Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has insisted she will not be “blown off course” following the defection of senior Tory MP Danny Kruger to Reform UK.

High winds have caused widespread travel disruption across England and Wales, with gusts reaching 63mph overnight. The Met Office has issued a yellow wind warning for most of England and all of Wales, in place until 6pm on Monday. Inland gusts of up to 55mph are expected, while exposed coasts and hills could see winds as strong as 70mph. At 3am, Aberdaron in northwest Wales recorded gusts of 63mph. By…

By Eniola Amadu Keir Starmer’s government has been urged to establish a new “national occupational health service” to address rising levels of economic inactivity linked to long-term sickness. In a report released, the Fabian Society thinktank proposed funding the system through a £2bn levy on Britain’s largest employers. It argued that the new service could help more people remain in work, while addressing the patchy and inconsistent support currently available.…

Downing Street was on Sunday night in crisis mode as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer came under mounting pressure over his handling of the Lord Mandelson affair with MPs openly speculating he could be forced out before the next general election. He has learned that No 10 was informed early last week that Lord Mandelson had suggested Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction for sex offences was wrongful and should be challenged.…

First-time buyers in the UK are being offered the opportunity to borrow up to 98% of the value of a property under a new mortgage scheme, but they will not be allowed to rely on financial help from parents for their deposit. The First Step mortgage, launched by Newcastle Building Society, is designed specifically for those who have independently saved for their deposit and are looking to step onto the…

Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan has revealed that she and her family were attacked by a racist gang who set dogs on them during a violent assault 30 years ago. The Tooting MP, who is of Polish-Pakistani heritage, spoke about the traumatic incident in light of weekend protests in London linked to far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday, Dr Allin-Khan said memories of the past came flooding…

Bristol City Council is under fire over a controversial proposal to charge small business owners up to £450 a year to use public parks for work-related activities. The plan, which would affect dog walkers, yoga instructors, and fitness coaches, has sparked widespread backlash and political infighting. The Green-led council proposed a licensing fee of £450 for use of a single park, or £900 for access to multiple parks, to be…

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is facing growing criticism after analysis revealed he has clocked over 73,000 miles of international flights, enough to fly to the moon and back while attending climate conferences and global events over the past eight years. Despite championing environmental policies such as the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) and campaigning against airport expansion, the mayor has flown with his entourage across four continents,…

The UK is set to deport the first group of Channel migrants back to France as early as Monday, under Sir Keir Starmer’s newly signed one-in, one-out migration agreement with French President Emmanuel Macron. Asylum seekers who arrived by small boats in early August have been issued formal removal directions, with deportation flights expected throughout the week. The UK government confirmed that 100 individuals detained upon arrival had their details…

MPs have voiced outrage after the reported racially motivated rape of a 20-year-old Sikh woman in Oldbury, near Birmingham. The incident is alleged to have occurred on Tuesday morning off Tame Road. Police say two white men are suspected of carrying out the attack, during which racist abuse was hurled at the victim. One suspect is described as having a shaved head and wearing gloves. According to a Sikh community…

By Eniola Amadu Thousands of protesters marched through central London on Saturday in a rally organised by anti-immigrant and anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson, drawing a significant police presence and counter-protests from anti-racism groups. By midday, large crowds carrying England’s red-and-white St George’s Cross and the Union Jack filled streets south of the River Thames before moving towards Westminster, the seat of the UK parliament. Some attendees also carried American and…

Hundreds of foreign prison officers working in England and Wales could lose their jobs and be forced to leave the UK following a recent visa rule change by Labour, governors and unions have warned. More than 1,000 officers, mostly from African countries, are currently employed in UK prisons on skilled worker visas. However, since July, new rules mean that any officer earning below £41,700 is no longer eligible for a…