United Kingdom

    Tory benefit cuts may well have caused an increase in homelessness, a cabinet minister admitted today. Conservative Communities Secretary Sajid Javid made the stark admission during an LBC Radio interview about the government’s new rough sleeping crackdown. A task force to cut the number of people living on the street is being launched as ministers promised to break the cycle of homelessness. The Government has faced intense criticism over spiralling numbers of people on the streets and housing minster Heather Wheeler has promised to resign if the problem gets worse on her watch. Mr Javid said the latest plans were part of the Government's ongoing work to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it by 2027. "This winter has tragically claimed the lives of a num...

    A child might struggle later to prove the British citizenship to which he or she is entitled, said a researcher. Internationally blended families involving EU citizens and British-born children are being warned that their children could face serious problems after Brexit if they do not already have documentation to stay in the UK. Parents from the EU are being urged to get their children’s status documented as soon as possible if they want them to avoid hostile environment checks by the Home Office which could mean measures such as bank accounts being closed, driving licences cancelled and job offers being withdrawn. The consequences for those that have not obtained British citizenship for children of two EU citizens living in Britain are potentially severe, accordi...

    Britain will be strongly in favour of staying in the EU in just three years as society changes dramatically, academics warn today as the clock ticks down to one year until Brexit. Increasing education, greater ethnic diversity and new younger voters are poised to deliver a firm Remain majority as soon as 2021, as Theresa May’s planned transition deal is due to end. The country is expected to be 52:48 in favour of EU membership by 2021, according to the study by experts at the University of Manchester - and have a majority of 54:46 by 2026. The Brexit majority is fragile and on the wrong side of powerful demographic pressures, with Eurosceptic social groups shrinking over time while more Europhile groups expand, they write. All the Leave-leaning groups, such has sc...

    Sergei and Yulia Skripal first came into contact with novichok at their home address, detectives believe. Specialists have identified the highest concentration of the nerve agent on the front door of the address. Detectives will continue to focus their enquiries around the home address for the coming weeks, and possibly months, as the investigation continues. In a statement from the Metropolitan police, the force say officers will be carrying out thorough searches in the areas surrounding this former spy's home. The searches will be part of the ongoing investigation as well as a precautionary measure. At this point in our investigation, we believe the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door, deputy assistant commissioner Dean Ha...

    The best friend of Sergei Skripal believes the poisoned double agent and his daughter Yulia are so critically ill they should be allowed to die. Ross Cassidy, a haulage contractor, met Mr Skripal when he moved in next door in Salisbury in 2010, shortly after the Russian arrived in a spy swap with Moscow. He told Sky News: Quite frankly, what future have they got? I don't know the properties of this weapon that was used on them and my guess is they are probably being kept alive by artificial means and what life will they have if they survive? We've already been told they will be severely mentally impaired and I don't think they would want that. I think death would probably be merciful. Mr Cassidy got to know Sergei, his wife Lyudmila, his son Alexandr who was kno...

    British firms are worried about the loss of EU migrant labour after Brexit because their UK counterparts are lazier and take more time off work, an official government report has found. The Migration Advisory Committee found that workers from Europe are a high quality, eager workforce compared to UK-born workers, leading employers to rely on them instead. EU workers, especially those in low-skilled jobs, are also paid less. Businesses fear they will not be able to employ staff from the EU after Brexit, forcing them to spend more on less productive British staff which could drive up prices or force production abroad where it is cheaper. It could also impact the ratio of elderly people to youngsters and would very likely lead to lower growth, although it is unlikely...

    Britain faces at least two more years of heightened terror alert, with risks from state players including Russia as well as the aftermath of the collapse of Islamic State, Whitehall sources have said. Speaking as the government launched its national securitycapability review, the sources said the risk level currently at severe could soon rise to critical, thanks to the possible return of scores of Isis fighters to the UK and the potential threat from states such as Russia, North Korea and Iran. Instability in north Africa, Yemen, Sudan and Syria were also said to be causes of concern. Unveiling a fusion doctrine for tackling national security threats, the prime minister says in the foreword of the review that every part of government and its agencies will have a par...

    Easter is set to be one of the busiest bank holiday weekends for travel in years with 26 million cars on the roads, drivers have been warned. More than four out of five UK motorists are planning a leisure trip by car over the weekend, according to an AA poll. The motoring firm believes Easter falling early is encouraging more people to take advantage of the four-day weekend, because there is a longer wait until summer. Bank holiday getaway traffic is expected to peak on Saturday, with 66 per cent of motorists driving to a holiday destination or leisure outing. AA patrol of the year Vince Crane urged families to carry out essential vehicle checks and pack sufficient supplies in case they are affected by gridlocked traffic or severe weather. He said: As well as you...

    Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to divide Britain from its allies, according to Britain's defence secretary. Gavin Williamson, who is in Tallinn, Estonia, said the world's patience is wearing thin with Mr Putin and his actions. He said the world is united behind the British, which is a powerful message to the Kremlin. And the Russian government has hit back, saying Britain's accusations over the nerve agent attack on a former spy in Salisbury border on banditry. Mr Williamson said the universal backing for Britain was in itself a defeat for President Putin. The world's patience is rather wearing thin with President Putin and his actions, and the fact that right across the NATO alliance, right across the European Union, nations have stood up in support ...

    Theresa May is leading last-ditch efforts to stop an outrageous EU move to freeze Britain out of Europe’s €10bn Galileo satellite project, as space becomes a new frontier in Brexit negotiations. The British prime minister has been warned that hundreds of millions of pounds of contracts are at stake in the coming months, as Brussels prepares to lock Britain’s space industry out to protect security elements of the satellite programme from being irretrievably compromised after Brexit. Gavin Williamson, defence secretary, was said by allies to have hit the roof when told about the EU’s strict approach to sharing confidential information, even though the UK has offered unconditional security co-operation after Brexit. What is being proposed [by Brussels] is outrageous, ...