31 MAY 1925
The King and Queen formally opened the new Great West Road, claimed to be one of the finest highways in the world. The aim was to provide a new route from London to the West and avoided the use of the bottle neck at Brentford.
A plot was uncovered to assassinate the Bolshevik revolutionary Christian Rakovsky in London.
Five men were burned in an explosion at the Darton Main Colliery in Barnsley.
30 MAY 1925
According to a French semi-official statement, the British Note regarding the French reply to the German Security Pact proposals gives entire satisfaction to the French contentions on essential points.
Following a debate in the Chamber of Deputies, a vote of confidence was passed in the French Government on the Moroccan question.
The Prince of Wales was acclaimed by thousands of Basutos at a pitso at Maseru. He was welcomed by the Paramount Chief, and, after listening to addresses, presented a gold-mounted walking-stick to the Paramount Chief and silver-mounted sticks to several other native leaders.
In several districts of New South Wales serious damage has been caused by floods.
Mr Alan J. Cobham, flying from Croydon to Zurich and back in the course of a single day, and without a stop on either journey, set up a record for light aeroplanes. The speed of his machine was about 80 miles an hour, and the petrol consumption 54 gallons.
After describing the wants in the Liberal movement, Mr Lloyd George, speaking at a meeting of the Welsh Liberal Association at Swansea, emphasised the need of breaking down land monopoly.
Following negotiations between the representatives of the National Federation of Building Trades’ Operatives and the Middle Ward Committee of the Lanarkshire County Council as to the erection of 100 steel houses of the Weir type, the former decided that the operatives employed on the brick-building schemes in the district should be withdrawn.
29 MAY 1925
The Poor Law Emergency Provisions Continuance (Scotland) Act, the Importation of Pedigree Animals Act, and the Rent Restriction Continuation Act received the Royal Assent in the House of Lords. The Law Agents (Scotland) Bill was read a third time and passed.
Before rising for Whitsuntide, the House of Commons disposed of the Liberal vote of censure on the Speaker, rejecting it by an overwhelming majority. Unionists and Socialists voted solidly against the motion.
The Home Secretary stated in the House of Commons that alien delegates to a Communist conference to be held in Glasgow would be refused admission if found arriving at British ports, and any landing without permission would be deported.
Mr J. Ramsay MacDonald, M.P., received the freedom of Edinburgh.
The Court Circular announces that knighthoods were conferred by the King yesterday on Mr Justice Bateson and Mr Justice Wright.
In the French Chamber, M. Painlevé, the Premier, explained the policy of the Government in regard to Morocco.
![PRESS RELEASE : Single-use vapes banned from 1 June 2025 [May 2025]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/environmentlogo.png)
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 31 May 2025.
Under the Government’s Plan for Change, move will stop the flood of litter on to nation’s streets and protect young people from getting hooked on nicotine.
Single-use vapes will be banned from the shelves of all shops from tomorrow (Sunday 1 June) thanks to a government blitz on sale and supply.
The new crackdown makes it illegal to sell single-use vapes at corner shops and supermarkets, putting an end to their alarming rise in school playgrounds and the avalanche of rubbish flooding the nation’s streets.
The government’s announcement of its intention to ban the use of disposable vapes has already had real effects – with retailers and consumers shifting away from environmentally destructive single-use options.
New data from charity Action on Smoking and Health shows the number of vapers in Great Britain who mainly use single-use devices fell from 30% in 2024 to 24% in 2025, while the use of disposables by 18-24-year-old vapers fell from 52% in 2024 to 40% in 2025. However, usage among young vapers remains too high and with the coming ban into force tomorrow it will continue to drive these figures down further.
As part of tough enforcement measures, any rogue traders breaking the rules will be hit with a fine of £200 in the first instance, and all products will be seized. Those who show a blatant disregard for the rules and reoffend face being slapped with an unlimited fine or jail time.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:
For too long, single-use vapes have blighted our streets as litter and hooked our children on nicotine. That ends today.
