The Conservative Party is in trouble. Many people say it is dying. Their plan is not to fight Reform UK head-on at the ballot box. Instead, they are quietly building something else on the right. This new thing takes votes from Reform – without the Tories having to compete directly against them. What is this “lifeboat”? It has a clear name: Restore Britain. It has a leader: Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth. It has money – £2.6 million in the bank. The big question is: Wh

Labour MP Neil Coyle, representing Bermondsey and Old Southwark, had the party whip restored on 24 May 2023 after a period of suspension linked to two incidents of inappropriate conduct involving alcohol in Parliament. Background and Incidents Coyle faced complaints following events in the House of Commons’ Strangers’ Bar in late 2021 and early 2022. A parliamentary investigation by the Independent Expert Panel examined two separate cases under the Commons’ bullying and haras

In the East Sussex town of Crowborough, a resident-led group called Crowborough Aware has grown to 81 volunteers who conduct regular street patrols. The initiative emerged in response to the UK government’s decision to house hundreds of single adult male asylum seekers at the nearby Crowborough Training Camp, a former military site. Background on the Asylum Accommodation • The Home Office began moving asylum seekers to the site on 22 January 2026, with the first group of 27

A man has been arrested and police are hunting another suspect after reports two teenage girls were raped on a beach in Great Yarmouth. Officers were called to South Beach Parade in the Norfolk town shortly after 00:30 BST on Saturday. A man in his 30s was arrested in Northamptonshire on Sunday on suspicion of rape. A statement from Norfolk Police said: "A second suspect currently remains outstanding and significant efforts are under way to identify and locate him." He is des

According to NHS bosses, The NHS has hit an important target. More people are now waiting less than 18 weeks for treatment. This is the biggest improvement in waiting times for 16 years. What happened? • The NHS reached its goal for the number of patients waiting 18 weeks or less. • This did not happen by chance. • It came from huge hard work by NHS staff across the whole country. What did the NHS boss say? Sir Jim Mackey is the Chief Executive of the NHS. He said: “This i

Robert Francis Kenyon is a British local councillor, former soldier, and Reform UK politician representing the Winstanley ward on Wigan Council. He gained attention in May 2025 after his election as one of Reform UK’s 24 councillors in the local elections, positioning him as a symbol of the party’s push into traditional Labour heartlands in northern England. @keyworkerman Background and Early Life Born and raised in Wigan, Kenyon comes from a staunchly Labour-supporting famil

Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe has had a legal challenge against the parliamentary watchdog thrown out by a High Court judge. The Great Yarmouth MP, whose legal representative warned in February that the adjudicative process has the "potential to end [Mr Lowe's] career", took legal action against the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme. The action came after the watchdog investigated a complaint made by a third party, who cannot be identified, in January 2025. Mr

On 15 May 2026, the High Court ruled that independent MP Rupert Lowe’s (Restore Britain / Great Yarmouth) judicial review challenge against the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) is barred by parliamentary privilege and therefore not justiciable by the courts. Background The ICGS — established by resolutions of the House of Commons — investigates complaints of bullying, harassment, and sexual misconduct against MPs. A third party (identity protected) made a co

Extensive searches and enquiries are continuing today as 14-year-old Taylor Charlton, from Barnstaple, remains missing. Taylor was last seen at around 10.40pm on Friday 8 May near Tesco in the Seven Brethren area. Sector Inspector Andy Wills said: “A significant investigation is ongoing, and detectives are keeping all options open in our efforts to find Taylor. Taylor is a 14-year-old male, around 5ft 8ins tall, of muscular build, with dark brown hair and a moustache. He was

Residents in Reading and the surrounding Berkshire area have been on alert following a significant meningitis outbreak in Kent in March 2026. While no cases have been reported locally in Reading, the proximity and shared concerns among students and young people have prompted local health authorities, universities, and survivors to emphasize awareness, symptoms, and prevention. What is Meningitis? Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes (meninges) surrounding th

Ed Miliband is the UK Energy Secretary. He works for the Labour government. He has made a strong promise. He wants to stop new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea forever and prevent any future government from using it What is the plan? • The government will put a new law in a big bill called the Energy Independence Bill. • This law will ban new oil and gas licences in the North Sea. • It will make it very hard for any future government to start new drilling again. • Th

The UK Labour government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer is advancing plans to extend the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds for all elections across the country. The Representation of the People Bill, introduced in Parliament in February 2026, would mark the most significant expansion of voting rights since the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1969. Key Details of the Bill • Voting Age Reduction: 16- and 17-year-olds would gain the right to vote in general elections

Angela Rayner is a top politician in the UK. She used to be the Deputy Prime Minister. That means she helped lead the whole country. She is part of the Labour Party. What was the tax problem? In May 2025, Angela bought a flat by the sea in Hove. It cost £800,000. When you buy a house or flat, you pay a special tax called stamp duty. Angela paid £40,000 less than she should have. She thought the rules let her pay the lower rate. It was linked to how the money was set up for he

Good news for the UK economy! The economy grew by 0.6% in the first three months of 2026. This is called Q1 GDP growth. What Happened in March? Even in March – the first full month of the Iran war – the economy grew by 0.3%. Experts thought it would shrink by 0.1% or 0.2%. So this result is better than expected. @i What is GDP? GDP means Gross Domestic Product. It is a simple way to measure how much the country produces and earns. Higher GDP usually means the economy is doing

A fresh e-petition on the UK Parliament website is calling for major changes to the benefits system to give working people with cancer faster and automatic access to key financial support. Launched on 27 April 2026, the petition titled Automatic access to disability benefits for working people with cancer has so far gathered just 19 signatures. It will remain open for signatures until 27 October 2026. The petition argues that people who have paid National Insurance contributi

Reform UK, Britain’s fastest-growing political party, has officially launched its search for prospective parliamentary candidates to contest the 2029 General Election. With strong momentum from recent local elections and rising support in national polls, the party is building a broad slate of candidates who reflect real-world experience and a commitment to common-sense policies on immigration, the economy, the NHS, and restoring Britain’s sovereignty. Party leaders, including

Andy Burnham is the Mayor of Greater Manchester. His team runs the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). They have given nearly £1 billion in public loans to help build skyscrapers in Manchester Now people say Mr Burnham’s team “buried” or hid an important report about these loans. The report was finished in January 2025. But they did not publish it until March 2026 – more than a year later. The loans come from public money (taxpayer cash). The biggest borrower is a c

In today’s King’s Speech, the Labour government confirmed it will introduce the Digital Access to Services Bill to advance its plans for a voluntary national digital identity system in the UK. The announcement puts the broader digital identity framework on a statutory footing, building on existing tools like GOV.UK One Login and the emerging GOV.UK Wallet. What Was Said The relevant section of the speech stated: “My Ministers will also proceed with the introduction of Digital

In a significant shake-up of the English health system, the Labour government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer is proceeding with the abolition of NHS England, the arm's-length body responsible for overseeing the NHS since 2013. The move, announced on 13 March 2025, aims to cut bureaucracy, eliminate duplication with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and bring NHS management under closer ministerial ("democratic") control. Why Abolish NHS England? NHS England

Police in Kyoto, Japan have arrested a 27-year-old man. He sent threatening letters to Nintendo's main office. The letters said he would "blow you all up" and claimed bombs were planted. What Happened The man sent the letters in March 2026. Nintendo told the police right away. On May 12, 2026, police arrested him. He has no job and lives in Kyoto. He admitted to sending the threats. No bombs were found. No one was hurt. The Charges Police charged him with obstruction of busin