Author: Fatimah Idera

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered an urgent review into the use of taxis for asylum seekers after a BBC investigation revealed journeys costing the Home Office hundreds of pounds. The probe found some migrants were being transported long distances to attend medical appointments, with one asylum seeker reportedly taken on a 250-mile round trip to a GP at a cost of £600. Although asylum seekers are issued weekly bus passes for one return journey, taxis are routinely booked for additional travel, including healthcare. Under the current system, residents must show proof of an appointment at their hotel reception, where…

Fake Labubu dolls now dominate the UK’s counterfeit toy market, accounting for 90% of all illegal toy seizures at the border this year, according to new figures from the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). Border Force officials seized almost 259,000 fake toys worth more than £3.5m, including 236,000 imitation Labubu dolls. Safety testing revealed that three-quarters of the counterfeit toys contained banned chemicals or choking hazards, while nearly half of buyers reported serious problems after purchase. Labubu dolls, created by Pop Mart, have surged in popularity through social media, gaining celebrity fans like Rihanna. Many collectors attach them to handbags or…

A family of three, including a young child, has become the first group to arrive in the UK from France under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new “one in, one out” immigration agreement with President Emmanuel Macron. The move follows the deportation of four asylum seekers from the UK to France over the past week, despite ongoing legal battles. Under the July agreement, the UK returns Channel arrivals in exchange for accepting an equal number of asylum seekers in France who have family links to Britain. So far, three men from Afghanistan, Eritrea and Iran, along with an Indian national, have…

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has pledged sweeping reforms to the UK’s modern slavery laws after the Court of Appeal rejected her bid to deport an Eritrean asylum seeker under Labour’s new “one in, one out” migration scheme. Mahmood had sought to challenge a High Court ruling that granted the Eritrean man 14 days to gather evidence in support of his trafficking claim before removal to France. But three senior judges dismissed her application, dealing a setback to the Home Office. Condemning what she described as “last-minute attempts to frustrate a removal,” Mahmood vowed to tighten the system. “These tactics are…

The Home Office has suffered a setback after the Court of Appeal rejected its bid to overturn a High Court ruling halting the deportation of an Eritrean asylum seeker under the government’s “one in, one out” migration scheme. Three appeal judges,Lord Justice Arnold, Lord Justice Lewis, and Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing dismissed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s application, upholding an earlier order granting the asylum seeker 14 days to gather further evidence for his trafficking claim. The Eritrean man, who arrived in the UK by small boat on 12 August, was due to be sent to Paris on an Air France…

The Prince and Princess of Wales have made a return visit to Southport to show continued support for the community still grieving the loss of three young girls murdered at a dance class in July 2024. Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed during the Taylor Swift-themed class. Eight other children and two adults were seriously injured. Their killer, Axel Rudakubana, is serving a minimum sentence of 52 years. On Tuesday, Prince William and Catherine visited Farnborough Road Infant and Junior School, where Elsie had been a pupil. They spoke with…

The UK is set to record the highest inflation among G7 nations this year, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Paris-based body forecast UK inflation averaging 3.5% in 2025, well above the US at 2.7% despite President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imports. The OECD expects UK inflation to ease to 2.7% in 2026 but remain above the Bank of England’s 2% target. Rising food prices, higher water and energy bills, and the government’s £25bn-a-year increase in employer national insurance contributions are among the factors blamed for persistent price pressures. Alongside its inflation warning, the…

Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana are preparing to reopen membership registration for their new political party (Your Party) this week, despite failing to agree on a joint statement. The move follows weeks of tension after Sultana unilaterally launched an online portal that drew 20,000 sign-ups but was denounced by Corbyn and other Independent Alliance MPs as unauthorised. She later backed down, cancelling legal threats and admitting the row had demoralised supporters. Although relations between the pair remain cordial, sources reveals Corbyn feels a complete lack of trust after repeated unilateral actions. Allies of Sultana accused party insiders of excluding her…

Keir Starmer is considering scrapping visa fees for elite scientists, software developers and academics in an effort to draw global talent to the UK as the United States tightens its immigration rules. The Prime Minister’s global talent taskforce is exploring the proposal ahead of November’s Budget, viewing it as a way to boost economic growth. The plan has gained momentum after Donald Trump imposed a $100,000 (£74,000) annual fee on H1-B visas, widely used by US tech firms and specialist sectors to recruit overseas workers. Downing Street sources said the policy could apply to individuals with top global credentials, such…

Britain’s only public restaurant, The Clink, staffed by prisoners inside a working jail, is facing closure after 11 years of operation at HMP Brixton. Run by The Clink Charity, the restaurant trains inmates in hospitality and catering skills as part of their rehabilitation, with many securing jobs in the food industry after release. The initiative has been praised by leading chefs and policymakers, including Justice Secretary David Lammy, who recently described it as inspirational. Despite its success, the charity has been forced to reapply for the contract to continue operating at Brixton, following the closure of three other Clink restaurants…