The comments made by Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 6 April 2026.
Kanye West is guilty of appalling antisemitic and pro Nazi comments
Below I have written to the Home Secretary asking her to use her powers to ban West from travelling to the UK to appear at the Wireless concert
She used this power recently to ban an anti-immigration campaigner
She says she wants to fight antisemitism. Now will now find out how serious she really is.
The comments made by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism on 6 April 2026.
The Prime Minister is right to be deeply concerned that @WirelessFest
wants to headline someone whose anti-Jewish bigotry has gone as far as recording a track titled ‘Heil Hitler’ less than a year ago.
But the Prime Minister is not a bystander.
The Government can ban anyone from entering the UK who is not a citizen and whose presence would ‘not be conducive to the public good’.
Surely this is a clear case.
Pepsi has done the right thing by dropping its sponsorship of the festival, but if management are adamant that they want to headline Kanye West, it is only the Government that can stop them.
The comments made by Piers Morgan on 6 April 2026.
Shouldn’t even be a debate.
Kanye’s Hitler-loving, Nazi-slathering, Jew-hating bullsh*t should be disqualifying for appearances at any music festival.
![PRESS RELEASE : UK Trade envoy visits Dhaka to strengthen two-way trade and economic ties ]April 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/newfco.png)
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 April 2026.
The UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh Rt. Hon. the Baroness Winterton of Doncaster, DBE is visiting Dhaka this week to reinforce and expand the longstanding and mutually beneficial UK–Bangladesh trade and economic partnership.
Her third visit to Bangladesh comes at a pivotal time following the formation of Bangladesh’s new elected government in February. It underscores the UK’s commitment to deepening cooperation in trade, economic development, higher education, aviation and defence.
During her visit, Baroness Winterton will hold meetings with senior ministers and other government and military officials, to discuss shared priorities for mutually beneficial growth and reiterate the UK’s commitment as a reliable and long-term economic partner for Bangladesh.
The Trade Envoy will also meet with business leaders including representatives from UK companies operating in Bangladesh, to explore avenues for increasing bilateral trade and investment and strengthening commercial ties.
In addition, Baroness Winterton will visit Bangladeshi businesses that export to the UK using the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). DCTS is one of the world’s most generous trade preference schemes. It is designed to support developing countries such as Bangladesh by:
Bangladesh is the biggest beneficiary of duty-free access in the DCTS, supplying high quality goods to British consumers at competitive prices and supporting jobs in Bangladesh.
Trade Envoy Baroness Winterton said: “The UK and Bangladesh share a strong, historic partnership, and our countries continue to benefit from expanding trade and investment ties.
“I look forward to engaging with government leaders, businesses, and entrepreneurs to identify new opportunities that support economic growth and prosperity for both nations.”
British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke said:
“Shared growth and prosperity are at the heart of the UK–Bangladesh relationship, and Baroness Winterton’s third visit in a year reflects just how seriously we take that commitment. This visit will further solidify our partnership as Bangladesh enters an exciting new chapter.”
The UK remains one of Bangladesh’s largest export markets and a leading development and investment partner. This visit reaffirms the UK’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s transition toward a more diversified, resilient, and high‑value economy.
![PRESS RELEASE : Thousands to be supported into work as government reforms welfare system [April 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/dwp.png)
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 6 April 2026.
Hundreds of thousands of sick or disabled people will be offered voluntary help towards employment as part of a package of measures coming into force today (6 April) that will encourage work and save taxpayers around £1 billion.
The system inherited from the previous Government encouraged more people to stay on benefits without support to move into work.
Reforms coming into force today will change that, tackling perverse incentives by introducing a lower Universal Credit health element rate of £217.26 per month for new claimants, compared to the higher rate of £429.80.
Those with the most severe, lifelong conditions, those nearing end of life, and all existing Universal Credit health claimants will continue to receive the higher rate.
Anyone affected by the changes to Universal Credit will be entitled to voluntary employment support, with more than 65,000 people with limited capability for work and work-related activity taking up the offer since March 2025 – exceeding the target.
And as the Government continues to bear down on the cost of living, the changes will also see almost four million households on the standard rate of Universal Credit receive a boost worth around £295 extra this year in cash terms, around £110 above inflation, for a single person aged 25 or over.
The welfare system we inherited has for too long locked disabled people and people with long term conditions out of work.
Laws coming into force today will change that, reducing projected expenditure on Universal Credit by almost £1 billion.
Simultaneously boosting the standard allowance and investing £3.5 billion in employment support means we’re creating a welfare system that backs people to work and helps them build a better future.
