A ceremonial and metropolitan county in North West England
Voters head to the polls next Thursday as Labour faces a challenging local election in St Helens. The council has been Labour-controlled since 2010, but regeneration plans and concerns about town centre vitality are shaping the campaign. Residents describe a town in transition, with empty high streets and a push for investment.
Automakers have announced strategic shifts as Chinese brands and US trade rules upend the sector. Volkswagen has proposed deep job cuts to cut costs, Jaguar Land Rover is adding hybrids and prioritising the US, and the Commerce Department has denied Polestar permission to sell new connected models in the US from 2027, pushing the brand to refocus on Europe.
The government has accepted the first phase of the Southport Inquiry findings in full, citing fundamental failings across multiple public services in the years leading up to July 2024. The inquiry concluded that the killings of three young girls and further attacks could and should have been prevented, and ministers are moving to implement 67 recommendations with urgency.