UK News

Santander UK has pledged not to shut any more branches across its network and those of recently-acquired rival TSB before 2028, despite plans to cut costs further over the rest of the year. The bank’s new boss Mahesh Aditya said he saw branches as an “important part of our strategy” as he unveiled the commitment, which will see it maintain 305 Santander and 175 TSB branches across the UK for […]

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has paid tribute to his “dear friend” Ozzy Osbourne on the first anniversary of his death, adding: “I still can’t believe that he’s not with us.” The singer, known as the Prince of Darkness, died aged 76 in July last year just over two weeks after his Back To The Beginning farewell concert where he was reunited with his bandmates. Osbourne is famed for co-founding […]

The former chief executive of Southern Water has been charged with conspiracy to defraud authorities over allegations he was involved in a plan to manipulate water quality tests to avoid millions of pounds in penalties Matthew Wright has been accused alongside three others of conspiring to defraud the Environment Agency (EA) and water regulator Ofwat. The EA previously asked a judge to issue a summons against Wright, as well as […]

The widow of police officer Andrew Harper has said it is “deplorable” that two of his killers are being considered for early release. Lissie Harper said that politicians are “making decisions from behind a desk that will have real and lasting consequences” for the families of victims. It comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will review the early release scheme policy. Pc Harper was 28 years old […]

Southampton’s head coach Tonda Eckert has been charged by the Football Association over the ‘Spygate’ scandal. Saints were thrown out of the Championship play-offs by the EFL in May over the affair and docked four points for the coming season. The club admitted spying on a training session held by play-off opponents Middlesbrough in May, and on sessions at Ipswich and Oxford earlier in the season. On May 21 the […]

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has held talks over potentially joining a consortium which has expressed an interest in buying a minority stake in Liverpool, according to reports. According to Sky News, Bezos, one of the world’s richest men, could become part of a syndicate which is led by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of billionaire steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal. On Tuesday, Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group confirmed that Bhatia’s group had […]

Phil Foden has committed his future to boyhood club Manchester City with a new four-year deal that includes an option for a further 12 months. The new contract, broadly agreed back in May before Pep Guardiola’s departure was announced, represents a significant show of faith from City in their academy graduate, who has struggled for form and fitness since he was named player of the year during the 2023-24 Premier […]

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will review the early prisoner release policy amid concerns from the family of police officer Andrew Harper. While he could not say he will “change the policy completely” he pledged to look at it “in detail” before it proceeds. The constable’s mother said it feels like an “insult” that two of her son’s killers may be eligible for early release from prison. The […]

UK inflation fell to the lowest rate in 15 months in June as food and fuel prices dropped in an early boost to the cost-of-living-focused Andy Burnham. The rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) was 2.6% in June, down from 2.8% in May, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This was the lowest level since March 2025, and also came in below the 2.7% rate that most economists […]