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NEWS STORY : Public Funds Reclaimed as Government Unleashes New Powers on Rogue Landlords

STORY

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a significant expansion of its crackdown on unscrupulous landlords, moving to protect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable tenants and claw back millions in misspent taxpayer cash. As of 20 December 2025, a successful pilot scheme that targets “rogue” operators is being rolled out to 41 local authorities across England, marking a decisive shift in the government’s efforts to uphold housing standards and fiscal responsibility.

The initiative leverages streamlined access to Universal Credit data, allowing local councils to identify landlords who are pocketing housing support payments while providing dangerous, substandard, or unlicensed accommodation. One trial area, Camden Council in North London, has already used this data to recover nearly £100,000 in public money and initiate fraud referrals against landlords who had effectively been “wrongly pocketing” taxpayer funds.

The expansion comes as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 begins to exert its influence on the sector. Under the new legislation, the maximum penalty for Rent Repayment Orders has been doubled, allowing local authorities to recover up to 24 months of rent from non-compliant landlords, up from the previous 12-month limit. These orders are a primary tool for penalising those who ignore improvement notices or leave residents in “mouldy, dire conditions” while continuing to collect state-funded rent.

“No one should live in unsafe or unsuitable housing” said Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms. He emphasised that the new tools are designed to deter “bad housing practice” and ensure better value for money by preventing the waste of public resources on properties that do not meet basic legal standards.

The government’s road-map for reform continues next week, with new investigatory powers for local councils set to take effect on 27 December 2025. These powers will grant enforcement officers the ability to demand documents, inspect premises, and access third-party data more easily.

20/12/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen [December 2025]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 December 2025.

The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen this evening.

Their discussion focused on the ongoing work on the US-led peace plan to bring an end to the killing in Ukraine.

Both agreed that this is a pivotal moment for Ukraine’s future, and that Europe will stand with them for as long as it takes to achieve a just and lasting peace. They also discussed the latest progress on mobilising frozen Russian sovereign assets.

The leaders then discussed the ongoing negotiations to drive forward the ambitious package of measures announced at the UK-EU summit in May. Both acknowledged the positive momentum of the talks, and hoped to make further progress in the coming weeks.

20/12/2025
NEWS STORY : Company Linked to Disgraced Michelle Mone Goes into Liquidation

STORY

The long-running saga of the “Lingerie Tycoon” and the unusable medical gowns has reached a cynical conclusion as PPE Medpro, the firm linked to Baroness Michelle Mone, has been forced into compulsory liquidation. The ruling on 18 December 2025 by the specialist companies court ensures that the £148 million owed to the British taxpayer will likely never be recovered, marking a final, bitter chapter in a scandal defined by greed and a high-profile web of deception.

At the heart of the outrage is the legacy of Michelle Mone herself, a woman who spent years orchestrating a brazen campaign of public lies before finally being cornered by the truth. For more than two years, the Baroness and her legal representatives issued aggressive denials to the media, insisting she had “no involvement” and “no financial interest” in PPE Medpro. She threatened journalists with libel and ridiculed those who questioned her integrity, only to eventually admit in a televised interview that she had lied to the press. Her confession revealed that she had not only lobbied then-ministers Michael Gove and Lord Agnew for the contracts but had stood to benefit from tens of millions of pounds in profits funnelled into her husband’s offshore accounts.

The liquidation of PPE Medpro is seen by critics as the ultimate extension of that dishonesty. By allowing the company to enter insolvency, the directors have effectively ensured that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is left holding a bill for millions of defective surgical gowns that were deemed a risk to NHS staff and never used.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has condemned the “shameful” disappearance of the funds, noting that the money lost to PPE Medpro could have funded thousands of nurses or modernised crumbling hospital wings. While the corporate entity of PPE Medpro may be dead, the Government has signalled its intent to pierce the corporate veil and pursue the individuals behind the scheme. Investigators are now focused on the millions transferred to the Isle of Man, seeking to prove that the company was stripped of its assets specifically to avoid the looming DHSC refund.

When questioned about her lies in 2023, Mone told journalists that “that’s not a crime”. Kemi Badenoch, the Leader of the Conservative Party, said that Mone should be stripped of her Peerage which had been granted by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron.

