By Eniola Amadu Environment Minister Andrew Muir has vowed that those responsible for deliberately starting wildfires in Northern Ireland will be pursued and brought before the courts, as he unveiled a new framework to tackle the growing threat. Speaking at Peatlands Park in County Tyrone, Mr Muir said a coordinated approach between government departments, emergency services, environmental groups and local communities was essential to prevent and manage wildfires. “I’ve got…

By Eniola Amadu Green councillors in Bedford have expressed disappointment after Conservative Mayor Tom Wootton announced the suspension of the £340,000 Member Ward Fund to save money amid growing financial strain on the council. The decision, described as an “executive decision” taken without prior consultation, means that while existing commitments will be honoured, no new applications will be accepted for the remainder of the financial year. A Bedford Borough Council…

The Stirling Studios project, funded largely through a £19m UK Government grant, will see a 160,000 sq ft (14,864 sq m) building transformed into a state-of-the-art film hub

Hundreds of low-paid NHS hospital workers at St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group (GESH) have voted to strike over claims that they have lost more than £36 million in pay and pension contributions over the past four years. More than 330 facilities staff including cleaners, caterers and porters are preparing to walk out, accusing the trust of institutional racism and unfair treatment. Their union, United Voices of the…

Lloyds Banking Group has warned that it faces a bigger financial hit than expected from the UK’s car finance mis-selling scandal, with total costs set to exceed the £1.2 billion already earmarked for compensation. The bank said on Thursday that “an additional provision is likely to be required which may be material,” following the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) proposal for a compensation scheme covering millions of drivers who were charged…

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…