Author: UK News

Ireland ranks highest of 14 EU countries for education but lowest for logistics capacity Ireland ranks highest of 14 EU countries for quality education but lags behind in affordable energy, clean water, climate action, innovation, infrastructure, and gender equality, a report on UN Sustainable Development Goals reveals.Social Justice Ireland published the Sustainable Progress Index 2025 on Thursday. The index ranks 14 comparable EU countries on three dimensions: economy, society and environment. The overall Sustainable Progress Index, which includes all 17 goals set out by the UN, concludes that Ireland is in ninth place out of the 14 countries.Ireland ranks in…

A fire that tore through a luxury London hotel set to host a star-studded Bafta party was caused by wood falling from a pizza oven. Firefighters at the scene of the Chiltern Firehouse blaze on Friday and early saturday morning. How did the fire start at Chiltern Firehouse hotel The blaze broke out at the Chiltern Firehouse in Chiltern Street, Marylebone on Valentine’s Day and caused substantial damage. It spread via the ducting, damaging parts of the ground floor and half of the second floor and destroying the third floor and roof, London Fire Brigade said. Around 100 people were…

The richest donate smaller proportion to charity than average working person. Research found British millionaires donating just 1% could boost the sector by £12 billion. The UK’s most popular cause was animal welfare which was more popular than starving children in Africa. Richest donate smaller proportion to charity than average person The comparison has been made by dividing the high net worth individuals and average payers by tax brackets. But a small caveat needs to added for those who have become property millionaires, due to the location of their family homes, which does not infer the same amount of disposable income.…

Chancellor summons City bosses to No 11 for infrastructure task force relaunch. Rachel Reeves met senior City figures on Friday to discuss funding of national investment projects. The chancellor summoned City bosses to Downing Street on Friday for the first post-election meeting of Labour’s British infrastructure “taskforce”, as the government hopes to steer more private cash towards a string of national investment projects. Chancellor summons City bosses to No 11 This shows what is important to the Chancellor, to keep the city of London on her side. WTX News Yvonne Ridley, said “Reeves should set up a taskforce of poor…

Met apology felt like a slap in the face by racist Met Police who showed no respect for the dead. Previously when they were tasked to the same situation, but with white women, the forensic officers showed more dignity. Former Met constables Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis were jailed for sharing photos of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry’s bodies. Former Met commissioner Dame Cressida Dick issued a public apology in 2021 on behalf of the force to the family. The Met Police get a free ride hiding behind the badge Asked what her response to that apology was, Ms Smallman…

Starmer pledges up to £2.5bn to help UK steel industry after Trump’s tariffs threat but is hoping that the UK will be exempt. Keir Starmer is making arrangements domestically to protect the British steel industry following a capitulation in US-UK relations. Since the inauguration of President Donald Trump Starmer has been on the backfoot. Keir Starmer has been urged to spell out plan to fight Trump’s tariff trade war, especially by the opposition who are taking this opportunity to align themselves with Trump’s agenda. Starmer pledges up to £2.5bn to help UK steel industry US president announced a worldwide 25…

Pubs are set to come under further pressure when a raft of cost increases linked to the October Budget. The number of pubs that closed in 2024 has increased from 2023 and the opposition has linked to the October budget, but the real reason stems form breweries hiking up prices and not evolving with the times. Simultaneously, the cost of living crisis continues to squeeze household budgets, impacting consumer spending and leaving less disposable income for pub visits. The BBPA stresses the need for government support to help pubs navigate these difficult trading conditions and ensure their survival as vital…

A man has died after actively resisting against police in South London. Met Police were called to the scene of the incident in High Street, South Norwood and confirmed the death. A man has died after ‘actively resisting’ against police during an incident involving a child being assaulted in south London. Officers were called to a home on High Street, South Norwood, to reports of a youngster in danger. Inside the property was the 45-year-old man who was suffering a medical emergency. Metropolitan Police said in a statement The Metropolitan Police said in a statement he was ‘very agitated’ and…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to the United Arab Emirates to an Emirati official and honour guard late on Sunday as momentum grows for war peace talks ending Moscow’s war on the country. This follows the US President Donald Trump last week suggested he would be meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia. The UAE has been floated as a possible site for peace talks as well given the large population of Russian and Ukrainian expatriates who have flooded the country since the war began, and due to the Emirates’ work on prisoner exchanges in the past. ‘Peace that…

