Category: News Story

STORY

Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election for Labour, clearing the immediate parliamentary obstacle to a possible challenge against Keir Starmer. Burnham secured 54.8% of the vote, with Reform UK in second place on 34.5%.

The contest had been watched closely because Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, needed a seat in the House of Commons before he could realistically seek to replace Starmer as Labour leader and Prime Minister. His victory returns him to Westminster after nearly a decade away from Parliament.

Burnham said in his victory speech that the result could be a turning point for British politics and told Labour that it had a final chance to change direction. Starmer congratulated him, saying voters had chosen Labour’s campaign over division and hate.

STORY

A three-year-old boy has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after an incident at a crocodile enclosure at Johnsons Zoo near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. Cambridgeshire Police said officers were called at 1.24pm on Thursday following reports of a child in the enclosure, with the boy later taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

Police said the child was in a critical but stable condition and that a 30-year-old man from Norfolk had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Detective Inspector Verity McCann said officers were speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time to understand more about the circumstances. Police said they did not believe the man arrested and the child were known to each other.

The zoo, based at Johnsons of Old Hurst, describes itself as being home to more than 100 animals, including lions, Bengal tigers and crocodiles. Police said officers were supporting the boy’s family at hospital and asked witnesses to assist the investigation. Local MP Ben Obese-Jecty said the incident was being treated as a critical incident and urged people not to speculate while the criminal investigation continued.

STORY

The Government has announced up to £1 million in funding for The Jewish Museum London to support outreach, education and plans for a new permanent home. The announcement was made by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy during a visit to the museum’s interim space at JW3 in north London.

The Jewish Museum London closed its Camden site in 2023 and has since operated as a museum without walls, running exhibitions, learning programmes and community activities. Ministers said the new funding would support audience development, collection loans and work to expand education outreach.

The announcement comes at the end of the UK’s first Jewish Cultural Month and follows wider Government measures on antisemitism. Ministers also said they intend to provide £100,000 for Manchester Jewish Museum to support community work, security costs and a schools outreach pilot.

STORY

Two specialist French police units have been deployed in northern France under a UK-France agreement aimed at stopping small boat crossings. The Government said the Compagnie de Marche and a new dedicated riot unit are now operational on French beaches ahead of the summer period.

The Home Office said the deployment would involve 125 specialist officers and reservists working to disperse migrant groups, pursue criminal smugglers and prevent launches. Ministers said the deployment follows wider international cooperation against organised immigration crime, including recent action in Germany involving boats and engines.

Starmer said closer work with France was necessary to tackle illegal migration, while the Government said almost half of attempted crossings were stopped by French authorities last month. The policy remains politically sensitive, with ministers under continuing pressure to reduce Channel crossings.

STORY

The Government has published its formal offer to the BMA resident doctors committee as ministers seek to resolve the long-running dispute with resident doctors in England. The Department of Health and Social Care said the offer was set out on 12 June and had been developed after feedback from the BMA committee.

The Government said it had strengthened and clarified the offer originally made in March 2026. The published document is described as the complete offer developed in partnership with the BMA resident doctors committee since the previous proposal was made.

The publication of the offer comes after repeated industrial relations disputes in the NHS over pay, working conditions and staffing. The BMA will consider the proposal through its own processes, while ministers will be seeking to avoid further disruption to services.

STORY

The UK-India free trade agreement is expected to come into force on 15 July after the two Governments agreed to proceed following discussions between Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi at the G7 summit. The agreement had faced uncertainty because of Indian concerns about the UK’s forthcoming steel tariff regime.

Reuters reported that India said its concerns had been addressed constructively, allowing implementation to move forward. The agreement is expected by the UK Government to increase long-term bilateral trade and includes tariff reductions covering products including whisky, cars, clothing, footwear and some food goods.

The deal has been presented by ministers as one of the UK’s most significant post-Brexit trade agreements. It links two of the world’s largest economies, but its implementation also comes as the Government is seeking to balance trade policy with support for domestic steel production.

STORY

Voters are going to the polls in the Makerfield by-election, with the contest being watched closely because of its potential implications for Labour’s national leadership. Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, is standing for Labour in the seat after the resignation of Josh Simons, and a victory would return him to Westminster.

The contest has attracted national attention because Burnham is widely regarded as a possible challenger to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Reuters reported that the result could shape whether a leadership contest develops, with Starmer saying he would fight any challenge and arguing that such a contest would be bad for the country.

Reform UK is also contesting the seat, with Robert Kenyon as its candidate, while other parties are seeking to use the by-election to test Labour’s support after recent political difficulties. The result is expected after polls close on Thursday evening and will be assessed for both the local outcome and its national political consequences.

STORY

The Government is facing fresh questions over its planned ban on social media access for under-16s after Ofcom warned that it needs more resources and clearer legal definitions to enforce the policy. The ban is due to come into force from spring 2027 and would prevent major social media platforms from offering services to children under 16.

The Times reported that Oliver Griffiths, Ofcom’s director of online safety, had raised concerns about the practical challenges of enforcing the ban, including the need for clarity over which services would be covered. Questions have also been raised over how platforms will verify the age of younger users, with ministers expected to set out further details on age-checking measures in the coming months.

The policy has also drawn concern from the advertising and technology sectors. The Guardian reported that the ban could lead to a £1.3 billion fall in UK digital advertising spend, with platforms including YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook expected to lose access to a significant teenage audience. Ministers have said the measure is needed to protect children online, but the latest concerns add to scrutiny over whether the legislation can be implemented effectively and questions on whether a rushed timetable would lead to mistakes.

STORY

The Liberal Democrats have urged Labour to change its approach to relations with the European Union, calling for the UK to rejoin the single market through the European Free Trade Association and negotiate a new customs union with the bloc. Ed Davey is expected to argue that the Government’s current position is too limited to deliver major economic benefits.

The party has said Labour should drop its red lines on the single market and customs union, arguing that Brexit continues to affect trade, labour supply and the wider economy. The proposal would involve politically difficult questions, including the issue of free movement, which EU officials have consistently linked to full single market participation.

Labour has rejected rejoining the single market or customs union and has instead pursued more limited agreements with the EU, including cooperation on food and veterinary checks, professional qualifications and security. The debate comes ahead of the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum and amid renewed scrutiny of the economic consequences of leaving the EU.

STORY

The BBC is facing further questions over its vetting of presenters after the Guardian reported that Ashley Cain had previously used abusive and misogynistic language about women on social media. Cain presents the BBC Three documentary series Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone, which was commissioned for a second series after the corporation praised his ability to connect with young male audiences.

The Guardian said Cain had used offensive terms about women in posts on X, formerly Twitter, before he began working with the BBC. The newspaper also reported that he had sent abusive messages to female users and made remarks about violence and degrading sexual behaviour. Cain did not respond to the Guardian’s requests for comment, while the BBC said it expected high standards from everyone working with or for the corporation and would consider the information carefully.

The report comes after a series of controversies involving BBC presenters and follows an external review of BBC workplace culture, which found that unacceptable behaviour by a minority of people within the corporation was not always addressed. The Guardian said the revelations could create an early test for the BBC’s new director general Matt Brittin, who joined the corporation last month.