Starmer begins China trip for Xi talks on trade, investment and security, with a planned border security pact and a large business delegation.
A January 2026 tally compiled by LBC lists 13 reported Labour policy U-turns since the 2024 election, including a reported watering down of mandatory digital ID for right-to-work checks. The list is not an official register and uses dated reporting to identify reversals or dilutions. Items cited include changes on winter fuel payments, a new statutory inquiry into grooming gangs, and dropping PIP eligibility changes from welfare legislation.
More than 20 local authorities in England are expected to postpone scheduled May 2026 council elections until 2027 after requesting delays linked to local government reorganisation. The Association of Electoral Administrators said 27 of 63 eligible council areas submitted formal requests by mid-January, and ministers are expected to approve most or all. If approved, around 600 councillors’ terms would be extended by more than a year.
UK ministers said reports Britain could send troops to Greenland relate to routine NATO contingency planning, not imminent deployment. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the talks are “business as usual” discussions on deterring Russian activity in the Arctic, and she gave no timelines or troop numbers. The comments come as Donald Trump renewed calls about US control of Greenland, which Denmark and Greenland have rejected.
