UK News

Masonic Membership Under Review as Met Faces Transparency Test

Masonic Membership Under Review as Met Faces Transparency Test

The Metropolitan Police Service is considering new rules that would require officers to declare membership of the Freemasons or other groups that might raise questions about impartiality. The move, framed as a transparency measure, comes amid renewed scrutiny over secretive networks and their influence within the police. According to the Met’s consultation document, the force is “now consulting on a[Read More…]

BritCard and the Birth of a Surveillance State

BritCard and the Birth of a Surveillance State

In an age where our smartphones already track our location, our purchases, and our social circles, the UK government is now proposing to centralise our very identity into a single, state-sanctioned digital credential. The BritCard, touted by ministers as a modern convenience to simplify access to public and private services, is being met with fierce opposition from civil liberties groups[Read More…]

Concerns Raised Over Trans Police Officers Conducting Strip Searches of Women

Concerns Raised Over Trans Police Officers Conducting Strip Searches of Women

  Police forces across England and Wales have quietly updated policies allowing transgender officers to conduct strip searches on detainees of the gender they identify as, even if they have not undergone surgery. The change has sparked significant controversy, with critics arguing it undermines women’s rights and could erode public trust in law enforcement. According to recent reports, transgender women—biological[Read More…]

How far can you go before the Facebook police knock?

How far can you go before the Facebook police knock?

Helen Jones, a 54-year-old grandmother from Stockport, was visited by police after sharing critical posts about local Labour politicians on Facebook. Her comments focused on a scandal involving politicians exchanging controversial messages on WhatsApp. The police visit followed a complaint made by a person who found the posts offensive. Though no crime was committed, the visit left Jones feeling intimidated.[Read More…]

Schoolchildren Predict a Future of Lab Meat and Insects

Schoolchildren Predict a Future of Lab Meat and Insects

A group of schoolchildren in Londonderry has buried a time capsule under the site of a new urban farm, filled with their thoughts on what people will eat in the future. But their predictions—featuring lab-grown meat, 3D-printed meals, and even insects—raise questions about whether these ideas are truly their own or a reflection of a wider push toward engineered food[Read More…]