Tag: News Story

STORY

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited 10 Downing Street today for high-level talks with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, just 24 hours before a pivotal meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Arriving to a warm welcome outside the famous black door, Zelenskyy was greeted with a warm handshake and brief exchange before the two leaders moved inside for discussions lasting around an hour.

The talks covered a wide range of issues, including long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, expansion of drone production and the UK’s role in the PURL weapons supply programme. The pair also discussed the 100-year UK–Ukraine partnership, reflecting both sides’ desire for deep and enduring ties. Starmer reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity and emphasised that the UK would be ready to intensify pressure on Russia if required.

The visit takes place against a backdrop of continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, alongside Ukrainian counterattacks targeting Russian oil facilities. With Trump signalling openness to the idea of security guarantees for Kyiv but offering few specifics, the London meeting is widely seen as a move by Zelenskyy to secure strong backing from the UK and the EU before potentially decisive talks between Washington and Moscow.

STORY

Anas al-Sharif, a 28-year-old Al Jazeera journalist, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on 10 August 2025, near the al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Al-Sharif, who had been reporting on the ongoing conflict, is among a growing list of journalists targeted in the region, sparking widespread condemnation from international press freedom groups. It is thought that four other journalists were killed during the same airstrike, which has received international condemnation.

The Israeli military confirmed the airstrike but alleged that al-Sharif was involved with Hamas, a claim that has been vehemently disputed by Al Jazeera and numerous human rights organisations. According to the network, there is no substantiated evidence to support these accusations, and the attack is seen as part of a broader pattern of targeting journalists. Al Jazeera has described al-Sharif as “one of Gaza’s bravest journalists,” and has vowed to continue his work despite the tragic loss. His death highlights the risks that journalists face in conflict zones, particularly in Gaza, where press freedoms are becoming increasingly restricted.

STORY

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his Government’s intention to swiftly seize control of more areas within the Gaza Strip, particularly Gaza City and central refugee camps. The goal, he stated, is to install Israeli “security responsibility” and set up a civilian administration without oversight from Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu framed the move as a necessary step to end the war and ensure national security. He stressed the operation would be limited in duration and followed along by aid corridors supplying food, water and medical assistance to civilians displaced by the fighting.

Yet amid his rationale of “freeing Palestine from terrorism,” critics warned this strategy could devastate Gaza further. International leaders, Germany, the UN, and the EU among them, have condemned the plan as a dangerous escalation that risks turning Gaza into a humanitarian disaster zone. The UN Secretary-General flagged potential mass displacement and a rise in civilian casualties, urging immediate reconsideration. Meanwhile, humanitarian organisations are alarmed as Gaza is already facing a deteriorating humanitarian crisis, marked by widespread malnutrition, constrained aid delivery, and rising child fatalities. Critics say even with assurances of aid, the proposed military incursion could worsen suffering rather than alleviate it.

Netanyahu’s proposal comes against the backdrop of intense conflict that began with Hamas’ October 2023 attacks, followed by months of Israeli military operations. While Israel claims to control roughly three-quarters of Gaza, Gaza City remains a stronghold for Hamas, with a population enduring months of bombardment, displacement and poverty.

NEWS STORY

In one of the most substantial and politically charged law enforcement operations in recent memory, London’s Metropolitan Police arrested over 500 demonstrators during a protest in Parliament Square supporting the recently proscribed group, Palestine Action. Despite the emotionally charged atmosphere, the police response has been widely praised for its professionalism and restraint.

Reports confirm that as many as 532 arrests were made, many of them for displaying support for the banned organisation, now illegal under anti‑terror laws enacted just last month. Protesters marched defiantly, brandishing placards reading “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”, and banging pot lids in clear defiance of the prohibition. Police had issued prior warnings that anyone publicly supporting a proscribed group could face arrest. Notably, nearly half of those arrested were aged 60 or older, with the sight of elderly individuals being led away prompted widespread debate on the appropriateness of policing tactics in such contexts.

Despite the contentious backdrop, police officers maintained a calm and professional bearing throughout. Even when faced with pot-banging and chants, there was no indication of heavy-handed force or reactionary use of excessive force despite the many arrests. Outside observers have underscored a troubling tension with the Government’s invocation of anti-terror legislation to suppress support for a group that, until recently, had been openly campaigning for its cause.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, said in a statement:

“Many people may not yet know the reality of this organisation, but the assessments are very clear – this is not a non-violent organisation.”

STORY

Expelled Reform MP Rupert Lowe has been criticised after mistakenly reporting a team of charity rowers as suspected migrants approaching the Norfolk coast. Lowe posted a photo online of a vessel near wind turbines off Great Yarmouth on Thursday evening, warning of “dinghies coming into Great Yarmouth, RIGHT NOW” and vowing to “use every tool at my disposal to ensure these individuals are deported”.

In reality, the boat belonged to ROW4MND, a four-man crew rowing from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise funds for motor neurone disease research. The team, which included former Royal Marine Mike Bates, said they were surprised to be mistaken for migrants, particularly given the size of their ocean-going vessel and the fact Great Yarmouth is not the most direct route from Calais.

Lowe contacted the coastguard over his concerns. After being informed of the mix-up, he pledged £1,000 to the charity, saying he wanted to support their cause despite the misunderstanding.

