District of Central London on the north-west bank of the Thames; oldest part of South London
Labour has moved to end local power-sharing with Green groups unless they disown a Green conference motion declaring Zionism racist. Labour says the policy breaches values and antisemitism standards, while Greens defend free democratic process and criticise interference. The row spans councils across England and one in Wales, with Prime Minister Burnham ruling out a path to a national coalition.
The Guardian and BBC report on Russell Brand facing multiple rape and sexual assault charges from 1999–2009. Six women have made allegations; Brand denies all charges. Court proceedings feature testimony from a complainant describing a 2001 incident and a video interview from 2023; the case spans a decade.
Brand, a 51-year-old British entertainer and former husband of Katy Perry, faces multiple rape, sexual assault and indecent assault charges involving six women from 1999 to 2009. He denies the allegations and the trial at London’s Southwark Crown Court is expected to last six weeks, with all victims granted lifelong anonymity.
Conservative MP Patrick Spencer has been found not guilty of two counts of sexual assault after a trial at Southwark Crown Court concerning incidents at the Groucho Club in August 2023. The jury has cleared him; he has maintained innocence and described the proceedings as a test of character.
A former detective sergeant has been suspended and faces disciplinary proceedings after allegedly retaining and showing explicit images from the Sally Anne Bowman case, and making inappropriate remarks to colleagues. The hearing is ongoing, with testimony from colleagues about the misconduct and training questions. Bowman’s murder case remains central to the investigation.
Public demand for traditional winter meals has risen as heat alerts persist, with cottage pies and red wine showing double‑digit gains. Waitrose recipe searches for classic dishes have jumped as shoppers seek grounding options while July trends underscore unusually dry weather.
A series of projects linking public greenspaces with community welfare are expanding across Britain and Europe. From Care Not Capital in the UK to Polish social forests and Tshwane’s climate-adaptive spaces, officials and organizers say investing in greenery is boosting biodiversity, health and resilience while underscoring funding fragilities for maintenance.
The government has reversed Keir Starmer-era plans to curb jury trials for cases likely to yield sentences under three years, amid a backlog crisis that implicates victims and defendants. Justice Secretary Alex Norris says the change responds to strong public concern, maintaining some judge-only powers for complex cases while expanding magistrates’ scope in less serious matters.