Prime Minster Rishi Sunak is seen as more trustworthy, more economically competent and more likely to win votes than his former boss, Boris Johnson, in a new survey of voting intentions that was released on Saturday.
The Savanta ComRes survey for The Independent newspaper found that Johnson’s perceived popularity as the Conservative Party leader who won a big mandate in the 2019 general election does not necessarily translate among British voters ahead of the next polls expected in 2024.
The survey finds that 63 per cent are opposed to Johnson, 58, trying to lead the country again with only 24 per cent in favour of the idea.
At the same time, around 41 per cent of voters believe Sunak, 42, can “improve” the reputation of the Tory party, with only 19 per cent saying the same of Johnson.
“The former Prime Minister’s backers believe he has ‘electoral magic’ – but the results show that Mr Sunak is deemed more trustworthy, more economically competent and more likely to win their vote,” the survey findings in the newspaper reveal.
“Mr Johnson’s allies are keen for the former PM to return from the wilderness, replace Rishi Sunak and lead the Tory party into the general election expected in 2024. But 63 per cent are opposed to Mr Johnson trying to lead the country again with only 24 per cent in favour of the idea,” it notes.
A clear majority of voters (58 per cent) believe Johnson should have to resign his Uxbridge and Ruislip seat as a Tory MP in London if he is found to have lied over Partygate at the parliamentary inquiry, set to begin by next month.
Although both Johnson and Sunak were fined in the scandal for attending a birthday party at No.10 Downing Street in violation of COVID curbs, around 39 per cent of the British public blame the former prime minister for Partygate, while only 9 per cent blame Sunak.
Only 14 per cent of voters think Johnson can be trusted to tell the truth, while 39 per cent believe the same of Indian-origin Sunak.
On the economy, only 19 per cent trust Johnson to manage the nation’s finances versus 44 per cent for the current Tory leader.
Chris Hopkins, director of Savanta, said the survey numbers showed that discussions by some Tories about bringing back Johnson “should come with serious health warnings”.
“Boris Johnson, and to some extent Liz Truss, are responsible for the Conservatives dire polling numbers,” he warned.
The Savanta ComRes survey comprised of 2,064 adults was carried out between January 13 and January 15 in the UK.
INDIA's prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to the UK by the end of this month for a visit that could see both sides formally sign the landmark India-UK free trade agreement and explore ways to expand bilateral ties in the defence and security sphere, diplomatic sources said.
Both sides are in the process of finalising the dates for Modi's visit to the country by the end of July or the first part of August, they said.
Earlier, there were indications that British prime minister Keir Starmer would visit India first. It is understood that Starmer may visit India later this year.
In May, India and the UK sealed the free trade agreement that is expected to benefit 99 per cent of Indian exports through tariff elimination and will make it easier for British firms to export whisky, cars and other products to India, while boosting the overall trade basket.
Along with the FTA - the biggest the UK has negotiated since leaving the European Union - the two sides also sealed a double taxation convention.
Modi had described the two pacts as a "historic milestone" to catalyse trade, investment, growth and job creation in both economies and further deepen the India-UK comprehensive strategic partnership.
The trade deal, finalised after three years of negotiations, is expected to ensure comprehensive market access for Indian goods across all sectors, and India will gain from tariff elimination on about 99 per cent of tariff lines (product categories) covering almost 100 per cent of the trade values, according to officials.
A British readout had said Indian tariffs would be slashed, locking in reductions on 90 per cent of tariff lines, with 85 per cent of these becoming fully tariff-free within a decade.
In 2023-24, India was the UK's second-largest source of investments in terms of the number of projects for the fifth consecutive year.
During Modi's visit, both sides are also expected to explore ways to expand defence and security cooperation. The two sides may also deliberate on the implementation of the Technology Security Initiative (TSI).
In July last year, India and the UK finalised the Technology Security Initiative that set out a new approach for collaboration in a range of priority sectors, including telecommunications, critical minerals, semiconductors and artificial intelligence, with a broader aim to elevate their strategic partnership to the next level.
The TSI would also provide a framework for building a broad UK-India semiconductor partnership that will leverage each other's strengths and incentives and explore mutually beneficial research and development as well as supply chain resilience, according to a statement.
