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"With only one exception, none of the companies are performing at the level we wish to see, the country expects and the environment needs," said the Environment Agency.

The Government has a “ramshackle, Dad’s Army” approach to making sure England can cope with the impacts of rising temperatures, its climate advisers warn. And UK action to slash the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change is lagging far behind what is needed, even before the Government set a tougher new target to cut pollution to zero overall by 2050. In its annual progress report to Parliament, the advisory Committee on Climate Change (CCC) said the Government had to show...

School uniforms in Wales are to become more affordable, accessible and gender-neutral, the Welsh Government announced. The new guidance comes into force from September 1 and provides advice for governing bodies and head teachers on issues relating to school uniform policy. The previous 2011 guidance was non-statutory, therefore schools were not legally required to have regard to it. Minister for Education Kirsty Williams has announced the new guidance for schools (Andrew Matthews/PA) Governing bodies will be expected to consider ways...

Cheers and applause greeted the historic votes made possible by the continued Stormont impasse.

Experts have warned a “childhood crisis” is on the way as youngsters face unparalleled social pressures amid Government cuts to children’s services. A survey of 5,000 youngsters and adults carried out by leading charity Action for Children and YouGov found that two thirds of parents and grandparents felt childhoods were getting worse, and a third of children agreed. All said bullying – online and offline – was the main problem, followed by pressure to fit in, which has intensified in...

The Queen insisted she was up to a key part of her duties as she took hold of a shovel to plant a tree herself. The 93-year-old, when asked whether she would perform the task on her own, said: “No, no, I’m still perfectly capable of planting a tree.” She made the remarks while on a visit to the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) near Cambridge to celebrate its centenary. The Queen said she was still capable of tree...

Donald Trump has dramatically stepped up the war of words over Britain’s US ambassador, branding him a “pompous fool”. In his latest explosive tweets, the president complained that Sir Kim Darroch was a “very stupid guy” who had been foisted on the US. He also again attacked Theresa May over Brexit, accusing her of ignoring his advice and “going her own foolish way”. His latest intervention came as the Cabinet reiterated its full support for Sir Kim following the leak...

The Bangladeshi ethnic group was worst off, according to ONS figures, while those in the Chinese ethnic group earned 30.9% more than white Britons. Employees from ethnic minority groups earned on average 3.8% less than their white British counterparts in 2018, new figures show. The pay gap was biggest for workers in the Bangladeshi ethnic group at 20.2% less than white British employees and Pakistani at 16.9%. By contrast, employees in the Chinese ethnic group earned 30.9% more than those...

Tommy Robinson encouraged “vigilante action” against defendants in a criminal trial when he filmed them and broadcast the footage on social media, High Court judges have found. The former English Defence League (EDL) founder, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was found to have committed contempt of court at the end of a two-day hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday. Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Warby found Robinson was in contempt in three respects when he filmed men...