Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Charity, Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust, investigated over funding of non-charitable company [October 2025]
The press release issued by the Charity Commission on 28 October 2025.

The Charity Commission is escalating its engagement with the Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust to a statutory inquiry.

The regulator has been engaging with the charity since May 2025 over concerns about its involvement in publications made and events organised by a non-charitable company which receives funding from Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust.

Complaints were also received in relation to the charity’s funding of an event where it is alleged that inflammatory statements were made. The Commission is investigating whether support of the event was in furtherance of the charity’s objects.

The Commission required the trustees to answer a range of questions to understand the charity’s involvement in these matters, and its wider relationship with the non-charitable company. After reviewing the trustees’ responses, notably in relation to the event, the regulator decided to launch a statutory inquiry to further investigate the regulatory concerns.

The inquiry will examine the trustees’ administration, management and governance of the charity and their compliance with legal duties and responsibilities. It will also review:
1. Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust’s activities, considering how these further the charity’s purposes and are in the charity’s best interests
2. The relationship between the charity and the non-charitable company, including:
- how this relationship benefits the charity and helps deliver on its purposes
- how the trustees are managing this relationship in the charity’s best interests
- what safeguards are in place to ensure the charity is adequately separate from the non-charitable company
- the steps the trustees have taken to separate the charity from the non-charitable company so that it is clear to the public that the two organisations are separate entities
The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge.  The regulator has previously issued an Official Warning to the charity on 28 March 2023 in part about how it managed its relationship with the non-charitable company. The decision to escalate its case to an inquiry reflects the seriousness of the Commission’s concerns about the impact the unclear relationship between the charity and non-charitable company may have on public trust and confidence in the charity and charities more widely.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing the issues examined, any action taken, and the inquiry’s outcomes.

ENDS

Notes to editors
1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Read further information about what the Commission does.
2. On 8 October 2025 the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 as a result of its regulatory concerns that there is or has been misconduct and / or mismanagement in the administration of the charity.
3. Allegations of criminal offences are for the Police to investigate.
4. The Home Office is responsible for decisions on proscription on behalf of the UK Government.
5. The Commission publishes a range of guidance for trustees, including: Conflicts of interest and on Charities and terrorism.
November 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Judicial Appointments Commission reappointment [October 2025]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 28 October 2025.

His Majesty The King, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, has approved the reappointment of the Hon Mr Justice Adam Johnson as a Senior Judicial Commissioner of the Judicial Appointments Commission.

JAC is an independent body that selects candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and for some tribunals with a UK-wide jurisdiction.

JAC Commissioners are appointed, under Schedule 12(1) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, by His Majesty The King on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor.

The reappointment of the Hon Mr Justice Adam Johnson was made in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Judicial Appointment Commission Regulations 2013.

Biography

The Honourable Mr Justice Adam Johnson, who has been a High Court judge – assigned to the Chancery Division – since 2020, was admitted as a solicitor in 1990 and took Silk in 2017. He was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2018.

November 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : New era of better buses: Landmark Bus Bill becomes law [October 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 28 October 2025.

The Bus Services Act will make it easier for local leaders to take control of their buses and put passengers first.
- thousands of bus passengers to benefit from more reliable and dependable journeys, thanks to new law
- passengers will be protected from sudden cuts to crucial routes, and training will be provided to drivers on how to handle anti-social behaviour, improving safety for women and girls
- power will also be put in the hands of local authorities to decide what works best for their communities, breaking down barriers to opportunity and boosting growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change
Better buses are on their way for thousands of passengers across the country after the government’s Bus Services Bill became law yesterday evening (27 October 2025), marking a new dawn for bus travel in the UK.

Buses remain the most used form of public transport across England, but around 300 million fewer miles were driven by bus services in England in 2024 compared to 2010, with passengers suffering from sudden route cuts and a lack of accountability. 

This landmark move will end the risk of routes being scrapped at short notice by tightening the requirements for cancelling vital routes, an issue which has left passengers, particularly those who are elderly, disabled or living in rural areas, cut off and isolated from their communities.

The government will now empower councils to identify services which they deem as socially necessary, meaning strict requirements must be followed if operators wish to cancel or change them.