It also seeks to build upon the ambitious cooperation agenda set out in the India-UK Roadmap 2030.
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A Post Office van parked outside the venue for the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry at Aldwych House on January 11, 2024 in London.
Public inquiry finds up to 13 suicides linked to wrongful Post Office prosecutions.
Horizon IT system faults led to false accusations, financial ruin, and imprisonment.
Sir Wyn Williams says Post Office maintained a “fiction” of accurate data despite known faults.
A PUBLIC inquiry has found that up to 13 people may have taken their own lives after being wrongly accused of financial misconduct by the Post Office, in what is now described as one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history.
The report, published on Tuesday (8), exposed the devastating impact of a faulty IT system and called for urgent compensation and sweeping reforms.
Led by Sir Wyn Williams, the public inquiry concluded that the Post Office and technology supplier Fujitsu were aware, or should have been aware, that the Horizon IT system used in branches was prone to errors.
Despite this, they insisted for years that the system was reliable, leading to the wrongful prosecution of around 1,000 subpostmasters between 2000 and 2013.
“I am satisfied from the evidence that I have heard that a number of senior, and not-so-senior employees of the Post Office knew or, at the very least should have known, that Legacy Horizon was capable of error,” Sir Wyn said. “Yet for all practical purposes, throughout the lifetime of Legacy Horizon, the Post Office maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate.”
He added, “Many thousands of people have suffered serious financial detriment. Many businesses and homes have been lost, bankruptcies have occurred, marriages and families have been wrecked. Tragically, I heard too of people whom it is said that they were driven to take their own lives.”
The report detailed how the faulty system, first rolled out in 1999, falsely showed cash shortfalls in branch accounts.
Subpostmasters were forced to pay back money they never took, faced criminal charges, and in many cases, imprisonment. The inquiry heard 17 first-hand accounts of suffering, from small financial losses to wrongful imprisonment and suicide.
Subpostmaster Martin Griffiths died after being wrongly accused of a shortfall in his accounts. After losing his job, he walked in front of a bus and died from his injuries at 59.
The inquiry found six former subpostmasters and seven others who were not postmasters had taken their own lives because of the ordeal.
At least 59 people considered suicide, and 10 attempted it, directly linking their distress to the Post Office’s actions and the faulty Horizon system, the report revealed.
Sir Wyn noted, “I received evidence from at least 59 persons who contemplated suicide at various points in time and who attributed this to their experiences with Horizon and/or the Post Office.”
According to the report, the suffering extended beyond those prosecuted. Families were torn apart, with many reporting mental health problems, relationship breakdowns, and financial ruin. Some children of affected families also suffered psychological harm, it said.
The report was scathing about the conduct of both the Post Office and Fujitsu.
It said, “A number of senior, and not-so-senior employees of the Post Office knew or, at the very least should have known, that Legacy Horizon was capable of error. Yet for all practical purposes, throughout the lifetime of Legacy Horizon, the Post Office maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate.”
Despite repeated warnings and evidence of faults, the Post Office continued to pursue subpostmasters, often after the reliability of the software had already been questioned. The inquiry described this as “wholly unacceptable behaviour” by both organisations.
Former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells, who gave evidence to the inquiry, broke down in tears recalling the case of a subpostmaster who took his own life after being accused of a £39,000 shortfall.
Public anger over the scandal grew after the ITV drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, aired in 2024, leading to new laws exonerating those wrongly convicted. However, the inquiry found that the process of compensation has been slow and fraught with problems.
Fujitsu's European director Paul Patterson told a parliamentary committee later that the firm, which assisted the Post Office in prosecutions using flawed data from the software, was "truly sorry" for "this appalling miscarriage of justice".
Many of those involved are still battling for compensation.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said last month that 7,569 claims out of the 11,208 received had now been paid, leaving 3,709 still to be settled.
Alan Bates, a former subpostmaster who led the fight for justice, has said the compensation process has "turned into quasi-kangaroo courts".
Bates, who was awarded a knighthood by King Charles for his campaign to highlight the scandal, told the Sunday Times in May the DBT "sits in judgement of the claims and alters the goal posts as and when it chooses".
