- 2d ago
Burnham seeks Chagos progress by year end and may delay his 10-year plan
Downing Street wants progress on handing the Chagos Islands to Mauritius by the end of 2026, while Andy Burnham says his 10-year plan for Britain could slip to next year.
- 2d ago
Study argues Iron Age ruler Verica, central to Rome's invasion of Britain, was a woman
Miles Russell, who led the Bournemouth University research, says the Atrebates ruler was a woman, pointing to the name, the Latin title 'rex' and the imagery on coins.
- 3d ago
British Ebola patient flown from Congo to London's Royal Free Hospital
The UK government said a British man infected with Ebola in Congo will be flown home for treatment. Figures reported on 5 November put the outbreak at 10,600 infections, with more than 5,100 deaths across 67 health zones.
- 3d ago
UK Supreme Court hears Palestine Action appeal as protesters are arrested outside
Huda Ammori argued before five justices that the terrorism proscription of Palestine Action breaches free speech and protest rights. Police arrested protesters outside the court on the first day of the hearing.
- 4d ago
UK agrees to time-bound talks on slave trade harms as Burnham floats apology
Andy Burnham's openness to a formal apology and a structured dialogue eased tensions at the Commonwealth summit in Antigua, where leaders welcomed the UK's agreement to talks on the harms of the transatlantic slave trade.
- 4d ago
Asda appoints former Morrisons boss David Potts as chief executive to turn round sales
Potts, 69, joined the Leeds-based supermarket with immediate effect on Tuesday, succeeding Allan Leighton, who moves to non-executive chair. Asda's sales and market share are still slipping despite early signs of recovery.
- 4d ago
EU and UK near trade deal to scrap most food border checks before 20 November summit
A draft joint statement for the 20 November EU-UK summit would lift most food border checks, link emissions trading and allow youth work stays of up to three years. The package is not final, and tuition fees remain unresolved.
- 6d ago
UK softens settlement rules, sparing care workers from a 15-year wait
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Monday, 2 November, set out revised settlement rules that double the wait for many migrants but exempt key workers and high earners. Care workers now face five years instead of 15.
- 6d ago
Harriet Dart wins first WTA title at Guangzhou Open, beating Lilli Tagger from a set down
Britain's Harriet Dart beat 18-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the Guangzhou Open final, her first title on the WTA Tour. The win lifted her back into the world top 100.
- Oct 31
King Charles calls slave trade a monstrous injustice but offers no apology at Commonwealth summit
Opening the Commonwealth leaders' meeting in Antigua and Barbuda on Tuesday, 3 November, King Charles III called the transatlantic slave trade a monstrous injustice. Prime Minister Andy Burnham ruled out reparations but offered talks on a possible formal apology.
- Oct 30
Taoiseach to set up government body studying options for Irish unity, Sinn Féin and SDLP welcome plan
Taoiseach Micheál Martin plans a government body to research the island's constitutional future, including a united Ireland, with proposals due before Christmas. Sinn Féin and the SDLP have welcomed the plan.
- Oct 28
Healey's first Budget taxes banks and wind farms, scraps gas standing charge
Chancellor John Healey's first Budget also scraps the gas standing charge and lets London borrow at least £10bn for infrastructure, according to City Hall and Treasury calculations.
- Oct 27
UK shoppers stock up on tinned food and radios after government preparedness call
Retailers including Iceland, Maplin and Robert Dyas report sharp rises in tinned food, radios and torches after the Be Ready campaign urged households to keep three days of supplies.
- Oct 27
King Charles dances in Bahamas as reparations calls shadow Caribbean tour
The King joined a Junkanoo parade in Nassau on Wednesday, 28 October, on the second day of his nine-day Caribbean tour, while a small group of protesters pressed for reparations for slavery.
- Oct 27
Two British men charged over suspected Iran-backed plot at RAF Fairford
Prosecutors charged Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim with assisting a foreign intelligence service, which police believe is Iran, and Nouman Essghir with entering a prohibited place. Both are 24.
- Oct 25
British and French paratroopers drop over Germany in 2,500-troop Rhino Titan drill
Exercise Rhino Titan, a seven-week wargame at the Sennelager training centre in Germany, involved about 2,500 troops, including 600 British and French paratroopers dropped from four RAF transport aircraft.
- Oct 25
Burnham rules out EU rejoining in this Parliament but calls for honest debate on free movement
Burnham says the current Brexit deal is not good enough and wants an honest debate on free movement, but no EU return or early election is planned in this Parliament.
- Oct 23
Burnham approves Jackdaw gas field as Trump praises UK North Sea drilling
The UK government has approved gas production from the Jackdaw field in the North Sea, and Donald Trump has praised Prime Minister Andy Burnham for it. First gas is expected before the end of October 2026, while the same Friday phone call also covered Ukraine's access to Starlink.
- Oct 22
UK Gun Hall in Telford restarts tank barrel production after 20 years
Rheinmetall UK has begun making barrels and breech components for 120 mm and 155 mm weapons at a Telford site, the first large-calibre weapon production on British soil in 20 years.
- Oct 22
Russian trawlers tracked UK undersea cables as MPs flag Royal Navy shortfalls
The Telegraph counted more than 500 incidents of Russian trawlers loitering over or following UK-linked cables, while a Commons committee said the Royal Navy is short of warships and submarines to respond.
