Trump greets Zelenskyy in the West Wing Lobby entrance of the White House ahead of the meeting with European leaders. © ZUMA Press, Inc.
Starmer was among the European leaders who rushed to the White House to back up Zelenskyy in his high-stakes meeting with President Trump, amid fears Trump could force an unacceptable peace settlement on Ukraine (and repeat the behaviour displayed in their infamous February meeting). These fears proved wrong, with Trump instead agreeing that Ukraine would require security guarantees and implying that the USA would contribute to this. However, he reiterated that Europe would have to take the lead on this, and also appeared to scrap his requirement for a ceasefire prior to a peace settlement, something which European leaders insist is vital. Starmer and Macron’s ‘coalition of the willing’ subsequently kicked back into gear and set about on the unenviable task of mapping out what a European security force in Ukraine would look like with ill-defined US support and facing a much larger Russian army. Meanwhile, Trump’s much vaunted trilateral summit with Putin and Zelenskyy now appears unlikely, with the Kremlin pouring cold water on the idea.
The Government’s asylum housing policy is teetering after the High Court granted a temporary injunction to Epping Forest District Council to stop migrants being housed at The Bell Hotel, the site of continuing anti-migrant protests. The ruling potentially opens the floodgates to allow other councils to appeal against the use of migrant hotels, with Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage MP immediately declaring that all 10 councils controlled by his party will "do everything in their power to follow Epping's lead.” The Home Office is seeking to appeal the ruling.
£3.85 – the price of a Tesco Meal Deal (with a Clubcard; £4.25 without).
25% – of councils where Reform UK is the largest party have seen their leader or deputy leader resign.
3.8% – Inflation rate in the year to July, up from 3.6% in June.
£269,000 – average property value in the UK.
£1,398 – average cost of rent in the UK.
67.4% – of all GCSE grades in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were at 4/C and above, down from 67.6%.
111,000 – the number of asylum applications made in the UK during the year to June, an increase of 14% from last year.
32,059 – the number of asylum seekers in UK hotels at the end of June, up 8% from last year.
The Chancellor is considering scrapping capital gains tax relief on primary residences, according to reports in The Times this week. If the reported changes are introduced in the upcoming Autumn Budget (date still TBC), higher rate tax payers will pay 24% of any gains they make on their properties when selling them, with basic rate taxpayers paying 18%. Critics have suggested the measures – dubbed the Mansion Tax – could stall movement in the housing market as those looking to move stay put to avoid losing out.
The UK Space Agency will be subsumed into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in April 2026. The Government has said the move is aimed at ‘cutting duplication, reducing bureaucracy, and putting public accountability at the heart of decision-making.' The organisation will retain the UKSA name and brand and will be staffed by experts from both organisations.
The Home Office announced a new partnership with the Government of Iraq which will establish formal processes to return those with no legal right to be in the UK 'swiftly.' The agreement aims to further deter small boat arrivals, while further strengthening the UK-Iraq partnership on repatriation and enhanced border security collaboration. The announcement came during the an Iraqi delegation’s visit to the UK during which they discussed future cooperation on regional security, Baghdad-Erbil relations, defence cooperation and a growing trade relationship.
Afzal Khan MP resigned as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Türkiye, after he undertook a visit to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus – an administration not recognised by the UK Government since the island’s invasion in 1974. The Labour MP for Manchester Rusholme told the BBC the trip was in a personal capacity to visit his nephew, however he has been heavily criticised by British-Cypriot groups for meeting with the Turkish-Cypriot leader whilst there.
Scottish Labour MSP Colin Smyth has been arrested and charged over possession of indecent images of children. The 52-year-old has represented South Scotland for almost a decade in the Scottish Parliament, during which he held several frontbench roles, including as Shadow Cabinet Transport Secretary, and previously served as Scottish Labour’s general secretary. Since his arrest, Smyth has been suspended by Scottish Labour.
Another MSP is also joining the independent benches, as Scottish Conservative MSP Jeremy Balfour, the party’s social justice spokesperson, announced that he will quit the party. In his resignation letter, Balfour argued that the party has "fallen into the trap of reactionary politics" under Russell Findlay's leadership. He voiced belief that the party fails to provide a “positive” platform for the people of Scotland and argued that there is “little interest” from leadership in genuine policy innovation. His resignation leaves the party with 29 MSPs.
The government launched new guidelines for manufacturers to reduce sugar and salt in commercial baby foods, as well as provide clearer labelling to help parents make informed decisions while they shop. Baby food manufacturers will now be given 18 months to reduce sugar and salt levels in their products for children under 36 months old. This aims to combat obesity, which costs the NHS £11.4bn a year, with high sugar intake in children’s diets being a significant factor contributing to high rates of childhood obesity in the UK.
£500 million has been allocated to back the Government’s environmental planning reforms, which will include funding for the Nature Restoration and Marine Recovery Fund schemes and the Defra Group Infrastructure Board and to build capacity in the planning system. The reforms aim to ‘rewire’ Britain’s planning and development system in order to deliver infrastructure such as wind farms, railways, gigafactories and data centres.
The Government plans to trial ‘AI agents’, as it calls on AI companies to help it test the tech that could help Brits complete life admin tasks such as filling in forms to completing applications and booking appointments. The agents could be used for other various tasks including helping people with employment and skills, and also to update government records. The development of the technology will follow a “test and learn” approach, and is due to be rolled out as early as 2027.
There is a base for the new, still unnamed, party being set up by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, as a poll from Ipsos found 20% of people would ‘consider’ voting for a new left-wing party. Worryingly for the Government, this includes 33% of those who voted Labour last July, as well as 33% of those polled aged between 16-34.
There are, unsurprisingly, mixed views amongst the UK public on protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers, with a second poll from Ipsos this week showing that 36% believe it’s acceptable compared to 39% who view it as unacceptable. Ipsos also asked whether it was acceptable to protest outside an MPs house (33% approve) and outside the homes or ‘ordinary people who are not public figures’ (16%).
Educational inequalities have grown ‘wider and more pronounced’ since 2019, according to newly published research from the Institute for Government. With the report saying COVID-19 had a ‘severe and lasting effect’ on educational inequalities, it emphasises the need to tackle high school absence rates and to learn from best practice.
The deputy leader of the Reform-controlled Worcestershire County Council David Taylor has resigned, after just three months in the job. His resignation marks the latest in a string of departures, with 25% of councils where Reform is the largest party now having lost either a leader or deputy leader. In Leicester, Reform’s Joseph Boam has also been removed from his role as cabinet member for adult social care, with a party source confirming he will now be taking on an unspecified “new role.” Conservative group leader Adam Kent described the situation as “nothing short of chaos” – and with roles shifting so frequently, one would be forgiven for thinking Reform-led councils were simply taking part in a game of political musical chairs.
In the spirit of democracy, the Westminster Dog of the Year is set to return this September with 18 Members of Parliament taking part. The annual event gives MPs the opportunity to showcase their four-legged friends and highlight their work on animal welfare and responsible dog ownership. With contenders from all sides of the chamber, it's a rare opportunity for some genuinely cross-“pawlitical” collaboration. Our personal favourite? Steve Darling’s guide dog Jennie - a well-known and much-loved face around Westminster. You can vote for your pick of the fury bunch on the Kennel Club’s website.
