WIREDGOV

A man has been jailed for trying to smuggle around £430,000 worth of cannabis on a flight from Thailand, following an investigation by Scotland’s Organised Crime Partnership team.

UKRI has published a new strategy that seeks to boost research and innovation in every nation and region across the UK. The strategy details how this new mission will invest £9 billion of public money to deliver outcomes for the UK public through research and innovation that advances knowledge, improves lives and drives growth. 

Four former employees from Southern Water, including the former Chief Executive Officer Matthew Wright, face a charge of conspiracy to defraud.

The Procedure and Privileges Committee has published its First Report. This report proposes changes with a view to upholding high standards of courtesy and behaviour in the Chamber. This includes changes to the guidance in the Companion relating to attendance at debates, reading of speeches, length of supplementary questions during oral questions, referring to other members, and dress code.

Welsh companies and organisations will be able to access R&D funding as Wales becomes a regional partner with a major EU scheme, the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, has announced.

A British man who fled to Spain has been sentenced for masterminding the supply of drugs and illegal firearms worth £3.75m.

Anthropic will support the second group of firms in the FCA's Supercharged Sandbox.

The National Armaments Director (NAD) Group has awarded a contract to develop a hypersonic target, strengthening UK and allied missile defence capabilities.

The roll out of the life saving Meningitis B vaccine began in Wales yesterday.  For the first time the vaccination is being offered to young people preparing to start university or residential further education for the first time – a group known to be at significantly increased risk of meningococcal disease.  

Consultation opens today – 22 July – on plans for landmark new law to guarantee that the needs of rural communities in Wales are considered and accounted for in decisions taken by government and public authorities in Wales.

Mayor's new Weekend Hopper offer runs from 25 July to the end of August and means anyone travelling on buses and trams on a Saturday or a Sunday during the summer holidays can make unlimited journeys for the price of a single fare that day

How HM Land Registry is increasing security and simplicity with documents becoming available via a secure link rather than as an attachment to emails.

At least 25 inflatable boats and 25 outboard engines which would have been delivered to people smuggling gangs have been seized at Felixstowe, as part of a National Crime Agency investigation.

Thousands of British workers will accelerate development of advanced technologies for use by the Royal Air Force, following a £708 million investment announced today. 

The Welcome for Newcomers Fund will support organisations and partnerships whose charitable purpose is to support newcomers to the UK. Those applying should have ongoing, long-term access to safe physical spaces and have a proven track record of providing comprehensive help through three core elements of ‘Welcome’ work.

Teenagers and young adults on the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s Youth Panel are helping drive improvements in the way police deal with young people in custody.

Four people have been arrested and search warrants executed in Hackney, Beckenham and Slough as part of a FCA and police investigation into fraud and money laundering.

Single bus fares in England to be capped at £2 for 2027.

HMRC is reminding people earning money from side hustles to check if they need to register for Self Assessment and declare their income

New Business Secretary at Farnborough International Airshow to set out stall to go further and faster for growth by commercialising science and innovation to deliver for every postcode.

Change of status because of the environmental impact created by a lack of rainfall and high temperatures.

Millions of people will save a third on bus travel as Prime Minister Andy Burnham announces a cap on single bus tickets at £2 during his first week in office. 

The UK government has worked with the NHS, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and international health partners to medically evacuate a humanitarian worker who has been treating patients with Ebola in the DRC.

British small businesses will help develop a hypersonic ‘clay pigeon’ target, a vehicle intended to represent threats capable of travelling at five times the speed of sound, under a new £20m investment announced yesterday.

Company wound up following Insolvency Service investigations

The Environment Agency has moved Sussex into a state of prolonged dry weather, joining Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Statement given yesterday by Ambassador Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Haiti.

One of the world’s most ambitious defence and industrial partnerships  is even stronger  as the UK, Italy  and Japan welcome Canada  to  the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) as  the  first Observer Nation.  

This data provides information about the number and types of applications that HM Land Registry completed in June 2026.

Stephen Kinnock has taken up his role as Secretary of State for Wales following his appointment by Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

As the UK’s online safety watchdog, Ofcom regulates more than 100,000 companies, many of which are based entirely outside the UK. 

Minister Pollard highlighting record spending on air power, drones, and innovation, and publishing a new SME Action Plan to grow Britain's defence industry (21 July 2026).

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak yesterday responded to the latest labour market statistics and the government’s announcement on energy bills.

Charity Commission offers interim update on provisions of EHRC’s code that clarify the law on matters of sex and gender.

Leading companies across the construction industry and national supply chain – including Heathrow, Lower Thames Crossing and Gallagher Group – will work together with TfL property arm Places for London to develop opportunities for people who have experience of the care system.

