Costs of security and removal efforts have reignited debate over whether work is vandalism or valuable public art
Three Banksy artworks have cost taxpayers almost £150,000 in removal efforts, security and other costs, with the bill expected to rise.
The largest bill relates to a mural painted on the Royal Courts of Justice in London in September 2025, where efforts to remove it and provide security have so far cost more than £85,000, according to the BBC.
Continue reading...Delays to sexual assault charges and failures to report past convictions in court hearings gave Simon Levy chance to attack more women
• Violence against women: has anything changed in policing since Sarah Everard’s killing?
Catastrophic errors left a persistent and proven sex offender free before he murdered two women in London, it can be revealed.
On Friday, an Old Bailey jury found Simon Levy, 40, guilty of murdering Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo in March 2025 and Sheryl Wilkins five months later.
Continue reading...Westminster council has recommended banning ‘vertical drinking’ or ordering at the bar in new draft licensing policy
No 10 has vowed to confiscate powers from local councils which try to restrict customers from standing up while drinking in pubs or ordering at the bar.
It comes after the Guardian revealed on Thursday that Westminster council in central London recommended not allowing “vertical drinking” or ordering at the bar in its new draft licensing policy.
Continue reading...Court rules architecture firm not responsible for fatal incident but project managers and engineers found guilty of safety breaches
The architecture firm founded by Norman Foster has been cleared over the death of a man killed by a window that fell 90 metres from a newly constructed London penthouse.
Foster + Partners (F+P), the practice behind some of the world’s most recognisable buildings such as the Gherkin and revamps of the British Museum and Germany’s Reichstag, were not held to be responsible for the death of Mick Ferris, a 53-year-old coach driver, in 2018.
Continue reading...Family update on GoFundMe page says child, who was six when badly injured in 2019 incident, is now back at school
A boy thrown from the viewing balcony in London’s Tate Modern art gallery has a “smile back on his face” after being discharged from hospital, his family have said.
The French youngster, whose name remains undisclosed for privacy reasons, was six when he was badly hurt in an attack by then teenager Jonty Bravery at the London attraction on 4 August 2019.
Continue reading...Senior officer behind closure says SDS caused ‘incalculable harm’ by infiltrating groups that posed no threat
An undercover police unit that spied on tens of thousands of political activists had to be shut down amid severe criticisms and recriminations, the spycops public inquiry has heard.
Jon Boutcher, a senior police officer who took over responsibility for the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) unit, concluded within months that it had to be wound up because it was conducting unjustified surveillance and was badly run.
Continue reading...Alcohol is embedded in profession where long hours, loneliness and lobbying are the norm, report finds
Parliament is “Britain’s last alcohol-soaked workplace” where MPs are offered free drinks as early as midday despite alcohol-related scandals, a report has revealed.
Drinking is commonplace and some MPs have had their stomachs pumped after consuming so much alcohol that they ended up in hospital, one disclosed.
Continue reading...Airport’s bars and restaurants also unable to serve drinks to passengers because of lack of running water
A water supply failure at Gatwick left passengers without access to working toilets or bars and restaurants.
Passengers posted online that they were unable to get hot drinks, wash their hands or fill up water bottles at the airport in Sussex.
Continue reading...Union calls for museum to become accredited London living wage employer and let staff carry water during shifts
Workers at one of the world’s leading art and design museums are balloting for “heatwave” strike action.
The ballot at V&A is taking place because of concerns about soaring temperatures and access to drinking water, along with pay and conditions.
Continue reading...Metropolitan police say officers on marine policing boat are receiving treatment after incident in central London
Five officers have been injured after a police boat struck Westminster Bridge in central London on Friday afternoon.
The Metropolitan police said the incident occurred at about 3.40pm and involved a boat from the marine policing unit.
Continue reading...UK resident was evacuated from Democratic Republic of the Congo where there is an outbreak of the disease
A humanitarian worker is being monitored at a specialist hospital in London after potential exposure to the Ebola virus.
