Fighting the Crime Gangs Taking Over the UK High Streets | BBC News

Jul 31, 2025 | Along a one-mile stretch of road near the centre of Newport, south Wales, 19 shops have been shut down in the past nine months for selling illegal tobacco and vapes.

"It's shameful that this is happening," Steve Hay, one of the Trading Standards team responsible for the closures, said.

He believes that the sale of illegal goods is a crime causing deep problems in the community.

Illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vape products were seized from 3,624 shops across England, Scotland and Wales in 2024-25, according to BBC Freedom of Information requests.

The Home Office said that "over 500 town centres are getting extra neighbourhood patrols" and that these would have a major role in cracking down on the sale of illegal tobacco products.

What Are the Implications of the UK Ban on Palestine Action? | Inside Story

Jul 21, 2025 | Protests against the UK ban on Palestine Action - and its designation as a terrorist goup. The government acted after military aircraft were vandalised at an airbase. Critics say the ban is excessive and an attack on freedom of speech. So what are the implications?

Presenter: James Bays

Guests:
Tayab Ali, Deputy Managing Partner at Bindmans law firm, specialist in human rights and civil liberties.

Quinn McKew, Executive Director at Article 19, an organisation that defends freedom of expression and freedom of information.

Peter Oborne, Political Commentator and author of the forthcoming book 'Complicit: Britain's Role in the Destruction of Gaza'.

‘Russia Is Focusing on the UK as the Next Target’ | Former Head of MI6 Russia Desk

Jul 19, 2025 | “Russia is focusing on the UK as the next target.” Through arson in a London warehouse and tracking journalists, Russia is using proxies to monitor, survey, and target those in the UK and Bulgaria, says Chris Steele, former head of the MI6 Russia desk.

‘Profound Concern’ as Scientists Say Extreme Heat ‘Now the Norm’ in UK

THE GUARDIAN: Increasing frequency of heatwaves and flooding raises fears over health, infrastructure and how society functions

Record-breaking extreme weather is the new norm in the UK, scientists have said, showing that the country is firmly in the grip of the climate crisis.

The hottest days people endure have dramatically increased in frequency and severity, and periods of intense rain have also ramped up, data from hundreds of weather stations shows. Heatwaves and floods leading to deaths and costly damage are of “profound concern” for health, infrastructure and the functioning of society, the scientists said.

The weather records clearly show the UK’s climate is different now compared with just a few decades ago, the scientists said, as a result of the carbon pollution emitted by burning fossil fuels. » | Damian Carrington | Environment editor | Monday, July 14, 2025

Why Is the UK ‘Actively Preparing for War’? | BBC News

Jul 13, 2025 | The UK must “actively prepare for the possibility of the UK coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario.”

That’s a quote from the UK government in its 2025 national security strategy.

The document also said threats from other countries were on the rise, and that the UK had been “directly threatened by hostile activities.” .

But what are these threats? And what would war even look like in a modern age?

Heatwave Continues across UK ahead of Monday Temperature Dip

BBC: Hot weather will continue across the UK on Sunday with possible highs of 31C as the country moves past the peak of its third heatwave this year.

Temperatures are forecast to dip slightly on Sunday before a cooler change on Monday that will bring "heavy spells of rain" for many areas, the Met Office said.

Amber heat health alerts remain in place for the Midlands, southern and eastern England until 9:00 on Monday.

On Saturday Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales all recorded their warmest day of the year so far, while England saw a temperature high of 33.1C in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. » | Matt Taylor, Lead Weather Presenter | Yang Tian, BBC News | Sunday, July 13, 2025

Most People in France, Germany, Italy and Spain Would Support UK Rejoining EU, Poll Finds

THE GUARDIAN: YouGov survey suggests majority support idea of Britain returning to bloc – but not on same terms it once enjoyed

A decade after MPs voted to hold the referendum that led to Britain leaving the European Union, a poll has found majorities in the bloc’s four largest member states would support the UK rejoining – but not on the same terms it had before.

The YouGov survey of six western European countries, including the UK, also confirms that a clear majority of British voters now back the country rejoining the bloc – but only if it can keep the opt-outs it previously enjoyed.

The result, the pollster said, was a “public opinion impasse”, even if there seems precious little likelihood, for the time being, of the UK’s Labour government, which this year negotiated a “reset” with the bloc, attempting a return to the EU.

YouGov’s EuroTrack survey showed that at least half of people asked across the four largest EU nations – France, Germany, Italy and Spain – supported the UK being allowed to rejoin, with percentages ranging from 51% in Italy to 63% in Germany. » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Sunday, July 13, 2025

Nuriyah, a British Ex-Muslimah, an Apostate…

…speaks.

UK and France Have Struck 'One in, One out' Migrant Deal

Jul 10, 2025 | The UK and France have announced a new agreement aimed at curbing migrant crossings in the English Channel. The deal follows a three-day state visit to the UK by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Under the agreement, stricter controls on migrant processing will be introduced, though the measures will begin on a limited scale. This has led some to question the deal’s potential for success. TRT World’s Joel Flynn has the story.