Post Office minister Gareth Thomas said last month the government had made it a priority to speed up the delivery of compensation since taking office in July 2024.
The inquiry has so far held 226 days of hearings and questioned 298 witnesses. The second volume of the final report, which will examine the role of the Post Office in greater detail, is expected in due course.
In the report, Sir Wyn has called for urgent action to ensure “full and fair” compensation, including free legal advice and support for family members. He recommended that compensation should match the highest civil court awards, and that the government, Post Office, and Fujitsu should agree on a programme of restorative justice. The report also calls for a permanent public body to be set up to handle redress for people wronged by public institutions.
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said, “I am committed to ensuring wronged subpostmasters are given full, fair, and prompt redress.”
The government has set a deadline of October 10, 2025, for written responses to the inquiry’s recommendations. By October 31, the Department for Business and Trade, Fujitsu, and the Post Office must publish a report on restorative justice plans.
The Post Office scandal has left a deep scar on British society as thousands of families across the country are awaiting justice. The inquiry’s findings and recommendations now put the onus on the government and the Post Office to finally deliver justice and closure to the thousands whose lives were shattered by the scandal.
Asian victims
Harjinder Butoy Harjinder Butoy bought the Forest Side Post Office in Sutton-in-Ashfield in 2004, investing his redundancy pay and a family loan. In 2007, an audit alleged a £200,000 shortfall. Despite a clean audit a week prior, Butoy was arrested, charged with theft, and convicted on 10 counts. He served 14 months in prison and lost his business, home, and reputation. The Post Office seized his assets, and his family faced bankruptcy. His wife and three children were forced to move in with relatives, enduring years of financial and emotional turmoil. Butoy, plagued by depression and unable to find work, saw his convictions quashed in 2021. He continues to seek justice for the ordeal, which left his family devastated and his life in ruins.
Parmod Kalia and Mahesh Kumar Kalia Parmod Kalia, a postmaster since 1990, was convicted of theft in 2001 after a Post Office investigation, receiving a six-month prison sentence. The conviction upended his family’s life: his wife and children struggled to keep their shop afloat, and his son Mahesh, then 17, was forced to abandon his dream of becoming a pharmacist to help the family. The trauma fractured relationships – Mahesh and his father were estranged for 17 years, with siblings moving away and parents separating. Kalia’s conviction was finally quashed in 2021.
Siema Kamran and Kamran Ashraf Siema Kamran and Kamran Ashraf bought a Hampstead Heath Post Office in 2001, but soon faced repeated, unexplained shortfalls. In 2003, an audit found a £25,000 deficit, leading to Siema’s suspension and both facing criminal charges. Kamran, advised to plead guilty, was sentenced to nine months in prison and ordered to pay compensation. The ordeal cost them their business, home, and community standing. Siema struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts, while Kamran developed post-traumatic stress disorder. Their marriage, though still intact, is described as “broken.” Both were ostracised in their community, and their financial losses were devastating. Kamran’s conviction was quashed in 2020, but the couple’s lives remain deeply affected.
(with inputs from agencies)
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The EA has begun conducting more compliance checks on high-usage industries
Spring 2025 was England’s driest and warmest in over 130 years
Reservoirs across England only 77% full, compared to 93% average
Environment Agency increases monitoring and drought planning
North-west England officially declared in drought
Water conservation measures stepped up ahead of summer
The UK government has increased efforts to manage water resources after confirming that England experienced its driest and warmest spring since 1893. The Environment Agency (EA) reported that reservoirs were on average only 77% full, significantly lower than the usual 93% for this time of year.
The announcement came after a National Drought Group meeting on Thursday, which reviewed the impact of continued dry weather on crops, canal navigation, and river flows. Poor grass growth and dry soil conditions were noted as threats to food production and livestock feed.
North-west enters drought as conditions persist
The EA confirmed that a drought has now been declared in north-west England, despite rainfall at the beginning of June. Other regions including Yorkshire, the East and West Midlands, and northeast England are also experiencing prolonged dry spells.
Helen Wakeham, EA director of water and chair of the drought group, said:
“It’s been the driest spring since 1893, and we need to be prepared for more summer droughts as our climate changes.”
