Browsing: UK News

A large fire at Bicester Motion, a former RAF base in Oxfordshire, resulted in the tragic deaths of two firefighters and a civilian.

Friday’s newspaper front pages cover the fallout from Albania’s rejection of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s migrant deal. On his first official visit to Albania, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the UK is in talks with other countries to establish overseas “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers.

Several newspaper front pages feature an image of the man arrested in connection with the arson attacks in North London linked to PM Keir Starmer.

A 21-year-old Ukrainian national from Sydenham, southeast London is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Friday’s headlines are dominated by the debate around legalising assisted dying in England and Wales (Scotland has its own separate bill). Politicians, health experts and scholars are offering their opinions ahead of Friday’s debate.

The bill passed the first stage of the Commons last November – but since then there have been dozens of amendments added by both sides. A vote to pass or reject the bill is not likely to take place on Friday, but rather in June.

UK businesses are calling on the government to reset relations with the EU ahead of a summit hosted in London next week. More than 400 UK firms have urged the government to take “practical steps” to reduce red tape, ease staff mobility, and coordinate on climate, defence and energy.

On the international front, there’s widespread coverage of the humanitarian crisis facing Gaza as Israel continues to block aid (including food) and continues to heavily bomb the strip. Donald Trump is concluding his tour of the Middle East where he has signed huge investment deals.

At least 80 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza as violence intensified and ceasefire talks stalled. Some local sources put the toll at over 120. The renewed assault follows Donald Trump’s regional tour, where he proposed turning Gaza into a “freedom zone” managed by the US — a revival of an earlier controversial plan that implied permanent displacement of Gaza’s population.

The UK’s leading business lobbying group, the CBI, is calling for a major reset in relations with the EU, saying the current post-Brexit setup is “no longer fit for purpose”. Ahead of a UK-EU summit on 19 May, the group has urged both sides to rebuild trust and take “practical steps” to reduce red tape, ease staff mobility, and coordinate on climate, defence and energy.

MPs are set to debate the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill again on Friday, following major amendments and months of committee scrutiny. The bill, first passed in November by 330 votes to 275, would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales to seek assisted dying.

Bias Exposure Several of Thursday’s newspaper front pages lead on various stories regarding the latest in Gaza – most of the papers had gone to…

Several of Thursday’s newspaper front pages lead on the new government plans to address overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales. Yesterday, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans including early release and building new prisons.

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.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced emergency measures to limit how long certain offenders can be recalled to prison, as the government faces projections that England and Wales will run out of prison space by November.

A body has been recovered in the search for 16-year-old Athrun, who went missing at West Shore Beach in Llandudno, North Wales, while on holiday from South Gloucestershire.

Nigel Farage confirmed he will not stand in the 2026 Senedd election, stating, “I’m not Welsh so it’s not going to be me.”

Weight loss drugs key to longer life? Yes! – according to a new study, weight-loss drugs can delay diseases associated with ageing such as dementia and halve the number of deaths from heart attacks. The breakthrough research suggests people in the UK could be given access to such drugs in the near future as part of the government’s aim to drive preventative medicine.

Much of Wednesday’s headlines are dominated by the news that a man – convicted of the horrific murder of Diane Sindall in 1986, has finally been cleared and freed after new DNA evidence ruled him out.

Peter Sullivan has spent nearly 40 years behind bars in what is believed to be the longest miscarriage of justice involving a living prisoner in British legal history.

A new study has highlighted the benefits of weight-loss drugs beyond tackling obesity in the UK – other benefits include halving the risk of heart attacks and strokes and appearing to protect the heart almost immediately.

Assisted dying is also dominating the UK news this morning with GPs deeply divided on the issue. It comes after the Scottish assisted dying bill passed its first vote at Holyrood.

On the international front, Donald Trump has announced he will lift sanctions on Syria – as he embarks on a whirlwind tour of the Middle East, aimed at securing deals for the US and his private businesses.

Weight-loss jabs — known as GLP-1 receptor agonists — could transform healthcare far beyond obesity treatment, according to leading doctors and a major new study.

Peter Sullivan, who spent nearly 40 years in prison for the 1986 murder of Diane Sindall in Birkenhead, has had his conviction quashed after new DNA evidence emerged identifying an unknown attacker.

Thames Water’s CEO, Chris Weston, apologised for inadequate customer service and pledged improvements, amid rising bills and service disruptions.

Dominating the front pages is the news that two homes connected to the prime minister in North London were set on fire yesterday – as was a car on the street of one of the houses on fire.

For a second day, there’s a lot of coverage of yesterday’s announcement from the prime minister regarding a planned crackdown on legal migration to the United Kingdom.

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.

Nigel Farage proposes allowing essential migration in areas with skill shortages but intends to cap the numbers, with details to be announced in four years’ time.

UK cultural events this week (week 20) cover a range of festivals from art exhibitions to major sporting events, including today’s huge tennis Round of 16 match between Britain’s Emma Raducanu and world superstar Coco Gauff.

Many of the UK newspapers lead with today’s announcement of new changes to Britain’s immigration system – in what most papers agree is an attempt to stump the rise of Reform UK. It comes after Labour lost hugely to Reform in England’s local elections.

Yesterday saw Arsenal come from 2-0 down at Anfield to draw with league winners Liverpool, but the biggest story of the Premier League weekend was news that Liverpool-born England legend Trent Alexander Arnold was booed as he stepped foot onto the pitch at the 67th minute.