Michael Crick

He served in Churchill’s government and held many major offices of state, famously resigning as foreign secretary over the Falklands invasion. Former prime ministers have led the tributes to Lord Carrington, who’s died at the age of 99. Sir John Major said he felt “immensely privileged” to have known him, while David Cameron described his…

Theresa May has been hit by more resignations over her Brexit plan, just hours after appealing for Tory unity at the first meeting of her new-look cabinet. Ben Bradley and Maria Caulfield stepped down as vice chairs of the Conservative Party, one calling the plan as “the worst of all worlds”. The PM didn’t get…

Months ago, Channel 4 News and the Observer broadcast the extraordinary claims of a whistleblower, who claimed Vote Leave broke the law on spending on the 2016 Brexit referendum. Those claims reignited an Electoral Commission investigation into the actions of the official Leave campaign. Today, in a pre-emptive strike, the Leave campaign leaked parts of…

Britain’s biggest union, Unite, said it was “open to the possibility” of a second EU referendum, pledging to mobilise against the final deal which the government is due to agree later this month. Activists approved an executive statement at the union’s policy conference in Brighton, saying it was “highly unlikely” that the final Brexit deal…

It’s no secret that Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson agrees with MPs on the Defence Select Committee, who today called for far more to be spent on the armed forces. Right now the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, is on her feet – strongly disagreeing with him in a central London speech.

It’s not an idle threat, it’s the dawning reality of Brexit, says Airbus. The government insists it isn’t expecting a no-deal scenario, but the official negotiating position is still that no deal better than a bad deal. And Airbus believes that would be so terrible it might have to leave the country, and with it…

Government ministers went out of their way today to reassure EU citizens in the UK that dealing with a new settlement scheme, allowing them to stay on after Brexit, will not be difficult. Announcing the details, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said “we will be looking to grant applications, not for reasons to refuse”. But if…

Now to another Brexit-related event: the appearance of the businessman who bankrolled the Leave. EU campaign in front of MPs who are probing fake news and the misuse of data during the referendum campaign. The day began with Arron Banks being confronted by a pro-Remain campaigner who accused him of telling porkie pies. But it…

Political correspondent Michael Crick on the latest on Arron Banks.

Now in next week’s by-election in the London borough of Lewisham East – Labour will be defending a majority of 21,000. But Janet Daby’s selection as the Labour candidate came as a surprise to many in the party – she’s a strong Remainer whose views on Brexit aren’t completely in line with those of Jeremy Corbyn. Our political correspondent Michael…

One of the leading figures in the campaign to take Britain out of the EU could be ordered to give evidence to a Commons inquiry into fake news. Damian Collins, chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, has asked the Speaker for an early debate and vote to try to force Dominic Cummings…

The government is bringing the East Coast Main Line back under state control, ending the franchise agreement with Virgin and Stagecoach, saying they’d got their bid wrong. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling denied Labour’s accusations that it amounted to a multi-billion pound bailout, insisting taxpayers “have not lost out”.

A succession of backbench MPs went in and out of Downing Street today, as Theresa May attempts to stop her party’s infighting over Brexit. Officials have been explaining the pros and cons of the two customs options that have split the cabinet. There was some consensus, but that was between those opposed to a hard Brexit…

The Brexit campaign group Leave.EU has been fined £70,000 for breaching election law during the 2016 EU referendum. The Electoral Commission said the group failed to report “at least” £77,000 in its spending returns, taking it 10 per cent over the limit.

The Prime Minister has apologised unreservedly to the Libyan dissident Abdul Hakim Belhaj and his wife for the UK’s involvement in their detention, rendition and torture. Theresa May’s letter of apology, read out in Parliament by the Attorney general, said Mr Belhaj and Fatima Boudchar – who was pregnant at the time of their detention…