Reports
Power For Sale? Nineteen Politicians Who Turned Public Office Into Private Income
Nineteen politicians turned public office into private income. A few broke rules, most did not, and the watchdog has since been abolished.
Continue to full articleRegulator Warned Heylo in 2022 That It Had Lost Control of Its Homes. Administrators Now Decide the Future of Nearly 3,500
The regulator warned in 2022 that Heylo had ceded control of its homes. Administrators now decide the future of nearly 3,500.
Continue to full articleCoroner Blamed Cornwall’s Social Care Shortage in 2024. Months Later, Pamela Hindley Left Hospital in a Discharge Push Before Her Home Was Made Safe
A coroner blamed Cornwall’s social care shortage in 2024. Months later, Pamela Hindley left hospital before her home was made safe.
Continue to full articleAsylum Hotel Use Has Halved. The Home Office Will Not Say How Many People Live in Its HMOs, or How Many Are Unlicensed
Hotel use has halved, but the Home Office will not publish how many asylum HMOs it uses or how many lack licences.
Continue to full articlePatients Died Without the Help They Needed to Take Insulin. The NHS Fix Won't Arrive Until 2028
Investigators linked insulin support failures to patient deaths. NHS England plans to publish the national fix in March 2028.
Continue to full article1.3 Million NHS Referral Entries Vanished From Worklists in Six Months. The National Safety Log Never Mentioned the Risk
NHS England’s referral system removed 1.3 million worklist entries in six months. Its safety log never mentioned the risk.
Continue to full articleReform UK’s Deleted Crypto Bill and the Billionaire Who Funds the Party
Reform UK removed the crypto bill Nigel Farage promised to enact as Prime Minister from its website and did not say why.
Continue to full articleThree Years After the Law, MHCLG’s Own Draft Rules Push Supported Housing Licensing Into 2027
Three years after Parliament passed the law, MHCLG’s own draft rules push supported housing licensing into 2027, with the start date blank.
Continue to full articleNo 10 North Has Been Open Three Months. The Cabinet Office Has Not Told Parliament What It Costs
No 10 North has been open three months, and the Cabinet Office still has not told Parliament what it costs.
Continue to full articleThe Government Says It Cannot Yet Publish What It Spends on Digital Reform. It Still Promotes a £45bn Savings Figure
The government says it cannot yet publish its digital reform spending, but still promotes a £45bn savings figure MPs called “worryingly optimistic”.
Continue to full articleKirklees Owns 21,286 Council Homes. It Has Up to Date Condition Records for Around a Quarter
The social housing regulator graded Kirklees C3 after finding up to date condition records for around a quarter of its 21,286 homes.
Continue to full article£75m for Police AI. The Watchdog Says Officers Could Face Misconduct Cases Without Knowing They Broke the Rules
Officers could face misconduct cases without knowing they broke AI rules, the police watchdog warns, months after a £75m AI centre opened.
Continue to full articleMinisters Are Considering Charging Streaming Only Households for the BBC Without Publishing What It Would Raise or Cost to Enforce
Ministers are considering charging streaming only households for the BBC without publishing what it would raise or cost to enforce.
Continue to full articleRegulator Calls £54.7bn of Social Housing Finance 'New Borrowing'. Its Own Report Says Much of It Is Refinancing.
The social housing regulator calls £54.7bn “new borrowing”, but its own report says much of that sum refinances existing loans.
Continue to full articleGovernment Calls Tagging Regime Britain's Toughest Ever as Inspectors Warn of 'False Sense of Assurance'
The government calls its tagging regime Britain’s toughest ever, while inspectors warn it risks creating a “false sense of assurance”.
Continue to full articleGovernment Says Waste Criminals Have 'No Hiding Place'. Full Mandatory Tracking Is Still a Year Away
The government says waste criminals have “no hiding place”, but carriers and brokers need not join digital tracking until October 2027.
Continue to full articleGovernment Opens £600m a Year Industry Subsidy Before Earlier Energy Support Has Shown Its Investment Return
The government has opened a £600m a year industry subsidy with no published evaluation of what earlier energy support achieved.
Continue to full articleMHCLG, RBKC and London Fire Brigade Among Bodies Referred to CPS After Grenfell Investigation
MHCLG, RBKC and London Fire Brigade are among the bodies referred to the CPS after the Metropolitan Police’s Grenfell investigation.
Continue to full articleGreat British Grid Launched Without a Long Term Budget, First Project or Estimate of Bill Savings
Great British Grid has launched without a long term budget, a first project or any estimate of household bill savings.
