A gang has been convicted over the theft of a £4.8m gold toilet from an art exhibition at Blenheim Palace. The artwork — dubbed “America” — was one of the star attractions of an exhibition by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan at the 18th-century stately home, the birthplace of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill. Thieves smashed their way in and ripped out the functional toilet, hours after a glamorous launch party…

Radical changes that will cut income for 1mn people may not get many more into work, say analysts UK ministers have set out plans for a radical reform of welfare for the sick and disabled — including a £5bn cut to spending on health-related benefits, a new duty for claimants to engage with job support programmes, and a £1bn investment in back-to-work programmes. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall…

Fatimah Idera According to the Bank of America (BofA) Fund Manager Survey for March revealed that Fund managers had cut their US equities allocations by the largest amount ever recorded. The other side of this particular coin was the biggest jump in cash allocations the survey has ever found, as managers chose to de-risk rather than send the money into other risk assets. The bearish move appeared to be prompted…

The U.K. government is set to introduce significant changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) scheme, with some current recipients at risk of losing their benefits under a planned overhaul of the welfare system. The reforms aim to tighten eligibility criteria, with the goal of reducing the rising welfare bill while ensuring support remains available for the most vulnerable. On Tuesday afternoon, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall will outline…

Canadian Prime Minister stresses the importance of ‘reliable allies’ in Paris before travelling to London where he was received by king Canada is the “most European of the non-European countries”, Mark Carney has said during his first overseas trip as prime minister to France and the UK, where he is seeking stronger alliances to deal with Donald Trump’s attacks on his country’s sovereignty and economy. Without mentioning the US president…

Nearly nine in ten (88%) of the 153 upper-tier authorities in England are set to impose a 4.99% council tax increase this year, the highest amount allowed without triggering a local referendum. When councils increasing bills by 4.5% or more in April are included, the proportion rises to more than nine in ten (94%). According to an analysis, for just over two-thirds (68%) of top-tier authorities, this marks the third…

A shocking 100-fold increase in asylum claims by skilled workers has been revealed by the National Audit Office (NAO), raising serious concerns about the Home Office’s ability to track and manage the visa system. According to the watchdog, asylum claims from skilled worker visa holders jumped from just 53 in 2022 to 5,300 in the first 10 months of 2024. The NAO report highlighted a major gap in the UK’s…

Canada’s newly sworn-in Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to meet King Charles III and UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in London, as he seeks to reinforce diplomatic ties with European allies. His visit follows a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, signaling an urgent push to strengthen relations amid growing tensions with the United States. Meeting with King Charles and Sir Keir Starmer Mr. Carney, who…

“Those who buy Patriot should be offered the new-generation Franco-Italian SAMP/T. Those who buy the F-35 should be offered the Rafale,” French president says. French President Emmanuel Macron’s comments come as European NATO members have become even more dependent on U.S. weapons than ever before. French President Emmanuel Macron wants to lead a charm offensive to convince EU countries to stop buying U.S. defense equipment and buy French and European…

By Fatimah Idera The accumulation of refuse caused by Birmingham’s ongoing bin collection strike poses a major public health risk, as rodents thrive on the abundance of rotting food left unattended. Approximately 400 council waste workers in Birmingham went on strike on Tuesday over a dispute concerning jobs and pay. Unite warned that the disruption could extend into the summer, while the city council insisted that they had made a…

A court has sentenced Hassan Sentamu, 18, to life imprisonment for stabbing 15-year-old Elianne Andam to death in an unprovoked and savage attack in Croydon. The Old Bailey, where he stood trial on Thursday, ruled that Sentamu must serve a minimum of 23 years before any consideration for parole. A bright and beloved schoolgirl, Elianne had no idea her final moments would be met with such violence. According to the…

By Fatimah Idera The finance ministry revealed that the government will expand the credit agency UK Export Finance’s (UKEF) direct lending capacity by £2 billion ($2.6 billion), bringing the total to £10 billion. The additional funding is expected to unlock billions of pounds for UK defence companies that export overseas, driving economic growth and creating jobs across the UK. This boost comes just weeks after Britain pledged to increase defence…