Gordon Brown has called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to hike gambling taxes so she can lift benefit restrictions at her autumn Budget. The former Labour prime minister and chancellor told the BBC Britain was facing a “social crisis” with a growing need to take children out of poverty. Hiking taxes on the “undertaxed” gambling industry…
David Deans Political reporter, BBC Wales News Matthew Horwood/Getty Images Rachel Reeves: “We already spend more per head in Wales than we do in England” The chancellor has defended the way the UK government funds Wales despite calls within her own party for changes. Welsh Labour Party members voted in June for reform of the…
Paul Seddon & Chris Graham BBC News Watch: See where China plans to put its controversial mega-embassy Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has given China two weeks to explain why parts of its plans for a new mega-embassy in London have been blanked out. Beijing’s plans for the sprawling new embassy have sparked fears its…
Dearbail Jordan Business reporter, BBC News EPA The Bank of England has cut interest rates to 4%, taking the cost of borrowing to the lowest level for more than two years. The cut, from the previous rate of 4.25%, is the fifth since August last year, but was only narrowly backed by the Bank’s policymakers…
The BBC’s Damian Grammaticas explains the controversy surrounding China’s mega-embassy plan. Beijing’s plans for the sprawling new embassy have sparked fears its location – near London’s financial district – could pose an espionage risk. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has now given China two weeks to explain certain aspects of their plans.
Getty Images Rushanara Ali has resigned as homelessness minister, Downing Street has confirmed. The move comes after she was accused of hypocrisy over the way she handled rent increases on a house she owns in east London. There were calls for her to step down from homelessness charities and opposition politicians. In a letter to…
Nick Eardley Political correspondent Getty Images A UK Border Force vessel brought migrants into Dover port on Wednesday after intercepting a crossing in the channel Several dozen migrants have been detained and could be returned to France within weeks, a government source has told the BBC. Earlier Home Secretary Yvette Cooper declined to say how…
Restrictions on serious sexual and violent criminals forcing them stay in specific areas are being planned by the government. Offenders would be limited to a geographical zone, policed by tougher monitoring and enhanced tagging, under legislation being drawn up. While exclusion zones are already used in licence restrictions as somewhere an offender cannot go, the…
PA Media Four crew and 25 passengers were killed when the helicopter crashed in June 1994 Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has rejected calls for a judge-led inquiry into an RAF Chinook helicopter crash in 1994. Four crew and 25 passengers were killed when the helicopter, carrying senior security personnel from RAF Aldergrove in Northern…
Alex McIntyre BBC News, West Midlands Jen Aitken BBC Stoke and Staffordshire political reporter Reform UK Ian Cooper, leader of Staffordshire County Council, was chosen as the authority’s leader in May The leader of a Reform UK-led council says the party needs to prove it’s competent enough to run local authorities. Ian Cooper, leader of…
