LONDON — Police launched an investigation Monday after four ambulances belonging to a Jewish community ambulance service were set on fire in north London. The Metropolitan Police were called to Golders Green, where there is a large Jewish community, early Monday after four Hatzalah ambulances were set alight. In a statement the Met said the arson attack is being treated as an “antisemitic hate crime.” Keir Starmer condemned the “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack.” Writing on X, the British prime minister said: “My thoughts are with the Jewish community who are waking up this morning to this horrific news. Antisemitism has no place in our society.” Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed Starmer’s comments calling the event a “sickening attack on Jewish ambulances.” He urged the public to “stand together against antisemitic hatred.” No injuries were reported and the fires have since been put out, but nearby houses were evacuated as a precaution. Explosions linked to the attack were also reported. The Met said it believes those were linked to gas canisters on the ambulances. The attack comes months after two people were killed in a terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue last October. Superintendent Sarah Jackson said police are looking for three suspects. “We know this incident will cause a great deal of community concern and officers remain on scene to carry out urgent enquiries,” she added.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music From ChatGPT-written speeches to constituents flooding MPs with AI-generated emails, artificial intelligence has arrived in Westminster. In this episode of Westminster Insider, host Patrick Baker explores how politicians and ministers are scrambling to respond, balancing fears about deepfakes, bias and online harms with a determination to harness AI for economic growth. The UK’s first AI minister, Kanishka Narayan, says he believes that an artificial intelligence more capable than humans (so-called AGI) could arrive in five years’ time, and explains how he is trying to balance the risks of AI with its economic potential. Labour MP Mike Reader, dubbed the “ChatG-MP” after being spotted using the model to respond to constituents on a train, describes how AI is changing the day-to-day work of politicians. Conservative MP Luke Evans reflects on delivering the first AI-generated speech in the House of Commons. Labour MP Dawn Butler, who served on Parliament’s Science and Technology Committee, sets out her concerns about AI perpetuating racial discrimination and why she believes it must be tightly controlled. POLITICO’s Tech Editor Isobel Hamilton traces the twists and turns of the UK’s AI policy, including the influence of a pivotal meeting between the Prime Minister and a leading tech CEO. And Andrea Miotti, CEO of Control AI, explains why he believes urgent action is needed to guard against the existential risks posed by increasingly powerful systems.

LONDON — Two men have been charged Wednesday evening with spying on locations and individuals linked to the Jewish community on behalf of Iran. Nematollah Shahsavani, a 40-year-old dual British and Iranian national, and Alireza Farasati, a 22-year-old Iranian national, were charged under the National Security Act with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between July 9 and Aug. 15 last year. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the charges related to Iran. The Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans described the charges as “extremely serious” after counter terror Police investigated alleged surveillance of places and people in London’s Jewish community. “We fully recognise that the public — and in particular the Jewish community — will be concerned,” Evans said. “I hope this investigation reassures them that we will not hesitate to take action if we identify there may be a threat to their safety, and will be relentless in our pursuit of those who may be responsible.” The men were originally arrested and detained on March 6 while two other men arrested on the same day were released without charge. The head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division Frank Ferguson said “the charge relates to carrying out activities in the U.K. such as gathering information and undertaking reconnaissance of targets.” Shahsavani and Farasati will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court Thursday March 19.

LONDON — Ex-Conservative MP Crispin Blunt was charged Wednesday with four drug offenses. Blunt, who served as MP for Reigate in Surrey between 1997 and 2024, faces one count of possessing a Class A drug — methylamphetamine — and three counts of possessing a Class B drug — GBL, cannabis and amphetamine. Malcolm McHaffie, who leads the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) Special Crime Division, said in a statement: “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.” He said the CPS had worked closely with Surrey Police and “remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.” The charges followed police attendance at Blunt’s home in the Surrey town of Horley in October 2023, “which was in relation to a separate matter,” the CPS said. Blunt lost the Tory whip that month after being arrested on suspicion of rape and served the remainder of his term in parliament as an independent. That investigation was dropped in May 2025 after Surrey Police said there was “insufficient evidence to proceed” and “no further action would be taken.” At the time, the force confirmed Blunt would remain under investigation “on suspicion of possession of controlled substances.” Blunt served as a justice minister between 2010 and 2012 and chaired the Commons’ influential Foreign Affairs Committee from 2015 to 2017. He — who did not immediately respond to a request for comment — will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on March 25.

