Author: Fatimah Idera

Reeves

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is planning a major overhaul of the UK’s immigration and asylum system, drawing inspiration from Denmark’s strict approach, the BBC has learned. Mahmood’s proposed reforms, set to be unveiled later this month, aim to curb incentives attracting migrants to the UK and make it easier to deport those without legal status. Officials have studied Denmark’s policies, including tighter rules on family reunions and temporary refugee protections. In Denmark, most refugees are granted only temporary residence and may be repatriated once their home countries are deemed safe. The Danish model also imposes age, employment, and financial conditions…

A former Metropolitan (MET) Police officer, Imran Patel, is facing a misconduct hearing after being accused of using sex workers and viewing adult websites while on duty, amid ongoing scrutiny of behaviour within the force. Patel, who resigned from the MET in July 2024, is alleged to have engaged in the misconduct in May 2022 during the same period an independent review into the MET’s culture and conduct was underway. The review, led by former civil servant Dame Louise Casey and commissioned by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, followed the kidnap, rape, and murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne…

Starmer

A school bus driver who watched pornography on his phone while transporting pupils has been sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work and placed under two years of supervision. David Robe, 55, from Ashington, Northumberland, was found guilty of breaching the peace by viewing explicit videos and images of naked women in the presence of children. The offences occurred between May and September 2023 while he was operating a private-hire bus between Denholm and Jedburgh Grammar Campus in the Scottish Borders. During sentencing at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, Sheriff Kevin McCarron said Robe posed a continuing risk to the public due…

Six police officers are facing disciplinary action over their handling of a missing persons case that ended in tragedy when three young people were found dead two days after a car crash near Cardiff. The victims Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, and Darcy Ross, 21 died in the crash on the A48 in St Mellons in March 2023. Two others, Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Shane Loughlin, 32, were critically injured. The group had gone missing after a night out, but it took Gwent Police and South Wales Police 46 hours to locate their car, a white Volkswagen Tiguan, which…

The UK government has recovered £74 million from companies running asylum accommodation after a review found they had made excessive profits under previous contracts. The Home Office said the money was reclaimed following a review of supplier contracts initiated after Labour took office last year. The move follows criticism from MPs that successive governments had failed to properly oversee the multi-billion-pound asylum housing system. Home Office figures show that asylum accommodation cost £2.1 billion in 2024/25 around £5.77 million a day meaning the recovered amount is equivalent to less than a fortnight’s spending. Accommodation firms had previously agreed to return…

McDonald’s has agreed to introduce new sexual harassment training and independent oversight in a strengthened deal with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), following ongoing reports of abuse at its UK outlets. The new measures, announced Thursday, expand a 2023 legally binding agreement between the company and the EHRC after serious allegations of misconduct emerged. The fast-food giant will implement specialist training for managers focused on identifying grooming and online harassment, and hire an external body to review how it handles sexual harassment complaints. The reforms will apply to the restaurants across England, Scotland, and Wales. While franchisees are…

A 67-year-old man who brutally murdered a young couple in their Newhaven home before taking their children to McDonald’s has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Derek Martin, from Brighton, was sentenced at Brighton Law Courts on Thursday after being found guilty of killing Josh and Chloe Bashford in June 2023. He must serve a minimum of 29 years before being eligible for parole, meaning he will spend over 26 years behind bars after time already served. The court heard that Martin, who was previously married to Chloe’s mother, struck Ms Bashford with a hammer before stabbing her multiple times. He…

Electric vehicle (EV) owners in the UK could soon face a new road tax, as the government explores ways to boost revenue in the upcoming Budget. According to report, discussions are underway within government about introducing a new levy for EV drivers to address a growing shortfall in fuel duty, which currently applies only to petrol and diesel vehicles. A government spokesperson said the aim was to create “a fairer system for all drivers,” adding that the transition to electric vehicles must still be supported. Reports also reveal that ministers are considering a pay-per-mile charge from 2028, with EV drivers…