Sir Keir Starmer has been trying to assemble a coalition of nations that would be willing to help enforce any peace deal that could be reached between Kyiv and Moscow.
Thursday 20 March 2025 07:07, UK
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By Connor Gillies, Scotland correspondent
The police fraud investigation examining the SNP could weaken the party’s chances at the 2026 Scottish election amid trust in its finances being dented, one of Britain’s leading political experts has told Sky News.
Professor Sir John Curtice said the long-running inquiry, dubbed Operation Branchform, could prevent John Swinney’s party from conducting an “effective ground war”.
Detectives have charged Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband Peter Murrell in connection with embezzlement of SNP funding and finances during his time as chief executive.
The pair’s Glasgow home was raided two years ago.
Sky News has learned that there are currently 10 senior officers working on the case – and so far, total police and prosecution costs have soared beyond £2.3m.
By Serena Barker-Singh, political correspondent
Ministers are drawing up plans restricting foreign donors from giving unlimited funds to UK political parties, Sky News understands.
Currently, political parties can accept donations from any company registered in the UK – and foreign donors can and have used these companies to make indirect contributions.
The rules allow for British companies to be used in this way even if they don’t make any money at all.
However, Sky News understands that officials are currently looking at restricting donations based on how much money a company makes – either using a profit or a share of revenue to calculate a potential cap for the amount each UK business can give.
The government says this is in line with its manifesto pledge to “protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties”.
Military figures are set to gather in the UK later today as planning for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine moves into an “operational phase”.
Sir Keir Starmer has been trying to assemble a coalition of nations that would be willing to help enforce any peace deal that could be reached between Kyiv and Moscow.
He calls this the “coalition of the willing”.
It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he believes a “lasting peace can be achieved this year” after a call with US President Donald Trump.
Starmer is expected to meet with defence planners after he announced at the weekend that military chiefs would gather to “put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine’s future security”.
He also signalled a move to an “operational phase” as he confirmed Thursday’s meeting.
But in Downing Street on Saturday, the prime minister did not elaborate on which nations had made concrete commitments to a peacekeeping force.
“There are different capabilities from different countries, but those are the operational discussions that are going on in relation to what this coalition of the willing will be able to provide,” he said.
By Deborah Haynes, security and defence editor
Sir Keir Starmer has boarded a nuclear-armed submarine as it returned from a lengthy patrol – in a rare showcasing of the UK’s deterrent that will catch Russia’s attention at a time of growing tensions.
While being reminded about British nuclear strength though, Russian President Vladimir Putin will also doubtless take note of a potential weakness.
HMS Vanguard was kept patrolling at sea for more than 200 days – one of the longest-ever deployments that will likely have put a huge strain on the submariners and the vessel – as issues with maintaining the ageing fleet make it harder to rotate the boats more quickly.
The Royal Navy must keep one nuclear-armed submarine at sea at all times.
The so-called “continuous at-sea deterrence” is the cornerstone of UK defence strategy and the ultimate guarantor of the nation’s security.
It is the first time a prime minister has visited one of the Royal Navy’s four top-secret nuclear-armed submarines as it returned from a deterrent patrol – a moment known as “Day Zero” – in more than a decade.
The last time this happened was with David Cameron in 2013.
Good morning!
Welcome back to the Politics Hub on Thursday, 20 March.
Defence is high on the agenda for the prime minister today, after it emerged he boarded a nuclear-armed submarine as it returned from a lengthy patrol “a few days ago”.
It is the first time a prime minister has visited one of the Royal Navy’s four top-secret nuclear-armed submarines (this time HMS Vanguard) as it returned from a deterrent patrol – a moment known as “Day Zero” – in more than a decade.
Today, Starmer will visit Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, which he will declare is a “blueprint” for how increasing defence spending can boost prosperity across the UK.
Meanwhile, the King is due to confer the Port of Barrow with the title “Royal”, to recognise the town’s contribution towards national security as a hub of submarine building.
Later on Thursday, military figures are set to gather in the UK as planning for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine moves into an “operational phase”.
Starmer has been trying to assemble a coalition of nations that would be willing to help enforce any peace deal that could be reached between Kyiv and Moscow.
Elsewhere, Kemi Badenoch will launch the Conservative Party’s local election campaign in the south of England today, ahead of the polls on 1 May.
We’ll be discussing all of that and more with…
Defence minister Luke Pollard at 7.15am
Tory co-chair Nigel Huddleston at 8.15am
Follow along for the very latest political news.
