Keir Starmer’s government has been told a closer EU trade deal is a “strategic necessity” for companies in Britain as growing numbers of exporters find it tougher to do business under the UK’s post-Brexit agreement. more

"A Christmas Carol's" message about the need for human kindness has resonated with readers for over 180 years, noted Michael Barrett of the Charles Dickens Museum in London. He acknowledged that the issue of child poverty, which prompted the writer to write the novel, "is still relevant today."more

Two men have been found guilty of planning a gun attack to cause "untold harm" to the Jewish community in Manchester. Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, had a "visceral dislike" of Jewish people and arranged for guns to be smuggled into the UK as part of an "Isis-inspired plot", Preston Crown Court heard.more

The National Lottery has created 365 millionaires in 2025 – one for every day of the year, the operators have announced in a round-up of its year. The winners shared £702 million between them, with four EuroMillions winners scooping a total of £199 million.more

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was arrested in central London while rallying in support of hunger strikers from the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action. Police said Thunberg was holding a banner supporting the outlawed organization.more

Maybe there was a memo sent round the royals, but many of this year's Christmas cards seem to have similar images of showing their families holding on to each other tenderly. Touching, linking arms, holding hands, hugging, they're all sending messages about how close they are to each other.more

Heathrow's third runway is back on the table, and this time, this time, the government says it's serious again. With the news that the government is backing Heathrow's £49 billion plan for a third runway, the long running debate over airport expansion is back at the top of the agenda.more

A recent study by consumer whatchdog Which? crowned the UK’s best spreadable butter, with three own-brand options beating Lurpak on both taste and price. In a blind taste test, the consumer champion asked a panel of 67 people to rate eight supermarket spreadables, including Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, M&S, Ocado, Tesco and Waitrose, alongside the well-known Danish brand. more

A former councillor has appeared in court accused of a string of sexual offences against his ex-wife over a 13-year period. Philip Young, 49, is charged with 56 offences, including multiple counts of rape and administering a substance with intent to stupefy his former spouse Joanne Young.more

Strikes by 200 check-in and baggage handlers at London Luton Airport during the final two weekends of December amid an ongoing pay row have been cancelled. The Unite union said an improved offer was made to the staff employed by DHL.more

Royal Mail says that mail volumes have doubled over the Christmas period, leaving some postcodes facing massive delivery delays. In an attempt to ease the delivery backlog, some reports claim that Royal Mail is implementing a "short-term contingency measure" to deliver packages that would otherwise take up too much space. more

Caged hens will be a thing of the past in England, the government has announced, as it launches a package of new animal welfare laws. Pig farrowing crates, which campaigners have said are cruel, will also be banned under the welfare changes. These cramped crates are used to stop pigs from rolling over and crushing their young, but once in them sows cannot turn over or move around at all.more

Elusive street artist Banksy has confirmed he is behind a new mural that has appeared in Bayswater, west London. The image depicts two children lying on the ground dressed in wellington boots, coats and winter bobble hats, one of them pointing upwards towards the sky.more

The first Universal Studios theme park in the UK has been granted planning permission to begin construction. The park is expected to open in 2031, and will be situated on a 700-acre former brickworks site near Bedford.more

A crackdown on rogue landlords renting out homes blighted by mould and other dangers is to be expanded across London. A pilot of the scheme, which seeks to force landlords to improve properties in dire conditions, was carried out in Camden. more

Just over half of the British public are cutting back on the number of presents they are buying for friends and family this Christmas, a poll suggests. Rising prices for household goods have influenced 51% of Britons to buy fewer gifts this year, the Savanta polling revealed.more

Doctors in England are returning to work on Monday after a planned five-day walkout over ongoing pay disputes. The strike went ahead amid surging flu cases, and despite last-minute talks, external between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government. BMA members rejected a new government offer that aimed to tackle issues with training and job security.more

More than 800 migrants in 13 boats crossed the English Channel on Saturday, according to Home Office data. The figure is a record for a December day in recent years, and is believed to be due to a backlog of people wanting to get across to Kent because of recent bad weather.more

Britain's internet cables and gas pipelines could be in the crosshairs of a shadowy Russian underwater unit, the head of the Royal Navy has warned. General Sir Gwyn Jenkins said Moscow is once again pouring money into its elite deep-sea sabotage force - a highly secretive group capable of operating at extreme depths.more

An urgent recall notice has been ordered for an electric blanket sold across the UK over risks of fire and electric shocks. The blanket, sold by B&Q, presents risk of fire as it contains an electric component that can overheat, the Office for Product Safety and Standards says. This means it could catch fire itself or set furniture around it ablaze, presenting a serious danger.more

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed efforts to achieve a "just and lasting end" to the war in Ukraine on Sunday with President Donald Trump, Starmer's Downing Street office said in a statement, after talks between officials in Florida.more

Thousands of revellers gathered at Stonehenge in Wiltshire on Sunday morning to welcome the sunrise on the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year. Wearing Celtic clothing and elaborate, nature-inspired headdresses, druids and pagans danced around the Neolithic stone circle in Wiltshire thought to have been built by distant ancestors to align with the movements of the Sun.more

A London borough with one of the highest rates of people sleeping rough is rolling out ‘personal passports’ for people experiencing homelessness to limit the impact of their trauma.more

A vehicle was stolen once every five minutes in England and Wales between January and September 2025, according to new research which has also revealed the cars most likely to be targeted by thieves.more

The broadcasting regulator said around three in 10 complaints were about one programme.more