Author: Fatimah Idera

Britain’s fiscal stability has been called into question by the world’s largest credit ratings agency following Labour’s abrupt reversal on welfare cuts.  S&P Global has warned that the government’s inability to implement even modest savings measures highlights the scale of the political and economic challenges now facing Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The agency said the decision to scrap a proposed £5 billion cut to welfare spending has left the UK’s public finances vulnerable and raised doubts over the government’s broader ability to keep expenditure under control. “In our view, it remains to be seen whether the Government succeeds in following through…

Emmanuel Macron is expected to urge Sir Keir Starmer to formally recognise Palestine as an independent state during his state visit to the UK next week. The French President will embark on a three-day trip featuring high-level talks, policy announcements, and royal pageantry, including an address to both Houses of Parliament and a summit with the Prime Minister. A key focus of the visit will be a proposed one-in, one-out migrant returns agreement designed to curb the surge in illegal channel crossings. The deal would see the UK send back migrants who arrive from France in small boats while accepting…

Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to shut down further wealth tax proposals amid warnings from a key adviser that taxing the rich could harm the UK economy. The Blairite director of policy delivery, Liz Lloyd, has reportedly raised concerns that measures such as the scrapping of non-dom tax status may be driving wealthy individuals out of the country, potentially stifling investment and growth. Her intervention follows a difficult week for the government, after a U-turn on welfare reforms left Chancellor Rachel Reeves scrambling to fill a £5 billion budget gap. Left-wing Labour MPs have renewed calls for a two per…

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will, on Thursday, unveil Labour’s 10-year health plan, pledging to create a six-day a week neighbourhood health service in what he describes as one of the most radical reforms in NHS history. The new plan aims to shift routine healthcare out of hospitals and into local one-stop centres, offering care from GPs, nurses, dentists, and other professionals under one roof. These neighbourhood clinics would operate 12 hours a day, six days a week, providing access to diagnostics, post-operative care, rehabilitation services, and even social support like debt advice and employment coaching. Starmer is expected to…

Former Ukip leader Paul Nuttall has re-entered frontline politics after being appointed vice-chairman of Reform UK. Nuttall, who led Ukip briefly between 2016 and 2017, has largely stayed out of the public eye in recent years but is now taking on an internal role within Nigel Farage’s successor party. According to a Reform UK source, Nuttall’s responsibilities will focus on election strategy and party growth rather than media appearances. “It’s purely internal stuff,” the source said, denying reports that he would lead a “six-week summer offensive” starting later this month. That campaign, the party clarified, will be spearheaded by Farage…

Sir Keir Starmer’s welfare bill has passed through the House of Commons, but only after a major U-turn on key proposals in an effort to calm a growing rebellion within the Labour Party. The government dropped controversial plans to change how people qualify for Personal Independence Payments (PIP), which had sparked anger among Labour MPs. Originally, the Bill proposed stricter criteria that would have made it harder for some disabled people to receive support. However, this clause was removed following widespread criticism, and ministers confirmed that no changes will be made until a full review known as the Timms Review…

Sir Keir Starmer has decided not to punish the 49 Labour MPs who defied him by voting against the government’s welfare reforms, despite being forced into a major climbdown in the Commons. The MPs will keep the Labour whip, and insiders say there are no plans to impose any further disciplinary action following the biggest rebellion of Starmer’s leadership so far. The revolt came after the Prime Minister was forced to strip out almost all key elements of his welfare Bill to appease party backbenchers, delaying changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and scrapping plans to tighten eligibility for some…

Smell detectors capable of identifying illegal drugs such as spice and fentanyl could soon be installed in the homes of criminals and prison cells as part of a radical shake-up of how offenders are monitored. The high-tech sensors designed using synthetic brain cells and artificial intelligence to mimic the human sense of smell are among a wave of new technologies being considered by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to tackle drug use and reoffending. The devices were unveiled at a presentation to Lord Timpson, the probation minister, by tech firms shortlisted in a government competition to modernise the criminal justice…

Sir Keir Starmer has abandoned plans to ban alcohol advertising following pressure from US trade officials and warnings from the British drinks industry about potential economic fallout. The proposed restrictions originally set to be part of the government’s upcoming 10-year NHS plan were quietly removed after US drinks companies raised concerns that such a move would amount to a non-tariff trade barrier. American producers argued that the policy would unfairly disadvantage new brands trying to enter the UK market, potentially breaching the terms of a future trade deal with Donald Trump’s administration. Domestically, the UK’s £40 billion alcohol industry warned…

Migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats could be barred from claiming asylum in the UK under new plans being developed as part of a returns agreement with France. The proposed one-in, one-out deal would see the UK return illegal Channel crossers to France, in exchange for accepting a similar number of pre-approved asylum seekers from French territory. The aim is to undercut people smuggling networks by removing the incentive for dangerous and illegal crossings. According to immigration advisers, enforcing such a system would likely require UK ministers to deny migrants arriving via the Channel the right to…