Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

Great British Bake Off champion Jasmine Mitchell, 23, has shared how her Christian faith sustained her throughout the high-pressure competition. The youngest-ever contestant to win ‘Star Baker’ five times, Jasmine said that she leaned heavily on prayer: 'Walking to the tent, I would just pray the Lord’s Prayer in my head. It didn’t take away the stress, but I felt God walking beside me.' Balancing filming with her medical studies, she described the experience as a 'complete miracle' of God’s sustaining grace. She also spoke openly about her journey with alopecia, saying she once prayed for her hair to return, but realised God’s healing meant becoming whole and confident in who He made her to be. Her church community has been a constant encouragement, quietly sharing her bakes and supporting her faith-filled journey. 'God has healed me to make me more whole’, she said, 'and I’m learning to see myself the way He sees me.'

Train company LNER has praised employee Samir 'Sam' Zitouni, 48, for his extraordinary bravery during a mass stabbing on a 6.25pm service from Doncaster to King’s Cross. Samir, a customer host with over 20 years’ service, was critically injured while intervening to protect passengers. CCTV footage confirmed his heroic actions saved many lives. British Transport police described his response as 'nothing short of heroic’. LNER managing director David Horne said, 'In a moment of crisis, Sam did not hesitate to protect those around him. We are so proud of him and continue to support his family.' Samir’s relatives expressed deep gratitude for the outpouring of love, calling him 'a hero - he’s always been a hero to us’. The suspect, Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with eleven counts of attempted murder in connection with this and related knife attacks across Cambridgeshire and London. Prayers continue for Samir’s full recovery and for those traumatised by the violence.

Police are searching for two inmates who were wrongly released from Wandsworth Prison within days of each other. Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, an Algerian convicted sex offender, was mistakenly freed on 29 October, and 35-year-old William Smith, a convicted fraudster, on 3 November. The incidents have triggered fierce criticism of justice secretary David Lammy, who recently pledged to tighten controls after another mistaken release in Essex. Kaddour-Cherif, who overstayed a visa issued in 2019, was on the sex offenders’ register for five years, while Smith had received a 45-month sentence for multiple fraud offences but was wrongly recorded as having a suspended sentence. The ministry of justice has ordered an independent inquiry to uncover the causes of repeated failures. Prison officers report widespread confusion, overcrowding, and low morale at Wandsworth. The police are continuing the manhunt for both men, amid growing concern over the integrity of the UK’s prison system.

Rachel Reeves has indicated she is willing to break Labour’s election pledges by raising income tax for the first time in half a century, prioritising what she called 'the national interest over political expediency.' Addressing reporters in Downing Street, Reeves warned that 'we will all have to contribute' to stabilise the economy and repair a £30 billion deficit. She is considering a 2p increase in income tax coupled with a 2p cut in national insurance, shifting the burden from workers to pensioners and landlords. The proposal, expected to raise £6 billion annually, has divided Labour MPs: some warn it risks alienating voters, while others praise Reeves for taking tough, necessary decisions. Critics from the Conservatives and Reform UK accuse her of breaking promises and 'hammering working people’. Reeves insisted she will not walk away, saying she was appointed to turn Britain’s economy around and will finish the job despite political risk.

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested after fireworks were fired at firefighters and police officers attending a blaze at Knowsley Heights, near Liverpool. Emergency services were called shortly before 7pm after reports of fireworks being directed at the high-rise building. Fire crews quickly extinguished a blaze on a third-floor balcony, but during the operation fireworks were launched towards emergency workers. A female police officer suffered a minor leg injury, and a teenager was also treated for firework burns. Merseyside Police confirmed the boy was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. Chief inspector Kevin Chatterton condemned the 'disgraceful' attack, saying it was only by sheer good fortune that no one was seriously injured. Knowsley Council leader Graham Morgan praised the professionalism of emergency services and vowed to hold those responsible to account. The fire service urged the public to respect first responders, warning that violence against them will not be tolerated.

