Burnham to hand mayors power to overrule local councils’ planning decisions Politics Andy Burnham will give mayors across the UK new powers to overrule planning decisions made by local councils and to greenlight large-scale developments. The prime minister will unveil proposals this week to give regional mayors in 13 areas including Manchester, Liverpool, and the West Midlands, powers to take over planning decisions as well as direct [...]
Natwest hit with £250m lawsuit tied to Thurrock Council scandal Banking Natwest could be on the hook for more than a quarter of a billion pounds for allegedly aiding a businessman in secretly transferring funds from his investment firm. The FTSE 100 giant’s subsidiary – the Royal Bank of Scotland – has been engulfed in the collapse of Rockfire Group, which was triggered by a fraud [...]
London local elections 2026: Who will win in Waltham Forest? London After wrestling over Waltham Forest since the borough was created, Labour and the Conservatives now face a new threat from the Greens. The Conservatives and Labour have played pass the parcel with Waltham Forest since its inception in 1965. Control of the borough has switched as much as eight times since its formation in 1965, [...]
London local elections 2026: Who will win in Bromley? May 6, 2026 CLICK HERE to view all the latest London election results After years of watching their control fade in Bromley, the Conservatives will be fighting a battle on several fronts with Labour and Reform both chomping at the bit. The Conservatives have been slowly watching their grip on Bromley slip. The Tories have held onto the [...]
Local councils are standing in the way of regenerating our high streets October 17, 2025 Local councils make running a business in Britain a bureaucratic nightmare, says Preston Benson I moved here from the United States over 20 years ago, became a British citizen along the way, and have spent my career investing in the UK’s towns and cities. I have learned you can survive a pandemic, an energy crisis, [...]