Comment: How history can shape a new narrative for Britain
VE Day anniversary 'chance to thank generation of heroes'
Doreen Simson, 87, a child evacuee from London; 100-year-old former Wren Ruth Barnwell; and veteran Henry Rice, 98, in front of a full-size replica Spitfire during an event organised by SSAFA, the UK’s oldest Armed Forces charity, to launch the ‘VE Day 80: The Party’ countdown outside Royal Albert Hall, in London
Winning the war was no longer any kind of surprise. After all, Hitler had committed suicide. What had once seemed in deep peril a few years later had become a matter of time.
BBC newsflashes on May 7 announced Germany’s unconditional surrender, so the next day would be Victory Day, in Europe at least. Cue perhaps the biggest party that this country had ever seen – with jubilation and relief reflecting the heavy toll of five years of war.
How far will the meaning of VE Day still resonate today, some 80 years on? Most wartime memories come from childhood now. More than three million people in Britain today were born before VE Day – but over half were aged under five as the war ended. About 120,000 people in Britain today were at least 14, the age that most people left school then. You have to be at least 98 today to have been able to join the armed forces, legally before 1945, though some did fib to serve under-age.
It is estimated that 8.6 million people served during the war – five million from the British Isles, the rest from the empire and Commonwealth. It is probable there are fewer than 15,000 survivors today. The UK Ministry of Defence has no official figures on the number of living veterans, though the US Ministry of Veterans produces annual estimates.
But the 2021 census asked about military service for the first time, enabling better informed estimates than before. British Future’s crunching of that census data finds that 5,000 men and 4,000 women in Britain aged 98+ report serving as veterans – about a quarter of the age group – including service after the war as well as during it.
Up to 4,000 veterans aged over 100 are more likely to have seen active service during the war itself. Ten veterans wrote a letter to the nation inviting us all to remember. That they included three Indian Army volunteers – Corporal Mirza Khan, Sergeant Mohammad Hussain and Sergeant Major Rajindar Singh Dhatt – reminds us that the armies which fought and won the war look more like the Britain of 2025 than that of 1945.
Recognising the ever-dwindling few will be one poignant focus of the VE Day anniversary. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy notes that it is “one of the last chances we have to say thank you to this generation of heroes”.
It would surprise many that more than four in 10 surviving veterans are women (largely because women are four times as likely as men to live to 100).
The anniversary is a good chance to increase knowledge of the auxiliary services roles – undertaken by around one-10th of women, such as the ‘Wrens’ in the Navy or the WAAFI in the air force.
Yet, this 80th anniversary faces challenges to capture public attention. Next Thursday (8) is not a bank holiday, so will be a day of official ceremonies, but a normal working day too in many schools and offices. Three days earlier, the bank holidaday next Monday (5), will see a parade on the Mall and community celebrations, including street parties.
Our politicians will have to switch from a focus on the local elections to the national commemorations. The July 1945 general election – with a landslide defeat for the war leader Winston Churchill – was a powerful demonstration of the democracy that the war had been fought for, and the determination to forge a better peace.
The message of this VE Day anniversary should not just be that we mark it because a few of those who took part in the war are still alive. If that was the reason, there would be little point in marking the 2039-2045 centenary at all.
So a bigger challenge for our leaders, marking this anniversary, is how far they can begin to shape a new narrative about what these foundational moments in our history would mean once the war does finally slip beyond living memory. That is a central part of what it is to be a nation – to have a story about how our past, present and future are linked. What does who we are today, and how we got here, mean for the next chapter?
The events of 1945 shaped the lives of everybody who has lived in this country since – not only because the war was won, but also thanks to the choices made at home and abroad after it ended.
Yet this has been a year when those foundations of democracy and the multilateral order are in peril. How we could do with recapturing the spirit of 1945, however distant it may seem to us now.
That was a time when money was scarcer than today – yet where people faced the future with hope.
Sunder Katwala is the director of thinktank British Future and the author of the book How to Be a Patriot: The must-read book on British national identity and immigration.
