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STORY

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has announced what he described as a comprehensive reset of British policy towards Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. In his first Commons appearance in the role, Miliband said the Government would examine measures intended to prevent British companies from financing, constructing or promoting new settlements.

The announcement follows Israeli tenders connected to the E1 development, under which thousands of homes are planned between East Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim. The UK joined 20 other countries and the European Union in warning that the project would divide the West Bank and further undermine the prospects for a viable Palestinian state.

Miliband said ministers were examining Britain’s wider economic relationship with the occupied territories. Options under consideration include further sanctions and restrictions on trade connected to settlements. Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, has warned that Israel could respond if Britain introduces punitive measures.

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Prime Minister Andy Burnham has used his first appearance in the House of Commons since entering Downing Street to promise economic renewal, greater regional power and measures to ease pressure on household finances. Addressing MPs as Parliament returned from its summer recess, Burnham said his Government wanted to restore optimism and improve opportunities across the country.

Burnham argued that political centralisation, privatisation and deindustrialisation had contributed to Britain’s economic difficulties, with Brexit adding to a prolonged period of weak growth. He said greater public control of water, energy and transport could support growth, while the proposed No 10 North office in Manchester would help transfer powers away from Westminster.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch rejected Burnham’s economic analysis and accused him of returning to policies associated with the 1970s. The Prime Minister also reaffirmed British support for Ukraine, committed the Government to meeting its climate obligations and acknowledged that further decisions would be needed on defence spending and North Sea energy production.

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Plans to transform the former Gatehouse pub in Norwich into a Muslim community centre and place of worship have divided opinion among residents, heritage campaigners and supporters of the proposed development. Norfolk Muslim Community Association has submitted applications to Norwich City Council for a change of use and an extension to the building at 391 Dereham Road.

The proposals would create prayer and function rooms alongside facilities for education, youth activities, family counselling, school visits and charitable work. The association has said it wants the centre to encourage interfaith engagement and provide additional space for Norwich’s Muslim community. Plans also include a substantial rear extension and landscaped areas beside the River Wensum.

The Gatehouse was built for Morgans Brewery in 1934 and was designated as a Grade II listed building in 2015. Planning documents indicate that features including the original bar, fireplaces, timber panelling, windows and entrance would be retained, while historic beer keg equipment would be relocated within the building. The pub has been closed since 2023 and an earlier attempt to secure it as a community owned pub was unsuccessful.

Opponents have raised concerns about parking, additional traffic, the size and appearance of the extension and the loss of a historic public house. Norwich and District CAMRA has argued that the building should be retained as a pub, while some nearby residents have questioned whether the proposed parking provision would be sufficient during busy periods. Numerous operators have indicated that if the venue would have been marketed more widely, then it could have remained open as a pub.

Other residents have supported bringing the vacant building back into use and said the proposals could protect its historic features while providing useful community facilities. The debate has also extended beyond conventional planning concerns, with reports of anonymous leaflets encouraging objections and some online comments focusing on the religious identity of the proposed occupants.

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Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that he will stand down as the Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras. His departure from the House of Commons will trigger a by election in the north London constituency.

Sir Keir said he had spent the summer considering his future and had concluded that it was the right time to hand the constituency to a successor. He intends to focus on international affairs, including defence, security, trade and technology, while continuing his work to combat violence against women and girls.

He has represented Holborn and St Pancras since 2015 and became Labour leader in 2020 before leading the party to victory at the 2024 general election. Sir Keir left Downing Street in July 2026 following the election of Andy Burnham as Labour leader and Prime Minister.

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The accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soil represents an emerging threat to UK food security, according to a report produced with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Microplastics. The report says British agricultural soils are among the most contaminated in Europe.

One source of contamination is the repeated use of treated sewage sludge as fertiliser. Microplastics can also originate from synthetic clothing, packaging, paint, cosmetics and vehicle tyres before entering waterways, wastewater systems and agricultural land.

Researchers said the particles could alter soil structure, water capacity, microorganisms and wildlife including earthworms. The report recommends legally binding pollution reduction targets, stronger regulation of major sources, improved protections for wastewater and sewage sludge and a national monitoring system.

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Safeguarding rules governing people who regularly work with children have changed from 1 September. The supervision exemption has been removed from the legal definition of regulated activity with children in England and Wales, with corresponding changes also being introduced in Northern Ireland.

People who regularly teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children may now be considered to undertake regulated activity even when another suitable adult supervises them. This can include school reading volunteers, assistant sports coaches and instructors at outdoor activity centres.

The change applies where the relevant work takes place on more than three days in a 30 day period or once overnight between 2am and 6am. Organisations can seek an Enhanced DBS check containing Children’s Barred List information for eligible roles, although the change does not mean that every occasional volunteer automatically requires a new check.

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The BBC has discontinued its weekly Women’s Football Show ahead of the new Women’s Super League season. The programme had previously provided a studio based round up of matches on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Highlights from every Women’s Super League match will instead be made available through BBC iPlayer, YouTube and the BBC Sport website and app. The broadcaster is also reported to be planning a YouTube discussion programme about women’s football presented by Alex Scott.

The BBC said it remained fully committed to covering women’s football and would broadcast 25 live Women’s Super League matches alongside Women’s Champions League coverage. The broadcaster and Sky Sports are entering the second season of a five year domestic rights agreement running until 2030.

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The number of mortgages approved for house purchases fell to its lowest level since January 2024 during July, according to figures released by the Bank of England. Lenders approved 56,053 mortgages, below the 59,500 expected by economists.

June’s total was revised slightly upwards to 58,215, meaning approvals fell by more than 2,000 during the following month. Separate figures from Nationwide showed that house prices increased by 1.6 per cent in the year to August, below the current rate of consumer price inflation.

The Bank of England figures also showed that net unsecured lending to consumers increased by just over £2 billion during July. This was the largest monthly rise since November 2025 and exceeded economists’ forecast of a £1.8 billion increase.

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The cost of long term Government borrowing has risen to its highest level in 28 years amid a wider sell off in global bond markets. The yield on 30 year UK Government bonds climbed to 5.89 per cent on Tuesday, its highest level since February 1998.

The yield on ten year Government bonds also rose to 5.246 per cent, reaching a level last recorded in June 2008. Bond yields increase when prices fall and determine the rate that governments must offer investors when raising new money.

The movement followed renewed increases in global oil prices, which contributed to concerns about inflation and future interest rates. Higher borrowing costs could place additional pressure on the Government’s finances because more public money must be used to service newly issued debt.