Tag: News Story

STORY

Andy Burnham is facing an early local Government test as the current administration pushes ahead with a major reorganisation of councils in England. The changes are intended to replace many two tier areas with larger unitary authorities and create a clearer structure for devolution.

Reports suggest the reorganisation could affect millions of voters and reshape local elections in a number of areas. Cities including Oxford, Stoke, Cambridge and Leicester have been cited as places where changes are expected to form part of the wider programme.

Supporters argue that fewer, larger councils can simplify decision making and strengthen regional growth. Critics say some proposals risk disrupting local identity, weakening district level representation and placing additional pressure on councils already managing financial and service demands.

STORY

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has opened a consultation on council tax enforcement, seeking views on the steps councils should take before formal recovery action. The consultation is intended to examine how the system operates for households and local authorities.

The first part of the consultation asks about the statutory stages councils should follow before enforcement begins. This includes questions about notices, payment reminders and the process leading to more serious recovery action.

Council tax arrears have become a growing issue for local authorities and residents during a period of continuing pressure on household finances. The consultation will be watched by councils, debt advice groups and campaigners concerned about the balance between collection and protection for vulnerable residents.

STORY

The Council of the European Union has imposed sanctions on six Russian individuals it says were involved in the development of chemical weapons linked to the poisoning and death of Alexei Navalny. The Council said the restrictive measures related to the toxin epibatidine, which it said was found in samples taken from Navalny’s body.

The EU said the findings led to the conclusion that poisoning with epibatidine was highly likely to have caused his death in a Russian penal colony. The sanctions add to previous EU measures imposed over Navalny’s treatment and the wider repression of Russian opposition figures.

Those listed under the measures are subject to an asset freeze and travel restrictions. The EU said it would continue to hold Russian officials and individuals accountable for serious human rights violations and the use of chemical weapons.

STORY

The Government is pressing ahead with planning reforms intended to speed up decisions on major infrastructure projects, including energy, transport, reservoirs and data centres. Ministers said the removal of mandatory pre application consultation for nationally significant projects would help cut delays and reduce costs.

The change is due to take effect from 24 July and forms part of the Planning and Infrastructure Act. The Government said the reforms could save developers up to £1 billion during this Parliament and cut up to a year from parts of the approval process.

Ministers argue that the current system has become too slow for projects needed to support energy security, housing and growth. Critics are likely to question whether reduced consultation risks weakening public involvement and increasing local opposition later in the process.

STORY

The Government has announced a £4.6 billion contract with Italy and Japan to support development of a next generation combat aircraft. Ministers said the agreement marked a major step in the trilateral programme to bring a sixth generation fighter jet into service from 2035.

The contract forms part of the Global Combat Air Programme and follows the Government’s Defence Investment Plan. The UK has said it will invest £8.6 billion in the programme over four years, with ministers linking the project to national security, industrial capacity and highly skilled jobs.

The programme is designed to replace the Typhoon and strengthen co operation with key defence partners. The Government said the contract would support British industry and help maintain the UK’s role in advanced combat air technology.

STORY

United States Vice President JD Vance has opened a new diplomatic incident after saying Britain has been failed by its political leadership for a long time, as Washington prepares to work with another UK Prime Minister. Vance’s comments come after chaotic 250 year anniversary celebrations in the US and serious allegations about corruption and fraud in the Trump administration.

Vance said he hoped the next UK Prime Minister would be able to deliver the structural change that voters wanted. He also said the United States would continue to value the UK relationship and work closely with whoever leads the Government.

The comments follow earlier criticism from President Donald Trump, who described Burnham as extremely liberal and questioned UK energy policy. Downing Street has sought to maintain close relations with Washington despite differences over energy, Ukraine, Gaza and wider foreign policy.

STORY

Andy Burnham has ruled out calling an early general election if he becomes Prime Minister later this month, saying Labour already has a mandate from the 2024 general election. The Prime Minister in waiting said he would focus on delivering change rather than immediately returning the country to the polls.

Burnham has also said he wants to establish a stronger presence for central Government outside London, including a proposed “Number 10 North” in Greater Manchester. He has presented the idea as part of a wider plan to shift power away from Whitehall and towards regions and local areas.

The comments are intended to reassure Labour MPs and markets that the leadership transition will not be followed by an immediate election campaign. Opposition parties are continuing to argue that a change of Prime Minister without a general election would deny voters a direct say.

STORY

Ukrainian drones struck the St Petersburg region overnight in a major long range attack on Russian energy and military infrastructure, according to Russian officials and Ukrainian sources. The assault hit an oil terminal in St Petersburg and the Baltic Sea port of Vysotsk in the surrounding Leningrad region, as Kyiv continued its campaign against facilities linked to Russia’s war effort.

St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said the city had come under a large scale drone attack, although he did not identify specific targets. Local reports cited by Reuters said a fire had broken out at the city’s oil terminal, while Leningrad regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko said drones had struck the port of Vysotsk, around 105 miles north west of St Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland.

Drozdenko said 72 drones had been shot down over the Leningrad region. Russian officials also reported further drone activity south of St Petersburg, with the governor of Pskov region saying more than 30 drones had been intercepted overnight and that there had been minor damage and injuries, including at a factory in Velikiye Luki.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine had carried out strikes on Russian targets in the region. He said the operation had included attacks on an oil terminal and a military site in Kronstadt, a naval base west of St Petersburg.

The attack forms part of Ukraine’s wider strategy of using long range drones against Russian energy infrastructure, fuel supplies and military facilities. Ukraine has described such operations as a way of imposing costs on Russia for its continuing invasion, while Russia has accused Kyiv of targeting civilian and industrial sites inside its territory.

STORY

The Government has appointed Bill Butler as the first chair of the Local Audit Office, the new body being established to strengthen oversight of local public audit. Public Finance reported that the appointment brings decades of public sector leadership experience to the organisation.

The Local Audit Office is intended to help address long running concerns over delays and capacity in local authority audit. Ministers have faced pressure to improve the timeliness and reliability of council accounts after years of backlogs across the sector.

The appointment is part of wider reform of the local audit system in England. Councils, auditors and finance professionals have argued that a stronger framework is needed to restore confidence in local public financial reporting.

STORY

The Council of the EU has adopted its position on a regulation to allow online service providers to resume voluntary detection and removal of child sexual abuse material. The measure is intended to bridge a legal gap while longer term EU legislation on the issue remains under negotiation.

The proposal would create a temporary derogation from data protection rules in the electronic communications

sector. The Council said voluntary detection, reporting and removal by providers helped identify victims, support investigations and reduce the spread of abusive material online.

The previous interim measure expired on 3 April 2026 and the Council wants the replacement to run until 3 April 2028. The European Parliament will now examine the Council position at second reading and may approve, amend or reject it.