UK News

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics today show that the UK population could rise by nearly 10 million over the next 25 years. The ONS figures project the UK could have a population of 73.3million up from an estimated population of 63.7 million in 2012. A much larger proportion of this population will be much older as well putting more pressure on services as the number of people aged over 80, will double. The projections forecast an average UK annual population growth of 0.6 per cent until 2037. More than half of this half of the 9.6m increase is down to an increased...

A sweetshop has been fined £1400 for selling fake Wonka chocolate bars for £3 a bar which were really ASDA own-brand bars costing only 30p. An investigation by a South Wales Council’s trading standards team found the sweetshop were buying Smart Price chocolate bars from ASDA and re-packaging them as Nestlé’s premium ‘WONKA’ brand making more than £2 in profit from each bar they sold. Sweet66 Ltd, based in Cwnbran, South Wales was found guilty of eight offences including breach of trademark and misleading customers.

In a hearing at Newport’s magistrates’ court it was revealed that...

Firefighters and the government are still no closer to reaching an agreement on pensions after strike action earlier today. The strike ended at 8am this morning (4 November) and was the third strike action taken by the Fire Brigades Union. The FBU has claimed that the Fire Minister Brandon Lewis has worsened the deal ahead of a strike last Friday night (1 November). The dispute is primarily focused on the issues surrounding the health of firefighters over 50 who could lose their job and some of their pensions over fitness concerns. So far the government and employers have not drawn up any...

Britain’s biggest animal welfare charity welcomed this week’s proposals in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill to increase the maximum sentence for those irresponsible owners who fail to control their dogs in a way that puts the public and other animals in danger. However, the charity is calling on the Defra minister in the House of Lords, Lord de Mauley, to provide the responsible majority with a reasonable defence if their animals are involved in a genuinely accidental incident. The RSPCA is encouraging all dog owners and members of the public to contact Lord de Mauley and...