The Government calls time on these nasty devices.
Caroline Cerny, Deputy Chief Executive, Action on Smoking and Health said:
It’s promising to see that many people switched away from disposable vapes to re-usable products well ahead of the ban. This is particularly marked among young people, who were more likely to use disposable products due to their attractiveness, affordability, and heavy marketing.
This new law is a step towards reducing vaping among children, while ensuring products are available to support people to quit smoking. It will be up to manufacturers and retailers to ensure customers are informed and able to reuse and recycle their products securing a real change in consumer behaviour and a reduction in environmental waste. If behaviour does not change then further regulations will be possible following the passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
The Government has worked closely with retailers to ensure they are ready for the ban coming into force. This includes producing clear guidance on the devices they cannot sell or supply, as well as how to deplete their stock before 1 June.
Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive James Lowman said:
Convenience retailers have been preparing for the disposables ban for several months, adapting their ranges and training colleagues on the products that they can sell.
We have been working with Trading Standards officers across the country to ensure they know what to look for once the ban comes into force, and support robust enforcement activity to take illegal vapes off the streets.
Libby Peake, senior fellow and head of resources at Green Alliance, said:
Single use vapes should never have been allowed on the market. They’ve been a blight on our countryside, wasted resources needed for important uses like EV batteries and caused scores of fires at waste sites. And they’ve done all this while having a lasting impact on the health of young people, creating a new generation of nicotine addicts.
The government should rightly be proud of taking this vital step to get rid of these polluting products and encourage people who want to quit smoking to opt for reusable and refillable options instead.
Justin Greenaway, Commercial Manager at SWEEEP Kuusakoski, said:
We hope this ban will succeed in reducing the amount of vapes being discarded. Every vape has potential to start a fire if incorrectly disposed of. Logically vape unit waste will reduce as single use stops and multi-use must start but it does rely on consumers changing from a disposable mindset to refilling.
Unrefillable and unable to be recharged, single-use vapes have been typically thrown away with general waste in black bins or littered rather than recycled, contributing to the flood of litter blighting the country.
Even when they are recycled, the process is notoriously arduous, slow and costly, with waste industry workers required to take them apart by hand. Their batteries also present a fire risk to recycling facilities and can leak harmful chemicals into the environment.
With the looming ban already encouraging users to seek alternatives, making the sale of single-use vapes illegal will now prevent these toxic products from littering the country’s streets.
The ban complements the Government’s world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will further tackle youth vaping and safeguard children’s health.
![PRESS RELEASE : Homes fit for heroes with extra £1.5 billion for forces housing through upcoming Strategic Defence Review [May 2025]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mod.png)
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 31 May 2025.
Record additional funding for forces family housing to tackle state of accommodation, and builds on the Defence Consumer Charter to transform living conditions for service families.
Thousands of British military personnel and their families will have their lives improved through more than £1.5 billion of additional funding to improve accommodation for the UK Armed Forces.
The investment will be confirmed as part of the launch of the Government’s upcoming Strategic Defence Review (SDR), helping renew the nation’s contract with those who serve, supporting the government’s Plan for Change.
Through the upcoming SDR more than £1.5 billion of new investment into service family accommodation will unlock rapid work to tackle the poor state of forces housing – with investment increasing from this year – helping to support recruitment, retention and morale.
This will include urgent repairs and maintenance, from fixing unreliable boilers and leaky roofs to tackling damp and mould in service family accommodation, alongside development of new forces housing, as part of unlocking the wider potential for housing development on surplus MOD land.
The additional funding for accommodation means more than £7 billion will be spent across this Parliament on service family accommodation and new build single living accommodation to deliver a generational renewal of Armed Forces accommodation. This will be guided by the forthcoming Defence Housing Strategy – which is proceeding at pace and has already seen the announcement of a new Consumer Charter to strengthen housing standards for forces families.