Photos of Macron’s U.K. State Visit, From a Carriage Ride to a Polite Kiss

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Emmanuel Macron is on a state visit to Britain, the first of a French leader since 2008. His hosts are drenching him in pomp, pizazz and protocol.

He rode in a horse-drawn carriage, chatting with King Charles. He walked down a red carpet, sharp in his navy suit. And, come Tuesday evening, he will dine in Windsor Castle at a banquet in his honor.

Britain is rolling out its pomp and turning up its pageantry to full throttle for President Emmanuel Macron of France and his wife, Brigitte Macron, who are on the first French state visit to the United Kingdom since President Nicolas Sarkozy came over in 2008.

In a bid to show solidarity and get results on everything from Ukraine to migrant crossings, the two governments are building a spectacle.

In one move showcasing their cooperation, Mr. Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain agreed that the Bayeux Tapestry — a 230-foot-long embroidery dating from the 11th century that illustrates the Norman Conquest of England — will be lent to the British Museum next year. » | Amelia Nierenberg | Amelia Nierenberg reported from London. She has been invited to exactly zero banquets so far. | Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Another Heatwave On the Way – Met Office Weather Forecast for the UK

Jul 7, 2025 | This is the Met Office UK Weather forecast for the week ahead 07/07/2025. Another spell of hot weather will affect the UK later this week.

Temperatures will increase again to over 30 Celsius but the heat won’t be in exactly the same place as last time. Bringing you this week’s weather forecast is Alex Deakin

Boarding School Boys Rule Britain, at What Cost? | The New Statesman Podcast

May 6, 2024 | Today those who attended private schools are five times more likely to hold top jobs in politics, the judiciary, media, and business.

Why the British Think They’re Not Part of Europe

Jun 1, 2025 | Even before Brexit, people spoke about “Europe and the UK” like they were two separate entities.

Nobody says “Europe and France,” or “Europe and Spain.”

But “Europe and the UK”? That rolls off the tongue like it’s always been the case.

In this video I share 6 reasons why the British do not identify with Europe or as European.

MPs Back Assisted Dying by 23 Votes

THE TELEGRAPH: Assisted dying will be legalised after MPs backed landmark legislation in the House of Commons.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was supported by 314 votes to 291, a majority of 23, as it cleared the Commons, paving the way for assisted dying services to be introduced by the end of the decade.

The legislation will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny but the decision by MPs to give the Bill its third reading means it is now almost guaranteed to make it onto the statute book and become law.

The Bill will allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. » | Jack Maidment Politics Live Blog Editor. Genevieve Holl-Allen Political Reporter. Dominic Penna Political Correspondent | Friday, June 20, 2025

I see that our MPs have voted to put God out of one of His jobs! – © Mark Alexander

Trump Is Abandoning Democracy and Freedom. That Creates an Opening for Europe – and Britain

THE GUARDIAN — OPINION: Whether it’s sweeping up disgruntled US scientists or rejoining the EU, a bold Starmer must capitalise on Trump’s extremism

Thanks to Donald Trump, a vacancy is opening up in the international jobs market. For decades, if not centuries, and always imperfectly, the US offered itself to the world as the guarantor of democracy and the land of the free. Now that it’s pivoting away from that job description, there’s an opportunity for someone else to step in.

The evidence that the US is moving, even galloping, away from basic notions of democracy and freedom is piling up. Just because the changes have happened so fast doesn’t make them any less fundamental. We now have a US administration that blithely ignores court rulings, whose officials say out loud “I don’t care what the judges think”. In a matter of weeks, it has become an open question whether the US remains a society governed by the rule of law. » | Jonathan Freedland | Friday, March 21, 2025

Britain’s New Nicotine Addiction that Could Be More Dangerous than Vaping

THE TELEGRAPH: The dangerous rise in these oral pouches is taking a worrying toll on the health of the nation’s youth

A screenshot from this article in the Telegraph | Experts are concerned that the pouches are another attempt by the tobacco industry to keep people addicted | Credit: Getty
Last year, Jessica Kent, a doctor working in the department of emergency medicine at the University of Toronto, found herself with an unusual patient. Confused, nauseous, and slumped on the floor of the emergency department, readings showed that his blood pressure had soared to levels far higher than would be expected for an otherwise healthy 21-year-old university student. When medical staff attempted to ask some simple questions, his responses were nonsensical.

