50 m. ago Rachel Reeves makes winter fuel payment vow to pensioners after major U

Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that millions of pensioners would have the winter fuel allowance restored this year after the Government bowed to pressure to ditch the cut

Economics

51 m. ago The Guardian view on Labour’s tough choices: they are costing the government dearly | Editorial

Austerity-era scepticism runs deep – and Labour’s abstract promises are falling flat as Nigel Farage rises in the pollsThe Labour government’s abrupt U-turn on winter fuel payments – restoring the benefit to more than three-quarters of pensioners – reveals less a change of heart than a sobering realisation in Westminster: after years of austerity, the public no longer gives politicians the benefit of the doubt. The irony is hard to miss. Labour set out to prove that “grown-up” economics means difficult decisions – only to find that once trust is lost, voters won’t accept vague promises without tangible results.It turns out many are sceptical that sacrifices will produce better results for society. That’s why ministers are struggling to justify cuts to disability benefits as a way to “fund” public services – or to convince the public that Britain can’t afford to lift the two-child benefit cap even as ministers claim they will reduce child poverty. There may be more conspicuous retrea...

Politics

58 m. ago £350,000 repair programme for Kilbarchan's Steeple Hall set to begin next month if contract approved

A deal for the first phase, which will focus on the internal and external fabric of the building, will be considered this week.

Economics

65 m. ago Chaos at IKEA as customers including children in creche evacuated from store

The alarm saw customers and staff at the Warrington branch in IKEA rush from the building

Economics

71 m. ago A £25m project could bring more than 700 new jobs to a Greater Manchester town

The major scheme is about to get underway and should be completed by July 2026.

Economics

95 m. ago Frederick Forsyth dead aged 86 as tributes paid to The Day of The Jackal author

Famous journalist, turned author, Frederick Forsyth has passed away, with several fans rushing to social media to share their condolences and sadness after hearing the news

Events

2 h. ago UK Government, Google Launch AI to Accelerate Home Building at London Tech Week

UK Government, Google Launch AI to Accelerate Home Building at London Tech Week  AI Business

Politics

2 h. ago Katie Price signs up to become first British celebrity to trademark her own AI image

The veteran glamour model has helped to build an AI version of her younger self, complete with a cloned voice and animated avatar

Politics

2 h. ago Winter fuel payment should be restored for NI pensioners – Lyons

Around 250,000 pensioners in NI were affected when the payment was cut last year in a cost-saving measure by the new Labour government.

Economics

3 h. ago Funeral parlour in Greater Manchester town could be set to be demolished

Plans have been lodged to build almost 30 apartments on the site

Politics

3 h. ago UK's pub capital revealed with these towns home to more boozers per head than anywhere

Britain's pubs might be world famous, but that hasn't stopped the industry suffereing badly in recent years - still though, some places remain bastions of boozer culture

Politics

3 h. ago Building materials firm Lords Group buys rival CMO in rescue deal

The deal will secure the future of around 120 workers at Plymouth-based CMO, who will join the wider Lords group.

Economics

3 h. ago Meghan Markle warned 'it's time to move on' after move that will shock Palace

Meghan Markle has been pressing ahead with her As Ever lifestyle brand while building her Instagram following - but one expert has a stark warning for her

Events

4 h. ago Amazon to spend $20 billion on data centers in Pennsylvania, including one at a nuclear power plant

Amazon says it will spend $20 billion on two data center complexes in Pennsylvania, including one it is building alongside a nuclear power plant that has drawn federal scrutiny over its arrangement to essentially plug right into the power plant

Economics

4 h. ago The 'relaxing' Scottish city hotel you can stay in for better than half price

It is housed in a Victorian building that dates back to 1845.

Politics

4 h. ago I'm NOT sorry! Reeves refuses to apologise for winter fuel shambles despite restoring payments to millions of pensioners... amid fears of tax hikes to fund U

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that more than three-quarters of older people will get the allowance - worth up to £300 - this winter.

Economics

4 h. ago You can do a white water raft trip into the prettiest river town in Wales with charming pubs overlooking the water

You probably didn’t come to Wales expecting to crash through swirling rapids with gulp-inducing names like 'Serpent's Tail'

Events

4 h. ago Rachel Reeves responds after being asked if she will apologise over winter fuel payments U

The £300 payment will now be restored to the vast majority of pensioners who previously received it

Politics

4 h. ago Paul Hollywood opens up on 'bad' Bake Off moment he wants to 'delete' from his mind

Paul Hollywood has been a popular judge on The Great British Bake Off since 2010, witnessing a number of quality bakes coming through the famous tent, as well as some more unfortunate creations

Politics

5 h. ago ‘Too many people lost work’: doubts in South Africa’s coal belt over ‘just energy transition’

The country wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions without destroying livelihoods, but progress is slow – and the residents of a small town are in the crosshairsCooling towers and smokestacks still loom over the single-storey houses of Komati, but the winter sky is clear: smoke hasn’t billowed from the vast concrete chimneys of the South African town’s power station since it stopped burning coal in 2022, 61 years after its inauguration.While the state power company Eskom didn’t fire any permanent employees, the end of coal generation and earlier job losses in nearby mines have fuelled doubts in the small town and wider coal belt that there are any benefits to South Africa’s “just energy transition” to renewable power. Continue reading...

Politics