The Environment Agency is taking action to protect water supplies and wildlife in the Midlands as dry weather continues to place pressure on river levels.

Libyan anti-corruption investigations reveal the limitations of a US push to reunify the country without improving governance.

On July 21, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Japanese Defense Minister KOIZUMI Shinjirō, UK Secretary of State for Defence Wes Streeting, and Canadian Minister of National Defence David J. McGuinty met in London to discuss Canada’s participation in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is independently investigating the involvement of West Yorkshire Police (WYP) following a fatal road traffic collision.

It was announced over the weekend that a national scheme for digital ID will not continue under the incoming government.

Changes made by a suicide forum located outside the UK to block access to people in the UK are the fullest extent of what can be achieved under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom yesterday announced.

The pneumococcal vaccine provides some protection against illnesses caused by pneumococcal bacteria. Pneumococcal bacteria causes pneumococcal infection, which can lead to serious illnesses like pneumonia and bacterial meningitis.

The Enterprise Gateway: Opening Address

The Prime Minister had a call with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday.

Wales is set to transform the way it thinks about food, with the announcement of the National Food Strategy for Wales and the appointment of a Chair and future expert group to drive its development.

Research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) into the spread of online hate and its real-world impact is featured in a new BBC Ideas film.

HMRC is urging eligible tax advisers to register under the new mandatory requirements before 18 August 2026.

Intermediaries, also called TPIs, are businesses, such as energy brokers and price comparison websites, who act on behalf of customers to find and arrange energy contracts between customers and suppliers.

Complaints escalated to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) by business customers surged by almost a third, according to the watchdog’s annual Business Customer Complaints report.

Building a fairer, more accessible legal aid system.

Fedorov’s removal leaves critical issues unresolved between the Defence Ministry and General Staff.

The railway from Angola to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia is a global focal point of the race for critical minerals. But the digitization of mineral supply chains will be crucial to achieving genuine economic transformation in the region.

Following the arrival of Andy Burnham MP as Prime Minister, the NRLA has issued its response to the news that Angela Rayner MP has been re-appointed to the role of Housing Secretary in the new Cabinet.

Parts of southern, central, and eastern England move closer to drought status.

CBI has responded to announcement of John Healey as new Chancellor of the Exchequer.

A council worker who unlawfully accessed hundreds of personal records has been handed a suspended sentence after an investigation by the ICO.

Andy Burnham yesterday gave his first speech as Prime Minister on the steps of Downing Street.

New joint research from the Met Office and the University of Reading has revealed that a prolonged marine heatwave in the North Sea played a significant role in intensifying the impacts of Storm Babet (18 to 21 October 2023).

Five things schools should know before commissioning a new classroom building.

techUK has published a new industry brief on agentic AI, which sets out how organisations across the UK economy can move beyond pilots and proofs of concept to deploy agentic AI responsibly and at scale.

Homeless Link, the umbrella body representing 750 frontline homelessness organisations in England has welcomed Andy Burnham's words as he entered Downing Street.

CBI yesterday responded to new Prime Minister taking office.

New Prime Minister takes immediate action to cut taxes on electricity bills to give millions of households breathing space this winter.

This report shares lessons learned from Scotland's work to improve public finance transparency, including trialling a fiscal portal, enhancing budget accessibility, and identifying what's needed to make fiscal data more open and reusable for all.

The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, shortly after taking office yesterday (20 July 2026).

The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) has published its 2025-26 accounts, containing the audit opinion of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG).

As extreme heat swept across Europe last month, the UK registered record temperatures for June. 

Welsh families will benefit from more comfortable and energy-efficient homes as the Welsh Government invests £17 million in home energy upgrades, cutting household energy bills and tackling fuel poverty across Wales.

Beaches forced to close, local trade hit, equipment failure and lack of oversight by company.

Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) has one of the most reliable and resilient electricity systems in the world.

The Prime Minister used his first speech in office to launch an urgent national drive to end rough sleeping at the earliest opportunity, setting out a bold ambition to tackle one of the starkest injustices in the country. 

Researchers have begun growing crops 1.1km below ground at the Boulby Underground Laboratory, operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

A former Derbyshire Constabulary detective recently (Friday 17 July) jailed for causing the death of a man by dangerous driving and seriously injuring a woman by dangerous driving, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces a challenging international context, with intractable problems, but also opportunities to lead and exert UK influence on world events.

Three UCL academics have been appointed as Fellows of the British Academy, in recognition of their contribution to the humanities and social sciences.

Blog posted by: Steven Shukor, Principal Content Designer, Alison Hay, Amy Everett, Harpreet Seehra-Singh and Emma Nicol, 20 July 2026 – Continuous improvement, Design, User centred design.

The Supreme Court recently (16 July 2026) gave its judgment in the appeal of For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers.

