Displaying items by tag: Government

The Government has unveiled a £3.5bn national plan to end homelessness, aiming to halve long-term rough sleeping by 2029/30. Housing secretary Steve Reed described homelessness as 'one of the most profound challenges we face’, promising a future where it is 'rare, brief, and not repeated’. The strategy includes a new duty requiring prisons, hospitals, and social care to work together, preventing people from being discharged straight onto the streets. It also pledges to halve first-night homelessness among prison leavers, reduce the number of families living in B&B accommodation, and direct £50m to councils to create tailored action plans. A £124m supported housing scheme is expected to help 2,500 people off the streets. However, charities warn the plan falls short, noting that only £100m of the funding is new and highlighting major gaps, particularly around prevention, frozen housing benefit, refugee support, and the lack of available social homes. MPs and homelessness organisations say the strategy appears rushed and insufficient to meet the scale of need, with record numbers of people (especially children) expected to be homeless this Christmas.

The authorities are under intense scrutiny for their handling of Cyclone Ditwah, which has affected more than 1.46 million people across all 25 districts and caused the nation’s worst flooding in two decades. Over 410 people are confirmed dead, hundreds are missing, and tens of thousands are sheltering in overcrowded government centers. Critics argue that officials ignored early warning signs and failed to coordinate a timely, unified emergency response, leaving rescue teams overwhelmed and communication systems fragmented. Severe damage to roads, power networks, and telecommunications has isolated northern districts, complicating relief efforts as water levels continue to rise. Opposition leaders are pursuing legal action, accusing the government of negligence that cost many lives. Further concerns have emerged over inadequate disaster communication in Tamil, which left many without critical information. Despite international aid pledges and a state of emergency, the crisis has exposed major weaknesses in Sri Lanka’s preparedness and response structures, prompting urgent calls for reform. However, there has been an impressive show of ‘volunteerism’ from local communities: see

The Government has announced a shift in its North Sea energy policy, allowing limited new oil and gas licences - but only where developments connect to existing fields and infrastructure without further exploration. The move marks a softening of Labour's previous pledge to halt new licensing entirely as part of efforts to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Britain’s oil and gas production has sharply declined since the early 2000s, and further reductions are expected over coming decades. At the same time, the Government confirmed it will keep in place the windfall tax introduced during the energy price surge until 2030, despite strong lobbying from industry leaders who argue it deters investment and threatens jobs. Ministers maintain the tax remains essential to raise funds for the transition to clean energy, and a replacement price-linked mechanism is planned once the levy expires. The debate highlights the complex balance between economic security, climate responsibility and workforce stability.

Poland is one of the highest-risk areas for trafficking in Europe, with 209,000 people currently trapped in modern slavery and many more vulnerable due to migration and regional conflict. Women and children make up the overwhelming majority of those exploited for sex. The country’s geography - bordering seven nations and serving as a transit hub - makes it a key route for traffickers. Although Poland has earned top marks from the USA for its commitment to combating exploitation, law enforcement resources remain stretched too thin to meet the growing need for protection. International Justice Mission (IJM), the world’s largest anti-trafficking organisation, has now launched a formal partnership in Poland, building on its success in Romania and other regions. Working with authorities, NGOs, and survivors, IJM will focus on strengthening investigations, ensuring survivor care, and driving systemic change, with the aim of protecting millions from abuse and exploitation.

Keir Starmer has firmly denied authorising anonymous briefings against members of his cabinet after reports suggested some aides believed he could face a leadership challenge from health secretary Wes Streeting. At PMQs, he called such attacks completely unacceptable, insisting he appointed his ministers because they are 'the best people to carry out their jobs’. Streeting, who missed PMQs to address an NHS conference, rejected claims he was plotting a leadership bid and criticised what he described as a 'toxic culture' inside No 10 - though he does not believe the prime minister is responsible. Kemi Badenoch accused Starmer of having 'lost control of his government’, while speculation persists within Labour about who might stand if a contest were triggered. Despite a large 2024 majority, Starmer’s leadership has faced turbulence; with the Budget and devolved elections looming, internal unity is being tested.