Keir Starmer has unveiled multi-million-pound clean energy investment deals as he heads to the COP30 climate summit in Brazil. The agreements, worth over £115 million, include £15 million for a new operations centre at the Port of East Anglia, £100 million for Belfast Harbour to deliver two Irish Sea wind farms, and Statera Energy’s plans for a major battery site in Greater Manchester. Downing Street says the projects will create more than 600 skilled jobs, describing them as 'national renewal in action’. Starmer said the UK will continue leading on climate action, promising to champion future generations and working people alike. Energy secretary Ed Miliband called clean power 'the engine of Britain’s economic renewal’. Yet critics question Labour’s ability to meet its net zero goals after scaling back international commitments, including rainforest protection funds. Conservative and Reform UK leaders argue that net zero targets are unrealistic and harmful to UK industry. See also the world article about the Earthshot Prize winners.

The Church of England’s eight-year-long Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process, aimed at reaching unity on same-sex relationships, has drawn fierce criticism from across the spectrum following new decisions by the House of Bishops. The bishops agreed to further synodical discussions on formal blessings for same-sex couples and on whether clergy may enter same-sex marriages. Critics say the Church is more divided than ever. Rev Joshua Penduck called the process 'needlessly painful,' leaving both conservatives and LGBTQ+ believers 'weary and vulnerable’. The deans of Canterbury and Southwark expressed deep disappointment; David Monteith said he feels 'marginal and uncatered for’, and Mark Oakley confessed, 'In thirty years of ministry, I haven’t recognised myself in these debates’. Bishop Martyn Snow, who previously led LLF, acknowledged mistakes but defended the process as an effort to model love amid disagreement. He urged the Church to rediscover grace and humility in navigating these deep divisions.

Keir Starmer has fuelled speculation that Labour may raise income tax in the autumn budget after refusing to reaffirm the party’s election pledge not to increase income tax, national insurance or VAT. Questioned in the Commons, he cited bleak new productivity forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility, which have deepened the £20 billion gap facing Rachel Reeves. Treasury officials are modelling options including a 1p or 2p rise in the basic rate of income tax, possibly offset by cuts to national insurance, to raise up to £8 billion annually. Reeves is also considering freezing tax thresholds, potentially drawing more workers into higher bands, and reviewing the windfall profits levy on oil and gas firms to encourage new investment. Starmer, while claiming there would be 'no return to austerity', said the poor fiscal inheritance from the previous government demanded 'difficult choices’. Critics accused Labour of preparing tax rises because it cannot control spending, while supporters argue that fair reform is needed to restore economic stability. See also

The Government has confirmed that convicted sex offender Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian national mistakenly released from prison, was paid £500 before being deported. Kebatu, jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman while living in an Essex asylum hotel, was freed in error from HMP Chelmsford, later re-arrested, and flown to Ethiopia under guard. Officials authorised the payment after he threatened to disrupt his removal, arguing it was cheaper than re-booking flights or facing legal delays that could cost taxpayers thousands. Ministers called the blunder 'deeply regrettable' and have ordered an independent inquiry, with one officer suspended and new release checks introduced. Opposition leaders condemned the payment as 'outrageous' and proof of a broken immigration system, while home secretary Shabana Mahmood said she acted swiftly to ensure deportation. Kebatu’s mistaken release sparked local protests and renewed concern over public safety, asylum policy, and government competence in managing foreign offenders awaiting deportation. See

A new poll has placed Reform UK leader Nigel Farage ahead of Keir Starmer as the public’s preferred choice for prime minister - the first time he has led in such polling. The survey, conducted from 10 to 13 October among 1,141 people, found 33% favoured Farage and 30% Starmer, while 29% were undecided. Ipsos’s Keiran Pedley said the result marks 'an intriguing shift' in the political landscape, with growing public confidence in Reform’s economic and immigration policies - issues Britons see as most important. Separate YouGov research also shows Labour’s support slipping to a record low of 17%, tied with the Conservatives, while Reform leads with 27%. The Greens have 16% and the Liberal Democrats 15%. Farage’s growing appeal, fuelled by dissatisfaction with both major parties, signals rising volatility in UK politics. Pressure is mounting pressure on Labour ahead of the autumn budget and next year’s local and national elections.