Category: Politics

This is a major victory for our area which was left behind by 14 years of Tory austerity. It means that over the next ten years, £2m will be invested every single year to support our neighbourhood. That money will be dedicated to improving local facilities, backing community groups, creating jobs, and making our streets…

Officers from Durham Constabulary have been deployed in London for the American head of state’s unprecedented second state visit to the UK. President Trump touched down at London Stansted Airport in Essex on Tuesday (September 16) evening,. Police forces across the country have lent officers to help with the visit’s security. A spokesman for Durham…

Leaders have admitted Durham County Council faces an “extremely difficult” challenge of balancing its budget next year amid rising costs and pressures on key services.  The local authority faces a £20 million deficit next year without increasing bills or making cuts.  Council leader Andrew Husband vowed to “think outside the box” to come up with…

It comes after news that regulated train fares across England could increase by 5.8 per cent next year, despite train punctuality being at its lowest level since 2020. The potential increase is based on the Office for National Statistics revealing that Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation rose to 4.8 per cent in July. Reacting to…

(Image: North News & Pictures Ltd) A separate batch of protests were organised by Stand Up to Racism in Bristol, Cannock, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Wakefield, Horley and Long Eaton in Derbyshire. In Bristol, mounted police were brought in to separate rival groups in the Castle Park, with officers scuffling with protesters. (Image: North News &…

Four students from Palestine have been given scholarships to study postgraduate degrees at the top North East university, but have been left unable to travel because there are no visa application centres to submit important documents in Gaza. It comes after a letter from MP for City of Durham, Mary Kelly Foy, and chair of the…

The Reduction Scheme was introduced by Labour in 2013, when we controlled Durham County Council, to protect the least well-off from the regressive impact of Council Tax, which is not usually a fair, income-related tax. There will be people affected across the county, but particularly large numbers of existing claimants are in the towns of…

Durham County Council faces a £20 million deficit next year without increasing bills or making cuts.  Continued financial pressure on the local authority means the Government’s current finance system is insufficient and unable to cover social care costs, Reform leader Andrew Husband said. Without additional funding, the council warned it could be forced to cut…

Darren Grimes, Durham County Council’s deputy leader, criticised the annual celebration and said the local authority will divert funding to key services instead.  “Durham Pride won’t be getting a single penny from this council next year,” he said last week.  Thousands of people attended this year’s event on May 24-25, with up to £10,000 invested by the…

Last week in this column, we drew attention to the A-level differential whereby 32.1 per cent of students in London got A and A* grades but only 22.9 per cent did in the North East. Yesterday it was GCSE results. Some of our students did heroically well, and we are so glad to celebrate their…