Author: Fatimah Idera

The UK has recorded its longest stretch without small-boat migrant arrivals in more than six years, before crossings resumed this weekend, according to Home Office figures. No migrants arrived by small boats between 14 November and 12 December, marking a 28-day pause the longest uninterrupted period since autumn 2018. However, Border Force activity returned to the English Channel on Saturday, with around 160 people believed to have been picked up from two small boats. Despite the recent weather, the total number of people crossing the Channel in small boats this year has reached 39,292. That figure is higher than any…

The UK government is set to place boys and young men at the centre of a new strategy aimed at tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG). Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to unveil the long-delayed plan next Thursday, describing the issue as a national emergency. The strategy, delayed three times in the past year, will focus on three key goals: preventing the radicalisation of young men, stopping perpetrators, and improving support for victims. Ministers say early intervention is critical, as abuse is increasingly affecting younger age groups. Nearly 40% of teenagers in relationships experience abuse, according to domestic…

Reform UK has claimed it is now the largest political party in Britain by membership, overtaking Labour following a reported decline in Labour’s numbers. According to reports, Labour’s membership has fallen below 250,000. Reform UK says it now has more than 268,000 paid-up members, which, if accurate, would make it the biggest party in the country by size. Labour has declined to confirm or deny the figures, saying its membership numbers will be published in its next annual report. Political parties are not legally required to publish verified membership figures, and there is no independent body that audits them. Reform…

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has raised alarm over what he calls a double whammy of soaring flu hospitalisations and an imminent five-day strike by resident doctors in England, due to begin on 17 December. He told LBC the NHS was under “the worst pressure since Covid”, with an average of 2,660 flu patients hospitalised daily last week equivalent to filling three hospitals. Hopes remain that the strike could be halted, as the British Medical Association is polling members on whether to call it off. Streeting questioned why the union refused his offer to delay action until January, saying it suggested…

Celebrated British novelist Joanna Trollope has died at the age of 82. Her daughters, Louise and Antonia, announced that she passed away peacefully at her Oxfordshire home on Thursday. Widely recognised for her sharp portrayals of middle-England family life, Trollope was often labelled the “queen of the Aga saga” a description she rejected as patronising. With a career spanning more than five decades, Trollope authored over 20 contemporary novels, including The Rector’s Wife, Marrying the Mistress, Second Honeymoon and Daughters-in-Law. Her books were translated into more than 25 languages, and many were adapted for television. She also wrote 10 historical…

The UK government has announced a £3bn plan to create 50,000 new school places for children with Special Educational  Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in England. The investment will be delivered over the next three years and will help councils expand specialist spaces in mainstream schools. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the funding will support upcoming SEND reforms expected in the next schools White Paper. Part of the investment comes from cancelling the construction of 28 planned free schools, with another 16 projects under review. Phillipson said the decision was based on falling pupil numbers and a need to prioritise SEND…

A cross-party group of MPs has launched an inquiry into the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), following intense scrutiny of the government’s economic watchdog in the run-up to the Budget. The Treasury Committee will assess the OBR’s first 15 years, including its remit, performance, independence and potential areas for reform. The move follows heightened debate over the OBR’s influence, particularly after its chair, Richard Hughes, resigned when the body mistakenly published key economic forecasts an hour before Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Budget speech. Despite the controversy, committee chair Dame Meg Hillier stressed that the inquiry “is not a stick…

Following the recent defection of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), alongside his core supporters, reports indicate that the decision emerged from a closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Monday. The governor made the announcement during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Port Harcourt, claiming he defected in search of protection and to avoid “another mistake or step on landline laid.” Similarly, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday unveiled the Accord Party as his…

A former police officer has admitted causing the death of his wife’s aunt in a head-on collision on the A737 in Ayrshire. Andrew Hyams, 62, was driving 88-year-old Annie Sinclair between Kilwinning and Dalry on 9 January 2024 when he failed to negotiate a bend and veered into oncoming traffic. His car narrowly missed one vehicle before crashing directly into a van driven by Carl Egerton. Ms Sinclair was rushed to hospital but died later that afternoon from severe chest injuries. Prosecutors told the High Court in Glasgow that the injuries were not survivable. Mr Egerton suffered a fractured sternum,…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has dismissed suggestions that he is a caretaker PM after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch used Prime Minister’s Questions to attack both his leadership and Labour’s record in office. During the exchange, Badenoch focused on rising energy bills, education challenges and policing concerns. She argued that everything is getting worse under Labour and highlighted claims circulating in Westminster that some Labour MPs see Starmer as a temporary leader. Starmer rejected the label, insisting he is focused on delivering stability and addressing issues affecting ordinary people. During PMQs, Badenoch claimed energy bills had increased by £187 since Labour…