Local News

Snow, rain and strong winds are expected to disrupt travel plans and potentially cause flooding as Storm Bert hits the UK.Several weather warnings are in place, while 16 flood alerts have been issued - warning flooding is possible - in England and Scotland. Most of the UK is affected by yellow warnings for either wind, rain or snow, with a slightly more severe amber warning covering parts of northern England […]

The UK will "set out a plan" to lift defence spending to 2.5% of national income in the spring, the prime minister has said, finally offering a timeframe for an announcement on the long-awaited hike after mounting criticism.Sir Keir Starmer gave the date during a phone call with Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO, in the wake of threats by Moscow to target UK and US military facilities following […]

A man who was caught with nearly £2.5m worth of cocaine in the boot of his car following a high-speed police chase has been jailed for five years.Dylan Nicol, 24, drove at speeds up to 120mph along the A90 and Kingsway West in Dundee in February as he attempted to evade arrest. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Nicol's Volkswagen Golf was eventually surrounded by officers when […]

Many areas of Britain faced frosty and icy conditions this morning ahead of the arrival of Storm Bert tomorrow.The Met Office said it expects the storm to bring "heavy rain, strong winds and disruptive snow to parts of the UK through the weekend" and potentially cause travel disruption and flooding. Much of the UK experienced temperatures close to freezing last night, the Met Office said, with -6C (21.2F) recorded at […]

👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈In the week farmers descended on Westminster, Beth, Ruth and Harriet ask just how difficult these protests are for the government. They question whether the chancellor could roll back on her budget commitment to scrap the inheritance tax relief for agricultural property worth over £1m and whether Labour can afford to lose the rural vote. Image: Anas Sarwar. […]

Official accounts have revealed for the first time how much the King's 2023 coronation cost UK taxpayers.According to the accounts, the government spent £72m on the coronation - the first in Britain since Queen Elizabeth II's in 1953. The figure includes £50.3m of costs attributed to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which coordinated the coronation, and £21.7m in costs for the Home Office for the policing of […]

A memorial has been held for the 21 people killed 50 years ago today in the IRA pub bombings in Birmingham.Twin blasts went off minutes apart in the Mulberry Bush, at the bottom of the Rotunda building, and the Tavern in the Town in New Street. Another 182 people were injured but no one has ever been brought to justice, with families today renewing calls for an urgent public inquiry.There […]

The second named storm of the season will bring snow, rain and strong winds to parts of the UK this weekend, according to the Met Office.Forecasters at the agency have named the weather front Storm Bert. Wind gusts of up to 70mph are expected in some areas.Heavy snowfall could bring further disruption to parts of the country while heavy rain is also likely, especially in western parts, the Met Office […]

The family of pandemic fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore gained "significant" financial benefit from links to a charity set up in his name, a report has found.Hannah Ingram-Moore, the veteran's daughter, and her husband Colin carried out repeated instances of misconduct, according to the Charity Commission. The pair have already been banned from being charity trustees.And a 30-page report published on Thursday, after a two-year inquiry, set out their failings […]