85 m. ago Starmer slammed at fiery PMQs for 'blowing around like plastic bag in the wind' after 13 U

Kemi Badenoch branded the Labour leader ‘clueless’ after his party appeared poised to water down plans for mandatory digital ID

Politics

2 h. ago Keir Starmer defends digital ID work check plans amid accusations of new U

The Government appears poised to backtrack on its plans to introduce a new mandatory digital identification for right to work checks.

Politics

2 h. ago POLL OF THE DAY: Should Labour scrap digital IDs entirely, after axing mandatory plan for workers in latest U

Keir Starmer had vowed to crack down on illegal immigration by making digital ID compulsory to verify a person's right to work in the UK, but he was forced into a 13th U-turn since becoming PM.

Politics

5 h. ago The UK is watering down plans for mandatory digital ID cards after a backlash

The British government has scaled back plans for mandatory digital ID cards, initially proposed as a way of helping control immigration

Politics

6 h. ago UK digital ID card: Everything we know as Labour announces another U

The UK government has seemingly reversed its decision to implement mandatory digital ID cards to prove the right to work

Politics

6 h. ago Mandatory digital ID plans ditched as top minister rejects 13 U

Labour said it is committed to having digital right-to-work checks but that a digital ID or other digital documentation, such as a biometric passport chip, would now be accepted

Politics

6 h. ago 'We look stupid': Furious Labour MPs hammer Starmer after latest shambolic U

Keir Starmer has humiliatingly dropped his flagship plans to make digital ID cards mandatory for right to work checks.

Politics

18 h. ago Starmer set to drop plans to make digital ID mandatory for UK workers

Latest U-turn comes after Labour MPs expressed concern about compulsory nature of proposed scheme

Politics

19 h. ago Digital ID 'to be scaled back in major climbdown' after huge backlash

The Government is reportedly set to water down plans to bring in mandatory digital ID after a fierce backlash - sparking accusations the idea is 'doomed to failure'

Politics

5 d. ago Thousands of oysters planted in Belfast Lough to restore species in the waterway

Nature conservation charity Ulster Wildlife was behind the move to restore oyster reefs in Belfast Lough.

Politics

5 d. ago Will you be hit by another bills rise? Slew of town halls already planning inflation

In a fresh blow to hard-pressed families, a number of local authorities have already unveiled proposals to increase council tax by the maximum 4.99 per cent for 2026/27.

Economics

9 d. ago The perfect way to do nothing: how to embrace the art of idling

We are often so busy and yet when the opportunity arises to do nothing, we can find it uncomfortable. Here’s how to lean into boredom – and unlock the imagination• Sign up here to get the whole series straight to your inboxOn a rainy afternoon last weekend, plans got cancelled and I found myself at a loose end. Given that I’m someone who likes to have backup plans for my backup plans, my initial response was panic. Now what? I wandered aimlessly from room to room, grumpily tidying away random items.Noticing for the first time in weeks that most of my houseplants were critically ill, I decided to give them a spa day. I moved the worst cases to a south-facing windowsill and painstakingly removed the (many) dead leaves. For good measure, I organised a triage box containing plant food, a mister and a watering can. I might have got carried away and ordered a “beautifying leaf shine” too. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Keir Starmer under fresh pressure to scrap Digital ID scheme as poll shows majority of public now oppose it

A long-running poll has found that support for the policy has plummeted since the Prime Minister announced that mandatory Digital ID would be brought in for right-to-work checks.

Events

1 week ago ‘The source of all life is here’: plan to mine lithium in Chilean salt flat sparks fears of water scarcity

The Colla Indigenous people claim Rio Tinto’s plans to extract the key mineral will harm fragile ecosystems and livelihoodsMiriam Rivera Bordones tends her goats in a dusty paddock in the russet mountains of Chile’s Atacama desert. She also keeps chickens and has planted quince and peach trees and grapevines, which are watered by a stream winding down the hills towards the Indigenous community of Copiapó.But now the huge British-Australian mining multinational Rio Tinto has signed a deal to extract lithium, the “white gold” of the energy transition, from a salt flat farther up the mountains, and she fears the project could affect the water sources of several communities in the area. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Strong views’ for and against water charges 20 years ago, officials believed

Declassified files show the planning that was undertaken for the potential introduction of domestic water metering in Northern Ireland.

Politics

2 w. ago Houseplant hacks: should I use ice cubes to water my plants?

Ice cubes offer a slower form of watering, reducing the risk of soggy soil – but are not suitable for most tropical houseplantsThe problem Many a houseplant is killed with kindness; watering every time you look at them can be terminal. Using ice cubes for watering promises slower, more controlled hydration. But does it work?The hack Place one or two ice cubes on the soil. The idea is that as the ice melts it slowly releases water, giving the roots time to absorb it and avoiding soggy soil. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago NI house builders warn of ‘bleak’ future because of crumbling wastewater network

A representative body has warned that some companies are already planning to wind up operations because of an inability to secure water connections.

Events

3 w. ago Tories: Farmers’ personal cost not forgotten despite inheritance tax change

Labour’s watered-down plans will see the relief threshold for farmers raised from £1 million to £2.5 million.

Economics

3 w. ago Tories: Farmers’ personal cost won’t be forgotten despite inheritance tax change

Labour’s watered-down plans will see the relief threshold for farmers raised from £1 million to £2.5 million.

Economics

3 w. ago UK Government waters down inheritance tax plans for farmers after backlash

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the news was a “huge relief”.

Politics