Author: UK News

London bus destroyed after being engulfed by huge fire on suburban street There is no bias in the title provided. A London bus was engulfed by flames and reduced to a blackened shell as dozens of firefighters rushed to put out the blaze on Saturday. Five fire engines and 30 firefighters scrambled to the scene in Twickenham, southwest London, at around 1.30pm as black smoke billowed into the air. Crews from Twickenham, Heston and Kingston fire stations helped put out the fire. All passengers and the driver managed to escape unharmed, London’s Fire Brigade said. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson…

Hundreds of asylum seekers moved off Bibby Stockholm and Wethersfield RAF base in last three months There is no bias in the title provided. Rishi Sunak’s flagship sites to house asylum seekers have been criticised as eye-wateringly expensive, badly run and unsuitable – and now The Independent can reveal that hundreds of migrants have moved out. More than 400 asylum seekers have left RAF Wethersfield in Essex and the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset in the first three months of the year, data shows. The government has come under fire for splashing £145.7m on the former airbase and £15.8m on the…

Northern Lights: Will you be able to see Aurora Borealis tonight in the UK? There is no bias in the title provided. Last weekend people across the UK could look up at the sky and see the colourful strobes of the Northern Lights. The rare phenomenon, known as the Aurora Borealis, was captured in photographs taken from across the country including Essex, Suffolk, Whitley Bay and Liverpool. Large swathes of the sky lit up purple and green after a huge geomagnetic storm that sparked the display. However, for those who unfortunately missed the lights, there is still a chance they…

Sewage alerts across UK mapped after ‘millions’ of litres dumped into Lake Windermere beauty spot There is no bias in the title provided. After a report found that ‘millions’ of litres of untreated sewage was illegally discharged into Lake Windermere, campaigners have raised concerns about the levels of pollution in British waters. Raw sewage was pumped into the Unesco world heritage site for nearly 10 hours in February after a telecommunication failure at a pumping station operated by United Utilities, a major water and wastewater services provider in the North West. The discharge happened at the company’s pumping station at…

London bus erupts in flames in Twickenham as firefighters tackle blaze | UK News There is no bias in the title provided. A bus burst into a huge fireball in southwest London this afternoon. Footage posted to social media shows the London Fire Brigade battling to bring the massive blaze under control. Thick plumes of black smoke can be seen billowing from the single decker in Twickenham. Fortunately it appears that nobody was injured. Traffic delays have since been reported in the area. Scotland Yard said officers were called to Richmond Road shortly before 1.30pm. The LFB said in a…

Northern Lights will be visible from UK more frequently, space forecaster says There is no bias in the title provided The pink and green strobes of the northern lights could return to UK skies soon, meteorologists have said. The rare phenomenon could be seen throughout the UK and as far south as France last Friday and Saturday night following a severe solar storm. Breathtaking pictures displaying the colourful bands of light, technically known as the aurora borealis, were taken from across the country including Essex, Suffolk, Whitley Bay and Liverpool For those who unfortunately missed the rare display, there is…

Brixham: Inside the ‘blacklisted’ picture perfect harbour town facing a dirty water crisis There is no bias in the title provided. “Beautiful, isn’t it”, calls over a tourist wearing a bright blue “I love Devon” t-shirt. And as I stand in Brixham harbour looking up at the rows of pretty ice-cream-colour homes in the warm lunchtime sunshine, it’s hard to disagree. Since the 19th century, this quintessential harbour town has justifiably become a hotspot for holidaymakers on a stretch of coast in Torbay known affectionately as the English Riviera. But amidst the chatter inside the fish and chip shops, fudge-makers…

Teachers could get protection against blasphemy claims under new laws There is no bias in the title provided. Teachers could be given protection from claims of blasphemy under proposals reportedly set out in a new government-commissioned report. According to The Times, the report will urge the Department for Education (DfE) to issue schools with statutory guidance to protect teachers’ freedom of expression – including that schools should not automatically suspend teachers over blasphemy claims. It would also prevent schools from publicly identifying teachers involved and, unlike sex education, schools would not be obliged to consult parents, faith or community groups…

