Treaty safeguarding rights across Europe
A boat carrying about 157 people has caught fire during an attempted Channel crossing and French and British authorities have rescued everyone on board and taken them to Boulogne-sur-Mer. No deaths have been reported. The incident has come as UK politicians renew calls to curb small-boat crossings and as crossings remain down year‑on‑year so far in 2026.
Nigel Farage has unveiled "Operation Fortress": a Reform UK plan to use the Royal Navy to intercept small boats in the English Channel, detain those on board, and return them to France or Belgium. The proposal has drawn legal, military and diplomatic scepticism, French officials have condemned it, and rivals say it aims to distract from party financial scandals.
The Conservative plan to bar foreign nationals from social housing has been proposed to free up about 230,000 homes for British families. Critics warn it could breach human rights, drive up homelessness, and face legal challenges, while Labour argues it does nothing to fix the housing emergency and could worsen costs for taxpayers.
A Court of Session has ordered a family to leave the Granton site immediately, as Scottish ministers push to recover land for a new £100m Art Works development. The family argued human-rights breaches, but judges found the eviction justified, citing safety concerns and the project’s urgency.