Robert Jenrick has quit the Conservatives to join Reform UK. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch withdrew the whip and criticised the move as disloyal. Jenrick says the party has lost its way on policy and leadership. The defection intensifies pressure on the right and raises questions over future alliances.

An entrepreneur, reportedly backed by Elon Musk, has outlined plans for a lunar hotel targeted for 2032. The concept features rooms with Earth views, research tie-ins and luxury suites for tourists. Key challenges include funding, transport capacity and reliable life-support systems.

At a North Sea collision trial, jurors heard a cargo ship’s skipper stayed alone on watch and failed to act for over 30 minutes as the vessel closed on an anchored tanker, causing a sailor’s death. The prosecution says the danger was clear from radar and sight; the defence contests the account.

The Met staged coordinated dawn raids against organised drug networks, including county lines operations, arresting suspects and seizing evidence. Senior officers say the crackdown has contributed to a fall in homicides in London, with further enforcement planned.