Yvette Cooper pledges immediate action on the recommendations of a new audit that found children and teenagers were wrongly blamed for serious offences committed against them, prompting stricter data collection, a dedicated inquiry, and a review of unresolved cases.

An investigation has been reopened after three children died in similar circumstances at a rehabilitation centre, prompting fresh scrutiny of its care standards amidst concerns the facility had previously been warned about failings.

In a major policy reversal, the Chancellor has decided to restore winter fuel support to pensioners on incomes of up to £35,000—benefitting around nine million people—although critics worry about the economic implications ahead of the forthcoming spending review.

In an eleventh-hour compromise with the housing ministry, the chancellor has ended a damaging cabinet conflict over spending allocations, just days before unveiling the public spending review.