BBC Protesters described the reopening of the immigration centre as a “terrible step backwards” The Home Office has confirmed the official reopening of an immigration detention facility. The first detainees arrived at Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre, near Kidlington in Oxfordshire, on Wednesday and Thursday. The centre was shut in 2018 after years of problems, including … Read more
BBC Mike Martin, Tunbridge Wells MP, has called for residents to stop abusing South East Water staff “Covid-style” compensation should be made available for businesses affected by water supply issues which led to taps running dry for 24,000 properties, an MP has said. Water had been restored to almost all the households across Kent and … Read more
The government says 60 takeaway-delivery riders found to be working illegally in the UK are facing deportation. The Home Office says the group are among 171 riders arrested over seven days in November in a national “enforcement blitz” in villages, towns and cities across the country. It comes as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has been … Read more
Hayley ClarkeEducation reporter Getty The government has pledged to stop children growing up in B&Bs and to make childcare more accessible for families on Universal Credit as part of its child poverty strategy. The government says the wide-ranging measures will lift around 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030, marking “the biggest reduction in a … Read more
PA Media Reform UK leader Nigel Farage accused the BBC of “double standards” after being asked about racist and antisemitic comments he is alleged to have made as a teenager. In an earlier BBC interview, the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice dismissed the claims from Farage’s former classmates as “made-up twaddle”. Asked if he agreed … Read more
Paul SeddonPolitical reporter Getty Images The government will commit to bringing in enhanced protections against unfair dismissal from the start of 2027, after watering down its plans last week. Labour ministers agreed to introduce the right to make a claim after six months in a job instead of on day one, after a backlash from … Read more
Google Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard the messages sent to Alex Sobel MP were “unpleasant and offensive” A man who sent antisemitic messages to a Labour MP while drunk has been jailed for eight weeks. Kevin Smith, 61, sent voice messages and 300 texts to the constituency office of Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel … Read more
Emer MoreauBusiness reporter Getty Images Construction in November was at its lowest level since the pandemic Activity in the UK’s construction sector shrank last month at the fastest pace since the pandemic, partly due to uncertainty ahead of the Budget, a closely watched survey has indicated. The research from S&P Global said November saw the … Read more
UK MOD Crown HMS Glasgow is the first Type 26 frigate to be built for the Royal Navy The UK and Norway have signed a defence pact that will see them operate a combined fleet to hunt Russian submarines in the North Atlantic. The deal is designed to protect undersea cables – which British officials … Read more
Henry ZeffmanChief Political Correspondent EPA It was the moment which, perhaps more than any, entrenched Sir Keir Starmer’s position as a future leader of the Labour Party. Defying his leader, Jeremy Corbyn, as well as the autocue, the then shadow Brexit secretary sent the 2018 Labour conference into raptures when he called for a second … Read more