A police officer has been shot dead at Croydon Police Station in south London. The officer was shot by a man who was being detained at the custody centre in Windmill Lane. It is believed the suspect was taken to the station, where he was searched, before producing a weapon and firing it at an …
The UK government borrowed £35.9bn in August as tackling the economic fallout of pandemic took its toll on the public finances, official figures show. The figure – the difference between spending and tax income – was £30.5bn more than it borrowed in August last year. The increase meant that the borrowing figure hit its highest …
The government has “wasted” three weeks of Whitehall bosses’ time by twice changing its advice on civil servants working from home, a union says. FDA leader Dave Penman said ministers had got themselves into a “tizzy” and had suggested staff were “lazy”. In March, civil servants were told to work from home if possible, but …
Industries hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic are facing further uncertainty after missing out on help in the chancellor’s new emergency jobs scheme. Retail, hospitality, events and night-time industries expressed concern, as have those on zero-hours contracts. Rishi Sunak has said employees must be in ”viable” jobs to benefit from the wage top-up scheme. This …
More than 40 Conservative MPs are backing an attempt to increase parliamentary scrutiny over further coronavirus restrictions in England. Senior Tory Sir Graham Brady has tabled an amendment that would see the House of Commons to debate and vote on any future such measures. It comes as MPs prepare to consider government legislation that will …
More than 1,000 people have been arrested and an estimated £1.2m worth of drugs seized in a police crackdown on so-called “county lines” gangs. Young and vulnerable people are used as couriers to move drugs and cash between cities and smaller towns. Police said raids in the past week, involving all 43 regional forces in …
Thalidomide campaigners have paid tribute to investigative journalist Sir Harold Evans, who has died aged 92. The British-American journalist, who led an investigation into the drug, died of heart failure in New York, his wife Tina Brown said. David Mason, whose daughter Louise Medus-Mansell was a Thalidomide victim, said Sir Harold played a “pivotal” role …
A black barrister mistaken for a defendant three times in one day has received an apology from court officials. Criminal and family lawyer Alexandra Wilson, 25, said the experience had left her “absolutely exhausted”. She lodged a formal complaint after being challenged by a security officer, a solicitor and a clerk. Her Majesty’s Courts and …
The UK has recorded 6,634 new coronavirus cases, the government has announced, making it the highest figure since mass testing began. Another 40 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus. The latest figures take the overall number of confirmed cases to 416,363, and total deaths to 41,902. Meanwhile, people arriving …
Students are being told not to go to pubs, parties or restaurants in a bid to stem a spate of coronavirus outbreaks at Scottish universities. Hundreds of students have tested positive at campuses across the country, with many more self-isolating. Universities have now pledged to make it “absolutely clear” to students that there must be …