UK

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorThe boss of a major housing giant has warned ministers of the real cost of achieving their ambitious housing targets. Rob Perrins, the chief executive of Berkeley Group, said his organisation welcomed the government’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes in five years. But in an article for The Independent he said the “rub” was “the cost. And, in one word, what our country needs is investment”.He also warned that charging homebuilders up to £75,000 for every flat they build was not part of the solution.Ministers want 1.5 million new homes in five years (Gareth Fuller/PA) More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorMembers of Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet have had housing targets in their constituencies slashed, despite a government push to build hundreds of thousands of new homes across the UK.Announcing new targets for housebuilding, deputy prime minister Angela Rayner this week told MPs that “we must all play our part” in the plan to build more homes.She unveiled a major overhaul of the planning system last week, which will see all councils in England given mandatory housing targets as part of a plan to deliver 1.5 million more homes in the UK.Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has set out an overhaul of planning rules (Andy Buchanan/PA) More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorKeir Starmer is being pressed by cyber experts to urgently prioritise new legislation to protect the UK from attacks and catastrophic system failures.A report by the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) has listed a series of recommendations after the last month saw more concerns about Russian cyber attacks on the UK linked to misinformation about the Southport attack, and a major outage taking down aeroplanes, trains, hospitals, broadcasters and scores of companies.The government has listed the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill in the King’s speech but there are fears that it is not enough of a priority.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer answers questions during a press conference in Downing Street (Henry Nicholls/PA) More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorBBC bosses have been put on notice by the new culture secretary Lisa Nandy regarding failures in dealing with disgraced presenter Huw Edwards.Ms Nandy met with BBC executives on Thursday night to discuss “serious concerns” about the way the corporation handled the investigation into Edwards, alleged complaints and warnings made about him, and a £40,000 pay rise given to him while he was off work being investigated.The former news presenter who also narrated major events like the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, has pleaded guilty to three counts of serious crimes involving indecent images of children.Huw Edwards arriving at Westminster Magistrates’ Court More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorThe prime minister has put police forces in Britain on a national footing to prepare for what many fear could be a summer of riots and violence by the far right.Sir Keir Starmer today announced that police forces would be sharing resources and intelligence with national teams following known far-right activists around the country.He also issued a veiled threat to social media giants that continuing to platform misinformation and criminality is against the law and would have consequences.Keir Starmer answers questions on the scenes in Southport during a press conference in Downing Street on Thursday More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorWatch as Sir Keir Starmer holds an emergency press conference at No 10 after vowing “action will be taken” following “violent disorder” in parts of England in the wake of the Southport stabbings.The prime minister summoned police chiefs to Downing Street on Thursday afternoon (1 August) following scenes of unrest in London, Hartlepool and Manchester overnight, while a demonstration in Aldershot saw a tense stand-off with riot police.At the meeting, he told the senior officers: “I wanted to send a message to each of you and, through you, your officers to say that this government supports the police, supports what you are doing, and to be absolutely clear: This is not protest, this is violent disorder and action will be taken.“This Government will make sure you have got the powers you need and will back you in using those powers.”Home secretary Yvette Cooper and Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood also attended the meeting with at least a dozen police bosses.Merseyside Police chief constable Serena Kennedy told the meeting by videolink that the force is “determined to get justice” for the deadly attack on Monday, and to identify all those who took part in rioting on Tuesday in the seaside town.In London, more than 100 people were arrested after protesters in Whitehall launched beer cans and glass bottles at police and threw flares at the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square. More

Rachel Reeves admits taxes will rise in first BudgetSupport trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorThe Bank of England has cut interest rates for the first time since 2020 as inflation continues to remain steady, holding at their two percent target for two consecutive months.Bank Rate is currently 5.25per cent, a 16-year high where it has been pegged for the last year to fight inflation, but it has now been set at five percent, a drop of 0.25 percentage points. Governor Andrew Bailey said the move comes after inflation pressures “eased enough that we’ve been able to cut interest rates today”.The decision will come as joy for homeowners who have been struggling with rising mortgage payments as major banks have confirmed rates could go down as low as three per cent. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has welcomed the move but warned “millions of families are still facing higher mortgage rates after the mini-budget”.Show latest update 1722523845Cabinet Office ‘calls in’ Czech billionaire’s £3.57bn Royal Mail takeoverCzech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s £3.57 billion takeover deal for the owner of Royal Mail has been called in by the UK government under security rules.International Distribution Services, the parent company of Royal Mail, agreed a takeover deal by Mr Kretinsky’s EP Group in May.The PA news agency understands that the Cabinet Office has now launched a review process into the bid under the National Security and Investment (NSI) act.Mr Kretinsky’s EP Group and the Cabinet Office declined to comment.The process will assess whether the sale to Mr Kretinsky, who is already IDS’s largest shareholder, could affect the UK’s economic infrastructure or pose a security risk.The BBC reported that government officials will particularly look into links to Russia, with the billionaire investor owning stake in a major gas pipeline from Russia to Europe.Government officials could block a deal or ask for specific commitments from the suitor if the review raises major concerns.The review process is expected to take up to two months.Sources close to the process told PA that a review under the NSI act is “not a surprise”, with the government taking a similar process when Mr Kretinsky increased his shareholding in Royal Mail’s owner to 27.5 per cent in 2022.Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky More