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Charity Commission Points to Structural Vulnerabilities in the Regulation of Some Charity Services

Over a quarter of a billion-pound investment to increase policing in Jewish communities after a spate of violent attacks

UK ratifies the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement

Housing company Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd has been sentenced for polluting a North East stream following an Environment Agency investigation

The UK has signed a joint statement marking the tenth anniversary of the Arbitral Tribunal Award on the South China Sea

Ministers have launched a crackdown on vapes marketed at kids with a shift to plain white packaging

Laura Gibb, the SIA's Executive Director for Martyn's Law, updates on progress

The Deputy Prime Minister's address to the World Gold Council and London Bullion Market Association Summit

The Solicitor General Ellie Reeves KC has referred the sentence of Vickrum Digwa, convicted of the murder of Henry Nowak, to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme

Joint Statement on the Preeminence of the U.S. Government Regulating Health Risks for Americans The text of the following statement was released by the Department of State and Department of Health and Human Services. Begin Text The United States remains committed to protecting the public health of Americans through sound science, transparency, and rigorous independent review. International organizations can play a constructive role in advancing scientific discussion, but their conclusions...

New York Dispatch Heir Challenges Sale of Long-Lost Klimt, Alleging Shoah-Era Theft Was Concealed A legal battle has erupted over a Gustav Klimt masterpiece valued at approximately $100 million, with the last known blood descendant of the family that originally owned the painting accusing a Vienna auction house of disguising the work's identity in order to sell it rather than return it to its rightful heirs. Patricia Leahy, an American descendant of the prominent Austrian Jewish Lieser...

Financier to be banned until June 2035 Lex Greensill to be Disqualified from Acting as a Company Director in the UK for Nine Years Lex Greensill was a director of three companies within the Greensill Group, which collapsed in 2021 with combined liabilities of more than £1.6 billion In late 2020, he caused the companies to enter into a series of transactions with US construction company Katerra that removed legal protections from a Credit Suisse fund’s investment The Australian businessman...

Raised standards for recruiting foreign students come amid continued visa abuse. Student asylum claims already down 30% as government action delivers results Universities Face Ban on International Students Over Visa Abuse Universities will be stripped of the right to recruit international students if too many drop out, as the government tightens the screws on visa abuse. New sponsorship rules will introduce a sliding scale of penalties for higher education institutions that fail to recruit...

The water firm admits 18 charges of water pollution in Devon and Cornwall and sentencing is expected on 30 July 2026 South West Water Pleads Guilty to Six Years of Pollutions South West Water (SWW) has pleaded guilty to a catalogue of pollution-related charges spanning six years across Devon and Cornwall. The prosecution, brought by the Environment Agency, concluded at Plymouth Magistrates Court on Thursday this week. Sentencing is expected on 30 July 2026. Of the charges, 17 are for...

The Home Secretary gave an oral statement to the House of Commons on 2 June Oral Statement to Parliament: Home Secretary Response to Henry Nowak Case With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement about the murder of Henry Nowak. Last December, Henry – aged just 18 – was a first-year university student with his life ahead of him. He was kind, hard-working, loved by his family and friends. His murder – at the hands of Vickrum  Digwa – was a horrifying act. Digwa murdered Henry and then...

Trademark Alert: Questions Every Business Should Ask Before Hiring a Trademark Attorney Businesses seeking trademark protection in the United States should carefully understand exactly who is responsible for their application, who receives communications from the USPTO, and who bears responsibility when critical deadlines are missed. Our experience with trademark attorney Katrina Fama, MarkATLaw.com, Michael Beck and Trademark Counsels raises serious questions that, in our view, every...

A nation cannot claim to welcome Jews while criminalising one of the oldest and most fundamental commandments of Judaism

£30 million investment important step toward protecting 30% of England's land for nature by 2030 Wildlife Habitat in Most Cherished Landscapes Set to be Restored Precious wildlife habitat in our most important places for nature is set to be restored thanks to a new government fund, Nature Minister Mary Creagh announced today (Monday 25 May). The government will invest £30 million to restore and create wildlife-rich habitats across England’s most iconic landscapes from the wilds of Dartmoor...

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Will Grant ‘Adjustment of Status’ Only in Extraordinary Circumstances U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a new policy memo reiterating the fact that, consistent with long-standing immigration law and immigration court decisions, aliens seeking adjustment of status must do so through consular processing via the Department of State outside of the country. Officers are directed to consider all relevant factors and information on a...

Hebrew Synagogue Welcomes UK Court Clarity on Biologically Specific Facilities Hebrew Synagogue has today confirmed its support for the legal clarification provided by the United Kingdom Supreme Court and subsequent Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance regarding the use of single-sex facilities based upon biological sex under the Equality Act 2010. The organisation confirmed that this position will apply across all facilities operated by Hebrew Synagogue throughout the United...

