Category: News Story

STORY

The Competition and Markets Authority has said sharp rises in petrol and diesel prices have been driven mainly by wider cost pressures, particularly higher oil prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East, rather than a general increase in fuel retailers’ margins.

The regulator’s latest monitoring report found that petrol prices rose by 26p per litre and diesel prices by 50p per litre between February and 20 April. The CMA said average retailer fuel margins were broadly unchanged between February and March, moving from 10.3p per litre to 10.7p per litre, which was close to the average margin recorded during 2025.

However, the watchdog said fuel margins remain historically high, reflecting continued concern that competition in the road fuel market is not working as strongly as it should. It also found that some individual retailers increased their margins in March and said it would investigate the reasons for those rises before publishing a further update in May.

The CMA also highlighted a period of higher margins before the Middle East conflict, with margins reaching 12.7p per litre in December 2025 and January 2026, compared with 10.0p per litre in November 2025. It said it would examine what drove that increase as part of its continuing monitoring work.

STORY

Three Dorset farming businesses have agreed to pay a total of £33,500 to environmental charities after Environment Agency investigations found failures in the handling and storage of slurry.

Crockway Farms Ltd, Drummers Farming Limited and Crutchley Farms Partnership accepted enforcement undertakings after breaches of environmental rules intended to protect rivers and streams. In two cases, slurry entered nearby watercourses, while in the third a farm installed new slurry stores without first securing the required environmental permit.

Drummers Farming Limited, based near Sherborne, caused two slurry pollution incidents in spring 2024. In April, slurry from a lagoon entered the Leigh Tributary of the Beer Hackett Stream, also known as the River Wriggle. The Environment Agency said alarms were activated, but because the incident happened during the night, immediate action was not taken. A second incident led to water samples showing ammonia levels that could be lethal to aquatic life, with the effects identifiable more than 1.2 miles downstream.

Crutchley Farms Partnership was investigated after pollution was found in the Mangerton Brook near Bridport in October 2023. Officers traced the source to Marsh Farm, where slurry had entered the stream from a concrete tank overflow pipe after a pump failed. The watercourse had an unpleasant odour and sewage fungus, with organic waste identifiable more than 300 metres downstream and significant ecological deterioration over 800 metres.

Crockway Farms Ltd, an intensive pig farm, failed to obtain an environmental permit before installing two new slurry stores. The Environment Agency said strict permits are required for pig farms because officials must consider ammonia emissions and the risk of effluent discharges.

STORY

Former Bracknell Forest mayor Naheed Ejaz has been jailed for three years after being convicted of perverting the course of justice, in a case involving her son Diwan Khan.

Ejaz, 61, had served as mayor of Bracknell Forest from May 2023 to May 2024. Winchester Crown Court heard that when police attended Khan’s home in September 2024, Ejaz delayed officers at the front door and then spoke to her son in Urdu after they entered the property. Body-worn camera footage later showed the pair discussing the hiding of something, and police said the conversation was translated as part of the investigation.

The now disgraced Ejaz served as Mayor of Bracknell Forest from May 2023 to May 2024, after being elected as a Labour councillor for Great Hollands in May 2023. Her appointment was presented at the time as a historic moment for the council, with reports describing her as Bracknell Forest’s first Asian woman mayor and Ejaz herself saying she was the borough’s first Pakistani Muslim mayor.

STORY

Essex Police Chief Constable BJ Harrington has announced he is to retire, bringing to an end a 36-year career in policing. Mr Harrington began his career with the Metropolitan Police in 1990 before joining Essex Police on secondment as Deputy Chief Constable in 2017. He became Chief Constable the following year and has led the force for the past eight years.

In a statement, he said serving as Chief Constable had been “so much more than a job”, describing Essex Police as his “life and family” during his time in charge. He paid tribute to officers, staff and volunteers, as well as emergency service colleagues, local government, voluntary and community partners and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst.

Mr Harrington said the force had made progress in preventing and reducing crime, solving more offences, supporting victims, using technology and reshaping the organisation for future challenges. He added that he was grateful to the people of Essex, saying the county had secured “the most special place” in his heart. A process to appoint his successor will be announced by Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst in due course.

