4 h. ago Council tasked with helping Tameside out of special measures hit with own damning Ofsted report

Failures have been found in the children's services department of both the Greater Manchester local authorities

Events

10 h. ago Analysis finds devolved tax powers could add £4 billion for local services

A report commissioned by county councils suggests fiscal devolution would boost growth and local government finances.

Economics

20 h. ago Stockport council ordered to improve after Ofsted finds multiple failings in children's services

The watchdog found concerns in some areas of the council's work.

Events

35 h. ago MasterChef presenter John Torode confirms he was subject of racist language allegation

Report found allegation to have been substantiated, while presenter says he has ‘no recollection of the incident’The MasterChef presenter John Torode has said he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of an inquiry into the behaviour of co-presenter Gregg Wallace.The report, commissioned by MasterChef’s production company, Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two stand-alone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language. Continue reading...

Politics

35 h. ago MasterChef presenter John Torode confirms he was alleged to have used racist language

Gregg Wallace report upheld allegation against fellow presenter who says he has no recollection of incidentThe MasterChef presenter John Torode has said he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of an inquiry into the behaviour of co-presenter Gregg Wallace.The report, commissioned by MasterChef’s production company, Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two stand-alone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Children's care crisis as youngster homelessness sparks 'moral failure' warning

The Department for Education has announced a £53million investment to create up to 200 places for vulnerable children in council-run high-quality children’s homes

Events

8 d. ago South Ayrshire school meals data breach not reported to authorities

The Information Commissioner's Office say no report has been made about email featuring names and emails of parents applying for free school meals and clothing grants sent out to hundreds of recipients.

Culture

1 week ago 'Widespread' and 'systematic' failings for special needs children uncovered in scathing report

Significant concerns in SEND provision have been raised and 'must be addressed urgently'

Events

2 w. ago 'Children's safety compromised' at failing Greater Manchester nursery

'They cannot be assured that all staff are safe and suitable to work with children'

Events

2 w. ago Chelsea’s progress lost in the storm as chaos steals the limelight

The weather delay should not mask the standard of Chelsea’s performance against Benfica at the Club World CupAmerican weather one, football nil. The chaos stole the limelight but it was a shame that the standard of Chelsea’s performance against Benfica on Saturday got lost in the storm. All anyone could talk about when a bonkers occasion finally came to an end, four hours and 38 minutes after it started, was the lightning. There was a lot of sitting around during the delay, a lot of wondering about the precise way it was going to go wrong for Chelsea when play resumed with 85min 30sec of normal time gone. Enzo Fernández missing the decisive kick during a penalty shootout? A catastrophic red card?In the event it was left to VAR to drag it into extra time, an equaliser for Benfica arriving in the 95th minute when a penalty was awarded after Malo Gusto was punished for the kind of unavoidable handball that would no longer be pored over in the Premier League. A goal up when the weather ...

Events

2 w. ago Countries should keep their statehood if land disappears under sea, experts say

Long-awaited ILC report examines what should happen to vulnerable countries as sea levels riseStates should be able to continue politically even if their land disappears underwater, legal experts have said.The conclusions come from a long-awaited report by the International Law Commission that examined what existing law means for continued statehood and access to key resources if sea levels continue to rise due to climate breakdown. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago RNLI rescue almost 20 children and adults in trouble after kayaking expedition goes wrong

Watch as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rescues a dozen children and adults from the water following a failed kayaking expedition.

Events

3 w. ago New report explores financial concerns for veterans in Scotland

The Scottish Veterans Commissioner has published a new report exploring the financial wellbeing of veterans in Scotland.

Politics

3 w. ago Four nurses investigated over death of boy, 5, at flagship children’s care home

Exclusive: Nurses facing fitness to practise probe as The Independent reveals a litany of failings at one of Britain’s biggest care homes for disabled children

Events

3 w. ago Developing countries ‘need more debt relief’ to fund education and health

Research warns poorer governments prioritising debt payments over essential development spendingDeveloping countries need a fresh round of debt relief, to prevent money urgently needed for health and education being diverted to creditors, according to a major new report commissioned by the late Pope Francis.The Jubilee report, produced by a panel of experts chaired by Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, argues for debt restructuring, along the lines of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative (HIPC). Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago UK sickle cell patients ‘get worse care than sufferers of similar disorders’

Study commissioned by NHS finds that sickle cell disease care lags behind that for conditions such as cystic fibrosisPeople living with sickle cell disease face substandard care as its treatment significantly lags behind advances relating to other genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis, a report has found.The study, commissioned by the NHS Race and Health Observatory and carried out by researchers at Imperial College London, analysed various measures of care for sickle cell disease between 2010 and 2024, including clinical trials, approved drugs and reviews of existing studies. Continue reading...

Science

3 w. ago Real Housewife of Cheshire Ampika Pickston believes she has been 'made a scapegoat' after her children's home was shut down due to 'widespread safeguarding failures'

The mum-of-one, 43, fears that bosses with Housewives' parent company NBCUniversal will give her the chop after her 'name was dragged through the mud' during the lengthy legal battle.

Society

3 w. ago EU accuses China’s AliExpress of ‘systemic failure’ over illegal goods

Regulators say online retailer failing to do enough to prevent sale of unsafe children’s toys, among other itemsThe European Commission has accused the online retailer AliExpress of a “systemic failure” to prevent the sale of illegal and dangerous goods on its platform, as Brussels steps up its case against the Chinese company.Issuing formal findings of an investigation launched in March last year, EU regulators said on Wednesday that AliExpress was failing to do enough to prevent the sale of counterfeit clothes and dangerous children’s toys, among other items. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago Commissioner's report finds 'a year's progress has been lost' for failing children's services in Tameside

Children have been harmed in a regime that has struggled to maintain stability

Events

4 w. ago Police to collect ethnicity data for all cases of child sexual abuse

Requirement made as review finds ‘over-representation’ of Asian men among grooming gang suspectsYvette Cooper has condemned damning failures by the authorities to protect children from grooming gangs as she announced there would be a formal requirement on police for the first time to collect ethnicity and nationality data for all cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation.The home secretary confirmed the government would accept all 12 recommendations of Louise Casey’s rapid review, including setting up a statutory inquiry into institutional failures, marking a significant reversal after months of pressure on Labour to act. Continue reading...

Events