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Stephen Castle

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Correspondent in London bureau of New York Times, formerly IHT bureau chief in Brussels, ex-political editor Independent on Sunday
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Articles by Stephen Castle

Anti-immigrant riots leave Belfast on edge: ‘Everyone is afraid’

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By Stephen Castle 
| The Boston Globe
BELFAST, — Paul Sharkey lived through decades of sectarian violence between Protestant and Roman Catholic communities known as “the Troubles,” but thought that bloody phase of Northern Ireland’s history was over. Then, on Wednesday evening, he heard a loud noise near his house on the Antrim Road in Glengormley, on the northwest edge of Belfast. When he looked out of his window, a burning van was hurtling toward his home. “It was heading toward me — I was panicking,” Sharkey, 71, said.
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Anti-Immigrant Riots Leave Belfast on Edge: ‘Everyone Is Afraid’

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Anti-Immigrant Riots Leave Belfast on Edge: ‘Everyone Is Afraid’ In two nights of violence in Northern Ireland after a brutal stabbing, people were targeted because of their skin color, the authorities said.
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Alex Younger, Former Head of Britain’s MI6, Dies at 62

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Alex Younger, Former Head of Britain’s MI6, Dies at 62 As director of the espionage agency from 2014 to 2020, he confronted a range of threats, including international terrorism and an emboldened Russia. Alex Younger in 2018.
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Alex Younger, Former Head of Britain's MI6, Dies at 62

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
Alex Younger, an urbane but steely career intelligence officer who from 2014 to 2020 led Britain's espionage agency, MI6, where he promoted the use of technology while confronting rising threats from Islamic State group terrorism and a revanchist Russia, has died. He was 62. Blaise Metreweli, the current head of MI6, said the cause was cancer. No further details were immediately available.
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By Stephen Castle 
| The Seattle Times
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Starmer Braces for Release of More Files About Mandelson and Epstein

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Starmer Braces for Release of More Files About Mandelson and Epstein The British government is to publish a second batch of documents about Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s appointment of Peter Mandelson as U.S. ambassador. Peter Mandelson, a former British ambassador to the United States, in London in April.
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Mandelson Vowed U.K. 'Would Never Regret' Making Him Ambassador to U.S.

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By Stephen Castle , Megan Specia 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- The handwritten letter to David Lammy, then Britain's foreign secretary, conceded that the country's ambassador to the United States during the second Trump administration would require "superhuman skills" as well as luck. But Peter Mandelson thought he knew just the right candidate. "If you were minded to appoint me I would make sure you never regret it," he pledged, in the November 2024 letter. It was a promise he could not keep.
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U.K. Braces for More Files About Mandelson, Ambassador Tied to Epstein

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- Britain's beleaguered prime minister, Keir Starmer, was braced for fresh embarrassment Monday with the expected release of hundreds of documents relating to Peter Mandelson, the former ambassador who was fired over his links to Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson lost his job as Britain's top envoy to the United States last year after leaked emails showed the depth and extent of his friendship with Epstein, the convicted sex offender, kindling a political crisis in Britain.
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He Was Satirized on British TV. Now He’s Trump’s Pick to Lead California.

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By Danny Hakim , Stephen Castle , Laurel Rosenhall 
| The New York Times
Earlier this year, the candidates for California governor were asked at a forum what they were watching on television. Steve Hilton, the Republican who is President Trump’s pick for the job, brought up a British political satire called “The Thick of It.” “It’s from the producers of ‘Veep,’” he told the crowd, adding that it was “incredibly profane.” “There’s a character that curses like you’ve never seen before.” Then he got to his point.
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He Was Satirized on British TV. Now He's Trump's Pick to Lead California.

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By Danny Hakim , Stephen Castle , Laurel Rosenhall 
| Breaking One
This year, the candidates for California governor were asked at a forum what they were watching on television. Steve Hilton, the Republican who is President Donald Trump's pick for the job, brought up a British political satire called "The Thick of It." "It's from the producers of 'Veep,'" he told the crowd, adding that it was "incredibly profane." "There's a character that curses like you've never seen before." Then he got to his point.
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How did Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor get an envoy job, anyway?

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By Stephen Castle 
| Cooking the Books with Frances Cook
Stephen Castle New York Times· 24 May, 2026 11:02 PM5 mins to read Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is accused of sharing secrets with Jeffrey Epstein when he was a British trade envoy. Newly released documents shed some light on how he got the appointment.
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How Did the Former Prince Andrew Get an Envoy Job, Anyway?

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By Stephen Castle 
| gloria.tv
06:02 How Did the Former Prince Andrew Get an Envoy Job, Anyway? Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is accused of sharing secrets with Jeffrey Epstein when he was a British trade envoy. Newly released documents shed some light on how he got the appointment.
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How Did the Former Prince Andrew Get an Envoy Job, Anyway?

