Browsing: Politics

Thursday’s headlines see coverage of the government’s plans to ease the pressure on prisons across England and Wales, as a report says prisons will run out of space by November. The government has announced a series of measures which include early release for some offenders as part of the plans to tackle the overcrowding. The government also announced they will build three new prisons – but despite the dire state of the prison system, the plans still might not be enough to tackle the problem.

The UK economy grew unexpectedly in the first three months of 2025 – a major win for the government, especially the chancellor, who’s been under increasing pressure over the state of the economy and the government fiscal plans. The ONS said the growth was driven by the service sector and production. But the joy might be short-lived, the figures mark the period just before the US imposed tariffs.

Tuesday’s headlines are heavily dominated by the suspicious fires at two homes connected to the prime minister, as well as a car on the street of one of the house fires.

A 21-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the suspected arson.

The UK’s jobs market is making the headlines as it’s starting to show signs of strain with the number of workers on payroll falling during the opening months of 2025.

High street chain Marks & Spencer has suffered a serious cyber attack, resulting in the theft of customers’ personal data, although payment details and passwords remain secure.

On the international front, Trump is touring the Middle East to secure multi-billion-dollar agreements, including arms sales and investments, with Gulf leaders.

Monday’s headlines are leading with the prime minister’s announcement on his plans to crack down on legal migration to the UK – with measures that include banning overseas care home workers. It’s unclear how these measures won’t damage the economy further, but Starmer’s eyeing up a second term in office, and to beat Reform at the next general election (2029) he’ll need to have made massive moves on immigration (legal and illegal). Recent local elections in England saw Reform sweep traditional Labour and Tory hotspots, meaning you can expect to see both parties move closer to the right for the foreseeable future.