20/12/2025
NEWS STORY : Trump Administration Defies Legal Deadline on Epstein File Release

STORY

In a move that has sparked a constitutional firestorm and united bitter political rivals in condemnation, the Trump administration has missed a critical federal deadline to release the full investigative files of deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. As of 20 December 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has produced only a fraction of the mandated documents, many of which are obscured by extensive redactions that critics call a blatant attempt to shield the President and his associates from public scrutiny.

The failure to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation President Trump himself signed into law just one month ago, has left Capitol Hill in a state of uproar. While the law demanded the public release of “all unclassified records” by 19 December 2025, the DOJ instead delivered a “rolling release” that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche admitted would take several more weeks to complete. The initial tranche of documents released on Friday afternoon has been described by transparency advocates as a “mountain of black ink” featuring hundreds of pages that are entirely blacked out.

“This is not transparency; it is a funeral for the truth,” said Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, who co-sponsored the bill. Khanna warned that the administration’s “gross failure” to follow the letter of the law could lead to contempt of Congress or impeachment referrals for top DOJ officials. Even within the President’s own party, the frustration is palpable. Republican Representative Thomas Massie took to social media to highlight the specific language of the statute, noting that the word “all” does not mean “some” or “whatever the administration finds convenient.”

20/12/2025
PRESS RELEASE : This resolution mandates a strong package of measures to degrade Al-Shabaab – UK Explanation of Vote at the UN Security Council [December 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 December 2025.

Explanation of Vote by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Somalia.

The United Kingdom welcomes the unanimous adoption of this resolution.

We thank all Council members for their constructive approach to negotiations, which enabled us to arrive at this consensus outcome.

The resolution we have adopted today mandates a strong package of measures to degrade Al-Shabaab, including constraining its access to arms, disrupting its finances, and supporting Somalia to enhance its capabilities.

This resolution also sets out a responsible pathway towards appropriate changes to the arms embargo in the future, ensuring the regime can continue evolving to effectively counter the threat from Al-Shabaab.

And this resolution recognises the continuing threat posed by terrorist groups intent on undermining the security and prosperity of Somalia and the region.

We welcome the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State in Somalia, and urge Council members to work closer together on efforts to degrade them.

We also remain concerned about links between Al-Shabaab and the Houthis in Yemen, which represent a significant threat to the stability of Somalia and the region.

We encourage the 2713 and 2140 sanctions committees to coordinate closely on monitoring and countering this threat.

We now turn our attention to the AUSSOM mandate, where we look forward to maintaining our close collaboration with Somalia and all other Council members as we work to continue driving forward the security transition in Somalia.

19/12/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever [December 2025]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 12 December 2025.

The Prime Minister met Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever in Downing Street this afternoon.

The leaders welcomed the close and growing relationship between their two countries on a range of shared priorities, with an emphasis on migration, security and growth.

On Ukraine, they discussed the latest on peace talks and agreed that these were at a pivotal moment for Ukraine’s future. It was clear, they agreed, that keeping up the economic pressure on Russia and putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position would remain the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace.

They discussed ongoing work, together with European partners, on addressing Ukraine’s financial needs, including through the use of the value of immobilised Russian Sovereign Assets. They agreed to continue to work together closely to make progress on this complex issue.

The Prime Minister also welcomed agreement from Belgium to strengthen efforts to tackle the shared challenge of illegal migration, including greater collaboration on innovative solutions on returns and readmissions and enhanced law enforcement cooperation.

They looked forward to speaking again soon.

19/12/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Joint Statement on Bilateral Cooperation between the United Kingdom and Belgium [December 2025]

The press release issued by Downing Street on 12 December 2025.

