GCSE results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being issued to pupils who began secondary school during the Covid-19 disruption. Early indications suggest more than one in five entries will be in the top grade bands (7 or A). Last year, 21.8% of UK GCSE entries were awarded the top grade, down from 22.0% in 2023 but above 20.8% in 2019. England returned to pre-pandemic grading levels in 2023, […]

A Public First poll of 2,005 adults conducted in July found 55% would generally support new housing or developments in their local area. The research also showed clear splits by politics and region: Labour supporters were most likely to back new schemes at 72%, and those aged 25 to 34 were the most likely to be Yimby at 67%. By contrast, 44% of Reform supporters and residents in the East […]

New YouGov polling for the NSPCC shows a growing belief among young adults that using force against a child is unacceptable. Among those aged 18 to 24, 82% say physical punishment by a parent is unacceptable, up from 64% in 2023. The survey questioned 3,800 adults across England in July, including 749 parents of a child under 18 and 198 aged 18 to 24. Across all respondents, 71% judged physical […]

A former priest who led the Nine O’Clock Service, based in Sheffield and linked to the Church of England, has been found guilty of indecent assault against nine women. Christopher Brain, 68, from Wilmslow in Cheshire, led NOS from 1986 to 1995. A jury at Inner London Crown Court convicted him on 17 counts of indecent assault from that period. The jury cleared him on 15 counts, and they are […]

Musician Paul Weller is taking legal action against his former accountants after they stopped working with him and his companies following his public comments about Gaza. The claim, filed as a discrimination action, targets Harris and Trotter, a firm that had advised him for more than 30 years. In a pre-action letter, lawyers for Weller say he was told in March that the firm would no longer provide services to […]

Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs as Mo Chara for Kneecap, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court for a three-hour hearing, greeted by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh. Prosecutors allege he displayed a flag linked to the proscribed organisation Hezbollah at a November 2024 gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London. During the hearing, the defence argued the […]

The Office for National Statistics said CPI inflation rose to 3.8% in July from 3.6% in June. The figure kept the headline rate at its highest since January 2024. Transport was the main driver, with air fares up 30.2% between June and July, the largest monthly rise since monthly data began in 2001. Petrol rose by 2p per litre and diesel by 2.9p over the period, while prices in restaurants […]

Former England manager Gareth Southgate has said he is not actively seeking a return to management and was surprised to be linked with the Poland job over the summer. It is about 13 months since he stepped down after England's Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain in Berlin. Southgate led England to back-to-back European Championship finals and to the World Cup semi-finals and quarter-finals after taking charge from the under-21s […]

Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs as Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in November last year. Hundreds of Kneecap supporters waved flags and carried banners as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, with demonstrations also held in Dublin. The Metropolitan Police have imposed conditions restricting where outside the court protests can take place to prevent serious disruption. O hAnnaidh arrived […]