Justice Secretary David Lammy is proposing a radical overhaul of the criminal courts in England and Wales, aiming to tackle the record backlog of over 78,000 cases currently waiting to be completed in the crown courts. The core of his plan is to scrap the use of jury trials for all but the most serious offenses, which would fundamentally change the justice system. Under this proposal, only public interest crimes…

Home Office

By Eniola Amadu Three of former schoolmates who allege they saw Nigel Farage’s racist behaviour as a teenager have rejected the Reform UK leader’s description of the claim as “banter”, calling it deliberate, repeated and offensive. A former pupil, Stefan Benarroch, claimed that people from a Jewish assembly at Dulwich college had been targets of Farage and others for taunts while another schoolmate, Cyrus Oshidar, tagged the claim that the…

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has apologised to a headteacher after unintentionally leading pupils in the viral “6-7” dance during a visit to Welland Academy in Peterborough. Starmer, who was at the school with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to promote the expansion of free school meals, was reading with children when one pointed out they were on pages six and seven. In response, the prime minister instinctively performed the well-known…

The UK Government has announced an increase in minimum wage rates from April next year, following recommendations from the Low Pay Commission. Under the revised structure, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and above will rise by 4.1%, increasing from £12.21 to £12.71 per hour. Workers aged 18 to 20 will receive a larger boost of 8.5%, taking their hourly rate from £10 to £10.85, while the rate…

UK

Ofcom has issued new guidelines calling on social media platforms to take stronger action against online abuse, particularly targeting women and girls, including tougher measures to prevent coordinated “pile-ons.” The recommendations, released on Tuesday under the Online Safety Act (OSA), outline practical steps for tech companies to curb misogynistic harassment, coercive control and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. While voluntary, Ofcom warned that failure to comply could lead to…

Nigel Farage has publicly addressed allegations of racism and antisemitism dating back to his school years, nearly a week after former classmates accused him of repeated offensive behaviour. According to reports, about 20 individuals who attended Dulwich College with Farage described incidents of racial abuse, antisemitic remarks and targeted harassment during his teens. Farage’s team had initially issued a categorical denial, dismissing the claims as “without foundation”. However, in a…

People who discontinue the weight-loss drug Mounjaro tend not only to regain lost weight but also lose other health improvements linked to the medication, new research shows. Mounjaro, which contains tirzepatide, has surged in popularity, with previous studies showing average weight loss of around 20% after 72 weeks of treatment. However, earlier findings have already indicated that much of this weight returns once treatment stops. Researchers analysing data from the…

Two veteran members of the House of Lords have been suspended after a parliamentary watchdog found they violated lobbying rules according to reports. Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British Army, received a four-month suspension after he was secretly filmed offering to arrange meetings with ministers for what he believed was a potential commercial client. He told undercover reporters he could facilitate introductions and would “make a point of…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to reverse Labour’s stance on the Electoral Commission as MPs and peers prepare a renewed push to amend the upcoming elections bill. In a letter to Starmer, lawmakers will argue that the elections watchdog must be fully independent and not subject to direction from the same political actors it is meant to hold accountable. The government is expected to introduce an elections bill early…

London is poised to introduce a tourist levy on overnight stays for the first time, as the UK government prepares to grant new taxation powers to mayors through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to devolve the authority to impose the charge, a move long championed by Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has argued that the capital is missing out on significant revenue. Estimates suggest…