1.58pm BST
China Accuses UK Politicians of "Arrogance" in British Steel Dispute
China has responded to criticism surrounding British Steel's owner, Jingye, by accusing UK politicians of "arrogance, ignorance, and a twisted mindset." The accusation follows concerns about the near shutdown of British Steel's blast furnaces.
The Chinese embassy in the UK released a statement on Wednesday, alleging that unnamed British public figures were slandering the Chinese government and its businesses.
The statement is a response to criticism of Jingye's actions by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. Reynolds accused Jingye, British Steel's Chinese owner since 2020, of not acting in good faith after the company threatened to close its Scunthorpe furnaces, potentially resulting in 2,700 job losses. The government intervened on Saturday with emergency legislation to prevent the shutdowns and take control of British Steel.
In a question-and-answer format, the Chinese embassy in Beijing stated, "The anti-China rhetoric of some individual British politicians is extremely absurd, reflecting their arrogance, ignorance, and twisted mindset."
1.22pm BST
UK in Talks with France About Asylum Seeker Exchange
The UK and French governments are in preliminary discussions regarding a returns agreement that would involve both countries exchanging asylum seekers.
Officials are considering a pilot program where a small number of individuals who irregularly cross the English Channel to reach the UK would be returned to France.
In exchange, the UK would accept a limited number of individuals from France who have a right to be in Britain, particularly those with family reunification claims.
Home Office sources have described the talks as positive. The discussions were initially reported in the Financial Times.
A Home Office spokesperson stated that the government is "intensifying" its collaboration with France and other European countries.
Channel crossings by small boats are at record highs, with nearly 8,200 people having reached the UK since the beginning of the year, a 30% increase compared to the same period last year.
Prior to Brexit, the UK was part of the EU's Dublin Regulation, which stipulated that asylum claims should be processed in the country where the individual first entered the bloc.
1.19pm BST
A judge has fined Cambridgeshire County Council £6 million for health and safety violations on the Guided Busway, following three deaths and multiple injuries.
Ben Compton KC, representing Cambridgeshire County Council, requested a six-year payment plan, citing the council's financial constraints. The judge denied this request, ordering the local authority to pay within three years and cover over £292,000 in outstanding costs. While acknowledging the council's financial challenges, the judge noted that the council had allocated over £18 million in a reserve fund for legal risks.
12.25pm BST
According to PA Media, a government spokesperson stated that the country is seeking "a better deal with the EU" and is considering a trade agreement with the Donald Trump administration in the US.
The spokesperson is quoted as saying:
Growth is a priority as part of our plan for change, delivering good British jobs and more pounds in people’s pockets. Reducing trade barriers for our businesses is vitally important to that, which is why we are seeking better trading relations with partners across the world – getting a better deal with the EU to see cheaper food and drink on people’s tables, alongside a new economic deal with the US.
12.06pm BST
A UK government-commissioned report suggests that ancient and culturally significant trees in England could receive legal protections.
12.02pm BST
Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay, Steve Darling, has reiterated his party's call for action regarding sewage discharge from privatized water companies in England.
In a social media post, Darling stated:
Yet another reminder of why we must end the sewage dumping scandal and reform the water industry. Yesterday’s downpour led to sewage discharges on beaches across Torbay – including Meadfoot, Paignton Sands, and Goodrington –right in the middle of the Easter holidays. Enough is enough. We need tougher regulation, a ban on bonuses for failing water company bosses, and a system that puts the environment before profit.
Party leader Ed Davey is expected to campaign in Devon and Cornwall today.
11.46am BST
On Monday, the Unite union overwhelmingly rejected an offer to settle the industrial dispute with Birmingham City Council, with 97% voting against the offer on a 60% turnout. Further talks are scheduled for today.
The dispute centers on the council's plan to eliminate the role of Waste Recycling Collection Officer (WRCO). The union asserts that WRCOs face an £8,000 pay cut, while the city council claims that no worker will lose money if they transition to alternative roles of the same grade.