The SDR will set a path for the next decade to transform defence and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad. It will end the hollowing out of our Armed Forces and make defence an engine for growth across the UK.
Our Armed Forces personnel make extraordinary sacrifices to serve our country.
For too long, many military families have lived in sub-standard homes, but this government is taking decisive action to fix the dire state of military accommodation and ensure that our heroes and their loved ones live in the homes they deserve.
We are investing and acting fast, to fix forces housing and renew the nation’s contract with those who serve and deliver on our Plan for Change.
The delivery of the Government’s new Consumer Charter will see immediate investment in urgent renovation of 1,000 homes in most need of repair. The Charter will also see basic consumer rights rapidly introduced for forces families, including essential property information and higher move-in standards, more reliable repairs, a named housing officer for every family, and access to a robust complaints system – helping to deliver homes fit for our heroes.
The record investment follows the Government’s landmark deal to bring back 36,000 military homes into public ownership, as part of the Prime Minister’s pledge to deliver home fit for heroes.
The SDR will say that the Ministry of Defence should improve the overall standard of military accommodation, including prioritising sites that are in most urgent need of repair. The Terms of Reference for the Review committed to put ‘Defence personnel…at the heart of Defence’s plans.’
The announcement comes alongside another above-inflation pay rise for the Armed Forces, announced by the Government last week. This is the second inflation busting pay rise awarded by the Government since last July, with last year’s award representing the biggest pay rise for Armed Forces personnel in over 20 years.
![PRESS RELEASE : Yorkshire Water fined after pumping station sewage incident [May 2025]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/environmentagency.png)
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 30 May 2025.
Yorkshire Water has been fined £350,000 after one of its sewage pumping stations polluted a York watercourse.
Following an investigation by the Environment Agency, the company appeared at York Magistrates’ Court on Friday 30 May for sentencing for two offences – one of illegally polluting Foss Dyke with sewage and another in relation to failing to maintain a pump at the pumping station.
It had previously pleaded guilty to the two offences in November 2024.
The court heard that Yorkshire Water was aware Fossbridge Sewage Pumping Station’s backup pump had not been working for five months.
It had failed to repair it, despite the issue having been noted repeatedly during regular maintenance checks. It should have been fixed within 24 hours.
Martin Christmas, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said:
Water companies have a responsibility to ensure their assets are maintained and in working order to protect the environment.
Yorkshire Water failed to take action despite being aware of the risks posed by one of its pumps being out of action, which led to a sewage spill.
We expect full compliance and are committed to taking robust enforcement action where we see serious breaches.
Alongside increased inspections at sewage treatment works, additional enforcement tools and better reporting we’re determined to hold water companies to account.
Sewage pumping stations pump sewage through the system to sewage treatment works. It is illegal, unless authorised by an environmental permit, to discharge pollution into watercourses.
Under the environmental permit for Fossbridge Sewage Pumping Station, such a discharge is only allowed in an emergency, such as an electrical or mechanical failure or a blockage, which, if it occurs, must be remedied without delay.
Fossbridge pumping station has a main pump and a backup pump. There is an emergency overflow pipe which discharges sewage into the River Foss if the station fails, to avoid nearby homes connected to the system from being inundated.
Sensors enable Yorkshire Water to monitor the station’s performance including power, pump condition, levels and the operation of the emergency overflow.
On 5 October 2017, Yorkshire Water noted the inlet pipe feeding the backup pump was blocked and effluent couldn’t reach it, meaning the pump could not operate.
Although a job was raised to fix this blockage, and it was noted it needed repairs during several subsequent regular maintenance visits, it wasn’t carried out.
Comments from Yorkshire Water during interview said the repair of the backup pump was to be done by an external contractor but had ‘got lost in the ether’.
On 12 March, 2018, the sewage pumping station filled to the point where telemetry alarms sounded indicating a discharge of sewage into Foss Dyke. The alarms were noted at Yorkshire Water’s control centre and attributed to high rainfall.