Critics have accused the former MP of overreacting and failing to verify basic details before making public accusations. One campaigner noted that charity crews in clearly marked rowing boats are “not generally a covert means of illegal entry”.

The rowers have since continued their journey, having raised more than £100,000 for research. For Rupert Lowe, the incident is the latest in a series of controversies since leaving Reform UK.

NEWS STORY

In a dramatic and widely criticised move, Homelessness Minister Rushanara Ali resigned today after revelations that she evicted tenants from her East London property, allegedly to sell it, only to promptly relist the home for rent at a £700 (21%) higher price. This episode has drawn fierce condemnation for its apparent hypocrisy, especially given Ali’s prior stance in support of tenant protections.

Ali has claimed she fully adhered to legal requirements, signalling in her resignation letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer that remaining in her ministerial role risks distracting from the government’s housing agenda. Her departure is seen as a severe blow to Labour’s credibility, coming at a sensitive time with the Renters’ Rights Bill nearing its final stages in Parliament, a law set to ban landlords from evicting tenants only to immediately hike rents. Critics argue that her personal conduct directly undermines the policy she oversaw and has challenged the integrity of MPs, with calls for her to leave the House of Commons.

Opposition voices were quick to condemn Ali, with Kevin Hollinrake, chairman of the Conservative Party, calling the move “staggering hypocrisy”, pointing out that Ali’s actions were “one rule for Labour and another for everyone else.” Housing advocates were equally scathing, Shelter’s policy director dismissed the saga as “a damning reminder that the cards are fundamentally stacked against renters.”

The MP’s conduct is yet another setback for Prime Minister Starmer’s Government, which has already seen multiple ministerial resignations in just over a year. With public trust undermined and the government trailing in the polls, Ali’s resignation raises fresh questions about the party’s moral authority and integrity.

STORY

The Government is facing mounting criticism over its decision to restrict civil service internships exclusively to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, a move that ministers say is designed to create a more representative Whitehall but which opponents argue amounts to discrimination by background. Under new rules set to be introduced from 2026, the main internship scheme for university students will be limited to those whose parents held certain types of jobs when they were 14. Ministers say this will help diversify the civil service and open up opportunities for young people who might otherwise be overlooked.

The scheme, which pays £430 a week and provides up to eight weeks of experience inside government departments, will now explicitly exclude students from middle and upper-income households regardless of their academic credentials or suitability for the role.

Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood (in photo) slammed the move as “leftist social engineering”, warning it sends the message that unless a young person comes from the ‘right’ background, they need not apply. “No young person should be told they’re not welcome based solely on their parents’ profession,” Wood said. “We believe in opportunity based on what you can do, not where you come from.”

The change has been led by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, who defended the move, saying the civil service must reflect the country it serves. “Government makes better decisions when it represents and understands the people we serve” he said. But critics argue the new system risks replacing one kind of unfairness with another and suggested that rather than broadening access based on merit the reform introduces a rigid social filter, effectively barring thousands of students on the basis of their family background and damaging community cohesion.

STORY

Former Conservative MP Adam Holloway, who represented Gravesham in Kent from 2005 until losing his seat in 2024, has officially joined Reform UK. Holloway, a former Grenadier Guards officer and briefly a Government whip under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, explained the move as a response to what he sees as the UK’s growing national peril and said:

“The issue is the country has serious social and economic problems, and potentially an economic disaster in the next couple of years during a time of great global insecurity.”

Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform, said:

“His bold move shows that we are the only serious option in Kent and is testament to the fantastic work our councillors are delivering across the region.”

STORY

Palestine Action, the controversial direct action network, has been granted permission to appeal the government’s decision to proscribe it as a terrorist organisation. The legal challenge centres on the Home Secretary’s power to proscribe organisations under the Terrorism Act 2000. Palestine Action’s legal team argues that the criteria for proscription were not met and that the decision was disproportionate, infringing on the right to protest and freedom of expression. The group maintains that its actions, while disruptive and causing significant financial damage, are acts of civil disobedience and not terrorism.

A spokesperson for Palestine Action welcomed the decision, stating it was a victory for free speech and a step towards accountability for what they describe as politically motivated targeting. They expressed confidence that the appeal would expose flaws in the government’s proscription process. Conversely, the Home Office reiterated its stance that the proscription was made after a rigorous assessment of all available evidence, and that the organisation’s activities met the legal definition of terrorism. A spokesperson stated that “the government remains committed to protecting national security and will robustly defend its decision in the upcoming appeal.”

STORY

British Masters athlete and world sprint champion Rick Beardsell has received an 18-month suspended prison sentence for fraudulently obtaining £100,000 in Covid-19 Bounce Back Loans. Beardsell, aged 46, used a significant portion of the funds to help purchase a £1.3 million home in a Cheshire village, rather than for the benefit of his sportswear manufacturing business, Sports Creative Limited.

The Insolvency Service revealed on 23 July 2025 that Beardsell secured two £50,000 Bounce Back Loans in 2020 and 2021, despite businesses being eligible for only one. He also substantially inflated his company’s turnover in the applications. The funds were transferred into his personal bank account, with £431,160 paid to solicitors for the Prestbury property. Additionally, he transferred cash to family members and made mortgage payments for a previous house, placing the money beyond the reach of creditors.

Appearing at Chester Crown Court on 22 July 2025, Beardsell was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £11,152. Beardsell had repaid the full £100,000 earlier this year, following his guilty plea but prior to sentencing.