Millions of households across England will face higher water bills after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) approved further price rises for five major suppliers. The CMA on Thursday said an independent expert panel had provisionally allowed Anglian, Northumbrian, Southern, Wessex, and South East Water to collectively charge customers an extra £556 million over five years, only 21% of the £2.7 billion the firms had requested. The decision means average…

In what has been hailed as a historic breakthrough, Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of Donald Trump’s long-awaited peace plan, marking the most significant step yet toward ending the two-year war that has devastated Gaza and shaken the Middle East. The agreement, brokered after weeks of intense negotiations in Egypt involving US, Qatari, Egyptian and Turkish mediators, commits Hamas to releasing all remaining hostages while Israel…

The Conservative Party’s proposal to abolish stamp duty on primary home sales will largely benefit London and the wealthiest homeowners, according to the Social Market Foundation (SMF). Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, announced at the party’s annual conference that a future Conservative government would scrap stamp duty on residential property purchases above £125,000 in England and Northern Ireland, a policy estimated to cost £9 billion annually. She argued the move…

A woman who once dated al-Shamie, the man accused of launching a deadly attack on a synagogue that left two people dead and three others injured, has described him as a secretive and deeply troubled individual who concealed much of his private life and intentions. The woman said al-Shamie, a university drop-out believed never to have held a full-time job, often told her he was “always shifting between jobs.” “He…

British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to abolish stamp duty on primary residences, in what she describes as a bold step toward restoring the dream of home ownership for millions of Britons. Addressing delegates at the Conservative Party Conference, Badenoch said the tax, which is paid when buying property, has become a major obstacle for first-time buyers and young families. Her remarks drew a standing ovation from party…

By Eniola Amadu The UK’s largest-ever legal action over environmental pollution has been filed at the High Court, with almost 4,000 people suing major poultry producers and a water company over what they describe as “extensive and widespread pollution” in three rivers called the Wye, Lugg and Usk. The claimants argue that the worsening condition of the rivers has damaged local businesses, lowered property values and diminished public enjoyment of…

By Eniola Amadu Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party could pose a “threat to the union” between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the chair of the Northern Ireland Conservatives, Paul Leeman, has warned. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Leeman said there was a “big concern” about Reform UK, which has been challenging both the Conservative and Labour parties in recent opinion polls. He questioned Reform’s commitment to Northern…

By Eniola Amadu A high-profile espionage case involving two men accused of spying for China has collapsed after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was unable to secure evidence from the government confirming that China was considered a national security threat at the time of the alleged offences. Christopher Cash, 30, a parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, 33, a teacher, were charged under the Official Secrets Act. Both men have denied…

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has outlined a new golden economic rule aimed at tackling Britain’s £50bn financial black hole through sweeping spending cuts and targeted investment in growth. Speaking on the final day of the Tory conference in Manchester, Badenoch said a future Conservative government would implement £47bn in spending cuts, pledging that every pound saved will be put to work, with half going toward deficit reduction and the rest…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for the rapid implementation of the UK’s landmark trade deal with India, saying it should take effect as soon as humanly possible. The Labour leader made the remarks on Wednesday as he began a two-day visit to India, accompanied by more than 100 business, culture, and university leaders. The free trade agreement, signed in July during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to…

If you live in Britain, the hope of becoming wealthy may not be visible. Over the past decade, economic conditions have shifted in ways that make upward social and financial mobility increasingly difficult. Despite the country’s global economic standing, many citizens feel that hard work and perseverance are no longer enough to achieve prosperity. Rising living costs, slow wage growth, and entrenched inequality have created a society in which wealth…

An Afghan man who allegedly posted an online death threat against British politician Nigel Farage has appeared in court accused of making threats to kill. Fayaz Khan, a 26-year-old Afghan national, is said to have uploaded a video to TikTok last October in which he threatened to “pop, pop, pop” the Reform UK leader after Farage referenced him in a social-media post about illegal migration. A jury at Southwark Crown…