Continue to full articleGovernment Opens Door to Water Ownership but Stops Short of Walking Through It
The government has announced a “pathway to stronger public control” of water, but no company is being taken into public ownership.
Continue to full articleGovernment Publishes £209m Crime Law Costing Five Months After Parliament Passed It
The government costed the Crime and Policing Act at £209m five months after it became law, more than double the earlier estimate.
Continue to full articleGovernment Plans £15bn a Year Pension Saving Before Full Cost of National Care Service Is Known
The government plans to save around £15bn a year from the triple lock before the National Care Service’s full cost is known.
Continue to full articleGovernment's Cornwall lithium claim raises questions over battery numbers and environmental impact
Ministers say Cornwall will produce lithium for more than 180,000 car batteries a year, but earlier figures point to a different number.
Continue to full articleBritain Pays Billions to Lease Its Trains. Now Government Is Asking Whether It Should Own Them
Britain pays billions to lease its trains, and the government now says public ownership should be assessed case by case.
Continue to full articleGovernment Revives Help to Buy Model Before Publishing Rules Meant to Fix Its Targeting Problem
The government has revived the Help to Buy model before publishing the income and price limits meant to fix its targeting problem.
Continue to full articleGovernment's £210m High Street Package Uses Money Already Earmarked for Regeneration
The government’s £210m high street package uses money already earmarked for regeneration, with no published breakdown of where each part comes from.
Continue to full articleSpecialist Rape Courts Return Without Evidence the 2022 Pilot Cut Delays
Specialist rape courtrooms are coming to every Crown Court without evidence that the 2022 pilot cut delays.
Continue to full articleBritish Steel Is Costing Taxpayers £1.3m a Day Without a Costed Plan for Its Future
British Steel is costing taxpayers around £1.3m a day, and the government still has no costed plan for its future.
Continue to full articleGovernment Steel Tariffs Can Hit Products Britain Does Not Make
The government’s steel tariffs can hit products Britain does not make, leaving some UK manufacturers facing a 50 per cent tariff.
Continue to full articleNorfolk Developers Could Pay £2,675 a Home Instead of Arranging Their Own Nutrient Mitigation
Norfolk developers could pay £2,675 a home instead of arranging their own nutrient mitigation, and environmental groups question whether that is enough.
Continue to full articleTen Years After Salmon Recovery Plan Launched, 95% of England's Principal Rivers Are Still at Risk
Ten years after the salmon recovery plan launched, 95 per cent of England’s principal salmon rivers are still at risk.
Continue to full articleGovernment Adds 500 More Economic Crime Officers Without a Recovery Target to Match
The government is funding more than 500 extra economic crime officers without a target for how much criminal money they should recover.
Continue to full articleGovernment Adds £91m Reform Fund as 35 Councils Are Approved for £1.5bn of Exceptional Support
The government is giving 14 financially troubled councils £91m to reform services as 35 councils are approved for £1.5bn of exceptional support.
Continue to full articleGovernment Gives English Mayors Power to Set an Uncapped Tax on Overnight Stays
English mayors will be able to set an uncapped tax on overnight stays, although most consultation respondents backed a national cap.
Continue to full articleCabinet Office Circulates New Consultation Guidance Before Publishing Replacement Rules
The Cabinet Office has circulated new consultation guidance inside government before publishing the replacement Consultation Principles.
Continue to full articleGovernment Announces £1.5bn NHS Estate Programme as Repair Backlog Stands at £15.9bn
The government’s £1.5bn NHS estate programme comes from an existing fund, while the repair backlog stands at £15.9bn.
Continue to full articleGovernment Misses Compensation Reform Deadline as Claimants Report Being Retraumatised
The government has missed its compensation reform deadline, as 76 per cent of claimants surveyed said the process was distressing or retraumatising.
Continue to full articleGovernment Promises Nude Images Will Be 'Impossible' for Children Under 18 Without Publishing Accuracy Standard
The government promises nude images will be “impossible” for under 18s but has not published the accuracy standard the technology must meet.
Continue to full article17 Facial Recognition Deployments at London Stations Produced No Watchlist Matches
Seventeen live facial recognition deployments at London stations produced no confirmed watchlist matches and no arrests.
Continue to full articleSeven RAAC Hospitals to Stay Open Beyond 2030 as Replacements Run to 2032/33
Seven RAAC hospitals will stay in use beyond 2030, with the last replacements not expected until 2032/33.
