Heidi Alexander in the news as Labour’s Transport Sec since Nov 2024, MP for Swindon South. UK political figure, former minister roles.
A 45-year-old man, Essa Suleiman, has been charged with multiple counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, north London. He has also been charged over an earlier south London incident. The suspect has been remanded and the UK terrorism threat level has been raised to "severe."
As jet fuel costs surge amid the Middle East conflict, airlines are cancelling, consolidating, or delaying flights. Passengers are changing plans, booking earlier, or shifting to rail, with governments offering contingency measures to protect summer travel.
Several companies have moved robotaxi plans forward. Uber and Wayve have opened an interest list for a London rollout that will begin with human safety supervisors and match riders on Uber X at no extra cost. Tesla has applied to run up to 5,000 robotaxis in the Las Vegas area and is expanding driverless coverage in Texas. Waymo has paused services in several US cities while it fixes software that mis-handles flooded roads.
The government has disclosed a new price range for HS2 at up to £102.7bn (2026 prices) and confirms first services will be delayed to 2036–2039, with full completion possibly by 2043. Top speeds are being reduced and automatic operation may be dropped to cut costs; Lovegrove’s critical report is among the influencing reviews.
COFEK has argued that the Finance Bill 2026 introduces a “hidden digital taxation” with retrogressive VAT changes and broadened tax powers that would burden consumers and small businesses. They warn that redefining royalty and management fees to cover digital payments could impose withholding taxes on digital transactions, affecting interchange and merchant charges. The lobby is calling for a 12‑month transition and restoration of zero-rated basic goods, while criticizing a 20% withholding on gambling winnings and a 25% excise on mobile phones activated on Kenyan networks. They also warn this could breach EAC rules and privacy safeguards in the virtual assets framework. Parliament is now reviewing submissions ahead of the third reading.
A Transport Scotland survey has found only 24% of drivers are happy with the speed of pothole repairs on trunk roads, and 37% are happy with the quality of work. The figures show widespread frustration with maintenance on Scotland’s major routes, with particular concern over the M8, A90 and A9.