First London Underground strike since March 2023 begins
RMT members stage five-day walkout after pay talks collapse
Union demands 32-hour week; TfL offers 3.4 per cent rise
Elizabeth line and Overground to run but face heavy demand
THE FIRST London Underground strike since March 2023 has begun, with a five-day walkout over pay and conditions.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are staging rolling strikes after nine months of negotiations failed.
The union has demanded a 32-hour week, while Transport for London (TfL) has offered a 3.4 per cent pay rise.
TfL said the offer was “fair” but added that a reduction from the contractual 35-hour week “is neither practical nor affordable,” BBC reported.
The strike runs from midnight on Sunday 7 September until 11.59pm on Thursday 11 September. London Underground services will not resume before 8am on Friday 12 September.
Nick Dent, director of customer operations at London Underground, said it was not too late to call off the strikes before disruption.
The Elizabeth line and London Overground will run as normal but are expected to be much busier. Buses and roads are also likely to see heavier demand.
A separate dispute will shut the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) on Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 September.
Service plans include: limited Tube operations ending early on Sunday 7 September; little or no service on the Underground from Monday to Thursday; and full resumption by late morning on Friday 12 September. The Elizabeth line will not stop at Liverpool Street, Farringdon and Tottenham Court Road stations at certain times on 8–11 September, Sky News reported.
The last full Tube strike took place in March 2023.
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Rayner, 45, announced she would step down as deputy prime minister, housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party. (Photo: Getty Image)
Rayner steps down after admitting underpaying property tax
Resigns as deputy prime minister, housing minister and Labour deputy leader
Becomes eighth minister to leave Starmer’s government, and the most senior so far
Her departure comes as Labour trails Reform UK in opinion polls
DEPUTY prime minister Angela Rayner resigned on Friday after admitting she had underpaid property tax on a new home. Her resignation is a fresh setback for prime minister Keir Starmer, who had initially stood by her.
Rayner, 45, announced she would step down as deputy prime minister, housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party. She becomes the eighth minister to leave Starmer’s team, and the most senior departure so far.
"I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice... I take full responsibility for this error," Rayner wrote in her resignation letter to Starmer.
Starmer said he was very sad her time in government had ended in this way but that she had made the right decision.
Labour under pressure in polls
The resignation comes as Labour trails Reform UK in opinion polls. Starmer has already faced criticism over his party’s image, with accusations of hypocrisy linked to accepting costly gifts such as clothing and concert tickets from donors.
Rayner’s exit is seen as a major blow, as she had played a key role in keeping Labour’s left and centrist factions together and was considered more broadly popular than Starmer himself.
From potential successor to resignation
Rayner had been mentioned as a possible successor to Starmer. On Wednesday, she referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards after acknowledging a mistake in her tax payment.
In an interview, Rayner appeared close to tears as she explained that she had set up a trust for one of her sons, who has lifelong disabilities caused by an injury. She sold her share of her family home in northern England to the trust, using the money to buy an apartment in Hove. She believed she did not need to pay the higher tax rate for a second home.
Rayner’s departure adds to a series of losses for Starmer’s government. Eight ministers have now resigned, five over wrongdoing. This is the highest number of ministerial resignations outside cabinet reshuffles for any prime minister at the start of their tenure since at least 1979.
Even Boris Johnson, who later faced widespread criticism over lockdown-breaking parties, saw fewer resignations at the same stage.
Challenges ahead for Starmer
The resignation leaves Starmer weakened as he faces the end of the year, when his government must prepare a budget that is expected to include further tax rises. At the same time, Nigel Farage’s Reform is mounting a growing challenge.
Starmer had hoped to signal a new phase of leadership with a reshuffle on Monday after returning from his summer break. But that effort was overtaken by the allegations against Rayner and by Farage’s claim that the prime minister was stifling free speech.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Shafik served as deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England between August 2014 and February 2017.
Minouche Shafik named chief economic adviser to Keir Starmer.
Darren Jones moves into Downing Street role; James Murray replaces him.
Nin Pandit to lead a reformed Downing Street Delivery Team.
Vidhya Alakeson given expanded responsibilities over policy and delivery.
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer has named Minouche Shafik, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, as his chief economic adviser. The appointment comes as he looks to strengthen his team ahead of what is expected to be a difficult end to the year.
Shafik’s arrival, along with the decision to bring Darren Jones, deputy to chancellor Rachel Reeves, into his Downing Street office, signals Starmer’s focus on economic advice before a budget later this year that is likely to include further tax rises.
Jones will be succeeded by Labour lawmaker James Murray, who previously held a junior post in the finance ministry, Starmer’s office said in a statement.
Wider changes in Downing Street
Starmer has also reshuffled his Downing Street operations, replacing his principal private secretary and naming a new director of communications. Nin Pandit will remain in the No10 team, taking charge of a newly reformed Downing Street Delivery Team.
After more than a year in power, Starmer’s government has faced criticism from within Labour for struggling to explain difficult policy decisions and highlight its achievements. Labour’s poll ratings have dropped in recent months.
The changes could strengthen the economic advice available to Starmer before Reeves presents a budget with limited scope, as she remains committed to her fiscal rules aimed at balancing day-to-day spending with tax revenues by 2029.
"I think the creation of a role for Darren Jones is a good move," one Labour lawmaker said.
"He’s clearly got an eye for the details but understands the politics too."
Shafik to bring ‘additional expertise’
Shafik served as deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England between August 2014 and February 2017, leaving early to become vice chancellor of the London School of Economics.
In 2023, she was appointed president of Columbia University in New York but resigned after little more than a year following criticism over the university’s handling of student protests related to Israel’s war in Gaza.
Earlier in her career, Shafik was the top civil servant in Britain’s foreign aid ministry and later deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund. At the IMF, she oversaw work in Europe and the Middle East during the euro zone debt crisis and the Arab Spring.
"This role and the additional expertise will support the government to go further and faster in driving economic growth and raising living standards for all," Starmer’s office said.
Shafik’s background
Shafik, who is also a non-partisan member of the House of Lords, was born in Egypt and grew up in the southern United States before earning a doctorate in economics at the University of Oxford.
In a 2021 book, she argued for policies that included income floors with work incentives, pensions linked to life expectancy, and early childhood interventions to equalise opportunity.
The Prime Minister’s deputy chief of staff, Vidhya Alakeson, will also take on expanded responsibilities with overall oversight of policy and delivery within Downing Street.
(With inputs from agencies)
Alternative Headlines:
Starmer strengthens Downing Street team with Shafik, Alakeson and Pandit moves
Minouche Shafik appointed chief economic adviser as Starmer reshuffles team
Nin Pandit to head delivery unit as Starmer expands Downing Street operation
Vidhya Alakeson takes wider role in No10 as Shafik joins as economic adviser
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Before their formal meeting, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Aurus limousine.
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi met Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.
Modi pressed for ending the Ukraine conflict at the earliest, reaffirmed India’s long-standing ties with Russia, and discussed trade and border issues with Xi.
Modi, in his address, called the Pahalgam terror attack “an assault on India’s conscience” and “an open challenge to every nation that believes in humanity.” He said combating terrorism is a “duty towards humanity.” The SCO declaration echoed this, with leaders strongly condemning the attack and stressing the need for united global efforts against terrorism.
“The member states strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22,” it said.
“They (member states) expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded. They further stated that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice,” the declaration said.
2. Modi–Xi meeting on trade and border issues
Modi and Xi agreed to expand trade and investment ties to stabilise global commerce and deepen cooperation to address common challenges.
Modi thanked Xi, the Chinese government and the people of China for the successful organisation of the summit, his first visit to the country in seven years.
Modi said an atmosphere of "peace and stability" has been created on their disputed Himalayan border, the site of a prolonged military standoff after deadly troop clashes in 2020, which froze most areas of cooperation between the nuclear-armed strategic rivals.
3. Modi–Putin meeting on Ukraine and bilateral cooperation
Modi told Putin, “The call of humanity is to end the conflict as soon as possible and find ways to bring permanent peace to the region.”
