London politics

London politics

The paper has dug into data from across all 32 London boroughs to determine which one really is the 'best'. It handed out points across 37 different categories, which all came under one of four broader categories: great outdoors, good vibes, culture and activities and hospitality. Those more specific metrics included how much green space the area has, how many top-rated restaurants, hotels and music venues it has, and how many heritage sites it possesses.

The Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said the Chancellor's position is "extremely tenuous" as Rachel Reeves has spent months "floating punishing tax hikes on family homes" whilst she has been "profiting from illegally renting out her house."

The changes follow a series of hikes agreed by the council's Cabinet last year, which was the first time the charges had been raised since December 2017. At that meeting Conservative councillor Adronie Alford told the Labour Cabinet members while she had no problem with the increases per se she was concerned about residents receiving FPNs due to rubbish being left by refuse collectors.

A gentle and peaceful dog walker who was just trying to help has died and two people have been injured in a triple stabbing in west London. A 22-year-old Afghan national has been arrested on suspicion of murder as neighbours paid tribute to the victim, who they said was just doing the normal dog walk that he does every day.

The amount of bike storage that needs to be provided in new housing developments in London is to be watered down, it can be revealed. This will reduce the number of secure bike spaces that have to be provided and could also permit developers to make a financial contribution in lieu of building bike racks or allow them to be built some distance from the new homes. City Hall believes this is acceptable because of the rise in the number of Londoners hiring dockless e-bikes, such as those provided by Lime and Forest.

Welput, a real estate fund managed by American investment firm BGO, saw its application to construct the tower close to Bevis Marks Synagogue turned down by the City of London Corporation (CLC) in December. The planned scheme involves the demolition of neighbouring Bury House on Bury Street. Opponents of the project include the UK's chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, and historians Sir Simon Schama, Tom Holland and Simon Sebag Montefiore. Welput has been approached for comment.

"This is union-busting, pure and simple. And Unite will never stand for it, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said. "Management must end this treatment of our Unite reps, or it will face dealing with strike action that will disrupt services in East London. This is a dispute entirely of the employer's making."

The Metropolitan Police's newly appointed lead on phone theft says its work in tackling the crime has not been "good enough". Just over 1% of phone thefts in London result in a charge or conviction, according to the force's data, compared with 11% for robberies. London Assembly member Neil Garratt urged more to be done to tackle the issue of phone theft, which he compared to an "epidemic" in the city.

As well as the photo of the woman at the children's park, whose face was not shown though who PC Jacks had described as having the biggest fake boobs, they included references to a friend as a big fat poof, a commentary on other passengers during a journey home in which a woman is called an old slag and a post stating AIDS is a terrible thing. Especially Turkish AIDS.

Back in April, Newham Council got special permission to raise its council tax by 8.99 percent - nearly double the normal increase cap of 4.99 percent - in order to help it swerve bankruptcy. As Newham faces more 'difficult decisions' and a £53 million funding gap next year, a new report suggests that it could ask for permission to increase its council tax by the same amount again.

The officers have noted in their statement that they believe that because the Star of David was out and present to people, which may take either offence to the presence of it, they felt that was antagonising the situation, the detective says. I think that's, with respect, appalling and shows a complete ignorance on behalf of those officers, the lawyer responds.

Steve Reed, the housing secretary, and Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, will announce the package within weeks, in what officials say will be a time-limited intervention designed to stall the sudden drop in new building in the capital. The plans, details of which are still being negotiated, have been welcomed by developers but condemned by homelessness charities who say it will increase the record numbers of people who are homeless in the UK.

A final decision on whether two unpopular Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in Greenwich will become permanent will be made next month. Greenwich Council launched the West and East Neighbourhood Management Trial Scheme last November, aiming to reduce traffic and improve air quality in two areas of Greenwich by issuing fines to motorists who drive through certain areas at peak times.

The inquiry will determine applications to redevelop three sites on and around Brick Lane, after property owner Truman Estates and Zeloof LLP appealed to the government's Planning Inspectorate to decide whether they should go ahead. The Save Brick Lane Campaign, which opposes the plans, say they fail to reflect local wants and needs and don't provide enough housing. The largest of the three proposals would demolish several buildings at the Truman's Brewery site between Brick Lane and Spital Street.

