Keir Starmer has firmly denied authorising anonymous briefings against members of his cabinet after reports suggested some aides believed he could face a leadership challenge from health secretary Wes Streeting. At PMQs, he called such attacks completely unacceptable, insisting he appointed his ministers because they are 'the best people to carry out their jobs’. Streeting, who missed PMQs to address an NHS conference, rejected claims he was plotting a leadership bid and criticised what he described as a 'toxic culture' inside No 10 - though he does not believe the prime minister is responsible. Kemi Badenoch accused Starmer of having 'lost control of his government’, while speculation persists within Labour about who might stand if a contest were triggered. Despite a large 2024 majority, Starmer’s leadership has faced turbulence; with the Budget and devolved elections looming, internal unity is being tested.

Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of the BBC, threatening a billion-dollar lawsuit over what he claims was a dishonest editing of a speech he delivered before the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. The threat follows the resignation of BBC director-general Tim Davie, who stepped down amid the controversy. Trump told Fox News he felt an 'obligation' to sue, accusing the broadcaster of 'defrauding the public' and turning what he described as a calming speech into something radical. His legal team has demanded a full retraction of what they consider defamatory statements, warning that failure to comply will trigger legal action. Sir Ed Davey has urged Keir Starmer to ask Trump to drop the lawsuit. Starmer defended the BBC as a vital and independent institution, across the world, while acknowledging the need for accuracy and accountability. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy warned MPs against undermining the broadcaster, emphasising its national importance as charter review approaches. The situation has reignited debates around impartiality, political pressure, and the future governance of the BBC.

Thousands of NHS administrative and managerial staff in England are set to lose their jobs after the Treasury approved a deal allowing the health service to overspend this year to fund redundancy costs. Earlier, the government confirmed that 18,000 roles would be cut as part of major reforms bringing NHS England back under the Department of Health and halving staff numbers in local Integrated Care Boards. The £1bn cost of pay-offs will be recovered in future years through expected savings, with ministers insisting no additional funding is being provided beyond existing spending plans. Health secretary Wes Streeting argued that patients and staff want bureaucracy reduced so frontline care can be prioritised, saying the reforms would help rebuild the NHS. Government estimates suggest the changes could save £1bn annually, enough to fund over 100,000 extra hip and knee operations. However, the Royal College of Nursing warned that losing expert staff risks harming patient care rather than improving it. NHS leaders have called the agreement 'pragmatic' but acknowledged the uncertainty and disruption facing affected workers.

Keir Starmer has given his clearest indication yet that his government intends to scrap the two-child benefit cap, strongly suggesting the change will be included in the forthcoming 26 November Budget. He said he would not promise to drive down child poverty without being prepared to take 'a number of measures' to achieve it. His comments closely followed remarks from Rachel Reeves, who said it was wrong for children to be 'penalised' simply for being part of a larger family. Treasury sources described her comments as a deliberate 'signal of intent’, with ministers reportedly favouring a full removal of the cap rather than more limited alternatives. One estimate is that abolishing the cap would cost around £3.5bn by 2029/30. The move comes amid unease within Labour ranks over the party’s commitment not to raise income tax. Starmer insisted he was 'personally committed' to reducing child poverty, saying it was a defining achievement of the last Labour government and a priority he intends to pursue again. See

Seven men aged 19 to 26 have been charged with more than forty sex and drug offences in a major grooming investigation in Bristol. The case involves alleged offences against eleven complainants between 2022 and 2025. The police began their inquiry in late 2023 after receiving a tip-off about the suspected exploitation of a teenage girl. Initial arrests were made last April, with the suspects later re-arrested in coordinated raids this week. The defendants face a wide range of charges, including multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a child, and drug supply. They all appeared at Bristol magistrates’ court and were remanded in custody ahead of a hearing on 17 December. The police said that safeguarding victims is at the centre of the investigation, with support measures put in place. Prosecutors reminded the public that the men have the right to a fair trial and warned against sharing information that could prejudice proceedings.