Unite's General Secretary, Sharon Graham, stated, "If the council puts in writing what it says in public then we would likely be much closer to a deal."
According to Birmingham Live, Council Leader John Cotton confirmed that the talks would be led by the Director of People Services at the council, without the involvement of councillors.
11.18am BST
PA Media reports that Tommy Robinson has lost an appeal against his 18-month sentence for contempt of court at the court of appeal. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed in October last year after admitting multiple breaches of a high court order made in 2021.
11.16am BST
PA Media has analyzed inflation figures to identify price increases and decreases. Petrol and diesel prices saw accelerated price cuts, with the average cost of petrol last month being 5.0% lower than the previous year.
However, some food products, including potatoes, cheese, breakfast cereals, and yogurt, experienced an acceleration in inflation last month. Coffee, cocoa, and powdered chocolate prices continued to rise faster than the headline rate.
10.26am BST
Analysis of today's inflation data suggests that Rachel Reeves' optimism in her statement this morning may have been misplaced.
10.14am BST
Birmingham Bin Dispute: Council and Union to Hold Discussions Today
Birmingham City Council's leader has stated that the council is "open to negotiations" with Unite to resolve the refuse collection dispute in the city, but expressed disappointment that union members rejected the current offer. Talks are planned for later today.
PA Media reports that John Cotton said, "It’s really disappointing that Unite have rejected a second reasonable offer from the council. However, our door remains open to talk, so I’m really pleased that there will be further talks taking place later today."
He added, "Obviously, I’m not going to offer a running commentary on what happens in those negotiations but what I will say is what we cannot accept is anything that results in crossing our red lines around our equal pay liability, or indeed imperilling the transformation of the waste service.
"These are really important things that need to happen for the benefit of the citizens of Birmingham, but we’re absolutely open to negotiations and bringing this dispute to a close which has gone on, frankly, for far too long.”
Cotton claimed that most of the backlog of rubbish on Birmingham's streets could be cleared by the end of the week, stating that over 18,000 tonnes of rubbish have been removed since April 4.
9.58am BST
Minister Lilian Greenwood addressed questions about immigration during media appearances on Wednesday morning, confirming to Sky News that "there are discussions ongoing with the French government" on the issue.
The FT has reported that a "migrant return" deal may be under consideration.
Greenwood stated, "We are absolutely focused on fixing the broken asylum system that we have inherited from the Conservative government. It is not a short-term issue. This is going to take really hard work to tackle those organised gangs that are preying on people, putting their lives in danger as they try to cross the Channel to the UK. Of course, that’s going to involve conversations with our counterparts on the European continent."
In a separate appearance on GB News, she criticized the previous government for wasting "hundreds of millions of pounds" on its Rwanda deportation scheme. Greenwood said:
Obviously what we are doing is ensuring that those people who do arrive here illegally and have no legitimate claim are subject to returns, and that’s what we’ve been doing since we came to office.
Undoubtedly there is an incentive for people to come if they think they’re going to be able to stay. We saw under the last government. A huge backlog in asylum claims. People were allowed to stay here, at huge cost to the taxpayer, living in hotels. That is a completely unacceptable situation.
People who arrive in the UK have to have their claims looked at and processed quickly. Of course, there will be people who have a legitimate right to be here and genuine refugees. But for those who are not, they need to be returned, and that’s the system that we are determined to ensure works effectively.
9.48am BST
Nigel Farage has released a local election campaign video in which he calls the Conservative party a “self-entitled arrogant up themselves bunch of losers.”
He claims that while he has been out campaigning in Durham and Northumberland, the Conservatives “are not on the pitch, not campaigning out around the country, not appearing for any media interviews.”
9.42am BST
The ONS has released economic data on house prices and rent.
The ONS reported:
Average UK house prices increased by 5.4%, to £268,000 in the year to February 2025, up from 4.8% in the 12 months to January 2025.
Average UK private rents increased by 7.7% in the year to March 2025, this is down from 8.1% in February 2025.
