Politics latest: Badenoch responds to Jenrick WhatsApp mishap (2025)

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Ali's guest on the Politics Hub is Alex Hall-Chen from the Institute of Directors, one of the business groups that has signed an open letter expressing its concerns about the employment rights bill.

The bill, which is currently progressing through the House of Lords, give workers greater protections - including guaranteed rights from the first day of employment and rights over sick pay and flexible working.

Hall-Chen tells Ali that the purpose of the letter to the Lords is to encourage peers to "properly scrutinise the bill" and to "mitigate what we see as potential unintended consequences".

Asked why the business groups - which also include the British Chambers of Commerce, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses and Make UK - have acted now, Hall-Chen cites the increase to national insurance contributions that have come into effect this month.

"This month, as you referred to, there has been a big increase in employers' national insurance contributions," she says.

"There was an above-inflation increase to the national living wage - and combined with the upcoming changes to employment rights, employers are really struggling under the increased costs that are associated with employment.

"So we feel that government has an opportunity at the moment to at least soften the edges of some of the work that they're doing around employment rights to really just help employers with those increased costs that they're facing at the moment, and to reduce the likelihood of what we see at the moment as being a big risk of employers cutting back on their hiring intentions."

Ali now hears from Sir Ivor Roberts, the UK's former ambassador to Italy.

He has been reflecting on Georgia Meloni's visit to the White House to meet Donald Trump, which we have just been showing.

Sir Ivor says Meloni and Trump are "ideological bedfellows" but have disagreed over the war in Ukraine and tariffs - which she believes are a mistake.

However, he tells Ali that Meloni appears to be bridging "the gap" between the US and Europe and leading the charge for re-engagement.

"She seems to have bridged that gap and used her personal relationship with Trump for good advantage in the European cause as well as Italian cause," he says

"I think she has performed pretty well."

However, he says he does not believe that Trump will carve out a special deal for Italy, saying: "I don't see much opportunity for that - not on trade. It doesn't really work like that.

"I don't think there will be a special deal for Italy. And if there is a tariff free deal for the EU, then that by definition helps Italy."

Ali Fortescueis back with the day's biggest political stories on today's episode of the Politics Hub.

Watch live via the stream at the top of this page, or follow the latest updates here.

We're pausing our coverage in the Politics Hub for a few hours.

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Until then, you can scroll through the page to catch up on today.

James McMahon praised Birmingham City Council and waste collectors for removing 85% of rubbish off the streets, following a strike that has lasted more than a month.

The local government minister added that the council now has a "plan to ensure" bags of rubbish don't build up again, while bin collectors remain on strike.

Addressing the fact that the union behind the industrial action, Unite, and the council have still not been able to reach a deal, McMahon said: "It's really important that the trade unions and of course the council continue to meet working good faith and find a solution.

He added: "Our strong view is that there is a deal on the table that can be marshalled around."

McMahon went on to announce: "As we stand here today, 85% of that accumulated waste has been cleared, and the council have a plan in place to ensure it doesn't accumulate going forward."

The British Transport Police has confirmed that it has changed its policy on searches, following the Supreme Court ruling on gender identity yesterday.

Officer who were trans and held a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) were previously allowed to search members of the public "in accordance with their acquired sex".

But this policy has now been reverse following yesterday's judgement.

A spokesperson for the force said: "Under previous policy, we had advised that someone with a GRC may be searched in accordance with their acquired sex.

Watch: The Supreme Court's ruling on gender - how it happened

"However as an interim position while we digest [the] judgement, we have advised our officers that any same sex searches in custody are to be undertaken in accordance with the biological birth sex ofthedetainee.

“We are in the process of reviewing the implications of the ruling and will consider any necessary updates to our policies and practices in line with the law and national guidance.”

It also means that trans women in custody will now be searched by male officers.

The police force had previously been threatened with legal action over the issue.

Charity Sex Matters had filed permission for a judicial review of the force's policy lasy year.

A Freedom of Information request in 2024 also revealed that the British Transport Police's guidance for trans and non-binary colleagues on searches was "currently undergoing legal advice".