The Environment Agency has closed down a waste site in County Durham after reports of illegal dumping on protected land.

West Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime nominated for peerage.

A food manufacturer has been fined after employees were at risk of developing occupational asthma a factory in Buckingham.

Quarterly bulletin collating a range of previously published statistics on the latest trends in the Scottish housing market.

Keir Starmer gave his final speech as Prime Minister on the steps of Downing Street.

Ukraine's deep-strike campaign is putting pressure on Russia's energy infrastructure and forcing increasing political pain for Putin.

The UK and eight other countries marked twelve years since the downing of Flight MH17, stressing their unwavering commitment to truth, justice and accountability, noting international rulings attributing responsibility to Russia, and calling for full compliance with international law and reparation for its wrongful acts.

Welsh farmers will receive over £1 billion in funding across this Senedd term to support sustainable agriculture, giving the sector the long-term certainty needed to plan and invest with confidence.

The Environment Agency has served a suspension notice on the operators of Seaton Meadows landfill site in Seaton Carew.

he Met Office has confirmed a refreshed lineup of leading UK universities for the next phase of the Met Office Academic Partnership (MOAP).

The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to bring further charges against brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate in relation to four further victims.

Declining availability of legal aid and increasing levels of self-representation is creating an ‘unacceptably high risk of miscarriages of justice and undermines the efficient administration’ of the courts, a new Justice Committee report has warned. 

She fraudulently secured five Bounce Back Loans during the pandemic.

British businesses, universities and researchers will receive access to more than £62 million in government funding to develop homegrown space technologies, boosting the UK’s national resilience and helping protect its independence in a strategically vital sector.

UK Statements at the World Trade Organization's General Council. Delivered recently by the UK's Permanent Representative to the WTO and the UN, Kumar Iyer.

Bertschi UK Limited has been fined £425,000 after a warehouse supervisor suffered fatal injuries following a fall from a mobile loading ramp during a container loading operation at its Middlesbrough site.

Ambassador Holland said Russia alone caused this war through its illegal use of force against Ukraine. NATO and international support for Ukraine are defensive responses to Russian aggression. Russia should stop attacks, accept a ceasefire and pursue a just, lasting peace.

Thirty-one local museums, libraries and archive projects across Wales are set to receive part of a £5.28million funding boost, helping to improve access to culture, protect collections and modernise facilities for communities.

How can the upcoming Health Data Research Service simplify access to national health data for research opportunities, while addressing technical challenges, security, governance and public trust?

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has begun an investigation after a man was shot and seriously injured by Gwent Police.

Licences granted for Caledonia offshore wind farms.

£8 million for homelessness prevention

From speeding up the delivery of new homes to protecting the satellites, UK startups are using space technology to tackle real-world industrial challenges.

National Highways delivered most of its targets and capital commitments for the ‘interim period’ between April 2025 and March 2026, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said in its annual assessment of National Highways. 

Prisons, power stations and airports will be able to guard against hostile drone activity in the skies above them, under Ofcom plans to introduce a new drone detection radar licence

GAD publishes its 2025-26 client feedback report showing 100% of respondents have awarded us 4 or more stars for being highly valued.

More than 75 organisations have signed an open letter calling for the scale up of Housing First.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has welcomed feedback on its draft 2026/27 Business Plan and funding requirement and has outlined changes it will make to final proposals to reflect what it has heard.

Workers could face a renewed cost of living squeeze this summer as rising energy bills, stalling wage growth and a weakening labour market leave households exposed to higher prices, new analysis warns

Expert officers share top tips to keep young travellers safe this summer holiday season as criminals approach young people to smuggle drugs.

The CBI has handed incoming Prime Minister Andy Burham and his key economic advisers a fresh Roadmap for Growth, setting out what business wants to see from the new administration.  

A woman who removed the weapon used by her son to murder Southampton student Henry Nowak has been sentenced.

Beaches forced to close, local trade hit, equipment failure and lack of oversight by company.

Gilruth praises efforts to make area safe.

Infants and young children are among hundreds of patients set to receive new life-saving drugs for rare blood cancers.

Report warns of risk of disruption to National Housing Delivery Fund by local government structural change.

The IRGC, IMCR, and the GRU Volunteer Corps have now been formally designated as threats to national security under new state threats powers.

Every child in England should be issued with a library card from birth and have the opportunity to enjoy books at school, to stem a dramatic fall in the number of young children reading for pleasure, the Education Committee recommends in a report published today.

Deputy Ambassador James Ford honours the memory of those killed in the Srebrenica genocide, underlines the UK's support for BiH’s stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for addressing the lasting legacies of the conflict (16 July 2026).

Two young men have been sentenced for launching a cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL) which cost tens of millions of pounds in losses and inconvenienced thousands of customers.

