Government departments will look at cutting budgets to fund defence, minister says June 14, 2026 Government departments are looking at cutting their budgets further in order to help fund defence, a cabinet minister has said. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy insisted the country’s national security remains minister’s “highest priority” adding departments are looking to shift their budgets to fund defence. She said to Sky News: “There’s a clear picture emerging from [...]
Peace deal will be finalised Sunday, Trump says but Tehran casts doubt June 14, 2026 US president Donald Trump has said a deal to end the conflict between the US and Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, but Iran has cast doubt on the timing. On Saturday, key mediator Pakistan said the deal was “likely expected” to be finalised within 24 hours, while Trump declared that his administration [...]
British forces intercept Russian shadow fleet in Channel June 14, 2026 British armed forces have intercepted a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel during the early hours of Sunday morning, the prime minister has said. In an operation lasting six hours, Royal Marine Commandos, alongside specialist officers from the National Crime Agency, intercepted the oil tanker in the Channel. The operation marks the [...]
Thames Water, energy grid, rent prices: Burnham drums up public control agenda June 13, 2026 Andy Burnham will press for an agenda of public control over water companies, the national energy grid and government procurement regulation if he becomes Prime Minister. Reports on Saturday indicated that the Manchester mayor, who is standing as Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election before a likely bid to become the party’s leader, would push [...]
Trump ban on AI access to foreign users forces Anthropic to suspend models June 13, 2026 President Trump has banned non-American nationals from accessing Anthropic’s newest AI model, forcing the company to suspend the model for all users. Anthropic, which is the maker of Claude, said the US government cited national security for its banning order before it pulled Fable 5 and Mythos 5 from use. The decision has raised concern [...]
‘Unsustainable’ – Iceland boss and Labour peer calls for end of triple lock pension June 12, 2026 Lord Walker, the influential Iceland boss who was made a Labour peer, has called for the triple lock pension to be scrapped as the mechanism was “profoundly unfair”. In a debate on welfare reform in the House of Lords, Walker added to a growing number of economists and political figures calling for the state pension [...]
Oil prices rise as Trump warns of ‘very hard’ strikes against Iran June 11, 2026 President Trump has escalated his threats against the Iranian regime, announcing on social media that the US will hit Iran “very hard” tonight if a peace deal cannot be reached. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US President suggested that American forces could take Kharg Island, a crucial oil export artery for [...]
Burnham rows back on £10bn Waspi women offer June 11, 2026 Andy Burnham has rowed back on an apparent offer to consider a £10.5bn payout for Waspi women, a group of female pensioners who argue that they were not told about a rise in the state pension age. Burnham had told activists that he would “stick by the Waspi women – Women Against State Pension Inequality [...]
Truth bomb: Defence secretary John Healey resigns over funding battles June 11, 2026 John Healey has resigned as defence secretary after months of tension with Sir Keir Starmer over funding for an uplift in spending on the armed forces. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Healey said the government’s draft for the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) “falls well short of what is required for defence and the [...]
Burnham hints at payout for Waspi women claiming billions June 11, 2026 Andy Burnham has suggested he would support more than 3.5m women who are seeking compensation, hinting at a billions of pounds spending commitment if he enters Downing Street. The Makerfield by-election candidate has long been an outspoken supporter for the so-called Waspi women, a cohort born in the 1950s who claim they lost thousands of [...]