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Zoe Crowther

Zoe Crowther

@zoenora6

zoecrowther.bsky.social

Zoe Crowther is a Political Reporter for PoliticsHome. She was previously a social media journalist and did freelance reporting for national newspapers.

Labour Could Risk Repeating Mistakes Of 2010 Tory Government
Political parties
By Zoe Crowther
Labour Could Risk Repeating Mistakes Of 2010 Tory Government
Senior political figures have warned that a potential new Labour government could risk making similar mistakes to the Conservatives when they made the transition to power in 2010, as a new report has highlighted lessons that Labour should take forward.
UK Ban On Arms Sales To Israel Could Signal 'Enough Is Enough', Former Senior Diplomat Says
Defence
By Zoe Crowther
UK Ban On Arms Sales To Israel Could Signal "Enough Is Enough", Former Senior Diplomat Says
A former UK ambassador to the Middle East has said that a ban on arms sales to Israel would be “symbolic” rather than effective in cutting off Israel's weapons supply, but could “give cover” for the US to implement their own sales ban.
Tory MP Urges People To 'Think Carefully' Before Buying Puppies
Environment
Tory MP Urges People To "Think Carefully" Before Buying Puppies
People are being urged to “ask questions” about where their puppies are coming from, as a new committee report highlights the increasing prevalence of unregulated canine fertility clinics and the widespread illegal trade and importation of pets.
Former Education Minister Says Childcare Needs Boost For Students And Disadvantaged Families
Social affairs
By Zoe Crowther
Former Education Minister Says Childcare Needs Boost For Students And Disadvantaged Families
Chair of the Education Select Committee Robin Walker has said Government childcare measures must go further to support families and the early years sector, urging the government to expand provisions to graduate students and disadvantaged groups.
Parents Could Be Left 'Disappointed' By Free Childcare Expansion
Social affairs
By Zoe Crowther
Parents Could Be Left "Disappointed" By Free Childcare Expansion
The founder of an influential parenting charity has said that the free childcare expansion promised by Government could leave parents “really disappointed” if they do not see a significant fall in their childcare costs.
Rishi Sunak Tells MPs 'Work Needs To Be Done' On Defence Production
Defence
By Zoe Crowther
Rishi Sunak Tells MPs "Work Needs To Be Done" On Defence Production
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told MPs that the past year had shown that the UK and its allies needed to do more work on defence industrial production.
Government Maternity Disparities Taskforce Only Met Twice Last Year
Health
By Zoe Crowther
Government Maternity Disparities Taskforce Only Met Twice Last Year
The government taskforce responsible for tackling disparities in maternity care only met twice in 2023, despite its terms of reference saying it would meet every two months.
British Palestinian MP Senses Public Pressure On Gaza Is 'Working'
Foreign affairs
By Zoe Crowther
British Palestinian MP Senses Public Pressure On Gaza Is "Working"
Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran has said that she believes public pressure is “working”, as “new faces” in Parliament have begun to challenge the UK government’s approach to the conflict in Gaza.
Foreign Secretary Urged To Directly Intervene To Help Injured Children Out Of Gaza
Foreign affairs
By Zoe Crowther
Foreign Secretary Urged To Directly Intervene To Help Injured Children Out Of Gaza
Layla Moran, Parliament's only Palestinian MP, has written to Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron asking him to directly intervene to facilitate the urgent evacuation of two severely injured children from northern Gaza.
Rishi Sunak's Weakened Authority Looms Over Prime Minister's Questions
Political parties
By Zoe Crowther
Rishi Sunak's Weakened Authority Looms Over Prime Minister's Questions
Labour leader Keir Starmer took aim at the continuing divisions in the Conservative Party at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), accusing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of not being able to "stand up" to his own MPs.
New AI Tool Lets You Test Whether Politicians Repeat False Claims
Technology
By Zoe Crowther
New AI Tool Lets You Test Whether Politicians Repeat False Claims
An influential fact-checking organisation is rolling out an AI tool to try to monitor and prevent an onslaught of misinformation and disinformation ahead of the UK's upcoming general election this year.
Lib Dems Hope To Be The Least 'Bonkers' Opposition To A Labour Government
Political parties
By Zoe Crowther
Lib Dems Hope To Be The Least "Bonkers" Opposition To A Labour Government
