Author: Fatimah Idera

Hospitals across England are grappling with an unprecedented flu season, as the number of patients admitted with the virus reaches record levels for this time of year. NHS figures show an average of 1,700 flu patients were in hospital last week, more than 50% higher than the same period last year, with early indications suggesting the numbers are continuing to rise sharply. The flu season has started a month earlier than usual, and experts warn a more severe strain of the virus appears to be in circulation. England’s chief medical officer, Sir Chris Whitty, has stressed that illnesses such as…

Household energy bills are set to rise as Ofgem approves a £28bn investment to upgrade the UK’s electricity and gas networks.  The regulator says the five-year plan, aimed at strengthening energy security and modernising ageing infrastructure, will add an estimated £108 to bills by 2031—£48 for gas and £60 for electricity.  However, Ofgem argues that reduced reliance on imported gas and cheaper wholesale energy will generate about £80 in savings, leaving a net increase of roughly £30 a year. Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley said the investment would keep the system “safe, secure and resilient” while helping the UK diversify…

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ordered an independent review into the rising demand for mental health, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism services in England. This comes amid concerns about over-diagnosis and overstretched NHS support. The review will be led by clinical psychologist Prof Peter Fonagy, will examine whether some referrals are unnecessary and identify gaps in early or alternative forms of support. Findings are expected in summer 2026. The government says pressure on services has resulted in long waits, with NHS figures showing significant increases in mental health problems and ADHD over the last two decades. Ministers believe growing numbers…

According to Naccom, a network of 140 frontline refugee and migrant organisations. The charity warns that thousands are increasingly being pushed into destitution due to near-constant government policy changes and problems linked to the rollout of eVisas, which many refugees have been unable to activate to access essential services. In 2024–25, Naccom members were approached by at least 3,450 refugees and migrants seeking accommodation who could not be housed, figures the network says significantly understate the true scale of the crisis. During the same period, members provided 672,807 nights of accommodation to 4,434 homeless people, the highest number recorded since…

A ship’s officer in charge during a fatal collision between a ferry and a fishing boat has been sentenced to one year and eight months in prison. Lewis Carr, 30, was on duty on the bridge of the Commodore Goodwill when it struck the trawler L’Ecume II off the coast of Jersey in December 2022, killing fishermen Michael Michieli, Larry Simyunn and Jervis Baligat. Carr was convicted in September of breaching Jersey’s shipping law, though jurors were unable to reach verdicts on three gross negligence manslaughter charges. The Royal Court heard the Goodwill was behind schedule, and Carr ignored flashing…

Tesla has privately warned the UK government that weakening electric vehicle (EV) rules could reduce battery car sales and put the country’s carbon targets at risk, according to documents obtained by the Fast Charge newsletter. The US automaker, led by Elon Musk, submitted evidence to a government consultation earlier this year, also calling for “support for the used-car market.” The warning came after Labour introduced changes to the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires automakers to increase EV sales each year. Loopholes in the updated rules allow more petrol and diesel cars to be sold, potentially undermining EV uptake. Tesla…

The UK Government has postponed its decision on China’s proposed new super-embassy in London until January. The delay comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares for a possible visit to Beijing around the same time. Ministers are expected to approve the project, as both the Home Office and Foreign Office have raised no security objections. Security services have also indicated they can manage any risks linked to the new embassy, which would become China’s largest diplomatic mission anywhere in the world. Officials say combining China’s seven existing London sites into one location would offer security advantages. China plans to build the…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to face MPs today in the first Prime Minister’s Questions since last week’s Budget, with the session expected to focus on controversies surrounding the government’s fiscal plans. PMQs begins while Starmer departed Downing Street moments ago for Parliament, where festive decorations now line the entrance. Starmer is likely to defend Chancellor Rachel Reeves following sustained Conservative accusations that she misled the public about the true state of the nation’s finances. The opposition claims Reeves painted an unnecessarily bleak picture as a smokescreen to justify tax rises in the Budget, which included scrapping the two-child…

Epping council loses supreme court bid over hotel housing

Justice Secretary David Lammy has revealed that 12 prisoners have been mistakenly released in the last three weeks, with two of them still unaccounted for. The latest figures come on top of the 91 erroneous releases recorded between April and October across England and Wales. Lammy admitted that “human error” was inevitable while prisons continued to rely on a paper-based system, but insisted the situation would improve once a fully digital process is in place. He acknowledged there had been a spike in mistaken releases but said the problem was now on a downward trajectory. In a media interview, Lammy…