He welcomed peace initiatives and emphasised a durable settlement. Putin, addressing Modi as “Dear Mr Prime Minister, dear friend,” said Russia and India had maintained “friendly and trusting” ties for decades.
The leaders discussed cooperation in trade, fertilisers, space, energy, security and culture, reaffirming the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.”
4. Modi–Putin private conversation in limousine
Before their formal meeting, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Aurus limousine.
The two leaders held a one-to-one conversation for nearly an hour inside the car.
Modi later shared a photograph on social media, writing, “Conversations with him are always insightful.”
Modi said India is waiting to receive Putin later this year. The Russian president is scheduled to travel to India in December for summit talks.
5. Xi’s call for SCO development bank
Xi Jinping said the SCO’s “international influence and appeal are increasing day by day.”
He urged members to accelerate creation of a development bank and announced initiatives including scholarships, PhD programmes, livelihood projects and AI cooperation centres.
He also proposed closer cooperation in energy, infrastructure, digital economy, science and green industries.
6. Condemnation of Gaza strikes
The SCO members also criticised the military strikes by Israel in Gaza, noting that they have caused civilian casualties and created a humanitarian crisis in the region.
The SCO also condemned terror strikes in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, including those in Khuzdar and on the Jaffer Express.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Afghan volunteers and Taliban security personnel carry an earthquake victim evacuated by a military helicopter from the Nurgal district of Kunar province onn September 1, 2025.
A MAJOR rescue operation was underway in Afghanistan on Monday after a powerful earthquake and several aftershocks destroyed homes in a remote mountainous region, killing more than 800 people, according to Taliban authorities.
The quake struck just before midnight and was felt as far as Kabul and in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said more than 1.2 million people likely experienced strong or very strong shaking.
Heavy toll in Kunar province
Near the epicentre in eastern Afghanistan, about 800 people were killed and 2,500 injured in Kunar province alone, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
In neighbouring Nangarhar province, another 12 people died and 255 were injured, he added.
"Numerous houses were destroyed," interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani told AFP.
Many Afghans live in mud-brick homes that are highly vulnerable to collapse.
Remote villages cut off
Some villages in Kunar province remain inaccessible due to blocked roads, the UN migration agency said in a statement to AFP.
The Taliban authorities and the United Nations mobilised rescue efforts in the worst-hit areas. The defence ministry said 40 flights had been carried out so far.
A member of Kunar’s agricultural department in Nurgal district said locals had rushed to clear blocked roads to reach cut-off villages, but the areas worst affected were remote with limited telecoms access.
"There is a lot of fear and tension... Children and women were screaming. We had never experienced anything like this in our lives," Ijaz Ulhaq Yaad told AFP.
He added that many people in the quake-hit villages were among the more than four million Afghans who have returned from Iran and Pakistan in recent years.
"They wanted to build their homes here."
Quake details
According to the USGS, the earthquake struck at a shallow depth of eight kilometres and was located 27 kilometres from Jalalabad in Nangarhar province.
Both Nangarhar and Kunar provinces border Pakistan. The nearby Torkham crossing has seen repeated waves of Afghan returnees, often with no jobs or shelter.
International response
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed condolences, joining the Taliban government and several nations in offering sympathy.
"I stand in full solidarity with the people of Afghanistan after the devastating earthquake that hit the country earlier today," he said.
Aftershocks and frequent quakes
At least five aftershocks followed the initial quake, the strongest a magnitude 5.2 just after 4:00 am (2330 GMT Sunday).
Afghanistan experiences frequent earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.
Nangarhar province was also hit by flooding between Friday night and Saturday, which killed five people and destroyed crops and property, provincial officials said.
In October 2023, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck western Herat province, killing more than 1,500 people and damaging or destroying more than 63,000 homes.
In June 2022, a 5.9-magnitude quake hit eastern Paktika province, killing more than 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
Ongoing crises
Afghanistan, already facing humanitarian challenges after decades of war, has limited capacity to respond to disasters. Since the Taliban’s return, foreign aid has been sharply reduced, further straining resources.