Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned that racism is re-emerging in British politics, saying divisive rhetoric from the far right is making people feel very scared. Speaking with the media on Tuesday, Starmer accused Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party of reviving the racist and divisive politics Britain had thought it had overcome decades ago. He warned that such toxic narratives were “tearing our country apart” and undermining national unity. The…

The UK unemployment rate has climbed to 5% in the three months to September, its highest level since early 2021 ,signalling a softening jobs market, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The rise exceeded analysts’ forecasts of 4.9% ahead of the 26 November Budget and has fuelled speculation that the Bank of England could cut interest rates when its Monetary Policy Committee meets on 18 December. Average wage…

The High Court has ruled that asylum seekers can continue to be accommodated at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, following the dismissal of a legal challenge by the Epping Forest District Council. The council had sought to evict migrants from the hotel, arguing that its owner, Somani Hotels, breached planning regulations by using the premises for temporary asylum housing. However, in a ruling on Tuesday, Mr Justice Mould rejected…

Health

German climate activist Marcus Decker has launched a legal challenge against his deportation from the UK after serving one of the longest sentences in British history for a peaceful protest. Decker, 36, was jailed for two years and seven months after climbing the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at Dartford Crossing in October 2022, where he and fellow protester Morgan Trowland displayed a Just Stop Oil banner to call attention to…

Bamford

Eniola Amadu The Education Minister of Northern Ireland, Paul Givan, will face a vote of no confidence at the Stormont in relation to his recent visit to Israel. The motion was initiated by People Before Profit member – Gerry Carroll, and is backed by the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) member, Alliance and Sinn Féin. Despite this, the motion is expected to fail as a result of its requirements…

US govt

The UK is sending military personnel and equipment to Belgium after a series of suspected Russian drone incursions into Belgian airspace. The move follows a request for assistance from Belgium’s defence chief earlier this week, according to the UK’s Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir Richard Knighton. Speaking to the media, Sir Richard confirmed that Britain would help Belgium “by providing our kit and capability” alongside NATO allies. Members of…

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is reviewing its decision to halt child benefit payments for around 23,500 claimants after using travel data to conclude they had permanently left the UK. The tax body’s automated checks, which compared benefit records with Home Office travel data, appear to have mistakenly targeted families who had only taken short holidays abroad. Under existing rules, child benefit normally stops after eight weeks spent outside the…

Reeves

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is planning a major overhaul of the UK’s immigration and asylum system, drawing inspiration from Denmark’s strict approach, the BBC has learned. Mahmood’s proposed reforms, set to be unveiled later this month, aim to curb incentives attracting migrants to the UK and make it easier to deport those without legal status. Officials have studied Denmark’s policies, including tighter rules on family reunions and temporary refugee protections.…