Georgia Roberts

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is under pressure to clarify whether his government will take greater responsibility for Snake Pass, after previously arguing that the key route between Manchester and Sheffield should be treated as national infrastructure. The Department for Transport says Derbyshire County Council remains responsible, while pointing to £7.6m in safety funding and wider regional transport allocations. The road is costly, hazardous and frequently closed because of landslips and severe weather, and the council says it cannot sustain repairs indefinitely. Local political leaders are calling for a long-term solution, while alternatives such as a Manchester–Sheffield tunnel have been rejected by the government.

Labour MP Samantha Niblett is campaigning for lifelong sex education covering consent, respect, healthy relationships, pleasure and sexual health, arguing that education is needed to prevent abuse and counter pornography’s role as default sex education. Her “Yes Sex Please, We’re British!” campaign has attracted ridicule from some politicians, including Kemi Badenoch and several Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs, but has also gained cross-party backing and support from NHS and probation-service workers, sex educator Cindy Gallop and Emma Thompson. Niblett plans to display sex toys and educational aids in Parliament, target the education and health departments, and press for a dedicated ministerial role and stronger provision for older teenagers and adults.

Labour MP Samantha Niblett is campaigning for lifelong sex education covering consent, respect, healthy relationships, pleasure and sexual health, arguing that better education could help prevent abuse and counter pornography’s role as default sex education. Her “Yes Sex Please, We’re British!” campaign has attracted ridicule from some politicians, including Kemi Badenoch, Tom Hayes and Anna Sabine, but has also gained cross-party, NHS, probation-service and celebrity support. Niblett plans to display sex toys and educational aids in Parliament, seek government action and advocate for a ministerial role focused on sex education and wellbeing.

A father is seeking compensation from Derbyshire County Council after his son’s car overturned, which he believes was caused by a pothole on Kedleston Road. Freedom of Information documents reveal numerous pothole complaints in the year prior to the crash. The council says winter weather sharply increased repair demand and that it has expanded maintenance teams and preventative treatments. Additional FOI data shows the council has paid more than £1m in pothole compensation over four years, most of it in the 2023–24 period. The RAC welcomed a recent decline in payouts but stressed the need for more preventative road maintenance.

Supporters of a proposed 14‑mile trans‑Pennine road tunnel between Manchester and Sheffield claim it could deliver major economic benefits, reduce journey times, and divert traffic from sensitive areas of the Peak District. Developer Future Works argues that using a Norwegian drill‑and‑blast tunnelling method could lower costs to under £2bn, far below earlier estimates. The East Midlands County Combined Authority welcomes discussion on alternative funding and delivery models, while the UK government maintains it has no plans to pursue the project due to financial and environmental concerns, highlighting existing safety improvements on the A628 and A616 corridors.

High Peak Borough Council is closing its Carelink telecare service due to longstanding staffing shortages, prompting warnings from clinicians and families that vulnerable residents will be left without timely assistance after falls. The service, used by many elderly and disabled people in remote areas, handled nearly 3,000 emergency calls last year but requires more staff to operate safely. Users, relatives and local medical professionals fear increased strain on ambulance and GP services and say the lack of public consultation has worsened concerns. The council maintains it had no choice but to close the service for safeguarding reasons.

The government’s proposal to cancel the A38 Derby Junctions and A46 Newark Bypass projects to redirect funding toward defence has drawn strong criticism from East Midlands mayor Claire Ward and local MPs. Ward argued the region was unfairly targeted despite longstanding underinvestment, while others warned of potential economic harm. The Department for Transport said the projects are under consultation, and National Highways confirmed the cancellation of a related Skanska contract as the schemes’ future remains uncertain.