National News

The deal is expected to complete by the end of the week Sainsbury’s has agreed a £430.9 million deal to buy the freeholds of 21 supermarkets. It will take full ownership of an investment vehicle holding a raft of stores after exchanging contracts to buy the remaining 51% stake it does not already own in Highbury and Dragon from real estate investment trust Supermarket Income REIT. Sainsbury’s has held a

The first stamps featuring the King’s silhouette are to go on sale, with the historic floral set a nod to the green-fingered monarch’s love of gardening. Charles’s uncrowned profile, in silver and facing to the right in the top left hand corner, appears on a collection of 10 special stamps celebrating the nation’s favourite flowers. Unlike Queen Elizabeth II’s famous silhouette, the King is not depicted wearing a laurel wreath.

Hundreds of millions of pounds in child trust funds (CTFs) to help young people financially in early adulthood has not yet been claimed, according to a spending watchdog. The National Audit Office (NAO) raised concerns that accounts are at risk of becoming forgotten or lost track of by those holding them. It said estimates indicate that more than one-quarter of CTFs have remained untouched for a year or more after

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is to set out plans for 12 new investment zones to “supercharge” growth in hi-tech industries when he unveils his first Budget on Wednesday. Officials said the scheme – backed by £80 million of investment over five years in each of the new high-growth zones – is designed to accelerate research and development in the UK’s “most budding industries”. The move comes after the Government was forced

More than 1,000 complaints were made against police officers and staff relating to their treatment of women in a six-month period, new figures show. Data released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) on Tuesday showed 653 conduct cases, against 672 individuals, relating to violence against women and girls between October 2021 and March 2022. There were also 524 complaints made by members of the public against 867 people in

Officials say the scheme is backed by £80 million of investment over five years in each of the new high-growth zones Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is to set out plans for 12 new investment zones to “supercharge” growth in hi-tech industries when he unveils his first Budget on Wednesday. Officials said the scheme – backed by £80 million of investment over five years in each of the new high-growth zones –

The Aukus deal – involving Australia, the UK and US – will see the new boats in operation in the late 2030s following a construction phase which will create thousands of jobs in the UK Australia will operate a new generation of nuclear-powered submarines based on a British design as both countries modernise their navies. The Aukus deal – involving Australia, the UK and US – will see the new

The 50-over tournament takes place in India in the Autumn England all-rounder Moeen Ali has hinted he could call time on his one-day international career after the team’s World Cup title defence later this year. Moeen is already retired from Test cricket and, while the 50-over World Cup in India this autumn is a clear priority, the 35-year-old has floated the idea of subsequently stepping away from the format. With

He was freed from prison last month after serving half of a 16 year sentence Paedophile pop star Gary Glitter has been recalled to prison following a breach of his licence conditions. The 79-year-old, who had a string of chart hits in the 1970s, had been freed in February after being jailed in 2015 for sexually abusing three schoolgirls. He left HMP The Verne – a low security category C