The United Kingdom and Belgium are close neighbours, like-minded partners and Allies committed to working together to promote our common interests. Today, we deepen our bilateral cooperation and friendship, within the framework of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and the Renewed Agenda for European Union – United Kingdom Cooperation (‘the Renewed Agenda’ agreed 19 May 2025). We look forward to an ongoing dialogue. We recognise each other’s institutional differences and encourage exchanges with and between the different substate entities each within their own competences.*

Security and defence cooperation – As committed NATO Allies, we are determined to invest in our collective defence and to strengthen European security. We will remain steadfast in our support to Ukraine for as long as it takes and will work with partners as committed members of the Coalition of the Willing. We will continue existing cooperation, including joint military exercises and exchange programmes and will undertake regular consultations with regard to international security challenges and new disruptive threats. In order to prevent operations from malign actors in the North Sea, we will build upon the NorthSeal Platform and enhance our collaboration in safeguarding strategic infrastructure, including with the JEF+ mechanism and through bilateral, regional or multilateral defence industrial partnerships. We will look to cooperate on emerging hybrid threats such as cyber and electronic warfare, through both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

Safety of our citizens and combatting organised crime – We will enhance our joint efforts to combat terrorism, violent extremism and international crime, including human trafficking, drug trafficking and illicit finance. We will build on the provisions agreed in our Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement (LECA) and we look forward to signing this in 2026. Our Law Enforcement Agencies will work closely within EUROPOL, INTERPOL and Prüm contexts and explore opportunities to further enhance data sharing. We will enhance our cooperation between law enforcement, security and customs services to dismantle international criminal organisations. We will continue to reinforce the security of our logistic hubs, particularly our ports. As fellow International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council members, we will work together closely to deliver shared priorities across the IMO on areas such as safety, security and decarbonisation. Belgium and the UK will enhance our cooperation on crisis preparedness and resilience. We also reaffirm our commitment to continued and enhanced judicial cooperation, with a view to facilitating the effective investigation and prosecution of serious and organised crime.

The fight against irregular migration – We will strengthen our efforts to prevent irregular migration through greater collaboration on innovative solutions, including on strategies and approaches on returns and readmissions, mutual information exchange, effective security technology and operational enhancements, notably at Zeebrugge Port. We will increase our operational and strategic dialogue on migration cooperation, on a bilateral, regional (Calais Group) and multilateral level, in close cooperation with EU Member States and countries of origin and transit, in order to address the root causes of irregular migration. We will enhance our cooperation between law enforcement services in order to disrupt and dismantle the international criminal organisations that move people and small boats equipment into and through Europe. We will expand our joint efforts to disrupt criminal networks operating upstream, including through communications campaigns in source countries and joint investigations where appropriate. The UK and Belgium are committed to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). However, we must also ensure that our legal frameworks allow us to face the contemporary challenges so that they protect against exploitation, deter those trying to undermine our systems, and remain guided by the public interest. We will work with like-minded countries to ensure that our governments are fully equipped to tackle the challenges we face.

Growth – We will work together to enhance and facilitate our bilateral trade and reduce frictions, within the framework of the TCA and the Renewed Agenda. Our shared prosperity is built upon developing a competitive and innovative industrial base, by fostering collaboration in sectors such as defence, life sciences, biopharma, energy, technology and agrifood. We recognise the importance of temporary mobility, including for business and research activities, and look forward to working together to enhance our approaches and reduce barriers. Recognising our ports as global gateways, we aim to enhance their cooperation even further, including through exploring autonomous shipping. We will also increase our dialogue on economic security, which could include foreign direct investment screening in strategic and critical sectors, the management and diversification of supply chains as well as the protection of critical infrastructure. Belgium and the UK will continue to cooperate on fiscal and tax matters, including through the exchange of information, while fully respecting the autonomy of our central banks. We commit to strengthening the cooperation between our customs services in order to simplify procedures and to provide targeted information to stakeholders, including SME’s.

Research, innovation and health security – We will continue to build connections across our science and technology sectors, with a focus on pharmaceuticals, life sciences, AI, semi-conductors and engineering biology. We recognise the key role of higher education and universities in supporting these links and will support our research communities and higher education institutions to foster excellence, openness, academic freedom, research integrity and innovation. We look forward to deepening exchanges through research programmes such as Horizon Europe and bilateral initiatives. We will cooperate on enhancing resilience of medical supply chains, including cooperation on critical medicines shortages, building on the UK’s current membership of the EU Critical Medicines Alliance. We will continue our cooperation on pandemic resilience and vaccines, supporting the leadership role of the WHO. We will foster closer collaboration in medical research and innovation – including on clinical trials, medical devices, digital health technologies and AI – to support more effective, accessible and sustainable healthcare system for all.

