46 h. ago Home Office minister has ‘clocked’ asylum accommodation break clause next year

Different options to provide asylum accommodation are being piloted ahead of a break clause in contracts next year.

Politics

8 d. ago Dire warning for Government as spectre of animal disease looms

A new report from the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned that the Government is not adequately prepared for the increasing risk of animal diseases, and would struggle to manage a major outbreak.

Events

8 d. ago Government would struggle to cope with severe animal disease outbreak – watchdog

Outbreaks such as foot and mouth or bird flu can have major impacts on farming, economic growth, public health and wildlife, the NAO says.

Politics

2 w. ago From the day Britain left the EU, this reset was inevitable. What a pointless waste of time, money and effort | Simon Jenkins

Keir Starmer is not blameless when it comes to Brexit, but he is moving in the right direction. Even the Tories attacking him know thatFor the Tories to attack Keir Starmer’s first step towards a Brexit reset is monumental hypocrisy. Their Brexit led to £4.7bn being spent on implementing post-EU border arrangements, according to the National Audit Office, including a vastly expensive “take back control” border post at Sevington in Kent. No other country in the world can have erected such ludicrous barriers against its biggest trading partners. All are now wasted. At least the nonsense can stop. Memorial plaques to Boris Johnson should be pinned to their gates and passersby invited to sign a 50-page customs form in his memory.Meanwhile, Starmer should hang his own head in shame. He was Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit henchman back in 2019, when Labour voted down Theresa May’s bid to negotiate a soft Brexit deal that would certainly have gone beyond what was signed this week. It was Starmer wh...

Politics

3 w. ago End to asylum seekers in hotels ‘a fair way off’ despite latest fall

Asylum seekers are housed in hotels if there is not enough space in accommodation provided by local authorities or other organisations.

Society

3 w. ago Minister hails record growth in UK’s public electric vehicle charger network

Some 79,326 public charging devices were available on May 1, Department for Transport figures show.

Politics

3 w. ago Tax dodging by rich could be ‘much greater than thought’, says UK audit office

Watchdog issues warning after tax authority succeeds in raising more tax from wealthy than previously estimated

Politics

4 w. ago Watchdog’s investment body findings prompt concern over UK research ‘leadership’

The National Audit Office identified problems at UK Research and Innovation, an arm’s length body considered key to Government priorities.

Politics