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  • NEWS STORY : Record 262,820 UK 18-Year-Olds Secure University or College Places

    NEWS STORY : Record 262,820 UK 18-Year-Olds Secure University or College Places

    STORY

    A record 262,820 UK 18-year-olds have secured a university or college place on Level 3 results day, according to figures published by UCAS. The total is 3% higher than the 255,130 recorded last year, although the proportion of the 18-year-old population entering higher education remained broadly unchanged at 31.6%.

    UCAS said 228,990 UK 18-year-olds had been accepted by their first-choice university or college, an increase of 1% from last year. A further 31,770 were placed with their insurance choice, up 21% from 26,330 in 2025. Overall, 79% of applicants in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who were holding an offer and received a decision were placed with their first choice.

    Across applicants of all ages and nationalities, 446,690 people had been accepted, also a record. UCAS said more young people from the most disadvantaged areas had gained places, while engineering and technology recorded the largest year-on-year increase among subject groups. More than 26,000 courses remained available through Clearing.

  • NEWS STORY : UK Economy Grows by 0.4% in Second Quarter of 2026

    NEWS STORY : UK Economy Grows by 0.4% in Second Quarter of 2026

    STORY

    The UK economy grew by 0.4% between April and June 2026, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. The increase followed growth of 0.6% in the first three months of the year, while gross domestic product was 1.2% higher than in the same quarter of 2025.

    Services provided the largest contribution to growth, increasing by 0.5% during the quarter. Construction output rose by 0.3%, while production showed no overall growth. The ONS said output increased in 15 of the 20 industrial subsectors measured in the latest estimate.

    GDP per head is estimated to have increased by 0.4% during the quarter and was 1.0% higher than a year earlier. Separate ONS figures showed business investment rose by 1.7% between April and June and was 0.8% above its level in the same period last year.

  • NEWS STORY : Government Announces £22 Million Push to Reduce Animal Testing in Science

    NEWS STORY : Government Announces £22 Million Push to Reduce Animal Testing in Science

    STORY

    The Government has announced £22 million of funding for projects intended to reduce the use of animals in scientific testing and speed up the development of new medicines. The package includes a new national research hub and support for nine projects using human tissue models and artificial intelligence.

    A £20 million Pre-clinical Translational Models Hub will be based in Cambridge and will develop miniature versions of human tissue, known as organoids, using cells donated by NHS patients. Researchers will use the models to study how people may respond to medicines, including treatments for cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, while providing an alternative to some tests currently carried out on animals.

    A further £2 million will support nine projects through Innovate UK, including beating heart cells grown in a laboratory, human ear models and AI systems designed to predict how medicines move through the body. Government figures show that 2.54 million animal testing procedures were carried out in Great Britain during 2025, a fall of 3.8 per cent from the previous year.

  • NEWS STORY : Reform Councillor David Rowan Under Scrutiny Over Past Social Media Posts

    NEWS STORY : Reform Councillor David Rowan Under Scrutiny Over Past Social Media Posts

    STORY

    A Reform UK councillor in Kirklees has come under scrutiny after campaign group Hope Not Hate published details of historic social media posts in which he allegedly called for the then Speaker of the House of Commons to be hanged and made comments about gay people having children.

    David Rowan, who is listed by Kirklees Council as Dave Rowan, represents the Colne Valley West ward for Reform UK. He was elected in May 2026 as part of a major advance for the party in Kirklees, where Reform won 29 seats and became the largest group on the council.

    Hope Not Hate reported that in October 2019 Rowan responded to a social media post about then Commons Speaker John Bercow by writing: “Hang the Dwarf”. The campaign group described the comment as a call for Bercow to be hanged. Bercow served as Speaker of the House of Commons until October 2019.

    The organisation also reported another comment attributed to Rowan in which he said he did not believe “gays should have kids full stop”. The remarks were among a series of historic posts highlighted by Hope Not Hate following Rowan’s election to Kirklees Council.

    Hope Not Hate also highlighted a July 2019 post in which Rowan expressed support for Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, writing: “Thommy [sic] Robinson I salute you for caring”.

    The campaign group said it had approached Reform UK to ask whether the party intended to take action against Rowan but had received no response at the time its article was published.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Households living near new pylons to save thousands on bills [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 12 August 2026.

    Government reveals the communities in over 40 locations eligible for cheaper electricity bills.

