Peter Schofield tells staff he will leave the department for personal reasons The government’s top welfare official is to step down after his department’s handling of a longstanding benefits failure that plunged thousands into debt and became known as the carer’s allowance scandal. Sir Peter Schofield, the permanent secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions, announced to staff on Monday that he is to step down in July for personal reasons. Continue reading...

Newton Aycliffe was meant to be a model town for a fairer postwar Britain. But unaffordable rents on a high street amounting to 0.12% of its property tycoon owner’s holdings have made it a symbol of d...

Labour faces a battle to hold on to its 13,000 majority, with the Greens the bookies’ favourite and Reform hoping to gain from split vote on left

Newton Aycliffe was meant to be a model town for a fairer postwar Britain. But unaffordable rents on a high street amounting to 0.12% of its property tycoon owner’s holdings have made it a symbol of d...

Newton Aycliffe was meant to be a model town for a fairer postwar Britain. But unaffordable rents on a high street amounting to 0.12% of its property tycoon owner’s holdings have made it a symbol of d...

Decay of town centres a top issue among voters especially Reform UK supporters and is fuelling resentment against Westminster * How has your local high street changed since 2019? Check your postcode * The struggling billionaire-owned high street that shows Reform’s road to No 10 Labour will be “washed away in a tide of discontent” at the next general election unless it tackles the decline of Britain’s high streets, a study has warned, as Guardian analysis lays bare the changing face of town centres. Research by the University of Southampton found people feel high streets have declined more than any other part of their local area over the past decade, as household brands collapsed and shoplifting rose. Continue reading...

Exclusive: MP dismisses as ‘idle speculation’ reports he could resign as part of ‘coup’ against Keir Starmer

Neil Couling said failings by individual claimants ‘at the heart’ of crisis, despite a report finding DWP shortcomings ‘unacceptable’

Farage is responsible for ‘dangerous’ culture shift, says broadcaster subject to alleged posts from Reform councillor

Ian Cooper allegedly called Khan ‘narcissistic Pakistani’ and made comments about lawyer Shola Mos-Shogbamimu

Exclusive: report into Blackpool Victoria hospital by Royal College of Physicians finds systemic failings have affected patient safety A culture of systemic bullying and harassment has been allowed to flourish among staff at one England’s most scandal-hit hospitals, a damning leaked report reveals. The safety of patients at Blackpool Victoria hospital was affected as a result of the failings, the report by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) found. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Dulwich college contemporaries ‘rubbish’ Reform UK leader’s suggestion alleged racist taunts not intended to hurt

Report on handling of pandemic contains stinging criticism of ‘toxic and chaotic’ culture inside Boris Johnson’s No 10

SPECIAL REPORT: The ECHO lifts the lid on what life was like in the Rudakubana household after listening to every minute of the family's inquiry evidence

After nine weeks of inquiry evidence, a picture has emerged of systemic breakdown and poor information sharing

After nine weeks of inquiry evidence, a picture has emerged of systemic breakdown and poor information sharing

Last week’s attack on the synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, was also an assault on a model and diverse community, says Guardian features writer Simon Hattenstone

Exclusive: Concerns about apparently fanatical interest in Islam shown by Jihad al-Shamie and another family member were reported, Guardian told