From 8 April, customers with limited capability for work or work-related activity will also see a new notification on their Universal Credit account giving information on the support available and allowing them to opt in to being contacted to find out more about the support.
This will trigger a conversation with a Pathways to Work adviser, who can offer personalised appointments and refer individuals to programmes such as Connect to Work, WorkWell, or local Trailblazer schemes.
The changes come alongside the £3.5 billion investment the Government is making to help disabled people and those with long-term health conditions move closer to the labour market, offering personalised support aimed at improving employment and living standards.
This includes the Connect to Work programme, which will provide tailored help to 300,000 people over the next five years, and the groundbreaking WorkWell programme, set to support a further 250,000 people to stay in or return to work.
With 2.7 million people on Universal Credit assessed as having limited capability for work- and work-related activity, the tailored employment support aims to open up opportunities and remove barriers to work, rather than leave people stuck on benefits.
![PRESS RELEASE : First wave of national Young Futures Hubs open to turn the tide on youth services decline [April 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cultureukpol.png)
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 6 April 2026.
First eight ‘Young Futures Hubs’ opening in Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, County Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, and Tower Hamlets.
Young people in eight locations across England are to benefit from the first ‘Young Futures Hubs’ opened by the Government. The hubs, targeted in areas with high levels of anti-social behaviour and knife crime, will:
Under the government’s National Youth Strategy, Youth Matters, the first eight of 50 Young Futures Hubs have opened or will shortly open in Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham and Tower Hamlets.
Hubs will build on existing services, and create safe, welcoming spaces bringing a range of local support services under one roof. Young people aged 10-18 (and up to 25 for those with SEND) will have access to trusted adults who will provide wellbeing support, careers guidance, and positive activities like sport, arts and volunteering. The government is committed to ensuring that success for young people is not determined by their background, and the hubs will also offer support for vulnerable children. These activities help divert young people away from knife crime and anti-social behaviour, as well as combat social isolation and mental health, and increase access to job opportunities for young people.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
The closure of over a thousand youth centres since 2010 didn’t just take away facilities, it took away community, connection and opportunity for a generation. We are determined to rebuild that.
These hubs are about more than bricks and mortar, they’re a statement that this government believes in young people and is investing in their futures. What makes them different is that we’re joining things up – wellbeing support, crime prevention, work coaches, youth services, all in one place.
We’re making sure teenagers have somewhere to go, someone to talk to, and a real chance to thrive.
This comes as the Government launches its plan to halve knife crime within a decade. Titled “Protecting Lives, Building Hope”, it will save lives, transform the futures of young people and protect communities across the country. The Government will support young people so they get the best start in life, stop those at risk from turning to knife crime and police our streets to catch and punish perpetrators.
In some areas, the Hubs will work with new multi-agency Young Futures Panels, to ensure children at risk of knife crime are provided with the support they need. The panels bring together the police, children’s services, schools, and community organisations to identify vulnerable children early, spot risks that may otherwise go unnoticed, and ensure they are quickly referred into the right support before issues escalate.
Sarah Jones, Policing Minister, said:
Knife crime devastates lives. Behind every statistic is a child who didn’t make it home, a family whose world has been shattered, and a community left with fear. This Government will halve knife crime within a decade, saving lives and protecting communities. We will roll out Young Futures Hubs in crime hotspots across the country to divert young people from violence, cut crime and protect communities.
The Prime Minister has spoken of how young people have become “collateral damage” over the past decade, prompting the launch of the National Youth Strategy – the first in 15 years. The ambitious 10-year plan to rebuild youth services is backed by over £500 million of investment, and was designed in collaboration with more than 14,000 young people across England.
£70 million will be invested to establish 50 Young Futures Hubs and transform local youth services, rebuilding Local Authority capability after a decade of declining investment, with spending falling by 73% since 2010. As a result, many young people have been left without access to safe, supportive environments or a community to belong to, while reliance on online interaction has grown in the absence of face-to-face opportunities.
Minister for Youth and Civil Society Stephanie Peacock said:
When this Government developed the National Youth Strategy, we listened to over 14,000 young people from across the country. What came through clearly was that they wanted somewhere to go, something to do, and someone who cares. Young Futures Hubs are part our response to this and we are delighted to see the first eight up and running. Hubs are places where young people can belong, with trusted adults and positive activities all under one roof. Keeping young people safe and away from crime starts with making sure they have the right support around them, and that’s exactly what these hubs deliver.
The Young Futures Hubs programme has been designed to respond directly to these challenges by creating welcoming, youth-led spaces where young people can enjoy real-life connections, with somewhere to go, something to do, and someone who cares for them.