She urged the public to use water responsibly, emphasising the importance of conservation throughout the summer.
Water firms outline conservation strategies
Water companies presented updated drought plans during the meeting, including accelerated leak repairs and improved customer communication. The Environment Agency said some may need to introduce further restrictions in the absence of substantial rainfall.
While no national measures are in place yet, local curbs are being prepared. A Yorkshire water hosepipe ban is among the restrictions under consideration if conditions worsen in the coming weeks.
The EA has begun conducting more compliance checks on high-usage industries and supporting farmers in managing their water needs.
Reuters
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Following Thatcher’s third general election victory in 1987, Tebbit stepped back from frontline politics to care for his wife. (Photo: Getty Images)
Norman Tebbit, a close ally of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and a former Conservative Party cabinet minister, has died at the age of 94. His son William confirmed the news on Tuesday.
"At 11:15 pm on 7th July, 2025, Lord Tebbit died peacefully at home aged 94," William Tebbit said in a statement.
Tebbit was seriously injured in 1984 when the Irish Republican Army (IRA) bombed the Grand Hotel in Brighton during a Conservative Party conference. The attack was aimed at assassinating Thatcher. Tebbit had to be pulled out from the rubble, and his wife Margaret was left paralysed from the neck down as a result of the explosion.
Following Thatcher’s third general election victory in 1987, Tebbit stepped back from frontline politics to care for his wife.
Between 1981 and 1987, Tebbit held several key positions in government, including employment secretary, trade and industry secretary, and chairman of the Conservative Party. He was known for his direct approach during a period marked by high unemployment and widespread unrest.
"I grew up in the 1930s with an unemployed father," he said. "He didn't riot. He got on his bike and looked for work and he kept looking until he found it," Tebbit added.
The statement was widely quoted and paraphrased by critics as telling people to "get on your bike", and was used by the left to depict him as lacking compassion.
The satirical TV series Spitting Image portrayed him as a tough, leather-clad figure with metal chains, a depiction Tebbit reportedly found amusing.
Tory Party leader Kemi Badenoch described Tebbit as "an icon in British politics" and praised his "enormous intellect and profound sense of duty to his country".
She said Tebbit had played a key role in Thatcher's administration, especially in confronting the influence of trade unions.
"But to many of us it was the stoicism and courage he showed in the face of terrorism" and his dedication to caring for his wife that showed he was "first and foremost a family man who always held true to his principles", she added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Floral tributes left by members of the public are seen following the fatal knife attack on three young girls in July in Southport.
A PUBLIC inquiry begins on Tuesday into the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport last year.
The inquiry will examine whether the attack could have been prevented and how future incidents might be avoided.
The attack took place during a summer holiday event in northern England in July, when teenager Axel Rudakubana, who had a history of violence and an interest in genocide, carried out a knife attack. Three girls were killed and 10 others injured.
The incident led to widespread shock and was followed by several days of rioting across the country.
Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time, was sentenced in January to a minimum of 52 years in prison. He pleaded guilty just before his trial was due to begin. Prosecutors said there was no clear motive, describing the attack as driven by a desire to commit mass murder.
Following his conviction, prime minister Keir Starmer ordered an inquiry after it emerged during the trial that Rudakubana had been referred to a counter-radicalisation programme three times, but no further action had been taken.
He had also been previously arrested while carrying a knife and had admitted to possessing an al Qaeda training manual as well as making the poison ricin.
Adrian Fulford, who is leading the inquiry, said in a statement: "My focus throughout this inquiry will be a thorough and forensic investigation of all the circumstances surrounding the attack and the events leading up to it."
The first part of the inquiry will examine Rudakubana’s background and his contact with public bodies. A second phase will explore the wider issue of children becoming involved in violence, which has become an increasing concern for UK authorities.
Lawyers representing the families of the three girls – Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine – said they hoped the inquiry would help bring out the facts.
"We know that nothing the inquiry reveals, or subsequently recommends will change the unimaginable loss felt by the families of Elsie, Alice and Bebe, but we all now have a responsibility to ensure that something like this never happens again," they said in a statement.