Not only will the new laws ensure services are protected but it will also lift the ban on local authorities setting up their own bus companies, allowing them to run their own services to ensure that passengers, not profit, come first.

The Bus Services Act also includes plans to mandate staff, including drivers and those based at bus stations, to undertake training to recognise and handle incidents of anti-social behaviour and crime, including violence against women and girls.

The government will back bus services with further funding for local authorities, which will be agreed in the coming weeks.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

For too long catching the bus has felt like an ordeal, with unreliable services and cuts to key routes meaning many communities, particularly those in rural areas, have been left isolated.

The passing of our vital Bus Services Act will finally change this. By making it easier for local leaders to take control of their buses we are putting passengers first, improving access to jobs, education and tourism opportunities which are all vital to growing the economy – a fundamental part of our Plan for Change.

As well as plans to allow councils to start their own bus services, the Bus Services Act will also cut the red tape holding back bus franchising, where local authorities allow companies to operate in their areas while retaining control over key aspects such as routes and fares, ensuring this model can be delivered faster.

The government is already backing local authorities York and North Yorkshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Hertfordshire, Cheshire West and Chester as part of the Bus Franchising Pilots, which aims to explore how local authorities could take control of its bus network and transform rural services to work for everyone.

Corinne Pluchino, Chief Executive of Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), said:

The lack of reliable, affordable public transport in rural areas is a widespread problem which impacts on those in greatest need and holds back economic growth. We welcome the new measures to require the identification and listing of socially necessary local services, and new requirements if bus operators want to cancel or change them. This is an important first step to achieving better rural bus services, and ACRE looks forward to working with government to ensure the Act delivers positive change for rural communities.

Paul Nowak, General Secretary, TUC said:

This landmark Bus Bill is great news for the hundreds of thousands of workers across the country who rely on our bus networks to get to and from work each day. The government is turning the page on the failed era of bus privatisation – and returning to a system that puts ordinary people above profits and shareholder returns. We’ve already seen the real difference that effective franchising can make in places like Manchester. It’s now vital that local leaders work in partnership with the bus workforce to make the most of the opportunities offered by the Bill.

Jason Prince, Director of the Urban Transport Group, said:

The Bus Services Act represents a watershed moment for the future of the bus. We now have legislation that provides all local leaders with greater powers and the ability to choose the right tools to improve their local bus networks and passengers’ experiences – ensuring these services are accessible, safe and attractive. We warmly welcome the Act and its recognition of the critical role that local areas play on the road to better buses.
November 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Loophole closed to keep terrorists and extremists out of the UKLoophole closed to keep terrorists and extremists out of the UK [October 2025]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 October 2025.

New law now prevents British citizenship being reinstated automatically to people considered a national security risk following a successful initial appeal.

British people are now better protected from terrorists, extremists, and criminals involved in serious organised crime with the passing of a new law which prevents British citizenship being automatically reinstated to such individuals following a successful initial appeal.

Receiving Royal Assent last night (27 October), the Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Act 2025 will mean British citizenship is not automatically reinstated after a successful appeal until all further appeals are exhausted – ensuring the UK’s national security is not compromised during legal proceedings.

The new law, passed by Parliament last Tuesday (21 October), closes a gap identified following a Supreme Court judgment in February 2025, where it ruled that people deprived of British citizenship automatically regain that status upon their successful appeal. This would happen even if further appeals opposing that reinstatement are possible.

With the tightening of this law, the government will not have to release people from immigration detention or allow them back into the UK if they consider that they pose a threat to the country’s security and the public’s safety, whilst further appeals are ongoing.

It will also prevent a person from renouncing any other nationalities they hold, to render themselves solely British. Doing so would have meant any future decision to remove British citizenship would not have been possible as it would leave them stateless, nor would they be able to be deported or blocked from returning to the UK.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said:

The government takes national security extremely seriously, and this new law sends a clear message: we will take no chances when it comes to protecting our country and our people.

We have strengthened our ability to keep the most dangerous people out of Britain – those who threaten our safety, our way of life, and the values we stand for. This law makes us all safer.

