Conservative party leader, who grew up in Nigeria and US, says she has not renewed her Nigerian passport in decades
Kemi Badenoch has said she no longer considers herself Nigerian and does not possess a Nigerian passport.
The Conservative party leader, who was born in London, but grew up in Nigeria and the US and did not return to the UK until she was 16, said she had not renewed her Nigerian passport in two decades.
Continue reading...Yellow weather warning for wind in Scotland, Northern Ireland, north Wales and north of England from 6am
Storm Floris is forecast to bring unseasonably strong winds to the UK on Monday, the Met Office has said.
The strongest winds are expected during the afternoon and night across Scotland, with gusts of up to 85mph possible on exposed coasts and hills.
Continue reading...Minister says programme will help ensure Whitehall has ‘broadest range of talent and truly reflects the country’
A new civil service internship scheme will be open only to working-class students as part of a drive to make Whitehall better reflect the country, the government has said.
The programme will give students from lower-income backgrounds the chance to apply for paid government placements. The definition of working class will be based on what jobs were held by their parents when the applicant was 14 and replaces an existing programme open to all.
Continue reading...Bishop of Fulham says sorry for offence caused when he told singers to leave for making ‘terrible racket’
A bishop who went on stage in a dressing gown and shut down a choir for making a “terrible racket” has apologised for the “distress and offence” he caused.
Last Friday, Jonathan Baker, the bishop of Fulham, told a room of about 360 people, including the City Academy Voices choir, to leave St Andrew church in Holborn, central London, as they neared the end of their special summer concert.
Continue reading...Elon Musk’s social media platform says lawmakers made a ‘conscientious decision’ to increase censorship
Elon Musk’s X platform has said the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) is at risk of “seriously infringing” free speech as a row deepens over measures for protecting children from harmful content.
The social media company said the act’s “laudable” intentions were being overshadowed by its aggressive implementation by the communications watchdog, Ofcom.
Continue reading...IOPC also investigating Chris Noble over allegations he shared confidential information without policing purpose
A police chief has been suspended after serious concerns were raised about his behaviour outside of work.
The Staffordshire police chief constable, Chris Noble, who denies any wrongdoing, is under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for the matters, which predate his employment with the force.
Continue reading...Delroy Walker’s relatives say they were initially told ‘your brother’s not British, or not British enough’ to receive help
The family of a “generous and loving” British man who was murdered in Jamaica are demanding answers over the British government’s “indifferent” response after the tragedy.
Delroy Walker, from Birmingham, was stabbed to death weeks after retiring to the Caribbean island where he was building his dream home. The 63-year-old charity worker was murdered by a “jealous” tradesman he employed to help decorate the property in preparation for a family visit in summer 2018.
Continue reading...Stephenson to take over at equality watchdog even though committees raised concerns about breadth of experience
Mary-Ann Stephenson has been confirmed as the new chair of the equalities watchdog, after the government overruled the objections of parliament’s equalities committee over her suitability for the job.
Stephenson, the chair of the Women’s Budget Group, will take on the role at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in December. It includes responsibility for implementing guidance about transgender rights after the supreme court judgment on the definition of a woman.
Continue reading...Freed British-Israeli accuses PM of ‘moral failure’ over move to recognise Palestine at UN unless Israel changes course
Keir Starmer has said he is listening to hostages taken by Hamas but still intends to recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel commits to a ceasefire and two-state solution.
The prime minister said he had spoken to the freed British-Israeli Emily Damari, held hostage by Hamas for 471 days, after she accused him of “moral failure” over the move to recognise Palestine as a state in September at the UN.
Continue reading...Royal College of Nursing urges ministers to improve 3.6% offer to avoid industrial action ballot later this year
Nine out of 10 nurses have rejected a 3.6% pay award for this year and warned they could strike later this year unless their salaries are improved.
In an indicative vote among members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 91% said the 3.6% rise was not enough.
