British Isles
Rachel Reeves' 'mansion tax' plan
Reports suggest Chancellor Rachel Reeves may extend capital gains tax (CGT) to primary residences above a set threshold, sparking debate over a potential 'mansion tax’. Currently, homeowners pay no CGT when selling their…
UK signs deal with Iraq to speed up migrant returns
The Government has signed a new agreement with Iraq to accelerate the return of migrants who have no legal right to remain. Home office minister Dan Jarvis finalised the deal with Iraq’s deputy…
Former CofE priest found guilty of 17 indecent assaults
Chris Brain, a former CofE priest and founder of the Nine O’Clock Service (NOS), has been convicted of 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women. The NOS, active between 1986 and 1995,…
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…