LONDON — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned the U.K. that it needs to get tougher on irregular migration to protect the country’s borders. Orbán admitted border control was “not the nicest job” but essential to ensure only those permitted could enter a country. Speaking to the right-wing broadcaster GB News, the Hungarian leader was insistent that only a hard-line approach deters people from crossing irregularly. The U.K. government has struggled to combat irregular small boat crossings across the English Channel. Between 2018 and 2025, around 193,000 people were detected crossing, with the yearly peak hitting 46,000 in 2022. Asked for his advice on stopping migration, Orbán told the TV channel his secret was “determination.” “So if you decide that you stop them, stop them. So sometimes it’s not the nicest job, but if you decide that this is our borderline and nobody can cross it without our permission, you have to keep the line. You have to do so.” Last year, around 41,000 people entered the U.K. on small boats, with more than 3,000 people crossing the channel so far in 2026. Around 95 percent of people who arrive go on to claim asylum and are often housed in hotels, which has caused widespread controversy. “In Hungary, it’s very simple,” Orbán said. “If somebody is crossing the borderline without getting the permission prior of that from the authorities, it’s a crime and we treat them as crime makers.” London struck a  “one in, one out” agreement with Paris last July, which meant undocumented migrants arriving on small boats could be removed in exchange for asylum seekers who had a U.K. connection. However, this plan faced criticism after a man deported under the scheme returned to Britain, as well as for the treatment of those who returned to France. Pushed on whether Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Tory predecessor Rishi Sunak were too weak in their approach to migration, Orbán said: “I’m not as brave to criticize any leader of the U.K.”

LONDON — Scottish lawmakers on Tuesday evening rejected a bill allowing terminally ill adults to access assisted dying. Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) opposed Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur’s legislation which would have given terminally ill adults with fewer than six months to live assistance to end their lives. The bill fell by 69 votes to 57, with Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray abstaining. MSPs previously backed the initial principles of the bill and allowed it to progress through the parliament last May by 70 votes to 56. First Minister John Swinney, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar and Scottish Tory Leader Russell Findlay all rejected the bill, although Findlay voted in favor last May. Former Scottish First Ministers Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon also opposed the bill. McArthur told reporters he was “devastated” by the result as the current system “has been failing dying Scots for too long.”  But he told ITV News the vote against appeared “inevitable” as “the closer you get to that final vote, the enormity, the significance of what MSPs will be asked to do weighs more and more heavily.” A dozen MSPs from the Conservatives, Labour and SNP switched sides between the two votes to reject the bill. As a matter of conscience, parliamentarians were given a free vote and did not have to follow a whip. It marks the third time the Scottish parliament has rejected assisted dying since 1999, though previous bills fell at the first hurdle by far higher margins. McArthur predicted the issue would return to Holyrood after the May election “for so long as dying Scots continue to suffer as a result of the lack of choice and safety afforded to them by the current law,” which prohibits assisted dying. The vote followed an evening of impassioned debate, with supporters and opponents offering emotional personal testimonies. Both sides praised McArthur’s handling of the bill and agreed on the need for improved palliative care. The Scottish government, which retained a neutral position on the bill, said it “remains committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland who needs it can access well-coordinated, compassionate and high-quality palliative and end of life care.”

LONDON — Keir Starmer warned the world not to forget the war in Ukraine amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran. The British prime minister hosted Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks in London Tuesday and told the Ukrainian President: “Our resolve is unbreakable.” Zelenskyy addressed British lawmakers in the U.K. parliament, where he called for more pressure to be put on Russia – and tried to sell Ukraine as a world-leading provider of drones and technology to keep Western countries safe. The trip comes as Ukraine’s allies fear U.S. President Donald Trump’s attention risks being diverted away from the long-running Ukrainian fight against Russia as he deepens American involvement in the Middle East. Speaking in parliament, Zelenskyy sought to explicitly link the two conflicts, describing the Russian and Iranian regimes as “brothers in hatred.” “Aggressors don’t end wars because they suddenly want to,” he said. “They stop when they can no longer continue. We must act now so that a future generation will say these leaders acted when it mattered.” Talking up Ukraine’s own military prowess, Zelenskyy warned: “If evil wins, the evolution of war will cross any distance on earth. No ocean will help. No desert. No mountains.” Earlier Tuesday, Starmer told Zelenskyy: “It’s really important that we are clear that the focus must remain on Ukraine. “There’s obviously a conflict in Iran going on, in the Middle East, but we can’t lose focus on what’s going on in Ukraine and the need for our support.” Starmer said Russian President Vladimir Putin must not benefit from the conflict in Iran whether “that’s oil prices or the dropping of sanctions.” The U.K. and Ukraine agreed a defense partnership Tuesday aimed at boosting the two countries’ ability to push back against drones. Britain will also fund an Artificial Intelligent “Centre of Excellence” sitting inside the Ministry of Defense in Kyiv.

