Politics latest: Nigel Farage says Trump's row with Zelenskyy will be a 'blessing' (2025)

Thanks for joining us for another busy day in Westminster.

We'll be back early on Tuesday for all the latest political news.

Until then, you can scroll through the Politics Hub to catch up on Monday.

The amount of VAT imposed on private schools should be based on turnover, to prevent smaller schools getting "caught in this trap", a Labour MP has said.

Rupa Huq raised concerns the government's policy to apply 20% VAT to private school education and boarding fees could make an "elitist system more elitist".

The policy, which came into effect in January, is aimed at raising money to fund state schools.

During a debate on the VAT changes, Huq, who attended a private high school, said parents with "genuine concerns" should not be demonised.

Speaking in Westminster Hall, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton said: "As a parent, I would never dream of going private, but I can understand and accept that people do do this."

She added: "I can completely appreciate that people like my own parents at the time, make – and (Labour MP Alison Taylor) mentioned this as well – enormous sacrifices to send their children there.

"And I've heard this on the doorstep, you know 'we have the worst car, we never go on holiday', that was me in the 80s."

She continued: "These are people who consider themselves working people, so again, the strap line of the Labour manifesto was no taxes on working people.

"So I think we should be careful with our rhetoric sometimes."

"It fundamentally misunderstands why people drink wine."

Not the kind of criticism any minister wants to hear about one of their government's policies.

But that's what speakeasy owner and Lib Dem MP Paul Kohler had to say in the Commons today about a change to alcohol duty.

The Treasury introduced a temporary reprieve in 2023 which treated all wine between 11.5% and 14.5% alcohol by volume as if it were 12.5%.

It ended in February as a result of the budget, meaning the amount of duty applied to wine increases depending on its alcohol level.

The government said it would make stronger glasses of wine more expensive, but weaker ones cheaper.

Kohler said "wine is consumed primarily for taste not strength" and the alcohol level "affects the taste profile".

"Compare a light Beaujolais with robust Rioja - it's all about taste, not about whether it's stronger and someone can get more drunk.

"That is not how people consume wine."

Speak for yourself.

A "coalition of the willing" could provide boots on the ground in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

The phrase was a central theme of Sir Keir Starmer's speech after European leadersgathered in London for crucial talksabout Ukraine's future.

Led by the UK and France, the initiative could see troops from a number of European and NATO countries deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers in order to deter Vladimir Putin from rearming and attacking again in the future.

Starmer said Europe "must do the heavy lifting" on defence and indicated several countries had expressed interest in being part of the coalition.

So who's in, who's out - and what's behind these latest buzzwords?

Our foreign news reporter Michael Drummond explains everything you need to know here...

Not for the first time recently, Donald Trump has rather gatecrashed Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge.

He's answering questions from the media about Ukraine.

You can follow live updates in our dedicated blog below:

Paul Moorcraft, director of the Centre for Foreign Policy Analysis, is now joining Sophy Ridge.

"There's a way out of this," he says of the situation in Ukraine.

"Zelenskyy, who I admire… he has to go. Because Trump clearly cannot stand him, and it's been emphasised today.

"[Donald] Trump is a man who is transactional, he likes to have a win."

Moorcraft says there is a "constitutional solution within Ukraine" - that being the removal of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

After this, the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament could "go to Washington, because Trump says he wants the deal signed within 48 hours".

"That's the beginning of progress", he says.

"The way Zelenskyy has been treated in London... that scene by Trump is an affront, it's a rebuke to Trump."

Moorcraft adds: "We've got to do some kind of deal."

Sam Coates, our deputy political editor, is now joining Sophy Ridge.

After a somewhat frantic week of diplomacy - and a clash between Ukraine and the US - she asks: what happens next?

Sam explains "diplomacy really is the triumph of turning hope into reality, and I do know what people hope might happen next".

"There are lots of ideas swirling around - the French idea about a ceasefire within days - but in the last half an hour I've been in contact with British officials," he says.

"And they tell me what they want to happen before any such ceasefire is that deal on minerals."

A sign of how much things have changed

Sam says the "optimistic" view is that Ukraine and the US sign that deal, and things move ahead from there.

But "that in itself presents all sorts of obvious difficulties".

They would need to be in agreement, Sam says, and perhaps Volodymyr Zelenskyy would need to offer an apology to Donald Trump.

"But clearly Britain thinks that is still a viable plan and there is a chance that that could happen," he adds.

"The fact there could then be a ceasefire shows just how far we have travelled, because you only have to go back a few months and Keir Starmer was saying that the outcome of this whole conflict had to be Russia defeated.

"Now we're just talking about freezing the conflict."

As prime minister, you have manifestos and plans and strategies, and then you also have events.

And Friday, when Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Donald Trump and JD Vance, sent shockwaves around the world.

'Job well done' - but not for long!

Keir Starmer is helping lead the European response - we saw that today in the Commons, and at the weekend with his summit with other leaders.

But it's worth reflecting on just how quickly the government is scrambling - after last Thursday's meeting with Trump, the PM was probably thinking 'job well done'.

The Trump shockwaves

After the Zelenskyy-Trump summit the very next day, the scrambling really started.

How to show support for Ukraine while not alienating America?

Starmer got on the phone to both leaders and organised a meeting of European leaders in London.

Once again, No 10 probably thought 'job well done'.

But whatever Starmer does, whatever agreements he makes or diplomacy he enacts, it's all at risk of being blown off course by another shockwave from the States.

Our flagship weeknight politics programme is under way.

On the show are Ukrainian MP Andrii Osadchuk and Paul Moorcraft, director of the Centre for Foreign Policy Analysis.

Our panellists are Times columnist Fraser Nelson and independent MP Rosie Duffield.

Sir Keir Starmer has given his first statement in the Commons since his talks with Donald Trump at the White House and the weekend's Ukraine summit with European leaders.

Here are the main things you need to know:

• The prime minister said Britain "must lead from the front" on Ukraine but warned the public of more "tough choices" to come to ensure Britain's own defences are up to standard;
• He repeated his willingness to deploy troops to Ukraine, but said any decision would not be taken "lightly" and the Commons would get a say;
• And he maintained the US remains "vital" to securing any peace deal despite the extraordinary row between Trump and Zelenskyy.

• Starmer said American security guarantees must be in place to make sure Vladimir Putin knows there'll be "severe risks" if he breaches any deal;
• And he dismissed reports that Trump may withdraw support from Ukraine completely after last week's White House drama;
• Nigel Farage told our chief political correspondent Jon Craig that the incendiary scenes in the Oval Office would prove a "blessing", and he believed there would be a deal within weeks.

Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge is live from 7pm.

On the show are Ukrainian MPAndrii OsadchukandPaul Moorcraft, director of the Centre for Foreign Policy Analysis.

Our panellists are Times columnistFraser Nelsonand independent MPRosie Duffield.