Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that the government’s budget will be delivered on Wednesday 26 November, setting the stage for tough choices on tax and spending. The statement will outline how the government intends to fund essential services such as the NHS, schools, policing and defence, while balancing strained public finances and trying to reassure investors. Reeves told the BBC that her priority was to turn the economy around by…

Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner after she admitted underpaying tax on her second home. Rayner confirmed reports that she failed to pay the full tax owed on her Hove property, a shortfall estimated at £40,000. The Labour deputy leader has since referred herself to the government’s ethics adviser and said she had even considered resigning. Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions,…

By Eniola Amadu A senior British police officer, Gavin Stephens, has urged politicians to “reduce and defuse tensions” rather than fuel divisions, warning that growing polarisation over asylum seekers is placing a serious strain on law enforcement. Stephens, chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, made the remarks after weeks of demonstrations and counter-protests across the UK sparked by the government’s controversial policy of housing asylum seekers in hotels. His…

The UK government is preparing to introduce a law that will prevent anyone under the age of 16 in England from buying energy drinks . Energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, and Prime are those the ban would apply across shops, cafés, restaurants, vending machines, and online sales. Research suggests that up to a third of children in the UK consume energy drinks every week, despite many supermarkets already…

As part of efforts to reduce the number of migrants housed in hotels, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has revealed that the government is exploring the use of industrial and military sites, including warehouses as alternative accommodation for asylum seekers. During an interview, Cooper confirmed that warehouses are one of the things being looked at as the government ramps up plans to phase out the use of costly hotel accommodation.  This…

Britain’s government bond markets came under renewed strain on Tuesday, with yields on long-dated debt rising to their highest levels in decades and the pound weakening. These challenges facing Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she prepares for the autumn budget. The yield on 30-year gilts surged to 5.723%, the highest since 1998 signalling higher borrowing costs for the UK. The 10-year gilt yield, closely watched by the Office for Budget Responsibility…

A senior Reform UK figure is demanding that the Ukrainian flag be taken down from outside Warwickshire County Council’s headquarters, newly released correspondence has revealed. The row comes after previous disputes over the Progress Pride flag, which the party also wanted removed. Over the summer, three flags flew above the council offices in Warwick: the Progress Pride, the Ukrainian national flag, and the county banner. While the rainbow emblem was…

By Eniola Amadu Britain’s long-term borrowing costs have surged to their highest level since 1998, intensifying the pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of her first Budget. The yield on 30-year government bonds jumped to 5.698% on Tuesday, pushing up the cost of government borrowing and debt servicing. READ ALSO: UK suspends refugee family reunion applications amid pressure to cut arrivals The pound also weakened, sliding more than 1% against the…

By Eniola Amadu Zack Polanski has been elected leader of the Green Party of England and Wales in a decisive victory that signalled a bold new direction for the party. The London Assembly member and former deputy leader secured 85% of the vote, defeating the co-leadership ticket of Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns by 20,411 votes to 3,705 in a ballot of members. Turnout stood at just over 37%, a…

Sir Keir Starmer has reorganised his Downing Street team as he attempts to reset his premiership after a turbulent first year in office. The changes follow a difficult summer for Labour, marked by criticism over immigration policy, welfare reforms, and cuts to winter fuel payments. Recent polls have shown the party slipping behind Reform UK, while some Labour backbenchers have accused Number 10 of weak communication and poor engagement with…

The UK government has issued a strong warning to international students: leave the country once your visa expires or face deportation. In a new crackdown on overstayers, the Home Office has for the first time begun sending direct text and email messages to students whose visas are expiring. So far, 10,000 students have received the alerts, with tens of thousands more expected to be contacted in the coming months. The…

By Eniola Amadu Britain has suspended applications from recognised refugees seeking to bring family members into the country, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government moves to tighten immigration rules. The decision comes as the government faces mounting political and public pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers crossing the Channel in small boats from France. READ ALSO: UK to introduce tougher rules on refugee family reunification Hotels used to…