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Profile: Michael Settle

Uk Political Editor

Not quite a Lobby veteran, but 16 years at the heart of power has taken its toll as my hair is turning white and politicians are beginning to recognise me. Remain sane, but still deeply sceptical.

Latest articles from Michael Settle

Behavioural expert warns coronavirus outbreak could spark street riots across UK this summer

RIOTS could break out across the UK this summer as the effects of…

Sharma: shops in England to reopen from Monday to enable high streets to 'spring back to life'

SHOPS in England will be allowed to reopen from Monday, the UK…

Mordaunt warns Brussels UK 'can't keep negotiating forever' as Govt tries to instil urgency into trade talks

PENNY Mordaunt has warned the EU that Britain “cannot keep…

Jack McConnell attacks 'woeful' lack of co-ordination between four nations during lockdown announcements

JACK McConnell has called on the UK Government to seek to improve…

Expectations rising UK Govt will announce speeding up of reopening of pubs and restaurants south of Border

EXPECTATIONS are growing that the UK Government will announce a…

Patel condemns 'shameful' acts of violence against police and insists protesters responsible will 'face justice'

PRITI Patel has condemned as “shameful” the actions of…

Hancock declares coronavirus 'in retreat across the land' as Johnson ponders easing lockdown

CORONAVIRUS is “in retreat across the land,” Matt Hancock…

Boris Johnson does not believe UK is ‘racist country’

BRITAIN is not a racist country, Boris Johnson has insisted, as…

Starmer: 'completely wrong' for protesters to topple slave-trader statue but it should have been removed years ago

KEIR Starmer has insisted it was “completely wrong” for…

Scots firm's new 'bat-like' sensor that uses echo-location could make social distancing easier

A new "bat-like" sensor, which could help with social distancing as…

Labour: Exercise Iris report should have 'sent alarm bells' ringing' on PPE shortage

A report from a coronavirus simulation exercise in Scotland two…

Scots could travel to continent and avoid virus checks if they fly from 'low-risk' Edinburgh, Inverness and Aberdeen airports

SCOTTISH holidaymakers might be able to fly for a summer holiday to…

Simulation coronavirus exercise in Scotland in 2018 showed 'clear gap' in preparedness report showed

AN exercise in 2018 simulating a coronavirus outbreak in Scotland…

Johnson and Sunak breathe sigh of relief after Cabinet colleague Sharma tests negative for coronavirus

BORIS Johnson and Rishi Sunak were breathing a sigh of relief last…

'No. No. No.' Rees-Mogg evokes spirit of Thatcher in dismissing extension to transition period

JACOB Rees-Mogg has evoked the spirit of Margaret Thatcher as he…

Starmer and Blackford call on Johnson to urge Trump to respect human rights and right to protest in wake of Floyd death

KEIR Starmer and Ian Blackford have separately called on Boris…

Rees-Mogg set to come under fire from MPs over end to hybrid UK Parliament in wake of Sharma's self-isolation

JACOB Rees-Mogg looks set to come under fire today over the UK…

Sharma tested for coronavirus after becoming ill during Commons speech

ALOK Sharma, the Business Secretary, has been tested for…

Johnson urges world leaders to unite to help raise £6bn to vaccinate 300m children against diseases

BORIS Johnson is to urge world leaders to unite in the fight against…

Johnson points to future prospect of reducing two-metre rule as expert warns of 'treading very cautiously'

BORIS Johnson has held out the future prospect of reducing the…

War of words breaks over Hong Kong as China accuses UK of adopting 'colonial mentality'

A war of words has broken out between the UK and China over the…

SNP calls for PM to review sale of riot control equipment to US in wake of protests over George Floyd's death

THE SNP has called on Boris Johnson to review UK sales of riot…

PMQs: Johnson dismisses Starmer's charge that MPs facing long queues to vote is 'shameful'

BORIS Johnson has dismissed complaints about the “shameful”…

PMQs sketch; goaded Boris reaches the fifth level of irritation under Starmer's barbs

TETCHIER and tetchier.

