Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has defended his hardline immigration plan, ‘Operation Restoring Justice’, which would see all illegal Channel crossings - including those by women and children - met with deportation if his party won power. He argued that the proposals align with Britain’s Judeo-Christian heritage, despite opposition from Church leaders, whom he accused of being 'out of touch' with ordinary believers. Farage suggested that criticism from bishops and 'The Establishment' was inevitable, but insisted meaningful change often comes through struggle. His plan includes withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights, scrapping the Human Rights Act, and suspending treaties used by courts to block deportations. Labour dismissed the proposals as an 'unworkable gimmick,' while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Reform of copying Tory policies. The announcement follows rising protests near asylum seeker accommodation and record asylum claims in 2024. Reform UK claims it could deport up to 600,000 people in its first term. See

A surge in flag-flying across Blackley, north Manchester, has sparked fierce debate about patriotism, immigration, and racism. England and Union Jack flags now line lamp posts and homes, part of a wider campaign called 'Raising The Colours’. Supporters argue it is a proud display of national identity and frustration with government failures on illegal migration, insisting the flags are not racist. Don and Anne Lees, who joined the movement, said it made them 'proud to be English’. Yet critics see the campaign as intimidating, echoing past racial tensions. One resident compared the masked men who put up flags at night to the far right of the 1970s, warning that Polish neighbours might feel threatened. While some shopkeepers welcome the extra sales, others worry that it risks division. Labour MP Graham Stringer said patriotism has deep roots in Blackley and insisted national flags 'shouldn’t feel threatening’, urging people not to see them as owned by extremists. Rising asylum numbers and strained services fuel the controversy.

This year’s Notting Hill Carnival saw more than 500 arrests over two days, a sharp rise from 349 in 2024. Police deployed over 7,000 officers daily, supported by CCTV, knife searches, and live facial recognition technology, which directly led to 61 arrests, including a registered sex offender, a machete attacker, and a fugitive wanted for a decade. While four stabbings occurred, none were fatal - a reduction in serious violence compared to recent years when murders took place. Arrests included 167 for drugs, 50 for offensive weapons, 21 for sexual offences, and 55 for assaults on police, with two officers requiring hospital treatment. Deputy assistant commissioner Matt Ward praised both proactive policing and carnival organisers for discouraging violence. Despite improvements, concerns remain over crowd safety and overcrowding risks. An independent review is expected to report in October.

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that 67 people have been charged under section 13 of the Terrorism Act for allegedly showing support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation. Those charged, aged between 21 and 83, were arrested during central London protests on 5 and 12 July. They face a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment and are due to appear for trial in September and October. Since the group’s proscription on 5 July, more than 700 arrests have been made nationwide. Critics argue the ban infringes free speech, but Yvette Cooper  insists Palestine Action has been responsible for serious crimes, including aggravated burglary and violent disorder. Commander Dominic Murphy rejected claims that protests had stretched police resources, stressing that law enforcement remained robust. The group has been granted permission to challenge the ban in the High Court in November, setting up a legal battle over the boundaries between protest and terrorism.

In a televised cabinet meeting, Donald Trump launched a furious tirade against the UK, blaming wind farms for rising energy costs. Reviving his long-standing grudge against offshore turbines near his Scottish golf course, he falsely claimed that 'windmills' had sent UK energy prices 'through the roof' and were 'ruining every country’. He also repeated discredited conspiracy theories linking turbines to whale deaths, despite scientists attributing recent strandings to climate change and warming seas. Experts note that wind power is in fact one of the cheapest energy sources, significantly undercutting gas, coal, and nuclear power. Surveys show it is the UK’s second most popular form of energy generation, just behind nuclear, while fossil fuels remain the least favoured. Trump also criticised solar farms for taking up too much land and suggested the UK faced a 'bad awakening' for closing down oil operations. His comments marked a rare direct attack on a US ally, stirring debate over his reliability on climate and energy issues.