Energy security – We will update our Memorandum of Understanding (February 2022) on energy cooperation. We will continue to cooperate to ensure the smooth functioning of our existing interconnectors and will continue discussion on Nautilus, a new electricity interconnector between Belgium and the UK, while fully respecting each other’s legislation and the role of regulators. We will continue yearly exchanges on the security of supply between all relevant parties and will hold biennial bilateral energy dialogues. We look forward to increasing our cooperation with like-minded partners in the framework of the North Sea Summit to protect our energy security and path to net-zero. We will explore the potential for cooperation regarding the development and deployment of low carbon hydrogen. We aim to conclude in the first half of 2026 a bilateral arrangement under the London Protocol on cross-border transportation of CO2 for the purpose of permanent geological storage. We aim to establish green shipping corridors between our shores to contribute to the decarbonisation of international shipping. We will explore avenues for cooperation and exchanges on Nuclear energy, recognising that both our countries face common challenges in securing reliable, competitive and low-carbon energy supplies.

*For the Kingdom of Belgium, this statement is supported by and implies the involvement of the federal government, the Government of Flanders, the Walloon Government, the Government of the Brussels Capital Region, the Government of the French Community and the Government of the German Community. The provisions in this joint statement do not affect the division of competences.

19/12/2025
PRESS RELEASE : We condemn the recent M23 offensive and takeover of Uvira in eastern DRC: UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 December 2025.

Statement by Jennifer MacNaughtan, UK Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I will make three points:

First, the United Kingdom welcomes the signing last week of the Washington Accords and the signing of the Framework Agreement in Doha last month. We commend the leadership of the United States, Qatar and of the African Union in driving these efforts. We call on the parties to implement the agreements and to honour their commitments in full.

Second, we are deeply concerned that, despite progress on the political tracks, violence has increased in South Kivu. We condemn the recent M23 offensive and takeover of Uvira, with the support of the Rwandan Defence Forces.

The UK urges an immediate cessation of hostilities and for all parties to fully comply with Security Council resolution 2773. There can be no military solution to this conflict. This escalation in fighting has worsened an already dire humanitarian situation, which will only further deteriorate as refugees flee across the border into Burundi following M23’s latest offensives.

We are greatly concerned by continued reports of human rights violations and abuses, including conflict-related sexual violence – on which we have heard tragic testimony from Médecins Sans Frontières today – perpetrated by the parties to the conflict and, in particular, by M23 and Wazalendo.

The United Kingdom calls on the parties to fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including ensuring the protection of civilians.

Third, the United Kingdom reiterates our full support for MONUSCO. The mission continues to play a vital role, especially in supporting the protection of civilians. We also express our support for a MONUSCO role in ceasefire monitoring, to embed the progress towards peace and security made through the political process.

It is critical that MONUSCO is able to deliver its mandate without hindrance. We again call for M23 to lift all obstructions to the mission’s operations. We urge all parties to ensure MONUSCO’s freedom of movement, in compliance with the decisions of this Council.

The UK calls on all parties to now seize the opportunity to deliver the peace, prosperity and security that the people of eastern DRC so deserve.

19/12/2025
PRESS RELEASE : UK and others mark Human Rights Day – Joint statement to the OSCE [December 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 December 2025.

The UK and others recall that human rights and fundamental freedoms are essential for lasting peace and security.

Thank you, Mr. Chair,

I am delivering this statement on behalf of Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and my own country the United Kingdom.

Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing, war of aggression against Ukraine, and Russia’s repeated efforts to destabilize our region through disinformation and hybrid threats sustaining the OSCE’s focus on security cooperation has never been more vital.

From the Helsinki Final Act to the Charter of Paris to the Astana Declaration participating States have affirmed repeatedly that security is comprehensive in nature; that human rights are not peripheral; that they are at the core of this Organization’s work and our commitments.

Moreover, since the Moscow Meeting of 1991, participating States have expressly confirmed that human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and rule of law are “matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States and do not belong exclusively to the internal affairs of the State concerned.”