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- Stripped of his royal titles, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, is being investigated by the British police over accusations that he shared confidential documents with Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender who died in 2019. Mountbatten-Windsor was briefly arrested in February, but he has not been charged with a crime and denies wrongdoing.
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How Did the Former Prince Andrew Get an Envoy Job, Anyway?

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
You have been granted access, use your keyboard to continue reading. How Did the Former Prince Andrew Get an Envoy Job, Anyway? Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is accused of sharing secrets with Jeffrey Epstein when he was a British trade envoy. Newly released documents shed some light on how he got the appointment.
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Deputy British Ambassador to U.S. Leaves Job Abruptly

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Deputy British Ambassador to U.S. Leaves Job Abruptly James Roscoe, a diplomat who previously worked for the royal family and at the United Nations, left his role without an immediate explanation.
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Deputy British Ambassador to U.S. Leaves Job Abruptly

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- Britain's deputy ambassador to the United States, James Roscoe, has left his job, the British government said Wednesday without offering any further details.
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What next after a wild week in UK politics?

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By Stephen Castle 
| Oman Observer
Despite the resignation of one Cabinet minister and demands from almost a quarter of Labour Party lawmakers that he stand aside, Britain’s beleaguered prime minister, Keir Starmer, remains in Downing Street. When Wes Streeting quit as health secretary, he was scathing about Starmer, but did not trigger an immediate leadership contest. That suggested he had not gathered the requisite support of 81 Labour lawmakers.
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It’s been a wild week in British politics. What happens next?

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By Stephen Castle 
| The Boston Globe
LONDON -- Despite the resignation of one Cabinet minister and demands from almost a quarter of Labour Party lawmakers that he stand aside, Britain’s beleaguered prime minister, Keir Starmer, remains in Downing Street. The question is for how long. When Wes Streeting quit as health secretary Thursday, he was scathing about Starmer, but did not trigger an immediate leadership contest. That suggested he had not gathered the requisite support of 81 Labour lawmakers.
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It’s Been a Wild Week in British Politics. What Happens Next?

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
It’s Been a Wild Week in British Politics. What Happens Next? Nobody has yet challenged Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership, but his leading rival, Andy Burnham, finally has a route to Downing Street.
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It's Been a Wild Week in British Politics. What Happens Next?

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- Despite the resignation of one Cabinet minister and demands from almost a quarter of Labour Party lawmakers that he stand aside, Britain's beleaguered prime minister, Keir Starmer, remains in Downing Street. The question is for how long. When Wes Streeting quit as health secretary Thursday, he was scathing about Starmer, but did not trigger an immediate leadership contest. That suggested he had not gathered the requisite support of 81 Labour lawmakers.
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Leader of Reform U.K. Says £5 Million Gift Was ‘Reward’ for Brexit Original

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Leader of Reform U.K. Says £5 Million Gift Was ‘Reward’ for Brexit Nigel Farage, the leader of the populist right-wing party, had previously said the money was for personal security.
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What to Know About Wes Streeting, Who Has Resigned as British Health Secretary Original

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By Ephrat Livni , Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Wes Streeting, Britain’s health secretary, has been waiting in the wings for months to potentially challenge Keir Starmer for leadership of the governing Labour Party, making little secret of his ambition to one day become prime minister. On Thursday, Mr. Streeting resigned his post, but he did not announce an immediate leadership challenge.
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Former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Cleared of Wrongdoing Over Tax Payment Original

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By Michael Shear , Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Cleared of Wrongdoing Over Tax Payment Angela Rayner, who resigned last year after paying the wrong rate of tax on an apartment purchase, said an investigation found she had not done so deliberately. Angela Rayner last year.
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Former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Cleared of Wrongdoing Over Tax Payment

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By Michael Shear , Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- Angela Rayner, a former deputy prime minister of Britain, said Thursday that she had been cleared of wrongdoing in a case involving her failure to pay adequate taxes when she bought a seaside apartment. Rayner, who resigned from Prime Minister Keir Starmer's cabinet last year after admitting she had accidentally paid the wrong rate of tax on the purchase, has been under investigation by tax authorities for eight months.
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Leader of Reform UK Says 5-Million-Pound Gift Was 'Reward' for Brexit

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- Since news surfaced that Nigel Farage received a gift of 5 million pounds from a cryptocurrency billionaire, the leader of Britain's populist right-wing Reform UK party has argued that the money was for his personal security.
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Leader of Reform UK Says 5-Million-Pound Gift Was 'Reward' for Brexit