The government will ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s in England from April 2027

CBI yesterday responded to British Steel being taken into public ownership.

The Environment Agency is moving the area into a state of prolonged dry weather after England’s warmest spring on record and a series of summer heatwaves.

Every police force in England and Wales has been assigned a performance level by the policing inspectorate for the first time, as part of a drive to support improvements across policing and increase public confidence and accountability.

European security will be strengthened by a new UK-Estonia defence roadmap that will deepen military cooperation, strengthen NATO’s eastern flank and modernise the UK’s Forward Land Forces presence in Estonia for the challenges of modern warfare.

Thousands of new homes and major infrastructure projects could be unblocked under plans being considered to reduce delays from legal challenges.

Progress update on the actions taken forward by the Scottish Government in response to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 Report – July 2026.

Drone swarming is often referenced as an important future capability, with little understanding of what is possible today, and how the tactic is enabled.

New measures will protect Dartmoor ponies and support those who keep them on the moor.

Our skills system is entering a period of profound transformation, shaped by rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and wider technological change.

Ambassador Holland updates on the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 and the recent UK and EU joint cyber sanctions package (16 July 2026).

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak recently (14 July 2026) responded to the fifth report of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, which highlights failings in provision of PPE to health and social care staff, and the waste of public money to ‘VIP lane’ contractors.

YPO, the Wakefield-based public sector organisation, is continuing its support for children’s cancer charity Candlelighters by donating the £1,500 prize for the winning school in this year’s Pink It Up schools’ competition.

The Environment Agency has served revocation notices to the operators of two waste sites that have repeatedly breached permit conditions.

Somewhere right now, in a meeting room you weren’t invited to, someone is making a decision about what your future looks like. 

CBI yesterday responded to GDP data for May 2026.

Plans to move to the expenses-only volunteer model in September 2026 will not go ahead: current arrangements for the Coastguard Rescue Service will remain in place (16 July 2026).

One year after the publication of the Clean Flexibility Roadmap last July (2025), which set out a plan for how to achieve the flexibility required to deliver clean power by 2030 and net zero by 2050, NESO, Ofgem, and DESNZ have now released a progress update. 

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has launched a competition to award funding for the third phase of the LawtechUK programme.

The Welsh Government has moved a step closer to delivering Cynnal, its £10 weekly child payment, as the expert group responsible for shaping the scheme met for the first time yesterday.

A new fund will open for applications in September, helping farmers work together to cut costs, strengthen their businesses and unlock new opportunities.

The UK has sanctioned those suspected of being linked to financing, procurement, and commercial networks fuelling Sudan conflict, with a focus on gold trading hubs based in Dubai and Hong Kong.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published the end of year report from its monthly Consumer Insights Tracker (CIT), summarising key findings between April 2025 and March 2026 and longer-term trends.

Phase 1 of London's new Lane Rental programme goes live as more London boroughs sign up to cut congestion, improve bus reliability and reduce disruption

Councils are failing to collect fines issued to rogue and criminal landlords despite an increase in the number of property inspections conducted by local authorities.

The FCA, Advertising Standards Authority, Solicitors Regulation Authority and Information Commissioner's Office are tackling the poor handling of motor finance claims by some claims companies and law firms. 

The UK's ability to crowd in private investment to restore and protect nature came a step closer when WWF, the Green Finance Institute (GFI) and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) set out how the UK Government and businesses can prepare Nature-Positive Transition Pathways (NPPs).

A West Midlands Police officer has been found guilty of assaulting a woman during the arrest of her partner at a block of flats in the Black Country, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Tens of thousands of cancer patients have rated the care they received from the NHS as nearly 9 out of 10, as NHS teams see and treat record numbers of people for the disease.

APCC Joint Leads on Performance, John Tizard and Chris Nelson, responded following publication of the levels to which police forces in England and Wales have been assigned as part of the new Policing Performance System

New common-sense proposals announced yesterday will see the loudest fireworks restricted to professional displays

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak commented on the nationalisation of British Steel 

A new £12 million bogie drop has been installed at Canton rail depot in Cardiff to help maintain and service Transport for Wales’s fleet of new trains.

The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) will host a webinar from 12-1pm on Tuesday 28 July exploring the NHS Digital Exclusion Risk Atlas (DERA), an online tool designed to help organisations better understand patterns of digital exclusion across England and use those insights to support more inclusive health and care services.

The incoming prime minister, Andy Burnham, is being urged by the Institute for Public Policy Research North (IPPR North) to enact his devolution aims quickly and more widely, or risk maintaining a state where opportunities depend on geography rather than need

Package of action launched to help deliver fairer private parking for UK drivers.

The LGA responds to the Government’s announcement of the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body and first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care workers.