    • Government reveals the communities in over 40 locations eligible for cheaper electricity bills
    • Households near new pylons could save up to £2,500 over 10 years
    • Upgrading an electricity grid largely built in the 1960s will lower energy costs for households across Britain

    Thousands of households living near new or upgraded pylons are set to get money off their electricity bills. Payments will start from next year, as the first projects expected to be in scope of the government’s bill discount scheme are unveiled today (Wednesday 12 August).

    From the Scottish Highlands to the south of England, communities in over 40 locations could benefit from hosting vital grid infrastructure that will provide cheaper, clean electricity to the whole country.

    Those living within 500 metres of these projects are expected to get £2,500 off their electricity bills over 10 years.

    Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

    Upgrading Britain’s electricity grid is a vital part of how we deliver secure, homegrown energy and unlock economic growth across the country.

    It is a moment of national renewal – upgrading what was built largely in the 1960s for the modern age to bring down electricity bills for households across the country.

    It’s vital we build again as a country and we are determined those communities which host pylons should benefit, which is why we’re bringing down the energy bills of those hosting this vital national infrastructure.

    With much of the country’s electricity grid built in the 1960s, the government is rolling out the upgrades Britain needs to connect new sources of electricity generation, strengthen energy security and deliver a more affordable energy system for billpayers.

    This forms part of a wider plan to bring bills down for good, after government action to cut VAT on electricity bills to give families across Britain immediate cost-of-living breathing space.

    The 43 transmission projects announced today form the first wave, with further projects to follow as the scheme is rolled out. It is expected that hundreds of thousands of homes will benefit from the scheme in total over the next decade.

    People will only be in scope for the discounts once projects have secured all necessary consents and the main construction works have started. Projects where construction started on or after 10 March 2025 will be eligible.

    Most eligible households will receive the discount automatically on their electricity bill every 6 months via their energy supplier. However, some households may need to apply – such as those on commercial meters. Households can expect to receive further information in the first half of next year, when they will be directly contacted by their energy supplier or Ofgem if they qualify.

    The bill discounts build on wider government Community Funds guidance, which is set to drive millions of funding into communities hosting grid infrastructure across Britain. Under that guidance, people living close to National Grid’s Bramford to Twinstead reinforcement project are set to benefit from more than £4 million in payments to fund community projects in their area. In Scotland, communities near SP Energy Networks’ Chirmorie overhead line project would be eligible for around £2.4 million of community benefit funding to support local projects.

    Earlier this month National Grid unveiled a commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training to develop skills and access career opportunities in the energy and infrastructure sectors, after the Prime Minister unveiled plans to drive more young people into work.

    The announcement also comes after new independent research, published in June, confirmed that building pylons remains the most cost effective way of upgrading Britain’s outdated electricity networks, so present the best value for bill-payers.

    Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said:

    Scotland is playing a central role in the UK’s energy transition, and as we build the modern grid needed to harness that power, it is only right that local families living alongside new pylons see real, direct savings on their electricity bills.

    These projects are essential for energy security and lower bills, and the communities hosting key infrastructure for this long-awaited grid upgrade deserve cheaper energy in return.

    I encourage households across Scotland living near these new or upgraded sites to check if they qualify for a discount.

    Ofgem Executive Director for Delivery and Schemes, Neil Lawrence, said:

    Communities that host new electricity transmission infrastructure are playing a vital role in delivering the cleaner, more secure energy system Britain needs.

    The Bill Discount Scheme will help ensure eligible households living near these projects see a direct benefit through discounts on their energy bills. As the scheme administrator, Ofgem’s role is to make sure payments are delivered effectively, fairly and transparently to eligible customers.

    We look forward to working closely with government, electricity suppliers and transmission owners to ensure the scheme is ready to support households when payments begin.

    Nicola Connelly, CEO, SP Energy Network, said: 

    Communities are playing a role in enabling and supporting the greatest re-wiring of the UK energy system in decades and it is good to see them directly benefiting, through bills and our community benefit funds. Funds, shaped by the local communities that will deliver lasting, sustainable improvements for years to come.

    Christianna Logan, Director of Customers and Stakeholders at SSEN Transmission, said:

    We strongly support measures that will see communities benefit from hosting the electricity transmission infrastructure that is required to deliver a cleaner, more secure and affordable electricity system for current and future generations. 

