Tag: News Story

STORY

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has opened an investigation into a collision between two passenger trains near Elstow in Bedfordshire, in which one driver died and 162 people were injured.

The collision happened at around 17:15 on Friday 19 June 2026 on Network Rail’s Midland Main Line, about 2.5 miles south of Bedford station. It involved the 16:40 East Midlands Railway service from Corby to London St Pancras and the 15:50 East Midlands Railway service from Nottingham to London St Pancras. RAIB said 102 people required hospital treatment, with 53 people remaining in hospital at the time of its update, eight of them in a critical condition. Both trains were significantly damaged and partially derailed.

RAIB said its preliminary examination found that the Nottingham to London St Pancras train had stopped unexpectedly next to signal WH152 after a fault developed with its Automatic Warning System equipment, causing the brakes to apply. Railway system data showed the relevant track circuit as occupied, which should have caused the signal behind the train, WH154, to show a red danger aspect to protect it from other movements.

The Corby to London St Pancras train had left Bedford station at 17:10 and crossed from the Up Slow line to the Up Fast line at Bedford South Junction. Forward-facing CCTV showed that it passed signal WH154 while it was displaying a red aspect. RAIB said analysis of one on-train data recorder showed a brake activation around nine seconds before the collision, when the train was travelling at about 76 mph, and that preliminary data indicated a speed of around 49 mph at the point of impact.

The investigation will examine the sequence of events leading to the accident, the actions of those involved, the performance of braking and warning systems, the reason the Nottingham service stopped, the status and visibility of signal WH154 and its associated equipment, the crashworthiness of both trains, the emergency response and any relevant underlying factors. RAIB said its investigation is independent of those being carried out by the railway industry, British Transport Police and the Office of Rail and Road.

STORY

The House of Commons business list for 25 June includes a select committee statement on the Work and Pensions Committee report into employment support for disabled people and the Connect to Work programme. The statement is due to be made by Debbie Abrahams, the Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth.

The issue falls within the Department for Work and Pensions’ wider reform agenda, including attempts to increase employment among disabled people and people with health conditions. The Connect to Work programme has been presented as part of the Government’s approach to personalised employment support.

The statement gives MPs an opportunity to raise questions about implementation, funding and the evidence behind the programme. It also comes as ministers face wider scrutiny over welfare policy, disability support and the relationship between employment targets and claimant protections.

STORY

The Department for Education has published new data showing that graduates earn on average around £100,000 more over their lifetime than comparable non-graduates, although the financial return varies sharply by subject. The Government said medicine and economics had some of the highest returns, while some courses offered little or negative financial benefit.

Ministers said the data would support plans to limit growth in some courses at some providers where outcomes are consistently poor. The Government also said it would consult in the autumn on a minimum English language requirement for some students accessing student finance.

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said young people should choose carefully and should not enter higher education by default. The announcement links university policy with the Government’s wider skills agenda, including apprenticeship expansion and the Youth Guarantee.

STORY

The Children’s Commissioner for England has warned that Home Office proposals affecting refused asylum seekers could cause significant harm to children. The Guardian reported that Rachel de Souza raised concerns about proposals including the removal of support from some families and the use of physical interventions during enforced removals.

The Home Office proposals were set out in a consultation launched in March and form part of the Government’s wider approach to increasing removals of people whose asylum claims have been refused. De Souza said ministers should ensure children’s best interests are central to decision-making and questioned whether parts of the plan were compatible with the Children Act 1989.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has defended a tougher approach to immigration enforcement, arguing that the system must command public confidence. The intervention adds further scrutiny to the Government’s asylum policy at a moment when the Labour leadership transition is already placing pressure on departments to justify major decisions.

STORY

Donald Trump has described Andy Burnham as “extremely liberal” in his first public comments on the Labour frontrunner since Keir Starmer announced his resignation. The US President made the remarks after Burnham emerged as the clear favourite to become the next Prime Minister.

The comments come as British ministers and officials prepare for a change of Labour leader at a time of continued international pressure over Ukraine, the Middle East and defence spending. Starmer met European allies in Berlin this week as he sought to maintain diplomatic continuity before leaving office.

Burnham has not yet set out a detailed foreign policy programme as the leadership process has not formally begun. His first weeks in office, if he succeeds Starmer, are likely to include early decisions on defence, relations with Washington and the shape of the next Cabinet.

STORY

Darren Jones has said he will not stand in the Labour leadership contest and has backed Andy Burnham after holding talks with him on economic policy. Jones, who has been closely associated with Keir Starmer’s Treasury operation, said Burnham had reassured him that any additional borrowing would need to be targeted and credible.

Burnham remains the only declared candidate and that Labour expects the leadership process to begin on 9 July. If no other candidate secures enough support, Burnham could enter Downing Street by the middle of July, completing another change of Prime Minister during this Parliament.

The intervention is politically significant because Jones had been viewed as one of the most plausible internal alternatives to Burnham. His support may help Burnham reassure Labour MPs concerned about fiscal policy, bond market reaction and the relationship between the next Government and the Treasury.

STORY

Members of the House of Lords are continuing committee stage scrutiny of the Financial Services and Markets Bill. The legislation would reform areas of financial regulation, including the Financial Ombudsman Service, payment systems regulation, bank ring-fencing and the authorisation of provisional licences.

Peers are considering amendments covering payment systems, anti-money laundering provisions, the long-term strategies of the Financial Conduct Authority and a possible Government review of regulatory principles. Six days have been scheduled for committee stage, with further sittings due in late June and early July.

The bill forms part of the wider post-Brexit reform of financial services regulation. Its progress is being watched by the financial sector, consumer bodies and parliamentarians concerned with the balance between competitiveness, stability and consumer protection.

STORY

The Planning Inspectorate has published a procedure guide for examinations under the new local plan system in England. The system, developed with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, came into force in March 2026 under new planning regulations replacing the 2012 plan-making rules.

The Government expects the new system to support a 30-month end-to-end plan-making process. The guide sets out how gateway assessments and examinations will operate, with local planning authorities also directed to the Government’s Create or Update a Local Plan guidance.

The Planning Inspectorate said it would hold a webinar and live question and answer session on 6 July to explain how examinations will work in practice. The legacy system will continue for authorities adopting plans submitted no later than 31 December 2026, while other authorities may use the new process.

STORY

The Public Accounts Committee has warned that national museums and galleries are being left vulnerable to cyber-attack and other security risks. The committee said the Government’s approach to protecting collections and institutions was too reactive and lacked a clear strategic basis.

MPs said the risks faced by museums and galleries include cyber security, physical security and the protection of nationally important collections. The warning follows growing concern across the public sector about the resilience of cultural institutions and the ability of departments to manage digital threats.

The committee’s findings place further pressure on ministers to set out how cultural bodies will be supported against security risks. It said the Government needed a more proactive approach to protecting institutions that hold public collections and deliver national cultural services.

STORY

The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy has said the Government must answer outstanding questions about its national security plans, including defence spending, policy towards China and sovereign technology. The committee said ministers had not fully addressed concerns raised in earlier scrutiny of the Government’s strategy.

The committee chair has asked ministers to give details of the resilience and security projects expected to be funded within the 1.5% of GDP the Government plans to spend on resilience by 2035. The committee has also asked the Government to confirm that the overseas aid budget will not be cut further to fund defence commitments.

The intervention comes as national security policy remains a major issue in Westminster following recent changes in defence personnel and wider debate over defence funding. The committee said clarity was needed on how the Government intends to protect national resilience and maintain technological capability.