Rev Trevor Gribben, moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, is stepping down after an internal review uncovered 'serious and significant' safeguarding failures across the denomination between 2009 and 2022. The Church admitted that individuals had been harmed or placed at risk due to systemic shortcomings in its central safeguarding functions. Failures included not responding adequately when victims sought help, failing to refer cases to statutory authorities, and allowing some known offenders to return to worship without proper monitoring. Rev Gribben apologised unreservedly, acknowledging that these failures occurred partly during his tenure as General Secretary, even though he was not directly responsible for safeguarding operations. Church convenor Rev David Bruce said record-keeping gaps and failures to follow the Church’s own guidance meant that not all cases have yet been identified. He said that their priority is to support those harmed and rebuild trust by strengthening safeguarding structures. The Church has urged anyone affected to come forward, assuring them they will now be listened to and responded to appropriately.

Thousands of demonstrators in Belgrade have formed a human shield around the bomb-damaged former Yugoslav defence ministry building, vowing to stop its redevelopment into a luxury complex tied to a company owned by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law. The $500 million project, backed by president Aleksandar Vučić’s pro-Trump government, aims to transform the ruins - once bombed by NATO in 1999 - into a hotel and office district. Critics, however, see the move as an affront to national memory, calling the complex a sacred symbol of resistance against foreign aggression. Lawmakers recently fast-tracked legislation to permit construction despite an ongoing criminal investigation into alleged document forgery used to strip the site’s heritage status. The protests, led largely by students and youth movements, echo wider anger over corruption and government control. As chants of defiance echoed through the capital, protesters pledged unity to defend Serbia’s architectural and historical integrity against what they view as political and economic exploitation.

Donald Trump has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas purchases, marking a diplomatic win for Viktor Orbán. The move followed Orbán’s visit to Washington, where Trump expressed sympathy for Hungary’s dependence on Russian energy as a landlocked nation. The decision contrasts sharply with Trump’s recent threats to penalise countries doing business with sanctioned Russian energy firms. In return, Hungary agreed to buy hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of US natural gas. While the arrangement may ease Hungary’s energy pressures, it risks deepening tensions within the EU, where many leaders oppose Orbán’s continued cooperation with Moscow. Trump praised Orbán’s leadership and hinted at shared goals for ending the war in Ukraine, underscoring their close personal and political alliance amid growing divisions over energy, sanctions, and peace strategy in Europe.

On 11 November hundreds of Indigenous activists stormed the UN COP30 climate summit in Belém, demanding real protection for their lands and rights amid growing frustration over government inaction. The protests, led by Amazonian communities, erupted as president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva promoted his administration’s commitment to Indigenous inclusion - claims protesters say ring hollow while oil drilling, logging, and mining continue to threaten the rainforest. ‘We can’t eat money’, said Gilmar of the Tupinamba community, voicing anger at the summit’s focus on climate finance over preservation. The demonstrations followed the arrival of the Yaku Mama protest flotilla, which sailed over two thousand miles to call attention to Indigenous leadership in environmental stewardship. Despite Lula’s rhetoric, Brazil’s state oil company has just received approval to begin exploratory offshore drilling near the Amazon’s mouth. This year’s meeting is the first to take place since the International Court of Justice ruled that countries must meet their climate obligations and that failing to do so could violate international law. Note: the four nations responsible for almost 50% of global pollution (Russia, China, India, and the USA) are not even attending COP30. The conference is a major focus for prayer, as churches become more and more aware of the climate crisis. For a link to the John Stott lecture on 20 November, which will focus on the challenges which the world is facing and a Christian response, see

In a stunning U-turn of diplomacy, Syrian president Ahmed al Sharaa - once known as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, former leader of the al-Qaeda affiliate Nusra Front - has arrived in Washington for historic talks with Donald Trump. He rose to power following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and now leads Syria’s fragile transitional government. Once a fugitive with a $10 million US bounty, he is being welcomed as a potential partner in rebuilding his war-torn nation and countering extremist threats. Washington’s gamble is clear: support Sharaa to stabilise Syria, curb Iranian and Russian influence, and prevent renewed civil war. Yet challenges loom large: sectarian clashes persist, and doubts remain about his transformation from militant to unifier. The visit, the first trip by a Syrian head of state to the USA since the country gained independence in 1948, could redefine alliances and reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics for a generation.