Fertility rates in Great Britain have fallen to record lows, continuing a long-term decline seen since 2010. In England and Wales, the average dropped to 1.41 babies per woman in 2024, while Scotland recorded an even lower 1.25. Demographers say a replacement rate of 2.1 is needed to sustain population levels. Despite this, the number of births rose in 2024 due to immigration-driven population growth, with more women of childbearing age now living in the UK. Births to mothers from southern Asia and Africa have risen sharply, while births to EU-born mothers have declined since Brexit. Luton now records the highest fertility rate, with seven in ten babies born to foreign-born mothers. Fertility has fallen in all local authorities since 2014, though Birmingham has seen a recent rise. Experts warn that fewer babies combined with an ageing population will increase economic pressure, as fewer workers will be available to support rising healthcare and pension demands in the future.

A new YouGov survey has revealed a marked increase in young adults believing in God, signalling what many church leaders describe as a ‘quiet revival’. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 37% now affirm belief in God—up sharply from just 16% in 2021. Although down from a January peak of 45%, the figures still indicate a significant generational shift. By comparison, belief among 25 to 49-year-olds stands at 25%, while older age groups remain steady, with around 27% of 50- to 64-year-olds and 32% of those over 65 continuing to express faith. Notably, disbelief in any spiritual power among younger adults has dropped from 19% in 2022 to 12% today. Bishop Jill Duff of Lancaster welcomed the findings, noting a clear openness to God, Christianity, and the supernatural among younger people. She described this as evidence of a growing spiritual awakening which is already being observed in churches across the nation.

A landmark High Court ruling has opened the way for local councils to challenge the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers. The judgement came after Epping Forest District Council successfully argued that protests around a hotel in Essex, earmarked for 140 asylum seekers, had caused 'evidenced harms’ including violence and arrests. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch hailed the ruling as a 'victory for local people’, encouraging other Tory-run councils to pursue similar action. At least four more Conservative councils are now exploring legal challenges, and two Labour-controlled authorities are reassessing their options, in light of the precedent. Reform UK has also urged its councils to follow suit. Hotel use for asylum seekers peaked during the Covid pandemic, housing over 56,000 people in 2023. Current figures show a 15% decline, with 32,345 still accommodated in March. The Government has pledged to phase out asylum hotels by 2029, pledging alternative housing through faster asylum decisions and reduced small-boat crossings.

A grassroots campaign called 'Operation Raise the Colours' has seen activists in over a dozen English towns hoisting hundreds of Union and St George’s Cross flags on lampposts. Organisers claim the movement aims to restore national pride and community spirit, with some £13,000 raised to buy flags. However, its credibility has been damaged by links to far-right groups. Britain First donated 250 flags, and organiser Andy Saxon has publicly supported its leader Paul Golding and activist Tommy Robinson. Britain First, with roots in the BNP, is notorious for promoting 'remigration' and anti-Muslim rhetoric; its leader has criminal convictions for religiously aggravated harassment. Critics warn that what is presented as patriotism risks being hijacked by extremist groups. Councils in Birmingham and Tower Hamlets have removed flags, citing safety and political concerns, while twelve Reform UK-controlled councils have pledged not to take them down, calling removals 'shameful’. The controversy highlights how national symbols can be co-opted into culture wars, deepening division rather than fostering unity.

On 21 August pupils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland received GCSE, BTec and other Level 2 results. The GCSE pass rate is similar to last year, which saw a third consecutive decline after the Covid pandemic. With more 16-year-olds in the population and rising demand for sixth form places, competition is fierce. Some colleges have expanded capacity, but others warn they will have to turn students away. Concerns over possible VAT on private school fees may also drive more families toward state provision. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson praised pupils’ resilience but condemned entrenched inequalities, noting that only 19% of white British working-class children achieved strong passes in maths and English in 2024 - virtually unchanged from 2017. About 170,000 students have received BTec results and 110,000 Cambridge Nationals, while in Scotland exam pass rates have risen. For many students who began secondary school during lockdown, these results mark the culmination of years of disrupted learning, testing both their determination and the system’s ability to provide equal opportunity.