Articles by Eleni Courea Political correspondent

Politics

No 10 turns to influencers to reach audiences beyond mainstream media

Critics view increasing use of digital content creators to push policy as way to avoid serious scrutiny of decisions

4 days ago

Politics

How would a Labour leadership challenge work and how safe is Starmer?

Briefings at top of government have sparked fresh questions about PM’s position and potential successors

Nov 12, 2025

Politics

Streeting denies plot to oust Starmer and condemns briefings from No 10

Health secretary says attacks on him from Downing Street ‘self-defeating’ after reports PM’s job could be under threat

Nov 12, 2025

Politics

Racism returning to UK politics – and people are very scared, says Starmer

PM attacks ‘toxic division of Reform’ and gives strongest signal yet that two-child benefit cap will be lifted

Nov 11, 2025

Politics

Councillors in England face suspensions for misconduct as part of government overhaul

Local authorities to be given powers to suspend rule-breaking officials and to withhold allowances

Nov 11, 2025

Politics

Kemi Badenoch to relaunch exclusive ‘advisory board’ for high-value donors

Exclusive: Tory leader has plans to reinstate group that provided top donors with direct access to senior ministers

Nov 7, 2025

World

Prospect of breaking 50-year income tax taboo shows scale of Reeves’s challenge

The chancellor appears to believe voters will forgive a broken promise in return for meaningful investment

Nov 4, 2025

Politics

Starmer was briefed on Mandelson’s Epstein links before appointing him, say civil servants

PM had been given ‘summary of reputational risks’ but did not know about contents of emails before PMQs, MPs told

Nov 3, 2025

Politics

Keir Starmer keeps Trumps’ silver necklace gift – for a price

Prime minister paid cabinet office to retain jewellery, but chose not to fork out for cufflinks and golf club

Oct 31, 2025

Politics

What has Rachel Reeves done wrong – and how serious are things for her?

A few weeks before she delivers budget, timing of revelation chancellor failed to buy rental licence could not be worse

Oct 30, 2025

Politics

Boris Johnson approved China’s London super-embassy proposal in 2018

Exclusive: Conservatives under Theresa May gave Beijing assurances that it could proceed with the proposal

Oct 29, 2025

Missing ‘critical element’ caused UK China spying trial to collapse, say prosecutors

Refusal to describe China as security threat meant ‘all routes were closed’, says director of public prosecutions

Oct 27, 2025

Politics

Lucy Powell urged ministers to rethink legal action against Labour donor’s firm

Exclusive: Intervention by deputy leadership contender could have saved company based in her Manchester constituency millions

Oct 21, 2025

Chinese embassy approval could be unlawful if UK ministers gave advance assurances

Exclusive: If Keir Starmer made promises to China it could constitute ‘predetermination’, Lord Banner legal opinion concludes

Oct 19, 2025

Politics

Ministers plan high-level visits to China despite espionage trial outcry

National security adviser, education secretary and science minister to visit before end of year as part of policy to reset relations

Oct 16, 2025

MPs to hold inquiry into collapsed China spy case after No 10 publishes key evidence

Labour MP and chair of security committee Matt Western says there are ‘a lot of questions yet to be asked’

Oct 16, 2025

Politics

Government made ‘every effort’ to support China spying trial, says minister

Dan Jarvis accuses Tories of suggesting case was deliberately abandoned ‘without a shred of evidence’

Oct 13, 2025

Politics

Foreign Office chief to visit China after collapse of high-profile espionage case

Exclusive: Oliver Robbins to visit China next week on ‘long-planned’ government business after collapse of trial of two men over spying charges

Oct 10, 2025

Politics

Has Kemi Badenoch sounded the death knell for one nation Conservatism?

The Tory leader’s shift to the right has left its centrist wing wondering if its tradition still has a future

Oct 7, 2025

Politics

Jonathan Powell to face MPs over role in collapse of espionage trial

National security adviser to answer questions over abandonment of a major Chinese spying case against two Britons

Oct 6, 2025