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Swinney targets 2031 independence referendum after Cardiff summit

John Swinney has set his sights on holding a second Scottish independence referendum by 2031, following a summit where nationalist leaders from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed a joint declaration asserting Westminster's authority is waning. However, legal barriers and the UK governmen...

6 min read

Four politicians in business wear smile while one in the centre holds a signed document

Father and Son Sentenced to 17 Years Each for Dragging Officer Along Road

A father and son have been jailed for 17 years each after dragging a police officer along a road at high speed in an attempted murder attack. PC Mark Smith suffered a fractured skull and traumatic brain injury and has not returned to duty two years later.

6 min read

Police mug shots of two men - Douglas Mills Jnr and his father Douglas Mills. Mills Jnr is wearing a grey shirt and is laughing. Mills is wearing a black top and gas a more serious expression on his face.

Building partially collapses on Belfast's Shankill Road

Firefighters responded to a partial building collapse on Belfast's Shankill Road, clearing debris and securing the area. The road remains closed at Tennent Street and Brookmount Street junctions, with police managing diversions. Building control experts took over assessment work after fire crews ...

2 min read

A partically collapsed building with the 3 workmen in orange suits in the foreground. There is part of a fire engine and the roof of a car visible.

Leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to convene in Cardiff for constitutional talks

The first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland meet in Cardiff on 14 September 2026 to discuss constitutional change and closer cooperation. All three are from pro-independence parties, marking a historic alignment in devolved politics.

6 min read

The image is made up of three photographs. The left-hand photo shows Rhun ap Iorwerth. The centre image shows Michelle O'Neill. The right-hand image is of John Swinney. All three are speaking from a podium.

Violent assault nets additional prison time for speedboat killer

Jack Shepherd, convicted of manslaughter in a 2018 speedboat crash, has been sentenced to an additional 20 months for assaulting his former partner with hot barbecue tongs.

2 min read

Little-Pengelly attacks O'Neill over nationalist leaders' Cardiff summit

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has challenged Michelle O'Neill's attendance at talks with Scottish and Welsh nationalist leaders, insisting O'Neill is acting in a Sinn Féin capacity rather than representing Northern Ireland's devolved government.

5 min read

Essex Council Deploys Security Patrols in Town Centres Near Asylum Base

Essex County Council will deploy six private security guards across Braintree, Colchester and Chelmsford for a three-month trial called Operation Vanguard, responding to resident concerns about asylum seekers visiting town centres from the Wethersfield base. Police data shows crime at the site is...

4 min read

Aerial shot of the housing blocks at an airbase. Four rectangular accommodation blocks can be seen, surrounded by grass, trees and roads. There are agricultural fields in the background.

Green belt battles: Why communities across England are fighting development plans

Campaign groups across England are fighting proposals to build on green belt land, citing infrastructure pressures and permanent loss of countryside. New 2026 planning rules introduce a "Grey Belt" category for lower-value land, intensifying the debate over housing needs versus environmental prot...

5 min read

The back of a group of people stood on a field with a sign hat says save our fields

Council to spend £30,000 reopening Moffat woodland walk closed for safety

Dumfries and Galloway Council will spend an estimated £30,000 to reopen Tank Wood in Moffat, a woodland walk closed since October due to fallen trees and safety concerns. An independent survey recommends removing seven trees and carrying out remedial work on nearly 100 others.

2 min read

A sign saying Tank Wood next to a path through a wooded area

Three nationalist leaders meet for 'pivotal' UK constitutional summit

Three nationalist first ministers meet in Cardiff for a historic summit to discuss constitutional change, with plans to sign a memorandum of understanding calling on Westminster to prepare for potential referendums.

5 min read

Two men in dark suits, Rhun ap Iorwerth and John Swinney, standing in front of two saltire flags and an ornate fireplace.

Noah Donohoe inquest jury enters fifth day of deliberations after summer break

The jury in the Noah Donohoe inquest has resumed deliberations after a summer break, beginning its fifth day of consideration. A juror was removed on 14 September 2026, leaving nine jurors to continue deciding on 10 key questions about the 14-year-old's death in June 2020.

2 min read

Noah Donohoe, a boy with dark hair, wearing a black blazer, with a white shirt and green, black and white tie.

Lords debate £72m Reform donations as legal row over retrospective cap deepens

The House of Lords debates changes to political donation laws after Reform UK receives £72 million from two cryptocurrency billionaires. Nigel Farage acknowledges uncertainty about whether the donations will survive proposed retrospective restrictions, while the government and opposition intensif...

11 min read

Nigel farage, wearing a light blue suit and white shirt, gestures with his left hand