Senior London Labour MP backs further inquiries into growing claims over Rachel Reeves CV and banking expenses
A senior London Labour MP backed further inquiries into growing claims over Rachel Reeves CV, time in banking and expenses claims.Mitcham and Morden MP Dame Siobhain McDonagh believes such further probing is inevitable after a BBC investigation claimed there was at least an initial inquiry into the expenses of Ms Reeves and two other staff when she worked for Halifax Bank of Scotland.'There is no point not wanting it because it's going to happen,' Dame Siobhain told BBC Politics Live.But she added: 'I have known Rachel Reeves for a very long time and I would say that she is one of the most hard-working, honest politicians I have ever met in a long career.'She stressed: 'First of all we have to be sure about what happened with the expenses scandal.'As far as I'm aware she absolutely denies that she was approached by anybody about the expenses scandal.'
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Reeves signs off on £14bn to build new nuclear plant Sizewell C
Rachel Reeves has signed off on £14.2 billion of investment to build the new Sizewell C nuclear plant as part of the spending review. The Chancellor is set to confirm the funding at the GMB Congress on Tuesday. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said new nuclear power capacity was needed to deliver a 'golden age of clean energy abundance'. Trade unions welcomed the move, which the Treasury said would go towards creating 10,000 jobs, including 1,500 apprenticeships. But the head of a campaign group opposing the plant criticised the decision to commit the funding, saying it is still not clear what the total cost will be. Nuclear plants are seen as increasingly important electricity sources as the Government tries to decarbonise Britain's grid by 2030, replacing fossil fuels with green power. The last time Britain completed one was in 1987, which was the Sizewell B plant. Hinkley Point C, in Somerset, is under construction and is expected to produce enough power for about six million homes when it opens, but that may not be until 2031. The Energy Secretary said: 'We need new nuclear to deliver a golden age of clean energy abundance, because that is the only way to protect family finances, take back control of our energy, and tackle the climate crisis. 'This is the Government's clean energy mission in action – investing in lower bills and good jobs for energy security.' It will get the UK off the 'fossil fuel rollercoaster', he separately told The Guardian. 'We know that we're going to have to see electricity demand at least double by 2050. All the expert advice says nuclear has a really important role to play in the energy system. 'In any sensible reckoning, this is essential to get to our clean power and net zero ambitions.' The joint managing directors of Sizewell C, Julia Pyke and Nigel Cann, said: 'Today marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Sizewell C, the UK's first British-owned nuclear power plant in over 30 years.' At the peak of construction, Sizewell C is expected to provide 10,000 jobs and the company behind the project has already signed £330 million worth of contracts with local businesses. The plant, which will power the equivalent of six million homes, is planned to be operational in the 2030s. The Government is also due to confirm one of Europe's first small modular reactor programmes and will invest £2.5 billion over five years in fusion energy research as part of plans to boost the UK's nuclear industry. The GMB union said giving Sizewell C the go-ahead was 'momentous'. Regional Secretary Warren Kenny said: 'Nuclear power is essential for clean, affordable, and reliable energy – without new nuclear, there can be no net zero. 'Sizewell C will provide thousands of good, skilled, unionised jobs and we look forward to working closely with the Government and Sizewell C to help secure a greener future for this country's energy sector.' Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, said: 'Delivering this funding for Sizewell C is a vital step forward, this project is critical to securing the future of the nuclear industry in the UK. 'New nuclear is essential to achieving net zero, providing a baseload of clean and secure energy, as well as supporting good, unionised jobs. 'Further investment in SMRs and fusion research shows we are finally serious about developing a 21st-century nuclear industry. All funding must be backed up by a whole-industry plan to ensure we have the workforce and skills we need for these plans to succeed.' Alison Downes of Stop Sizewell C said ministers had not 'come clean' about the full cost of the project, which the group have previously estimated could be some £40 billion. 'There still appears to be no final investment decision for Sizewell C, but £14.2 billion in taxpayers' funding, a decision we condemn and firmly believe the government will come to regret. 'Where is the benefit for voters in ploughing more money into Sizewell C that could be spent on other priorities, and when the project will add to consumer bills and is guaranteed to be late and overspent just like Hinkley C? 'Ministers have still not come clean about Sizewell C's cost and, given negotiations with private investors are incomplete, they have signed away all leverage and will be forced to offer generous deals that undermine value for money. Starmer and Reeves have just signed up to HS2 mark 2.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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'Scary and stressful': Indian students reconsider plans for US education
When 26-year-old Umar Sofi received his acceptance letter from Columbia University's School of Journalism, he thought the hardest part of his journey was over. After trying for three years, Mr Sofi had finally been admitted to his dream university and even secured a partial scholarship. He quit his job in anticipation of the big move. But on 27 May, when the US suddenly paused student visa appointments, the ground slipped from beneath his feet. "I was numb. I could not process what had happened," Mr Sofi, who lives in Indian-administered Kashmir, told the BBC. Some 2,000km (1,242 miles) away in Mumbai, 17-year-old Samita Garg (name changed on request) went through a similar ordeal. A day after she was accepted into a top US university to study biochemistry - her first step towards becoming a dermatologist - the US embassy halted student visa appointments. "It is scary and stressful," Ms Garg told the BBC over the phone. "It feels like I've been left in the lurch, not knowing when this will end." Both Mr Sofi and Ms Garg now have only a few weeks to secure their visas before the academic year begins in August, but little clarity on whether they can go ahead with their plans. Last month President Donald Trump's administration asked US embassies across the world to stop scheduling appointments for student visas and expand social media vetting of applicants. This wider move followed a crackdown on America's elite universities like Harvard, which Trump accused of being too liberal