The Metropolitan Police is deploying a new 100-officer Community Protection Team to safeguard London's Jewish communities after a series of arson attacks on Jewish sites and a double stabbing in Golders Green being investigated as terrorism. April saw 140 antisemitic hate crimes recorded in the capital — up from 98 in March and 67 in February, the highest monthly total since the Met changed its hate-crime recording in March 2024 — with 51 of those offences in Barnet alone. The unit, drawn from neighbourhood, specialist-protection and counter-terror officers, is funded by £18 million of a £25 million Home Office package; about 50 people have been arrested and eight charged in recent weeks.

Campaigning concludes on Wednesday ahead of Thursday's local and devolved elections across Scotland, Wales and parts of England, the biggest set of votes since the 2024 general election. More than 5,000 seats on 136 English councils and six mayoralties are contested, alongside the newly expanded Senedd in Wales and the Scottish Parliament. Reform UK and Plaid Cymru are vying to become the largest party in the Senedd, while the SNP seeks a fifth consecutive victory in Scotland.

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset warned that leaving the European Convention on Human Rights would place the UK in a group with Russia and Belarus, the only other European countries not party to the treaty. Speaking in London, Berset said leaving would have “consequences” but that it was the UK’s choice. The warning comes as the opposition Conservatives and Reform UK have pledged to quit the ECHR if they win the next general election, citing migration concerns.

Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, the former NATO Secretary-General who led the Strategic Defence Review, told MPs on 27 April that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has still not launched the promised national conversation on defence and security. Robertson said he had reminded the PM on a couple of occasions about the commitment, which was recommendation 26 of the review, but the government has failed to act. He warned that NATO expects a potential armed attack within three years, making the delay a matter of urgency.

A review into the Police Service of Northern Ireland's handling of the death of 21-year-old showjumper Katie Simpson found institutional misogyny and systemic failures. Simpson's death was initially treated as suicide; her sister's partner, Jonathan Creswell, was later charged with murder but took his own life in 2024. The review identified 37 other alleged victims of Creswell and criticized multiple agencies for failures. Confidence in policing has been severely shaken, and calls for reform have been made.

Two Sudanese asylum seekers have launched the first legal challenge against the UK Home Secretary's policy to halve refugee leave to remain from five years to 30 months, arguing it is discriminatory and will not deter asylum seekers. The policy also restricts family reunification. UNHCR has condemned the change, warning it will increase uncertainty and administrative burdens.

A 13-year-old boy was arrested in Londonderry after petrol bombs, glass bottles, and masonry were thrown at police vehicles in the Bishop Street area. The incident is part of a series of sectarian attacks in the Fountain estate area, with politicians condemning the violence as sectarian and warning of serious injury. The boy was arrested on suspicion of riotous behavior and released on bail. Police are investigating multiple recent incidents involving masked youths.

Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, acknowledged he was wrong to describe himself as a British Red Cross spokesman on his personal website in 2020 and a crowdfunding page in 2022, stating he used 'the wrong word' and removed the claims. The British Red Cross confirmed it does not support any political party. The admission came as the party campaigns in local elections, facing scrutiny over candidate vetting and antisemitism allegations. Polanski also apologized for sharing a social media post criticizing police response to the Golders Green attack, which the Met Police chief called inaccurate. The controversy highlights challenges for the Green Party as it seeks to gain ground in urban areas.