Author: Fatimah Idera

A major London-based smuggling gang has been dismantled after it was found trafficking migrants including children as young as five from Britain to France in refrigerated lorries, in a rare case of reverse Channel crossings. The gang, led by 41-year-old Algerian national Azize Benaniba, orchestrated at least 20 smuggling trips between February and October 2023, packing men, women, and children into dangerous and often airtight vehicles travelling from Dover to Calais. While most migrant smuggling routes traditionally flow into the UK, this operation marks a disturbing shift, exposing how criminal networks exploit vulnerable migrants regardless of direction. French authorities recorded…

Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to unveil Labour’s long-promised Ethics and Integrity Commission within days, in a move aimed at restoring public trust in politics and tackling the legacy of Conservative era sleaze. The announcement is likely to come before Parliament rises for the summer recess on Tuesday. The new independent watchdog will be tasked with upholding standards across public life, overseeing lobbying rules for former government officials, and enforcing a legal duty of candour for public authorities, a key component of the forthcoming Hillsborough law. The Ethics and Integrity Commission will assume responsibilities currently spread across several existing bodies.…

Diane Abbott is once again at the centre of controversy after repeating claims that Jewish and Traveller communities experience racism differently from black people, prompting Labour to consider a renewed suspension. In a recent interview on BBC Radio 4’s Reflections programme, the veteran Labour MP defended her previously condemned remarks, saying it was silly to equate racism based on skin colour with the discrimination faced by Jews and Travellers. “There must be a difference between racist, which is about colour and other types of racism,” she said. “You can see a black person walking down the street… You can spot…

Sir Keir Starmer has reignited tensions with the Labour Left after expelling and demoting seven MPs who defied the party line to oppose welfare legislation. In a sharp display of authority, the Prime Minister withdrew the party whip from four MPs on Wednesday evening—Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchliff, and Brian Leishman citing repeated breaches of party discipline. All four will now sit as independents. Three others, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, and Mohammad Yasin, were removed from their roles as trade envoys, a government-appointed privilege. The disciplinary move follows Labour’s largest rebellion under Starmer’s leadership, where 127 MPs voted…

Justice S.M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Kano has sentenced a man, Salisu Ahmad, to prison for failing to declare foreign currency amounting to over ₦653 million upon his arrival in Nigeria from Saudi Arabia. Ahmad was convicted on a one-count charge of non-declaration of funds, in violation of Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The case was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following his arrest by Nigeria Customs Service officers during a routine check at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on July 7, 2025. According to…

The UK Government has secretly offered asylum to nearly 24,000 Afghan soldiers and their families following what is now revealed to be the most severe data breach in British history. The unprecedented security failure, kept under wraps by a two-year superinjunction, forced ministers to allocate £7 billion over five years to resettle affected individuals, a move that could significantly impact the national budget and intensify pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of her Mansion House speech. The data breach occurred in February 2022, when a Royal Marine mistakenly included a spreadsheet in an email to Afghan asylum seekers. The spreadsheet…

Labour has announced a major shift in England’s sex education policy, scrapping previous Conservative plans to ban children under the age of nine from receiving sex education. The updated statutory guidance, set to be released on Tuesday, will instead recommend rather than mandate that sex education be introduced no earlier than year five. However, primary schools will retain the discretion to teach younger pupils if deemed appropriate. The move marks a departure from draft guidance issued under the Conservative government, which sought to enforce stricter age thresholds and limit discussions of sensitive topics such as extreme sexual violence and gender…

Sir Keir Starmer is facing mounting criticism over Labour’s plans to scrap the Northern Ireland Legacy Act, with military veterans and political opponents accusing the Prime Minister of disregarding the sacrifices made by British soldiers during the Troubles. The Labour government intends to repeal the 2023 legislation, which restricts new historical investigations and civil actions related to deaths during the Northern Ireland conflict. Labour argues that the Act is widely opposed by victims’ groups and Irish political parties, and is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. But critics say the move could reopen the door to politically driven…

According to reports, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) revealed that 139 candidates from 10 political parties contested chairmanship positions across the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in the state.

Health Secretary Wes StreetingHealth Secretary Wes Streeting is expected to meet with representatives of the British Medical Association (BMA) in a bid to prevent a major walkout by resident doctors in England, formerly known as junior doctors. The BMA has announced a five-day strike beginning at 7am on July 25, amid a long-running pay dispute with the Government. Talks are scheduled for next week, with the BMA making clear that industrial action will only be cancelled if the Government puts forward an offer it can present to its members. While Mr Streeting is reportedly supportive of improving working conditions, he…