British Isles
Hong Kong: UK and Australia each grant asylum to a pro-democracy activist
Australia and the UK have each granted asylum to a prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist. In 2020, lawmaker Ted Hui threw rotten plants on the floor of the legislative council chamber to protest…
Number of UC claimants jumps dramatically
A record eight million people are now claiming Universal Credit (UC), the highest since its 2013 introduction, and a sharp increase from 6.9 million in July 2024. This has largely been driven by…
Students receive A-level, T-level, Btec results
Students across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have received their A-level, T-level, and BTec National results, with top grades once again rising slightly (28.3%, up from 27.8% in 2024). Despite ongoing recovery from…
Essex: council applies for injunction to stop asylum seekers being housed in hotel
Epping Forest District Council has applied for an interim High Court injunction to stop asylum seekers being housed at the Bell Hotel. In recent months hundreds of people have demonstrated outside the hotel,…
England: fourth heatwave increases water crisis
England is facing a deepening water crisis, with five regions officially in drought and six more experiencing prolonged dry conditions - the worst since 1976. Despite brief storms in July, river flows and…
Reeves must raise tax to cover £41bn gap, says thinktank
The Government faces a £41.2 billion shortfall that could force Rachel Reeves to raise taxes this autumn to meet her own borrowing rules, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research…
Channel migrants: ‘no specified number’ to be returned to France
Home secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed there is 'no specified number' of migrants set to be returned under the UK-France 'one in, one out' agreement, now in effect. The scheme enables the UK…
Struggling families need grants for school uniforms
As the back-to-school season approaches, a major debt advice charity is urging the Government to introduce a statutory school uniform grant for England. While families in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland receive support…
No 10 declines to say if Palestine will be recognised
Downing Street has refused to confirm whether the UK will proceed with recognising Palestinian statehood in September if Hamas remains in power or hostages are not released. Keir Starmer previously stated that recognition…
Anglicans decry appointment of lesbian Archbishop of Wales
The election of Bishop Cherry Vann, an openly lesbian cleric, as the next Archbishop of Wales has drawn sharp criticism from senior leaders across the global Anglican community. Vann, currently Bishop of Monmouth…