Liberal Democrat MPs are considering how they can provide "credible opposition" to a potential future Labour government, by increasing their presence in the House of Commons and encouraging "bolder" legislative changes.
Civil Servants In Talks With Left-Wing Think Tank To Prepare For Labour Government
Political parties
By Zoe Crowther
Civil Servants In Talks With Left-Wing Think Tank To Prepare For Labour Government
A leading left-wing think tank is meeting civil servants to discuss how the Labour Party would implement its key policies if it gets into government at the next general election.
Housing Minister Says Housing Is 'Never Really The Problem'
Communities
By Zoe Crowther
Housing Minister Says Housing Is "Never Really The Problem"
Housing Minister Lee Rowley has said that housing itself is "never really actually the problem,” a few months after taking on the job of leading the UK government’s strategy on housing, planning and building safety.
Jeremy Hunt Cuts National Insurance And Scraps Non-Dom Tax Breaks In Spring Budget
Economy
By Zoe Crowther
Jeremy Hunt Cuts National Insurance And Scraps Non-Dom Tax Breaks In Spring Budget
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced a cut to National Insurance and abolished non-dom tax status in the Spring Budget.
What Could The UK's Role In Long-Term Middle East Peace Look Like?
Defence
By Zoe Crowther
What Could The UK's Role In Long-Term Middle East Peace Look Like?
The Foreign Office has met with a delegation from Yemen to discuss the UK’s role in peace settlements in the wider Middle East, as diplomats and parliamentarians urge the UK government to set out its long-term strategy for the region.
MPs' Committee Doubts Government Plan To Manage 'Phenomenal' National Debt
Economy
By Zoe Crowther
MPs' Committee Doubts Government Plan To Manage "Phenomenal" National Debt
A new report by the influential Public Accounts Committee has questioned whether ministers have clear measures in place to assess the value for money of the “phenomenal” £2.6 trillion of Government borrowing.
What To Expect From Jeremy Hunt's Spring Budget
Economy
By Zoe Crowther
What To Expect From Jeremy Hunt's Spring Budget
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is under pressure from backbench Tory MPs to deliver tax cuts in the Spring Budget, as the government looks for ways to try to convince voters not to abandon the Conservatives in the general election.
'Male-Dominated' Fire and Rescue Service Set To Face MPs' Scrutiny
Home affairs
By Zoe Crowther
"Male-Dominated" Fire and Rescue Service Set To Face MPs' Scrutiny
Labour MP and committee chair Diana Johnson has said “completely inappropriate” behaviour in the “male-dominated” fire and rescue services requires urgent investigation, as an inquiry is due to begin in Parliament this week.
Rishi Sunak Promises 'New Framework' To Tackle Extremism As Political Division Hots Up
Home affairs
By Zoe Crowther
Rishi Sunak Promises "New Framework" To Tackle Extremism As Political Division Hots Up
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the government will introduce a new framework for dealing with extremism in the UK, as he declared that "our democracy itself is a target" for threats posed by extremist groups.
Home Secretary Says Police Will Be Automatically Suspended For 'Certain Criminal Offences'
Home affairs
By Zoe Crowther
Home Secretary Says Police Will Be Automatically Suspended For "Certain Criminal Offences"
Home Secretary James Cleverly has announced that police officers charged with certain criminal offences will be automatically suspended, in response to a damning report investigating the circumstances surrounding the rape and murder of Sarah Everard in 2021.
Tory Former Minister Accuses Own Party Of 'Fatalistic Attitude' To Younger Voters
Communities
By Zoe Crowther
Tory Former Minister Accuses Own Party Of "Fatalistic Attitude" To Younger Voters
Conservative MP and former Home Office minister Robert Jenrick has accused his party of having a "fatalistic attitude" towards young people and suggested that they should attempt to follow the example of similar parties in Europe and North America where they have done better in courting younger voters.
New Report Recommends Mental Health Crisis Should Be At Heart Of Wider Government Policy
Health
By Zoe Crowther
New Report Recommends Mental Health Crisis Should Be At Heart Of Wider Government Policy
A new manifesto signed by leading mental health charities has advocated for a holistic policy approach to help to "turn the tide" of rising levels of mental ill health, with Labour signalling they would be open to reviewing how central government can place mental health at its heart.
Majority Of Public Do Not Think Government Behaves Ethically
Political parties
By Zoe Crowther
Majority Of Public Do Not Think Government Behaves Ethically
Nearly two thirds of the public do not believe the current government behaves to high ethical standards, according to new polling carried out by the Institute for Government and Ipsos.
