/unprecedented-spread-uk-races-contain-deadly-meningitis-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 02:38:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters When US President Donald Trump ⁠asked countries to join a global effort against Iran and deploy ships to prise open the Strait of Hormuz, whose near closure has held the global economy in a vice, he was rebuffed by some of America’s closest allies. Using unusually blunt language, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told his country’s lawmakers on Wednesday that he agreed Iran must not be allowed to pose a threat to its neighbours but expressed doubts about the rationale behind the US-Israeli... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347086/europe-says-no-trumps-iran-demands-not-our-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347086/europe-says-no-trumps-iran-demands-not-our-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:12:55 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia and Iran “brothers in hatred” on Tuesday as he sought support from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a time when the Iran conflict has robbed momentum from US-brokered talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During talks with Starmer at 10 Downing Street, Zelensky urged Ukraine’s allies not to forget about his country and suggested the US and others should make use of Ukraine’s anti-drone technology during a Middle East war that has also... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346941/zelensky-starmer-urge-continued-support-ukraine-iran-conflict-steals-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346941/zelensky-starmer-urge-continued-support-ukraine-iran-conflict-steals-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 21:43:37 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The UK will “welcome” Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, British Defence Secretary John Healey told parliament, with the Ukrainian leader expected to travel to Madrid, Spain the next day. “Our total determination to stand with Ukraine remains steadfast and we will welcome President Zelensky to this country tomorrow,” Healey said on Monday. Healey’s announcement came hours after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would be meeting the Ukrainian leader “soon”. Ukraine’s European allies have vowed... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346802/zelensky-visit-uk-starmer-says-it-vital-continue-supporting-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346802/zelensky-visit-uk-starmer-says-it-vital-continue-supporting-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 18:24:41 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An “evil” UK nursery worker who raped and abused two- and three-year-olds in his care was jailed for at least 24 years on Monday, weeks after another childcare worker was imprisoned in a similar case. Nathan Bennett, 30, was jailed at Bristol Crown Court in southwest England for the serial abuse of five boys at the nursery where he worked. He was described as an “incorrigible and dangerous paedophile” by Judge William Hart, handing down the sentence. “You prioritised your own sexual satisfaction... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346795/evil-uk-nursery-worker-who-raped-toddlers-his-care-jailed-24-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346795/evil-uk-nursery-worker-who-raped-toddlers-his-care-jailed-24-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 14:33:28 +0000 Reuters,Agence France-Presse Reuters,Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump on Sunday sought to pressure Nato allies and China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil transport conduit that Iran has effectively closed in retaliation for the US and Israeli war against Tehran. With the conflict creating turmoil across the Middle East and shaking up global energy markets in its third week, Trump insisted that nations relying heavily on oil from the Gulf have a responsibility to help protect the strait. “I’m demanding that these... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346692/starmer-holds-calls-trump-and-carney-irans-hormuz-blockage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346692/starmer-holds-calls-trump-and-carney-irans-hormuz-blockage?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 22:59:39 +0000 dpa dpa British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken responsibility for his “mistake” in sending Peter Mandelson to Washington as ambassador, as Downing Street denied there was a “cover-up” in the release of files related to the appointment. The prime minister is facing fresh questions about his judgment in giving Mandelson the ambassadorship despite being warned of a “general reputational risk” because of his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In his first public appearance since the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346415/uk-pm-starmer-admits-his-mistake-appointing-mandelson-us-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346415/uk-pm-starmer-admits-his-mistake-appointing-mandelson-us-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:38:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Documents released on Wednesday by the British government show officials believed there was a “reputational risk” to appointing Peter Mandelson as the US ambassador because of his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The concerns were raised in a document sent to Prime Minister Keir Starmer in December 2024 before he appointed Mandelson to the role, seen as vital to establish a good relationship with the administration of US President Donald Trump. The document also spelled... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346267/uk-pm-starmer-was-warned-reputational-risk-appointing-mandelson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346267/uk-pm-starmer-was-warned-reputational-risk-appointing-mandelson?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:50:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump held a call on Sunday about the Middle East war, the UK government said, after fierce criticism of the British premier by the US leader. Trump had insulted Starmer over the latter’s initial refusal to have any role in the US-Israeli war with Iran, which began on February 28. “The leaders began by discussing the latest situation in the Middle East and the military cooperation between the UK and US through the use of RAF bases in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345906/starmer-holds-call-trump-discuss-war-middle-east-after-latest-rebuke-over-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345906/starmer-holds-call-trump-discuss-war-middle-east-after-latest-rebuke-over-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 17:23:13 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg London’s child population is collapsing faster than anywhere in Britain as unaffordable housing and childcare costs drive young families away, a report by the London Assembly found. In the decade through 2023 the number of residents under ten years of age fell by 99,100 as families moved out and fertility rates crashed - even while the capital’s overall population increased by 506,000. Falling pupil numbers have prompted 100 of London’s 2,500 schools to close since 2018; mostly in inner London.... