Tag: News Story

STORY

Govia Thameslink Railway services have transferred into public ownership, bringing Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express under the management of DfT Operator Limited. The move took effect on 31 May 2026 and forms part of the Government’s wider programme to bring DfT-managed train operators into public ownership ahead of the creation of Great British Railways.

DfT Operator Limited said eight in ten passenger rail journeys that will ultimately fall under Great British Railways are now delivered by publicly owned operators. Ministers have argued that the change will make the railway more accountable and allow train operators and Network Rail to work more closely together on performance and passenger experience.

The transfer is politically significant because GTR is Britain’s largest train operating company and covers major commuter and airport routes across London and the south east. The Government said public ownership would support improved services while also reducing subsidy and maintaining safety and sustainability, although the practical impact will depend on whether passengers see fewer cancellations and better reliability.

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The High Court has ruled that Home Office policy changes requiring some torture survivors and other vulnerable asylum seekers to share rooms with strangers were unlawful. The case concerned changes introduced in 2024 that removed a previous presumption against shared accommodation for survivors of torture, trafficking and serious violence.

Mr Justice Sweeting found that the department had failed to assess the risks properly or consult specialist organisations before making the policy change. Charities including Freedom from Torture and the Helen Bamber Foundation argued that shared rooms could cause serious harm to people with a history of trauma.

The ruling creates a further challenge for ministers as they seek to reduce the cost of asylum accommodation and increase the use of shared housing. Campaigners said the decision could affect thousands of people, while the Home Office will need to review how it treats vulnerable asylum seekers in accommodation decisions.

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Government plans to double some steel import tariffs and reduce tariff-free quotas have prompted warnings from businesses and MPs about the possible effect on defence, aerospace and shipbuilding. The changes are due to begin on 1 July and are intended to protect domestic steel production.

Critics, including Liam Byrne, the chair of the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee, have warned that some downstream manufacturers depend on specialist steel products that are not made in the UK. Businesses have argued that higher costs could hit sectors involved in warships, nuclear submarines, aircraft and other strategic industries.

The Government has defended the policy as an attempt to balance support for British steelmakers with wider supply chain needs. Industry groups are calling for urgent changes before the measures take effect, warning that the policy could damage the competitiveness of firms employing hundreds of thousands of people.

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The Government is preparing to release more than a thousand pages of documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the United States. The disclosure is expected next week and could include messages about Sir Keir Starmer and internal discussions about Mandelson’s suitability for the role.

Mandelson was appointed to the Washington post in 2024 and later dismissed in 2025 after further scrutiny of his links to Jeffrey Epstein. The forthcoming publication follows parliamentary pressure for transparency over vetting, ministerial decision-making and the handling of warnings raised before the appointment was confirmed.

The issue is politically difficult for Downing Street because it touches on judgment, security and trust in appointments. Ministers have said they will comply with the request for documents, although redactions are expected where officials argue that security or diplomatic sensitivities apply.

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Sajid Javid has said that backing Liz Truss for the Conservative leadership was the biggest political mistake of his career. The former chancellor made the comments at the Hay Festival, reflecting on the 2022 leadership contest and the short premiership that followed.

Truss resigned after 49 days in office, following market turmoil caused by her Government’s economic plans. Javid had endorsed her after his own leadership bid failed, but said he no longer had contact with the former Prime Minister and accepted his judgment had been wrong.

Javid also criticised the quality of British political leadership and suggested reducing the number of MPs while increasing their salaries. His remarks come as the Conservative Party continues to rebuild after its 2024 general election defeat and amid continuing pressure from Reform UK on the political right.

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Allies of Andy Burnham have said he would end the multibillion-pound asylum accommodation contracts used to house migrants in hotels if he became Prime Minister. The Greater Manchester mayor is reported to favour replacing the private contractor model with a system giving local authorities greater responsibility for sourcing accommodation.

The current Home Office contracts with Serco, Mears and Clearsprings Ready Homes were signed in 2019 and include a break clause that can be used before they expire in 2029. Burnham’s supporters argue that the Government should use the clause to reduce reliance on hotels and move towards dispersal housing, although councils would face questions about capacity and funding.

The proposal comes as Labour continues to face pressure over asylum policy and the cost of hotel accommodation. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said the system needs improvement, but the Government’s current position is to work within existing arrangements while seeking to end hotel use by 2029.

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Labour is facing union criticism after pensions minister Torsten Bell said the timetable for extending the national living wage to workers aged over 18 would depend on Low Pay Commission advice. Labour pledged at the general election to remove what it described as discriminatory age bands in the minimum wage system.

The national living wage currently applies to workers aged 21 and over, with younger adult workers paid lower minimum rates. Bell said the Government remained committed to the principle of equalisation, but did not confirm that the policy would be completed before the next general election.

Union leaders criticised the comments and said younger workers should not have to wait for equal pay protection. The issue is politically sensitive for ministers because it sits alongside wider pressure over living standards, low pay and Labour’s attempt to show that its Government is delivering practical improvements for working people.

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Labour has reported claims that Nigel Farage’s phone was hacked to the Metropolitan Police and the National Cyber Security Centre. The party said the matter raised potential questions about national security and democratic integrity, after Reform UK suggested hostile actors may have gained access to Farage’s personal data.

The hacking allegation emerged after reporting about a £5 million gift from the cryptocurrency businessman Christopher Harborne to Farage. Reform UK said the alleged hacking was likely linked to hostile actors, while critics questioned why the matter had not been clearly reported to the relevant authorities earlier.

Labour chair Anna Turley asked for the matter to be investigated. Farage has said he believed he had been targeted by spear phishing, while Reform UK said it had acted appropriately. The dispute has added to scrutiny of Farage’s finances and the transparency rules around major political figures.

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The Government has set out plans for tougher penalties against ship owners and operators who recklessly damage subsea internet cables. Ministers said the proposals were being developed amid heightened concern about Russian activity and the vulnerability of critical national infrastructure beneath the sea.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the measures would include tougher fines and possible prison sentences for those responsible for damaging cables essential to UK internet access. New obligations on cable operators to improve security and new emergency powers for ministers are also expected to be considered in a consultation later this year.

Telecoms minister Baroness Lloyd set out the plans in a speech at the Royal United Services Institute. The Government said subsea cables carry almost all international data traffic and underpin more than £1.4 trillion in British financial transactions each day, making their protection a national security and economic priority.

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The UK, Australia and the United States have announced a new AUKUS project to develop uncrewed underwater technologies, with first capabilities expected to enter service from 2027. The Ministry of Defence said the work would be the first signature project under Pillar 2 of the security partnership, which focuses on advanced military technologies.

The project will develop payloads and enabling systems for uncrewed underwater vessels, with ministers saying the capability could support surveillance, reconnaissance, strike operations, anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures and protection of critical seabed infrastructure. Defence Secretary John Healey announced the plans in Singapore alongside US and Australian counterparts.

The Government said the programme would also support British companies, with three UK firms among winners of the AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge and sharing in £3 million of funding. Healey said the agreement showed AUKUS was delivering for security and the economy, while the joint ministerial statement said the partnership remained on track on both submarine co-operation and advanced capabilities.