Continue reading...Working first with his wife Janet, and later with illustrators including Raymond Briggs and Bruce Ingman, he wrote more than 150 books
Author Allan Ahlberg, who delighted generations of children with colourful characters and nimble rhymes, has died aged 87.
Working with his wife Janet, an award-winning illustrator, Ahlberg produced a host of bestselling nursery classics including Burglar Bill, Peepo!, and Each Peach Pear Plum. After Janet’s death in 1994, he worked with illustrators such as Raymond Briggs and Bruce Ingman, with his career coming full circle in a series of collaborations with his daughter Jessica including Half a Pig and a pop-up set of anarchic variations on the tale of Goldilocks.
Continue reading...As ministers aim to ‘smash’ people-smuggling gangs, milestone passes almost a month earlier than previous record of 2022
The number of people arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats has passed 25,000 faster this year than since records began.
As ministers aim to “smash the gangs” involved in people-smuggling, 898 people made the journey in 13 boats on Wednesday, bringing the total for 2025 so far to 25,436.
Continue reading...Anneliese Dodds urges government not to duck ‘big decisions’ in autumn budget
The Treasury should consider a wealth tax to close the growing gap in the public finances, according to a Labour former shadow chancellor.
Anneliese Dodds, who held the role under Keir Starmer in opposition, said ministers must have a “full and frank discussion” with the public about the “really big decisions” they had to take at this autumn’s budget.
Continue reading...Technology will now be used up to 10 times a week across five days, up from four times a week across two days
Britain’s biggest police force is to more than double its use of live facial recognition to up to 10 deployments a week.
The move by the Metropolitan police comes as it restructures to cover the loss of 1,400 officers and 300 staff amid budget shortages.
Continue reading...Government drive to support small business will include startup loans for 69,000 companies worth £4bn
Keir Starmer has warned businesses who persistently delay payments to their suppliers that it is “time to pay up” as the government prepares to impose fines and penalties on repeat offenders.
In what Labour has billed as the toughest crackdown on late payments in a generation, the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, will say on Thursday that the changes will slash a cost to the economy that has escalated to £11bn a year.
Continue reading...System restored after Nats limited flights due to technical problems that raised fears of repeat of chaos in August 2023
The head of the UK’s air traffic control company is facing calls to resign after the second disruption to flights in two years due to technical problems.
Hundreds of flights were delayed after the air traffic control (ATC) system went down for about 20 minutes on Wednesday.
Continue reading...Retired priest and former magistrate among those held after Palestine Action was banned as a terror organisation
Palestine Action’s co-founder has won a bid to bring a high court challenge over the group’s ban as a terrorist organisation, which has made membership of or support for the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
About 200 people have been arrested on suspicion of publicly protesting in support for PA since it was banned. They include:
Continue reading...Emily Damari was held captive by Hamas for more than 15 months and says decision ‘risks rewarding terror’
A British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for more than 15 months has accused Keir Starmer of “moral failure” after he set the UK on course to recognise a Palestinian state.
Emily Damari, 29, who was released in January, said the prime minister was “not standing on the right side of history” and should be ashamed.
Continue reading...Test is one of only about 200 chalk streams in the world and councillors says biodiversity in and around it has declined
The right of a famous chalk stream, the Test in Hampshire, to flow freely and unpolluted has been officially recognised by politicians.
Councillors on Test Valley borough council voted unanimously to acknowledge “the intrinsic rights” of the rivers within its boundaries including the Test, which is renowned for its trout and fly fishing.
Continue reading...Concerns about chancellor’s involvement in independent process over fintech’s banking licence
The governor of the Bank of England blocked a meeting that Rachel Reeves tried to secure with watchdogs and Revolut, amid concerns the chancellor was meddling in an independent process over the fintech’s UK banking licence.
Andrew Bailey intervened after learning of the plan to bring together representatives from Revolut, the Treasury and the Bank’s regulatory arm, the Prudential Regulation Authority, to discuss the fintech’s ambitions to become a fully authorised UK bank.
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