Continue to full articleMoD Blocked £400m of Supplier Costs but Still Cannot Reliably Estimate Its Fraud Losses
The MoD blocked £400m of supplier costs but still cannot reliably estimate how much it loses to fraud.
Continue to full articleGovernment Has Not Published Updated Capacity Modelling for Its Revised Prison Release Plan
Around 5,000 prisoners are expected to be released earlier under revised rules, but no updated capacity modelling has been published.
Continue to full articleMoD Overturned 884 Afghan Special Forces Refusals After Failing to Use Key Records
The MoD overturned 884 refusals of former Afghan special forces after earlier decisions failed to use key UK government records.
Continue to full articlePrison Expansion Programme Wrote Off £24m Without Naming the Projects
The prison expansion programme wrote off almost £24m without naming the projects, the amount for each or the prison places affected.
Continue to full article5,043 People With Electronic Monitoring Orders Had No Equipment Assigned
5,043 people with electronic monitoring orders had no monitoring equipment assigned to them at the end of June.
Continue to full articleA Beagle Breeder Now Falls Under the Same Protest Offence as Power Stations
A beagle breeder now falls under the same protest offence as power stations, and the High Court has allowed a challenge.
Continue to full articleStarmer Sacked Olly Robbins Over Mandelson Vetting. MPs Say the Facts Had Not Been Established
Starmer sacked Olly Robbins over Mandelson’s vetting, but MPs say his dismissal came before the facts had been established.
Continue to full articleNHS Paid 70p for These Tablets. Eight Years Later It Was £88
NHS hydrocortisone prices rose from 70p to £88 a pack, and the Court of Appeal has upheld the finding of excessive pricing.
Continue to full articleBurnham Pledges to End Long Term Rough Sleeping but Gives No Date for Reaching Zero
Andy Burnham has pledged to end long term rough sleeping but has given no date for reaching zero.
Continue to full articleBurnham's £45 Electricity Cut Is Funded by Savings the Government Had Not Yet Identified
Burnham’s £45 electricity cut is funded partly by digital ID savings the government has not yet identified or published.
Continue to full articleHome Office Plans 3,750 More Asylum Places Before It Has a Performance Regime for Existing Large Sites
The Home Office plans 3,750 more asylum places before it has a performance regime for the large sites it already runs.
Continue to full articleSouth East Water's boss is gone but regulators still haven't fixed the company that left Tunbridge Wells without water for two weeks
South East Water's leaders have resigned, but the company that left Tunbridge Wells without water still has no credible plan.
Continue to full articleJohn Healey Resigned Over Treasury Restraint. Five Weeks Later He Was Put in Charge of the Treasury
John Healey resigned over Treasury restraint on defence, and five weeks later Andy Burnham put him in charge of the Treasury.
Continue to full articleSouth East Water's Bosses Are Gone. Its Turnaround Plan Still Has to Be Written
South East Water’s chair and chief executive have gone, but the turnaround plans regulators require have still to be written.
Continue to full articleLords set to debate cohabitation rights, undercover policing and genocide determination this week, after years of parliamentary inaction
The Lords debates cohabitation rights, undercover policing and genocide determination this week, after years of parliamentary inaction on all three.
Continue to full articleLords Advanced Three Reform Bills. Ministers Said No to All Three
Three reform bills passed their second readings in the Lords, and ministers declined to support any of them in their present form.
Continue to full articleLabour nominations close this week and Burnham is on course to be PM by Sunday, but some of his own MPs say a coronation denies members their voice
Andy Burnham is on course to be Prime Minister this week, but some Labour MPs say a coronation denies members their voice.
Continue to full articleBurnham Became Labour Leader With 379 MP Nominations and No Membership Ballot
Andy Burnham became Labour leader with 379 MP nominations and no membership ballot, because no other candidate reached the ballot.
Continue to full articleDigital ID Will Be Voluntary. Parliament Has Already Warned About Function Creep
Digital ID will be voluntary in law, but MPs have warned of function creep and the legal protections are not yet set.
Continue to full articleSix Threat Cases Against Parliamentarians Should Have Brought Election Bans. None Did
Six people prosecuted over threats to parliamentarians should have been banned from standing for elected office, but none were.
Continue to full articleMI5 Gave False Evidence to the Courts After an Officer Lied About What He Told the BBC
MI5 gave false evidence to the courts after one of its officers lied about what he had told the BBC.
Continue to full articleGovernment Plans £1m Forced Labour Reporting Fines. Companies Still Will Not Have to Check Their Supply Chains
Planned £1m fines for breaking modern slavery reporting rules will still not require companies to check their supply chains for forced labour.
