Author: Fatimah Idera

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is moving forward with plans to raise the minimum wage for 18 – to 20-year-olds, despite warnings from business leaders that the policy could harm youth employment. Under current rules, workers aged 21 and over are entitled to a minimum wage of £12.21 an hour, while those aged 18 to 20 receive just £10. Rayner has asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to explore eliminating this £2 gap, calling the age-based pay bands discriminatory. The move is part of a broader Labour strategy to win support from younger voters, particularly in light of growing competition…

UK ministers have announced an extra £100 million in funding to bolster efforts to stop small boat crossings in the English Channel as part of a broader push to tackle irregular migration.

Downing Street has warned the public not to attend a planned protest in support of the proscribed Palestine Action group, as police confirmed they would arrest anyone suspected of breaching terrorism laws. The protest, scheduled for this weekend, is being organised by the campaign group Defend Our Juries in response to the government’s decision to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. Demonstrators are being encouraged to hold signs reading: “I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action” a message that has led to arrests at similar events. Asked whether the government discourages participation, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer…

The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom is set to roll out the world’s first vaccination programme targeting gonorrhoea in response to record-high infection rates and rising antibiotic resistance. In 2023, England recorded over 85,000 cases of gonorrhoea, which was highest since records began. Health officials are particularly concerned about emerging antibiotic-resistant strains, which threaten to make the infection increasingly difficult to treat. The vaccination programme, beginning August 1, will primarily target gay and bisexual men who have had multiple recent sexual partners or a history of bacterial STIs, as they are considered at higher risk. Transgender women…

A number of Labour MPs, including serving ministers, have voiced opposition to a Supreme Court ruling that defined sex in equality law as referring solely to biological sex. The ruling, delivered over three months ago, stated that transgender women are not legally considered women under the Equality Act when it comes to single-sex spaces. Following the decision, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the judgment brought clarity by affirming that a woman is an adult female. He also urged public bodies to update their policies accordingly. However, several Labour MPs have expressed disagreement, characterizing the ruling as regressive and harmful…

US President Donald Trump announced that he has ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines toward Russian waters in response to threats from Russia’s former president. The move marks a rare break from the Pentagon’s usual secrecy regarding strategic military deployments. Trump said the submarines were being sent to appropriate regions, signaling a show of strength amid escalating tensions with Moscow. This announcement comes after a heated exchange between Trump and Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council. Experts warn the deployment risks provoking a reciprocal response from Russian President Vladimir Putin, potentially escalating tensions…

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, has been accused of altering election spending rules in a way that could disadvantage her main Labour leadership rival, Wes Streeting. Critics warn that her proposed changes may reopen a loophole that could benefit pro-Gaza candidates, including those aligned with Jeremy Corbyn’s new party. Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative Party chairman, condemned the move, saying it risks “fuelling divisive and sectarian politics” and appears motivated by internal Labour conflicts. Ms Rayner has announced plans to scrap the current ban preventing organisations from registering simultaneously as a campaign group and a political party. Under existing rules, this…

A group of migrants in the early hours of Saturday moved into the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf, London. Photos from the scene showed a bus arriving at the hotel and dropping off the group under the cover of night, just days after protests erupted over the site’s proposed use as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. The protests, which took place in late July, followed reports that the government planned to house migrants at the four-star hotel. Demonstrators from both sides of the debate, including members of the group Stand Up To Racism, gathered outside the hotel in response.…

A teenage girl has died after going swimming too soon after eating a large meal during a seaside trip, an inquest has heard. Lucy Reed, from Lincolnshire, tragically died from asphyxiation on June 24, 2023, after entering the water near Cleethorpes Pier shortly after eating pizza and chips. According to findings presented at Grimsby Town Hall, Lucy inhaled gastric contents after vomiting while swimming, leading to a fatal lack of oxygen. The senior coroner Paul Smith concluded that Lucy’s death was the result of misadventure, describing it as the unintended consequence of swimming on a full stomach. The inquest heard…

Labour has lost its first sitting councillor to the newly formed political party led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, marking an early shift in local government support ahead of the party’s formal launch. Grace Lewis, a 22-year-old councillor representing the Westwood ward on Coventry City Council, announced her resignation from the Labour Party on Friday. She will now serve as an independent councillor and has pledged her support to Corbyn and Sultana’s emerging political movement, currently operating under the placeholder name “Your Party.” Corbyn and Sultana, both serving as independent MPs, unveiled the new party in July 2025. Positioned…