London politics

London politics

Many rural pubs are facing an "existential threat" from mounting bills as a growing number are forced to close their doors, it has been claimed.

He took me for an Italian lunch in Pimlico, where we chatted about this and that until he brought up the real reason for his invitation. He had heard about my work to establish Stonewall-a lobby group to present to the government and the world at large the case for treating UK lesbians and gays equally under the law with the rest of the population.

London’s buses are the workhorses of the capital, carrying millions of people every day, but they are being held back by worsening congestion and inconsistent road management. When buses are averaging little more than walking pace in some parts of the city, it is passengers, businesses and the wider economy that lose out. Slow buses are effectively expensive buses, as the longer a service takes to complete a route, the more buses, drivers, fuel, maintenance, depot space and staff are needed to maintain the same timetable.

North Yorkshire Council has proposed increasing taxi fares by around 5 per cent, warning that sharp increases in petrol and diesel prices are squeezing the trade's viability. The council said fuel prices have risen significantly since the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, with petrol up by 18 per cent and diesel rising by 32 per cent since fare levels were last set in July 2024.

The Metropolitan Police announced they will impose strict conditions on routes and gathering points to “prevent serious disruption and serious disorder.” It is expected to lead to an increased police presence in the capital, with demonstrators and activists taking to the streets becoming a regular occurrence in recent months. The force’s approach centers on controlling where people can gather and how marches move through London to reduce the risk of disorder and major disruption.

Fire brigades across the UK are tackling lithium-ion battery fires at a rate of one every five hours, figures show, as fire chiefs warn that public awareness and government regulation have not kept pace with the ubiquity of this new hazard. Lithium-ion batteries power most rechargeable devices including mobile phones, electric toothbrushes, toys and vapes, as well as ebikes, e-scooters and electric vehicles.

“another blow has been struck for sex-equality in London Regional Transport. And it has been struck in a most masculine of worlds - that of London's bus mechanics”

Tucker represented Rainham and Wennington ward on Havering Council for 20 years for the Independent Residents Group, first being elected in 2002 and standing down in 2022. He faces allegations dating from 1987 and 1994, and was remanded in custody after a first court hearing at Barkingside Magistrates' Court last month.

Dylan Ossei, 34, pleaded guilty to three religiously aggravated offences at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Monday. It comes after two men, aged 58 and 26, and a 53-year-old woman were injured in the incident in Southbury Road in Enfield in the early hours of Saturday. Ossei was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Wood Green Crown Court for sentencing at a later date. The three victims did not require further medical treatment, the Metropolitan Police previously said.

Tests for traces of illicit drugs in wastewater in five cities and towns this summer will give the HSE a real-time picture of spikes in usage.

Middlesex secured their second victory of the season when they defeated Lancashire by six wickets on a dramatic third day of the County Championship match. Naavya Sharma took a career-best four for 17 and Ryan Higgins four for 27 to help dismiss the home side for 84, Middlesex's first win at Old Trafford since 1996. The visitors then needed 117 to win and the outcome was in some doubt when they were 64 for four just after lunch but Ben Geddes's 73 not out off 70 balls enabled them to reach their target in some comfort.

Mothers in Hillview Drive and Batt Donegan Place say a community support scheme has given a lifeline to struggling families

Drinking first was about anxiety. I've had this terrible social anxiety and that helped me get through it. He said he started drinking in his teenage years after the death of his father and then in my adult life, I couldn't stop. I wasn't drinking to be convivial. I was on my own in the pub. That was really hard and very hard for my ex-wife and people around me.

A Sinn Féin by-election candidate has contradicted party leader Mary Lou McDonald who said he could take part in debates as Gaeilge.

Garda Stephen O’Shea of Wicklow Town Garda Station told the court that on December 12, 2024, Mr Feeley waited for the 82‑year‑old victim to return to his home in Barndarrig, County Wicklow. When the man arrived and sat in his car, the accused approached and attacked him, delivering kicks, punches, jabs, and a headbutt.

There are no councillors from any other parties and no independent candidates were elected either. Westminster, a borough considered one of the most high-profile wards in Thursday's local elections, has historically been a Tory stronghold. It shifted to Labour control in 2022, but political experts had widely predicted the Conservatives would win the council back. Conservative Westminster Group Leader, Paul Swaddle, described the result as fantastic, adding that he had been hopeful walking into the count tonight.

The Tories kept the same number of seats held in 2022, while Labour made notable inroads, increasing its representation from seven to 13 seats. The Liberal Democrats also saw a modest gain, securing three seats. However, the election proved less fruitful for other contenders with no wins for Reform or the Green Party.

Revenue Commissioners have now raised questions over alleged reckless trading at well-known garden and homeware retailer

The single vehicle collision, involving a motorcycle, occurred last night at approximately 9.20pm near Glenour in Adamstown. The male driver was pronounced dead at the scene and his body has since been taken to the mortuary in University Hospital Waterford where a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.

8.30pm, BBC One Happy 100th birthday to David Attenborough! A week of celebratory programming has led up to this special live extravaganza at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The BBC Concert Orchestra will accompany the 90-minute journey through the veteran broadcaster's most remarkable moments over the last century. Prepare to be left in awe and probably a wee bit emotional, too.

Millwall and West Ham have hated each other since Queen Victoria sat on the British throne and Australia was still a collection of English colonies. Their clashes have taken violence in football to new level for more than a century as they transformed from dockworkers' brawls over strikes and betrayals to rival "firms" spilling blood on the streets.

The latest arrest follows a number of separate attacks across London in recent months, including the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green last week. Thirty-one people had now been arrested as part of various investigations by the Met's counter-terrorism unit into attacks on Jewish sites in London since March, the force said. These include attacks on two synagogues in north London and a Jewish business.

The discovery was made in Carrick-on-Suir at around lunchtime and emergency services were alerted. While investigators are keeping an open-mind, initial indications are that there is no foul play involved in their deaths. A primary line of inquiry being probed is that the woman and infant girl died following a medical tragedy at the property in the hours before they were discovered.

It's amazing how quickly a building starts to degrade when it's not being used, says Simon Rayner, who I'm here with. He points to the peeling paint and patches of green lichen; the unkempt flower beds; the bedraggled collapsed parasols over the outdoor tables; a line of forgotten beer barrels along the garden wall, still awaiting collection.

Legends is a six-part thriller by Neil Forsyth based on the true story of a group of ordinary men and women recruited from the rank and file of Her Majesty's Customs in the early 90s, given three weeks' training and sent undercover to infiltrate and bring down two massive drug cartels that were filling Britain's streets with heroin.

Jo's death has been officially recorded as a homicide based on the information known to us at this time. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with her death. We would like to reassure the public there is not believed to be any wider risk to safety and this is not being treated as terrorism-related.

Gardaí and emergency services were alerted shortly after 9am after a male in his 30s was found unresponsive at a residential property in Castlebar. He was pronounced deceased at the scene a short time later.

"It's a chance to get together and singing is quite bonding. Being outside adds so much to the wellbeing benefits of singing because we're around the trees."