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  • NEWS STORY : Caerphilly Library Closure Challenge to Be Heard in High Court

    NEWS STORY : Caerphilly Library Closure Challenge to Be Heard in High Court

    STORY

    A judicial review challenge over Caerphilly County Borough Council’s plan to close ten libraries is due to be heard in the High Court next week.

    The council paused implementation after campaigners launched legal proceedings and secured an interim injunction. The authority has said its library strategy would replace the ten sites with seven enhanced community hubs in strategic town centre locations, alongside outreach services in affected communities.

    Campaigners argue that the libraries are important community assets. The council has said it will robustly defend the claim, while also pointing to discussions with community groups interested in taking ownership of some of the sites.

  • NEWS STORY : Councils Launch Legal Challenge Over UK’s Largest Solar Farm [May 2026]

    NEWS STORY : Councils Launch Legal Challenge Over UK’s Largest Solar Farm [May 2026]

    STORY

    Lincolnshire County Council and North Kesteven District Council have formally issued judicial review proceedings over ministerial approval for what would become the UK’s largest solar farm.

    The Springwell Solar Farm, approved by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband in April, would cover around 1,280 hectares of land near Scopwick. The councils argue that the application did not properly assess effects on rural villages and landscapes, or adequately consider the cumulative impact of developments in Lincolnshire.

    A judge will now decide whether there are arguable grounds for the case to proceed beyond the permission stage. North Kesteven’s leader said the councils were acting on nine points and that, although the action would have a cost, failing to challenge the decision was not considered to be in residents’ interests.

  • NEWS STORY : Rugby Council Faces Regulator Finding Over Rent Overcharging

    NEWS STORY : Rugby Council Faces Regulator Finding Over Rent Overcharging

    STORY

    Rugby Borough Council has been found to have serious failings by the Regulator of Social Housing after around 4,000 tenancies were potentially overcharged rent.

    The regulator said the council had applied a general rent-setting approach which failed to use the correct property valuations as the basis for formula rent. When the correct valuations were applied, the overcharges were estimated at about £415,000.

    The council said it had identified the historic issue through its own investigation and reported it to the regulator. It apologised to tenants, said further verification work was continuing and promised that where tenants had been overcharged it would put matters right.

  • NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 25 May 1926

    NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 25 May 1926

    25 MAY 1926

    There has been no fresh development in the coal situation. The owners and miners, it is understood, are considering Mr Baldwin’s letter. In Labour circles it is being described as an ultimatum.

    Mr J. R. Clynes, in his presidential address at a Congress at Bournemouth of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers, declared that whatever censure might fall upon Trade Unions for declaring a national strike the responsibility of the Government for being the primary cause of it would in due time fall upon millions of working men.

    A deadlock has occurred in the disarmament discussions at Geneva.

    At the Conference of the British Legion a resolution was moved protesting against the attitude of headquarters during the general strike in calling upon all ex-servicemen to offer their services to preserve law and order. This was lost amid cheers.

    It is reported that an emissary has arrived at Fez, bringing with him a letter from Abdel Krim for M. Steeg, the Resident-General, and that both have had a long talk on the situation in Morocco. The French Cabinet will consider the matter to-day.

    Addressing a patriotic demonstration at Genoa, Signor Mussolini said the people of Italy were thirsting to be obedient, thirsting for discipline, eager to be governed. The Fascisti State would survive. It had buried the Liberal Democratic State, with its collective lack of responsibility—that State of Parliaments which talked until people were sick with boredom.

    In the Egyptian elections Zaghlul Pasha has secured a commanding lead, and the Government party has been wiped out.

    The death has taken place of Sir John Williams, the doctor who attended the birth of the Prince of Wales.

  • NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 24 May 1926

    NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 24 May 1926

    24 MAY 1926

    Stanley Baldwin, the Prime Minister, has replied to the Mining Association of Great Britain and to the Miners’ Federation. He regrets that the mineowners do not recognise that it was impossible for any Government to have stood aside in matters where the national well-being is so vitally affected. Interference in the industry was due entirely to the industry’s incapacity to settle its disputes for itself. He tells the miners that, so long as they refuse to consider any alteration of wages or hours, no useful purpose would be served by his meeting them. The Government are no longer bound by the terms of an offer which has been rejected. It will be impossible for the Government to hold open beyond the end of the present month the offer of any further subsidy.

    In reply to three members of the General Council of the Trade Union Congress, who asked if Sir Herbert Samuel would deny that consultations took place between Mr Baldwin and himself on the terms of the Memorandum of May 12, Sir Herbert Samuel states that no such consultation occurred.

    Addressing Welsh miners at Porth, Mr Cook complained that Trade Union leaders endeavoured to bully the miners into acceptance of longer hours or lower wages. He also gave an account of his own part in the discussions before the withdrawal of the general strike order.

    Lord Birkenhead, speaking at Oxford, said the provisions of the Trades Disputes Act of 1906 would undoubtedly require and receive examination.

    In a letter to engineering Trade Unions the Engineering and Allied Employers’ National Federation state that there is now but one duty for all concerned, and that is by co-operation and reduction in costs to do what they can not only to overcome the effects of the recent dislocation and the resultant serious loss, but also to revive industry, at present so much depressed.

