Category: News Story

STORY

Fraudsters have stolen over £16 million from music fans in the past year, exploiting the demand for tickets to sold-out concerts by artists like Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Beyoncé. The Home Office and Action Fraud have issued a warning urging the public to take extra care when buying event tickets online, as reports of scams have surged dramatically.

According to data released this week, more than 8,700 people reported falling victim to ticket fraud between May 2023 and May 2024, with the average loss per person coming in at a steep £350. Many victims believed they were purchasing legitimate tickets through unofficial channels, only to be left empty-handed at the gates. The government campaign, launched in conjunction with UK Finance and the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), is promoting three key rules: always buy from trusted, authorised ticket sellers; beware of deals that seem too good to be true; and take your time before parting with personal or payment details.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat called the scams “heartless crimes” and emphasised that “we want every music fan to enjoy the experience of seeing their favourite artists live, without being duped by scammers.” Criminals have used increasingly sophisticated methods to target victims, including fake websites that closely mimic official sellers, fraudulent social media accounts, and online marketplaces. In some cases, entire groups of fans were tricked into buying non-existent tickets for the same event, only realising they’d been scammed upon arrival.

STORY

The BBC has alleged that Kemi Badenoch’s spokesperson has suggested that Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, should “make public” the reasons why she was upset in the House of Commons regardless of it being “a personal matter”.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster Leader, said in a statement:

“Like almost all MPs I don’t know why the Chancellor was upset in the Chamber today, but I do hope she is okay and back to her duties this afternoon. Seeing another person in distress is always very difficult, and we are wishing her well.”

STORY

The duo Bob Vylan have been dropped from more festivals following alleged hate speech made from the stage at Glastonbury. The duo’s management company has dropped the performers and the United States has withdrawn their visas in advance of a series of gigs in the country. Gigs at Manchester and in France have been cancelled, with Glastonbury condemning the comments made by the duo. The BBC apologised for broadcasting the performance, saying “the antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves” and Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, said “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech.”

STORY

The Department for Work and Pensions has appointed Kirstin Baker as the interim Chair of The Pensions Regulator, taking up the role from 1 August 2025. She will serve for up to nine months while the government completes the recruitment process for a permanent chair. Baker has been a senior independent board member at the regulator since 2016 and previously chaired its Audit and Risk Committee. Her appointment follows the departure of Sarah Smart, who has stepped down after serving as Chair since 2021.

The role comes with a remuneration of £73,840 a year, based on a commitment of at least 104 working days. The Department said Baker’s appointment would ensure stability and continuity in the organisation’s leadership during a period of ongoing change in the pensions sector. Pensions Minister Torsten Bell welcomed the decision, saying he looked forward to working with Baker and valued the experience she brings from both her existing role at the regulator and her previous work in the civil service.

Baker said she was delighted to be taking on the interim role and thanked her predecessor for her work. She noted her commitment to continuing the regulator’s priorities and helping to guide it through its next phase. Before her work in pensions, Baker had a distinguished career in the civil service, most recently as Finance and Commercial Director at HM Treasury. She was involved in managing the government’s financial response to the 2008 banking crisis, for which she was appointed a CBE.

STORY

In a powerful speech delivered at Salisbury Cathedral for the 2025 Edward Heath Lecture, former Prime Minister Sir John Major launched a stinging attack on Donald Trump’s foreign policy while urging Britain to face economic reality by rejoining the EU Single Market and Customs Union.

Speaking with a frankness unshackled by party loyalty, Sir John condemned what he described as a dangerous shift in the United States’s global stance, criticising President Trump for turning away from long-held Western alliances and instead courting autocrats like Vladimir Putin. “It was as though America had her arms around Putin’s shoulders, and her hands at Zelensky’s throat,” he remarked, accusing Trump of undermining NATO and pursuing deals that aid aggressors at the expense of global stability. “This is not America as I have known her. This is not democracy as I understand it.”

Sir John warned that Trump’s unpredictable style of leadership—while superficially effective—was eroding international norms and emboldening hostile regimes. Comparing modern geopolitics to Kipling’s “Law of the Jungle”, he said Trump’s rhetoric risked legitimising land grabs and coups by authoritarian powers. “If President Trump threatens to seize Canada, why should not Putin seize Ukraine?” he asked.

Turning to Britain’s domestic challenges, Sir John painted a bleak picture of the UK’s economic performance post-Brexit. He lamented stagnant growth, weak productivity and rising debt, arguing that the only “freedom” delivered by Brexit was “the freedom to be poorer”. He warned that Britain had walked away from the largest free trade area in the world and was now suffering the consequences in reduced investment, lower trade growth and a diminished global influence.

In his most explicit policy suggestion to date, Sir John called for the UK to rejoin the EU’s Single Market and Customs Union, describing it as a necessary step to halt economic decline and restore Britain’s international standing. “If we think small, we will be small,” he said, urging politicians to put pragmatism before ideology. While stopping short of advocating full EU membership, he argued that closer European ties were vital if Britain was to compete in a world dominated by American and Chinese superpower rivalry.

His remarks echoed the spirit of Edward Heath, the Prime Minister who led the UK into the European Economic Community in 1973, and who Sir John said had prioritised country over party and policy over popularity. Drawing on that legacy, he concluded with a rallying cry for leadership rooted in honesty, reason and long-term vision: “Each one of us – from my generation down – needs to understand where the world is now… that is the reality. It is work in progress. And, for all our sakes, that endeavour must not fail.”

STORY

Joshua Wilson, a convicted paedophile from Bedworth, Warwickshire, has had his prison sentence increased from four years to five years and ten months following a successful intervention by the Solicitor General. Wilson, aged 26, was originally sentenced in March 2025 after being found guilty of a string of serious child sex offences. These included attempting to incite a nine-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity via a video call, posing online as a 12-year-old boy to groom children, and distributing indecent images of children. He committed these offences while already under investigation and on bail, showing what prosecutors described as a persistent and calculated intent to exploit vulnerable victims.

The case was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, which allows the most serious criminal sentences to be challenged. The Court agreed that the original term did not reflect the full gravity of Wilson’s actions and increased it by nearly two years. In a statement following the ruling, the Solicitor General said Wilson’s crimes were “sickening” and that the increased sentence sends a clear message that such predatory behaviour will be met with appropriately severe punishment.

STORY

His Majesty’s Government has announced the appointment of Javed Patel as the new Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia, succeeding Simon Thomas who has held the role since July 2021. The change in ambassadorial leadership continues a diplomatic tradition dating back to Croatia’s recognition by the UK in 1992. Since then, the post has been held by a succession of envoys, most recently Andrew Dalgleish (2016–2021), Simon Thomas (2021–2025), and now Javed Patel.

Patel’s tenure will begin amid a pivotal moment for UK–Croatia relations, with both nations navigating post-Brexit dynamics, regional security concerns, and shared interests across trade and education. His appointment is expected to reinforce the UK’s commitment to close collaboration with Croatia, particularly in areas of economic opportunity and cultural ties. Prior to his current role, Patel had been the Head of Gaza Consular Cell.

STORY

The government has appointed Reverend Clive Foster as the United Kingdom’s first Windrush Commissioner, a new independent role intended to drive real progress in addressing the injustices suffered by the Windrush generation. His appointment comes just days ahead of Windrush Day, which marks the anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush and honours the legacy of Caribbean migrants who helped rebuild Britain after the Second World War.

Reverend Foster, a senior pastor based in Nottingham, is a well-known advocate for the Windrush community and the son of Jamaican migrants. He has long worked on Windrush issues at both a local and national level, including founding a support forum and serving as a key figure in national campaigning efforts. In his new role, he will be expected to act independently of government, while working alongside officials to ensure that victims of the scandal are treated fairly and that ongoing policy reform is guided by those directly affected.