From the Barca Leeds in Bramley to the Full Circle Docklands in Bristol, each hub has been co-designed with young people themselves, ensuring the atmosphere and activities reflect their true needs and passions.
The eight Young Futures Hubs have opened or will shortly open in the following locations:
More information on specific provision at each site is available on request.
![PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister – No matter the global uncertainty, I’m on the side of the British people [April 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/downingstreet.png)
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 5 April 2026.
The Prime Minister has vowed to “always be on the side” of the British people as changes today help workers, pensioners, and families with the cost of living.
At a time of international uncertainty, the Government is focused on what matters most to people at home: easing the cost of living now, and making sure the country is better prepared for future shocks.
A raft of changes coming into effect today will lift 450,000 children out of poverty, provide millions of pensioners with extra help to manage rising costs, and deliver the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation.
Keir Starmer understands that families are worried about bills, the weekly shop, and what global instability could mean for their household finances. Today’s measures provide certainty now — while laying the foundations for a stronger, more secure economy.
As a result of decisions made by this government, policies coming into effect today include:
These measures follow last week’s increase in the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage for millions of workers, alongside an average £117 a year cut to energy bills for households across the country – locked in until the end of June.
Taken together, this action leaves the UK better placed to weather current economic challenges, while working with global partners to secure de‑escalation and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to relieve pressure on prices globally.
No matter the global uncertainty, my government will always be on the side of the British people in bearing down on the cost of living.
I will never lose sight of how restless people are for change, and I am proud that today we are lifting nearly half a million children out of poverty, boosting support for pensioners, and delivering the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation.
“I know families across the country are concerned about the conflict in Iran and what it means for the cost of living. We are working closely with international partners to push for a de-escalation in the Middle East and the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz. This is the most effective way to ease the pressure on the cost of living. > >I am clear that our response to the current global situation will define us for a generation, which is why we are taking the right long-term decisions now to ensure we emerge from this as a stronger, more secure nation.
All these policies take effect alongside the Prime Minister’s five‑point plan to deal with the immediate impact of the conflict in the Middle East on the cost of living.
This includes cutting energy bills by an average of £117 per household; extending the cut in fuel duty until September while closely monitoring prices at the pumps; providing £53 million to support households most exposed to heating oil price rises; strengthening Britain’s energy security by investing in clean, home‑grown energy; and continuing to push for de‑escalation in the Middle East.
During the past week, the Prime Minister has hosted a roundtable with leaders from the energy, insurance and shipping sectors to hear directly about the challenges they are facing, chaired a COBR meeting of Cabinet ministers to coordinate the UK’s response, and asked the Foreign Secretary to bring together more than 40 countries to drive forward a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect freedom of navigation.
The comments made by Sarah Jones, the Crime and Policing Minister, on 5 April 2026.
We are shutting down more criminal lines, busting more gang leaders and seizing more dangerous knives off our streets than ever before.
I will not rest in the relentless pursuit of these horrific criminals that leave a trail of violence and exploitation in their wake.
The Government will halve knife crime within a decade, saving lives and protecting communities.
![PRESS RELEASE : Record year for gang busts and knife seizures [April 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/homeoffice.webp)
The press release issued by the Home Office on 5 April 2026.
New figures show a record year for County Lines enforcement, with more gang leaders charged and knives seized than ever before, backed by £34m in new funding.
More drug lines have been closed, gang leaders arrested and dangerous weapons seized than ever before due to County Lines operations.
New data released today shows that 2,740 County Lines have been closed, 1,657 gang leaders charged and 961 knives were seized in 2025. Since the election, these operations have resulted in 3,785 line closures, 2,175 gang leaders charged and 1,229 knives taken off the streets.
County Lines are a method of drug dealing by gangs, running drugs from metropolitan cities to smaller towns – leaving a trail of exploited children and violence across the country.
The Government funds police operations under the County Lines Programme to dismantle criminal gangs that use violence and exploit children to transport drugs and knives.
The funding supports police operations which include intelligence gathering on gangs, targeted house raids and drug seizures across the transport network, putting gang leaders behind bars and ensuring the phones lines used for drug deals cannot be brought back into use.
County Lines Programme has led to a 25% reduction in hospital admissions for stabbings in key areas, preventing more than 800 stabbings a year.
The figures come as next Tuesday, the Government will launch its plan to halve knife crime within a decade. Titled “‘Protecting Lives, Building Hope”, it will save lives, transform the futures of young people and protect communities across the country.