Thousands of NHS administrative and managerial staff in England are set to lose their jobs after the Treasury approved a deal allowing the health service to overspend this year to fund redundancy costs. Earlier, the government confirmed that 18,000 roles would be cut as part of major reforms bringing NHS England back under the Department of Health and halving staff numbers in local Integrated Care Boards. The £1bn cost of pay-offs will be recovered in future years through expected savings, with ministers insisting no additional funding is being provided beyond existing spending plans. Health secretary Wes Streeting argued that patients and staff want bureaucracy reduced so frontline care can be prioritised, saying the reforms would help rebuild the NHS. Government estimates suggest the changes could save £1bn annually, enough to fund over 100,000 extra hip and knee operations. However, the Royal College of Nursing warned that losing expert staff risks harming patient care rather than improving it. NHS leaders have called the agreement 'pragmatic' but acknowledged the uncertainty and disruption facing affected workers.

Keir Starmer has given his clearest indication yet that his government intends to scrap the two-child benefit cap, strongly suggesting the change will be included in the forthcoming 26 November Budget. He said he would not promise to drive down child poverty without being prepared to take 'a number of measures' to achieve it. His comments closely followed remarks from Rachel Reeves, who said it was wrong for children to be 'penalised' simply for being part of a larger family. Treasury sources described her comments as a deliberate 'signal of intent’, with ministers reportedly favouring a full removal of the cap rather than more limited alternatives. One estimate is that abolishing the cap would cost around £3.5bn by 2029/30. The move comes amid unease within Labour ranks over the party’s commitment not to raise income tax. Starmer insisted he was 'personally committed' to reducing child poverty, saying it was a defining achievement of the last Labour government and a priority he intends to pursue again. See

The longest US government shutdown in history has ended after 43 tense days, restoring pay for federal workers and reopening critical services. Yet its conclusion has left both political parties bruised. Senate Democrats triggered the shutdown by refusing to support a temporary funding bill without guarantees to extend health-care subsidies for low-income Americans. When several Democrats defected to jump ship and vote with the Republicans, they received little more than a promise of a future vote, leaving the party’s progressive wing furious and mainstream figures calling the deal a capitulation. Donald Trump, despite moments of apparent wavering, emerged claiming victory, having conceded virtually nothing of substance. With another funding deadline looming in January and millions facing soaring insurance costs, the end of the shutdown brings only temporary relief.

Rachel Reeves has indicated she is willing to break Labour’s election pledges by raising income tax for the first time in half a century, prioritising what she called 'the national interest over political expediency.' Addressing reporters in Downing Street, Reeves warned that 'we will all have to contribute' to stabilise the economy and repair a £30 billion deficit. She is considering a 2p increase in income tax coupled with a 2p cut in national insurance, shifting the burden from workers to pensioners and landlords. The proposal, expected to raise £6 billion annually, has divided Labour MPs: some warn it risks alienating voters, while others praise Reeves for taking tough, necessary decisions. Critics from the Conservatives and Reform UK accuse her of breaking promises and 'hammering working people’. Reeves insisted she will not walk away, saying she was appointed to turn Britain’s economy around and will finish the job despite political risk.

Keir Starmer has fuelled speculation that Labour may raise income tax in the autumn budget after refusing to reaffirm the party’s election pledge not to increase income tax, national insurance or VAT. Questioned in the Commons, he cited bleak new productivity forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility, which have deepened the £20 billion gap facing Rachel Reeves. Treasury officials are modelling options including a 1p or 2p rise in the basic rate of income tax, possibly offset by cuts to national insurance, to raise up to £8 billion annually. Reeves is also considering freezing tax thresholds, potentially drawing more workers into higher bands, and reviewing the windfall profits levy on oil and gas firms to encourage new investment. Starmer, while claiming there would be 'no return to austerity', said the poor fiscal inheritance from the previous government demanded 'difficult choices’. Critics accused Labour of preparing tax rises because it cannot control spending, while supporters argue that fair reform is needed to restore economic stability. See also