News 23/07/26

Andy Burnham is set to spend his first working day at the northern branch of Downing Street.

No 10 North in Manchester forms part of the prime minister’s aim to shift power from Whitehall and Westminster to regions across the UK. Ministers Lucy Powell and Louise Haigh will operate regularly from the site, with up to three hundred civil servants joining them by the end of next year. On Friday, Burnham will chair a National Economic Council meeting in Manchester.

Domestic abuse incidents during the 2026 FIFA World Cup reached their highest recorded level, according to the UK Football Policing Unit.

Chief Constable Mark Roberts, national lead for policing football, said alcohol consumption led to an increase. In total, 384 domestic violence incidents were reported, representing 17 per cent of the 2,322 total incidents.

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been moved from Belmarsh prison to Broadmoor psychiatric hospital, the Ministry of Justice said.

Rudakubana is serving a 52-year sentence for the fatal stabbing of three girls and attempted murder of ten others at a dance class in July 2024. He pleaded guilty to killing Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe.

The UK government says it is ready to defend the nation after Iran warned of consequences for allowing the US military to launch strikes from British bases.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned London’s decision, warning that any country assisting military action against Tehran will bear responsibility. In response, the Ministry of Defence declared that British armed forces stand ready twenty-four-seven to protect the country.

Senior ministers and aides close to Andy Burnham are expected to regularly work from No 10 North, which the prime minister said will be the dominant driver of the UK’s economy.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, and Louise Haigh are planning to work there. The branch currently operates from Heron House in Manchester city centre whilst a brownfield site is redeveloped. Think tank Re:State recommends a workforce of three hundred staff.

A police chief has apologised after admitting phones were twice seized from Manchester synagogue attacker Jihad Al-Shamie months before his attack, but were never examined.

Al-Shamie killed two Jewish men at Heaton Park Synagogue on October 2nd, 2025. Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson conceded the unexamined devices contained evidence of extreme views that would have inspired further investigative action.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has paused the government’s early release scheme, confirming no prisoners will be let out until an urgent review is completed.

The decision follows widespread uproar after revelations that two of police officer Andrew Harper’s killers could be released when the policy takes effect in September. The prospect sparked anger from PC Harper’s family, his widow, and political opposition.

Global oil prices have climbed back above one hundred dollars a barrel, with Brent crude hitting the milestone for the first time since late May.

The surge follows escalating events in the Middle East, with financial markets reacting to rapidly rising insurance premiums for oil and gas tankers navigating the region.

A judge has sentenced Mohammad Bashir for preparation for acts of terrorism at the UK Defence Academy.

The thirty-one-year-old was given life in prison with a minimum term of sixteen years and one hundred and thirty-five days, representing seventeen years less time on remand. The judge said his sentence must stand as a warning to men attracted to militant, violent and destructive Islam.

Former River City actor Iain Robertson has been jailed for nine years for raping a woman and assaulting two others.

The forty-five-year-old, who played Stevie O’Hara in the BBC soap, was convicted of five offences between 2004 and 2019. Robertson, who won a BAFTA for Small Faces, also starred in Grange Hill and Band of Brothers. Lady Drummond said his offending involved violence, coercion and sexual abuse.

A teenage girl and a woman in her forties have died after getting into difficulty in the water off the Essex coast.

Emergency services were called to West Mersea on Wednesday following reports of several people in distress. Police confirmed two deaths, while a third person remains in a serious condition in hospital, and two others have non-life-threatening injuries.

Andy Burnham has received a message from some of Britain’s millionaires calling on him to make them pay more tax.

Gary Lineker is among one hundred and twenty wealthy figures who signed a letter to the new prime minister, stating that higher taxes on their personal wealth could help reduce inequality, support public infrastructure, and assist small businesses.

The first drug to help people with multiple sclerosis walk is being made available on the NHS in England.

Fampridine boosts nerve signals to make movement easier, benefiting up to five thousand people each year. The medication is already available elsewhere in the UK, with patients praising the decision to offer it on the NHS.

Large parts of England and Wales have seen minimal rainfall since mid-June, despite June being wetter than average overall.

Most of England has recorded less than ten millimetres of rain since the fifteenth of June, with Wisley in Surrey recording no rain for thirty-six consecutive days. North-east Wales has also seen particularly dry conditions.

Yemen’s Houthis say they have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea as the US launched its twelfth consecutive night of strikes on Iran.

Iranian state media reported two deaths from Wednesday’s strikes, while US President Donald Trump previously threatened action if ships were targeted or if the Houthis blocked the Red Sea.

The UK government has temporarily withdrawn its embassy staff from Iran due to the security situation and new information on regional tensions.

An update confirmed the Iranian embassy will continue to operate remotely. The decision follows eleven consecutive nights of US strikes on Iran and threats from Donald Trump against Iranian infrastructure.