The Home Secretary makes deprivation decisions on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds only in the most serious cases, where it is in the public interest to do so because of the individual’s conduct or the threat they pose to the UK. An average of 12 people a year were deprived of British citizenship between 2018 and 2023 for this reason.

This new law follows a similar approach taken in asylum and human rights appeals cases, where asylum is not granted to a person appealing a rejection until all further appeals, up to the Court of Appeal, have been determined.

This narrowly focussed new act, which consists of two sections, has made no change to a person’s existing right to appeal and doesn’t widen the reasons for which a person could be deprived of their citizenship.

November 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Surrey residents to benefit from improved public services [October 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 28 October 2025.

Surrey residents will benefit from quicker decisions, improved public services and more accountability.
- Surrey residents will benefit from quicker decisions, improved public services and more accountability as Surrey councils transition to a simpler and more transparent local government system.
- Two new Unitary Authorities will replace Surrey’s 11 small district and borough councils and one county council — cutting duplication, building financial stability and unlocking economic growth.
- Residents will benefit from quicker decisions, clearer accountability and joined-up public services.
People in Surrey are set to see improved council services focused on more preventative care, public services that meet residents’ needs, and faster help for a range of other issues under reforms announced today.

Eleven District and Borough Councils and one County Council will be simplified into two strengthened and streamlined Unitary Authorities, West Surrey and East Surrey. The reorganisation will reduce the number of highly paid senior managers and councillors, and wipe away needless bureaucratic boundaries.

Bringing local services under one roof will mean critical services like housing, planning and roads are brought together to help make quicker decisions, speed up housebuilding, and get vital infrastructure projects moving so that local people are better connected.

Creating more efficient authorities will cut red tape, duplication and speed up service delivery and end local people dealing with fragmented services across county and district councils. As a result, residents will receive better, more efficient public services, freeing up cash to be invested in local priorities.

Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern, said:

Countless confusing councils and fragmented services don’t build community pride or local identity – good local jobs, better public services and more money for local services do.

This plan will enable local leaders to take the decisions needed to support local economic growth and make sure that Surrey residents get the public services and preventative support they need, as promised in our Plan for Change.

Local Government Reorganisation is part of government’s wider ambition for kickstarting economic growth at a regional level. Outdated layers of bureaucracy in English councils, that do not reflect the 21st Century, will be reorganised to unlock regional opportunities for growth, attract investment and more devolution powers.

Local Government Reorganisation in Surrey will lead to:
- Improved resident experience and more preventative care when accessing multiple services. A family needing SEND, social housing and education services will only need to contact one council rather than passed between multiple councils. This will help families access the right services at the right time meaning more preventative, early help.
- Better reflection of local need by bringing together Housing, Children’s and Adult Social Care and Planning so housing supply meets the specific needs of residents, including people with physical, mental and learning disabilities and young people leaving children’s social care.
- Long-term financial stability combining services and delivering for a larger population will provide efficiencies, opportunities for making savings and delivering better value for taxpayer cash across the county.
- Joined-up more effective services will lower the cost of delivery while improving services, like bringing together waste collection and disposal services to reduce landfill and boost recycling, or Trading Standards working with Licensing teams to tackle underage sales of illegal tobacco and vapes.
- More accountability for taxpayer cash by removing blurred lines of accountability and moving from 12 councils to two, complaints and improvements will be dealt with more directly. The current two-tier structures are a source of confusion – for example, in 2018 Leicestershire County Council reported more than 140,000 people called the wrong local council when trying to get help.
Local leaders in Surrey have been working closely with the government on an accelerated timeline to Local Government Reorganisation given the need to create sustainable unitary local government as soon as possible. As part of this, the government has committed to provide debt repayment support to Woking Borough Council, which is unable to manage this locally.
November 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Update on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland [October 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 28 October 2025.

Update following round 8 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland.

The eighth round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Switzerland took place in Switzerland between 20 and 24 October 2025.

Economic growth is our first mission in government and trade agreements have an important role to play in achieving this. An enhanced trade agreement with Switzerland could support British businesses, back British jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets.

