UK

The construction of HS2’s physical structures should have been “largely completed” by now under the project’s initial timeline – but it is actually just over halfway there, the project’s chief executive has admitted.HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Wild blamed major delays in the execution of the project on “inefficiency of work” as a result of the decision to start construction work before the finalised design or consents were in place. Giving evidence in front of the Commons Transport Select Committee, HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Wild admitted: “The construction of the civil engineering should have been largely completed by now.“The reality is we’re about 60 per cent complete.”The Department for Transport regards estimates that HS2 could cost up to £80 billion in current prices as ‘unreliable’ (Jonathan Brady/PA) More

The loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum is meant to symbolise the “close and deepening” relationship between the UK and France.But it is also an uncomfortable reminder that small boats crossing the Channel is not a new problem, and it can end up leaving one in the eye for the leader in England.Leaders coming from France have their own agenda, even if the entente is a great deal more cordial now than in the days of William the Conqueror.The impressive speech by President Emmanuel Macron in his second language for more than half an hour to a joint sitting of the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday was full of warm words and a desire, in particular, to unpick Brexit.The Princess of Wales looks on as King Charles and Emmanuel Macron toast at the state banquet More

Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron will hold Downing Street talks on Wednesday amid growing pressure on the prime minister to strike a deal to bring down the number of small boat crossings. The French president arrived on Tuesday for the first state visit by an EU head of state since Brexit.It comes as the UK has been pressing for tougher action from the French authorities on the beaches along the Channel coast.The prime ministeris facing a fight to salvage his much-vaunted “one in, one out” deal with France to return illegal migrants and halt the increasing crossings of small boats across the English Channel.Downing Street has credited Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘reset’ with Europe for bringing about a change in French tactics on small boats More

Emmanuel Macron urged Britain and France “to shoulder the burden of European security” together as he appealed for the two nations to work more closely on issues including defence and the migrant crisis.The French president delivered his remarks as the first European leader to receive a state visit to Britain and address both Houses of Parliament since Brexit was finalised in 2020.In a passionate address, Mr Macron made clear the events that saw the UK leave the EU are in the past, and he hailed Sir Keir Starmer – whom he referred to as “dear Keir” – for his reset of the relations.While he listed the economy, climate change and the immigration crisis as areas for cooperation, he put the need to defend Europe at the top of the agenda.Emmanuel Macron says immigration is a ‘burden’ France and the UK ‘must fix’ in his address to parliament More

Britain is preparing for blackouts similar to those in Spain and Portugal which left tens of millions in the dark and brought much of the Iberian peninsula to a standstill. The government’s newly published resilience action plan revealed ministers are preparing for a “major power outage” and learning lessons from similar crises abroad. The Iberian blackouts “show how everybody across society can contribute to protecting a nation against disruptive events”, the resilience plan said. Blackouts left tens of millions without power on the Iberian peninsula More

Hungary has made virtually no progress in addressing European Union concerns about democratic backsliding over the last year, the EU’s justice commissioner said Tuesday, as he unveiled the bloc’s annual rule of law report.The section on Hungary highlighted concern about party financing, secret surveillance, media pluralism, the excessive use of government emergency powers, as well as pressure put on judges and members of civil society, among other shortcomings.The only positive noted was “significant progress” in increasing the salaries of judges, prosecutors and other legal staff. But even that was done without proper consideration for “European standards on remuneration for the justice system.”“It is deeply disappointing that we’re not in a position to report further progress on the recommendations that have been made last year,” Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath told reporters at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.“We stand ready to take further steps, in relation to Hungary, as necessary,” he said, but did not elaborate on what those measures might involve. The European Commission proposes EU laws and supervises whether they are respected.Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s stridently nationalist government has become a pariah among the 26 other EU member countries. It has consistently sought to veto support to Ukraine, although the rest of the EU has begun to bypass Hungary.For the last decade, tensions have simmered between Orbán and the EU’s powerful executive branch, from his handling of migrants in 2015 to last month’s Budapest Pride event which saw marchers risk possible arrest and heavy fines to take part.In 2022, the European Commission blocked substantial amounts of money out of concern that Orban’s government might put the EU budget at risk.“Approximately 18 billion euros ($21 billion) of loans and grants are not available to Hungary because of rule of law issues. I wish it were otherwise,” McGrath told reporters. More