The creation of this role follows widespread criticism of the government’s handling of the Windrush compensation scheme and broader efforts to acknowledge and address the harm caused. Foster has already made clear that he sees the post as a vehicle for delivering real, visible change, stating that it’s not enough to offer warm words and apologies and what is needed is cultural transformation and practical accountability.

STORY

The government has announced what it calls a “bold reset plan” for HS2 following years of what the Transport Secretary described as mismanagement and spiralling costs. Heidi Alexander said the project had been plagued by poor oversight, ministerial detachment, and unsustainable cost inflation, with Phase 1 alone now projected to cost £66 billion, a staggering rise of £37 billion over its original estimate. The new measures are based on the findings of the James Stewart review, which painted a bleak picture of HS2’s governance and financial control, effectively accusing the project of becoming a runaway train with no one at the brakes.

Among the most immediate changes, Alexander confirmed the appointment of new leadership at HS2 Ltd, with Mike Brown, formerly of Transport for London, stepping in as Chair, and Mark Wild, known for reviving the Elizabeth Line, taking over as CEO. Wild wasted no time in declaring that the current cost, scope, and schedule of the project are unsustainable, and that a fundamental overhaul is necessary to deliver any meaningful value to taxpayers. New financial restrictions will be placed on HS2 Ltd, with ministers now required to sign off on major decisions. In an effort to realign incentives, contractors working on the project will only benefit financially when they help reduce costs, a move the Department for Transport says will protect the public purse.

One key development is the confirmation of funding for the tunnel connecting Old Oak Common to Euston, meaning the central London station link, long the subject of political wrangling, will finally be taken forward. Although a final design is still being developed, the Transport Secretary said this part of the line was “essential” and would now move ahead. The government also committed to learning from what it diplomatically calls “structural issues” in the way Whitehall handles major infrastructure projects, with Cabinet Office involvement planned to avoid a repeat of the HS2 fiasco in future schemes.

STORY

The Defence Secretary has announced a major overhaul of the British Army, promising a larger, more modern, and more lethal force by the end of the decade. Speaking at the RUSI Land Warfare Conference, John Healey said the changes outlined in the new Strategic Defence Review would reverse years of decline and prepare the UK for future threats.

Healey confirmed the government would spend 2.6 percent of GDP on defence by 2027, with an ambition to increase that to 3 percent in the next Parliament. The Army’s full-time strength is set to grow to at least 76,000, with the Defence Secretary criticising the current recruitment system as inefficient and responsible for losing over a million potential applicants in the past decade. He pledged to reform it and offer better pay, improved housing, and more support for service families to help retain personnel.

A new Armed Forces Commissioner will also be appointed to act as an independent advocate for service members, and further investment will be made in childcare and accommodation. Healey said the government would bring 36,000 military homes back under full public control and invest £1.5 billion in military housing during this Parliament.

The Army’s capabilities are also set for a significant technological boost. Healey announced £100 million would be spent this year on land-based drone swarms, with uncrewed systems to become a central part of the Army’s future. A total of £4 billion will be spent on drones this Parliament, including 3,000 strike drones and 1,000 surveillance drones. Every infantry section will be equipped with its own drone unit, and a new Drone Centre will be established. The government will also invest £1 billion in a “digital targeting web” linking sensors to strike platforms, a system already being tested in Estonia. By 2027, it is expected to be fully operational in NATO exercises.

Healey described the changes as the most substantial rearmament of the Army in a generation, saying the UK needed to be ready to fight and win alongside allies. He said the British Army would become tougher, more deployable, and better connected, warning that the threats of the modern world require action, not just words. He concluded with a message aimed both at military personnel and political audiences: that security at home depends on credibility abroad, and that Britain must now deliver on its commitments with urgency and determination.