But this patient wasn’t drunk or high on narcotics. It would later transpire that these symptoms were the consequence of a binge on nicotine pouches. While studying, the man had used 15 extra-strength pouches in the space of just 12 hours. » | David Cox | Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Just what exactly has been gained from the war on smoking that has been waged over very many years is difficult to imagine. It seems to me that young people these days are getting up to far worse than smoking a few cigarettes. This habit, for example, is fraught with health dangers. Further, it is hard to imagine a more off-putting habit than sucking on a nicotine pouch! And God only knows what these pouches are doing to the user’s gums. It must surely be hard to have healthy teeth and gums when stuffing nicotine pouches in one’s mouth incessantly. – © Mark Alexander

Revealed: The True Scale of Britain’s Illegal Drug Use

THE TELEGRAPH: National Crime Agency exposes increasing ketamine use in England amid surge in ‘drug cocktails’

Ketamine usage more than doubled in England last year amid the rising popularity of designer “drug cocktails”, The Telegraph can reveal.

The largest and most accurate study of its kind, conducted on behalf of the National Crime Agency (NCA), has exposed a dramatic rise in the popularity of the drug.

Almost 25 tonnes of ketamine were consumed in England last year, up from 10.6 tonnes in 2023.

The drug is now more popular than heroin, with the worst hotspots in Norwich, Liverpool, and Wakefield.

The findings are revealed in Home Office data, seen by The Telegraph, which will form part of the NCA’s annual threat assessment next week. The agency, dubbed Britain’s FBI, will warn of a rise in the use of several recreational drugs in Britain, including a 10 per cent increase in cocaine. » | Tony Diver, Associate Political Editor | Friday, February 21, 2025

It is astonishing indeed that our politicians worry about people enjoying a cigarette when all this is going on! How much sense does it make for Starmer and his clique to introduce a generational smoking ban when so many in the country are as high as kites on drugs? – © Mark Alexander

Apple Pulls Data Protection Tool after UK Government Security Row | BBC News

Feb 21, 2025 | Apple has removed its highest level data security tool from customers in the UK after the government demanded access to user data.

Advanced Data Protection (ADP) means only account holders can view items such as photos or documents they have stored online through a process known as end-to-end encryption.

But earlier this month, the UK government asked for the right to see the data, which currently not even Apple can access.

Now the tech giant has decided it will no longer be possible to activate ADP in the UK. It means eventually not all UK customer data stored on iCloud - Apple's cloud storage service - will be fully encrypted.

One in 10 Young Adults in UK Identify as Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual – ONS

THE GUARDIAN: Stonewall CEO says data should be ‘wake-up call’ to organisations rolling back on LGBTQ+ rights

Around one in 10 young adults in the UK identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB), a proportion of the population which has doubled in the past five years, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Just over 10% of 16 to 24-year-olds identified as LGB in 2023 – the most recent window polled – up from 4.4% in 2018, according to data from the Annual Population Survey. The largest rise came among young women, with 9.2% of women aged 16-24 identifying as bisexual, compared with 5.9% of males.

Simon Blake, the chief executive of LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall said the data should be “a wake-up call to organisations and governments who are rolling back on their commitments to LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion”.

“Lesbian, gay and bisexual people are a growing part of UK society, with more LGB young people than ever before,” he said. “The more than one in 10 of 16-24 year-olds identifying as LGB will be a crucial part of our workplaces, politics and lives. They will have colleagues, friends and families who support them, and they will deserve – and demand – equal rights and opportunities.” » | Alexandra Topping | Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Being attracted to someone of the same sex is one of the most normal things in the world. I don’t know what all the bloody fuss is about. People have been attracted to people of the same sex since the beginning of time. And people will go on being attracted to people of the same sex until the end of time. It is high time that people grew up and accepted human nature. We cannot fight human nature any more than we can influence tomorrow’s weather. And for those who believe in a god, if God truly does exist, and if He truly is omnipotent as we are told to believe, then, if same-sex attraction is contrary to His will, He wouldn’t have created same-sex attracted people in the first place. Surely, it is as simple as that! People make such a fuss about inconsequential matters! To each his own! Whatever floats your boat! – © Mark Alexander

The British Public Dislikes Elon Musk. He Can Still Sway Politics.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: His influence is partly the result of a very online political establishment, and partly thanks to a right-leaning media that is hostile to Keir Starmer’s Labour government.

Elon Musk at an event hosted by President-elect Donald J. Trump in Palm Beach, Fla., shortly after the U.S. election. | Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times
He is a deeply unpopular figure in Britain, according to opinion polls, and his social media channel has lost users in the country since he took it over in October 2022. Yet when Elon Musk put Britain in his cross hairs on X in recent weeks, pounding the political establishment over a decade-old child sex abuse scandal, he instantly catapulted the issue to the top of the news agenda.

Mr. Musk’s success is rooted in two obvious factors: his mammoth fortune and his alliance with the incoming president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. But it also reflects a British political and media establishment that is divided and deeply in flux, all of which has made Britain easy pickings for an outside influencer with vast resources and a single-minded mission to disrupt.

Britain’s right-leaning newspapers have picked up and amplified Mr. Musk’s call for a new national investigation of young girls who were sexually exploited in several towns in the 2000s, including in Rotherham, where an estimated 1,400 girls were exploited by “grooming gangs” composed largely of British Pakistani men. » | Mark Landler | Reporting from London | Tuesday, January 14, 2025