Sir Gavin Williamson told the Covid Inquiry that Boris Johnson’s last‑minute decisions on schools during lockdown harmed pupils and parents, branding a 2021 move a “flip‑flop” that disrupted education nationwide and left schools set up to fail.
IMF downgrades UK outlook, citing weak growth and sticky prices. Unemployment hits a four‑year high, piling pressure on the Chancellor before a Budget expected to raise taxes. Critics warn the plan risks stalling recovery; allies argue it funds services and stability.
Israel has curtailed aid to Gaza, saying a truce was breached in a dispute over the return of hostage remains. The move strains fragile calm as negotiators haggle over exchanges and access for relief, with warnings that reduced supplies could deepen the humanitarian crisis.
Shabana Mahmood says the UK has lost control of its borders, warning unmanaged migration is eroding trust. She plans a border security overhaul targeting smuggling gangs, faster removals and new returns deals, and calls for stronger international cooperation.
The state pension will rise 4.8% under the triple lock next April, lifting the full rate to £12,547.60 a year—up £574.60. About 400,000 retirees will be within £22 of the income tax threshold. Persistently high inflation makes rate cuts less likely, setting a budget headache for the Chancellor.
Gavin Williamson has acknowledged that the decision to close schools during the pandemic was taken within 24 hours, admitting ministers mishandled it. He says the rushed call disrupted pupils and staff, and that future crisis planning must better protect education.
A teenage asylum seeker is on trial over the death of a hotel employee at an accommodation centre. Prosecutors say he followed her outside during a night shift and was later seen dancing. The case is before the crown court and continues.
A senior US Treasury adviser condemned Beijing’s export curbs on critical minerals as trade warfare, calling them a sign of weakness that drags on global growth. He urged a coordinated allied response, while Beijing struck a conciliatory note, though frictions over tariffs and technology remain.
IMF warns UK inflation will be the highest in the G7 in 2025–26 and cuts growth forecasts, denting the Chancellor’s Budget plans. Ministers weigh tax rises to plug a hole of up to £40bn as costs, led by food and hospitality, accelerate, clouding prospects of meeting the 2% target soon.
Twenty captives held in Gaza were released under the first phase of a deal, with 2,000 prisoners freed in return. Families were reunited as a temporary truce took effect, viewed as a step toward wider talks on security and reconstruction.