Research has long shown institutional misogyny and racism within the UK’s fire services: shutterstock Sarnia | Shutterstock Following the tragic death of trainee firefighter Jaden Matthew Francois-Esprit, who took his own life in August 2020, an independent review was set up to investigate the workplace culture at the London Fire Brigade. Chaired by the solicitor …
The UK’s privatisation drive cost lives, research suggests: The UK’s most active period of privatisation saw health and safety disasters and fatalities increase dramatically. In recently published research, we identified 27 multifatality disasters between 1979 and 1997 leading to 763 deaths. These figures were the highest compared with three other European countries. During that period, …
Stirling prize: why Cambridge’s Magdalene library was named the UK’s best new building: Each year the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awards its Stirling Prize to one of the UK’s best new buildings. For its 26th year, the prize in 2022 was awarded to the Irish architect Niall McLaughlin, for the new library he …
Manston holding facility: does the UK’s treatment of asylum seekers violate the law?: A woman held at the Manston holding facility in Kent is taking legal action against Home Secretary Suella Braverman. The asylum seeker claims that she was held unlawfully in “egregiously defective conditions” at the centre. Her case is supported by the organisation …
Strikes: why soaring CEO pay could help explain UK’s recent industrial action: Lower earners are counting the cost of a growing wage gap. Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock The pay gap in UK business is eye-watering. Bosses of the largest UK companies earn around 100 times more than the lowest-paid employees in their organisations, according to some …
The UK’s asylum system is in crisis, but the government – not refugees – is to blame: Kent Police are investigating an attack on a Home Office migrant processing centre in Dover, after incendiary devices were reportedly thrown at the building on Sunday October 30 2022. Reports have said that witnesses at the scene described …
It matters that Rishi Sunak has become the UK’s first prime minister of Indian descent: Following his uncontested run at the top job, Rishi Sunak acquires the less-than-coveted title of second successive un-elected British prime minister to take office in 2022. However, coming from Punjabi heritage, he also takes on the more esteemed title of …
Liz Truss is now the UK’s shortest-serving prime minister – how does she stack up against George Canning, who previously held the record?: George Canning, now the second-longest-serving prime minister of the United Kingdom. Thomas Lawrence, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY Liz Truss announced her resignation on October 20 2022, 44 days after taking office. …
Reviving the UK’s textile industry could help replace fast fashion with homegrown clothes, but there are barriers: Rejecting fast fashion for "homegrown" sustainable clothing. View Apart / Shutterstock The world has experienced massive disruption to supply chains in recent years as a result of the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine. This has restricted …
The UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme is failing both refugees and their hosts – here’s why: The UK government’s Homes for Ukraine refugee hosting scheme has seen more than 180,000 Ukrainians granted visas so far. With more than 7 million Ukrainians scattered across Europe, this has, of course, been the right thing to do. But …
Mini-budget: lessons from the UK’s long history of economic crises: It was a mini-budget with a major impact. Shortly after the UK chancellor announced his plans for a “new era” full of tax cuts, there were dramatic falls in the pound, a nervous response from mortgage lenders and an urgent intervention from the Bank of …
The UK’s water industry is broken – here’s how to fix it: As periods of drought become more common, the consequences of an ill functioning water sector will be severe. malgosia janicka/Shutterstock Prolonged periods of intense heat affected large parts of the UK and Europe this summer. These conditions forced parts of the UK into …
UK’s COVID alert level downgraded – the move makes sense for now but things can always change: The COVID alert level for the UK was recently downgraded by the government from “3” to “2”. This move was based on advice ministers received from the four UK chief medical officers, the NHS England national medical director …
Could Liz Truss allow new drilling for oil and gas and still strengthen the UK’s net zero target?: Donvictorio/Shutterstock The UK’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, has pledged to suspend green levies on energy bills and look for “better ways to deliver our net zero targets”. Despite a record-breaking heatwave plus wildfires, droughts and floods …
Liz Truss: who is the UK’s new prime minister and why has she replaced Boris Johnson?: Clicksbox / Shutterstock The United Kingdom’s next prime minister will be Liz Truss. After a two-month contest, Conservative Party members have chosen her as their new leader. All that remains is for Truss to travel to Balmoral in Scotland …
Drought: heavy rain now might be a serious problem for the UK’s parched landscape: Southsea Common in Portsmouth, UK, parched after summer heat. Dave Colman/Shutterstock Large areas of the UK have officially entered a drought, as searing summer temperatures grip the European continent. We are currently seeing the introduction of hosepipe bans – a memory …
Gordon Brown economics versus Liz Truss tax cuts: a new twist in the battle to resolve the UK’s cost of living crisis: The ongoing Conservative Party leadership hustings haven’t seen much agreement between candidates, but they have resulted in the creation of a new political narrative: “Gordon Brown economics”. Foreign secretary Liz Truss explained away …
The UK’s cost of living support won’t protect the poorest – here’s what the government should do instead: Household bills have spiked in 2022. Cast of Thousands / Shutterstock UK households have faced unprecedented blows to their living standards in 2022. Home energy costs have more than doubled and are threatening to triple, the price …