This London street has been named one of the world’s most beautiful There is no original title provided to identify any biased words or phrases. From world-famous museums to energetic pubs on street corners bustling with the sound of chatter, London is famous for many things. Now, one street has been named one of the most beautiful in the world. And no, it’s not in Elephant and Castle – but Portobello Road in West London. Londoners are well-acquainted with the fact that, despite it genuinely being one of the most exciting cities in the world, it’s often romanticised by tourists.…

Rebecca Joynes trial: How maths teacher with dream job became sexual predator who groomed her pupils There is no bias in the title provided. Rebecca Joynes was overjoyed to land her “dream job” when she became a teacher in a secondary school. But six years later, her career is in ruins and she faces the prospect of a prison sentence. Branded a “predator” after abusing her position of trust to have sex with two pupils, she was convicted on Friday following a two-week trial and now awaits her fate. Joining her school as part of a recruitment scheme in 2018,…

Infections in Devon parasite outbreak to keep rising for weeks, public health boss warns There is no bias in the title provided. The number of people infected with a waterborne disease following a parasite outbreak in south Devon is likely to increase for up to two weeks, a public health boss has warned. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Friday that 46 cases of cryptosporidium, a disease that can cause unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting, had been confirmed in Brixham after people drank water feared to be contaminated with a waterborne parasite. Around 16,000 households and…

Sainsbury’s staff beat up shoplifter after dragging him into back room | UK News There is no bias in the title provided. This is the moment Sainsbury’s staff drag a suspected shoplifter into a backroom and repeatedly kick him as he lies on the floor. A shocked customer filmed the incident, which happened at a branch in Mile End Road, Tower Hamlets, London. One staff member can be heard shouting ‘stay the f*** down’ as three of four employees pull the man into a storeroom by the collar of his jacket. The man appears distressed and is heard shouting ‘Allahu…

Labour MP shares how Starmer reacted when she ‘felt sorry’ for Sunak | News There is no bias in the title provided. Jess Phillips has revealed Sir Keir Starmer told her to “f*** off” when she expressed sympathy for Rishi Sunak. During an appearance on Have I Got News for You on Friday 17 May, the Labour MP was asked if Sir Keir “is as much of a laugh as he seems” by host Jason Manford. “He is funnier than Rishi Sunak, he told me to f*** off the other day,” Ms Phillips explained. “I was showing a level of…

Family pay tribute to ‘gorgeous’ toddler killed in Land Rover crash outside church There is no bias in the original title provided. The devastated family of a “beautiful” baby girl killed in a horror crash with a Land Rover in a church car park have paid tribute. Ivy Mae Ross, 1, was struck in the car park of Plymouth Brethren church in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, at around 7.45pm on Wednesday. In a statement issued by Police Scotland, her parents’ Holly and Glenn said they were “absolutely devastated” by the tragic accident but thanked the local community for its support. “Our beautiful…

What I Rent: ‘I pay £1,925 for a one-bed flat but it revived my social life after divorce’ There is no bias in the original title provided. Welcome back to What I Rent – Metro’s tenant diary series that explores what renting is like in the UK and further afield. Last week, we chatted to 43-year-old Lorelei Mathias who owns her mermaid-themed one-bed in Brighton. Lorelei uses this as her writing retreat, a quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of East London, where her main residence is. This week, we’re in Greenford, North West London, having a nosy around Anil Vaswani’s apartment. Living in a…

Jeremy Hunt launches Tory fightback over Labour’s ‘disgraceful, fake news, lie’ There is no bias in the title provided. Jeremy Hunt accused Labour of telling “a lie” about Tory tax plans as he launched his party’s fightback in the week that saw the starting gun fired for the election campaign. In an unusually fiery speech, the chancellor claimed that Labour’s attempt to scare voters about the future of the state pension was “disgraceful”. He also alleged that “the most conservative estimate” had concluded that Sir Keir Starmer’s spending plans would cost £38.5bn, meaning that “Labour will have no choice but…

