2 h. ago Angela Rayner faces Labour backbench rebellion over her plans to build 1.5million new homes in England by 2029

In the latest a blow to Ms Rayner's housebuilding target, one Labour MP has threatened to trigger civil war over his demands to find a 'progressive alternative' to parts of her proposals.

Politics

48 h. ago Planning application lodged with proposals to build 750 houses in West Lothian town

Calton Planning have submitted the application on behalf of M2 Group

Politics

4 d. ago Electricity firm wants to build battery energy storage plant on green belt site

If approved, 13 battery containers, each more than three metres in height would be installed on land currently used for livestock grazing

Science

5 d. ago Starmer defends not putting date on 3% defence spending target as UK to announce plans to build new submarines – politics live

Prime minister to launch strategic defence review in Glasgow this morningHere is the clip of Keir Starmer in his Today programme interview refusing to say when the government will raise defence spending to 3% of GDP.In an interview with the Times published on Saturday John Healey, the defence secretary, said that he had “no doubt” that Britain would reach the 3% target by 2034 – ie, before the end of the next parliament. Yesterday he described this as an “ambition”. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Business News: House prices edge up and Dr Martens eyes revival as UK boosts arms factories

From Vodafone and Three’s merger and rising UK house prices, to Michael O’Leary’s £93m Ryanair bonus, Dr Martens’ turnaround hopes, new UK weapons factories and the end of the NatWest bailout - here are today’s top UK business stories.

Economics

5 d. ago Wealthy neighbours go to war with £100m tech tycoon over his plans for 'vanity' 7760 sq ft Chelsea mega

Peter Dubens wants to build a 7760 sq ft underground personal leisure complex taking up almost 50 per cent of the area under his garden and two years to complete.

Economics

6 d. ago UK to build weapons plants and buy thousands of missiles in £6bn rearmament drive

The Government has pledged £1.5 billion as part of the strategic defence review into at least six munitions and energetics factories.

Economics

6 d. ago UK to spend £1.5bn on new weapons factories in response to threat posed by Putin

Labour defence secretary John Healey and prime minister Keir Starmer to unveil new strategic defence review as war rages on the edge of Europe

Economics

6 d. ago UK plans to build six weapons factories to bolster military readiness

Plans for £1.5bn investment in munitions manufacturing response to government’s defence review’s call to boost stockpilesThe UK will spend £1.5bn on building six munitions and energetics factories to “better deter our adversaries” as part of its long-awaited strategic defence review.John Healey, the defence secretary, said the funds formed part of plans for an “always-on” weapons pipeline and would support the procurement of up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons. Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Government plan to build munitions factories to ‘better deter our adversaries’

The Government has pledged £1.5 billion as part of the strategic defence review into at least six munitions and energetics factories.

Politics

7 d. ago Liverpool bid £109m for Wirtz and sign Frimpong as Alexander

Club-record offer submitted for Leverkusen playmakerFrimpong in as Alexander-Arnold joins Real for £10mLiverpool have started ambitious plans to build on their Premier League title triumph by submitting a club record £109m bid for Florian Wirtz and signing his Bayer Leverkusen teammate, Jeremie Frimpong for £29.5m. The moves came on the day Liverpool agreed to let Trent Alexander-Arnold join Real Madrid early in a deal worth £10m.Liverpool head coach, Arne Slot, considers Wirtz an ideal option to improve his Premier League champions and the club moved quickly to open talks with Leverkusen once the coveted 22-year-old rejected a move to Bayern Munich. Manchester City were also interested in the attacking midfielder but withdrew, seemingly as a result of the financial package involved. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago Planning reforms seek to boost smaller developers to build homes faster

The Government will set out proposals to cut red tape and for planning decisions to be shifted away from councillors and towards expert officers.

Politics

2 w. ago Plans for prison wing in Devil’s Island to hold drug traffickers and Islamic militants sparks outcry

Maximum-security facility in French Guiana to form part of a $450m prison complex and hold 500 inmatesFrench plans to build a maximum-security prison wing for drug traffickers and Islamic militants near a former penal colony in French Guiana have sparked an outcry among residents and local officials.The wing would form part of a $450m (£337m) prison announced in 2017 that is expected to be completed by 2028 and hold 500 inmates. The prison would be built in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, a town bordering Suriname that once received prisoners shipped by Napoleon III in the 1800s, some of whom were sent to the notorious Devil’s Island off the coast of French Guiana. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago France sparks outcry with plan for prison wing near former penal colony

Site in French Guiana once received prisoners who were sent to notorious Devil’s Island off the coastFrench plans to build a maximum-security prison wing for drug traffickers and Islamic militants near a former penal colony in French Guiana have sparked an outcry among residents and local officials.The wing would form part of a $450m (£337m) prison announced in 2017 that is expected to be completed by 2028 and hold 500 inmates. The prison would be built in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, a town bordering Suriname that once received prisoners shipped by Napoleon III in the 1800s, some of whom were sent to the notorious Devil’s Island off the coast of French Guiana. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago East Kilbride stadium: James Kean 'will be in touch' with South Lanarkshire Council now Kilby has won promotion to SPFL

In a rare interview, EK Community Trust director and EKFC co-founder James Kean discusses the club's promotion and what it means for his plans to build a new stadium in the town

Politics

2 w. ago Plunging value and a content cliff edge: what’s gone wrong at Sky?

Since Comcast takeover, broadcaster has slashed jobs and is losing the exclusive shows that drew subscribersWhen the boss of the media multinational Comcast was putting together an ultimately eye-watering £31bn bid for Sky, he recounted how a chat with a London cab driver reinforced his opinion that he was in pursuit of a crown jewel of UK broadcasting.Brian Roberts’s plan was to use Sky to build an international powerhouse outside the US – after being beaten by Disney in the battle to acquire his prime target, Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox – but some analysts and industry figures wonder if he has been taken for a very expensive ride. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Widower is forced to spend £25k demolishing his home after council rules 'objectionable' extension is THREE INCHES over limit

Warren Benton, 73, was hit with a £16k fine over the third storey add-on, after council officials ruled the build did not match the exact specifications of approved plans.

Economics

3 w. ago Donald Trump's 'Golden Dome' missile defence shield will rival Israel's Iron Dome

President Donald Trump has revealed new first-of-their-kind plans to build a so-called 'golden dome' of missile defences around the US in ambitious new military moves

Politics

3 w. ago Labour has denounced me as ‘deeply misleading’ on its planning reform. I wish that were true | George Monbiot

Even it now admits that brick by brick, these proposals will wreck habitats. This could be Starmer’s most damaging mistake yetThe precedent is uncanny, and the failure to learn from it downright mystifying. Keir Starmer is rushing gladly towards the catastrophe Boris Johnson inflicted on himself in 2020. Had he set out to stymie Labour’s chances of re-election, he couldn’t be doing it better.In 2020, Johnson promised “a whole new planning system” for England, which, he claimed, would promote “economic growth”. He said he wanted to see 300,000 new homes built every year. He sought to “build, build, build”, but falsely claimed that his plans were thwarted by newts, which he used as shorthand for environmental protections. He would sweep these protections away. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Jail time for recalled offenders to be limited to free up prison places

UK justice secretary also announces plans for three new jails amid overcrowding crisis in England and WalesShabana Mahmood will limit how long hundreds of repeat offenders can be returned to prison for amid Whitehall predictions that jails will be full again in November.The justice secretary also announced a £4.7bn plan to build three new prisons starting this year, part of a “record expansion” as the government attempts to get to grips with the criminal justice system. Continue reading...

Events