    SSEN Transmission is committed to leaving a lasting legacy from this vital work, and our planned £29 billion investment programme will generate significant economic and social gains for the communities we serve.

    Alex Kaufman, Director of Land, Planning and External Affairs at National Grid, said:

    Communities are playing an important role in enabling the delivery of new energy infrastructure across the UK, and we welcome the government setting out more detail on the Bill Discount Scheme. It will help ensure eligible households see a direct benefit from hosting this infrastructure, while providing greater clarity on how it will work in practice.

  • Andy Burnham – 2026 Comments on the High Street

    Andy Burnham – 2026 Comments on the High Street

    The comments made by Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister, on 11 August 2026.

    For many people, the high streets they grew up with have been hollowed out and become unrecognisable over decades of decline. The rise of vape shops, betting shops and rogue operators have replaced the shops, services, and community spaces that people are crying out for. 

    That’s not on. I said we would improve Britain’s high streets, and that’s exactly what we are starting to do. We’re putting communities back in control and giving local people a real say over what opens on their high street. Local councils will be given the powers they need to rein in unwanted shops and bring town centres back to life.

    High streets are the beating heart of local communities, but for too long Westminster has stood by while they have been in decline. This government is committed to restoring our high streets and bringing back hope across Britain.

  • PRESS RELEASE : PM vows to save “hollowed out high streets” with crackdown on vape and betting shops [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : PM vows to save “hollowed out high streets” with crackdown on vape and betting shops [August 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 August 2026.

    High streets that have been hollowed out by the unchecked spread of vape stores, betting shops, and rogue businesses that do little to serve local communities are set to face a crackdown under new powers announced by the Prime Minister today.

    • Local people to get a real say over what opens on their high street as Prime Minister hands new powers to communities and councils
    • Planning loopholes closed and outdated “Aim to Permit” rule to be scrapped to stop unwanted vape and betting shops taking over high streets
    • Dodgy businesses linked to organised crime to be shut down for longer under tougher powers for police and local authorities
    • Part of the Prime Minister’s plan to put power back in the hands of local communities and to bring back hope

    High streets that have been hollowed out by the unchecked spread of vape stores, betting shops, and rogue businesses that do little to serve local communities are set to face a crackdown under new powers announced by the Prime Minister today [Tuesday 11 August].

    The measures will put communities back in control of their high streets by giving local people a real say over what businesses can open in their town centres and how local high streets should look, as well as tougher powers for the police and local authorities to crack down on rogue operators.

    As part of the PM’s plans to save Britain’s high streets, the Government intends to revoke the Gambling Act’s outdated “Aim to Permit” rule, which currently restricts the ability of councils to refuse new betting shops and 24-hour slot machine shops even where there are strong local concerns.

    The change would give communities and councils a stronger say over whether new betting shops are right for their area, helping stop them spreading unchecked across struggling high streets.

    The government will also require planning permission for vape shops to finally give local people and councils a say over whether they open and to stop them opening near schools. The definition of a vape shop will also be tightened to stop businesses getting around the new rules by claiming to be a general convenience store or retailer.

    Adult Gaming Centres (AGCs), which are adult-only venues offering up to 24-hour access to gambling machines such as slot and fruit machines, will also require planning permission under proposals due to come into effect at the start of next year.

    The changes come as vape shops and adult gaming centres have spread rapidly across many town centres. Unlike most businesses that communities raise concerns about, they can currently open without planning permission under the same rules that apply to coffee shops and clothing retailers.

    Analysis by the Centre for Social Justice has found that Britain has lost nearly 1,800 pubs and bars, while the number of vape and tobacco shops increased to almost 2,200 since 2016. Similar concerns have been raised about the clustering of gambling premises in local communities, particularly in more deprived areas. In the London Borough of Brent alone, there are more than 80 gambling venues, including in Harlesden where there are 10 betting shops within a 10-minute walk.

    The maximum length of Closure Orders will also double from six to 12 months, giving police and local authorities more time to investigate premises linked to organised crime, pursue prosecutions, and prevent rogue businesses – from illegal vape shops, and dodgy barber shops – reopening before investigations are complete.

    High streets sit at the heart of communities across the country, but too many have been hollowed out by years of decline. The loss of shops, services and community spaces has left many people feeling like the places they grew up in are changing beyond recognition and the decline of our high streets has mirrored a wider sense of decline across Britain.

