Starmer guts welfare reform to avert defeat in Commons | Wednesday’s newspapers
Wednesday’s newspaper front pages lead with the prime minister’s further concessions on his controversial welfare reforms. The late changes came ahead of the House of Commons vote to avoid an embarrassing defeat. The bill passed by 335 votes to 260.
The UK heatwave and Wimbledon find space on the front pages as tennis stars sizzled in the record-breaking temperatures.
The sports papers look ahead to this summer’s Women’s Euros as the Lionesses prepare to defend their crown.
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A report reveals that a catastrophic equipment failure at North Hyde Substation, caused by moisture, triggered a 16-hour power outage at Heathrow Airport, affecting over 270,000 passengers.
Wednesday’s UK news continues to be dominated by the government’s welfare bill after ministers made last-minute concessions to avoid a possible defeat.
The bill passed by 335 votes to 260 – but 49 Labour MPs still voted against the government, while 18 others abstained.
The headlines react to the news that yesterday was the UK’s hottest day of the year so far as Britain battles a second heatwave of the summer. St James’s Park in London saw England’s hottest temperature reach 34.7C. Temperatures are set to cool down across the UK on Wednesday.
Three former senior staff members at the Countess of Chester Hospital have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
The Labour government has made major concessions on its flagship welfare reform bill in a bid to defuse an internal rebellion, particularly around Personal Independence Payment (PIP) changes.
Two individuals were arrested for allegedly causing criminal damage and blocking the entrance of Elbit Systems in Bristol, following a protest by Palestine Action.
Tuesday’s headlines look ahead to the Commons vote on the government’s welfare bill, set to take place later today. It’s set to be a busy day for the prime minister, who could still face a rebellion of sorts with some Labour rebels suggesting they want more concessions on the plans before they cast their vote. The Tories have already announced they’ll be voting against the government’s bill.
Energy prices will fall from Tuesday for 21 million households in England, Scotland and Wales, but uncertainty remains over whether costs will stay down for winter.
The ongoing heatwave sweeping the UK and Europe continues to dominate the headlines as Brits rush out to enjoy some glorious sunshine! (Stay safe!!)
Palestine Action is challenging the UK government’s decision to proscribe it as a terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Despite its U-turn on its controversial welfare reforms last week, the prime minister will still face a test to his leadership when MPs vote today on his welfare reform bill.
Most of Europe is under a “heat dome”, affecting southern and eastern England, while amber alerts have been issued across various UK regions for high temperatures.
Over 140 casualties occur annually in England due to tailgating, a driving behaviour where vehicles do not maintain safe distance.
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King Charles will bid a “fond farewell” to the royal train, which is set to be decommissioned due to high future running costs.
Filming of Stephen Mulhern’s game show You Bet! was paused due to a fire on set, reportedly caused by a car igniting and spreading to crew vans, resulting in significant equipment damage.
Current Heatwave: Most of Europe is experiencing extreme temperatures under a “heat dome,” with highs expected to reach 34C (93.2F) in the UK, potentially surpassing tropical regions like Mexico and Jamaica.
(Thursday, 3 July 2025) – The death of Liverpool FC player Diogo Jota dominates UK and global headlines. The Premier League, the FA and Liverpool are amongst those offering condolences after he died aged 28 in a car accident in Spain.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s tearful appearance at PMQs on Wednesday sparked concerns, with many seeing her tears as a sign she was about to lose her job. It caused market panic. No. 10 has since said it was a personal matter. PMQs came after Labour got their welfare bill passed, after making huge concessions. It’s been the story that’s dominated much of the news this week.
The Glastonbury row and the UK heatwave dominated much of the news at the beginning of the week.
The long-awaited UK-US trade deal officially came into force, reducing tariffs on UK exports to the US and strengthening transatlantic economic ties.
The UK is enduring a major heatwave, with temperatures forecast to hit 35°C in London and parts of southern England, marking the hottest June in decades.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the anti-IDF chants by rap punk duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury Festival, calling them “appalling” and raising concerns over the BBC’s broadcast of the incident.
The summer is here, and the UK is bursting with sports action. Wimbledon kicks off this week and the Women’s Euros is in action with both England and Wales featuring in the tournament (and in the same ‘group of death’).
The UK’s second heatwave of the year is set to peak this Monday with temperatures hitting over 34C. The heatwave is affecting much of the country, with major events such as Glastonbury and Wimbledon issuing warnings that could see people being forced to leave early.
The headlines continue to cover the controversy at Glastonbury after punk duo Bob Vylan’s chants of “death, death to the IDF” during the duo’s performance. The performance, along with Irish band Kneecap, will not be available to stream online.
Wimbledon kicks off today, with the headlines reporting on the record number of British tennis players in the world-famous tournament.
There is some continued coverage of the prime minister’s U-turn on the benefits row. The PM backed down from his harsh welfare reforms, making some huge concessions to appease the Labour backbenchers who were mounting a rebellion.
A new report from disability charity Scope has revealed that the additional cost of living with a disability in the UK has surged by almost 12% since 2020.
During their Glastonbury 2025 performance on the West Holts stage, punk-rap duo Bob Vylan led the crowd in chanting “Death to the IDF”, referring to the Israeli Defence Forces, while calling for Palestinian solidarity.
Monday’s newspaper headlines are dominated by the controversial Glastonbury performance from punk duo Bob Vylan, who chanted “death, death to the IDF.” Several headlines criticised the BBC for not pulling the performance off live TV, whilst other headlines looked at the reaction to the chant, including the prime minister’s condemnation of the performance.
Musicians, especially punk acts, making headlines for their politics is nothing new. The backlash has come from Israeli MPs.