Author: Fatimah Idera

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he will not give in to pressure from Donald Trump over the future of Greenland, despite threats of trade tariffs. Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Starmer said the UK would not yield to threats after the US president warned he could impose 10 per cent tariffs on European countries that oppose his plan to take control of Greenland. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch challenged the prime minister on the issue, saying she agreed with him on standing firm over Greenland. However, she criticised the government’s separate plan to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos…

French authorities have conducted their first interception at sea under new measures aimed at preventing small boat crossings to the UK. The operation took place on Saturday on the Aa canal in Gravelines, near the Channel coast above Calais, where French officers boarded a so-called “taxi-boat” believed to be linked to people-smuggling activities. The action follows a shift in tactics agreed in November after mounting pressure from the UK to intensify efforts against illegal migration. A photograph by the media shows several men on an inflatable dinghy alongside a police launch, with the vessel later being towed back to the…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit China next week, leading a delegation of major British companies, according to reports. The trip will include senior figures from leading firms such as BP, HSBC, InterContinental Hotels Group, Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls-Royce. The companies are also expected to take part in a revived UK-China CEO Council, aimed at strengthening business and economic ties between the two countries. Downing Street has not officially confirmed the visit. However, preparations appear to be under way following a trip to Beijing in November by Jonathan Powell, the UK’s national security adviser, who held talks…

Kemi Badenoch has told Conservative MPs who are thinking of defecting to Reform UK that they should leave the party. In a letter to Conservative backbenchers, the party leader said MPs were “free to make other choices” if they could not support the direction she was taking. Her message is being seen as a clear warning to those considering joining Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. The comments follow the defection of Robert Jenrick, the former shadow justice secretary, whom Badenoch sacked after she said there was strong evidence he planned to leave. Andrew Rosindell, another former shadow minister and ally of…

Angela Rayner has urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to honour Labour’s pledge to cap ground rents for leaseholders in England and Wales, as divisions deepen within the cabinet over leasehold reform. Rayner has stepped into a dispute between housing secretary Steve Reed and chancellor Rachel Reeves about whether the government should proceed with plans to limit ground rents for existing leaseholders. The proposal was part of a draft leasehold reform bill that was expected last year but was delayed after concerns from the Treasury that a cap could discourage property investors. Government sources say Starmer is expected to make a…

The Lagos State Government has announced the commencement of registration for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for public and private junior secondary schools across the state. The e-registration and payment exercise will run from Monday, January 26 to Friday, March 27, 2026. The process is being coordinated by the Lagos State Examinations Board and is aimed at promoting a smooth, technology-driven registration system that removes the need for physical contact between school owners and the board. The initiative is also designed to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability in the conduct of the examination. The announcement was made in…

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced plans to refund visa fees for some international businesses as part of efforts to attract high-value investment into the UK. Reeves is set to unveil the proposal on Tuesday as she travels to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where she will meet global business leaders alongside Business Secretary Peter Kyle. The move is aimed at encouraging trailblazer companies to bring highly skilled workers to Britain. Under the plans, certain visa fees would be refunded and the process for businesses to become approved sponsors of migrant workers would be sped up. Reeves said the…

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has been criticised over delays in approving assisted dying legislation passed by the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man’s parliament, Tynwald, became the first in the British Isles to pass an assisted dying law in March 2025. However, the legislation has yet to receive royal assent, which is required before it can come into force.  For crown dependency laws, the Lord Chancellor must recommend royal assent. Campaigners and politicians on the island say the delay, now lasting about nine months, is unusual. Dr Alex Allinson, the GP and House of Keys member who introduced the…

A Labour council leader could lose his position after seeking to delay local elections. Christopher Watkins, leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, is set to face a vote of no confidence on Wednesday after writing to the Government to request a postponement of elections due in May.  He argued that holding the vote would not be a good use of resources, as the council is preparing for local government reorganisation. Watkins leads a council with no overall control and holds 18 of the 38 seats. He said his Labour group had agreed to ask for a delay so the…

Five people have been charged with murder following the death of a man at a petrol station in Seaham, County Durham, police have confirmed. Daniel Ambler, 23, died at the scene after a collision at the Asda Express service station on Thursday 15 January. Durham Constabulary launched a murder investigation shortly after the incident. Police said Barry Anderson, 51, Ashton Anderson, 19, and Barry Logan Anderson, 18, have each been charged with murder and violent disorder. In addition, two 17-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have also been charged with murder and violent disorder. All five defendants…