News 14/05/26

A student has died and two others are being treated following a meningitis outbreak in Reading.

The young person attended Henley College in Oxfordshire, according to the Hart Surgery in Henley-on-Thames. The UK Health Security Agency is currently contacting those who may be at risk due to close association with the student. They confirmed the death was due to suspected meningococcal disease.

Number Ten has indicated that Keir Starmer will not seek to block the Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, from becoming the Labour candidate for an upcoming By Election.

Allies say the Prime Minister is focused on bringing the party together to tackle issues facing working families.

Nigel Farage has stated that a five million pound gift from a billionaire donor was a reward for his Brexit campaigning.

The Reform UK leader told reporters he cannot be bought and that the money from Christopher Harborne was provided on an unconditional basis. Mr Farage previously argued he was under no obligation to declare the gift because it was for his personal security and received before he was elected as an MP. Opponents claim the amount should have been declared in the register of interests.

Andy Burnham has a potential route back to Westminster following an announcement by Josh Simons.

The current Member of Parliament for Makerfield has confirmed he will stand aside in his Greater Manchester seat to trigger a by-election. Mr Simons stated he wants the Mayor to contest and win the seat. In a post on X, he argued that Westminster has overseen the managed decline of towns and claimed that nothing short of radical, courageous reform would meet the moment.

Property records seen by Sky News show Reform UK leader Nigel Farage bought a one point four million pound property in cash shortly after receiving a five million pound gift from billionaire donor Christopher Harborne.

The purchase, completed in May 2024, occurred weeks before Mr Farage reversed his decision not to stand in the general election. A spokesperson for Reform said the chronology was straightforward, stating the purchase process for the property had actually commenced before the gift was received.

A court has heard that a first-year university student was stabbed to death with an extremely large shastar knife while walking home from a night out.

Eighteen-year-old Henry Nowak was killed in December last year. Prosecutors told Southampton Crown Court that twenty-three-year-old Vickrum Digwa was carrying the twenty-one-centimetre weapon openly displayed over his clothing. The court was told that Mr Digwa also had a kirpan knife under his clothing at the time of the fatal attack.

A manipulative former imam from east London has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of twenty years for a series of sexual attacks.

Abdul Halim Khan, aged fifty-four, abused his position of trust to target seven victims, including girls as young as twelve, between 2005 and 2014. In February, he was found guilty of twenty-one counts involving rape and child sexual offences. Judge Leslie Cuthbert condemned his deliberate distortion of the Muslim faith.

Motability drivers will no longer have to use black boxes in their vehicles after criticism from people affected by the changes.

The Motability scheme, which allows some disability benefits to be exchanged for a leased vehicle, made the devices compulsory in April for new leaseholders and drivers under thirty. The boxes monitor driving habits including speed and braking, with repeated poor ratings possibly leading to removal from the scheme. Motability chief executive Andrew Miller says the programme was introduced to reduce accidents and manage insurance costs, but has now been paused because of anxiety and concerns raised by users.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has resigned from government after saying he no longer has confidence in Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.

In his resignation letter, Streeting said improvements in NHS performance were reasons to remain in post, but staying would now be dishonourable and unprincipled. He said Labour figures wanted a debate focused on ideas rather than personalities or factionalism.

The King has visited Golders Green to support the area’s Jewish community following last month’s stabbing attack.

Members of the public shouted “long live the King” while others told Charles he was always welcome. The King replied that it was a dangerous world and agreed the attack had been horrific before greeting more people nearby.

Police say they believe they have identified the three women who died in the sea off Brighton beach.

Emergency services were called to Madeira Drive shortly before six o’clock on Wednesday morning after reports of a person in the water. Two more bodies were later recovered nearby.

The UK economy has grown unexpectedly in the first month of the Iran war, according to official figures.

GDP, which measures the total output of goods and services, rose by 0.3% in March, the Office for National Statistics said. That was higher than economists had expected, with a fall of 0.2% predicted. The data also showed the economy expanded by 0.6 percent across the first three months of the year.

Angela Rayner has settled a £40,000 stamp duty bill linked to a flat near Brighton, clearing the way for her to stand in any Labour leadership contest if one takes place.

She confirmed she has now paid the outstanding tax to HMRC and no penalty has been issued. Rayner did not rule out running for the leadership and is understood to be ready to put herself forward if required. Allies say she is not actively seeking the job but would step in and believes she could secure enough support from Labour MPs to make the ballot.

Sir Keir Starmer has warned Labour ministers that a leadership contest would create chaos as pressure grows from Wes Streeting and his supporters.

The prime minister spent Wednesday meeting cabinet allies and MPs after the King’s Speech in an attempt to strengthen support. Allies of the health secretary told Sky News he is preparing to resign and challenge Sir Keir for leadership.

Police are preparing to trial the world’s first breath test for nitrous oxide in a crackdown on drug driving.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police will use the device to target motorists using laughing gas or hippy crack. Officers say the drug can cause euphoria giggling fits headaches dizziness and paranoia.

The head of the International Air Transport Association says ticket prices for flights are inevitable because of jet fuel costs.

Willie Walsh said airlines cannot absorb costs over time. He also warned the industry still faces concerns about fuel shortages in the UK, with disruption to conflict in the Middle East expected to continue into next year.