One Nation Tories Call On Government To Put Students And New Parents At Centre Of Budget
Economy
By Zoe Crowther
One Nation Tories Call On Government To Put Students And New Parents At Centre Of Budget
A centrist group of Conservative MPs has called for a series of measures to be put in the Chancellor's Spring Budget that would deliver changes for new parents and students.
Government Pressures Social Media Giants To Tackle Misinformation Ahead Of General Election
Technology
Government Pressures Social Media Giants To Tackle Misinformation Ahead Of General Election
The government is reconvening social media companies in an attempt to tackle misinformation ahead of the next general election, as the technology minister insists it will only be possible to do “everything we can” to protect democracy with the cooperation of the biggest online platforms.
Home Secretary Meeting Big Tech To Collaborate On Election Year Challenges
Home affairs
By Zoe Crowther
Home Secretary Meeting Big Tech To Collaborate On Election Year Challenges
The Home Secretary will meet with technology giants in the US next week to discuss how the UK government and tech players can work together to tackle a number of huge challenges facing democracies in the digital age.
Changes To Ukraine Visa Schemes Could Spark Legal Challenges
Home affairs
By Zoe Crowther
Changes To Ukraine Visa Schemes Could Spark Legal Challenges
Lawyers have warned that the government’s changes to the Ukraine visa schemes could be unlawful, with concerns set to be raised with a parliamentary committee.
New Online Safety Laws Could Take 'Years' To Show True Benefits
Technology
By Zoe Crowther
New Online Safety Laws Could Take "Years" To Show True Benefits
The government, Labour, and an influential committee of MPs have warned that it could take years for the public to feel the benefit of the Online Safety Act, and said it will be “critical” for the new regulations to continue to be reviewed.
Housing Minister Says 'Lots Of People Doing A Little' Can Help Solve Housing Crisis
Communities
By Zoe Crowther
Housing Minister Says "Lots Of People Doing A Little" Can Help Solve Housing Crisis
Housing minister Lee Rowley has praised the Prince of Wales’s plans for the Duchy of Cornwall to fund a £3m innovative housing project in the south-west of England as an example of "lots of people doing a little" to address the housing crisis, and welcomes input from major landowners.
New By-Election Looms As Ex-Tory MP Loses Appeal Over Suspension
Political parties
By Zoe Crowther
New By-Election Looms As Ex-Tory MP Loses Appeal Over Suspension
Former Conservative MP Scott Benton has lost his appeal against a 35-day suspension from the House of Commons, meaning the Tories face the prospect of another damaging by-election.
Uyghur Rights Leader Demands Action Against Forced Labour In Election Manifestos
Foreign affairs
By Zoe Crowther
Uyghur Rights Leader Demands Action Against Forced Labour In Election Manifestos
A leading Uyghur human rights campaigner has urged both the Conservatives and Labour to include legislation in their party manifestos to ban the import of goods connected with forced labour.
Labour Smashes Two Tory Majorities With By-Election Wins In Wellingborough And Kingswood
Political parties
Labour Smashes Two Tory Majorities With By-Election Wins In Wellingborough And Kingswood
Labour has overturned two large Tory majorities with by-election wins in Wellingborough and Kingswood, marking another disappointing set of results for beleaguered Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Lib Dems Are On Labour's Case To Make Water Companies Not-For-Profit Community Projects
Environment
By Zoe Crowther
Lib Dems Are On Labour's Case To Make Water Companies Not-For-Profit Community Projects
Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has urged Labour to “borrow” Lib Dem ideas on reforming water utility companies if Keir Starmer's party gets into government, including turning some businesses into not-for-profit, community run schemes.

UK Could End Up 'Powerless' To Prevent AI Risks Without Urgent New Laws, Industry Warns
Technology
UK Could End Up "Powerless" To Prevent AI Risks Without Urgent New Laws, Industry Warns
Tech sector figures have warned that the UK government's approach to preventing the risks of AI could leave the country "powerless" without urgent legislative action, as the government publishes its long-awaited response to its white paper on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Lesser-Known Co-op Party Could Shape A “Key Pillar” Of Labour’s Economic Plans
Communities
By Zoe Crowther
Lesser-Known Co-op Party Could Shape A “Key Pillar” Of Labour’s Economic Plans
Co-operatives should be seen as a “key pillar” of Labour’s economic plans, Chair of the Co-operative Party and Labour shadow minister Jim McMahon has said.