To tackle knife crime, the Government will support young people so they get the best start in life, stop those at risk from turning to knife crime and police our streets to catch and punish perpetrators.
Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said:
“We are shutting down more criminal lines, busting more gang leaders and seizing more dangerous knives off our streets than ever before.
“I will not rest in the relentless pursuit of these horrific criminals that leave a trail of violence and exploitation in their wake.
“The Government will halve knife crime within a decade, saving lives and protecting communities.”
Building on these results, the Government will invest more than £34 million in the County Lines Programme this year, ensuring the national fight continues against the violent gangs who exploit children and fuel serious violence.
The new funding includes more than £28 million for policing, as confirmed through the Police Funding Settlement, ensuring forces have the resources they need to disrupt organised drug networks, close down active lines and safeguard those at risk of exploitation.
Naomi Hulston, Chief Executive Officer, Catch22 said:
“Catch22 is proud to deliver the national County Lines Support Service, working alongside Government and police to safeguard thousands of child victims through trauma-informed support and achieve the incredible impact of the County Lines Programme.
“No child should become a victim of violence, County Lines, or exploitation. Across our services we have seen a worrying trend of younger victims and an increasing impact on girls and young women, so collaborative approaches are even more vital.
“As a member of the Government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, Catch22 is committed to working together to draw a line under violence and exploitation for good.”
These new Programme results follow the most successful County Lines Intensification Week from 2-8 March, involving forces across England, Wales and Scotland taking targeted action against County Lines gangs. In the space of a week, police closed 355 lines, resulting in 2,180 arrests and 1,348 people safeguarded.
Detective Superintendent Dan Mitchell, Head of the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC), said:
“As the results from our latest intensification week demonstrate, tackling County Lines remains a top priority for policing.
“Since the Home Office-funded County Lines Programme was established, we are now closing more lines, charging more violent offenders, and protecting more children and adults at risk of exploitation and other harms than ever before.
“As County Lines gangs’ methods evolve, our policing approach – led by the NCLCC – does too. We remain committed to pursuing high-harm County Lines and those controlled by violent drug dealers, so that we can prevent harm, protect children and vulnerable adults, and disrupt criminal activity.”
Tackling County Lines is central to the mission to halve knife crime. By relentlessly disrupting the drug networks that fuel serious violence and exploit young people, the County Lines Programme is helping to drive lasting reductions in harm. It has led to a 25% fall in hospital admissions for stabbings across key County Lines exporter areas, preventing more than 800 stabbings each year.
The ongoing funding will help the police across the UK to continue to work together effectively to tackle County Lines drug supply, violence and exploitation. It will also support work with local partners to protect young people who are at risk, deal with the causes of knife crime and help keep communities safe.
This includes doing more to stop children being exploited by criminals. The Government is bringing in a new child criminal exploitation offence through the Crime and Policing Bill to prosecute adults criminally exploiting children. It will also introduce new court orders to stop this exploitation before it happens or stop it from happening again.
These changes will help target the gangs who groom and pressure young people into violence and criminal activity.
The Bill also creates new offences to tackle practices used by County Lines gangs, including taking over someone’s home to deal drugs (known as cuckooing) and forcing people to conceal drugs inside their bodies (internal concealment).
Together, these measures will give the police stronger powers to break up organised crime gangs, go after those who exploit others, and better protect children and vulnerable people.
Kathy Betteridge, Director of Anti-Trafficking and Modern Slavery for The Salvation Army, said:
“We welcome the Government’s action to tackle County Lines and the violence and devastation of lives that goes with it. We recognise the vital focus on prevention, the continued investment, and the clear results it is bringing.
“Through our work supporting survivors and in the heart of communities across the country, we see first-hand the devastating impact of County Lines exploitation, where young and vulnerable people are groomed, coerced and drawn into violence by criminal gangs.
“For future investment to succeed, it must continue to prioritise early intervention, trusted relationships and long-term support to protect people from harm and help them build safer futures.”
The comments made by John Healey, the Secretary of State for Defence, on 5 April 2026.
Our Armed Forces are at the heart of our nation’s security. With demands on defence rising, from the conflict in the Middle East to growing Russian aggression, we are asking more of our military, and it is right that we continue to step up our support for them and their families.
I am proud that we legislated in our first year of government to create this new Commissioner role, with powers to challenge Ministers and military leaders and to report directly to Parliament.
Polly brings deep experience of service life and exceptional leadership as this country’s first ever Armed Forces Commissioner, she will be the independent champion and direct point of contact that our Armed Forces and their families deserve. Our message to the Armed Forces community is clear: this government is on your side.