There are variations between nations and regions. The ONS said the north west was the English region with the highest house price inflation, at 8%, and London the lowest with 1.7%.
The average house price for Wales was £207,000 in February 2025, up 4.1%, the average house price for Scotland was £186,000 in February 2025, up 5.7% and in Northern Ireland the figure was £183,000, which was up 9%.
9.26am BST
Minister Reiterates Call for End to Bin Collection Dispute in Birmingham
A government minister has reiterated the call for the Unite union to accept a deal and end the bin strike in Birmingham.
Speaking on GB News this morning, Lilian Greenwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Future of Roads, said residents were facing “a completely unacceptable situation.”
She said “We’ve all seen the pictures of rubbish piling up on the streets, and it’s time for this dispute to come to an end as quickly as possible. There’s a deal on the table. I think unite members should accept that deal.”
She claimed the deal “ensures that no one loses pay. This strike needs to come to an end. People in Birmingham deserve to have their streets back clean and tidy and not be facing the appalling situation that we’ve seen over the last six weeks.”
Birmingham City Council Leader John Cotton also spoke to the media this morning, saying the waste collection service in the city “fundamentally needs reform.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said of the ongoing bin collection strike: “We want to find a negotiated solution to this but what we cannot do is take steps that result in us creating further equal pay problems for the council, or indeed prejudice in our budget position, and also the service fundamentally needs reform.
“We know that the way services haven’t been delivering for parts of the city well enough for long enough, and that’s something that we need to change.”
Cotton added that the council is “absolutely focused” on ensuring the accumulation of waste is cleared and it will be “addressing any incidents” that have arisen about pest infestation.
9.25am BST
The UK Supreme Court is expected to rule on whether the definition of "woman" in the Equality Act 2010 includes transgender women with gender recognition certificates.
9.22am BST
Davey: Government Should Exclude Chinese Firms from Owning British Steel
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has expressed his hope that the government will not consider another Chinese firm for the future ownership of British Steel and the blast furnaces in Scunthorpe.
Appearing on Sky News, Davey said “I would caution them against” another Chinese partner, telling viewers “One of the worries that I think we’ve all had is the Chinese firm might have been under orders being influenced by the Chinese government.
“It’s in China’s interest that we don’t have our own ability to make virgin steel … so I think we should push back against that, and I really hope the government won’t go down that route. There are other options.”
Davey also addressed the refusal of authorities in Hong Kong to allow Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse to enter the region. He stated:
I think this is quite worrying, really. We’ve already said that the UK government should call in the Chinese ambassador for a proper explanation of what happened.
We’ve had some reports from the Chinese authorities trying to blame Wera, which, of course, is completely outrageous.
And we’ve called on the Chinese to publish any transcripts or any recordings they have. I think that will find that Wera’s account is right.
Let us remember Wera wasn’t even going on a political visit. She was visiting her new yearly born grandson. She was going on a family visit. And it was quite wrong of the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities to do what they did.
And I think it’s right that we, as not just the Liberal Democrats, but as MPs, as a country, demand a full explanation.
9.15am BST
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has been conducting media appearances this morning, as campaigning continues ahead of local elections in some regions of England in May. He has been advocating for a reform of rural policing.
During an appearance on Sky News, he stated, "Rural crime is really serious, affecting many communities: livestock theft, equipment theft from farms, hare coursing which is seeing organised crime gangs damaging crops and threatening farmers and their families, and there’s not the police there to deal with it, with the technology to deal with it.
"And we’ve done an analysis asking the police services in England and Wales, how many officers they have dedicated to these types of rural crimes. And it’s really shocking. It’s less than 0.5% of police resources are dedicated to these crimes.
"So we’re saying that’s wrong, and in areas where there’s particularly few resources, places like Devon and Cornwall, they’ve only got four police officers. That needs to be changed. And they need to have new technology, things like drones to help them do their work."