Waste carrier DTM Grab Hire Ltd has been told to pay out £16,664 after thousands of tonnes of waste were dumped on a floodplain Third Waste Carrier Convicted in Environment Agency Operation The Environment Agency has secured a third conviction in relation to a major illegal waste site in Kingsteighton, South Devon, where thousands of tonnes of waste were dumped on a floodplain. DTM Grab Hire Ltd has been ordered to pay £16,664 for its part in depositing the waste at the illegal site which was...

The Royal Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Tamar, among its most advanced ships, is making a return visit to Solomon Islands today after its first visit in 2023 HMS Tamar Returns to Honiara, Marks Deeper UK-Solomon Islands Engagement Permanently deployed to support the countries of the region both HMS Tamar and HMS Spey are on a five-year mission around the Pacific region. HMS Tamar has visited Asia, Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands and will visit Papua New Guinea after the Solomons....

Stricter background checks to be introduced for waste carriers New Reforms to Stop Waste Criminals from Exploiting Loopholes New reforms are set to tighten the net on waste criminals with tougher sentences for those illegally dumping waste, and advanced background checks to help put rogue operators out of business. As part of the major crackdown on waste criminals, underpinned by the government’s Waste Crime Action Plan, laws being laid this week will require waste handlers to prove they...

The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into The Shoosmith Gallery (registered charity number 1147845) Regulator Investigates Charity Over Unauthorised Payments to a Trustee The Shoosmith Gallery operates an art gallery promoting the work of the Shoosmith family of artists. It was registered in 2012. Two of the charity’s current trustees are also trustees of William Blake House Northants, which is subject to an ongoing statutory inquiry opened in February 2026. The shared...

The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into Steiner Friends (registered charity number 1071781) Regulator Investigates Charity Over Management of Potential Conflicts of Interest Steiner Friends’ stated activities include providing educational courses, based on the ethos of Rudolf Steiner. The charity was registered in 1998. Concerns identified during the course of an ongoing inquiry into William Blake House Northants have led the Commission to open a separate inquiry into...

Foreign Secretary announces sanctions against organisations and individuals enabling hostile Iranian activity UK Sanctions Iranian Targets in Response to National Security Threats New UK sanctions target organisations and individuals who threaten international and UK security. Action demonstrates UK commitment to countering Iranian threats to UK national security, regional stability, and the global economy. Sanctions will deter attacks against dissidents overseas and disrupt illicit revenue...

The campaign encourages the public to check that their immigration adviser is properly regulated before placing their trust in them Public Urged to Check Immigration Advisers are Regulated The Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) has launched its first national awareness campaign to protect people from fraudulent, unregulated immigration advisers. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the IAA’s role as the UK’s independent regulator of immigration advisers, while encouraging people to check...

Katrina Fama image from MarkATLaw.com Businesses seeking trademark registration in the United States should proceed with caution when approached by aggressive online trademark lawyers promising “guaranteed” results. After filing trademark applications in the United States, it is common to receive large numbers of unsolicited emails from attorneys and trademark agencies claiming they can take over the application, resolve Office Actions, and secure registration of the mark. One of the firms...

Company director Paul Thomson pleaded guilty to knowingly deploying Daniel Almond-Farrant, who was also prosecuted, as an unlicensed keyholder Convicted Cambridge Security Boss and Operative to Pay Over £5000 On 28 April 2026 at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court, Mr Thomson pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 5 (via section 23) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA). The company Cambridge Security Services Ltd, of which Mr Thomson was the sole director, pleaded guilty to another...

Joint Statement on the United States – Papua New Guinea Strategic Partnership Dialogue The following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Papua New Guinea on the occasion of the second United States – Papua New Guinea Strategic Partnership Dialogue in Port Moresby. Begin Text United States Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael George DeSombre and Independent State of Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso met in Port...

Ambassador Vesa Häkkinen of Finland delivered a statement on World Press Freedom Day on behalf of the UK and 33 other countries, stressing that a free, independent media is essential to peace and security across the OSCE region and beyond Speech: World Press Freedom Day 2026: Joint statement to the OSCE I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States, members of the Informal Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Estonia,...

Passport Revocations Due to Significant Child Support Debt Under President Trump, the Department of State is using commonsense tools to support American families and strengthen compliance with U.S. laws. This includes preventing those who owe substantial amounts of court-ordered child support from neglecting their legal and moral obligations to their children. U.S. law requires Americans to comply with child support obligations in order to receive a U.S. passport and allows the Department of...

Businesses see processing times slashed in groundbreaking new trial Businesses See Processing Times Slashed in Groundbreaking Trial New paperless systems shown to significantly reduce processing times, with steps that often take days completed in an hour under pilot conditions UK exporters could see lower costs and faster access to global markets thanks to the innovative tech UK-Japan programme complements schemes launched with Germany and France A pioneering scheme to speed up goods...

North Yorkshire company director disqualified Four-Year Ban for Director in Atherton Scheme Suzanne Harley-Davies has been disqualified as a company director for four years after failing to ensure her companies operated for legitimate corporate purposes Harley-Davies was a director of two companies which supported the Atherton scheme, allowing business owners to walk away from debts by selling their companies for £1 outside of formal insolvency processes The disqualification is the latest...

