Prime Minister Andy Burnham has decided to halt the early release program for certain prisoners in England and Wales. This decision was influenced in part by the widow of PC Andrew Harper, who criticized the potential early release of her husband’s killers as “deplorable.” The new policy, introduced under the Sentencing Act scheduled to take… Continue reading What could happen to prisoner early release scheme now PM has paused it?
Tag: UK News
MI5 to pay compensation for surveillance on journalists phone
MI5 and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have been mandated to pay £20,000 in damages to journalist Vincent Kearney after unlawfully accessing his phone records. This ruling came through the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) in London, marking what is believed to be the first occasion MI5 has been ordered to compensate a journalist.… Continue reading MI5 to pay compensation for surveillance on journalists phone
Senior ministers and aides set to work from No 10 North
Senior ministers and key aides close to Andy Burnham are preparing to work regularly from No 10 North, which the prime minister has identified as the “dominant driver of the UK’s economy.” This new extension of Downing Street currently operates out of Heron House in Manchester city centre, while a brownfield site undergoes redevelopment to… Continue reading Senior ministers and aides set to work from No 10 North
Pubs cheer business rates relief while other firms 'left out in the cold'
Andy Burnham has announced a cut in business rates targeted at pubs, social clubs, and live music venues in England, a move warmly received by leaders in the hospitality industry. This initiative marks his third major policy statement in as many days. Industry representatives, such as UK Hospitality, highlighted that Burnham’s commitment to supporting this… Continue reading Pubs cheer business rates relief while other firms 'left out in the cold'
Jeffrey Donaldson stripped of knighthood by King
Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has had his knighthood revoked by King Charles III. Donaldson, who served as a Member of Parliament from 1997 until 2024, was convicted in June on 18 counts of sexual abuse, including one rape charge. These offenses involved two women who were victims during… Continue reading Jeffrey Donaldson stripped of knighthood by King
Grant Shapps blocked from standing again for the Conservatives
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, described her leadership as heading “a brand new party full of new people” during an interview with the BBC. This statement followed revelations published in the Spectator that Sir Grant Shapps, a former cabinet minister and ex-chairman of the Tory party, had been turned down as a Conservative parliamentary… Continue reading Grant Shapps blocked from standing again for the Conservatives
Police failed to check Manchester synagogue attacker's phones despite arrests
Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson has issued an apology after acknowledging that mobile phones belonging to Jihad Al-Shamie, the man who attacked the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, were seized but not examined prior to the incident. Al-Shamie, aged 35, was on bail for an alleged rape at the time of the… Continue reading Police failed to check Manchester synagogue attacker's phones despite arrests
Ex-Coronation Street actor to receive 'substantial' libel damages from The Sun publisher
Qasim Akhtar, known for his role as Zeedan Nazir on ITV’s Coronation Street, is set to receive a significant financial settlement from the publisher of The Sun following a libel claim in the High Court. Akhtar, who appeared on the soap from 2014 to 2018 and returned between 2021 and 2023, initiated legal action against… Continue reading Ex-Coronation Street actor to receive 'substantial' libel damages from The Sun publisher
PC Harper's mother says all victims will feel the same over early prison release
Two prison staff members recently informed the BBC that prison governors were instructed to halt preparations for the rollout of the Sentencing Act approximately two weeks ago. However, the government insists that there has been no formal decision to postpone the act’s implementation. Debbie Adlam, mother of PC Andrew Harper, expressed that the early release… Continue reading PC Harper's mother says all victims will feel the same over early prison release
Friend of Manchester synagogue attacker jailed over separate plot on military base
A man involved in plotting an attack on a military installation alongside the Manchester synagogue assailant has been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 17 years. Mohammad Bashir, aged 31, accompanied his friend Jihad Al-Shamie on a lengthy 10-hour drive to carry out hostile reconnaissance at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire,… Continue reading Friend of Manchester synagogue attacker jailed over separate plot on military base