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- Since news surfaced that Nigel Farage received a gift of 5 million pounds from a cryptocurrency billionaire, the leader of Britain's populist right-wing Reform UK party has argued that the money was for his personal security.
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Nigel Farage, Leader of Reform U.K., Faces Investigation for £5 Million Gift

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Nigel Farage, Leader of Reform U.K., Faces Investigation for £5 Million Gift The Conservative Party referred the case against Mr. Farage, the leader of a right-wing populist party in Britain, to a parliamentary watchdog.
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Nigel Farage, Leader of Reform UK, Faces Investigation for 5 Million-Pound Gift

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- After a big win in local elections and a leadership crisis for the governing Labour Party, it should have been a good week for Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain's right-wing populist Reform UK party. Instead, Farage is mired in a controversy over a gift from his past.
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Britain's Starmer Defies Calls to Resign, For Now

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By Michael Shear , Stephen Castle 
| Miami Herald
LONDON -- Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain appeared to have staved off an immediate challenge to his leadership after a high-stakes Cabinet meeting Tuesday morning. But he remained in dire political straits as a rising number of his party's lawmakers and four junior ministers demanded that he announce a plan to resign.
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Britain’s Starmer Faces Calls to Resign. What Options Does He Have? Original

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Britain’s Starmer Faces Calls to Resign. What Options Does He Have? Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to continue in office on Tuesday morning. It’s one of several possible paths for the embattled leader after heavy losses in local elections.
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Who Might Challenge Starmer in a Leadership Contest? Original

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Who Might Challenge Starmer in a Leadership Contest? Health secretary Wes Streeting, mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner are among possible contenders. Open modal at item 1 of 3 Open modal at item 2 of 3 Open modal at item 3 of 3 May 12, 2026, 5:29 a.m. ET With rebellious Labour lawmakers calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure, speculation is rife about who might replace him.
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Live Updates: Britain’s Starmer Faces Rebellion in His Party Original

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By Michael Shear , Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Image Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Monday. “I get it. I feel it. And I take responsibility,” he said of last week’s results.Credit...Carl Court/Getty Images Dozens of Labour Party lawmakers called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign on Monday, effectively rejecting the British leader’s efforts to quell a mutiny in his own party’s ranks and raising the likelihood of a bruising leadership battle.
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Who Might Challenge Starmer in a Leadership Contest?

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
With rebellious Labour lawmakers calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure, speculation is rife about who might replace him. To mount a challenge, any contender would need the support of 81 Labour lawmakers (20% of the total), and the final decision would be taken by members of the party. There are a number of potential contenders, and leadership contests sometime produce unexpected results. But here are three top contenders as things stand.
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How Might a Leadership Challenge Against Starmer Play Out?

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
After disastrous elections for Labour in England, Scotland and Wales last week, the mood in Britain’s governing party is so rebellious that calls have been growing for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign. Mr. Starmer, who won a landslide victory in 2024, has not only rejected that idea from some in his party, but, in an interview with the newspaper The Observer, also suggested he could stay in power for 10 years.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer greets calls to resign with a simple answer: No

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By Stephen Castle 
| Cooking the Books with Frances Cook
The centre-right Conservative Party has frequently replaced unpopular prime ministers, but it has rules different from those of the Labour Party, which has done this rarely. The last time was in 2007, when Tony Blair was forced out, but that was after he had been 10 years in Downing Street, and he ultimately agreed to step aside. To trigger an election to replace the prime minister under Labour’s rules, a challenger would need the support of 81 Labour lawmakers, 20% of the total.
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Starmer Greets Calls to Resign With a Simple Answer. No.

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Starmer Greets Calls to Resign With a Simple Answer. No. But if his opponents mount a challenge, how would it unfold?
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The Man Who Broke Labour’s Dominance in Wales

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
The Man Who Broke Labour’s Dominance in Wales Rhun ap Iorwerth, a former journalist, led his party to the most seats in the Welsh Parliament, ousting the Labour Party, which had long held sway, and beating Reform U.K. Rhun ap Iorwerth, second from left, arriving at a polling station with his wife and daughters in Llangristiolus, Wales, on Thursday.Credit...Phil Noble/Reuters Stephen Castle interviewed Rhun ap Iorwerth last week in Cardiff, Wales.
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The Man Who Broke Labour's Dominance in Wales

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
CARDIFF, Wales -- He has ended decades of political domination by the Labour Party in Wales and is on course to become the top elected politician in Cardiff, the Welsh capital. In elections this past week he defeated Reform UK, the right-wing populist party led by Nigel Farage. And while he says he has a "love affair" with the United States, that does not extend to its current president.
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Four Takeaways From the U.K. Elections

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Four Takeaways From the U.K. Elections Results from municipal and regional elections signaled major gains for the right-wing populist Reform U.K. and steep losses for Labour. British Prime Minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer in London, England, on Friday.Credit...Leon Neal/Getty Images May 8, 2026, 2:55 p.m. ET Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced his biggest electoral test since coming to power in 2024.
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Britain Has Entered a New Era of Multiparty Politics. It’s Messy.