As we mark Human Rights Day in 2025, we must all reaffirm our commitment to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and recall that they are the underpinning of lasting peace and security.

Discussing human rights is essential to our work; it is part of the dialogue needed to restore security in our region.

It is in this context that we express our deep concern about the following situations.

Seven interim reports of ODIHR’s Ukraine Monitoring Initiative and multiple Moscow Mechanism expert missions have concluded that, in relation to its war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian Federation has repeatedly violated international humanitarian law and international human rights law notably in its treatment of Ukrainian children, civilian detainees and prisoners of war.

Domestically, internal repression in Russia – which targets opposition, civil society and independent journalists, among others – is clearly linked to external aggression.

In Belarus, the authorities have pursued a relentless campaign to shut down civil society, silence independent media and eliminate any form of political opposition. Thousands have been unjustly detained, subjected to torture and ill-treatment, or forced into exile.

In Georgia, restrictions on civil society and media independence threaten to suffocate public dissent, and the lack of investigation of reports of excessive use of force against peaceful protesters creates a dangerous atmosphere of impunity.

In Serbia, police raids on civil society organizations and repeated incidents of violence surrounding the ongoing protests contribute to a shrinking democratic space.

In Azerbaijan, although there have been positive steps towards peace with Armenia, severe local restrictions on civil society and independent media continue to cause deep concern.

And in Turkmenistan, the lack of information about historic cases of enforced disappearances and intimidation continue to raise deep concern.

No participating State has a perfect human rights record, but it is our shared responsibility to ensure that human rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled across our region.

17/12/2025
PRESS RELEASE : New package of support set to benefit thousands of children across Northern Ireland [December 2025]
The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 12 December 2025.

The new strategy aims to lift 550,000 children across the UK out of poverty by 2030.
- Around 17,000 children in Northern Ireland are expected to benefit from the government’s removal of the two-child limit
- New strategy aims to lift 550,000 children across the UK out of poverty by 2030
- Ministers visit Trussell in North Belfast to discuss support for families struggling with cost of living
Around 17,000 children in Northern Ireland are set to benefit from government measures to tackle child poverty, following the removal of the two-child limit. The announcement is the flagship policy of the government’s Child Poverty Strategy, which aims to lift 550,000 children across the UK out of poverty by 2030.

Other measures in the strategy, which was published last week, aim to tackle poverty by increasing the National Living Wage, delivering the first ever sustained above inflation increase to Universal Credit standard allowance, and reforms to the Child Maintenance Service. This will help thousands of families across Northern Ireland to boost their incomes.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Minister Matthew Patrick MP, and Department for Communities Minister Gordon Lyons MLA visited a Trussell food bank in North Belfast to discuss how both UK-wide, and local actions, are supporting families here in Northern Ireland.

Minister Matthew Patrick said:

Every child deserves to be given the best start in life, and this Government is working with the Executive to lift a generation of children out of poverty in Northern Ireland.

I want to commend Trussell for being a place that offers welcome, hope, and dignity to people, while also providing practical advice and helping to alleviate hardship.

Department for Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said:

I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with Trussell today with Minister Patrick to discuss the issue of child poverty, the work of Trussell in combatting poverty, and the operation of the North Belfast Foodbank.

One of my key priorities is addressing poverty in all its forms and I remain committed to delivering long-term, sustainable solutions to poverty for communities right across Northern Ireland, including children and young people, through the implementation of a robust Anti-Poverty Strategy.

The Anti-Poverty Strategy will aim to address poverty and the impacts of socio-economic disadvantage and set out the Executive’s commitment to a joined up, long term approach to addressing poverty.

Reverend Philip McCrea, Chairperson of the Trussell North Belfast Food Bank said:

We are delighted to welcome Minister Patrick and Minister Lyons to our food bank in North Belfast to see first hand the work that goes on to help support people in poverty. We spoke about the Government’s decision to lift the two child limit, which was something we lobbied the UK Government to do for years, and is therefore a move very much welcomed by us.

The strategy supports the government’s Plan for Change mission to break down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has the best start in life regardless of their background.
17/12/2025