Browsing: UK News

Thursday’s newspaper front pages are dominated by reactions to the spending review. It won’t come as much of a surprise how the papers have reacted – with the left-leaning press cheering on the injection of cash, bringing an end to the Conservative austerity and framing the review as a “renewal of Britain.” The right-leaning press tells their readers to “brace for tax pain” calling Rachel Reeves’s review “fantasy spending.” 

Good morning! ☕ Let’s grab a coffee and dive into the headlines for Thursday, 12 June 2025. The sun is making a welcome appearance over the capital, with temperatures reaching a pleasant 25°C. However, a touch of afternoon rain might have dampened your day, so keep an umbrella handy just in case.

Unsurprisingly, the chancellor’s spending review dominates the UK news this morning, with some publications seeing the plans as a huge investment that will boost the UK economy, and others arguing it will lead to huge tax hikes in the autumn.
The UK economy shrank by 0.3% in April, the chancellor has said, just a day after her spending review. The decline was sharper than expected.

Elsewhere, there is coverage of violence in Northern Ireland, as “protesters” set fire to a leisure centre – the violence began after an alleged sexual assault by two foreigners.

The UK Economy shrank by 0.3% in April, exceeding economists’ expectations of a 0.1% contraction, largely due to President Trump’s tariff policies.

A group of masked rioters set fire to Larne Leisure Centre—used as temporary housing for displaced families—on the third consecutive night of unrest linked to an alleged sexual assault case in Ballymena.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled a bold, near‑£113 billion, four‑year investment‑led spending review ahead of the next general election, marking a clear shift from austerity to a “renewal” agenda. 

Rachel Reeves announced a funding increase for key sectors: the Ministry of Defence will see a rise in spending from 2.3% to 2.6% of GDP by 2027, while the NHS receives an additional £29bn per year.

Treasury Minister Emma Reynolds has indicated that tax rises are a possibility in the autumn budget, emphasising the importance of fiscal stability amid global economic uncertainties.

Cliff Notes Reeves hands NHS £29bn extra per year and pledges to end asylum hotels  Day-to-day spending on the NHS will increase by £29bn a…

As summer settles in, Europe offers a vibrant mix of cultural, artistic, and business events. Here’s a curated selection of happenings this week.

For a second night, violence erupted in Ballymena, County Antrim, after a vigil over an alleged sexual assault by two 14-year-old boys descended into rioting.

A report urges the government to ban “No Ball Games” signs and promote outdoor play in children’s lives, highlighting the negative impact of smartphones on playtime.

The Spending Review leads Wednesday’s newspaper front pages with the left-leaning press celebrating the investment into the country – including billions of pounds being put into social housing and the NHS. Almost £90 billion is set to go to science and tech and the U-turn on winter fuel is continuing to be praised. There’s a more cautious and sceptical tone from the right-leaning press who see the chancellor’s U-turn on winter fuel as evidence she is unable to do her job – and in regards to the spending review, they are concerned about how the country will pay for the investments, suggesting tax rises are set for the Autumn budget.

Most of Wednesday’s newspaper front pages lead with today’s Spending Review, set to be released this afternoon. The papers lead with the reports already out in press including almost £40 billion reportedly set aside for housing and a massive £86 billion package for science and tech. 

Beyond the spending review, there’s some coverage of the mass school shooting in Austria – with at least 10 dead and many injured. There’s some coverage of Gaza as Greta Thunberg speaks out about being detained and deported by Israel and the UK has issued sanctions against two far-right Israeli ministers for their comments over Gaza. 

Cliff Notes Elon Musk expressed regret over some of his posts about Donald Trump, admitting they "went too far," but did not specify which tweets…

Grab your coffee —it’s time to dive into what’s lighting up the UK news (and beyond) this Wednesday, 11 June 2025.
This morning in London the grey skies are putting in an appearance —and with rain on the way, if you head out, don’t forget your brolly!

The UK news is dominated by the Spending Review which Chancellor Rachel Reeves will set out later today. Several big announcements have already been leaked to the press – including billions being spent on a science and tech package.

Elsewhere, the ongoing chaos in LA has a prominent place on news websites and the front pages. The LA major has issued a curfew in a bid to quell the growing violence – which has grown rapidly since Trump sent in the National Guard to deal with what was essentially small protests against immigration raids.

The sports papers react to England’s 3-1 loss to Senegal – with pundits already panicking ahead of next year’s World Cup.

On June 10, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway imposed targeted sanctions—asset freezes and travel bans—on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for “inciting extremist violence” in the West Bank and making inflammatory Gaza-related remarks.

Cliff Notes Over 3.5 million Switch 2 consoles have been sold globally in just four days, marking Nintendo’s most successful launch to date. The console…

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will introduce a £39 billion, 10‑year investment in social and affordable housing as the centrepiece of a multi‑year spending review, nearly doubling current levels to meet a target of 1.5 million homes.

Jodie Poole highlights her frustration with the NHS, paying £250 for her son’s tooth removal due to a year-long waiting list, expressing concerns about insufficient public service funding.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to announce a multi-billion-pound spending review aimed at improving security, health, and economic conditions for communities across the UK, particularly outside London and the South East.

Police Scotland are treating the death of 19-year-old Cole Cooper, whose body was discovered in Banknock, as unexplained, following a month-long search after he was reported missing.

A crime gang was dismantled after producing “assassination kits” that included handguns, silencers, and ammunition, with extensive police investigation revealing their operations.

The UK government has imposed sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinian civilians, in coordination with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will both face a travel ban and have their assets frozen as part of the measures announced by the UK foreign secretary.

The UK is one step closer to a new nuclear power plant after the government announced a further £14.2bn in funding.