Category: News Story

STORY

European Parliament and Council negotiators are due to try to reach an agreement on updated EU rules for returning third-country nationals who do not have the right to remain in the bloc. The talks form part of the EU’s wider effort to make its migration and asylum system more effective after years of political pressure over irregular arrivals and low return rates.

The return regulation is politically sensitive because it sits at the point where migration control, fundamental rights and relations with non-EU countries all meet. Governments have repeatedly called for faster returns, while parliamentary groups and campaigners have warned that any new powers must be accompanied by safeguards and proper legal oversight.

The negotiations come during a week in which migration is again high on the Brussels agenda. Home affairs ministers are also expected to discuss the implementation of the migration pact, the external dimension of migration and the future legal status of displaced people from Ukraine.

STORY

Jeremy Hunt has used a new interview to reflect on the personal cost of political life and to argue that Britain still faces deep economic challenges. The former Chancellor, now on the Conservative back benches, said politics had made him a poor husband, father and friend, according to The Times.

Hunt also used the interview to discuss his new book on the British economy and the need for long-term reform. He criticised both Conservative and Labour failures, while arguing that the country’s economic problems required difficult choices on taxation, welfare, pensions and productivity.

His comments add to the wider debate over whether either main party has a credible plan for growth. Although Hunt is no longer in frontline politics, his intervention will be read in the context of Conservative attempts to rebuild after defeat and Labour’s own internal argument about economic direction.

STORY

The House of Commons and House of Lords are due to return on Monday 1 June after the Whitsun recess. UK Parliament’s business papers showed that neither House was sitting on Sunday 31 May, with Commons business scheduled to resume at the start of the new week.

The return of Parliament will bring ministers back under direct scrutiny after a period dominated by Labour leadership speculation, questions over public spending and continuing pressure on Government delivery. The House of Commons has listed business for the week of 1 to 5 June, with MPs expected to return to the usual pattern of debates, questions and committee work.

The timing is awkward for the Government, as the national political agenda has moved quickly during recess. Ministers are likely to face questions on the rail public ownership programme, Labour’s internal divisions, economic policy and the continuing consequences of recent local and devolved election results.

STORY

Wes Streeting has set out a series of policy positions that put him at odds with both Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Tony Blair. In an interview reported by The Independent, the former Health Secretary said Labour should consider cutting national insurance and issuing new North Sea oil and gas licences.

Streeting also criticised Starmer’s leadership, saying voters did not have an emotional connection with the Prime Minister and that the Government had a problem of substance as well as presentation. He said Labour should stick to its manifesto commitments on Europe in the short term, while still supporting the UK’s eventual return to the European Union.

His comments come ahead of a possible Labour leadership contest later this year and after he resigned from Government to prepare for a challenge. Streeting also criticised elements of Blair’s recent intervention, arguing that the former Prime Minister’s approach did not sufficiently address inequality and the political forces driving public discontent.

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Andy Burnham is reportedly considering calling a snap general election if he becomes Prime Minister, according to a report cited by Reuters. The report said Labour insiders believed Burnham could seek an electoral mandate if he were to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as party leader and enter Downing Street.

The same report said Burnham was considering Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood as a possible Chancellor and that Angela Rayner could return to Cabinet. Reuters said it had not independently verified the claims and that Burnham, Rayner and Mahmood had not immediately responded to requests for comment.

Burnham would first need to win the Makerfield by-election on 18 June before any leadership move could be launched. His potential return to Westminster has intensified pressure on Starmer, whose leadership has been under renewed scrutiny following Labour’s poor local election performance.

STORY

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is due to travel to China and India for talks covering global security, trade and international health issues. Reuters reported that Cooper will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice President Han Zheng before travelling to Shenzhen for discussions focused on science and technology.

The visit follows the Government’s attempt to reset relations with China after Keir Starmer’s trip earlier this year. The talks are expected to cover issues including the Strait of Hormuz, the war in Ukraine and the recent Ebola outbreak, with ministers arguing that engagement with major powers is necessary during a period of heightened international instability.

Cooper is then expected to travel to India, where she will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other figures connected with the UK-India Vision 2035 initiative. The visit comes after the two countries signed a free trade agreement last year, although implementation has faced difficulties linked to UK steel import restrictions.

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Former Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland has been appointed as Lead Non-Executive Director at the Department for Work and Pensions to support the Government’s Youth Guarantee. He has been asked to convene business leaders and help improve the route into employment, education or training for young people.

The appointment follows interim findings from the Government-commissioned review led by Alan Milburn into youth inactivity. The DWP said around one million young people are not in employment, education or training, and that Bolland’s experience through Movement to Work would help bring employers into the design and delivery of support.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said Bolland’s appointment showed that the Government was serious about tackling the issue. Bolland will advise ministers on the response to the Milburn review and work with businesses, charities, disabled people’s organisations and young people themselves as part of the wider programme.

STORY

Govia Thameslink Railway services have transferred into public ownership, bringing Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express under the management of DfT Operator Limited. The move took effect on 31 May 2026 and forms part of the Government’s wider programme to bring DfT-managed train operators into public ownership ahead of the creation of Great British Railways.

DfT Operator Limited said eight in ten passenger rail journeys that will ultimately fall under Great British Railways are now delivered by publicly owned operators. Ministers have argued that the change will make the railway more accountable and allow train operators and Network Rail to work more closely together on performance and passenger experience.

The transfer is politically significant because GTR is Britain’s largest train operating company and covers major commuter and airport routes across London and the south east. The Government said public ownership would support improved services while also reducing subsidy and maintaining safety and sustainability, although the practical impact will depend on whether passengers see fewer cancellations and better reliability.

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The High Court has ruled that Home Office policy changes requiring some torture survivors and other vulnerable asylum seekers to share rooms with strangers were unlawful. The case concerned changes introduced in 2024 that removed a previous presumption against shared accommodation for survivors of torture, trafficking and serious violence.

Mr Justice Sweeting found that the department had failed to assess the risks properly or consult specialist organisations before making the policy change. Charities including Freedom from Torture and the Helen Bamber Foundation argued that shared rooms could cause serious harm to people with a history of trauma.

The ruling creates a further challenge for ministers as they seek to reduce the cost of asylum accommodation and increase the use of shared housing. Campaigners said the decision could affect thousands of people, while the Home Office will need to review how it treats vulnerable asylum seekers in accommodation decisions.

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Government plans to double some steel import tariffs and reduce tariff-free quotas have prompted warnings from businesses and MPs about the possible effect on defence, aerospace and shipbuilding. The changes are due to begin on 1 July and are intended to protect domestic steel production.

Critics, including Liam Byrne, the chair of the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee, have warned that some downstream manufacturers depend on specialist steel products that are not made in the UK. Businesses have argued that higher costs could hit sectors involved in warships, nuclear submarines, aircraft and other strategic industries.

The Government has defended the policy as an attempt to balance support for British steelmakers with wider supply chain needs. Industry groups are calling for urgent changes before the measures take effect, warning that the policy could damage the competitiveness of firms employing hundreds of thousands of people.