The UK resident was medically evacuated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where the worker had been treating patients with the disease, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
Continue reading...Paul Condon tells inquiry there was ‘appalling behaviour by individual officers’ but that greater fault was systemic
A former Metropolitan police commissioner has admitted that the force failed over decades to properly control a controversial undercover unit that committed “horrendous” abuses, the spycops inquiry has heard.
Paul Condon said he was appalled by the wrongdoing of the unit, which spent 40 years spying on tens of thousands of political activists.
Continue reading...Consortium preparing for potential legal battle amid reports new PM could put the company into temporary public ownership
The group of investors pursuing a rescue bid for Thames Water have said they are willing to discuss greater public control but are also preparing for a potential multi-billion pound legal battle amid reports that Andy Burnham could temporarily nationalise the company.
London & Valley Water (L&VW), a consortium of 100 institutional investors that hold £17bn of the company’s £21bn debt, has said it is open to government involvement with Thames Water, but indicated that this does not include public ownership in the struggling company.
Continue reading...Film fanatics arrive from US, Switzerland and Ireland for midnight premiere of director’s critically acclaimed epic
Odysseus made his name by embarking on a perilous journey from Troy to Ithaca, plus a few unplanned diversions courtesy of the gods. But this is nothing on Christian Campbell, who last night travelled more than 4,000 miles to see the Greek king’s epic fable on the big screen.
The 22-year-old film graduate, who aspires to be an editor, made the journey from Atlanta to London to watch Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey.
Continue reading...Mayor of London backs calls from unions to update health and safety rules in light of more frequent heatwaves
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is backing calls for a maximum workplace temperature as pressure grows on the government to protect workers from the impact of repeated heatwaves across the UK.
The extreme heat has left people struggling to cope as temperatures in some workplaces climb above 40C, causing thousands of schools to close and hospital and transport systems to break down.
Continue reading...George Cottrell’s mother, Fiona, at centre of criminal inquiry over potential evasion of restrictions on donations
Police are investigating donations worth £500,000 made to Reform UK by the mother of a convicted fraudster and ally of Nigel Farage.
The investigation concerns two donations of £250,000 made by Fiona Cottrell, whose son George has often accompanied Farage to Reform events and media appearances. The May 2024 donations are under investigation over whether they were intended to conceal a donation by an impermissible donor.
Continue reading...Judge says evidence indicates attack on Pouria Zeraati outside home was carried out on behalf of Tehran regime
Two Romanians who took part in a “targeted” knife attack on a television journalist in London “on behalf of the Iranian state” have been jailed.
Pouria Zeraati, who worked for the Persian-language channel Iran International, which is critical of the Tehran regime, was left bleeding in the street after being stabbed three times outside his home in Wimbledon.
Continue reading...Only 330 car club vehicles available for rent after big provider left British market, data reveals
The number of car club vehicles in London has fallen by a “catastrophic” 89% since Zipcar ended its service in late 2025, with former users being pushed to consider buying or leasing.
Car clubs allow drivers to use vehicles parked around a city, using apps to book and unlock them. Zipcar dominated London’s car club market before the US company’s shock decision to pull out in December 2025. That left a gap that has yet to be filled for Londoners without a car.
Continue reading...IOPC confirms complaints from three survivors of alleged sexual misconduct by late Harrods owner in addition to ongoing investigation
Survivors of abuse at the hands of the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have complained to a watchdog about how the Metropolitan police handled allegations.
More than 400 claims of sexual misconduct have been made against Al Fayed, including rape and human trafficking, dating between 1977 and 2014.
Continue reading...Suspect held after five people injured, including three who were taken to hospital, in Ealing on Saturday afternoon
A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a vehicle hit multiple pedestrians on a busy London road before driving away, police have said.
Five people were injured, including three who were later taken to hospital, during the incident in Ealing Broadway, Ealing, west London, at about 2.30pm on Saturday.
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