Author: Fatimah Idera

Pharmacies across Britain are turning patients away as supplies of the popular weight-loss drug Mounjaro run dry, following a sudden halt in UK deliveries by its manufacturer, Eli Lilly. Leading online pharmacies, including Superdrug and Medicine Market Place, confirmed they had sold out of Mounjaro less than 24 hours after Eli Lilly paused shipments. The suspension, which took effect on Wednesday night, comes just days ahead of a steep price increase set for September 1. Sehar Shahid, a board member of the National Pharmacy Association, said that pharmacies were being forced to ration remaining supplies, prioritising existing patients. “We’re having…

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said she would go further than Nigel Farage in tackling illegal migration, insisting that women and children who arrive unlawfully should also be deported. Speaking to the media, Mrs Badenoch said creating exceptions for women and children would risk opening up loopholes that traffickers and economic migrants could exploit. “We have said that if you come to our country illegally, then you will be deported,” she said. “That would include, of course, women and children, because if you start making exceptions then you will find people finding a way to use those loopholes.” Her comments…

A senior Reform UK figure has banned party councillors from speaking to a major local newspaper, drawing criticism from journalists and free speech advocates. Mick Barton, the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, has instructed all 41 Reform UK councillors not to engage with the Nottingham Post or its online platform, Nottinghamshire Live, unless in emergency circumstances. The restriction also applies to BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporters affiliated with the publication. The directive comes after the Post reported internal disagreements within Reform’s local group over a proposal to expand Nottingham City Council to include neighbouring areas Gedling and Broxtowe , a decision…

A senior Labour MP has called for Attorney General Lord Hermer to be removed from his role, criticising both his appointment to the House of Lords and his influence over key government decisions. Graham Stringer, a veteran MP and former leader of Manchester City Council, said Lord Hermer lacked the democratic legitimacy required for such a powerful position. Stringer argued that the Attorney General should sit in the House of Commons, where they can be held directly accountable by elected representatives. “He’s got no democratic experience,” Stringer said. “Particularly when he’s making such big decisions, demanding that every law effectively…

Nigel Farage has claimed the Scottish Conservatives could face a total electoral wipeout at next year’s Holyrood elections, following the high-profile defection of Tory MSP Graham Simpson to Reform UK. At a press conference in Edinburgh, Farage welcomed Simpson as the first Reform MSP under his leadership and said the defection marked the beginning of the Conservatives’ decline not just in Scotland, but also in Wales and northern England. “I think next May the Scottish Conservatives will do so badly that they will cease to be a political force in Scotland,” Farage said, adding that similar outcomes could follow in…

A teenage girl who stabbed three people at a Welsh school had previously been considered for referral to the UK government’s anti-extremism programme Prevent, according to a new safeguarding report. The 13-year-old, who expressed interest in Adolf Hitler, war memorabilia, and weapons, attacked two teachers and a fellow student at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, in April 2024. She had earlier been found carrying a knife on school grounds, prompting discussions about a Prevent referral. However, no formal referral was made. Following the violent incident, the girl referred to in official documents as Child A was arrested and told…

The fertility rate in England and Wales has reached a record low, marking the third consecutive year of decline, according to newly released figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In 2024, the total fertility rate which represents the average number of live children a woman is expected to have over her lifetime fell to 1.41, down slightly from 1.42 in 2023. This is the lowest figure since records began in 1938. This drop occurred despite a slight 0.6% increase in the total number of live births in 2024. The ONS also noted a 14% rise in the number…

The gap in transport-related carbon emissions between the UK’s richest and poorest is on track to grow significantly by 2035, according to new research from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). Currently, the most affluent individuals produce 10 times more emissions from domestic travel than the least affluent. If current government policies remain unchanged, that disparity is expected to rise to 13 times within the next decade. The IPPR analysis, which models future emissions using 12 distinct traveller profiles, highlights that the poorest groups will reduce their transport emissions much faster than wealthier groups. By 2035, the top 4%…

Scotland has introduced water restrictions for the first time due to a prolonged dry spell that has pushed river levels to critical lows. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) announced restrictions in Ythan (Aberdeenshire) and North Fife after both regions reached significant scarcity status which is the highest level of alert. This follows over 30 days of very low water levels in local rivers. The measures limit water abstraction and the process of taking water from natural sources and primarily affecting agricultural and industrial users. Sepa stated the restrictions are temporary and will be lifted once conditions improve. The agency…

The Labour government is facing criticism for allegedly neglecting British tech companies while seeking to position the UK as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI). Newly formed government working groups had set up to address growing concerns over AI’s impact on copyright laws which come under fire after it emerged that just one UK tech company, AI video startup Synthesia, was invited to participate. In contrast, the attendee list includes several major US tech giants, such as Amazon, Apple, Meta, Nvidia, and OpenAI. The imbalance has sparked accusations that UK ministers are prioritising American corporate interests over homegrown innovation,…