Author: News Desk

Paula Vennells has said she was “too trusting” as she was asked if she was the “unluckiest CEO in the United Kingdom”. Giving evidence on her first day at the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry on Wednesday (22 May), Jason Beer KC asked Ms Vennells: “Do you think you are the unluckiest CEO in the United Kingdom?”

Paula Vennells repeatedly burst into tears during her first appearance at the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry as she mounted a desperate bid to salvage her reputation. The disgraced former boss of the Post Office offered an apology to subpostmasters caught up in the scandal, dubbed the worst miscarriage of justice in British history.

Councils refuse to fix potholes that are ‘too small’ – how big do they have to be? Potholes are going unfilled because councils think they are too small, analysis shows. A total of 35% of local authorities say the size potholes must be before they will act. The most common depth stated is 4cm (54 councils), but in the case of six councils – Warwickshire, Torbay, Thurrock, Nottingham, Torfaen and South Lanarkshire – potholes need to be at least 5cm (2in) deep to be considered for repair. Thirteen local authorities, including Buckinghamshire, Stockport and Devon, state only those at least…

Prime minister Rishi Sunak to announce July 4 general election 2024 Rishi Sunak is today set to dramatically announce that the general election will be held on July 4 after months of intense speculation. Mr Sunak is expected to take Westminster by surprise by revealing the date following a year and a half of scutiny and questions over his leadership. His anticipated announcement comes after factions within Downing Street had been vying between a “do or die” early pitch to the country or holding on til the autumn. The prime minister is set to go early after positive economic news…

July 7 general election: Postal vote rules and everything else you need to know Rishi Sunak has called a General Election for July 4, saying it was “the moment for Britain to choose its future”. The Prime Minister has gambled that improved inflation figures and a recovering economy will help him overturn Labour’s 20-point opinion poll lead. In a sign that security and the economy will be key battlegrounds, Mr Sunak said: “This election will take place at time when the world is more dangerous than it has been since the end of the Cold War.” The “uncertain times” call…

General Election announcement: Rishi Sunak calls 4 July election Rishi Sunak has fired the starting gun for a 4 July general election – but his opening speech was marred after journalists were forcibly ejected from his event by security. The political correspondent Darren McCaffrey said they had not been allowed in because broadcast arrangements had been “pooled” – so other broadcasters there were obliged to share footage with others. It came after the prime minister addressed the nation in the pouring rain, as he battled against the deafening sound of Things Can Only Get Better playing in the background –…

General election: What are Labour and the Conservatives key manifesto policies? 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 emailAfter a day of fervent speculation, Rishi Sunak has finally called a snap general election on July 4.Mr Sunak confirmed the news in a speech outside No 10. Almost upstaged by the rain – and pranksters loudly playing D:Ream’s ‘Things Can Only Get Better’, closely associated with Tony Blair’s 1997 Labour victory – the prime minister reminisced on his time in…

Watch: Aerials of central London as Sunak calls snap general election Watch aerials of central London after Rishi Sunak announced a general election for Thursday 4 July. The Prime Minister made a statement outside No 10 shortly after 5pm on Wednesday 22 May, naming the summer polling date. He has gambled that improved inflation figures and a recovering economy will help him overturn Labour’s 20-point opinion poll lead. In a sign that security and the economy will be key battlegrounds, Mr Sunak said: “This election will take place at a time when the world is more dangerous than it has…

Covid inquiry: the questions cabinet secretary Simon Case will be asked The most senior civil servant in the UK is to give his testimony, delayed for months, with no shortage of queries to address The Covid inquiry makes a brief return on Thursday to considering how Westminster and Whitehall responded to the pandemic, as the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, gives evidence delayed for months because of illness. Case had been due to appear before the inquiry in the autumn, when a series of other top officials appeared, as did politicians who were in leading roles during the time of the…

Watch: Paula Vennells gives evidence at Post Office Horizon IT inquiry Watch as Paula Vennells gave evidence at the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry on Wednesday (22 May). The disgraced former Post Office boss did not answer any questions as she entered Aldwych House in London on Wednesday. She began her three days of evidence amid claims she covered-up the Post Office’s knowledge of bugs in the faulty accounting software. Hundreds of subpostmasters were prosecuted by the business between 1999 and 2015 after Horizon, owned by Japanese company Fujitsu, made it appear as though money was missing at their branches.…