UK News

Rachel Reeves has squeezed the welfare budget further and boosted defence spending in a Spring Statement aimed at kick-starting the faltering economy. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) – the government’s financial watchdog – halved its growth forecast for this year to 1%. The chancellor blamed global instability, arguing that the world was “changing before our eyes” and promising a ...

There is no evidence to suggest the substation fire that shut down Heathrow airport was suspicious, police say. The fire, which broke out in Hayes on Friday, resulted in the closure of Britain’s busiest airport for a day. Counter-terrorism officers were briefly drafted in to investigate. However, the Metropolitan Police said on Tuesday that the incident was no longer being ...

The lives of British servicemen and women have not been put at risk by a major security breach in the United States, the UK armed forces minister has told MPs. Luke Pollard said he had “high confidence” that British operational security remains “intact”. It comes after after a US journalist was inadvertently added to a secret group chat where senior ...

A lawyer investigating former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe has found “credible evidence” he and his staff mistreated two female team members in ways that “seem to amount to harassment”. Jacqueline Perry KC, employed by Reform to investigate after complaints were raised in February, found evidence of “victimisation, constant criticisms and discriminatory behaviour”. Parliamentary officials have launched a separate bullying ...

The government will end a contract with a provider of hotel places for asylum seekers after an audit identified concerns about the firm’s performance. Stay Belvedere Hotels (SBHL) provides around a quarter of Home Office asylum accommodation in 51 hotels in England and Wales. It also operates Napier Barracks in Kent, which houses people awaiting asylum decisions and is due ...