Aubrey Allegretti

6 days ago | thetimes.com | Aubrey Allegretti

Sir Keir Starmer knows that Labour’s clearest challenge if he wants to remain prime minister after the next general election is making voters feel better off. But President Trump’s tariffs threatened to make that task even more difficult. The car and pharmaceutical industries were braced to be hit the hardest. And other British export successes, including films, were threatened with being caught up in levies imposed by Trump designed to encourage more consumers to “buy American”.

6 days ago | thetimes.com | Larisa Brown |Aubrey Allegretti |Peter Stubley

Key momentsBritain and the US expected to announce major trade deal today“Big news conference” to come from the White House at 3pm UK timeSir Keir Starmer will give an update on US trade talks later today, No 10 saidAn urgent question has been scheduled for MPs in the House of CommonsListen to live updates through the day on Times RadioBritain had a surplus in its goods trade with the US of about £2.2 billion, according to the Office for National Statistics.

6 days ago | thetimes.com | Aubrey Allegretti

Sir Keir Starmer views it as a moment of vindication. For months the prime minister has faced intense criticism — including from his own benches — because of his approach to President Trump. Where other world leaders have gone studs up, confronting the US president over Ukraine and global tariffs, Starmer has opted to take the diplomatic route. Flattery and offers of friendship have been very much the order of the day.

1 week ago | thetimes.com | Aubrey Allegretti

Jeremy Hunt has warned the two-party dominated political system may become “extinct” with the rise of Reform. The former chancellor said voters were not ready to forgive the Conservative Party just ten months after its historic election loss, admitting it would likely take “a few years”. After Nigel Farage’s party turfed the Tories out of hundreds of council seats in last week’s local elections, Hunt said the party system was undergoing fundamental changes.

1 week ago | thetimes.com | Aubrey Allegretti

Bridget Phillipson’s allies have defended the minister against “sexist” briefings that she could be axed in the next cabinet reshuffle. MPs loyal to the education secretary said that No 10 “seems to have a women problem” and criticised her potential successor, Peter Kyle, the science and technology secretary. Downing Street played down any prospect of a change among Sir Keir Starmer’s top team, and said that he had confidence in them.