Plans to run a 425m zipline from the ArcellorMittal Orbit tower in the Olympic Park are set to be considered by councillors next week. ZipWorld, which operates the 114.5m high tower, wants planning permission for the wire from both Tower Hamlets and Newham councils. Plans say the zipline would offer a unique and exhilarating experience for a predicted 60,000 extra visitors a year.

Transport for London (TfL) has brought just four prosecutions against passengers for loud phone conversations or playing audio on their devices since 2020, it has emerged. The transport authority's byelaws state that no passenger shall, to the annoyance of any person, sing or use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of sound. This would include having phone conversations on speaker or playing music out loud.

In her speech at the conference, the home secretary said that if someone wanted to stay in the UK permanently, they would have to contribute. She said: "I will be proposing a series of new tests, such as being in work, making National Insurance contributions, not taking a penny in benefits, learning English to a high standard, having no criminal record and that you have truly given back to your community, such as by volunteering your time to a local cause."

I think he's done a terrible job, Donald Trump said during his state visit to the UK last month, in his latest broadside at London's mayor, Sadiq Khan. Crime in London is through the roof. Trump's view is increasingly accepted wisdom in rightwing circles and is gaining traction more widely. Crime is even being blamed along with rising taxes for an apparent exodus of the super-rich from the UK.

In the capital, homes can be let - often to tourists - for up to 90 nights a year without planning permission, a rule meant to protect London's housing supply. But many landlords are creating multiple listings for the same property, switching to a new one once the limit is reached in order to illegally keep renting the property for short-term lets all year.

The protest comes in the wake of a tentative ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered with international mediators, under which hostages are to be released and Israeli military operations paused. Still, protesters argue that a formal agreement alone is not enough. Many are demanding full implementation of the ceasefire terms, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of all Palestinian detainees.

London's NYE fireworks display has been ticketed since 2014. This year's edition will feature a 12-minute show with thousands of fireworks and hundreds of lights, all set to a soundtrack. Last year's playlist included the likes of Olivia Newton-John's 'Physical' and D-Ream's 'Things Can Only Get Better'. This year there will be around 100,000 tickets up for grabs for London's official NYE display, while millions will watch on TV.

People coming from outside London to watch the city's flagship New Year's Eve fireworks display will face a 5 increase on last year. The first of about 100,000 tickets for London's annual New Year's Eve fireworks display will go on sale on 17 October. Ticket prices for Londoners remain 20 and 35, but those living outside the capital will pay 40 (up 14.5%) and 55 (up 10%), depending on the tier.

Westminster City Council said in order for the construction to start on Cavendish Square Gardens, it must redesignate the land and allow time for public objections, according to a council report. The council's cabinet is set to approve the measure during a meeting on October 16 which will then see the appropriation advertised in a local newspaper for two weeks from the end of the month.

Formal plans for what could be Europe's largest data centre are expected to be submitted in the coming months, new documents show. Havering Council is set to approve the East Havering Data Centre (EHDC), which will straddle the boundary of Havering and Thurrock, in January. The centre designed by developer Digital Reef would cover 99 acres and the scheme would also include a 279-acre ecology park, which the firm said would be publicly accessible. The council's corporate plan, published this week, says it will be consulted on in the autumn before it goes before the strategic planning committee, made up of elected councillors.

A London council has warned of far-right agitators attempting to import division into the borough, as it takes a stand against efforts to sow division in the community following a summer of protests. At a meeting on Wednesday, the council pledged to reject the presence of far-right agitators from outside the borough who come to target local communities during the protests.

Khan replied, "I don't think it is antisemitic, and I think it's all about context. "Some slogans can be antisemitic, but it's all about context. And in certain contexts, yes, those slogans are antisemitic. In other contexts, they're not." Hall said that the pro-Palestine protests took place in London and protesters were seen "screaming chants at passing commuters." The Home Secretary to the protests "should not have gone ahead" on Yom Kippur which is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish community.

The combination of a significant slowing of residential house building and an influx of new student accommodation in a North London borough risks creating an unbalanced community, the local authority has warned. Brent Council is proposing a pause on all new purpose built student accommodation (PBSA), particularly in Wembley, due to fears it will inhibit its plan to address local housing shortages and no longer provide a balanced and mixed community.