Services will be at the heart of a new agreement, reflecting around £28 billion services trade between our two countries in everything from finance and consultancy to legal and transport.  The trading relationship supported 130,000 services jobs across the UK in 2020.

Switzerland is the UK’s 10th biggest trading partner and the UK-Swiss trade relationship was worth more than £45 billion in 2024. Services exports account for more than £18 billion of the trading relationship, making Switzerland the UK’s 6th largest services export partner.

An enhanced FTA with Switzerland aims to deliver long-term certainty for UK services firms, by locking in access to the Swiss market, guaranteeing the free flow of data and cementing business travel arrangements.

Negotiations concluded on competition issues during the round, promoting open and fair competition for UK firms at home and in Switzerland.

Next Steps on FTA negotiations

Round 9 of negotiations on the FTA is set to take place in the UK in early 2026.

The government is focussed on securing outcomes in an enhanced FTA that boost economic growth for the UK and Ministers will continue to update Parliament on the progress of negotiations.

The government will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors, alongside protections for the National Health Service.

November 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Education Secretary sets timeline for RAAC removal in schools [October 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 28 October 2025.

Bridget Phillipson wants all schools and colleges to be RAAC-free as she sets timelines for complete removal.

Every single child in England to be learning in classrooms free from RAAC as the Education Secretary sets out timelines for removing Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) from all schools and colleges- calling time on the crumbling school estate.

The government is rebuilding pride in our education system, setting out plans to permanently remove the dangerous concrete from all schools and colleges with RAAC, except those in the School Rebuilding Programme, ahead of the next general election.

For schools with RAAC being rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP), all will be in delivery in the same timeframe, with more than half already underway.

The move, part of the government’s plans for national renewal, will help break down barriers to opportunity by removing RAAC for good, with more than 42,000 pupils already learning in RAAC free classrooms.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: 

We inherited a crumbling education estate, but I won’t let that be our legacy.

After years of neglect we are giving every child a safe and high-quality classroom where they can focus on learning – by setting clear timelines for the permanent removal of RAAC from schools and colleges. It’s what parents expect, it’s what children deserve and it’s what we are delivering.

It’s about more than just buildings – it’s about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life.

There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England and 237 had confirmed RAAC, all of which are providing full time face-to-face education for all pupils. One hundred and twenty three schools with RAAC will be rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme and 108 schools and colleges are getting government grants for RAAC removal, with works delivered through their responsible body – usually the local authority or Trust. Six schools and colleges have alternative arrangements, including buildings not being part of their estate in the longer term.

Last month, the Department for Education updated on progress on RAAC removal in schools and colleges in England. Today, the government has confirmed that RAAC has been permanently removed from 62 schools and colleges.

It comes following the Department for Education announcing £38 billion in education capital investment over the next 5 years, taking it to levels not seen since 2010.

November 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : The Central African Republic should continue working with MINUSCA to ensure free, fair and safe elections – UK statement at the UN Security Council [October 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 October 2025.

Statement by Caroline Quinn, UK Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council meeting on MINUSCA.

I join others in expressing condolences to the families of the five peacekeepers from the Republic of Congo who lost their lives in service last month. The United Kingdom commends their dedicated service and the service of all MINUSCA’s personnel, under SRSG Rugwabzia’s leadership in support of the government and people of the CAR.

I will make three points:

First, the upcoming elections in the Central African Republic represent a significant milestone. The United Kingdom welcomes the publication of the final voter list by the National Electoral Authority, which shows an increase in registered voters and improved gender representation.

We encourage the government of the CAR to continue working with MINUSCA to ensure inclusive, free, fair and safe elections.

Second, the United Kingdom welcomes progress made by the government of CAR, with MINUSCA’s support, on the national disarmament, demobilisation, reintegration and rehabilitation programme.

This programme can play an important role in supporting lasting peace and stability for the people of the CAR. We note that the programme has already contributed to the identification of 202 children for reintegration, and we encourage further such efforts.

Third, we welcome the progress made so far in improving the security situation in CAR but we note that more is needed. We particularly note the continuing impact of the conflict in Sudan on CAR and its neighbours.

We urge the government of the CAR to enhance its border management with Sudan to support refugees and prevent their exploitation by armed elements.