Helping firms navigate the future of work Background: Providing work-based solutions and AI-driven services assisting organisations to adapt to the changing world of work.Kevin Empey’s work involves creating tailored and future-fit workforce solutions designed to attract and retain talent, and maintain employee engagement and productivity, while also helping to build adaptive organisation and employment models for the future. “My role in Lockton is to support our clients address the key people challenges they face in a rapidly changing workplace,” he explains. “All our work is about improving cost-effectiveness and resolving immediate people challenges today while also ensuring any solutions are helping…

There’s a bunch of Labour MPs who could lose their seats because of the proposed tractor tax and most of them won by narrow margins. The Labour constituencies most unhappy about the ‘tractor tax’ – and the MPs who could lose their seats in the next general election. Analysis of a petition against plans to change rules on inheritance tax for farmers shows the Labour-held rural seats where resentment over the proposal is highest. Labour MPs who could lose their seats The Labour constituencies most unhappy about the ‘tractor tax’ – and the MPs who could lose their seats is…

Starmer set to sidestep EU’s tariff war with US The Times says Britain is not expected to join the EU in responding with retaliatory tariffs. The paper says the government is hoping to negotiate an opt-out from the proposed 25 per cent tariffs, which UK Steel described as ‘devastating for the industry’. The Times also reports a second Labour MP has been suspended in relation to the ‘abusive’ text messages. The paper says Oliver Ryan, MP for Burnley was a member of a chat group with the sacked health minister Andrew Gwynne, who posted antisemitic and sexist remarks.

Ceasefire in peril as Hamas halts hostage releases The Independent lends further coverage of the story on its front page. The paper says Hamas is blaming delays in returning Palestinians to northern Gaza as the reason for a halt in freeing the hostages. The paper says Hamas has accused Israel of not allowing aid into the area – as part of the ceasefire agreement. The farmer’s protest in London is pictured on the front page.

Court signoff in assisted dying bill to be scrapped The Guardian reports MPs are considering scrapping the requirement for a high court judge to decide on assisted dying cases, with an expert panel to scrutinise decisions instead. There are concerns this could be a watering down of the safeguards contained in the legislation. King Charles is pictured with Angela Rayner giving her a tour of a housing project in Cornwall.

PM backs campaign: Keir – We must save pubs The Mirror’s lead reports that the prime minister is backing their campaign to save British pubs from closure. Keir Starmer has hailed the importance of Britain’s pubs and revealed that he sometimes slips out of No10 to go to his old local. The front page reports on a spat between Taylor Swift and Donald Trump after she was booed at the Super Bowl whilst the president was cheered by the crowd.

Labour MP’s woke lunacy – It’s okay to identify as a Llama The Sun has a jovial take on the latest Labour news, reporting the party’s new health minister reportedly said it’s okay for people to identify as a llama. The paper says Labour has now stumbled into a “fresh wokery row”, because of Andrew Gwynne’s replacement as health minister, Ashley Dalton’s comments. Taylor Swift is pictured on the front page along with a report she’s had a bad year.

Tuesday’s front pages lead with a range of headlines centred around UK politics. There’s ongoing coverage of the WhatsApp group scandal after a second Labour MP was suspended for the vile messages in the chat. A handful of newspapers carry an image of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner walking with King Charles as he gave a tour of his housing project in Cornwall.

Several papers feature standalone domestic stories, with little room on the front pages to cover international news.

Only two of the major UK newspapers cover the breakdown in the Gaza ceasefire on the front pages, and there’s only a sprinkle of coverage of the US steel tariffs.

