All articles tagged with #uk government
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces cross-party criticism after ministers quietly issued a sanctions licence allowing jet fuel and diesel refined from Russian crude to continue importing, effectively easing the ban; government says the exemptions are temporary and will be suspended soon, while opponents warn the move undermines sanctions and signals weakness to Moscow.
The UK will extend the 5p cut in fuel duty until the end of the year, at a cost of about £455m this tax year, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer cites Middle East-related price pressures. The government will also cut red diesel to 6.48p per litre from mid-next month through year-end for farmers and provide a 12-month Vehicle Excise Duty holiday for HGVs, saving around £600 per truck. The RAC warns there’s uncertainty about next year’s plan, while critics frame the move as a political U-turn and supporters say it relieves drivers and businesses amid high prices.
Keir Starmer will host a Downing Street summit with leaders from business, culture and policing to tackle antisemitism through a 'whole of society' approach, with sector-specific roundtables and an afternoon Middle East Response Committee meeting to address domestic security implications after recent antisemitic incidents such as the Golders Green stabbings.
Buckingham Palace says King Charles III’s four‑day state visit to the US, hosted by President Trump, will proceed but is being reviewed after the Washington DC shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner; the Palace and UK government are in close talks with US counterparts on security and scheduling, with the King kept fully informed. The plan includes addressing Congress, visiting the 9/11 memorial, and a wreath‑laying in Virginia, while conversations may touch on Falklands sovereignty; the suspect at the event has been charged and UK leaders condemned the violence.
Britain will trial in-home social-media bans, overnight blocks, and one-hour-per-day limits among 300 teens, with three intervention groups and a control, to compare effects on sleep, family life and schoolwork; the effort sits alongside a government consultation on an under-16 ban and a separate Wellcome Trust–funded study of 4,000 students to assess wellbeing with reduced use.
Britain is weighing police-style powers for Environment Agency officers to tackle fly-tipping, including warrantless searches, asset seizures and arrests; illegal waste transport could face up to five years in prison, with expanded use of PACE and the Proceeds of Crime Act. The move, linked to the upcoming Waste Crime Action Plan, follows enforcement data (1.26 million fly-tipping incidents in 2024-25, largely household waste) and could pair with measures like driver-licence penalty points and vehicle seizure to deter waste crime.
Britain has chartered a commercial flight from Muscat, Oman, to evacuate British nationals from the Middle East, prioritising the most vulnerable; registration is required and travellers should not go to the airport unless contacted, as regional airspace closures and escalating Israel-Iran strikes complicate repatriation.
The UK government has chartered its first flight specifically arranged to repatriate British nationals from Oman as Middle East attacks disrupt travel; seats will prioritise the most vulnerable and dependents, with the Foreign Office coordinating calls for eligible travellers and exploring additional routes while advising nationals to avoid travel to the region unless officially contacted.
A UK doctor says his student loan debt has grown from £55,000 to about £80,000 due to roughly £25,000 in interest, with around £3,000 added this tax year and only half of that paid off. Interest accrues immediately and can reach up to 6.2%, delaying plans like buying a home. Loans are written off after 25–40 years depending on the region, and while the government defends the system as fair, graduates and policymakers are pushing for reform.
Britain is reportedly weighing stripping Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession after his arrest tied to Epstein‑related documents; the move would require Parliament legislation and consent from 14 Commonwealth realms. Andrew, the eighth in line to the throne and a former royal, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office but released under investigation, and could face life in prison if convicted. King Charles pledged to support the police investigation as the monarchy faces a constitutional crisis.
Frontrunner Dame Antonia Romeo for the cabinet secretary role faced bullying and expenses allegations from staff during her time as UK consul general in New York; the government says there was one complaint investigated and dismissed, but BBC sources say there were multiple complaints, raising questions about her suitability for the top civil service post.
The government will trial a clearing-style online portal to help young people who miss out on apprenticeships find alternative local roles, with information on pay and long-term prospects, as part of a plan to deliver 50,000 more apprenticeships backed by £725m; Centrica has pledged 500 new apprenticeships in 2026 during National Apprenticeship Week.
A prisoner linked to Palestine Action (Heba Muraisi) on day 71 of a hunger strike at HMP New Hall tells a friend she’s dying as she appears severely frail and faces potential heart risks. Other hunger strikers also show serious health concerns while supporters push for a fair trial, immediate bail, deproscription of Palestine Action, and the closure of UK sites linked to Elbit Systems. A solidarity statement from well-known authors is noted, and the Ministry of Justice says cases are being managed with access to healthcare and that meetings with officials were offered.
Britain has reached a substantial compensation settlement with Abu Zubaydah, the Guantanamo detainee subjected to CIA torture, amid allegations that UK intelligence services helped facilitate his mistreatment. The payment is underway but not yet accessible to him, and campaigners say his ongoing detention and call for release and accountability remain urgent.
Senior UK Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry criticized the US military strikes in Venezuela, calling them illegal under international law and urging the UK to condemn such actions to prevent international anarchy. The UK government has not officially condemned the strikes, and various political parties have expressed differing views on the legality and implications of the US intervention.