United Kingdom

    A man who renewed his passport was horrified to get it back featuring another bloke's photo instead of his own. Ben Spence paid £82 to update the document ahead of a weekend birthday trip to Amsterdam with pals at the end of this month. It came back with all his correct information - but had a picture of a total stranger. Ben, 28, said: They put a completely different person's picture in my passport. I couldn't believe it. Ben, from Blackheath, SE London, collected his new passport from his local post office last Wednesday. He said: I flicked through it, and it seemed all fine. But my friend who was with me looked over my shoulder said 'wait that's not you! We had a bit of a laugh about it but then realised the security issue involved. I'd also waited four weeks for it and...

    Two senior judges have blocked a legal challenge to the government’s strategy for leaving the single market and the European Economic Area. In a hearing at the high court that lasted less than an hour, Lord Justice Lloyd Jones and Mr Justice Lewis dismissed an application for a fresh judicial review of the Brexit process brought by two sets of claimants. The judges were due to give their reasons for their decision on Friday afternoon. Parliament has already given the government its approval to trigger Brexit under article 50 of the Lisbon treaty following a historic legal action in the supreme court over parliamentary sovereignty. James Eadie QC, for the government, told the hearing that since ministers had not yet decided which legal route would be taken to leave the EEA,...

    Prince Harry and Meghan Markle It’s official! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are hiding their relationship no longer. Yesterday the young royal and his actress girlfriend were photographed during a night out in London, dining at the Soho House restaurant before walking hand-in-hand on the busy footpath. They tried to keep as low-key as possible and were sitting in a small snug area of the restaurant, an onlooker told The Sun, who obtained the photos. But it wasn’t a private area and they were happy to be seen . . . they only had eyes for each other. This isn’t the first time the lovebirds have been spotted been out and about in London together. Last Christmas, they were spotted together heading to a theatre performance. They want to do as many normal things as possible, li...

    The richest people in Britain have suffered from the worst fall in fortune since the credit crunch in 2007, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2016. The newspaper, which lists the 1,000 wealthiest individuals and families in the UK, said that the commodities market crash has had such a pronounced effect on some of Britain's most wealthy people that they've seen their fortunes crater by over 50% over the last few years. Regular rich list member, steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, has seen his wealth crash by around 75% since 2008 he used to be worth £27.7 billion but now he's worth £7.12 billion. Len Blavatnik, the London-based, Ukrainian-born, US citizen who is the owner of Warner Music Group, dropped from the number one spot this year. And the Queen has failed to make...

    MPs have voted overwhelmingly in favour of Theresa May triggering Article 50, meaning the Prime Minister is on track to begin Brexit negotiations with Brussels in March. By 498 to 114 - a majority of 384 - MPs backed allowing the bill to progress to the next, more detailed legislative stage. Ten Labour junior shadow ministers and three whips, who are supposed to enforce party discipline, voted against triggering Article 50 in revolt against Mr Corbyn. What is Article 50? Here is the full list of the 114 members of Parliament who opposed the Government Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire) Heidi Alexander (Labour - Lewisham East) Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow) Mr Graham Allen (Labour - Nottingham North) Dr R...

    Tens of thousands of people have paid incorrect tax on pension withdrawals made under new rules applying from April 2015, experts warned, as the self-assessment tax return deadline for that year passed on Tuesday night. At least 232,000 people drew down money from their pensions in the 2015 to 2016 tax year under rules which allow over-55s to drain cash from their pension pots in one go. Many of these withdrawals will have been incorrectly taxed, accountants warn. Reforms introduced by former Chancellor George Osborne permitted over-55s to withdraw cash from their pensions from April 2015, rather than spend the bulk of the money buying an income-paying annuity. Errors are arising because one-off pension withdrawals have been taxed based on a tax code provided by HMRC. When...

    A teacher sold her cottage worth £250,000 for just £2 to prevent it from being seized by a court following a row over roof tiles. Rekha Patel, 43, was evicted from the Grade II listed cottage in Simmondley Village, Glossop , in June after a feud with her neighbour ended up in court. She spent thousands renovating the cottage, which was renamed Patel Cottage, and turning it into her dream home. But Rekha ended up in a dispute with her neighbour over damage to antique roof tiles during the works. Rekha, a teacher at Glossopdale Community College, was taken to court where she was served with a bill of £72,000 for the damage. She was later served with an eviction order when she did not pay the fees, but has since been back living at the house. Rekha has now sold the house to t...

    An executive order by President Donald Trump has provoked waves of protest at US airports where those travelling from seven majority Muslim countries have been detained or turned back. Signed on Friday, the order has halted the US refugee programme and banned anyone from the countries - Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Syria and Libya from travelling to the country, even if they have already been approved for a visa, have an existing visa or a green card. But it also applies to dual citizens holding a passport for one of the seven and another country, such as Britain. However, with much of the effects of the order still unclear, there is also suggestion that even those with full UK citizenship but born in one of these countries will not be able to travel. Tory MP and fou...

    Donald Trump's state visit to the UK is expected to be debated in Parliament after senior Conservatives joined hundreds of thousands calling for it to be cancelled. More than 800,000 people had by Sunday night signed a petition calling for the visit, which is due to take place in the Summer, to be abandoned because of the risk it will embarrass the Queen. Senior Conservatives joined Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, in calling for the visit to be suspended while Mr Trump's controversial immigration ban is in place. The internet petition quickly smashed the 100,000 signatures needed to be considered for a debate in Parliament, with at one point more than a thousand people signing each minute. However Downing Street sources confirmed that Mrs May will not be withdrawing her ...

    A woman walks through the rain in London Britain is facing washout weather this week with warnings of a sharp drop in temperatures later next month. After last week's freeze, the Met Office is forecasting wet and windy weather for the next two weeks, with temperatures a few degrees above average for the time of year. But forecasters warned that the recent cold conditions could return in the second half of February, when a prolonged chill is expected. A Met Office forecaster said: In the coming days, we are all likely to see some rain but there is the potential for the weather to get quite a bit milder, a few degrees above what might be expected for this time of year. It will be unsettled though, windy at time with gales possible in some areas, he said. The Met Office said ...