High rainfall was not a valid reason as the sewage pumping station was only allowed to discharge in an emergency as set out in its environmental permit and not, as with some water company assets like combined sewer overflows, in ‘storm conditions’.
Yorkshire Water did not attend the pumping station, despite the data indicating a sewage spill.
Two days later on 14 March, Yorkshire Water received a report from the public about a discharge of sewage from Fossbridge pumping station.
It was found the main pump was running but on ‘low amps’ – which indicates a potential air lock – and the backup pump was still not repaired. Yorkshire Water had no functioning pumps at the pumping station.
The company stopped the discharge and arranged for tankers to transport the sewage away from the pumping station while it was repaired. Reports suggest the pumping station had been discharging intermittently into the watercourse on 12 March, 2018.
Over the following days, two further discharges took place at the pumping station, one because only one tanker was being used to transport sewage from the pumping station and it had not been able to keep up with the flow, and another after the main pump blocked again.
Water samples showed high ammonia levels in the watercourse.
The backup pump was subsequently repaired following the incident.
Yorkshire Water was also ordered to pay costs of £14,028.65 and a victim surcharge of £170.
Full charges
Contrary to Regulation 38(1)(a) and Regulation 12(1)(b) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
Contrary to regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
STORY
At today’s session of the United Nations Security Council in New York, the United Kingdom delivered a pointed statement, placing “the onus on Russia and President Putin” to prove they are sincere about ending hostilities in Ukraine. Addressing fellow Council members, Ambassador Karen Pierce underscored that any real progress toward peace hinges on Moscow’s willingness to cease its aggressive actions and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty. In her remarks, Ambassador Pierce highlighted the “devastating human cost” of the conflict, noting that civilian infrastructure continues to be targeted across multiple regions of Ukraine—even as peace negotiations languish. She stressed that while Ukraine has demonstrated readiness to engage in dialogue, it is Russia’s recent intensification of bombing campaigns and frontline advances that have “eroded any semblance of trust” and made a negotiated settlement all the more elusive.
Pierce reiterated the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s right to defend itself, praising Kyiv’s forces for successfully repelling several major assaults over the past month. She recalled the series of Russian missile strikes launched just yesterday—damage that left hospitals and schools in ruins and further compounded the plight of displaced families. Those attacks, she argued, were “irrefutable proof” that Russia’s stated calls for a ceasefire are mere “diplomatic theatre” unless paired with an immediate halt to military operations.
Turning to the path forward, the UK statement urged Council members to “redouble efforts” in support of Ukraine’s reconstruction and humanitarian relief, calling on everyone—from UN agencies to regional partners—to scale up assistance. Yet, Pierce made clear that financial aid and relief cannot substitute for concrete steps toward de-escalation. “We cannot rebuild hospitals while bombs continue to fall,” she said, demanding an immediate cessation of offensive operations as the first precondition for any meaningful peace talks.
In response to questions from fellow delegates, the UK reiterated its view that no lasting settlement can be achieved without holding Russia accountable for wartime conduct, including documented violations of international humanitarian law. Ambassador Pierce noted ongoing investigations into attacks on civilian targets and urged the International Criminal Court to expedite its inquiries. She also called for tighter sanctions on individuals tied to Russia’s war apparatus, insisting that economic pressure must remain in place until Moscow reverses course.
The UK’s intervention comes amid growing frustration within the Security Council over repeated Russian vetoes of Ukrainian-sponsored resolutions aimed at condemning aggression and authorising humanitarian corridors. Pierce lamented that Russia’s use of its veto power “continues to undermine the Council’s credibility” warning that the institution risks “irrelevance” if it cannot enforce its own resolutions. As the meeting concluded, several non-permanent members—particularly from African and Latin American states—voiced concern over the widening humanitarian crisis, with refugees streaming into neighbouring countries and winter approaching. While most delegates stopped short of directly criticising Russia, many echoed the UK’s call for an immediate ceasefire. A senior representative from Norway went further, urging Russia to “stop using UN presence as a shield” for its bombardments.
