Stricter rules for online retailers selling knives will be introduced by the government, along with tougher penalties for failing to enforce them, as we pursue every avenue to protect young people from knife crime. Following tragedies where the unlicensed sale of these weapons online has led to young people being killed, retailers will be required to report any bulk or suspicious-looking purchases of knives on their platforms to police to prevent illegal resales happening across social media accounts. Underlining our commitment to stop these weapons from reaching young people, we will increase the sentence for selling weapons to under 18s from…
Author: HM Government
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Emad Kaky, 48, has had his sentence increased after it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. The court heard that in June 2019 Kaky arranged for a young girl to travel to Iraq for an FGM procedure and to be forced into marriage. Kaky’s plans were uncovered by a witness who arranged for the victim to travel back to the UK from Iraq and reported Kaky to the police. Kaky was convicted of conspiracy to commit FGM and forced marriage. The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said: FGM is a sickening crime…
We voted in favour of this resolution renewing the 1591 Panel of Experts and we thank the US for leading the negotiations. I’ll make two points. First, I want to highlight the catastrophic situation currently faced by thousands of displaced people at Zamzam Camp in Darfur. We’ve seen reports that the Rapid Support Forces have launched a further assault contrary to this council’s demands in Resolution 2736. There are harrowing accounts of shelling and targeting of civilians. It’s reported that at least 40 civilians have been killed and shelters have been razed to the ground. These are people who were…
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that Topps Tiles’ £9 million purchase of 30 CTD Tiles stores raises competition concerns in 4 areas of the United Kingdom. Topps Tiles is the biggest specialist tile retailer in the UK. Before entering administration in August 2024, CTD was the second largest specialist tile retailer in the UK. As part of the deal Topps Tiles acquired 30 stores, as well as supporting infrastructure such as stock and all related intellectual property for CTD Tiles, CTD Architectural, and CTD Housebuilders . Following completion of the deal the CMA received several complaints, which…
British steelmakers are being backed today by the Government as the Business Secretary launches the Plan for Steel Consultation. This will look at the long-term issues facing the industry like high electricity costs, unfair trading practices, and scrap metal recycling – to protect jobs and living standards in the UK’s industrial heartlands. Up to £2.5 billion will be put towards supporting the steel industry, as per the manifesto commitment, including via the National Wealth Fund. This could benefit regions across the UK – like Scunthorpe, Rotherham, Redcar, Yorkshire, and Scotland – which have a strong history of steel production. It…
Box-office boost for film studios as 40% relief on business rates roll out begins, lasting until 2034. Creative sector, which includes film, is a vital industry of the future, worth over £120 billion to the UK economy, employing over 2.4 million people. Film studios are to receive business rates relief over the next nine years as the government rolls out a 40% reduction in business rates bills – to help drive growth and deliver the Plan for Change. From tomorrow (17 February), Local Authorities can begin implementing local schemes and awarding the tax relief to help filmmakers kickstart their journeys…
What is Ambassador for A Day Have you ever wondered what it’s like to represent your country on the international stage? The Diplomacy plays a key role in shaping global decisions and women’s voices are truly crucial in this field. This competition gives you a rare chance to step into the shoes of an Ambassador for a day, learn about diplomacy in action and the work of the British Embassy team. Why you should enter this competition Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, half of its potential. Yet they are not fully represented in diplomacy,…
Innovation is defined by its ability to surprise. Only a few years ago, GPT-2 meant nothing to the public. For many of us, AI felt like a distant possibility at best. Something that would never – could never – live up to the hype. And yet, overnight, ChatGPT became a household name. It unleashed an unprecedented wave of technological change. And the pace of progress shows no signs of slowing down. With DeepSeek, we’ve just seen once again just how sudden, how unpredictable, innovation can be. The AI revolution is happening. Ignoring it is simply not an option. In the…
The Prime Minister spoke to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this morning. The Prime Minister began by reiterating the UK’s concrete support for Ukraine, for as long as it’s needed. He was unequivocal that there could be no talks about Ukraine, without Ukraine. Ukraine needed strong security guarantees, further lethal aid and a sovereign future, and it could count on the UK to step up, he added. The Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s commitment to Ukraine being on an irreversible path to NATO, as agreed by Allies at the Washington Summit last year. Discussing the upcoming third anniversary of…
Thousands more people will be able to benefit from the security and safety of a high-quality home thanks to a £350 million injection to get Britain building, alongside plans to drive up standards and tackle rogue landlords in supported housing. Up to 2,800 extra homes will be built through a £300 million boost to the Affordable Homes Programme, with half of these homes for social rent, and over 250 more council homes through a £50 million boost to the Local Authority Housing Fund to provide homes for those in need of better-quality temporary accommodation. This supports plans to get Britain…