Image copyright Severn Trent Water Image caption Schools and 3,500 homes in Shropshire were hit last year when a Severn Trent water main burst Environment Secretary Michael Gove has warned water companies he is ready to give their regulator new powers if they cannot address public concerns over prices, leaks, executive pay and payments to […]
Media captionUK PM ‘is facilitating talks gridlock’ The government “does not have a viable plan” to deal with the political stalemate in Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin’s president has said. Mary Lou McDonald said she feared “entrenchment and drift” in efforts to restore the executive, which collapsed 13 months ago. PM Theresa May has held talks […]
Image copyright Reuters The UK has published proposals for how it wants the transition period immediately after Brexit to work. It says the period should last as long as it takes to “prepare and implement the new processes and new systems”. Number 10 denied this meant it would be longer than the planned two years. […]
Media captionJan Sarkocy described Mr Corbyn as a “very, very good source” Labour has again denied allegations Jeremy Corbyn had been either a collaborator or agent of the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia in the 1980s. The Labour leader’s spokesman said the claims had come from a single source and were “absurd and hallucinogenic”. It comes […]
Image copyright PA Campaigners have won a third High Court victory over the UK government’s plans to tackle air pollution. The judge in the case said the government plan was “unlawful” and that more action was needed in 45 English local authority areas. He said ministers had to ensure that in each of the areas, […]
Image copyright Reuters Ministers say a planned “status quo” period after Brexit will end on a “fixed date” despite critics suggesting it could “last indefinitely”. New government proposals say the transition period should last as long as it takes to “prepare and implement the new processes and new systems”. The leaked plans say there are […]
Image copyright House of Commons Image caption Colum Eastwood repeatedly clashed with DUP MPs while giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee The Stormont institutions could be down for five years “if we keep doing what we’re doing”, the leader of the SDLP has warned. Colum Eastwood also said nationalists were beginning to move […]
Image copyright NFU Image caption Minette Batters has been voted president of the NFU The National Farmers Union has elected its first female president in the organisation’s 110-year history. Minette Batters, a beef farmer from Wiltshire, takes over from Meurig Raymond, who held the post for four years. She had just one opponent, Essex farmer […]
Image copyright Getty Images More than 60 Brexit-supporting Tory MPs have written to Theresa May to insist the UK make a clean break with the EU. The MPs say the UK must not be stopped from negotiating trade deals with other countries, once it leaves the EU, and must gain full “regulatory autonomy”. The letter […]
Image copyright Save the Children A former chief executive of Save the Children faced three complaints of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff before leaving the charity, the BBC has learned. Justin Forsyth was accused of sending inappropriate texts and commenting on what young female staff were wearing. Mr Forsyth said he had “apologised unreservedly” to […]
