Author: Fatimah Idera

King Charles has laid flowers at the UK’s first national memorial dedicated to LGBT members of the armed forces, paying tribute to veterans who suffered under the military’s former gay ban. The memorial, titled An Opened Letter, was unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire in what marked the King’s first official engagement in support of the LGBT  community. The event brought together serving personnel and veterans, including many whose military careers were cut short before the ban was abolished in 2000. From 1967 to January 2000, thousands of service members were investigated, dismissed, or forced to resign because…

Reform UK has expelled two Kent councillors, Robert Ford and Bill Barrett, following allegations of misconduct and internal disputes exposed in a leaked video. The pair were formally removed via email on Monday, with party headquarters accusing them of undermining Reform UK’s interests and bringing the party into disrepute. Ford, who represents Maidstone Rural West, had been suspended after an unofficial complaint from several female county council staff alleging misconduct. Barrett, a councillor for Ashford, was suspended after repeatedly criticising the council’s leadership. Both men were among five councillors suspended last week, though Oliver Bradshaw, Paul Thomas and Maxine Fothergill…

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is under pressure after more than 40 suppliers alleged they are owed around £20 million for prison refurbishment works, following the collapse of lead contractor ISG. The affected firms, both small and medium-sized businesses, say they were assured their payments were protected through ring-fenced Project Bank Accounts (PBAs) for upgrades at HMP Birmingham, HMP Liverpool and HMP Guys Marsh in Dorset. ISG entered administration in September, leaving suppliers unpaid for work carried out in the final months of the scheme. The firms, some now facing bankruptcy, argue that PBAs introduced to prevent subcontractors losing money…

The Home Office has squandered billions of pounds on asylum accommodation due to flawed contracts and poor oversight, a new report by the Home Affairs Committee has found.

The Metropolitan Police has begun reviewing 9,000 cases of child sexual exploitation, following a national report that revealed widespread failures in identifying and tackling group-based abuse. The reinvestigated cases span a 15-year period and include intra-familial abuse, peer-on-peer exploitation, institutional cases, and incidents that do not fit the typical profile of so-called grooming gangs. The force said it is determined to revisit past allegations amid growing evidence that child exploitation is more organised, prevalent and underreported than previously acknowledged. The review follows the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation, led by Baroness Casey, which exposed inconsistencies in how the…

A large-scale emergency operation took place at Acton Swing Bridge in Northwich on Friday evening after reports of a person in the River Weaver. Emergency services, including Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Cheshire Police, and North West Ambulance Service, were called to the scene at around 6.10pm. Four fire engines from Lymm, Northwich, Warrington, and Penketh stations attended the incident, alongside a rescue boat from Warrington, a rope rescue unit from Knutsford, and an aerial ladder appliance from Lymm. According to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, the major blue-light presence was part of a coordinated rescue effort after a person…

The Fabian Society has called on chancellor Rachel Reeves to raise £12bn in next month’s budget by extending the freeze on income tax thresholds for a further two years. The Labour-aligned thinktank argues the move would be the best available option to plug a growing gap in the public finances following weaker economic forecasts. Reeves is expected to announce her 26 November financial statement facing a shortfall of between £10bn and £30bn, after the Office for Budget Responsibility downgraded UK growth projections. Extending the freeze, the Fabians say, would help meet the government’s fiscal rules while avoiding more politically risky…

Lucy Powell has called on Labour to be bolder after winning the party’s deputy leadership contest triggered by Angela Rayner’s resignation last month. Powell defeated education secretary Bridget Phillipson in the final vote, securing the second-most senior position in the party. In her victory speech, Powell vowed to “wrestle back the political megaphone”, arguing Labour had allowed Nigel Farage and other rivals to dominate national debate. She warned that the party must sharpen its message and speak with greater confidence if it wants to retain public trust. Phillipson congratulated her opponent but admitted she was “disappointed to have lost”, adding…

Thwaite’s warning mirrors recent remarks by Lloyds boss Charlie Nunn, who said higher bank taxes would run counter to Labour’s pledge to boost growth.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in London on Friday for a high-level meeting with more than 20 European leaders, as Western efforts to step up military and financial pressure on Russia face delays. The gathering of the “Coalition of the Willing,” hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, focused on how allies can intensify support for Kyiv amid escalating Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid. Starmer said there was more we can do on capability, signalling a renewed push for allies to supply long-range weapons that would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory. The talks came days after…