With the Security Council deadlocked, attention now shifts to separate diplomatic channels, including the recent mediation efforts by Turkey and Switzerland. The UK confirmed it will continue backing those efforts, but Ambassador Pierce reiterated that any genuine negotiations must be predicated on a “verifiable ceasefire”—a threshold she suggested Russia has yet to meet.
STORY
The UK Government has sold its remaining stake in NatWest Group plc, marking the end of almost 17 years of state ownership that began with the 2008 financial crisis bailout. The final tranche of shares was sold at market price today, returning NatWest fully to private hands and closing a chapter that saw taxpayers underwrite more than £45 billion to stabilise the bank (then known as Royal Bank of Scotland). Originally nationalised to prevent a systemic collapse in late 2008, the Government acquired an 84 percent stake in what was then RBS at an average price of 502 pence per share. Over successive stages of divestment—through public offerings, share buybacks by NatWest itself and targeted institutional sales—the Treasury gradually reduced its holding. As of mid-May 2024, only around 10 percent remained, and today’s sale of the last shares concludes the disposal plan announced in July 2021 and extended in April 2023.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the transaction “turns a historic page” while stressing the necessity of protecting savers and businesses at the height of the financial crisis. She noted that, since the Labour Government took office, share sales have been conducted with taxpayers’ interests front and centre, ensuring all disposals took place at prevailing market prices. Despite recouping roughly £35 billion through dividends, fees and previous share sales, the overall cost to the public purse stands at about £10.5 billion once financing costs are included. NatWest’s share price has recovered strongly in 2025, trading above 520 pence in recent weeks, but the aggregate losses reflect the steep discounts at which earlier tranches were sold—often below the 2008 bailout price.
The government’s financial vehicle, UK Government Investments (UKGI), confirmed that the remaining stake—well under 1 percent of the bank—was transferred via an orderly trading plan. With HM Treasury no longer holding any NatWest shares, UKGI has closed this chapter on its investment portfolio, which at its peak included stakes in a range of bailed-out financial institutions. Emma Reynolds MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, highlighted the broader impact of the bailout: “Millions of savers and businesses were shielded from potentially catastrophic contagion. Today’s exit does not erase the fiscal cost, but it does mark the full return of NatWest to the private sector, reflecting more than a decade and a half of careful stewardship of taxpayers’ money.”
NatWest itself has evolved considerably since rebranding in 2020, refocusing on core retail and commercial banking in the UK. Now entirely privately owned, the bank faces renewed pressure to drive lending growth and support economic recovery amid an increasingly competitive environment. Analysts expect NatWest to pursue strategic acquisitions and expand its fee-based services to sustain profitability. With this final share sale, the Government’s direct involvement in the banking sector has officially ended, following previous exits from Lloyds Banking Group and other institutions rescued during the crisis. Officials confirmed that no further state shareholdings remain in UK retail banks, underlining a return to normalised market operations.
![PRESS RELEASE : Government completes exit from NatWest [May 2025]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/hmtreasury.png)
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 30 May 2025.
Final share sale ends nearly 17 years of public ownership.
The government has sold its remaining shares in NatWest Group (formerly Royal Bank of Scotland, RBS) — ending public ownership that began when it stepped in to protect millions of savers and businesses during the financial crisis.
That intervention prevented the UK economy and financial system from going over the edge – protecting millions of savers, businesses and jobs.
Over 2008 and 2009, the government provided £45.5 billion to stabilise RBS (now NatWest), which at the time was one of the largest banks in the world- with over 40 million customers and operations in more than 50 countries.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:
Nearly two decades ago, the then Government stepped in to protect millions of savers and businesses from the consequences of the collapse of RBS. That was the right decision then to secure the economy and NatWest’s return to private ownership turns the page on a significant chapter in this country’s history. We protected the economy in a time of crisis nearly seventeen years ago, now we are focused on securing Britain’s future in a new era of global change.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds said:
Bringing NatWest fully back into private ownership marks a significant milestone for the UK banking sector following the financial crisis.
