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25 migrant boats capable of carrying 1,700 people seized at East Midlands Airport

NCA and Border Force officers seized 25 inflatable boats destined for Channel people smugglers after intercepting air freight travelling from Turkey to the Netherlands.

By Charlotte Mercer • 6 October 2026 • 2 min read

Latest articles

Labour

NEW YOUGOV POLL — Labour opens five-point lead over Reform as Conservatives remain third

Labour has opened a five-point lead over Reform UK in the latest YouGov poll for The Times, with Labour on 27%, Reform on 22% and the Conservatives remaining third on 20%.

Charlotte Mercer • 6 Oct 2026 • 3 min read

Labour

Government accepts all 44 recommendations for new NHS AI regulation

The Government has accepted all 44 recommendations from the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare, including lifecycle monitoring, greater patient transparency and exploration of staged authorisation.

Charlotte Mercer • 6 Oct 2026 • 3 min read

Conservatives

Badenoch pledges £10bn ‘Britannia Shield’ missile and drone defence system

Kemi Badenoch has pledged £10 billion over ten years for a new Britannia Shield integrated air-defence network designed to protect Britain, UK territories and overseas military bases from missile and drone attacks.

Charlotte Mercer • 6 Oct 2026 • 4 min read

Labour

NEW LAW IN FORCE — courts must now formally flag domestic abuse offenders

Courts in England and Wales must now formally record when domestic abuse was involved in an offender's crime, creating a marker visible across police, prison and probation systems.

Charlotte Mercer • 6 Oct 2026 • 4 min read

Labour

Government intervenes in BT–TalkTalk takeover as Nandy warns of ‘risk to life’

The Government has formally intervened in BT's £400 million rescue of TalkTalk after Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy warned that disruption to its telecoms services could create a genuine risk to life and public services.

Charlotte Mercer • 6 Oct 2026 • 3 min read

Neutral

NEW WELFARE RULES — 325,000 people in supported housing to keep more of their earnings

More than 325,000 residents in supported housing and temporary accommodation are set to keep more of their earnings under new Housing Benefit rules which came into force on 5 October.

Charlotte Mercer • 6 Oct 2026 • 3 min read

Conservatives

Conservatives pledge to slash new-build costs by £50,000 in huge deregulation drive

The Conservatives have unveiled a sweeping deregulation programme which they claim could cut the cost of a new-build home by up to £50,000, including abolishing the Environment Agency and Natural England as separate bodies.

Charlotte Mercer • 5 Oct 2026 • 4 min read

Neutral

US withdraws ALL bombers from RAF Fairford following suspected terror plot

The Pentagon has confirmed that all US bombers deployed to RAF Fairford have returned to their home bases in America following security concerns surrounding a suspected terrorist plot targeting the Gloucestershire airbase.

Charlotte Mercer • 5 Oct 2026 • 4 min read

Conservatives

Badenoch signals inheritance-tax cuts as she says taxing families twice is ‘morally wrong’

Kemi Badenoch has signalled that inheritance tax could be cut under a future Conservative government, but stopped short of announcing a specific funded tax reduction.

Charlotte Mercer • 4 Oct 2026 • 2 min read

Conservatives

Penny Mordaunt cleared to stand for Conservatives at next General Election

Dame Penny Mordaunt says she has received a full pass from the Conservative candidates committee, clearing a major hurdle in her attempt to return to Parliament at the next General Election.

Charlotte Mercer • 4 Oct 2026 • 3 min read

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Afghanistan Inquiry 1 Artificial Intelligence 8 Artificial Superintelligence 1 Assisted Dying 2 Asylum 5 AUKUS 1 Aviation 5 Bank of England 2 BBC 1 Borrowing Costs 1

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A rolling view of the stories attracting the most attention across the publication.

Labour

25 migrant boats capable of carrying 1,700 people seized at East Midlands Airport

Latest articles

NEW YOUGOV POLL — Labour opens five-point lead over Reform as Conservatives remain third

Government accepts all 44 recommendations for new NHS AI regulation

Badenoch pledges £10bn ‘Britannia Shield’ missile and drone defence system

NEW LAW IN FORCE — courts must now formally flag domestic abuse offenders

Government intervenes in BT–TalkTalk takeover as Nandy warns of ‘risk to life’

NEW WELFARE RULES — 325,000 people in supported housing to keep more of their earnings

Conservatives pledge to slash new-build costs by £50,000 in huge deregulation drive

US withdraws ALL bombers from RAF Fairford following suspected terror plot

Badenoch signals inheritance-tax cuts as she says taxing families twice is ‘morally wrong’

Penny Mordaunt cleared to stand for Conservatives at next General Election

Explore topics

Follow the stories that matter to you.

Trending this week

What readers are following now.

Small-boat returns rise 39% in latest year, Home Office figures show

Conservatives hold Wombourne North as Elizabeth Keeling wins by-election

New YouGov MRP projects hung Parliament if General Election held now

Chagos deal being reviewed as annual Mauritius payments put on hold

Councils to get stronger powers to take control of homes left empty for just six months