Continue to full articleMandelson Was Cleared Against UK Vetting Advice. Parliament Still Cannot See Why
Peter Mandelson was given security clearance against UK Security Vetting’s advice, and Parliament still cannot see why.
Continue to full articleBritain Has Announced £1.6bn for Sovereign AI Without Saying What It Must Control
Britain has announced £1.6bn for sovereign AI, but MPs say ministers have not set out which capabilities Britain must control.
Continue to full articleMinisters Accept PFAS Pollution Could Be Irreversible but Give No Date for Consumer Restrictions
Ministers accept PFAS pollution could be irreversible but have given no date for restricting the chemicals in consumer products.
Continue to full articleMPs Say Student Loans Were Wrongly Sold as Governments Rewrote the Terms
The Treasury Committee says student loans were wrongly sold because students were not told governments could change the terms afterwards.
Continue to full articleDUP Says Members Had Information About Donaldson. No Complaint Reached Party Officers
DUP leader Gavin Robinson says some members’ information about Donaldson never reached the party, which does not show they knew of abuse.
Continue to full articleOperation Hexagon Arrested an Oldham Campaigner. GMP Has Never Reviewed What the Operation Did
Operation Hexagon arrested an Oldham campaigner, and GMP says it has never reviewed the operation’s legality, conduct or effectiveness.
Continue to full articleGovernment Says British Steel Is Worth Nothing. Taxpayer Support Has Already Reached £555m
The government says British Steel is worth nothing, yet taxpayer support has reached about £555m with no estimate of the eventual bill.
Continue to full articleThey Call Farage's Clacton Vote a Stunt. So Why Are They Handing Him the Stage?
Rival parties call Farage’s Clacton by election a stunt, yet by refusing to stand against him they have handed him the stage.
Continue to full articleBurnham's Coronation Begins as Labour Nominations Open With No Serious Challenger Left
Labour nominations have opened with no serious challenger left, as Andy Burnham's rivals endorse him instead of fighting him.
Continue to full article379 Labour MPs Back Burnham. Members Are Now Unlikely to Get a Vote
Andy Burnham has 379 of a possible 403 Labour MP nominations, so members are now unlikely to get a leadership vote.
Continue to full article£4.9bn on Asylum, and the Home Office Still Cannot Say How Many Failed Claimants Remain
The asylum system cost around £4.9bn in 2024/25, yet the Home Office still cannot say how many failed claimants remain.
Continue to full articleMPs Approved £1.15 Trillion of Departmental Resources. Most Estimates Were Never Debated
MPs approved more than £1.15 trillion of departmental resources, but most departmental Estimates never had their own Commons debate.
Continue to full articleHollie Ridley Is Leaving. Labour's Next Leader Will Inherit a Vacancy at the Top of the Party Machine
Labour general secretary Hollie Ridley is leaving, so the party’s next leader will inherit a vacancy at the top of its machine.
Continue to full articleCrown Court Caseload Fell by 37 Cases. More Than 22,000 Have Been Open for a Year
The Crown Court caseload fell by 37 cases, while more than 22,000 cases have been open for at least a year.
Continue to full articleBereaved Parents Laid Their Children's Shoes Outside Parliament. The Gap Starts Before a Child Dies
Bereaved parents want statutory paid leave while a child is seriously ill, a gap that Britain’s existing bereavement leave does not cover.
Continue to full articleGovernment Says Its Defence Plan Will Support 60,000 More Jobs. Its Model Does Not Count the Jobs Lost Elsewhere
The government says its defence plan will support nearly 60,000 more jobs, but its model does not count jobs cut elsewhere.
Continue to full articleGMB's Regional Data Show Nearly 1 Million Council Tax Court Actions in England. New Safeguards Start in 2027
GMB’s regional data show nearly 1 million council tax court actions in England, and new safeguards will not start until April 2027.
Continue to full articleReform Published a Crypto Bill Promising Tax Cuts and a Bitcoin Reserve. Then It Disappeared
Reform UK published a crypto bill promising tax cuts and a Bitcoin reserve, and a year later it disappeared from its website.
Continue to full articleGovernment Says Police DVLA Access Is Not for Facial Recognition. Its Draft Rules Do Not Ban It
The government says police access to DVLA records is not for facial recognition, but its draft rules do not ban it.
Continue to full articleBurnham Says Warehouses Can Fund High Street Tax Cuts. He Has Not Shown the Sums
Andy Burnham says higher business rates on warehouses can fund high street tax cuts, but he has not published the sums.
