‘We fought for a tougher sentence’: victims’ families’ fury over early release scheme
When Calvin Buckley, whose pregnant partner was killed by a dangerous driver in 2023, secured a tougher sentence for the man who took her life, he felt some justice had…
Labour members ‘have tougher view on welfare than you might think’, poll suggests
Andy Burnham has inherited a Labour membership that is sceptical about increased welfare spending, supportive of higher defence spending, and ranks the climate crisis as one of the country’s biggest…
Bank battle: history suggests Burnham faces fight if he opts for windfall tax
It has been a stellar week for UK banks. Fuelled by high interest rates and market turbulence rippling out from the US war on Iran, major lenders have revealed soaring…
Calls to ban disposable barbecues in England and Wales over wildfire risk
Farmers and landowners are calling for a temporary ban on disposable barbecues in England and Wales, as they warn of the risk of igniting wildfires. The call, which has also…
MI6 is top European foreign intelligence service, peer review finds
MI6 has been ranked as the most powerful foreign intelligence service in Europe ahead of France and the Netherlands, according to a peer review. The British intelligence agency scored 251…
Government contracts to require job creation instead of green targets under new rules
Ministers will scrap the requirement for companies to prove their green and progressive values before they are awarded government contracts, and instead ask firms to prove they will help young…
Charity Commission to investigate donations to illegal Israeli settlements
An official investigation has been launched into charities in England and Wales donating funds to illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine. The Charity Commission will aim to establish the amount of…
Calls to ban ‘toxic’ pet flea treatments that harm UK wildlife and environment
Over-the-counter flea treatment for cats and dogs should be banned as millions of hazardous chemicals are unnecessarily applied to UK pets each year, a parliamentary report has concluded. Cats and…
Palantir paid just £2m corporation tax in UK in 2024 despite lucrative public sector contracts
The software group Palantir paid just £2m in corporation tax in the UK in 2024, despite holding public sector contracts worth hundreds of millions, thanks to tax breaks that are…
Women must not feel pressure to have ‘ideal birth’, says Yvette Cooper
Women should not feel pressurised into experiencing an “ideal birth”, the new health secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said, promising a root-and-branch reform of standards after several damning maternity scandals. Cooper,…