We've heard from Sir Keir Starmer, whose taken the time out of his family holiday abroad to issue an Easter message.

The prime minister has said it is a time to "remember those Christians facing hardship, persecution or conflict around the world".

He added that he wants to thank Christians for following Jesus' "example of love and compassion".

The PM's statement in full:

“As Lent comes to an end and we move into the Easter weekend, I want to wish Christians everywhere remembering the death and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ a very happy Easter. The story of Easter is central to the Christian faith: it is a story of hope, redemption and renewal.

“This Easter, as churches hold special services across the UK, and gather to celebrate with friends and family, we remember those Christians facing hardship, persecution or conflict around the world who cannot celebrate freely.

“I also want to thank you for the ways in which you follow Christ’s example of love and compassion in serving your communities.

"Whether through night shelters, youth clubs, toddler groups, family support, care for the elderly or chaplaincy support, and in a multitude of other ways, you demonstrate steadfast commitment and care.

“We can all take inspiration from the message of Easter and continue to work together for the flourishing and renewal of our country.”

The leader of the SNP has said he's "very, very worried" that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage could become the next PM.

John Swinney said he believes there is a "high likelihood" that Farage's party could win enough seats at the next general election to hand him the keys to Downing Street.

Scotland's first minister also warned that the values of the UK would change "in an incredibly way", changing how the country is perceived around the globe.

"That would be bad for all of us", Swinney said.

He warned: "I think there’s a high likelihood that could be the case, yes,” he said. “I worry about that very, very much.

“I think the values of the United Kingdom would be changed in an incredibly damaging way and the values of the United Kingdom would change fundamentally and how it’s perceived around the world", he told the Daily Record.

Swinney is set to host a summit with political leaders nexy week designed to "lock out" Reform UK out of Scotland.

The party currently has no Scottish MPs.

Swinney said: "I’ve got a job of work to do to say to the people in Scotland that they’ve got to see through Farage.

“Because Farage is only using Scotland as a platform to spread the type of hate and division that he spreads in other parts of the United Kingdom.”

Thomas Kerr, a Reform UK councillor, said he agreed with Swinney "for the first time in his career".

Kerr acknowledged: "Nigel Farage is on course to make history and be our Prime Minister.

“Where [Swinney] wrong is his assumption that Scotland won’t play its part in that goal becoming reality.

“Across swathes of Scotland, voters are ready for real and fundamental change from the politics of grievance and spin spearheaded by the Nasty Nats and John Swinney.

“His anti-democratic summit shows just how worried the political establishment are that Reform UK is here to stay.”

How likely is it that Nigel Farage could become the next PM?

The first thing to mention is that the next general election isn't expected to happen for about another four years or so. As the cliché by former PM Harold Wilson goes, a week is a long time in politics - so four years is a lifetime.

Nevertheless, Reform UK has been surging in the polls last year, with a number of projections suggesting the party could win multiple seats at Holyrood next year.

But those seats don't equate to Farage becoming the UK's PM.

Watch: Farage addresses the public spat between him and Rupert Lowe last month, which saw the party lose an MP

Let's quickly remind ourselves that Reform UK won five seats the 2024 General Election, to Labour's 412, and the Conservatives' 121.

Reform has already lost one of these (effectively losing a fifth of their representation in the Commons) when Rupert Lowe was suspended last month following a messy, public row.

But a quick look at recent polling no doubt will give Reform candidates hope, many of which the party is performing well.

The next real test will be the local elections on 1 May.

The leader of the Liberal Democrats has called for "more guidance" following the Supreme Court's ruling yesterday.

Sir Ed Davey added it's led to "confusion" and that people are "in the dark".

He said: "I think we need greater clarification from the regulator and the government.

"I honestly don't understand how they're going to interpret the ruling of the court. It's really important, and I accept that ruling on the Supreme Court.

"But now we need to understand what it actually means in practice. So we're going to need more guidance and at the moment, I think everyone is in the dark."

He added: "I think people are really confused out there. And I have to say, I, I share that confusion."

Davey also called for the "hostility and the toxicity" in the debate around gender identity to reduce, saying that people need to make sure they "really listen to each other".