Adam Forrest

Six councils in London and the south-east have received permission to consider council tax increases above England’s usual 5 per cent limit because of significant funding shortfalls. Wandsworth is discussing a possible rise of up to 160 per cent in its council element, which could add about £814 to an average Band D bill, while Westminster has indicated that a 75–100 per cent increase may be necessary. Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, the City of London, and Windsor and Maidenhead are also reportedly examining increases of more than 70 per cent. Conservative councillors blame Labour’s revised funding formula and previous administrations, while Labour argues that delayed reform and local financial decisions are responsible. Experts question whether increases of this scale would be politically feasible, and no final decisions had been made.

Forecasters warn that thunderstorms and heavy rain moving across the UK could trigger localised surface-water flooding, particularly where recent heatwaves have left the ground hard and dry. Towns and cities in southern England, the Midlands and Wales—including London, Birmingham and Cardiff—are highlighted as especially vulnerable, while parts of northern England also face prolonged-dry-weather conditions. Dense urban areas are at heightened risk because ageing drainage systems are increasingly overwhelmed by expanded tarmac and concrete surfaces; around 4.6 million properties in England are already considered at risk from surface-water flooding. Experts and housing organisations call for more “sponge city” measures, including permeable pavements, roadside gardens, urban wetlands and smarter drainage. The Government says it is investing £10.5bn in flood defences over the next decade and has changed funding rules to support smaller flash-flooding projects.

Dust devils have recently been recorded in Kent, Suffolk, Northamptonshire and London as the UK experiences exceptional summer heat. Unlike tornadoes, these short-lived ground-up vortices form when intense surface heating creates a rotating column of air; they are generally less dangerous but can lift light objects and cause injuries or minor damage. Weather expert Jim Dale says fossil-fuel-driven climate change and more frequent heatwaves will likely make the phenomenon more common in Britain. The Met Office is considering amber or red extreme-heat warnings for areas reaching 36°C or more, while drought conditions already affect much of England and all of Wales.

Rupert Lowe has publicly proposed cooperation between his Restore Britain party and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, conditional on hard-line measures including mass deportations, major spending cuts, a death-penalty referendum and excluding former Conservative ministers from a future cabinet. Farage has left the door open but rejected abandoning allies. Insiders on both sides doubt a pact will succeed because of deep personal hostility, distrust and disagreements over strategy. Reform fears Lowe’s demands could alienate moderate voters, while Restore accuses Reform of watering down its policies and being unwilling to deliver them. Analysts say Farage is trying to broaden Reform’s appeal, making an alliance with Lowe’s more nativist platform electorally risky despite the parties’ overlapping opposition to immigration.

Nigel Farage faces renewed scrutiny over allegations that he negotiated a possible return to Reform UK’s leadership before the 2024 general election, potentially undermining his claim that he was not involved in politics when he received a £5m gift from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne. Farage says discussions with Richard Tice concerned potential party liabilities rather than a binding agreement. Parliamentary investigations into the gift and Tice’s interests, along with police inquiries into donations linked to Reform and George Cottrell, could ultimately lead to Farage’s suspension and a recall petition in Clacton. Opposition parties argue that a second by-election would give them an opportunity to defeat him, while Farage is expected to win the immediate contest triggered by his own resignation.

Asylum seekers living in former student accommodation in Aberdeen say they are struggling to survive on £49 a week, with inadequate facilities, reliance on food banks and little access to basic amenities. Several describe racist abuse, intimidation, being followed, spat at and having rocks thrown through windows. The accounts come as Labour advances plans to close asylum hotels and use military sites, student blocks and HMOs instead. Refugee Action urges an end to hostile political rhetoric and calls for better long-term housing, while the Adam Smith Institute warns that moving asylum seekers into residential areas could intensify local tensions. The Home Office says abuse is unacceptable and that community concerns are central to its accommodation plans.

Lowering the mansion tax threshold from £2m to £1.5m would expand liability to an additional 137,000 households and shift the impact beyond London and the South East into the Midlands and North. Analysis from Hamptons suggests the change would disproportionately increase affected homeowners in these regions and include more modest family homes. The move could generate an additional £343m annually but has raised concerns about its effect on pensioners with limited incomes. Falling numbers of £2m-plus homes indicate downward pressure on prices as buyers seek to avoid the levy. Some Labour MPs are advocating broader reform, including replacing council tax with a proportional property tax, though the Government remains committed to its current manifesto.

Families of children with special educational needs face severe shortages in summer holiday club availability, with research showing most English councils lack sufficient places and many disabled children receive no support. Charities report high costs, inadequate staffing and families being turned away, leaving some parents unable to work. Case studies highlight unaffordable support needs, while local authorities and sector leaders call for increased government funding. The government cites existing investment and upcoming childcare reforms aimed at improving access.

Prince Harry and six other public figures lost their High Court privacy case against Associated Newspapers Limited after the judge ruled that none had proven allegations of unlawful information gathering. The court accepted journalists’ explanations for how information was sourced and dismissed claims of voicemail interception, tapping and deception. The ruling also found no evidence that senior ANL executives lied to the Leveson Inquiry. The decision coincided with Harry’s visit to the UK, where Buckingham Palace withdrew an accommodation offer due to concerns linked to the pending judgment.

Experts warn that demand for newly available Wegovy weight‑loss pills is likely to trigger a surge in counterfeit versions entering the UK, with criminal groups producing cheap pills using hazardous fillers such as chalk, paint and brick dust. Pharmacists anticipate a rapid rise in new patients seeking treatment, increasing the risk that ineligible individuals will turn to unregulated online sellers. Surveys indicate widespread concern among pharmacies that pills are easier to counterfeit than injectable versions, while regulators face growing pressure to disrupt illegal supply chains. Counterfeit weight‑loss drugs have already been seized in large quantities, and experts caution that high prices, limited access and misleading social‑media messaging may push consumers toward dangerous black‑market products.