The back pages also cover a variety of stories, with several papers looking ahead at the Manchester City vs Real Madrid Champions League match tonight and there’s coverage of last night’s FA Cup action.

Large convoys of tractors and tanks filled the streets of Westminster in the latest protest against new inheritance tax rules for farmers. ‘If the farmers continue, they’ll win’: Hundreds of tractors descend on Westminster in latest tax protest Large convoys of tractors and tanks filled the streets of Westminster in the latest protest against new inheritance tax rules for farmers. Monday’s rally, organised by Save British Farming, comes as MPs debate an e-petition with more than 150,000 signatures calling to keep the current inheritance tax exemptions for working farms. Politicians including former home secretary James Cleverly and Reform MP Richard…

US President Donald Trump will host Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday as he escalates pressure on the Arab nation to take in refugees from Gaza as part of his audacious plan to remake the Middle East. The visit is happening at a perilous moment for the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza as Hamas, accusing Israel of violating the truce, has said it is pausing future releases of hostages. Mr Trump has called for Israel to resume fighting if all those remaining in captivity are not freed by this weekend. Mr Trump has proposed the US take…

An insect specialist said the mansion had ‘an infestation of extreme proportions’ Billionaire wins right to hand back moth-infested £32.5m Notting Hill mansion A wealthy couple have won the right to hand back to the seller a £32.5m Notting Hill mansion they bought after it turned out to be “infested by millions of moths”. High-end property developer William Woodward-Fisher had given “false” answers about the state of the property and failed “honestly to disclose” the “serious infestation” of moths, a High Court judge has found. Iya Patarkatsishvili – the daughter of a Georgian multibillionaire – bought the sumptuous Horbury Villa…

Childcare costs in the UK already make up 19 per cent of average income, but national insurance contributions will drive nursery fees even higher, finds industry group UK among top five most expensive countries for childcare – as nursery fees set to rise again The government’s hike in employer national insurance contributions (NICs) has left 96 per cent of nurseries planning to increasing fees, while UK parents already face some of the highest childcare costs in the world. According to a survey of 728 nurseries nationwide by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), one in six estimate that they will…

Kim Leadbeater suggests allowing psychiatrists and social workers to approve applications under new amendments High Court sign-off for assisted dying to be scrapped in new bill Psychiatrists and social workers would be involved in approving assisted dying applications under proposals aimed at beefing up safeguards under the new law. Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP behind the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, is expected to bring forward amendments for a so-called “judge plus” system, after hearing concerns during expert evidence sessions last month. A group of 23 MPs is preparing to undertake line-by-line scrutiny of the proposed legislation from…

Childcare providers have been hit by rise in employers’ national insurance announced by the Labour chancellor in the Budget Parents to be hit by 10% nursery fee rise in wake of Rachel Reeves’s tax hikes Parents face a significant financial hit with nursery fees set to soar by 10 per cent in the wake of Rachel Reeves’s controversial tax hikes on employers, a major new survey has found. They could also find themselves struggling to find a place for their child, with one in seven nursery businesses – and the government’s flagship expansion of free childcare places – now at…

Brexit divisions among farmers are endangering fight against Reeves’ tractor tax Anybody in Westminster on Monday watching the battalions of tractors being driven down Whitehall and around parliament square on end would be in no doubt about the strength of feeling in rural communities on the changes to inheritance tax. While the blaring horns gave politicians (and journalists) in the Palace of Westminster a headache for most of the day, the image on display was one of farmers and their supporters united in common cause – just as they had been in the previous two mass protests in Westminster. But the truth behind the…

James Howells’ former partner mistakenly dumped the hard drive in 2013 Man wants to buy landfill he believes his lost bitcoin fortune is buried in  A computer engineer who believes his Bitcoin hard drive worth nearly £600m is buried in a landfill is now considering buying the entire site to find it. James Howells says his former partner had mistakenly dumped the hard drive in 2013, only for it to increase in value to be now worth an estimated £598m. He has battled for a decade to recover the cryptocurrency from the landfill in Newport, Wales. But last month a…