Starmer’s leadership under further pressure after defence ministers quit – UK politics live

Both John Healey and Al Carns resigned from their ministerial positions on Thursday over the government’s defence investment plan Defence policy is not the only area where there has been bad news for the government. As Heather Stewart reports, growth figures out today show the economy shrinking in April. Here is her story. The UK economy contracted by 0.1% in April as the Iran war began to take its toll on growth, official figures show.

As energy prices have risen as a result of the conflict, after Iran closed off the strait of Hormuz – a vital shipping route for global trade – the UK’s strong expansion in the first quarter slid into reverse. Continue reading...