LONDON — Keir Starmer said Thursday it was his mistake to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s short-lived ambassador to Washington. In his first public statement since the release of the Mandelson files, the British prime minister repeated his apology to the victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after choosing Mandelson as the U.K.’s most senior diplomat, despite his longstanding friendship with the convicted sex offender. A tranche of documents released Wednesday show Starmer was warned of the “reputational risks” in appointing Mandelson. His National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell said the process was “weirdly rushed.” “The release of the information shows what was known. That led to further questions being asked,” Starmer told reporters Thursday. “Unfortunately, because of the Metropolitan Police investigation, we can’t release that information yet,” he said. The PM added: “But that doesn’t take away from the fact that it was me that made a mistake, and it’s me that makes the apology to the victims of Epstein, and I do that.” Mandelson is under police investigation on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations of leaking internal government discussions to Epstein in the wake of the 2008 financial crash. He has not been charged, and his lawyers have said he is cooperating with the investigation and his overriding priority is to clear his name. He has previously apologized “unequivocally” for his association with Epstein and “to the women and girls that suffered.” Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords and the Labour Party last month. Starmer’s key ally Morgan McSweeney resigned as his chief of staff last month taking “full responsibility” for advising the PM to choose the former Labour peer.

LONDON — The British government said Tuesday night it has approved a police ban on a march linked to the Iranian regime, citing fears there will be severe clashes between protesters and counter-protesters. The annual Al Quds Day march, which has taken place since 1979, was due to be held on Sunday in central London. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she agreed to the Metropolitan Police’s request to ban the march because she is “satisfied doing so is necessary to prevent serious public disorder, due to the scale of the protest and multiple counter-protests” in the context of the ongoing Middle East conflict. It is the first time the Met Police has used its powers to ban protest marches since 2012. Met Police Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said in a statement the planned march “raises unique risks and challenges” which include “high numbers of protestors and counter protestors coming together and the extreme tensions between different factions.” “The context is so uniquely complex and the risks are so severe that placing conditions on the protest will not be sufficient to prevent it from resulting in serious public disorder” with the public, protestors and police officers facing risk of injury, he added. Adelekan said the Met Police had consulted with Muslim and Jewish communities. Officers still face a “challenging, potentially violent weekend,” he added. The Islamic Human Rights Commission, which organizes the march, condemned the decision and said it will go ahead with a static protest. “If it was not clear already, the police have brazenly abandoned their sworn principle of policing without fear or favour,” a statement on their website said. “This is a politically charged desision [sic]; not one taken for the security of the people of London.” Chief Secretary to the PM Darren Jones defended the ban, telling Sky News on Wednesday: “You can’t do anything illegal. You can’t incite hatred or violence, or cause physical damage.”