Thank you for joining us for live coverage of today’s events in Westminster.
Use the key points above for all the main things you need to know, and scroll down for full coverage and analysis.
And if you missed tonight’s edition of Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge – fear not, you can watch it in full below.
Join us again from 6am for the very latest from Westminster.
Another Wednesday, another edition of Prime Minister’s Questions, with MPs from across the House having the opportunity to question Sir Keir Starmer.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch got her usual six questions, and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey got two, before all parties put their priorities to the PM.
Below, our political editor Beth Rigby and presenter Jayne Secker break down this week’s session and discuss all the key issues raised…
Nigel Farage has hit back at Kemi Badenoch after she took a swipe at him for appearing on reality shows.
In an interview with The Telegraph yesterday, the Tory leader acknowledged Farage’s appeal to parts of the electorate, but brushed aside his suggestion that there is a “good chance” of him becoming PM.
Badenoch said: “This isn’t I’m A Celebrity or Strictly Come Dancing. You don’t vote for the person that you’re enjoying watching and then switch off when the show’s over.
“You’ve got to live with that person in your life, in your family’s life, at work and so on. That’s what elections are about.
“It’s not just about watching a show and switching it off. We’ve got to move away from politics as showbusiness.”
You may recall that Farage appeared on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity in late 2023 and came third – and in an article of his own for The Telegraph tonight, he has listed his other reality TV appearances as badges of honour.
“I don’t think the fact that people know who I am is negative. It is positive,” the Reform UK leader wrote.
He pointed out that Ronald Reagan was an actor before becoming US president, Donald Trump was a reality TV star, and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a comedian and actor.
Farage went on to defend his record in politics over many years as UKIP and Brexit Party leader, as well as a Member of the European Parliament.
He added: “Kemi Badenoch has a problem. Most members of the public have no opinion of her. Even fewer know what she stands for.
“I have an idea for her. She could appear on a reality TV show herself. A spell in the I’m a Celebrity… jungle would be perfect. I’ll gladly give her some tips if she wants to sign up for the next series.”
As we’ve been reporting today, an international United Nations worker from Bulgaria was killed, and five others were injured in a strike on a UN guesthouse in the Gaza Strip.
We’ve just had confirmation that a 51-year-old British man was among the five wounded.
The foreign secretary, David Lammy, has just released a statement in response to the incident, saying: “Appalled a UN compound in Gaza was hit this morning. My thoughts are with the victims and their families.
“This incident must be investigated transparently and those responsible held to account.
“The UN and humanitarian workers must be protected.”
‘Shocking that a humanitarian facility was attacked’
The wounded British man was working with the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) alongside the UN in Deir El Balah, Gaza, and the chief executive of the non-governmental organisation said in a statement that he was “conducting an explosive hazards assessment” at the facility when the “incident” happened, and he is being treated in hospital, although his condition is not known.
Darren Cormack added: “The UN has confirmed that today’s incident did not occur in the course of normal EOD operations and resulted from ordnance being fired at or dropped on the building in which the team was working.
“It is shocking that a humanitarian facility should be subject to attacks of this nature and that humanitarian workers are being killed and injured in the line of duty. Attacks against humanitarian premises are a breach of international law.”
Israel has categorically denied carrying out a strike on the facility, telling Sky News that an initial investigation found there was “no connection” between the strike and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Speaking to Mark Austin on the News Hour, spokesman for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oren Marmorstein did not say who Israel believes is responsible for the strike but said it may be connected to a “terrorist organisation”.
By Tim Baker, political reporter
Sir Keir Starmer’s former anti-corruption minister has accused the Bangladeshi authorities of a “targeted and baseless campaign” against her.
It is Tulip Siddiq’s first significant response to a series of corruption allegations in Bangladesh, which saw her resign from the government in January.
She quit after the prime minister’s standards adviser found her family’s links with the ousted Bangladeshi regime exposed the government to “reputational risks.”
A letter from Ms Siddiq’s lawyers to Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) said: “At no point have any allegations against Ms Siddiq been put to her fairly, properly and transparently, or indeed at all, by the ACC, or anyone else with proper authority on behalf of the Bangladesh government.”
Her lawyers said the media has been “repeatedly used” to publish allegations “that have no truth”, setting out several examples that have led to an “ongoing targeted and baseless campaign”.
Ms Siddiq denies all wrongdoing, and says she has not been approached by the investigating authorities in Bangladesh.
Sky News previously reported that UK-based investigators were considering ways to help the Bangladeshi authorities.
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