Continue to full articleThe State Now Accepts Responsibility for Forced Adoption. Its £4m Package Includes No Compensation
The state now accepts responsibility for forced adoption, but its £4m support package includes no individual compensation.
Continue to full articleParliament Says Farage Does Not Have to List Assets Owned by His Company
Parliament says Nigel Farage does not have to list assets owned by his company in his register of interests.
Continue to full articleState of the UK: Britain Keeps Funding the Consequences of Delayed Decisions
Britain keeps paying for decisions that were priced too late, postponed or redesigned, and new defence spending arrives on top of them.
Continue to full articleStarmer Committed £15bn to Defence. £4.7bn Had No Identified Funding Source Beyond Budget 2026
Starmer committed £15bn more to defence, but £4.7bn of it had no identified funding source beyond Budget 2026.
Continue to full articlePrivate Providers Control 74% of Children's Home Places. DfE Still Cannot Say What a Fair Price Is
Private providers control 74 per cent of children’s home places, and the DfE still cannot say what a fair price is.
Continue to full articleBurnham Was Briefed on Starmer's Defence Plan but Not Told About the £4.7bn Budget Requirement, Reports Say
Burnham was briefed on Starmer’s defence plan but not told about the £4.7bn budget requirement, several outlets report.
Continue to full articleEngland's Ten Highest Council Tax Areas, and Who Actually Takes the Money
In five of England’s ten highest council tax areas, most of the bill is not set by the district council at all.
Continue to full articleBritain Updated Its Media Merger Rules in 2025. Streaming Ownership Was Still Outside the Test
Britain updated its media merger rules in 2025, but streaming services are still outside the plurality test Lisa Nandy may use.
Continue to full articleChristopher Harborne Has Put More Than £30m Into British Politics. One £5m Gift Is Still Under Investigation
Christopher Harborne has put more than £30m into British politics, including a £5m gift to Nigel Farage still under parliamentary investigation.
Continue to full article96 Days After Saying Work Would Begin on the A38 and A46, Government Put Both at Risk to Fund Defence
96 days after saying work would begin on the A38 and A46, the government named both as possible cuts to fund defence.
Continue to full articleImmigration Attitudes Have Hardened. Recorded Race Hate Crime and NHS Racist Abuse Have Risen
Attitudes to immigration have hardened while recorded race hate crime and racist abuse of NHS nursing staff have risen.
Continue to full articleTrump Threatens Britain Over an £808m Tech Tax. The 100% Tariff Is Not Yet a UK Tariff
Trump has threatened a 100 per cent tariff over Britain’s £808m digital tax, but has not yet imposed it on UK goods.
Continue to full articleThe Empty Benches: Which MPs Are Not Turning Up To Vote
Up to 30 June 2026, Commons voting participation averaged just under 70 per cent, and some MPs fell well below it.
Continue to full articlePolice Are Reopening Grooming Cases They Previously Closed
Police in eight force areas have been ordered to reopen closed grooming cases after reviewers found possible lines of inquiry not exhausted.
Continue to full articleCouncil Tax Has Risen 66% Since 2010. The Bill Still Does Not Tell You Which Council Is Better Run
Council tax has risen 66 per cent since 2010, but the bill still does not show which council is better run.
Continue to full articleLabour Promised Not to Raise National Insurance. The OBR Says Workers Bear Most of the Rise
Labour promised not to raise National Insurance, and the OBR says workers will bear most of the employer rise through lower wages.
Continue to full articleAndy Burnham: The Record Behind the Reputation
Andy Burnham is the frontrunner to replace Starmer, and his Greater Manchester record is more complicated than supporters or critics usually acknowledge.
Continue to full articleEleven Political Scandals, and What Actually Brought Them Down
Eleven political scandals show the cover up is not always what brings politicians down, because sometimes the original offence is worse.
Continue to full articleMinisters Still Have to Answer for Departmental Failure. They Do Not Have to Resign for It
Ministers still have to answer for failures in their departments, but they do not have to resign over them.
Continue to full articleFormer Ministers Can Lobby Government Again After Two Years. The Rules Are Now Under Review
Former ministers can lobby the government again after two years, and those rules are now under review.
Continue to full articleTen of England's Most Serious Council Failures
With no official league table, this ranks England’s ten most serious documented council failures since 2018 by severity.
Continue to full articleTen Westminster Controversies, and What Was Actually Proved
Across ten Westminster controversies, what was proved ranges from established breaches to live investigations and cases where no rule was broken.
Continue to full article