Since coming into government, we have halted the NatWest retail share sale, which could have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions. Instead, we put taxpayers first by only selling NatWest shares at market value— securing more money to invest in vital public services.
To date, £35 billion has been returned to the Exchequer through share sales, dividends and fees. While this is around £10.5 billion less than the original support, the alternative would have been a collapse with far greater economic costs and social consequences.
The Office for Budget Responsibility are clear on this point: the cost of doing nothing would almost certainly have been far greater than the difference between the capital injected and proceeds returned.
Allowing the bank to fail would have devastated people’s savings, mortgages and livelihoods — and shattered confidence in the UK’s financial system.
Since taking office in 2024, the government has prioritised securing value for taxpayers — scrapping plans for a retail sale that could have cost hundreds of millions of pounds due to the need to sell shares at a discounted price to attract retail buyers.
Instead, shares were sold only at market price and when it represented value for money — helping fund the Plan for Change to invest in the NHS, education and defence.
The government has now exited all banking sector interventions made during the financial crisis.
Notes to editors
| Type | Amount (£bn) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sale proceeds | 24.77 | Total combined proceeds from sales of the shareholding between 2015 and 2025. |
| Dividends | 4.91 | Total combined dividends received since the bank recommenced dividend payments in 2018. |
| Dividend Access Share | 1.51 | Combined value of payments made to retire the DAS, which provided enhanced dividend rights to HMT following the provision of capital support to RBS. The DAS was retired in 2016. |
| Asset Protection Scheme fees | 2.50 | Fees paid by RBS in exchange for its participation in the APS, which protected against exceptional credit losses on certain portfolios of assets. RBS exited the APS in 2012. |
| Contingent Capital Facility fees | 1.28 | Fees paid in return for the provision of an £8bn CCF to RBS by HMT in 2009. The CCF was terminated in 2013. |
| Total | £34.98 | |
| *Numbers may not sum due to rounding |
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 May 2025.
Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security.
We’ve listened very carefully to the Russian delegation, including their attacks on the UK.
Let me say one thing.
Let us all hope that Russia engages more seriously and with more sincerity in the peace talks than we’ve heard here today.
Russia has just blamed the UK and other European countries for somehow sabotaging peace.
They’re trying to complicate things and confuse us.
But the reality is quite simple. Let me restate a few simple facts.
1) Russia invaded Ukraine twice in fact, in recent years.
2) Russia violated the UN Charter.
3) Russia is right, as we speak, trying to annex Ukrainian land.
4) Russia appears, from its public statements, to be seeking the overthrow of the government in Kyiv and to impose limits on Ukraine’s independence.
5) Russia has rejected an unconditional ceasefire.
6) Russia continues to bomb cities across Ukraine, 900 drone and missile attacks in just three days last week.
There is plenty more we could talk about, including Russia’s use of sophisticated weaponry in urban areas, killing civilians, or its reckless seizure of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
We could talk about the enablers of Russia’s war, such as weapons flows from Iran and its military partnership with DPRK, in violation of Council resolutions, and weaponised dual-use goods from other third parties.
But in the end, we don’t really need to look beyond the most essential facts about Russia’s invasion to understand the situation and what needs to happen next.
Ukraine on the other hand:
1) Is defending its territory.
2) Is defending the principles of the UN Charter.
3) Has agreed to an unconditional ceasefire.
President Zelenskyy has even offered direct talks with President Putin, which President Putin has rejected.
So yes, the UK stands proudly with Ukraine as it seeks a just and lasting peace.
Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russian attacks is not the cause of this war; it is a necessary response to it.
The onus really is on Russia, and President Putin, to show they are serious about ending the war that they started. Let us hope they do that very soon.