Ministers and opposition figures intend to tighten immigration rules by curtailing certain family rights and reviving a controversial deportation plan, aiming to prevent some arrivals from claiming asylum and streamline removal processes.

New data suggests the plan to relocate certain arrivals to Rwanda deterred a surge in small-boat crossings, challenging claims that weather alone caused the recent drop.

Kemi Badenoch and other senior figures caution that prosecuting a protester who burned a religious text could pave the way for a “backdoor blasphemy law,” sparking debate about free speech.

A newly published defence review has sparked controversy by revealing a minister’s apparent reversal on previously promised funding, prompting debate over whether the government’s commitment to maintaining a strong and well-resourced security framework remains intact.