    The Government is taking practical action to give local people a real say over the future of their high streets, including shaping how the new measures will work in practice.

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

    “For many people, the high streets they grew up with have been hollowed out and become unrecognisable over decades of decline. The rise of vape shops, betting shops and rogue operators have replaced the shops, services, and community spaces that people are crying out for. 

    “That’s not on. I said we would improve Britain’s high streets, and that’s exactly what we are starting to do. We’re putting communities back in control and giving local people a real say over what opens on their high street. Local councils will be given the powers they need to rein in unwanted shops and bring town centres back to life.

    “High streets are the beating heart of local communities, but for too long Westminster has stood by while they have been in decline. This government is committed to restoring our high streets and bringing back hope across Britain.” 

    Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner said: 

    “People know when their high street isn’t working for them. Whether it’s the vape shop or betting shops that’s opened with no say from locals, the shopfront that’s seen better days, or the sense that nobody’s in control. 

    “These problems have built up over years, but this government won’t leave councils and communities powerless to crackdown on everyday eyesores that blight our high streets. 

    “That’s why we’re giving local leaders the power to say no to what doesn’t belong on their high street, and the tools to fix it themselves.”

    East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward said:

    “Our local shops and high streets hold a mirror up to our economy. If that mirror shows us nothing but vape shops, gambling shops, and crime, it destroys pride in place. People, councils, and local businesses should be able to work together to shape their high streets, but as things are, they lack the levers to ensure that everyone plays fair.” 

    “This announcement gives places the chance to take back control, ensuring that no one type of business can monopolise the high street and that flagrant criminality can be dealt with. Local powers given to locally accountable councils, together with investment led by regional Mayors will help diverse high streets to flourish.”

    Joshua Nicholson, Head of Housing and Communities at the Centre for Social Justice said: 

    “Britain’s high streets have been hijacked by a growing number of dodgy vape shops, mini marts, and barbers, many of which are linked to organised crime. 

    “The Government is right to give councils new powers to say no to these dodgy shops. High street renewal is vital to restoring security within our communities.”

    The Government will also work with councils to improve the appearance of high streets and help restore pride in local town centres. In too many places, poor-quality shopfronts, garish neon signs, and oversized logos have prompted complaints from local people and contributed to high streets feeling less welcoming, at a time when the rise of online shopping has already put increasing pressure on town centres.

    To help turn this around, the Government will set clearer expectations for the design and appearance of high street shopfronts. Working with the Planning Advisory Service, it will identify the best examples of attractive, thriving town centres from across the country and provide councils with practical guidance on improving the look and feel of local high streets.

    Over the next six months, councils will be supported to improve local high streets, drawing on successful examples such as Cross Street in Oswestry and Keynsham High Street. Building on this, the government will set out further action to tackle the long-term decline that has hollowed out town centres and make high streets places people want to visit, shop, and spend time in again.

    The measures build on wider action to tackle rogue businesses linked to organised crime, including a £30 million crackdown on money laundering, tax evasion, and illegal working, backed by raids, shop closures and cash seizures. 

    It also builds on action the Prime Minister has taken in his first weeks in office to back local communities and town centres, including a 20% cut to business rates for pubs, social clubs and live music venues across England from next year – changes which are fully funded including through reviewing reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to their communities, like vape shops. The government will also return to the commitment to reform the wider business rates system, including Small Business Rates Relief, at the Budget.

    It forms part of the Government’s wider drive to restore pride in local places, shift power out of Westminster and back into communities, and bring more people back to town centres.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Much more must be done to prevent and prosecute acts of violence in the West Bank: UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Much more must be done to prevent and prosecute acts of violence in the West Bank: UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 August 2026.

    Statement by Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Palestine.

    The United Kingdom is clear that the only credible path to lasting peace and security remains a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestinian state made up of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. 

    Three priorities to advance progress towards that goal. 

    First, in Gaza. 

    The United Kingdom welcomes the recent focus on implementing Security Council Resolution 2803 and wants to see it implemented in full. 

    That means all parties delivering on their commitments, including: respect for the ceasefire; Hamas fulfilling its decommissioning commitments; the phased withdrawal of the Israel Defence Forces as set out in the 20-point plan and the Roadmap for Phase Two; and the transition of governance and security control to the Palestinian Authority. 

    We encourage the Palestinian Authority to continue implementing reforms needed to fulfil that role. 