Doctors who oppose the use of software developed by Palantir in the NHS have “chosen ideology over patient interest”, the UK boss of the tech giant has told MPs.Louis Mosley appeared in front of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on Tuesday as part of its innovation showcase.While there, he also challenged claims that Palantir has a “reputational difficulty” and said it is “very proud” of the work it does in Israel.Palantir was co-founded by billionaire tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel, who was an early backer of US President Donald Trump, and has worked with the US government.It was announced in November 2023 that a group led by Palantir had secured a £330 million contract to provide the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP).The shared software system will aim to make it easier for health and care organisations to work together and provide better services to patients, but Palantir’s involvement sparked concerns about how patient data will be used.When asked by MPs about how the company protects patient privacy, and if data would be processed outside of the UK, or be accessible by any foreign government, Mr Mosley said: “The critical thing to bear in mind about the way our software works and the way it’s deployed in the NHS, is that the data controllers – so those organisations that have that legal responsibility, in the NHS those are trusts, typically – they maintain control over their data.“So each of them gets their own instance of our software, and they control who has access to it, they control what data is integrated into it, and they, in effect, implement and enforce the data protection policies that they deem appropriate.”He also emphasised Palantir does not “derive any economic benefit from the data, the data belongs to the customer”.Mr Mosley claimed that medics who oppose Palantir’s involvement in the FDP as choosing “ideology over patient interest”.It comes after the British Medical Association (BMA) passed a motion stating the company is an “unacceptable choice” for the FDP at its annual representative meeting in Liverpool last month.The union’s members voted in favour of the BMA lobbying against the introduction of Palantir software in the health service, and called for the Department of Health and Social Care to create an audit of the progress of the uptake of the systems throughout the NHS.When asked about this, Mr Mosley said: “I was very disappointed to see that. I think the accusation that we lack transparency or this is secretive is wrong.“I think the BMA has, if I may be frank, chosen ideology over patient interest.“I think our software is going to make patient lives better; so making their treatment quicker, more effective, and ultimately the healthcare system more efficient.“And I, as a patient, and a user of the NHS, I want it to be as quick and efficient as possible.“I’m very sad, frankly, that the ideology seems to have taken precedence over those interests.”The BMA vote comes a little over a year since health workers blockaded the entrance to NHS England’s headquarters to call for an end to Palantir’s contract.In April 2024, hundreds of NHS workers protested in central London, holding placards which read “No Palantir in the NHS” and “Palantir aids apartheid”.Mr Mosley also pushed back against claims about Palantir’s reputation.It was put to Mr Mosley that Palantir has a “reputational difficulty” by Conservative MP Kit Malthouse.“Everybody’s slightly suspicious of what you do,” he said. “And part of that reputational difficulty has been caused by your software being used in war on Gaza and the targeting of Palestinians with particular characteristics.“What protections would you put in place for UK programmes to make sure they’re not complicit in the commission of war crimes?”Mr Mosley said he would “push back” on the question around reputation, adding: “I think much of that concern and suspicion that you mentioned is the result of misunderstandings about the nature of our software, the nature of our business model and the kind of work we support.“I would emphasise the fact that we have never worked and will never work in countries that are adversarial to the west, like China or Russia or Iran.“We do work in Israel. We’re proud of the work that we do there. We have provided the Israelis with support since October 7, but also our work there predates those events.“I can’t go into operational details of the way in which our software is used, but I can assure you that I think the systems to which you might be alluding, like Lavender, for example, are not ones that we are involved in.” More

Macron receives royal welcome to UK from Prince and Princess of WalesFrench president Emmanuel Macron is preparing to address MPs in Parliament after receiving a warm welcome from the King and Queen on the first day of his three-day state visit to the UK.Amid pomp and pagentry, the red carpet was rolled out for the Mr Macron and his wife, Brigitte, in Windsor, their greeting aimed at symbolising the return of closer ties between the two countries. Mr Macron dolled out Gallic charm by taking Camilla’s hand and air kissing it, having earlier greeted the Princess of Wales at RAF Northolt with the same gesture. The King had a burst blood vessel in his right eye, said to have developed overnight and said to be unrelated to any other health conditions. Nearly 400 military personnel from the Army, RAF and Royal Navy lined Windsor High Street along the ceremonial route and a 41-gun salute sounded in Mr Macron’s honour.The King is expected to emphasise “the multitude of complex threats” both countries face in a speech at a state dinner at Windsor Castle later, while Macron posted on social media that “there is so much we can build together”.The two countries jointly announced that French nuclear energy utility EDF would invest £1.1 billion in a project to build a nuclear power station in eastern England.Pomp, pageantry and politesse greet French presidentJane Dalton8 July 2025 15:35Macrons view royal collectionThe King and Queen showed Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte items in the Royal Collection exhibition in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.President Macron, Brigitte and the King More