Starmer calls on Johnson to 'get a grip' saying public confidence in UK Govt's handling of virus has 'collapsed'

KEIR Starmer has accused the UK Government of "winging it" in its…

'Black lives matter,' insists Hancock, as review shows black, Asian and minority ethnic people more at risk from virus

MATT Hancock has insisted "black lives matter" as he published a…

PM survives Tory revolt on Commons voting as UK Govt accused of making absent MPs 'parliamentary eunuchs'

BORIS Johnson survived a Tory revolt over controversial plans to…

UK taxpayer picking up £17.5bn bill for furloughing of almost nine million workers

THE UK taxpayer is picking up the wage bills of nearly nine…

Boris Johnson appoints two new ministers following Douglas Ross's resignation over Cummings row

BORIS Johnson has boosted the Scotland Office with two new…

British fishermen 'should be able to double their catch in UK waters under new EU deal'

BRITISH fishermen should be able to double the amount of fish…

Hancock: UK 'winning battle against coronavirus' but people must stick to lockdown rules as disease 'not done yet'

BRITAIN is “winning the battle against coronavirus,” Matt…

UK Government warns Brussels to remove 'unbalanced' demands or face losing post-Brexit trade deal

THE UK Government has fired another warning shot across the…

Easing lockdown in England 'unlikely' to push infection rate above one if people follow rules

THE easing of lockdown restrictions south of the Border is…

Sharma insists lockdown easing south of Border 'not a dash' but cautious, phased approach

THE easing of the lockdown south of the Border is “not a…

Murray: Labour needs major revival in Scotland to stand any chance of putting Starmer in Downing St

LABOUR’S revival in Scotland is “critical” to it regaining…

Johnson moots 'air bridges' plan with other countries which have similar Covid-19 infection rate to UK

THE prospect of people being able to take foreign holidays this…

Johnson urges UK to 'move on' from Cummings row but is accused of putting loyalty to aide before national interest

BORIS Johnson’s plea for the country to “move on” from the…

UK Govt's furlough scheme has helped one million businesses to survive the coronavirus outbreak

ONE million businesses across the UK have claimed £15 billion…

Johnson's further easing of lockdown for south of Border due tomorrow with expected phased reopening of schools

BORIS Johnson's plans to ease the lockdown south of the Border…

Barnier: EU 'open' to maximum two-year Brexit delay as trade talks continue to stall

THE European Union is "open" to a maximum two-year Brexit delay,…

Jenrick tries to draw line under Cummings row, insisting it's time for country to 'move on'

ROBERT Jenrick, the UK Government’s Communities Secretary, has…

Boost for Starmer as ally comes Labour's General Secretary

KEIR Starmer has received a boost after Labour's ruling body…

Hancock: new UK drug trial 'probably biggest step forward' in battle against virus

MATT Hancock has announced the UK trial of a potential new treatment…

Boris Johnson tried to persuade Ross to stay on in UK Government - but failed, say Tory sources

BORIS Johnson tried to persuade Douglas Ross to stay in his…

Ross's resignation will continue Cummings furore just when PM hoped it was easing

DOUGLAS Ross’s resignation will be an untimely blow to Boris…

Johnson accused of ‘breathtaking arrogance' after he defies calls to sack Cummings over lockdown claims

BORIS Johnson has been accused of displaying “breathtaking…

Analysis: Johnson sticks by Cummings but is digging himself a bigger political hole to fall into

FIRST rule of politics: when in a hole stop digging.

Boris Johnson to face media at daily No 10 briefing over Cummings row as Sturgeon calls for aide to go

BORIS Johnson will take the lead at today’s Downing St press…

Calls for Cummings to resign after claims he broke lockdown rules in 260-mile journey from London to Durham

DOMINIC Cummings is facing calls to resign from his role as Boris…

UK Govt warned ditching hybrid UK Parliament is "terrible calamity" that risks second virus wave

THE UK Government has been accused of risking a second wave of the…