A city at the heart of England’s northwest
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has announced plans to abolish inheritance tax on family homes and to allow an additional £1 million tax-free to couples. The policy is framed as strengthening home ownership but critics warn it will mainly benefit the wealthy and strain public finances. The plan is set out at the Conservative conference in Birmingham as part of a broader package of tax and housing measures.
The Conservative Party conference in Birmingham shows ongoing friction over a possible Reform UK alliance. Rhetoric emphasizes a return to core principles amid questions about electoral prospects, while Badenoch frames the party as the credible alternative to Labour.
A husband has admitted a string of offences including rape and sexual assault against his wife, with a separate defendant also admitting multiple charges. The case, heard at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, involves 13 others and spans 2018 to 2025. The trial for remaining defendants is due to open in October.
Israel marks three years since the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, with memorials, vigils and protests across the country. Activists demand a state commission of inquiry into security failures. The day features national ceremonies, regional gatherings, and a moment of silence at 6:29 a.m. as communities reflect on the war’s toll.
The Green Party is facing intense internal and external pressure after members vote to define Zionism as racism. Four of the party’s five MPs opposed the motion, which has triggered sanctions calls, scrutiny from rivals, and questions about the party’s future leadership and governance. The controversy is unfolding ahead of crucial by-elections.
A new Atlantic Requiem by David Önaç, drawing on Lloyd’s of London documents about the transatlantic slave trade, has premiered in London. The work blends Catholic liturgy with jazz, gospel and contemporary classical language to bear witness to enslavement and seek reconciliation. Performances feature the London Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers under Malcolm J Merriweather.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has released details of former mayor Andy Burnham’s contacts with Manchester City Football Club during his tenure. The disclosures show formal meetings at an investment summit and informal contacts at matches, with critics calling for full transparency as City faces a Premier League findings of breach and ongoing appeals.
The UK has borrowed £18.3bn in August, the ONS has reported, topping City and OBR forecasts and leaving year‑to‑date borrowing at £77.3bn — £8.1bn above the OBR projection. Rising gilt yields have pushed debt interest to record August levels and are narrowing Chancellor John Healey’s fiscal headroom ahead of the 28 October Budget.
Britain has announced a National Centre for Information Defence to detect, attribute and disrupt AI-enabled disinformation campaigns. The move follows a UN address by Prime Minister Burnham warning of an industrial-scale information assault and calls for closer cooperation with tech platforms and allies. The effort aims to shield the UK from foreign interference and bolster national resilience.
An independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of the vast majority of 115 Premier League financial-rule charges covering 2009–18, multiple outlets have reported. Sanctions have not been decided. City has said the process remains ongoing, has vowed to appeal and has told supporters the club will defend its position. (08 Oct 2026)
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul has met Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, the first bilateral talks since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Wadephul has urged Russia to abandon escalation, pressed for a ceasefire and a Black Sea grain deal; Lavrov has said he heard "nothing new."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced the triple lock on the state pension will remain until the end of this parliament but from April 2030 will rise each year by the higher of inflation or 2.5%, removing the automatic annual link to earnings. The government says the change will free savings to build a National Care Service; critics warn of pensioner losses and political fallout.
Manchester City has been found guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules stretching from 2009-10 to 2017-18. The independent commission has ruled that the club artificially inflated revenues and reduced costs through sham contracts and disguised funding, with sanctions to be decided at a separate hearing. City denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal.
The royal couple has joined Kevin Sinfield’s seven ultramarathons in seven days, visiting Wakefield, Hull, York and Leeds as part of a campaign to raise funds for motor neurone disease (MND). Sinfield has already visited multiple Super League grounds, with more stops planned before the Grand Final in Manchester.
An independent commission finds Manchester City guilty of serious Premier League financial breaches. The club denies wrongdoing and will appeal. Former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham says he would be concerned to lose City’s Abu Dhabi owners, amid ongoing political commentary; ministers say the process must run its course.
The Premier League has found Manchester City owners breached rules by disguising funding through sham contracts. City faces sanctions while the IFR will assess owner suitability. Boris Burnham comments draw scrutiny as stakeholders demand independence from politics, underscoring football’s global impact.
Manchester City’s owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group, face a Premier League disciplinary process after breaching financial rules. Prime Minister Burnham has commented, prompting scrutiny of UK-government and local ties to the owners. The case raises questions about future investments and accountability.
Manchester City has been found in breach by an independent commission, with potential sanctions including fines, points deductions or expulsion from the Premier League. City maintains its innocence and says it will appeal and pursue all legal avenues.
Manchester City has appealed the Premier League commission’s ruling that found the club guilty of breaching financial rules over nine seasons. The appeal will be heard by an independent Board, with sanctions possible but not yet decided. City maintains the evidence supports their innocence as the process continues.
Two Iranian nationals have been charged in Manchester with preparing to commit or assisting another to commit an act of terrorism. They were arrested ahead of Yom Kippur and are believed to have been in contact with an overseas third party; authorities say there is no ongoing public threat.
Rahman Salehi and Salam Ahmadyan are remanded after appearing in court on terrorism charges related to hostile reconnaissance and plans for a homemade explosive targeting Manchester’s Jewish community. Prosecution says a third party, likely based in Iran, directed the plot. They are due at the Old Bailey on Oct. 23.
A cross‑border Barometer shows Israelis report a stronger sense of identity, while Europeans are viewed as less safe for Jews. Israelis see themselves as more Middle Eastern than European and remain skeptical of the EU’s success, with pessimism rising about Jewish life in Europe among older respondents.
New Home Office figures show hate crimes in England and Wales rose 7% in the year to March 2026, with Muslims and Jews bearing the heaviest upturns. Police recorded 146,825 offences, though data omits the Metropolitan Police for recording-system changes. The British Muslim Trust warns that hate is now targeting Muslims inside mosques as well as outside.
The independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules over a near-decade, inflating revenues and hiding losses. City is appealing; sanctions could include relegation, large fines, or stripping titles, with the decision intensifying scrutiny of the club’s finances.
City’s appeal against a landmark financial ruling remains central as they chase results on the field. Enzo Maresca’s side have won 3-0 in a dramatic return to action, while pressure mounts around ongoing charges and the potential seismic penalties.
Man United and Tottenham Hotspur draw 2-2 after a stoppage-time header by Solanke caps a chaotic clash at Old Trafford; Bentancur is sent off for headbutting Shaw, while Cunha and Mbeumo put United ahead then Solanke equalises in stoppage time.
Independent findings allege Manchester City manipulated finances over 2009–2018. UK PM Burnham faces questions about meetings with City’s Abu Dhabi owners as he previously backed Gulf investment while mayor. City appeals the verdict; sanctions not yet announced. The parties dispute influence on the appeal process.