Water - an industry sinking
Water company shareholders in England and Wales have taken more than £85.2 billion since privatisation in 1989. The water companies’ total debt is £65 billion.
Water company shareholders in England and Wales have taken more than £85.2 billion since privatisation in 1989. The water companies’ total debt is £65 billion.
On 10 June Rolls-Royce announced that it has been selected to develop Britain’s first three small modular reactors.
Government plans to “crack down on fraud” are revealed in a new fraud bill making its way through Parliament.
Whatever the prime minister is saying about caution, President Trump is already using British bases to further warmaking in the Middle East.
Aggressive new NATO head Mark Rutte of the Netherlands has stated that NATO should “shift to a wartime mindset and turbocharge defence production”.
Such is its concern for the environment, the Scottish National Party (SNP) has banned the burning of bin bag waste in Scottish landfills from 31 December this year.
While the announcement of rail funding dominated headlines in Wales, the 2025 Spending Review provided crucial detail on the outlook for the Welsh government spending.
26 June 2025
Bradford University staff are striking over job cuts. They have criticised the university’s response to a £16 million deficit, forcing through job losses.
24 June 2025
Most of the Welsh government’s spending comes from the UK Treasury. The grant for the next three years looks inadequate, which will set the fiscal context for next year’s Senedd election.
23 June 2025
Librarians are standing up for freedom of thought and acting against censorship. They warn of growing threats to being able to offer books freely.
2 June 2025
One aspect of the housing crisis is the bad state of rented homes and the problem is growing, judging by a recent report. These conditions are a threat to health, especially children.
2 June 2025
The government’s declared aim to build more homes faces many challenges, not least the need to provide adequate infrastructure. People in Buckinghamshire are campaigning against a new development because sewers in the area can’t cope.
1 June 2025
The government is returning passenger operating companies to public ownership. But large parts of the system remain in private hands. Rail union RMT says there’s much more to do to secure the rail network Britain needs.
20 May 2025
Members of the University and College Union continue to take action in defence of higher education in this country
13 May 2025
Ørsted, the world’s largest offshore wind developer, has abruptly pulled out of the Hornsea 4 offshore wind farm in the North Sea, one of Britain’s biggest-ever projects. This puts the government’s target of net zero for power by 2030 at extreme risk.
24 April 2025
The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that in the Equality Act “sex” means biological sex, not “certificated” sex. This is a welcome affirmation that facts – and science – matter.
23 April 2025
No one wants to see a reoccurrence of foot and mouth disease in Britain, remembering the slaughter and burning of millions of animals in 2001. British farmers have been urging the government to act in response to cases on the European mainland.
23 April 2025
In March the government began a major shake-up of the NHS. Medical professionals and trade unions have warned against repeating the mistakes of the past.
23 April 2025
A new campaign aims to build support for removing all asbestos from schools without more delay.
23 April 2025
Many UK universities face ruin due to their reliance on the bloated fees of international students. Student numbers are dropping; it’s left to university staff to pick up the pieces.
23 April 2025
Banks continue to close branches to save costs, denying cash and banking facilities to an increasing number of people.
23 April 2025
British doctors have launched a campaign to give British medical graduates priority when applying for speciality training. Applications from international graduates for the limited number of posts have increased.
23 April 2025
A major new poll finds that the attitudes of young Britons don’t conform to media stereotypes.
The scramble to acquire the raw materials needed to avert the closure of the Scunthorpe steel plant highlights the folly of successive governments in prioritising imports over domestic production in our vital industries.
Britain has a need for nuclear power and a world leading company, Rolls-Royce, able to provide it. The company – and trade union Unite – wants the government to seize the opportunity.
The scandal-hit Post Office has announced the next stage of its plans for the business. Up to 1,000 jobs may be lost – and the operation of the remaining offices franchised to private companies.
The government has closed a key farming support scheme without notice. On 11 March it announced that the Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme (SFI) was immediately closed to new applications.
In March the government began a shake-up of the NHS, abolishing NHS England (NHSE). Although that was welcomed, medical professionals and trade unions warned against repeating mistakes of the past.
On 4 April an impressive meeting was held in Hamilton House, north London, to build a campaign to remove all asbestos from schools. Appropriately, it was held during Global Asbestos Awareness Week. The aim is to press government to take corrective action urgently.
4 April 2025
The closure of the last two steel blast furnaces in Britain happened at the end of March. This is a disastrous development for British industry and all workers given the fundamental importance of steel.