China: how does the UK’s power to push back against the rising superpower really compare to that of the EU?: Vladm/Shutterstock The EU has been at the forefront of political efforts to work with and check the threats represented by China to the west since 1975. In 2019, the EU labelled China “a systemic rival” …
Commonwealth Games 2022: how Birmingham is becoming the UK’s most liveable city: Three-time British senior all-around medallist and gymnast Isabella Cesar heralds the advent of the Games in Birmingham. David Warren | Alamy Birmingham, the UK’s second largest city by population, is currently in the international spotlight as the host of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. …
Climate change: UK’s net zero target is under threat because there’s no plan to pay for it: Costs for achieving net zero are mounting, with no clear plan to afford them. Shutterstock The UK government’s plan for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is at a serious risk of sinking before it’s been …
How filling the UK’s unused land with fruit and veg could help make us and our environment healthier – and help fight inequality: Campaigners are calling for the right to grow fruit and veg in the UK's unused public spaces. RawPixel Communities should have a right to improve the unloved public spaces around them by …
The UK’s plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda raise four red flags: British Home Secretary Priti Patel (left), and Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta, seal asylum seeker deal with a handshake. Photo by Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images Like many others, I was surprised and upset to hear about the UK’s new deal to …
How the UK’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is 21st-century imperialism writ large: In announcing his plan to partner with Rwanda to manage migration, Prime Minister Boris Johnson claimed, on April 14 2022, that the UK is “a beacon of openness and generosity”. He lauded the great British tradition of offering sanctuary to …
Why UK’s ‘treasured free-market economy’ will not achieve net zero: As luck would have it, the UK government launched its latest energy security strategy on the same day I’d arranged to get cavity wall insulation installed in our ex-council, end-of-terrace 1930s family home. Not that there was much connection between those two things. Our house …
Energy strategy: expensive nuclear power push ignores chance to cut costs of UK’s electricity system: The high global gas price has quadrupled the wholesale energy price for consumers across the UK over the last six months, with those on default tariffs paying by direct debit likely to see their average annual bill rise by £693, …
How a deluge of lockdown volunteers rescued UK’s hidden weather history: Julia Sudnitskaya/Shutterstock When it rains, it pours. Make hay while the sun shines. Save for a rainy day. Come rain or shine. The English language is overflowing with phrases about the weather, especially rain, or the lack of it. Fascination with the weather seems …
Testing sewage has helped track COVID – soon it could reveal much more about the UK’s health: It may not feel like it when you’re swabbing your throat, but improving how we test for diseases is one of the big positives of COVID. Applying methods developed for COVID to other diseases could revolutionise how we …
The UK’s ‘work-first’ approach to benefits hurts mothers: ErsinTekkol / Shutterstock Social security reform in the UK over the years has increasingly prioritised placing people in paid work, often using the threat of withholding benefits as an incentive to find a job. These systems pose particular challenges for unemployed mothers, and the new Way to …
Other countries have made progress in levelling up – here’s how the UK’s plan compares: Ilyas Tayfun Salci / Shutterstock The UK is currently one of the most regionally unequal countries in the developed world. The white paper on levelling up outlines the government’s plans to address this through 12 “missions” to increase economic and …
Can the UK’s crumbling coasts be saved from erosion?: Lois GoBe / shutterstock Erosion is constantly reshaping coastlines as land is swept into the sea, sometimes along with buildings and infrastructure. The UK has some of the fastest eroding coastlines in Europe. Of the mainland’s 17,000km of coastline, around 2,900km (17%) is affected by erosion. …
BBC funding: licence fee debate risks overlooking value of UK’s public broadcasters: Value for money? The BBC's funding model is under review. Willy Barton The proposed two-year freeze in the TV licence fee has prompted a lively debate about BBC funding. The move puts huge pressure on the Corporation’s finances, which have taken an estimated …
COVID: how to make sense of the UK’s new testing rules: Basilico Studio Stock/Shutterstock One positive aspect of the pandemic has been increased public understanding of epidemiology and even virus biology. However, there still seems to be significant confusion when it comes to COVID tests – particularly when or why each type of test can …
The UK’s policing bill will make climate activism almost illegal – just when it’s most needed: The UK government has proposed some worrying amendments to its already draconian policing bill. The amendments will directly target environmental activists and are a response to direct action protests from groups such as Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain, and protests …
South Africa in the news: UK’s devolved administrations aligned on new travel restrictions: Scotland’s health secretary Humza Yousaf on Saturday (27 November) confirmed that following discussions with UK counterpart Sajid Javid and the other devolved administrations Scotland would align with …: “South Africa” – BingNews Omicron Covid variant: How could the latest UK red list …
The UK’s digital divide could be costing you hundreds of pounds in energy bills: UK energy systems are increasingly going digital. Analogicus/Pixabay Across the world, energy systems are going digital. Electricity bills are more and more likely to pop up as an alert on your phone rather than popping through your letterbox. And many people …