September 2023

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of “flip-flopping from being a builder to a blocker” as Labour prepares to vote against Government plans to relax environmental rules in order to boost housebuilding. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Labour leader was taking a “cheap political hit” by opposing reforms he said would “unlock over 100,000 […]

The majority of primary schools in England are asking for more contributions from parents due to rising financial pressures, a report has suggested. At least 45% of senior leaders in schools have reported that the increased cost of living has damaged the quality of teaching and learning in their school, according to a survey. Senior

Irish TV presenter Angela Scanlon has said she is particularly looking forward to learning how to dance the rumba on Strictly Come Dancing despite the possibility that it will be “grossly uncomfortable for me and everybody watching”. The 39-year-old, who is the only woman in the UK and Ireland to have their own Saturday night

Heavy workloads, staffing pressures and inadequate pay for lecturers are creating “unprecedented” challenges when it comes to educating the next generation of midwives, according to a new report. The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) warned that a lack of “substantial and sustained investment” in higher education could “severely” undermine efforts to recruit and train new

Girls’ happiness levels are at their lowest levels in 15 years according to Girlguiding’s annual survey as concerns about appearance, online harms and sexual harassment all trouble young people. Less than a fifth of all those who took part described themselves as very happy, down from 40% of respondents in 2009 when the Girls’ Attitudes

Former Conservative leadership contender Penny Mordaunt has unveiled plans for three multi-purpose ships to “fly the flag” for the UK. The ships, which would be built in British shipyards, would be capable of performing a range of roles from disaster relief to research, ocean clean-up, operations to tackle illegal migration, hospital and medical training capability,

Poundland owner Pepco has agreed to buy up to 71 Wilko stores following the collapse of the high street chain. PwC, administrators for Wilko, said that Pepco has sealed a deal which will see the stores reopened under the Poundland brand. Workers at the stores will not be transferred directly as part of the move,

A pubs company is to charge customers around 20p more for a pint of beer at some of its locations during the busiest periods under a “dynamic pricing” system to cover rising costs. Stonegate Group, which owns chains including Slug & Lettuce and Yates, said it is raising prices at 800 of its venues during

Labour’s deputy leader has assured unions that the party will deliver a host of new rights for workers if it wins the next general election, giving a “cast-iron commitment” of what will happen within 100 days of being office. Angela Rayner set out Labour’s planned new deal for workers, winning a standing ovation after addressing

ITV has taken over from Sky as the new home of the Oscars ceremony in the UK. The 96th Academy Awards will be broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles into living rooms across the UK through ITV1 and ITVX next March. It is part of a new multi-year agreement with Disney Entertainment