Category: News Story

STORY

Kemi Badenoch, the Leader of the Opposition, has sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet and suspended his party membership. The move follows what party sources describe as irrefutable evidence that the shadow justice secretary was preparing to defect to Reform UK.

The decision was made after a “near final” draft of a resignation speech was reportedly discovered by party staff. Rumours of a move had been circulating for weeks following reports that Jenrick had met with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in December. Conservative HQ allegedly became convinced of the plot when Jenrick cancelled a high-profile speaking engagement scheduled for this weekend.

Speaking from a press conference in Scotland, Nigel Farage confirmed that he has been in talks with several senior Conservative figures including Jenrick. While Farage denied that an official unveiling was planned for today, he suggested that Badenoch may have “panicked” in an attempt to get ahead of the story. He noted that while he viewed Jenrick as part of the previous Conservative government’s failures, he respected the MP’s earlier decision to resign from Rishi Sunak’s cabinet over immigration policy.

The sacking marks a significant escalation in the internal conflict within the Conservative Party. Badenoch was said to be particularly furious that Jenrick attended a shadow cabinet away day last week and a formal meeting this Tuesday, where he reportedly took detailed notes on the party’s upcoming electoral strategy while allegedly planning his exit.

With the whip now removed, Jenrick will sit as an independent MP for Newark unless he formalises a move to Reform UK. This latest turmoil comes just days after the defection of former party chairman Nadhim Zahawi, heightening fears of a wider exodus of right-wing MPs as the party struggles to maintain unity ahead of the upcoming local elections.

STORY

Broxtowe Borough Council has been issued a failing grade by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) after an inspection uncovered more than 3,000 overdue fire safety actions. The Nottinghamshire-based local authority was handed a “C3” grading on 14 January 2026, a rating which indicates significant weaknesses and a need for substantial improvement in delivering consumer standards for its tenants.

The regulator’s findings highlighted several critical areas of concern, most notably the backlog of fire remedial works. Beyond immediate safety risks, the inspection found that the council lacked accurate and up-to-date information regarding the condition of its homes and potential hazards within them. Furthermore, the RSH noted a lack of understanding of the diverse needs of tenants and suggested that the council’s engagement with its residents requires significant strengthening.

Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, emphasised the importance of data in maintaining safe living conditions. She noted that without accurate information, it is impossible for landlords to demonstrate that homes are safe, warm and decent. This latest grading comes as part of a wider programme of inspections introduced under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which grants the regulator stronger powers to hold social landlords to account.

In response to the report, Broxtowe Borough Council has engaged constructively with the regulator and expressed a commitment to resolving the identified issues. Councillor Vanessa Smith, Portfolio Holder for Housing, stated that the council had already established a Housing Improvement Board prior to the inspection to address legislative changes. She welcomed the feedback and assured residents that the council’s focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality homes and learning from the regulator’s findings.

STORY

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced plans to restore ministers’ statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables on performance grounds, saying the public expect action when police leadership “damagingly” fails.

Under the proposals, Home Secretaries would once again be able to dismiss chief constables who are judged to have failed their communities. The power was removed in 2011 through the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act, leaving police and crime commissioners as the only figures with the formal ability to dismiss a chief constable.

The Home Office said the change follows findings by His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary of significant leadership failings in West Midlands Police after the force recommended banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a match against Aston Villa.

Mahmood said the government would “soon reintroduce” the Home Secretary’s power to dismiss chief constables, framing it as part of a wider effort to make senior police leaders more accountable to Parliament and the public. The Home Office said sweeping police reforms will be set out later this month.

STORY

A multi-billion-pound package of Northern Powerhouse Rail proposals has been launched with the government promising quicker commutes across Yorkshire, upgraded routes and a renewed push to improve rail connections to the North East, including progressing work on the business case for reopening the Leamside Line.

Ministers said the first phase would prioritise upgrades and electrification on the Leeds–Sheffield, Leeds–York and Leeds–Bradford corridors, with delivery expected in the 2030s. The plans also include further development work at Leeds, Sheffield and York stations, while the government said it would press ahead with work on a new Bradford station intended to put the city “at the heart of the northern network”.

The Department for Transport said £1.1 billion has been allocated to accelerate planning and development, and confirmed a £45 billion cap for the wider programme, describing it as a bid to avoid the cost overruns associated with major projects such as HS2. It also highlighted more than £11 million of local transport funding for South Yorkshire to develop a proposed Rotherham Gateway station.

For the North East, ministers said NPR services would run onwards to Newcastle via Darlington and Durham, alongside work to advance the Leamside Line business case. The press release pointed to a recent £4 billion investment in the East Coast Main Line and said a new timetable has added 60,000 extra seats a week.

STORY

Jo Lomas has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has announced. Lomas will succeed Ross Allen, who is moving to another Diplomatic Service role, with the FCDO saying she is due to take up the appointment during July 2026.

