Browsing: UK government

The government says it will not reverse cuts to winter fuel payments despite the measure causing turmoil in the party. Since last week’s local election losses for Labour (and huge gains for Reform), there have been growing calls within the party for the cuts to be abandoned. 

You might as well get used to it – the sun is out and it’s here to stay (for at least a week). As the sun rolls out across the UK today, it’s already clear blue skies across the capital. So, let’s grab a coffee and have a run-through of today’s news bulletins. 

Foreign nationals added to the Sex Offenders’ Register will be ineligible for asylum under new UK government proposals aimed at enhancing border security.

Economists say Chancellor Rachel Reeves may have to raise taxes in the October Budget.

Local elections on 1 May will see 23 councils, primarily Conservative-controlled, up for grabs, amid expectations of significant losses for the Tories.

The government plans to reduce the Fair Access Limit for therapy funding for adopted children from £5,000 to £3,000, sparking criticism and concern from MPs and charities.

Yesterday, Unite members voted to overwhelmingly reject a deal to end the Birmingham bin strike, calling the offer inadequate. Some publications see it as a humiliation for the Labour government after pleading with members to take the offer amid fears of strikes spreading around the country as well as a potential health crisis. 

The government took the drastic step of taking control of British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant over the weekend after enacting emergency legislation that was rushed through Parliament in a single day. 

The business secretary Jonathan Reynolds told MPs that the likely next step would be to nationalise the Scunthorpe plant. 

The government say they were forced to seek emergency powers to stop the Chinese owners, Jingype, from shutting down the two blast furnaces, which would have ended primary steel production in the UK. 

Since the shocking intervention from the British government, the UK headlines are assessing what could happen next with calls for the plant to be nationalised, rivals looking to buy the plant and fears the Chinese owners are trying to sabotage the site to force Britain to rely on cheap Chinese imports.

The UK Economy grew by 0.5% in February, outperforming analyst forecasts of a 0.1% rise, driven by strong manufacturing and service sectors.

The UK government is considering nationalising British Steel as concerns grow over the Scunthorpe plant’s future after Jingye cancelled vital orders for raw materials.