and of not doing enough to combat antisemitism. Trump's decisions have had far-reaching repercussions in India, which sends more international students to the US than any other country. Over the last month, the BBC spoke with at least 20 students at various stages of their application process, all of whom echoed deep anxieties about their futures. Most chose to remain anonymous, fearing retribution from the US government and worried that speaking out now could hurt their chances of obtaining a visa, or renewing it. Trump's battle on international students explained... in 70 seconds Students say they 'regret' applying to US universities after visa changes Trump suspends foreign student visas at Harvard More than 1.1 million international students were enrolled in US colleges in the 2023-24 school year, according to Open Doors, an organisation that collects data on foreign students. Nearly a third of them, or more than 330,000, were from India. Educational consultants report that applications to US universities for the upcoming autumn semester have dropped by at least 30% because of the uncertainty. "Their biggest fear is safety - what if their visas are rejected or they're deported mid-term?" said Nikhil Chopra, founder of TC Global, an international education consultancy. Experts say many students are now either deferring their plans or switching to countries perceived to be more "stable" like the UK, Germany, Ireland and Australia. Prema Unni (name changed on request) was accepted into three US universities for a master's in data analytics. But instead of preparing for the move, he decided to forgo the opportunity altogether. "There's uncertainty at every step - first the visa, then restrictions on internships and part-time work, and the constant surveillance while on campus," Mr Unni said. "It is very stressful." The halt on visa interviews is the latest in a series of policies tightening immigration rules for students. A few weeks ago, the US warned that students who drop out or miss classes without proper notification risk having their visas revoked, and could be barred from future entry. These decisions have come around the time of the year when 70% of student visas are issued, or renewed, sparking great unease among Indian students. "No student wants to go to a country and then have the visa policy suddenly change," Chris R Glass, a professor at Boston College told the BBC. "They need stability and options." The uncertainty will have long-term consequences - both for the aspirations of Indian students, but also for the US's future as a coveted higher education hub - says Prof Glass. Foreign student enrolment in US universities was slowing even before Trump's latest salvo. According to The Indian Express newspaper, the US denied 41% of student visa applications between the fiscal years 2023 and 2024, the highest rejection rate in a decade, and nearly doubling from 2014. Data from Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems (SEVIS), which tracks foreign students' compliance with their visas, showed a nearly 10% drop in international student enrolments as of March this year compared with the same period in 2024. International students are a financial lifeline for many US colleges, especially regional and state universities offering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and other master's programmes. These students pay significantly higher tuition fees than US citizens. In the 2023–24 academic year alone, foreign students contributed $43.8bn to the US economy, according to Nafsa, an association of International educators. They also supported over 375,000 jobs. "This really isn't about a short-term disruption of tuition revenue. This is about a long-term rupture in a strategic relationship that benefits both countries," Prof Glass said. For decades the brightest Indian students have depended on an American education in the absence of top quality Indian universities or a supportive research ecosystem. In turn they've helped plug a skills gap in the US. Many land highly sought-after jobs after they finish their courses - in particular, representing a significant pool of skilled professionals in sectors like biotechnology, healthcare and data science - and have even gone on to lead iconic companies. Everyone from Google's Sunder Pichai to Microsoft's Satya Nadella went to the US as students. While this has often led to concerns of a "brain-drain" from India, experts point out that India is simply unable to solve the problem of quality and quantity higher education in the immediate future to provide a domestic alternative to these students. Experts say it will be a lose-lose situation for both countries, unless the cloud of uncertainty lifts soon. Additional reporting by Divya Uppal, BBC India's YouTube team, in Delhi. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
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MP calls for ‘chronic under-supply' of Gypsy and Traveller sites to be addressed
A Labour MP has called on the Government to address the 'chronic under-supply' of Gypsy and Traveller sites across England. Mary Kelly Foy said planning decisions on these sites 'have frequently been underpinned by prejudice', with just 30 created over the past 30 years. The MP for City of Durham tabled an amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which proposes that Gypsy and Traveller sites are included in spatial development strategies. Speaking in the Commons, she said: 'Today I rise to speak to amendment 134, in my name, that works towards addressing a long-standing and deeply entrenched failure in our planning system, the chronic under-supply of Gypsy and Traveller sites across England. 'And my amendment seeks to increase fairness into the system to enable, rather than hinder, the provision of adequate, culturally appropriate accommodation for Gypsy and Traveller communities. 'For too long, the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers have been overlooked by the planning system.' She added: 'The Government has committed to delivering 1.5 million new homes by 2029, if that ambition is to be truly inclusive, it must include everyone, and that means by making space, literally and politically, for communities who have been moved on, fenced off and forgotten.' Ms Foy said just 30 sites have been created over the past 30 years, adding: 'Decisions on Gypsy and Traveller sites have frequently been underpinned by prejudice, whether overt or institutional. 'Too often, proposed developments are blocked or delayed by local opposition that's not met with political will or leadership. 'Site delivery also suffers from a lack of inclusion at the strategic planning level, where Gypsy and Traveller site provision can be absent from local plans and excluded from land allocations. And this absence isn't an accident, it's a result of years of structural marginalisation that this Bill must now correct.' Ms Foy said the UK is 'seeing a troubling trend' with the number of socially rented pitches declining. She argued that leaving out Gypsy and Traveller sites from future strategies would be 'repeating mistakes of the past'.
