andrew-burnham / budget-2026 / conservative-party / john-healey / politics / uk-politics / welfare
Opponents have questioned the Budget's lack of detail on welfare reform, with the prime minister not outlining a timetable for any reductions, after forecasts showed welfare spending rising from £353bn this year to £431bn in 2031/32.
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angela-rayner / council-mergers / england / jim-mcmahon / local-government / politics / unitary-authorities
Local Government Minister Jim McMahon has told MPs that only five of 14 planned council mergers will proceed, with nine areas withdrawn for further review after the government sought legal clarity, prompting criticism from opposition and local government leaders.
budget-2026 / defence / energy-bills / housing / politics / state-pension / taxation / uk-economy
Chancellor John Healey has set out the government's tax and spending plans in his Budget, the first since Andy Burnham became prime minister, with measures spanning energy bills, pensions, housing, defence and business taxation.
drumcree / dup / michelle-o-neill / northern-ireland / politics / sinn-fein / stormont
The DUP has prevented First Minister Michelle O'Neill from attending a National Economic Council meeting in Glasgow with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, amid unionist anger over Sinn Féin's role in protests against an Orange Order march in Portadown. Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly will also not join joint engagements with O'Neill, while the decision has drawn criticism from parties across the political divide.
budget / capita / civil-service / hmrc / pensions / politics / tax
The government has changed HMRC rules so that civil service pension lump sum death benefits will no longer become taxable solely because they were paid more than two years after a death, following warnings that families were facing unfair tax bills because of administration delays.
bullying / harassment / parliament / politics / tony-vaughan
Tony Vaughan, the Labour MP for Folkestone and Hythe, has issued a formal apology in the House of Commons after an Independent Expert Panel found him responsible for breaching Parliament's bullying and harassment policy toward a female staff member.
budget / cost-of-living / politics / taxation / uk-economy
In his first Budget, Chancellor John Healey announced a series of cost of living measures, including a £100 energy payment and a rise in bank profits tax, while facing immediate criticism from opposition leaders who deemed the plans insufficient.
budget / equality / government / misogyny / politics / women
Chancellor John Healey announced a £15 million fund intended to tackle misogyny across schools, workplaces, and communities. The proposal drew immediate criticism from Conservative opposition figures who questioned its effectiveness.
defence / nato / politics / uk-budget / ukraine
Chancellor John Healey has instructed government departments to find 1% cuts in their capital budgets to address a £4.7 billion shortfall in the Defence Investment Plan. This move comes as the government works to meet its commitment to spend 3% of national income on defence by 2030.
andy-burnham / brexit / eu / freedom-of-movement / kemi-badenoch / politics / prime-minister-s-questions / uk-eu-relations
Prime Minister Andy Burnham rejected claims of confusion over his stance on the European Union ahead of a Brexit reset summit in Brussels, after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of failing to respect the 2016 referendum result.
employment-law / minimum-wage / national-living-wage / politics / wage-increase
The official minimum rates of pay, including the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage, are scheduled to increase by 3.9% starting April 1st. These changes affect 2.3 million workers, with specific hourly rates and annual earnings increases detailed across different age groups.
consumer-trends / essential-goods / government-campaign / politics / stockpiling
Retailers have reported substantial increases in the sales of essential items, including torches and tinned food, following a government campaign urging citizens to prepare for potential crises. The surge in demand reflects the public response to advice issued by the Defence Secretary regarding national resilience.
israel / olive-harvest / palestine / politics / uk-parliament / west-bank
SNP MP Lara Bird, Labour MP Clive Lewis and Scottish Greens MSP Kate Nevens say they were detained for eight hours by Israeli authorities and prevented from entering the West Bank, with the Israeli embassy claiming the group failed to cooperate with border officials.
independent-review / justice / murder / policing / politics
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced an independent review into the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak in Southampton. The review, led by Alex Chalk KC, aims to investigate the events surrounding the murder and the subsequent police response.
budget-2026 / cost-of-living / energy-bills / john-healey / minimum-wage / politics / savings / tax
Chancellor John Healey has announced a package of cost-of-living measures in his Budget, including a £100 Household Energy Payment, an extension of the fuel duty cut and a 3.9% rise in minimum wage rates, alongside higher taxes on savings interest.
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