British Gas is preparing to take a significant multibillion pound stake in Sizewell C, a nuclear power plant championed by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. The deal, led by British Gas’s parent company Centrica, is expected to be announced within weeks and will see the company acquire a 15% stake in the project. Centrica’s investment will match the stake held by French state-owned energy giant EDF, giving a major boost to…

Cabinet ministers have insisted that the government’s welfare reform plans will improve mental health outcomes, arguing that supporting people into work is key to tackling rising rates of anxiety and depression. Health Secretary, Wes Streeting and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall made the case for the reforms, stating: “Good work is good for mental health.” Their intervention comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces backlash within Labour ranks…

Sir Keir Starmer’s own veterans commissioner for Northern Ireland has launched a fierce attack on Labour’s plans to repeal the Legacy Act, warning that scrapping protections for British soldiers who served during the Troubles would create an immoral and two-tier system of justice. David Johnstone, appointed by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn in January, said that removing the current legal shield for veterans could drag dozens of elderly former soldiers…

Sir Keir Starmer has made a significant concession to head off a major Labour rebellion, agreeing that current disability benefit claimants will not lose their support under planned welfare reforms. The Prime Minister has decided that existing recipients of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP),a benefit that helps cover the extra costs of living with a disability, will be protected. The changes will now only affect new claimants going forward. The…

Dozens of Labour MPs rebelling against Sir Keir Starmer’s proposed welfare cuts could lose their seats at the next election if benefit claimants turn against the party. The Prime Minister is facing the most significant rebellion of his leadership over controversial plans to cut Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) , the latter a benefit supporting people with disabilities. The proposed changes, designed to save £5 billion annually, have…

Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to soften key elements of Labour’s welfare reform plans in a bid to avoid his first major defeat in the House of Commons. Facing a growing revolt from within his party, the Prime Minister is considering last-minute amendments to his flagship welfare Bill to prevent a damaging rebellion from more than 120 Labour MPs. Sources in No 10 confirmed that officials are examining ways to…

The plan would see parking meters installed on streets within one kilometre (0.6 miles) of the seafront.

Ministers are weighing plans to tighten regulations on alcohol advertising, including potential bans before the 9 pm watershed and online. The proposed changes, described as partial restrictions, aim to align ethanol marketing rules more closely with those already in place for unhealthy food. Health officials are exploring measures that could see a complete ban on alcohol advertising online, including across social media and influencer content. Similar to junk food ad…

An Ofsted inspector has called on special schools to decolonise their curriculum and move beyond a colour-blind approach to education. Priya Bhagrath, who is also the head teacher of Bishopswood School, a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school near Reading, Berkshire, said that pupils in special education deserve an inclusive curriculum that reflects their identities and lived experiences. Bhagrath highlighted that following the 2020 murder of George Floyd in…

Britain will require permission from the United States, potentially from Donald Trump if he wins the presidency again, before deploying any tactical nuclear weapons on its new American-made fighter jets. The UK government has agreed to purchase 12 F-35A fighter jets from the United States, marking the first time since the Cold War that British aircraft will be equipped to carry nuclear warheads. However, the UK has no plans to…

The UK government has announced plans to hold annual national security exercises to prepare for potential attacks on British soil, following stark warnings from security chiefs that the homeland is at risk for the first time in many years. The drills, part of a broader update to the UK’s national security strategy released on Tuesday, aim to test whole-of-society preparedness for threats ranging from wartime scenarios to cyberattacks and infrastructure…

The UK government is set to purchase 12 new F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons, marking the biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation. The fighter jets, which can also carry conventional weapons, will enable the UK to participate in NATO’s airborne nuclear mission. The decision will be officially announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the NATO summit in the Netherlands this week.…