Dancehall star Sean Paul backs calls to make Jamaica a republic as he slams UK visa restrictions There is no bias in the title provided. Dancehall star Sean Paul has criticised the UK’s visa restrictions on Jamaican citizens after The Independent revealed that the British government is being lobbied to lift these curbs. The chart-topping artist, 51, is also backing Jamaica’s bid to remove King Charles as the country’s head of state, citing UK immigration regulations as a key reason for this, he told Good Morning Britain on Friday. “Every child got to grow up and be independent – and…

Suella Braverman met with silence by pro-Palestine protesters | News There is no bias in the original title provided. Suella Braverman was met with silence when she approached pro-Palestine protesters who had set up an encampment at Cambridge University. The former home secretary attempted to engage with people wearing masks, asking them what their “message” would be to Israel and Hamas and if they thought hostages should be released. Each time she tried to talk to protesters, they did not respond to her. Tents were set up outside the university’s Senate House ahead of graduation ceremonies due to take place…

Sadiq Khan urges Labour to call out Donald Trump on sexism and racism There is no bias in the title provided. London mayor Sadiq Khan has labelled former US president Donald Trump racist, sexist and homophobic – and warned that Labour must do more to “call him out”. With Mr Trump challenging for the US presidency once again, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy suggested during a bridge-building trip with Republicans in Washington last week that their presidential candidate in the upcoming elections was “often misunderstood” on European policy. But speaking after being re-elected for a third term as London’s…

Plaid Cymru ends Senedd cooperation deal with Welsh Labour in latest blow to Vaughan Gething There is no bias in the title provided. Plaid Cymru has ended its cooperation deal in the Senedd with Welsh Labour, in the latest blow for newly-elected first minister Vaughan Gething – whose opponents claim could soon face a no-confidence vote. The three-year deal had been due to end in December 2024 – but Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth announced on Friday that the agreement had been terminated with “immediate effect”. Mr ap Iorwerth said he was proud of how the agreement had “demonstrated…

Hunt for mobility scooter rider after ‘cyclist who overtook man was rammed and pinned to fence’ There is no bias in the title provided. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsPolice are looking for a mobility scooter user after a cyclist was allegedly chased and pinned to a fence after she overtook a man on a path.The victim suffered minor injuries in the row and her rear wheel was broken in two parts on the path in West Bridgford at 3.25pm…

Shrewsbury Town football club under fire over diversity handbook containing racist slurs There is no bias in the title provided. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent’s Race Correspondent Nadine WhiteSign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race ReportA League One football club has come under fire after its charitable body published a diversity handbook for staff containing multiple racist slurs, The Independent can reveal.Shrewsbury Town FC Foundation circulated the document geared towards enhancing staff members’ knowledge of equality, which referred to Black, Asian and indigenous Aboriginal people using offensive terms.Under a section entitled ‘The Four…

What is ‘Global majority’ and why is it replacing ‘BAME’? There is no bias in the original title Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent’s Race Correspondent Nadine WhiteSign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race ReportMore and more organisations are ditching the term ‘BAME’ in reference to people of Black, Asian, Indigenous or Latin ancestry, instead opting to use ‘Global Majority’.This week, the National Trust employed the language while announcing a new training initiative geared towards boosting ethnic representation.But what does Global Majority mean and why has BAME fallen out of favour?For many, ‘BAME’ (Black…

Vaccines minister talks of ‘overwhelming’ death threats days after Slovakian PM assassination attempt There is no bias in the title provided. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe vaccines minister has spoken of the “overwhelming” death threats she receives, just days after the leader of Slovakia was shot in an assassination attempt. Maria Caulfield said threats on her life rose every time the House of Commons discussed jabs. The Slovakian prime minister, Robert Fico, was attacked on Wednesday during a meeting with his supporters. Mr Fico…

JCB defends supplying Russia for months after saying it had stopped exports There is no bias in the title provided. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailBritish digger maker JCB has admitted that some of its products were sent to Russia after saying it had stopped all exports because of the war in Ukraine.The company said the equipment was sent via a third party due to “contractual obligations” but insisted that it has since “completely withdrawn” from Russia and closed a facility in Moscow.The Guardian reported…