Tag: News Story

STORY

Thousands of young people are to be offered a two-dose MenB vaccination programme ahead of the autumn term. The Government said the programme would be targeted at young people before they enter further or higher education settings.

The announcement follows concerns about meningitis B and the risk of infection among young adults in communal education environments. The Department of Health and Social Care said the programme would form part of wider public health measures relating to vaccination and disease prevention.

The Government said further details would be provided through NHS and public health channels. The announcement was published alongside information for education, training and skills providers.

STORY

The Government has announced a £4.5 billion cycling and walking strategy intended to deliver thousands of new routes and safer crossings over the next five years. The Department for Transport said the strategy aims to support 5,000 new walking, wheeling and cycling routes and 10,000 safer crossings.

The strategy sets a target for 55% of short trips in towns and cities to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2035. It also sets a target for 60% of children aged between 5 and 16 to travel actively to school by the same year.

The Department for Transport said the policy was linked to transport, health and local growth objectives. Active Travel England, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are also involved in the announcement.

STORY

Sir Keir Starmer has said he will do what is needed to keep the United Kingdom safe after John Healey resigned as Defence Secretary over the Government’s defence spending plans. Healey said the Defence Investment Plan did not provide sufficient resources for the Armed Forces at a time of increased international threats.

Starmer said in a letter to Healey that the Government accepted the need to go further on defence. He said the plan would deliver an increase in defence spending in a sustainable way and would give the military the resources it needed, as well as greater certainty for the defence industry.

Dan Jarvis has been appointed Defence Secretary following Healey’s resignation. Al Carns also resigned as Armed Forces Minister, leaving the Government facing further questions over the publication and funding of the Defence Investment Plan.

STORY

Ofqual has fined Cambridge English £875,000 after incorrect results were issued to thousands of candidates taking international English language tests. The regulator said computer automated marking errors affected the International English Language Testing System, known as IELTS, between August 2023 and September 2025.

The errors related to the listening and reading components of tests taken on screen, where responses were marked by a computer system using predefined answers set by human experts. Ofqual said 93,865 responses were incorrectly marked among 7.7 million tests, with 62,794 learners later issued corrected listening or reading results. A total of 21,717 candidates received a corrected overall qualification score.

Ofqual said 1,108 affected candidates had taken the Secure English Language Test version of IELTS, which is used for UK visa and immigration purposes, although the regulator said that figure did not confirm whether the qualification was used in a visa application. Cambridge English accepted the breaches and entered into a settlement agreement. Ofqual said the organisation had spent more than £6 million on correcting the errors, compensation, customer support and measures to prevent a recurrence.

STORY

John Healey has resigned as Defence Secretary after a dispute with the Prime Minister and the Treasury over defence spending. Healey said the settlement for the Government’s Defence Investment Plan was not sufficient to meet the security challenges facing the United Kingdom.

In his resignation letter, Healey said the resources available would not provide the level of military readiness he believed was required. The Defence Investment Plan had been delayed for several months while ministers considered future military capability, procurement and spending commitments.

The resignation comes amid wider debate over defence funding, the condition of the Armed Forces and the UK’s ability to respond to threats in Europe and beyond. The departure of the Defence Secretary is expected to intensify scrutiny of the Government’s defence policy and its timetable for increasing military spending.

STORY

Concerns have been raised after violent offender Callum Peacock avoided an immediate prison sentence after attacking his girlfriend in a violent domestic abuse incident. According to court reporting by the Liverpool Echo, Peacock battered his victim with a golf club, threw bleach and paint at her and burned a memorial shirt belonging to her deceased grandmother.

The case has prompted criticism because of the seriousness of the violence and the distressing nature of the offending. The Liverpool Echo reported that Peacock also threatened the victim in front of police officers following his arrest. He was later sentenced at court and avoided an immediate prison term.

STORY

The 2026 World Cup has opened under mounting political pressure, with concerns over US immigration rules, visa decisions and security measures threatening to overshadow FIFA’s attempt to present the tournament as a celebration of global unity. The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, began in Mexico City, but much of the political controversy centres on the United States, where most of the matches will be played and where Donald Trump’s immigration agenda has become a central issue for travelling fans, officials and campaigners.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the handling of visa issues, saying immigration decisions are ultimately made by Governments rather than by football authorities. However, Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry to the United States despite having a valid visa, while concerns have also been raised about the treatment of media, support staff and fans from countries affected by travel restrictions or heightened security checks. Infantino has insisted that the competition remains inclusive, but the row has exposed the obvious difficulty of staging a supposedly universal sporting event in a country pursuing a restrictive border policy.

STORY

Donald Trump has faced criticism after appearing to welcome new inflation figures showing US prices rising at their fastest rate for three years. The President told reporters that he “loved” the latest inflation numbers, while arguing that price rises would fall sharply once the war with Iran ends. The consumer price index rose by 4.2% year on year in May, up from 3.8% the previous month, with energy prices a major factor behind the increase.

The White House has also said the administration expects inflation to ease when pressure on oil markets reduces, while Trump has insisted that the conflict with Iran is necessary for national security reasons. The crisis hit administration has yet to detail how they intend to end the Iran war and the President failed to explain when inflation would fall.

Democrats have seized on the comment as evidence that Trump is out of touch with families struggling with the cost of living, with Chuck Schumer accusing him of showing contempt for ordinary Americans. The political danger for Trump is that he won the 2024 election partly by attacking inflation under Joe Biden, making any suggestion that he is now relaxed about rising prices especially damaging.

STORY

The Government is consulting industry over its proposed steel tariff regime after warnings from steel-consuming businesses about potential cost increases. Reuters reported that ministers are considering whether changes are needed before the new regime is due to begin on 1 July.

The plan would reduce the amount of steel that can be imported tariff-free and increase tariffs on imports above the quota. Domestic steel producers have welcomed stronger protection, but some manufacturers, construction firms and engineering businesses have warned of disruption and higher costs.

The issue leaves ministers balancing support for British steelmakers against the wider needs of businesses that rely on steel inputs. Any adjustment would be watched closely by both industry and unions, particularly after the Government’s recent interventions in the steel sector.

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A Lords committee has launched an inquiry into the relationship between the Government and the defence industry. The Industry and Regulators Committee is seeking views on how ministers work with the sector and whether the relationship is capable of supporting national security needs.

The inquiry comes as the Government faces pressure over defence spending, procurement and the delayed Defence Investment Plan. Peers are expected to examine issues including industrial capacity, resilience, innovation, value for money and the ability of the UK defence sector to respond to changing threats.

The work could become politically significant because defence has moved sharply up the agenda in recent months. Ministers are under pressure to prove that higher defence commitments can be translated into equipment, jobs and credible capability rather than simply new targets.