It was suggested to Davey that a decline in the number of police officers in England and Wales began under the coalition government of the early 2010s, of which he was a part.
He responded, "Well I think most of the problems have started in recent years, and frankly, you are talking about a long time ago. The Conservatives, since 2015, they were in power for nine years, failed to invest in our police."
9.13am BST
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has also discussed the prospects of a UK-US trade deal, following positive comments from US Vice-President JD Vance on the idea.
Asked for his thoughts on a potential deal during an appearance on Sky News, Davey stated:
If we can get a good trade deal that’s in our country’s interests with the US, we will support it. What we’ve said is any deal should come before parliament, so MPs can scrutinise the details.
He noted that Labour had previously called for parliamentary review of trade deals and expressed hope that they would maintain this position.
He emphasized that parliamentary scrutiny was essential, "particularly when we hear rather worrying reports that the government may be willing to do a deal with Trump on agriculture, potentially undermining standards."
Davey also stated that it would be "unacceptable" to the Lib Dems if a trade deal "relaxed our rules on online safety for children."
9.05am BST
The Liberal Democrats have commented on the latest inflation figures, with Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper warning Rachel Reeves about complacency and calling for enhanced economic cooperation with the EU. She stated:
The chancellor will be making a grave error if she lets her guard down over today’s figures. Those already struggling with the sky-high cost of living simply won’t be able to withstand another hammer blow to their pockets, such as from resident Trump’s global trade war.
Instead of looking to appease Trump and Vance in a trade deal that waters down our high British standards, the government must stand up for people and small businesses against their economic bullying, by forging new trade deals with our closest European and Commonwealth allies.
9.04am BST
Stride Accuses Chancellor of 'Driving Up the Cost of Living'
Conservative Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has claimed that government choices are "driving up the cost of living."
Reacting to news that inflation had slowed, Stride said: “Inflation remains above target and we know from official forecasts that price rises are set to increase further this year because of the chancellor’s choices.
“The Conservatives left Labour with inflation bang on target but the chancellor’s reckless union payouts, tax hikes, and borrowing binge is driving up the cost of living.
“Be in no doubt, the chancellor’s choices are keeping inflation higher for longer and working families are paying the price.”
Rishi Sunak’s government had inflation at the government’s target of 2% just prior to the 2024 general election, after almost three years of much higher rates.
Updated 9.05am BST8.58am BST
UK inflation dropped to 2.6% in March, increasing the pressure on Bank of England policymakers to cut interest rates next month.
Prices growth was weak ahead of an expected rise in April as households begin to pay higher council tax and utility bills, as well as an uncertain outlook posed by Donald Trump’s tariff war.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said falling fuel prices and flat costs for recreation and culture activities drove inflation lower, although this was offset by price rises for clothing and footwear. The price of food was also a factor in dragging down prices growth after it was flat in March compared with rising prices in the same month last year.
8.57am BST
Welcome and Opening Summary
Here are today's headlines:
- UK inflation has fallen to 2.6%, increasing pressure on the Bank of England to cut interest rates.
- Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will travel to Beijing to revive a key trade dialogue with China despite expressing concerns about Chinese investment in sensitive sectors.
- The UK Supreme Court is set to rule on the legal definition of a woman in a case brought against the Scottish government by the campaign group For Women Scotland.
- Water companies’ pollution incidents in England increased by 30% in 2024.
8.57am BST
Reeves: Inflation Figures Are Latest 'Encouraging Sign That Our Plan for Change Is Working'
Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that the latest inflation figures are "encouraging signs that our plan for change is working."
UK inflation dropped to 2.6% in March, indicating a slight slowdown in price increases. Reeves said:
Inflation falling for two months in a row, wages growing faster than prices, and positive growth figures are encouraging signs that our plan for change is working, but there is more to be done.
I know many families are still struggling with the cost of living and this is an anxious time because of a changing world.
That is why the government has boosted pay for three million people by increasing the minimum wage, frozen fuel duty and begun rolling out free breakfast clubs in primary schools.
