Category: News Story

STORY

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to put a plan for a universal social care service before voters at the next general election. He said care should operate on principles similar to the NHS, with services free at the point of use and the cost spread across the population.

Burnham said the detailed proposal would include a precise explanation of how the system would be funded. He acknowledged that the plan could require difficult or unpopular choices, but said the present system was unfair and placed unsustainable pressure on families and the health service.

The Prime Minister does not intend to introduce the new system during the current Parliament, with the next general election due by mid 2029. His commitment leaves the final design and tax implications unresolved while placing social care reform at the centre of Labour’s programme for a possible second term.

STORY

The Government has announced that British shipyards will build three new floating docks for the Royal Navy submarine service and a new marine research vessel. Chancellor John Healey said the projects formed part of a new age of industrialisation intended to support skilled employment, strengthen national security and create work for smaller British businesses.

The floating docks will be procured through a competition restricted to the United Kingdom and installed at HM Naval Base Clyde. The facilities, known collectively as Programme Euston, will be used for inspections, upgrades and repairs across the current and future nuclear submarine fleet, preserving a capability that ministers regard as strategically important.

The separate research vessel will replace the ageing RV Cefas Endeavour and is expected to enter service in the early 2030s. It will monitor fish stocks and pollution, map the seabed and use technologies including automation, robotics and artificial intelligence. The Government has not yet named the shipyards that will receive the work.

STORY

The previously unidentified grave of Private George Pert, a soldier from Ferryden in Angus, has been formally rededicated in his name more than a century after his death. The service was organised by the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Harlebeke New British Cemetery in Belgium.

Private Pert grew up in the fishing village of Ferryden before joining the Seaforth Highlanders. He was killed on 20 October 1918 during fighting around Harlebeke as Allied forces advanced across the Western Front during the final weeks of the First World War. His body was not recovered at the time and he was officially recorded as missing.

Research submitted by a member of the public established that Private Pert had been buried east of Harlebeke before his remains were moved to the new cemetery after the war. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has replaced the previously unnamed headstone with one bearing his name and the inscription selected by his family, “Gone too soon, but not forgotten.” Serving soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland attended the rededication service.

STORY

Five men have been arrested after three suspicious vehicles were reported travelling towards RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Police received the report at around 12.45am on Sunday and armed officers detained the men in the nearby Whelford area on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act. They were subsequently further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act under the Terrorism Act.

Counter Terrorism Policing is leading the investigation, with all five men remaining in custody. A 400 metre cordon has been established around the vehicles while an Army explosive ordnance disposal team carries out examinations. Around 85 households were evacuated as a precaution, with a nearby leisure centre opened for residents unable to stay with relatives or friends. Police said they believed the incident was contained.

RAF Fairford is used by the United States Air Force and security has also been increased at other bases used by American forces in Britain. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the incident would be deeply concerning to local residents and urged the public not to speculate while investigators established the facts. The Government said the Prime Minister was being kept informed and thanked the emergency services for acting quickly to detain the suspects and protect the community.

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.

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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.

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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.