Reform UK announced a policy to prioritize British citizens born in the UK and young married couples with children for social housing, placing foreign-born UK citizens lower on the waiting list. The party claims this addresses housing shortages, but experts and charities warn it could harm vulnerable groups and discriminate against long-term residents. The policy would require legislation to implement.

A viral TikTok trend featuring AI-generated images and videos of a life-sized Cat in the Hat character has sparked fear among teenagers in the UK and Ireland, prompting police forces to confirm the sightings are fake. The trend, which has amassed millions of views, includes unverified claims of violent assaults and fake police posts. Authorities in Wexford and South Yorkshire have issued warnings, advising the public to verify sources and avoid meeting strangers. The phenomenon highlights the real-world impact of online misinformation and AI-generated content.

CrossCountry, a major UK rail operator, cancelled almost all services across the country after a power cut at its Birmingham control centre. The outage disrupted routes from Glasgow to Penzance and Leeds to Manchester. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expressed concern and requested extra services from other operators. Tickets remain valid until Wednesday, and passengers are entitled to compensation.

The UK Treasury has initiated an independent review into how business rates are calculated for pubs and hotels in England and Wales, led by business rates expert Jerry Schurder, with findings due by March 2027. The review aims to reform the valuation system, which pub groups argue disproportionately burdens them. This follows recent government measures to cut business rates for pubs and music venues, and comes amid ongoing closures in the hospitality sector.

The Resolution Foundation thinktank released analysis indicating that UK productivity is growing more strongly than official figures suggest, using an alternative workforce measure. The report attributes the improvement to existing workers in the same jobs, rejecting explanations based on AI or sectoral shifts. This comes amid official data showing the UK as the joint fastest-growing G7 economy in the first half of 2026, with positive signals from economists at Morgan Stanley and former advisers.

QR code-related scams, known as 'quishing', have surged 700% in the UK over four years, with 2,743 reports in the last year. Criminals place fake QR codes on parking meters and in phishing emails to steal money and data. Victims like Les Howard lost money after scanning a fake code at a car park, and Keith Betton was charged after scanning an ad. The National Cyber Security Centre advises using phone cameras to scan codes and warns against downloading separate apps.

Police Scotland is investigating a deliberate car fire at Kelvinside Motor Company in Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, which occurred at 22:55 on Saturday, days after a disturbance at the same property. The garage was previously targeted in a fire attack in April last year, linked to Operation Portaledge, a police probe into an ongoing gang feud between the Lyons and Daniel crime families. The feud, which began in Edinburgh in March last year, has involved 84 incidents including fire bombings and attempted murders. Police treat the fire as wilful, with no reported injuries, and are keeping an open mind about links to the operation. The incident follows a car crash into a house in Eaglesham, south of Glasgow, on Friday, and comes despite police announcing last month that the feud had ended, with recent reports of a flare-up of violence.

New evidence from a book by Malik Al Nasir reveals that Sandbach, Tinne and Company, a British corporation linked to major compensation recipients, continued illegal trafficking of enslaved Africans to Guyana after the 1807 and 1833 abolition acts. A 1847 letter details a ship carrying over 300 people referred to as 'cargo', including children. This discovery has inspired a research project, Overwriting-Underwriting, to uncover financial networks behind enslavement.

Iranian hackers shut down a small-scale UK power plant for four days last month, marking the first successful cyber attack of its kind on a British facility. The incident, reported by the Sunday Telegraph, occurred alongside attacks on US water infrastructure affecting 12 states. UK officials declined to identify the facility, stating there was no risk to the wider energy system. The attack follows the UK's permission for the US to launch defensive operations from British bases, escalating tensions with Iran. The National Cyber Security Centre is involved, and the UK is updating cyber security regulations and developing an energy resilience strategy.

A morning briefing covers a deadly UK crash that killed seven, an Israeli drone strike in Syria, Iran's shift to offensive military doctrine, Russian drone downings near Moscow, Israeli strikes in Lebanon, DRC-M23 peace roadmap, Canada suspending US trade talks, Colombia resuming coal exports to Israel, and other regional developments.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has opened an investigation into a fatal crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough that killed seven people, including two police officers. Security camera footage appears to show a police chase minutes before the collision, though the BBC understands the police car involved was not part of the pursuit and the chase had stopped before the crash.

Background: UK households face high electricity prices due to wholesale gas costs, reliance on natural gas, and grid investment. Today, Energy UK, representing energy suppliers, has called for a new £1.9bn 'social discount' scheme to provide targeted support to millions of households struggling with bills, as the energy price cap is expected to rise by 4% in October. The proposal, which would offer up to £450 to some households, comes amid record debt and unaffordable bills, and has backing from fuel poverty charity National Energy Action. The record debt is now £4.7bn, and the expected price cap rise is driven by Middle East conflict and European heatwaves. The proposed discount is nearly double the current Warm Home Discount and could be funded through bills or taxpayer money. The government has not yet responded.

The UK government is set to grant mayors in 13 English areas new powers to 'call in' and overrule local council planning decisions for large developments, including projects over 150 homes, commercial spaces over 15,000 square meters, or buildings over 30 meters. The move, announced by Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook and supported by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, aims to boost housebuilding and meet the government's target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029. Critics, including the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, argue it undermines local democracy and centralizes power.

Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi accused London and Paris of deliberately participating in Israeli crimes by continuing to send weapons and provide support, saying they should not hide behind 'expressing concern.' He cited warnings from over 100 British and French diplomats about 'ethnic cleansing' and called for halting arms transfers and implementing Hague court decisions.

The UK government announced that a scheme to confine serious sexual and violent offenders to restricted areas after prison release will start in October. Probation officers will use GPS technology to monitor compliance, with breaches leading to recall. The policy aims to protect victims but has faced criticism over probation pressures and enforcement concerns.

Campaigners warn that the proposed Heathrow airport expansion, including a third runway, could threaten the survival of the New Barn at Harmondsworth, England's largest surviving medieval timber-framed barn built in 1426. They argue that aircraft vibrations could shake the structure to pieces, as the airport boundary would be only a few hundred meters away. The government is consulting on amendments to the Heathrow expansion national policy statement, with objections due by 1 September. English Heritage and campaign groups are opposing the plans, citing environmental and heritage concerns.