Ministers plan a levy on households with gas boilers to make electricity cheaper and spur heat pump uptake. Ed Miliband’s scheme could add about £30 a year to gas bills, funding low‑carbon heating and insulation. Supporters say it accelerates the shift from gas; critics warn it may burden poorer homes.
Ed Miliband will unveil a £15bn, four-year plan offering grants for solar panels, heat pumps and home batteries, aiming to create “zero-bill” homes and cut emissions. Rules on plug-in balcony panels will be eased. Ministers say the scheme will lower bills for millions and speed progress towards net zero.
After speaking with his counterpart and meeting a European ally’s leader in Florida, the US President said there is momentum towards a peace deal in Eastern Europe. He floated a temporary pause and security cooperation, while reaffirming support for Britain and allied partners.
The King and Prince of Wales are preparing US visits to support government efforts to secure a UK–US trade deal with President Trump. Timed around America’s 250th anniversary and the 2026 World Cup, the push seeks to ease disputes over tech, food and online rules and win better access for British exporters.
Figures show about 25 people a day in Scotland died while on NHS waiting lists this year, over 7,000 in the first nine months. Charities call the toll “heartbreaking” and urge the SNP to act faster to cut delays and expand capacity so patients access specialist care sooner.
Ministers have reversed plans to tighten death duties on farms, raising the inheritance tax threshold from £1m to £2.5m. The shift, driven by pressure from farmers and Labour MPs, is intended to stop family holdings being sold to meet bills and will be added to the Finance Bill.
Ministers will scrap mandatory disclosure of “facility time”, so NHS bodies and schools need not report how much is spent on union reps’ paid time off. Government says this cuts red tape; critics warn it hides taxpayer costs and weakens transparency.
Wes Streeting urges Britain to rejoin a customs union with the EU, contradicting the PM. A YouGov poll shows 80% of Labour voters want closer EU ties. Party leaders call the idea a red line, while some suggest Streeting is positioning for a future leadership contest.
An oil tanker tied to a sanctions‑busting fleet was damaged in the Mediterranean in an incident involving an uncrewed aircraft. A senior figure linked to the Salisbury poisonings was reportedly killed. The development tightens pressure on illicit energy shipments and aligns with Western sanctions.
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.