STORY

The British and Irish governments have reaffirmed their commitment to closer cooperation on legacy issues, political stability and security in Northern Ireland after a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference at Hillsborough Castle. The talks were led on the UK side by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and minister Matthew Patrick, with Ireland represented by foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee and justice minister Jim O’Callaghan.

In a joint communiqué, both governments said they had discussed progress on the Joint Framework on legacy agreed last year and stressed the need to implement its commitments as quickly as possible in order to build public confidence. They also reviewed progress on the Omagh Bombing Inquiry, including new legislation in Ireland intended to support cooperation with the inquiry, and the UK updated Dublin on its recently announced review of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

STORY

The UK has said Russia is continuing to suffer catastrophic losses in Ukraine for only minimal territorial gains, arguing that the war is becoming increasingly unsustainable for Moscow. In a statement to the OSCE in Vienna, Colonel Joby Rimmer of the UK delegation said evidence based military analysis showed Russia’s human and financial costs were rising sharply while delivering only limited returns on the battlefield.

According to the statement, Russian forces are reported to have sustained about 420,000 casualties in 2025, including up to 200,000 killed, while gaining an estimated 0.8 per cent more Ukrainian territory. The UK also said average monthly Russian casualties in early 2026 remained above 30,000 and that cumulative losses since the start of the full scale invasion were now estimated at roughly 1.3 million.

STORY

The Government has confirmed a further overhaul of Right to Buy in England, saying the changes are aimed at protecting scarce social housing while still keeping a route into home ownership for long term tenants. The reforms will increase the minimum qualifying period from three years to ten, cut discounts so they begin at 5% of a property’s value and rise by 1% a year to a maximum of 15% or the cash cap, and introduce a 35 year exemption for newly built social homes so they cannot be sold under the scheme during that period.

Ministers said the measures are intended to help councils rebuild housing stock that has been depleted by past sales. The Government has already said councils will be allowed to keep 100% of Right to Buy receipts, and the latest announcement forms part of a wider effort to increase the supply of social and affordable homes. Housing minister Matthew Pennycook said reform was needed to better protect social housing while maintaining what the Government called a responsible route into ownership.

STORY

Susan Harris has been appointed vice chair of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee, in a move the Government said would help ensure the body remains representative of the wider infected blood community. The appointment was announced by committee chair Clive Smith with the approval of Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, and Harris will replace Joan Edgington in the role.

Harris has long been involved in campaigning and advocacy for those affected by the scandal. She was infected with Hepatitis C at six months old following treatment for an inherited bleeding disorder, and has since worked with organisations including the Hepatitis C Trust, the Haemophilia Society and the Thalassaemia Association. The Government said her appointment comes as the committee continues work with the community to create memorials recognising those affected by the infected blood scandal.

STORY

Christopher Joell-Deshields, the former chief executive of Pride in London, has admitted one count of contempt of court in the latest twist in the long running row over his conduct at the organisation. The case centres on claims that he failed to comply fully with a court order linked to the handover of Pride in London property and access to organisational accounts during an investigation into his behaviour. Reports say he denied other elements of the contempt case, but admitted failing to provide a statement confirming compliance with the order.

The admission comes after Pride in London said earlier this month that Joell-Deshields’ employment had been terminated following an independent investigation, with an appeal against that decision also rejected. The organisation said it is now putting in place a new governance structure, while interim chief executive Rebecca Paisis said Pride in London would operate to the highest standards.

The wider scandal is becoming more deeply serious with allegations of misconduct being levelled against Joell-Deshields including financial mismanagement, misuse of sponsor funded volunteer vouchers and claims of a toxic working culture, all of which he has denied.

NEWS STORY

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation after a Metrolink tram derailed on the approach to Piccadilly tram stop in Manchester on 5 April. The tram, travelling from Ashton to Bury, was moving at about 8mph when the wheels on one axle left the track, though the driver was initially unaware and the tram continued into the stop, where passengers were able to get off. No injuries were reported and only minor damage was caused.

Investigators said they will examine the sequence of events leading to the derailment, including the design, maintenance and management of the track, the condition and management of the tram itself, its operation at the time and any underlying contributing factors. The RAIB said its work is independent of any inquiries by the tram industry or the Office of Rail and Road, and that a final report with any safety recommendations will be published when the investigation is complete.