Category: News Story

STORY

An investigation by London Centric has detailed how unlicensed ice cream vans continue to trade openly on Westminster Bridge despite repeated enforcement action. Journalists tested the operation by parking their own heavily branded van between two existing traders and offering free ice cream to tourists. The publication said its team was filmed by men in expensive cars, followed by another ice cream van and warned that unidentified people were attempting to locate its vehicle.

The vans regularly occupy part of the bridge despite it being a Transport for London red route where stopping is restricted. London Centric previously reported that some traders displayed no prices or clear ownership details, while tourists could be charged substantially inflated amounts. The publication said many of the vans appeared to be connected to one family and argued that the money available from a busy tourist location could outweigh the financial penalties imposed through the courts.

Responsibility for enforcement is divided between Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police, Lambeth Council and Westminster City Council. Joint operations have produced prosecutions, fines and the seizure of trading equipment, but traders have repeatedly returned after being moved on or penalised. The Government said in March 2026 that vehicles operating within the Government Secure Zone were a matter for the police, which continued to monitor the situation and work with relevant partners.

STORY

Manchester will host the 2027 G20 Leaders’ Summit, bringing heads of government from the world’s largest economies to the city. The meeting will take place at Manchester Central Convention Centre on 27 and 28 November 2027.

The summit will be held during the UK’s year long presidency of the G20, with additional meetings planned at locations across the country. The Government said its priorities would include strengthening global economic stability and encouraging international investment, while Manchester City Council expects the event to benefit the city’s hospitality and visitor economy.

The G20 includes 19 countries alongside the European Union and African Union, collectively representing approximately 85 per cent of global economic output, 75 per cent of international trade and two thirds of the world’s population. The UK last hosted a G20 summit in London in 2009, when leaders agreed measures intended to support the global economy following the financial crisis.

STORY

Bentley has completed a £350 million investment at its Crewe factory as it prepares to manufacture its first fully electric vehicle. The Government said the investment would support approximately 4,000 existing jobs at the site.

The announcement takes the value of automotive investments revealed within seven days to £1.02 billion. McLaren has announced investment of £500 million, while Nissan has committed £170 million.

Bentley has installed new manufacturing, design and logistics facilities at Crewe, alongside workforce training. The Government is providing £7.5 billion to support electric vehicle manufacturing, sales and charging infrastructure, while consulting businesses over the planned ending of sales of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030.

STORY

The UK Government has announced £331 million of international funding intended to address security risks associated with climate change and the loss of natural habitats. The package was unveiled by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband at the United Nations General Assembly.

Of the total, £330 million will be provided to the Global Environment Facility between 2026 and 2030. The funding will support sustainable agriculture and fishing, access to food and clean water, and measures addressing desertification, deforestation, drought and flooding.

A further £1 million will be given to the United Nations Climate Security Mechanism, which works with countries to identify environmental pressures that could contribute to conflict and humanitarian emergencies. The Government said climate related disruption can affect the UK through higher food prices, disrupted supply chains, displacement and greater international instability.

STORY

The Government and major defence companies have agreed to provide 40,000 employment, apprenticeship and training opportunities for young people each year by 2030. The annual number is intended to rise to 50,000 by 2035.

Companies participating in the agreement include Airbus, Babcock, BAE Systems, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, Rolls Royce and Thales. The commitments include at least 14,000 apprenticeships by 2035 and a 25 per cent increase in work experience placements and programmes for young people who are not in employment, education or training.

The agreement will form part of the forthcoming Defence Jobs Plan and follows a £182 million Government package for defence skills. Ministers say approximately 53,000 additional workers will be required across the defence industry by 2035, while the wider Defence Investment Plan is expected to support more than 60,000 new roles.

STORY

More than 14.5 million free bus journeys were made by children during August under the Government’s Great British Summer Savings Scheme. Children aged between five and 15 were able to travel without charge on participating services across England.

Figures supplied by participating operators showed substantial increases in child passenger numbers. The Bee Network in Greater Manchester carried nearly 1.7 million children during the month, an increase of 748,000 compared with the previous summer, while one service in north east England recorded a rise of 710 per cent.

The Government said the scheme formed part of its wider attempt to reduce the cost of bus travel and encourage greater use of public transport. A £2 bus fare cap is due to begin in January 2027, while time restrictions on concessionary passes for disabled passengers are also being removed.

STORY

The UK Government has announced an £88 million package of humanitarian and early recovery support for Palestinians. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced the funding during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The package is intended to provide healthcare, clean water, sanitation, waste management and protection services in Gaza and the West Bank. The Government expects supported facilities to provide medical consultations for as many as 900,000 people, while 1,000 children with blast injuries could receive rehabilitation and prosthetic treatment.

Funding is also expected to provide emergency water supplies for 150,000 people and mental health support for 21,000 people. The package includes previously announced commitments alongside new funding, with the Government allocating a total bilateral aid budget of £127 million for Palestine during the 2026 to 2027 financial year.

STORY

James Gillingham has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison after admitting his role in an investment fraud which took approximately £1 million from more than 60 people. He pleaded guilty to fraud, money laundering and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Investors were cold called and promised monthly returns from apparently legitimate investments operated through companies claiming to have prestigious London offices. Police found that no money was invested and that payments made to earlier clients came from funds provided by other victims. The largest individual loss was £133,900.

Charges were authorised in 2020, but Gillingham left Britain and failed to attend court. He was subsequently deported from Singapore and arrested at Heathrow Airport in August 2025. The Crown Prosecution Service intends to pursue confiscation proceedings in an attempt to recover assets for compensation, although the amount available has not yet been established.

STORY

David Greenhalgh and Christos Farmakis have each been sentenced to 16 years in prison for operating an illegal international arms brokering business. The Crown Prosecution Service described the case as a landmark prosecution under British arms trafficking legislation.

Prosecutors said the pair attempted to arrange supplies of military equipment from former Soviet and eastern European countries between 2009 and 2016. The proposed transactions included assault rifles, ammunition, tanks, combat aircraft, missile launchers and surface to air missile systems intended for embargoed destinations including Libya, South Sudan, Iraq and Iran.

Greenhalgh and Farmakis were convicted following a trial at Southwark Crown Court. Evidence included correspondence discussing false certificates, disguised destinations and the use of third countries to avoid export controls. The Export Control Joint Unit said no licence applications had been submitted in connection with the proposed transactions.

STORY

Google could be required to offer British Android and Chrome users a choice of search provider when they first use their device or browser and again every year, under proposals published by the Competition and Markets Authority.

The available services could include artificial intelligence assistants such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, provided they meet technical and security requirements. Services displayed on the selection screen would also be expected to identify publishers accurately and allow users to access the original material behind search results.

Google was designated as having strategic market status in search and search advertising during October 2025, allowing the regulator to impose targeted competition requirements. The CMA is consulting on the updated proposals until 9 October and expects to reach a final decision before the end of 2026.