Ministers plan to postpone May’s local elections in parts of England during local‑government reorganisation, extending terms for sitting councillors and affecting millions of voters. The move, billed as avoiding duplicate polls during mergers, faces opposition, with Reform alleging it shields incumbents.
The PM plans school programmes to counter misogyny, with targeted behaviour‑change courses for boys showing concerning conduct. Lessons will address coercion, harassment, sexting and harmful online content, piloted in secondary schools and potentially extended to primaries.
Britain will rejoin the Erasmus programme from 2027, restoring funded study exchanges across Europe. UK students can spend a year abroad with reciprocal fee waivers for EU visitors. Ministers say it widens opportunity and skills; universities broadly back the move, with costs and implementation still to be set.
Junior doctors will stage a five-day walkout after 83% of BMA members rejected the government’s latest offer. No 10 branded the action “self‑indulgent, irresponsible and dangerous”, with the PM urging medics to push back against the union. The NHS warns of severe disruption amid a flu surge.
At Bondi Beach, a father and son carried out an attack on a Jewish celebration, killing at least 15 and injuring many. A local shopkeeper overpowered one assailant. Police detained a suspect and are searching for another. Authorities tightened security and urged vigilance.
The King reported encouraging progress in his cancer treatment, saying it will be dramatically reduced next year. Calling it a “personal blessing”, he thanked clinicians and researchers and urged people to take up screening to support early diagnosis.
Wes Streeting warns the NHS could collapse over Christmas if doctors’ strikes coincide with a severe flu surge. He urges compromise on pay and productivity reforms to avert a worst‑case scenario, while hospitals prepare contingency plans to protect urgent care during peak winter pressure.
Official modelling suggests the drive to hit net zero by 2050 could add about £500 a year to the average household, reflecting higher spending on energy networks and heating upgrades. Ed Miliband faces warnings to reassess timelines and funding to avoid a heavier burden than a slower pathway.
The Home Secretary proposes the biggest policing overhaul since the 1960s, merging England and Wales’s 43 forces into about a dozen regional services. The plan aims to raise standards, strengthen specialist capability and cut duplication, with consultation and legislation to follow.
Britain is close to finalising a £100bn package with France, Germany and EU leaders to provide long‑term support for a partner nation. Funding would use profits from immobilised foreign assets and European banks. The PM says agreement could come within days after talks at Downing Street.