UK politics

UK politics

Two women say they were raped during filming of dating show Married At First Sight UK (MAFS UK), while a third has described an allegation of a non-consensual sex act. The women, who outlined the allegations in a BBC Panorama documentary aired on Monday, claimed that Channel 4 programme did not do enough to protect them.

Finch responded by suggesting it would be "the first thing on the bonfire" when Reform looks to reshape the council. Speaking following his election to the role of leader, Finch said: "The Borough Council needs drastic change." He added: "We are going to put the people of Nuneaton and Bedworth first. We're going to put veterans, young care leavers and the most vulnerable first on our lists of priorities, not people who have come from outside of the Borough."

Ministers are speeding up the implementation of a new voting system to ensure it will be in place in the event of mayoral election in Greater Manchester this year. The changes would see a switch from First Past The Post (FPTP) - used in general elections - to the Supplementary Vote system. Under the Supplementary Vote system, voters get to choose a first and second choice. If no single candidates wins more than 50% of the vote share after first preference votes are counted, the top two candidates go into a run-off second round in which second preference votes from the eliminated candidates are taken into account.

“The Government's latest VAT announcement is not just a missed opportunity, it is a glaring example of short-term thinking and a fundamental misunderstanding of the UK's leisure and cultural economy,” Kill said. “While positioning this as support for families, the policy completely overlooks and effectively sidelines the night-time economy, including festivals, clubs, live music venues and late-night cultural spaces that have been fighting to survive under relentless financial pressure.”

Children aged five to 15 will travel for free on participating local buses in England in August, the chancellor will announce on Thursday. Rachel Reeves is to reveal a 100m fare-free scheme designed to relieve some of the ongoing cost-of-living pressures. The Labour government will also suspend tariffs on more than 100 types of products including biscuits, chocolate, and dried fruit and nuts.

As in the UK, the session on 12 May had started with the arrival of the ceremonial mace a five-and-a-half foot ornamented silver staff representing the British monarch's authority over parliament which now rested on a table between the government and the opposition. Despite the heat outside, debate was presided over by the speaker, dressed in a ceremonial robe.

A new rail station to serve a growing community in north Drogheda is a case I've been making to anyone who will listen for some time now. Deputy Nash said he met with Irish Rail chief executive Mary Considine last month to discuss the issue and was advised to ask the National Transport Authority to develop a business case for the station. "I subsequently wrote to the NTA but was frustrated with the response," he said.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: "Chris will be a fantastic candidate and representative for Makerfield. "This election is about who is making the case for lower bills, warmer and more affordable homes, and a greener and fairer economy."