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Britain Has Entered a New Era of Multiparty Politics. It’s Messy. A voting system created when two parties dominated is being tested by the rise of newer competitors. Voters in North London on Friday. In Britain’s voting system, the more candidates there are for a council seat, the smaller the share it might take to win.
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Even in Labour-Loyal Wales, Voters Are Looking to Other Parties

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Even in Labour-Loyal Wales, Voters Are Looking to Other Parties Opinion polls before the election suggested that the right-wing anti-immigration Reform U.K. party and the center-left Plaid Cymru would battle for the top spot in Wales.
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What’s at Stake in the U.K. Local Elections

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
You have been granted access, use your keyboard to continue reading. What’s at Stake in the U.K. Local Elections The voting in England, Scotland and Wales is the biggest electoral test for Keir Starmer since he became prime minister in 2024.
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Live Updates: U.K. Election Results Roll In as Starmer Braces for Big Losses

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By Michael Shear , Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
“I’ve lost total faith in all the politicians,” Willie Henderson, 98, said on a recent day as he sat in a cafe in one of Dumbarton’s parks. “They all get in with good intentions, and then they just line their pockets. They’re on the gravy train.” On Thursday, voters across Scotland and Wales will elect members of their national parliaments, while residents in many parts of England will choose members of local councils.
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Four Takeaways From the U.K. Elections

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday faced his biggest electoral test since coming to power in 2024. Millions of Britons voted in elections to parliaments in Scotland and Wales, and to municipalities in England. And they delivered a damning verdict on Starmer's governing Labour Party. Starmer took responsibility for Labour's losses, saying that he would "not sugarcoat" voters' scathing verdict on his 22 months in office. But he said he would not step down.
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Four Takeaways From the UK Elections

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
LONDON -- Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced his biggest electoral test since coming to power in 2024. Millions of Britons have voted in elections to parliaments in Scotland and Wales, and to municipalities in England. They have delivered a damning verdict on Starmer's governing Labour Party. Here are four takeaways. Nigel Farage, leader of the populist Reform UK party, is on a roll.
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What's at Stake in the U.K. Local Elections

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By Stephen Castle 
| Breaking One
Early results from a set of elections across Britain showed big losses for the Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in his biggest -- and most perilous -- electoral test since his general election victory in 2024. In Scotland and Wales, people voted Thursday for seats in their national parliaments, which oversee issues including health and education. In many parts of England, voters elected representatives for local and municipal governments.
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‘A total collapse’: Elections may expose Britain’s fraying political system

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By Michael Shear , Stephen Castle 
| Cooking the Books with Frances Cook
“As long as I get blue skies and sunshine, I don’t care what the politicians do,” he said. That sense of disaffection and frustration, especially with incumbent politicians, is rampant across Britain, opinion polls suggest, and will likely fuel an electoral disaster for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party. By the time the ballots are all counted Saturday, Starmer could be presiding over a party that has fallen to a distant third place – or lower – in thousands of local races.
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Las elecciones en el Reino Unido pueden revelar un deteriorado sistema político

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By Michael Shear , Stephen Castle 
| Infobae
Las encuestas predicen pérdidas para el Partido Laborista del primer ministro Keir Starmer, mientras Reform UK, un partido antiinmigración, gana terreno y se perfila una nueva era multipartidista. Dumbarton, una pintoresca ciudad costera junto al río Clyde, cerca de Glasgow, está representada en el Parlamento escocés por Jackie Baillie, política del Partido Laborista, desde 1999. Los habitantes creen que esta podría ser la semana en la que eso cambie.
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Las elecciones en el Reino Unido pueden revelar un deteriorado sistema político

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By Michael Shear , Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times en Español
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Las elecciones en el Reino Unido pueden revelar un deteriorado sistema político Las encuestas predicen pérdidas para el Partido Laborista del primer ministro Keir Starmer, mientras Reform UK, un partido antiinmigración, gana terreno y se perfila una nueva era multipartidista.
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Starmer Faces a Major Test in a Set of U.K. Elections: What to Know

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By Stephen Castle 
| The New York Times
Starmer Faces a Major Test in a Set of U.K. Elections: What to Know Local elections in England, and parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, take place on Thursday. The governing Labour Party is expected to do very badly.
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