Author: Fatimah Idera

A man who joined a Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Llandudno dressed as a high-ranking Royal Navy officer is now under investigation, after veterans and serving personnel raised suspicions that he may have been posing as a Rear Admiral. Authorities are looking into the man’s identity after he took part in last weekend’s wreath-laying on the seafront in Conwy county. Witnesses said he marched to the war memorial with a colleague, saluted, and then walked away, but his uniform quickly drew attention. He was seen wearing the epaulettes and sleeve lace of a Rear Admiral, one of the Royal Navy’s highest…

The UK economy grew by just 0.1% between July and September, as a sharp decline in car production weighed on output, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figure fell short of analysts’ expectations of 0.2% growth and marks a slowdown from the 0.3% expansion seen in the previous quarter. The weak performance comes less than two weeks before Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveils her Budget, in which she is widely expected to raise taxes to support public finances. The ONS attributed much of the slowdown to a marked fall in car production in September following…

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure from senior ministers to dismiss whoever was behind anonymous briefings suggesting he could face a leadership challenge. The controversy erupted after reports named Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband as potential rivals to Starmer. Both ministers have denied plotting against the prime minister and are now demanding that the source of the leaks be identified and sacked. Starmer has since apologised to Streeting, saying he was incandescent over the briefings, which have deepened tensions inside No 10 and increased scrutiny on his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney. Some within…

Office

Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer has made clear he will fight any attempt by Labour MPs to remove him as party leader, amid growing speculation of an internal revolt. Allies of Starmer said he intends to resist pressure from within his party, following fears that MPs could move against him after the upcoming Budget. Critics have accused Downing Street of being in full bunker mode, while supporters warn that a leadership contest would destabilise the government and the economy. Potential successors being discussed include Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. Streeting dismissed the…

Thousands of NHS staff in England are set to lose their jobs after a deal was reached with the Treasury allowing the health service to overspend this year to cover redundancy payments. The agreement clears the way for around 18,000 administrative and managerial roles to be cut as part of major reforms aimed at reducing bureaucracy and redirecting funds to frontline services. NHS England, the body that oversees the health service, will be merged into the Department of Health and Social Care within two years. Health Secretary,Wes Streeting said the decision was necessary to “prioritise patients and frontline care,” adding…

The UK government has announced major reforms to the driving test booking system to tackle long waiting lists and stop bots from reselling test slots at inflated prices. Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander said only learner drivers will soon be allowed to book driving tests, ending the practice of third-party resellers and even instructors booking on behalf of learners. The move, she said, will help stop candidates being exploited by online bots that snap up slots within seconds. However, Alexander admitted to MPs that the target of reducing waiting times to seven weeks by summer 2026 will not be met. The…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned that racism is re-emerging in British politics, saying divisive rhetoric from the far right is making people feel very scared. Speaking with the media on Tuesday, Starmer accused Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party of reviving the racist and divisive politics Britain had thought it had overcome decades ago. He warned that such toxic narratives were “tearing our country apart” and undermining national unity. The prime minister also gave his clearest signal yet that the controversial two-child benefit cap may be lifted in the upcoming Budget, calling the policy a driver of child poverty. “I…

The UK unemployment rate has climbed to 5% in the three months to September, its highest level since early 2021 ,signalling a softening jobs market, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The rise exceeded analysts’ forecasts of 4.9% ahead of the 26 November Budget and has fuelled speculation that the Bank of England could cut interest rates when its Monetary Policy Committee meets on 18 December. Average wage growth slowed slightly to 4.6% from 4.7% in the previous quarter, while unemployment edged up to a post-pandemic high. Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said the data “points…

The High Court has ruled that asylum seekers can continue to be accommodated at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, following the dismissal of a legal challenge by the Epping Forest District Council. The council had sought to evict migrants from the hotel, arguing that its owner, Somani Hotels, breached planning regulations by using the premises for temporary asylum housing. However, in a ruling on Tuesday, Mr Justice Mould rejected the council’s request for an injunction, describing it as “not an appropriate means of enforcing planning control.” The case had drawn national attention after protests erupted outside the hotel during…