    We thank the US, Qatar, Türkiye, and Egypt for their tireless efforts to progress these negotiations. 

    The United Kingdom will continue to work with all our partners to end the conflict in Gaza, and the terror threat from Hamas. 

    As Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said, “conditions for the people of Gaza remain appalling.”

    Israeli authorities must end unacceptable restrictions on aid and enable safe, sustained, and unhindered humanitarian access across Gaza. 

    Second, addressing violence in the West Bank. 

    The United Kingdom condemns escalating violence across the West Bank. 

    In July alone, thirteen Palestinians and two Israelis were killed.

    Recent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages and communities, in some cases alongside Israeli Defense Force personnel, are appalling. 

    These are not isolated incidents. 

    OCHA’s July report records more than 1,300 settler-related incidents, affecting over 250 Palestinian communities.

    Around 900 Palestinians injured, and more than 3,200 displaced, and at least three Israelis have been killed and 24 injured this year.

    Children are among those most affected by conflict. 

    They are being exposed to repeated violence, displacement, and disruption due to movement restrictions and military operations. 

    On 4 August, Israeli forces demolished three donor-funded classrooms at Sha’ab al Butum School, just weeks before the start of the school year. 

    We call on the Government of Israel to fulfil their obligations to protect the Palestinian population of the occupied territory. 

    We welcome recent arrests and indictments by Israeli authorities of perpetrators of settler violence. 

    But perpetrators have acted with impunity for too long. 

    And much more must be done to prevent and prosecute acts of violence. 

    Israeli authorities’ security measures must be proportionate, consistent with international law, and contribute to de-escalation. 

    Third, halting the expansion of settlements in the West Bank.

    Settlements are illegal under international law. 

    They undermine the viability of a two-state solution, and they fuel insecurity for both Palestinians and Israelis. 

    The Government of Israel has approved 104 settlements in four years, an increase of 80%, and allocated unprecedented funding to the construction of new settlements. 

    The United Kingdom condemns threats to expand illegal settlements and outposts and opposes the decision to reintroduce the E1 settlement plan, which aims to cut the West Bank in half. 

    We are alarmed by recent mass incursions at the Haram al Sharif / Temple Mount.

    The Status Quo on Jerusalem’s holy sites must be respected. 

    Madame President, in the past weeks we have seen renewed efforts to implement Resolution 2803, which offers the most viable pathway towards lasting peace. 

    The deteriorating trajectory in the West Bank must not undermine that hard-won progress.

  • NEWS STORY : Burnham Signals Further Business Rates Changes but Warns of ‘Difficult Financial Outlook’

    NEWS STORY : Burnham Signals Further Business Rates Changes but Warns of ‘Difficult Financial Outlook’

    STORY


    Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the Government will do what it can to reduce costs for businesses but warned that ministers are operating against a difficult financial outlook. He said the Budget, due on 28 October, would look more broadly at business rates, with smaller firms among those facing particular pressure from operating costs.

    Burnham also said the Government was examining changes to the rail fares system and repeated his longer term ambition to increase state control over water, energy and housing services as part of efforts to reduce household costs. He said his approach would involve an accumulation of smaller measures rather than promises that could not be fully funded.

    The Prime Minister has previously ruled out tax increases on working people but has not ruled out other tax rises to fund reforms including changes to social care. The Government has also said it will continue to follow its fiscal rules, limiting the amount of additional borrowing available as ministers prepare for the autumn Budget.

  • NEWS STORY : Burnham Calls First COBRA Meeting as Britain Faces Fifth Heatwave of 2026

    NEWS STORY : Burnham Calls First COBRA Meeting as Britain Faces Fifth Heatwave of 2026

    STORY

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham is chairing an emergency COBRA meeting to discuss the response to extreme heat, wildfires and drought as Britain experiences its fifth heatwave of the year. Temperatures are forecast to reach around 37C across parts of southern and eastern England and the Midlands from Thursday.

    Fire services have responded to 966 wildfires across England and Wales so far this year, including 185 during the first ten days of August. England and Wales recorded their driest July in 190 years, while Government figures indicate that around 45 million people are living in drought affected areas and 27 million face restrictions on water use.

    The meeting is the first COBRA session chaired by Burnham since he became Prime Minister last month. Downing Street said ministers would continue taking action to protect communities and water supplies, support farming and safeguard the environment as prolonged dry weather continues to affect public services, agriculture and wildlife.