She is currently Deputy Director in the FCDO’s Europe Directorate, a role she has held since 2025. Her previous senior postings include serving as British High Commissioner in Kigali (2018 to 2021) and Windhoek (2015 to 2017), alongside earlier diplomatic roles including Deputy Head of Mission in Sarajevo and a posting in Geneva focused on World Trade Organisation work.

STORY

Richard George has been appointed as the new Chair of Network Rail, with Sir Andrew Haines named as Chair of the Department for Transport Operator Limited (DFTO), as the government presses ahead with plans to establish Great British Railways. The Department for Transport said the appointments come at a “pivotal time” for the industry as legislation for rail reform moves through Parliament.

George, who is currently chair of DFTO, will take over at Network Rail, the body responsible for Britain’s rail infrastructure. The department said he brings 45 years’ experience in senior transport roles, including as Managing Director of Great Western Trains, HS1 Project Director for Eurostar and as an adviser to the department on rail performance and investment in the north of England.

Haines, formerly Network Rail’s chief executive from 2018 to 2025, will move into the chair role at DFTO, which is overseeing the transfer of passenger rail services into public ownership ahead of Great British Railways. He previously held senior posts including Managing Director of South West Trains and Managing Director of FirstGroup’s rail division.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the pair’s experience would help improve passenger experience and operational performance as the Government works towards integrating “track and train”. She also thanked outgoing Network Rail chair Mike Putnam, adding he will remain on the Network Rail board. Both appointments are due to take effect on 2 February 2026.

STORY

Government ministers are expected to commit to a new rail link between Birmingham and Manchester, reviving plans for a direct Midlands-to-North West connection after the northern leg of HS2 was scrapped under the previous Conservative government.

The proposal, due to be set out as part of a wider package on Northern Powerhouse Rail, is not expected to begin until other major upgrades across the North of England are delivered. Figures familiar with the plans have indicated the Birmingham–Manchester route would follow later phases, meaning construction could still be over a decade away.

The move is politically significant because it marks the clearest attempt yet by the current government to replace the cancelled HS2 section north of Birmingham, which was dropped in 2023 amid rising costs and uncertainty over delivery. At the time, ministers argued the money would be redirected into smaller rail and road schemes, a claim that has remained contested by city leaders and transport campaigners.

STORY

Scandal-hit former Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi is facing fresh alleged claims that he sought a peerage from the Conservative Party in the weeks before defecting to Reform UK, only to switch sides after failing to secure a seat in the House of Lords.

The allegations, attributed to Conservative sources in several reports, claim Zahawi made repeated approaches to senior party figures about being elevated to the Lords. Those accounts suggest his request was rebuffed, with Tory insiders citing the controversy that engulfed him during his time as party chair.

Sources close to Zahawi have pushed back on the narrative, disputing that he was “turned down” and suggesting the contact ran the other way, with Conservative figures still interested in his advice and involvement. Zahawi has not publicly confirmed any application for a peerage, and the precise nature of any conversations remains unclear.

Zahawi announced his move to Reform UK this week alongside Nigel Farage, presenting the defection as a political decision driven by the direction of the country and what he described as a need for change. His switch is being seized on by opponents as evidence of turbulence on the right, with both Conservatives and Labour framing the move as opportunistic.

STORY

The Government Legal Department has reinstated the Bona Vacantia unclaimed estates list after a review found no evidence that the list itself had been used as a source of fraud. The list, which can help people identify estates they may be entitled to claim, had been taken down in July 2025 amid allegations of fraud within the wider probate system.

Officials said the review concluded the publication of the list was not driving fraudulent activity, but the Bona Vacantia Division will now publish less information as a precaution. Going forward, entries will display only the deceased person’s name, date of death, the area where they died and the division’s case reference number.

The department said requests for additional information will be handled in line with relevant statutory requirements, signalling a tighter approach to disclosure while keeping the list usable for legitimate family tracing and entitlement checks.

STORY

Former Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has defected to Reform UK, giving Nigel Farage his highest-profile recruit so far and landing another blow on the Conservatives as they try to steady themselves after last year’s election.

Zahawi announced the defection today at a press conference in central London alongside Farage, casting the country’s direction in stark terms and arguing that Reform’s leadership team is now the best route to change. Zahawi said that he hadn’t been promised a role within Reform and had defected as he said that the “UK was sick.”

A former MP for Stratford-on-Avon, Zahawi rose quickly through ministerial ranks and became a prominent public figure during the pandemic as vaccines minister before serving briefly as Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2022. He later became Conservative Party chair but was sacked in 2023 after an investigation found he had breached the ministerial code in relation to his tax affairs.

The defection is politically awkward for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, with Reform seeking to present itself as the natural home for disillusioned Tory voters and figures from the Johnson-era wing of the party. Farage, for his part, used Zahawi’s switch to reinforce the argument that Reform is broadening beyond a single-person vehicle and is increasingly able to attract established political names.