LONDON — Zack Polanski was once a Liberal Democrat. Now he’s eating his old party’s lunch.  Britain’s liberal centrists are scrambling to find their voice in Britain’s multi-party system as the self-described “eco-populist” Green Party leader grabs all the attention. The Liberal Democrats — the third-largest party in the U.K. House of Commons — failed to retain their £500 deposit in last month’s Gorton and Denton by-election in which the Greens convincingly took the Greater Manchester seat from the governing Labour Party.  They now face a big test in local elections in May. “There’s no question they’re being squeezed,” Tory peer and pollster Robert Hayward said of the Lib Dem position. They “may well be hit” in May as the Greens compete for the same “we don’t like you two parties” voice, he said.   It leaves long-serving leader Ed Davey facing questions about his strategy — and even his future as leader — as his party gathers in the northern English city of York for their spring conference this weekend.  ATTENTION ECONOMY  Lib Dem MPs should be having the time of their lives.  Their record-breaking 72 seats at the 2024 election saw their triumphant return as the third-largest party in the Commons after a near wipeout in 2015. The ruling Labour Party is deeply unpopular, and war in the Middle East has traditionally been election-winning territory for the centrists. In the aftermath of ex-Labour PM Tony Blair’s 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Liberal Democrats won parliamentary by-elections later that year and in 2004. Yet they are now jostling for attention with parties with far fewer parliamentary seats.  Reform UK is dominating conversation on the right of British politics — despite having just eight MPs — thanks to its poll lead, and eye-catching anti-immigration policies. The Liberal Democrats failed to retain their £500 deposit in last month’s Gorton and Denton by-election in which the Greens convincingly took the Greater Manchester seat from the governing Labour Party. | Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images The Greens, with just five MPs, have found a strong communicator in Polanski, who became their leader last September and has eclipsed Davey, long known for his ability to capture media attention. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t frustrating,” said one Lib Dem MP about their coverage. Like others quoted, this person was granted anonymity to speak candidly.  “Why would you cover the Liberal Democrats?” a senior party figure asked. “We aren’t polling well enough for people to take it seriously that we might be a party of government next time.”  A Liberal Democrat spokesman pointed to the party’s success in 2024 as well as last year in local council by-elections. “Ed is the most popular leader in British politics and has established himself as the anti-Trump voice in Parliament,” the spokesman said. “Ed is the only leader with a plan to fix our NHS and end the cost of living crisis. We will take on the populists and win.” CAN’T BEAT ‘EM? JOIN ‘EM Davey became a household name performing questionable stunts during the 2024 general election campaign, and he continues to vie for attention with headline-grabbing positions on topics dominating the news.  He is consistently critical of U.S. President Donald Trump — most recently calling for King Charles’ planned state visit to the U.S. to be canceled. He also condemned “tax exiles” in Dubai affected by Iranian strikes, confronting online critics with pithy rebuttals.  Davey became a household name performing questionable stunts during the 2024 general election campaign, and he continues to vie for attention with headline-grabbing positions on topics dominating the news. | Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images He spearheaded a Commons debate criticizing the former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — though this backfired when opponents pointed out he had praised the former Prince Andrew when he was a minister in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government early 2010s. Earlier this year his deputy Daisy Cooper called for theTreasury to be replaced with a Department for Growth.  The party is also hoping to capture attention by creating a press conference room in its Westminster HQ, POLITICO reported last month. “Not everybody is fully signed up to that strategy,” the senior party figure quoted above said.  There is a “general unrest about the ‘let’s grab any passing headline we can, regardless of how closely it aligns to our values or our broader messaging’” approach, that figure added. “It’s not all about how many podcasts you’re on, how many times you get photos on the front page of whatever newspaper tickles your fancy,” the Lib Dem MP quoted above said.  Earlier this year his deputy Daisy Cooper called for theTreasury to be replaced with a Department for Growth. | Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images Sean Kemp, a former Lib Dem head of media, cautioned: “The coverage is no good if it’s coverage that actually loses you voters.” RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB Davey will have been leader for six years in August, and now some in his party are privately questioning if he is the right person to lead them in the long run.  “If we don’t make the size of gains that we thought we were going to, then I think some of the unease that’s being expressed behind closed doors might well be” made public, the senior party figure said of the Lib Dem local election result.  “There are questions being asked about who’s the right person to take us forward,” they added. Roz Savage, an MP elected in 2024, told PoliticsHome in an interview earlier this month she couldn’t give her view “on the record” on the question of Davey’s leadership.  Even Davey’s supporters acknowledge things need to change. Roz Savage, an MP elected in 2024, told PoliticsHome in an interview earlier this month she couldn’t give her view “on the record” on the question of Davey’s leadership. | Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images The MP quoted above said the party “definitely shouldn’t be standing still,” and had “to keep constantly evolving and adapting.” STEALING THEIR CLOTHES Davey’s rivals have been studying the Lib Dem playbook. Former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett said her party had “learned a lot from watching Lib Dem by-election campaigns,” gaining “an understanding of what you need to do as a challenger party in terms of delivering your leaflets, the pattern of it.” Sam White, Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff in opposition, saw echoes of Lib Dem strategy in the Greens’ successful Gorton and Denton by-election campaign, where Polanski campaigned hard against Labour’s Middle East stance.  “This is how they do by-elections,” White said. “They happily face both ways. They offer the public a really low-cost way and low-risk way of giving a bloody nose to a governing party who’s quite unpopular,” he added.  STAYING THE COURSE  Others think the by-election trouncing is overblown, pointing to the party’s focus on Tory and Reform facing seats in the so-called “blue wall.” Former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett said her party had “learned a lot from watching Lib Dem by-election campaigns.” | Isabel Infantes/PA Images via Getty Images “[The Greens] are not going to be part of the debate and the discussion in nearly all the places where the Liberal Democrats are going to be competitive,” a second Lib Dem MP said. “People in individual seats are not daft” about which party posed the best challenge. It is only sensible for parties to target areas where they can win in Britain’s majoritarian first-past-the-post electoral system, they added. Party veteran Kemp cautions the Lib Dems not to move left in response to the Green surge, warning Davey won’t be able to “out Polanski Polanski.”  “There is no gain for them in sounding massively left-wing,” he warned, adding: “They need to not scare people off.”  He advocates “greater ideological consistency” —  something he thinks will be easier given the party’s narrower focus on Tory and Reform facing seats. “Sometimes there’s benefits in being a bit boring,” he said.