We also encourage the government of CAR to tackle human rights violations and abuses by armed groups including ‘Wagner Ti Azande,’ and ensure perpetrators are held to account.

We encourage the government of CAR to further consider its security partners, to ensure that the people of CAR achieve the sustainable and lasting peace they deserve.

The upcoming elections represent a critical point for the CAR. We look forward to working intensively with all Council members in the coming weeks to secure a renewed mandate for MINUSCA that best supports the realisation of our shared ambitions for long-term peace, stability, and security for the people of the Central African Republic.

November 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with President Erdoğan of Türkiye [October 2025]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 27 October 2025.

The Prime Minister visited the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in Ankara today.

The leaders began their discussions by reflecting on the strength of the relationship between the two countries.

The deal signed today to support Türkiye’s air force with UK Typhoons further underlined that strength, they agreed.

It would boost NATO’s collective defences on the south eastern flank, support highly skilled jobs in the UK, and knit the UK and Türkiye’s air force together for years to come, allowing for greater interoperability, the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister then turned to the wider bilateral relationship between the two countries. Both leaders underlined the untapped opportunity to grow the trading relationship between the two countries.

In that spirit, the leaders agreed to relaunch Tatli Dil, the flagship UK-Turkey bilateral forum to bring together government, business and scientists to forge new relationships between the two countries.

Discussing shared challenges, including combatting terrorism and stability in the Middle East, the leaders reiterated the need to ensure the ceasefire in Gaza held and there was an acceleration of aid. They also underlined the importance of securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

The leaders looked forward to speaking again soon, and the Prime Minister said he looked forward to visiting again for the NATO Summit in Türkiye next year.

November 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Independent investigation and immediate reforms to prevent future releases in error [October 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 27 October 2025.

Dame Lynne Owens will lead the independent investigation to determine how Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday 24 October, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has announced today.
- Dame Lynne Owens will chair independent investigation to get answers public deserve
- Mandatory new, stronger checks also brought in from today for releases to keep our streets safe
- Deputy Prime Minister pledges immediate action to prevent another mistaken release
The investigation will establish the full facts of the incident, which shocked the public, and look at the serious issue of releases in error across the prison estate. The Deputy Prime Minister has asked for Dame Lynne Owens to report back within eight weeks.

Speaking in the House of Commons today, David Lammy set out how the investigation will get to the bottom of what happened and stop similar unacceptable mistakes in future.

It will ask what went wrong, consider whether appropriate protocols were followed, assess whether staff had sufficient experience, training and resources, and make recommendations to reduce further releases in error.

The Deputy Prime Minister has also confirmed immediate measures to strengthen release checks across all prisons – making them the strongest release checks to ever be in place. From today, the Duty Governor must be physically present for the release of any foreign criminal who is being removed from prison early to be immediately deported and there will be a clear checklist with governors required to confirm every step has been followed before any release takes place.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said:

I am livid on behalf of the victims and the public that this mistake was allowed to happen.

Any release in error is one too many. That is why I have taken immediate action to introduce the strongest release checks ever and launched an independent investigation to get to the bottom of what went wrong and to tackle the rise in accidental releases which began rising under the previous government.

We’re ending the prison crisis we inherited – investing billions, reforming sentencing and building the prison places needed to keep the public safe. This Government will not rest until our jails deliver the safety and security the British people deserve.

Dame Lynne Owens is a former Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and former Director General of the National Crime Agency, bringing her extensive expertise to the investigation.

Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, was set to be transferred to an Immigration Removal Centre and deported back to Ethiopia. Instead, he was mistakenly released into the community.

Following an intensive manhunt involving the Metropolitan, Essex, and British Transport Police, he was arrested and returned to custody on Sunday 26 October. He will now be deported to Ethiopia as quickly as possible.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government, with jails dangerously full and close to collapse.

The Government is taking decisive action to address this crisis, building 14,000 additional prison places and reforming sentencing to make sure we have enough prison places to lock up dangerous criminals and keep the public safe.

The Government has already delivered 2,500 new places in just over a year, as part of the biggest prison expansion programme since the Victorian era.
November 2, 2025