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345665/london-risks-becoming-childless-city-families-flee-record-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345665/london-risks-becoming-childless-city-families-flee-record-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 04:31:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Three men suspected of spying for China were arrested on Wednesday, London police said. One of the three men is the husband of a lawmaker from the governing Labour Party. The three allegedly assisted a foreign intelligence service in violation of the National Security Act of 2023, Metropolitan Police said. Police did not name the suspects because they have not been charged. But they said one was a 39-year-old arrested in London, another was a 68-year-old arrested in Powys, Wales, and the third,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345462/london-police-arrest-3-men-suspicion-spying-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345462/london-police-arrest-3-men-suspicion-spying-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:59:31 +0000 Mark Magnier,Xinmei Shen,Finbarr Bermingham,Lucy Quaggin Mark Magnier,Xinmei Shen,Finbarr Bermingham,Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump used a White House meeting with the German Chancellor on Tuesday to blast European allies, praise China, waffle on tariffs and argue that the attack he launched against Iran prevented a nuclear war. Attended by Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House, Trump told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that his order to attack Iran even as negotiations were under way was justified. “If we didn’t do what... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345327/trump-says-hell-cut-trade-spain-over-iran-war-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345327/trump-says-hell-cut-trade-spain-over-iran-war-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:25:20 +0000 Reuters Reuters Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party suffered an embarrassing election defeat on Friday in an area of Greater Manchester that it had dominated for almost a century, a loss that underscores the breakdown of Britain’s two-party ‌politics. The loss of one of Labour’s safest seats, in the biggest electoral test in almost a year, puts further pressure on Starmer to prove that he should keep his job following weeks of political turmoil and calls for him to resign. The left-wing Green Party’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344829/starmer-reels-greens-seize-labour-stronghold-uk-special-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344829/starmer-reels-greens-seize-labour-stronghold-uk-special-election?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:31:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain’s ⁠government has agreed a framework with the police on which documents relating to the late 2024 appointment of former ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson ‌can be released, the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said on Thursday. Mandelson, 72, was released from custody after the Metropolitan Police arrested him on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following revelations over his ties to ⁠Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein is at... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344789/uk-government-agrees-framework-publishing-mandelson-vetting-documents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344789/uk-government-agrees-framework-publishing-mandelson-vetting-documents?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:18:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The UK government said on Tuesday it supported the release of documents on ex-prince Andrew’s past role as a trade envoy, hours after a veteran politician was quizzed by police in the widening Jeffrey Epstein scandal. US authorities last month published millions of files related to the late sex offender Epstein, containing revelations that have rocked British political and royal circles. It has ramped up pressure on Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government to release its own vetting... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344511/uk-eyes-releasing-files-arrogant-andrew-clean-away-epstein-scandal-stain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344511/uk-eyes-releasing-files-arrogant-andrew-clean-away-epstein-scandal-stain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:34:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters Former British ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson was arrested ⁠by London police on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following revelations over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson, 72, was fired from the most prestigious posting in Britain’s diplomatic service in September, when the depth of his friendship with Epstein started to become clear. Police earlier this month began a criminal investigation into Mandelson after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344381/uks-peter-mandelson-arrested-london-after-revelations-over-his-ties-epstein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344381/uks-peter-mandelson-arrested-london-after-revelations-over-his-ties-epstein?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:42:28 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump on Wednesday sharply criticised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the UK’s agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, warning the deal could create strategic vulnerabilities amid concerns about China’s growing ties with Mauritius. The deal, finalised in 2025 between Britain and Mauritius, would see Britain transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while securing a 99-year lease to maintain full operational control of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343944/trump-flip-flops-again-saying-uks-chagos-deal-would-be-big-mistake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343944/trump-flip-flops-again-saying-uks-chagos-deal-would-be-big-mistake?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:19:43 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg After a year of refusing to choose between Washington and Brussels, Keir Starmer shifted tone in Munich by edging Britain closer to the European Union and calling for an end to over-reliance on American military support. In a speech to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, the UK Prime Minister urged Europe to deepen its interdependence and sovereign deterrence in light of less support from across the Atlantic since Donald Trump returned to the White House. British officials told reporters... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343742/starmer-urges-europe-deepen-interdependence-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343742/starmer-urges-europe-deepen-interdependence-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 09:42:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The UK’s top civil servant resigned on Thursday, the third senior aide to Prime Minister Keir Starmer to quit in a matter of days in fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. “Chris Wormald will stand down as the cabinet secretary and head of the civil service by mutual agreement from today,” said a joint statement released by the government. His departure came after two top aides quit earlier this week over the row triggered by the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343379/uks-top-civil-servant-quits-pm-starmer-tries-calm-epstein-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343379/uks-top-civil-servant-quits-pm-starmer-tries-calm-epstein-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:10:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A UK childcare worker who filmed himself sexually abusing youngsters at a nursery where he worked and downloaded over 26,000 indecent images of children was on Thursday jailed for 18 years. Vincent Chan, 45, who admitted a raft of 56 charges including sexual assault, was described in court as “every parent’s worst nightmare”. Passing sentence, Judge John Dodd told him he was guilty of an “utterly wicked, perverse and depraved” campaign of sexual abuse. “You became a sexual predator and someone... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343378/uk-nursery-worker-vincent-chan-jailed-sexually-abusing-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343378/uk-nursery-worker-vincent-chan-jailed-sexually-abusing-children?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 17:03:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A defiant British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought to move on Tuesday from fevered speculation about his future after fighting off strident calls to resign over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Following a day of drama on Monday, the Labour leader told a meeting of government ministers that they were “strong and united” after he vowed not to depart office just 19 months into a five-year term. Starmer’s position had looked precarious on Monday when Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar demanded his... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343103/starmer-claims-uk-government-united-amid-calls-quit-over-epstein-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343103/starmer-claims-uk-government-united-amid-calls-quit-over-epstein-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:48:51 +0000 Reuters Reuters British Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused on Monday ‌to heed calls to quit, even by the leader of his party in Scotland, pledging to fight on after his appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador plunged his government into ‍crisis. Under pressure over the appointment of a man whose close ties to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have come into full focus, Starmer has attempted to change the narrative. But a demand from Anas Sarwar, leader of the Scottish Labour Party, for him to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342974/uks-starmer-refuses-heed-calls-quit-over-fallout-epstein-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342974/uks-starmer-refuses-heed-calls-quit-over-fallout-epstein-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 17:26:28 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Britain’s King Charles is ready to “support’’ UK police examining claims that the former prince Andrew gave confidential information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Buckingham Palace said on Monday. The statement came after Thames Valley Police said Monday that they were “assessing” reports that the former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, sent trade reports to Epstein in 2010. The department, which serves an area west of London that includes Mountbatten-Windsor’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342973/uk-police-assess-claims-ex-prince-andrew-sent-sensitive-trade-records-epstein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342973/uk-police-assess-claims-ex-prince-andrew-sent-sensitive-trade-records-epstein?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:55:35 +0000 Reuters Reuters British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, ‍quit on Sunday, saying he took responsibility for advising Starmer to name Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US despite his known links to Jeffrey Epstein. After new files revealed the depth of the Labour veteran’s relationship with the late sex offender, Starmer is facing what is widely seen as the gravest crisis of his 18 months in power over his decision to ⁠send Mandelson to Washington in 2024. The loss of McSweeney,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342850/starmer-chief-staff-mcsweeney-quits-over-mandelson-appointment-despite-epstein-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342850/starmer-chief-staff-mcsweeney-quits-over-mandelson-appointment-despite-epstein-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 14:40:10 +0000 Brian Y. S. Wong Brian Y. S. Wong British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently concluded his four-day visit to China, during which he met President Xi Jinping. He was accompanied by a sizeable delegation of prominent British business leaders across finance, pharmaceuticals, clean energy and aviation. Starmer met Chery chairman Yin Tongyue, who announced his intention to open the carmaker’s European headquarters in Liverpool. Separately, AstraZeneca also announced a US$15 billion investment in China over the next five years. The... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342664/how-hong-kong-can-bring-china-and-britain-closer-its-not-just-finance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342664/how-hong-kong-can-bring-china-and-britain-closer-its-not-just-finance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 12:30:08 +0000 dpa dpa The former British ambassador to the United States and former government minister Peter Mandelson is facing demands to hand back the payoff he received after being sacked as US envoy. The senior Labour Party figure was sacked over his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, but anger in Westminster has intensified after the latest release of documents which indicated he leaked information to his friend while he was a government minister. Allies of Prime Minister Keir Starmer said... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342820/mandelson-epstein-scandal-demands-grow-ex-envoy-repay-us75000-severance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342820/mandelson-epstein-scandal-demands-grow-ex-envoy-repay-us75000-severance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 08:19:50 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words Hours after landing in Beijing for a landmark visit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sat down for a meal heavy with symbolism. By choosing the same Yunnanese restaurant favoured by Janet Yellen, the US treasury secretary during the Biden administration, and even ordering the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3342624/uk-needs-independent-china-policy-not-just-trump-hedge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3342624/uk-needs-independent-china-policy-not-just-trump-hedge?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu London has cemented its role as a leading offshore hub for China’s yuan, according to a new financial cooperation agreement that also aims to ease the cross-listing of firms in each other’s markets. This emerged from the first meeting of the UK-China Financial Working Group, which convened in Beijing on Saturday. The meeting coincided with the final day of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s state visit. The meeting’s outcome and a joint statement were not made public until Friday. “The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342696/uk-china-boost-financial-ties-deepen-londons-role-offshore-yuan-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342696/uk-china-boost-financial-ties-deepen-londons-role-offshore-yuan-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 13:00:29 +0000