The mayor of Lincolnshire is considering scrapping English lessons for foreign nationals. Dame Andrea Jenkyns said the £1m budget should be used on a “scheme which focuses on literacy and numeracy to upskill everybody”. Funding is currently controlled by the Department for Education, but is to be transferred to the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority … Read more
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has acknowledged she is considering tax rises and spending cuts ahead of her autumn Budget on 26 November. Before the 2024 general election, Labour promised not to increase income tax, National Insurance or VAT for working people. But the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) says she will “almost certainly” have to raise … Read more
Paul SeddonPolitical reporter PA Media Stephen Parkinson has been criticial of Sir Keir Starmer’s time as head of the CPS The director of public prosecutions is facing mounting pressure to further explain the collapse of a case against two men accused of spying for China. MPs are demanding Stephen Parkinson give a “fuller explanation” of … Read more
Phil SimScotland political correspondent Getty Images At first glance, the Scottish government declining to take a position on something isn’t hugely exciting. But the determination of ministers to stay out of the debate about the Rosebank oil field has been welcomed by business groups in Aberdeen. Norwegian oil giant Equinor has submitted a fresh application … Read more
Sam FrancisPolitical reporter EPA Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says Britain should shoot down Russian jets if they enter Nato airspace, as he hit back at claims he admired Vladimir Putin. Speaking to Bloomberg news, Farage said he would send British troops to Ukraine as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force if he became … Read more
Two men have pleaded not guilty to plotting a series of arson attacks at properties connected to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Ukrainian nationals Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and Petro Pochynok, 35, were accused of targeting two properties and a car linked to the PM, along with Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27. The men appeared … Read more
Dominic CascianiHome and legal correspondent REUTERS/Jack Taylor Showing support for Palestine Action has been a criminal offence since the government banned the group under terrorism laws in July The government has failed in its attempt to block a challenge against its decision to ban Palestine Action under terrorism laws. In a highly significant ruling, the … Read more
Paul SeddonPolitical reporter and Damian GrammaticasPolitical correspondent Shutterstock China has warned the UK of “consequences” amid an escalating row over its delayed application to build a mega-embassy in London. It comes after the government confirmed it had pushed back a decision on the controversial site for a second time, to 10 December. On Friday, Beijing’s … Read more
The Liberal Democrats’ leader Sir Ed Davey called for Thames Water to be put into special administration as he met one of his party’s MPs and a local councillor to build a raft. Sir Ed visited Dinton Pastures Country Park in Berkshire with Wokingham MP Clive Jones and Wokingham Council’s executive member for the environment … Read more
The Liberal Democrats’ leader Sir Ed Davey called for Thames Water to be put into special administration as he met one of his party’s MPs and a local councillor to build a raft. Sir Ed visited Dinton Pastures Country Park in Berkshire with Wokingham MP Clive Jones and Wokingham Council’s executive member for the environment … Read more