Taxpayer Funding will help develop a numberplate ID system for drones, helping police better protect UK skies and prosecute illegal users Nearly £50 Million Government Backing to Power Up Drone and Flying Taxi Tech and Crack Down on Illegal Drones British jobs, innovation and long-term economic growth will be supported by £26 million to bring drones and air taxis to UK skies faster nearly £20.5 million committed to develop numberplate ID system for drones – helping police better protect UK...

Suspended SIA licence holder Tony Jones pleaded guilty to illegally working as a door supervisor and was fined £250 Glasgow Door Supervisor Working with Suspended Licence Prosecuted On 7 April 2026 at Hamilton Sheriff Court, Tony Jones pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 3(1) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 for engaging in licensable conduct without a licence. He was ordered to pay a fine of £250 for the offence. The SIA suspended Mr Jones’s licence in January 2025, but he...

SIA Chief Executive Michelle Russell's statement on the Statutory Instrument giving the SIA prescribed person status under the Public Interest Disclosure Act SIA Begins Process of Gaining PIDA Prescribed Person Status We welcome the Statutory Instrument laid in Parliament today that, subject to final parliamentary scrutiny, will grant the SIA the status of a prescribed person under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 from 2 June 2026. This change responds to the gap that we have asked to...

The most historic changes to private renting in England now give 11 million tenants landmark new rights and protections that will transform their experiences Historic Protections for Renters in Action Across England 11 million private tenants in England are now protected by the biggest increase to renters’ rights in over 40 years No more Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions as the Renters’ Rights Act stamps out the practice for good, as part of a huge package of new protections starting today (1...

Diplomatic Security Service Investigation Exposes Counterfeit Passport Fraud Network, Leads to 10-Year Federal Sentence The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) uncovered a sophisticated, multi-state fraud scheme built on counterfeit U.S. passport cards and stolen identities, bringing two of its central figures to justice through a years-long investigation that culminated in significant federal prison sentences. On April 7, 2026, Ciera Julieth Blas, 32, of Brooklyn,...

Training tackles harmful assumptions about disability and ensures staff make practical, meaningful adjustments for the people they serve DWP Prioritises Disabled People: Thousands Complete Autism and Learning Disability Training Thousands of DWP healthcare professionals completed Oliver McGowan training to better support autistic people and those with learning disabilities as they navigate the benefits system. Marking Autism Awareness Month, the milestone forms part of the Government’s...

Incidents off Kent coastline and others inland – company released sewage into water weeks after getting record £90 million for almost 7,000 illegal discharges Southern Water Admits Sea Pollution Southern Water has pleaded guilty to a series of pollution incidents across north Kent, affecting the sea and inland waters. The Environment Agency charged the company with releasing untreated sewage, sewage debris, diesel and waste matter at various times between 2019 and 2021. Some of the...

New agreement between the UK and France to step up patrols and intelligence operations in France to reduce illegal crossings Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and French Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nunez The United Kingdom and France today signed an agreement to strengthen operations to combat illegal migration in northern France to prevent crossings to the United Kingdom with a significant increase in dedicated human, technological and intelligence resources. Since the 2024 UK election,...

The Devon waste carrier was fined £1,466 and told to pay back the economic benefit he realised by his illegal activity of £12,300 Waste Carrier Fined After Depositing Tonnes at Illegal Site Devon waste carrier David Gorton has been told to pay £17,527 after he deposited waste at a site near Kingsteignton in Devon which was operating illegally. Newton Abbot Magistrates’ Court heard that Gorton, aged 59, of Denbury Road, Newton Abbot, deposited 1,368 tonnes of soil and stone at the illegal...

Partnership aims to boost tip-offs about banned directors still operating in the shadows Insolvency Service Joins Forces with Crimestoppers to Crack Down on Rogue Directors The Insolvency Service disqualifies more than 1,000 directors every year for misconduct including not paying tax and using company money for personal benefit There are currently more than 11,000 people serving disqualification bans in the UK - acting as a director while banned is a criminal offence Members of the public...

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Liz Kendall, spoke at Wayve, launching the Sovereign AI Fund on Thursday 16 April 2026 The Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP It is wonderful to be here tonight to launch Sovereign AI. I want to start by thanking Alex and the team at Wayve for putting on a such a fantastic event – and for being such a fantastic British company. You are the global leader in embodied AI for autonomous driving. Supported by Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Stellantis. And...

The AA Driving School and BSM Driving School – both of which are owned by the AA – must refund more than 80,000 customers and pay a fine of £4.2 million CMA Orders the AA and BSM Driving Schools to Refund Learner Drivers Over Drip Pricing CMA orders more than £760,000 be repaid to customers – the first time it has used its new powers to secure money back for consumers The AA also fined £4.2 million after a mandatory £3 booking fee was not included in the upfront price – an illegal practice...