    In a message to the Socialist candidate in North Hammersmith by-election, Mr Ramsay MacDonald says the general stoppage from which the country has just emerged was a magnificent and orderly demonstration of passive resistance to degrading conditions for a million mine workers, which, if imposed on the miners, would have appeared elsewhere.

    An agreement between Great Britain and the Angora Government on the subject of Mosul is reported to be ready for signature.

  • NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 23 May 1926

    NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 23 May 1926

    23 MAY 1926

    Hundreds of thousands of miners sought financial relief as they continued to withhold their labour despite the end of the General Strike.

    The death of Sir Edward Pryce-Jones, the former Conservative MP for Montgomery, was announced.

  • Kemi Badenoch – 2026 Comments on Drilling Oil

    Kemi Badenoch – 2026 Comments on Drilling Oil

    The comments made by Kemi Badenoch, the Leader of the Opposition, on 28 May 2026.

    Ed Miliband’s ideological shut-down of Scotland’s North Sea Oil & Gas Industry is going to hand Vladimir Putin £1 billion in oil revenue. Our own oil is right there, under the North Sea. All we need to do is drill it. Only the Conservatives will get Britain drilling.

  • Nigel Farage – 2026 Comments on Cousin Marriage

    Nigel Farage – 2026 Comments on Cousin Marriage

    The comments made by Nigel Farage on 28 May 2026.

    Sweden has just banned cousin marriage.

    It causes serious health problems in certain communities, and it’s inherently un-British.

    We must have a serious conversation about a ban in Britain, too.

  • NEWS STORY : UK Says Russia Is Using Escalation and Intimidation as War Effort Fails

    NEWS STORY : UK Says Russia Is Using Escalation and Intimidation as War Effort Fails

    STORY

    The UK has accused Russia of resorting to escalation and intimidation because its war in Ukraine is failing, following another major wave of aerial attacks against Kyiv and other civilian areas.

    James Kariuki, the UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, told the Security Council that Russia had launched one of its largest attacks on Kyiv since the start of the full-scale invasion, damaging residential buildings, schools, emergency service facilities, Government buildings and cultural institutions. He said Russian attacks had killed nearly 200 civilians and injured more than 1,500 others during May, making it likely to become the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since the early phase of the invasion.

    Kariuki said Russia had deployed an Oreshnik nuclear-capable missile for the third time and for the first time in Kyiv Oblast, calling its use in an urban environment “brazen and reckless”. The UK also raised concern about reports that diplomatic sites in Kyiv had been hit, including UN premises and a residential complex housing the Albanian Ambassador, and criticised Moscow for warning diplomats to leave the city before threatening further strikes.

    He told the Council that Russia was trying to project strength through mass attacks while presenting itself as the victim at the UN. Kariuki said new intelligence showed almost half a million Russian soldiers had been killed since the conflict began, while Ukraine continued to resist. He said an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire was essential, but warned that peace could not be achieved while Russia continued attacks on Ukraine’s civilian population.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s war is failing, so Moscow is resorting to escalation and intimidation – UK statement at the UN Security Council [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s war is failing, so Moscow is resorting to escalation and intimidation – UK statement at the UN Security Council [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 May 2026.

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

    The UK supported Ukraine in calling for today’s meeting. 

    Colleagues, last Friday, Russia asked the Council to meet following an alleged incident in occupied Luhansk, which UN briefers said they had not been able to verify because Russia refuses access to Ukrainian territory which it occupies.

     The very next day, Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Kyiv since the start of the full-scale invasion. 

    These strikes caused widespread damage to civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools, emergency service facilities, Ukrainian government buildings and cultural institutions. These are not just buildings – they sustain essential service and underpin communities; they are people’s homes.

     So far this month, Russian attacks have killed nearly 200 civilians and injured over 1,500 more. May is on track to see the most civilian casualties in Ukraine since the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

    This weekend also marked the third time Russia has deployed an Oreshnik missile – and the first time in Kyiv Oblast. Russia’s use of this nuclear-capable system in urban environments is brazen and reckless.

    We are also deeply concerned by reports that diplomatic sites in Kyiv were struck, including UN premises and a residential complex housing the Albanian Ambassador. And Russia followed up its attack with threats to diplomats to leave the city, warning of another barrage.

    Russia attempts to project strength through mass attacks, then comes to this chamber and plays the victim. But the truth is that Moscow’s escalating attacks against civilians betray its weakness.

    Russia is desperate because it is going backwards on the battlefield. New intelligence shows that almost half a million Russian soldiers have been killed since the conflict began, while Ukraine still stands firm. Russia’s war is failing, so Moscow is resorting to escalation and intimidation.

    Security Council members have been clear that we need peace. But such peace cannot be achieved while Russia continues its campaign against Ukraine’s people. Russia’s escalating attacks do nothing to bring us closer to a peaceful outcome – nor do they bring Russia any closer to achieving Putin’s war aims.

    As the Secretary General said, an immediate comprehensive ceasefire is essential.