Tag: News Story

STORY

Labour MPs have urged the Government to set targets to increase the number of male teachers in England, arguing that schools should play a larger role in supporting boys and young men. The Labour Men and Boys group has said the issue should form part of a broader response to concerns about harmful online influences and social isolation.

The group has highlighted figures showing that men make up a minority of the teaching workforce, with particularly low representation in primary schools. Supporters of the proposal say that a more balanced workforce could provide more visible role models for pupils and help schools respond to the needs of boys as well as girls.

The Department for Education has said it is considering ways to attract more men into teaching, including financial incentives. The proposal sits alongside calls from Labour MPs and campaign groups for improvements to paternity leave and wider policies focused on fathers, boys and family life.

STORY

Keir Starmer has announced that children under the age of 16 will be banned from using major social media platforms, saying the Government intends to introduce the measure as part of wider online safety reforms. The Prime Minister said the policy was intended to reduce harms linked to online abuse, addictive content and contact from strangers.

The Government said the ban would build on the Online Safety Act and would be brought forward through regulation. Starmer said ministers would look at international examples, including Australia, and argued that age restrictions could still be justified even if some young people attempted to bypass them.

The announcement follows pressure from campaigners, bereaved families and MPs who have called for stronger protections for children online. Opposition parties and campaign groups are expected to scrutinise the details of enforcement, age verification and the responsibilities placed on technology companies.

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Roy Hattersley, the former deputy leader of the Labour Party, has died at the age of 93. He served as Labour deputy leader under Neil Kinnock from 1983 to 1992 and was a Labour MP from 1964 until 1997. After leaving the House of Commons, he was appointed to the House of Lords as Baron Hattersley of Sparkbrook.

Hattersley held ministerial office under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, including serving as Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection from 1976 to 1979. In opposition, he held several senior shadow posts and became closely associated with Labour’s efforts during the 1980s to recover from electoral defeat, challenge the influence of the Militant tendency and move the party towards a more electorally viable position.

Alongside his political career, Hattersley was a writer, columnist and broadcaster. He wrote more than 20 books, including works of history, biography and memoir, and continued to comment on Labour politics after leaving Parliament. He was also critical of later developments in the party, including aspects of Tony Blair’s New Labour and Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. He is survived by his wife, Maggie Pearlstine.

William Hutchings has been jailed after admitting dangerous driving following a head-on collision in Sevenoaks. Kent Police said officers saw a silver Ford Fiesta carry out a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre on London Road towards Amherst Hill at around 8.15pm on 19 April 2025.

Police indicated for the vehicle to stop, but Hutchings continued driving at excessive speed, using hatched markings and the wrong side of the road. The pursuit ended on the A25 Westerham Road near Sevenoaks, where the Fiesta collided head-on with a black Land Rover Defender. The occupants of the Land Rover sustained minor injuries, while Hutchings suffered severe injuries and received life-saving first aid from officers until paramedics arrived.

Hutchings, 31, of Boughton Avenue in Bromley, London, was later charged with dangerous driving after a lengthy stay in hospital. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on 4 June 2026 to 16 months in prison. He will also be banned from driving for five years and six months after his release and will have to pass an extended test before driving again.

STORY

Eileen Fox has been dismissed from her job at a One Stop convenience store in Bootle after trying to stop a suspected shoplifter. Fox, 56, said the woman was known locally and had been stealing from the shop over a period of years.

The incident involved an attempt to take packets of bacon from the store. Fox said she grabbed the woman’s coat sleeve and that, during the scuffle, the woman bumped into a metal stand. Fox said no one was injured.

Fox was called to an investigatory meeting with senior managers and was suspended the following day. She said she was later dismissed from her job on 11 May.

A dismissal letter reported by the BBC and cited by the Guardian said Fox had “followed” the suspected shoplifter and then “grabbed her and slammed her into a metal stand”. Fox disputed that description, saying she had approached the woman while she was taking items from a shelf and had taken hold of her sleeve.

A spokesperson for One Stop said the safety of customers and colleagues was the company’s priority. The company said staff were told not to risk their own safety and were given training on how to respond to incidents, alongside investment in security measures and work with police.

Local customers and a number of businesses have supported Fox, stating that the problem of shoplifting has been getting worse and that One Stop should focus more resources on protecting team members.

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Peers are due to begin detailed scrutiny of the Social Housing Bill in committee stage on Monday. The House of Lords has scheduled two days of line by line consideration, with further sessions possible depending on progress.

Amendments tabled for the first day include proposals relating to the Right to Buy scheme, home ownership, first refusal on acquiring social rent dwellings, social housing provision and protection for vulnerable groups. Committee stage allows members to test the wording of the legislation and suggest changes.

The Bill forms part of the Government’s housing agenda and will continue through the Lords before returning to the Commons if amendments are made.

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The Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill is due to receive its second reading in the House of Lords on Tuesday. Members will debate the principles of the Bill before it moves to further stages if approved.

The legislation relates to public ownership of the steel industry and follows continuing political debate over the future of UK steelmaking, industrial capacity and support for strategic industries. The House of Lords debate will allow members to question the Government’s approach and propose concerns for later scrutiny.

The Bill will proceed to committee stage if it receives a second reading. At that stage, peers would be able to consider amendments and examine the text of the legislation in detail.

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Kemi Badenoch has called on Labour leadership figures to support cuts to welfare spending and redirect savings towards defence. The Conservative leader made the intervention as the Government faces pressure over the Defence Investment Plan following ministerial resignations.

Sky News reported that Badenoch said Labour politicians arguing for higher defence spending needed to say where the money should come from. She said welfare spending should be reduced to make room for additional military investment.

The Government has said defence is a priority and has committed to increasing spending to 3% of GDP in the next Parliament. The dispute over the timetable and scale of funding has continued after the resignation of John Healey as Defence Secretary and Al Carns as Armed Forces Minister.

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Employment Minister Kate Dearden has defended the Government’s workers’ rights reforms following criticism from business groups over the cost of the changes. She said the measures were intended to bring the UK closer to standards in other OECD countries.

The reforms include changes to sick pay, dismissal protections and union access to workplaces. Dearden said ministers were also continuing work on rights for unpaid carers and on the effects of artificial intelligence on employment.

Business groups have raised concerns that the measures could increase costs and reduce flexibility. Dearden said the Government wanted to support secure work while maintaining flexibility where it was genuinely chosen by workers.

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Keir Starmer has spoken to US President Donald Trump about efforts to end the conflict with Iran. Downing Street said the Prime Minister welcomed progress towards a possible agreement and stressed the need for any settlement to deliver a lasting peace.

The Government said Starmer told Trump that the UK was ready to support the implementation of any peace agreement and to work with international partners. The two leaders also discussed the need to restore freedom of navigation because of the wider economic effects of the conflict.

The call took place ahead of the G7 summit, where international security and economic disruption linked to the conflict are expected to be discussed. Downing Street said the two leaders had agreed to remain in close contact.