Scotland Yard chiefs were today studying allegations of large-scale phone-hacking by the News of the World.

The popularity of the British Labour Party has slumped to its lowest level since polling began amid a series of scandals and renewed speculation over Gordon Brown's leadership, it was claimed tonight.

The British government will lose hundreds of millions of pounds on its plan to part-privatise the Royal Mail because of the timing of its controversial proposals, a new report claimed today.

Kicking Gordon Brown out of Number 10 would not save the British Government from electoral meltdown – even though his popularity is at an all-time low, according to a poll tonight.

IT is a sign of the times — and a tribute to the political deftness of Ireland’s man in London, David Cooney — that the embassy in Britain will hold its first reception at a Conservative party conference this autumn.

Politicians from both sides of the divide in Northern Ireland must stand up to people responsible for an increase in racist attacks, an Assembly member urged today.

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown told Britain's Labour MPs today to go out and make the case for Europe in what was being seen as the start of a major drive to win public opinion over to the euro.

THE Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) yesterday launched a High Court bid to block the possibility of Britain going to war against Iraq.

Labour MPs opposed to the air strikes against Afghanistan have arranged a House of Commons vote on the campaign later today.