Government unveils bold plan to clean our polluted rivers
The plan includes a £104bn investment to rebuild crumbling sewage pipes, introduce strict new rules, and overhaul the regulation of water companies.
This commitment precedes the publication of the Independent Water Commission's landmark review into the water sector, expected on Monday.
The pledge addresses public outrage over record sewage spills and rising bills, with serious pollution incidents by water firms increasing by 60 per cent in 2024.
Further measures include banning bonuses for water company executives, increasing funding for the Environment Agency, and working towards a ban on plastic-containing wet wipes.
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The Independent
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- The Independent
Rolls-Royce shrugs off tariff pressures as profits soar
Rolls-Royce has revealed soaring profits as strong demand for its engines offset supply chain challenges and tariffs. Shares in the company surged to a new record level on Thursday morning as a result. The FTSE 100 firm said the results showed continued success in the long-term transformation plan first laid out by the company in 2023. On Thursday, the engineering giant revealed that underlying operating profits jumped by 50% to £1.7 billion for the first half of 2025. Rolls-Royce raised its financial forecasts for 2025 as a result, predicting underlying operating profits between £3.1 billion and £3.2 billion this year. It represents a significant upgrade after previously pointing towards profits between £2.7 billion and £2.9 billion. Rolls-Royce, which makes engines used in large Boeing and Airbus planes, said it was supported by a 'strong' performance in its large engines business, as well as margin improvements on contracts. The company said underlying revenues in its civil aerospace arm grew by 17%, with growth of 20% in its power systems division. The London-listed business cheered the 'strong' performance in the face of 'an uncertain external environment, including continued supply chain challenges and tariffs'. It said Rolls-Royce is expecting to fully offset the impact of announced US tariffs through mitigating actions and is also monitoring the potential indirect impact of weaker economic growth and trade tensions. Rolls-Royce also highlighted 'some improvement' in its supply chain, resulting in improvement availability for finished parts, but recorded inflationary pressure in product costs. Tufan Erginbilgic, chief executive of the company said: 'Our multi-year transformation continues to deliver. Our actions led to strong first half year results, despite the challenges of the supply chain and tariffs. 'We are continuing to expand the earnings and cash potential of Rolls-Royce. 'A strong start to the year gives us confidence to raise our guidance for 2025.' Rolls-Royce shares were 9% higher at 1,077p on Thursday morning.
The Independent
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BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Lawyers warn Starmer recognising Palestinian state could break international law
Some of Britain's most distinguished lawyers have warned the government that recognising a Palestinian state would breach international Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK would move towards recognition unless Israel met certain conditions, including agreeing a ceasefire and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution, on Tuesday.A day later, Canada announced it would also move towards recognition at a UN summit in September, where 147 of the UN's 193 member states already formally recognise a Palestinian opponents argue Palestine does not meet the legal requirements for statehood under international law because important criteria have not been met. The Montevideo Convention sets out the criteria for the recognition of a state under international law as a defined territory, a permanent population, an effective government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.A group of 43 peers, including some of the UK's most eminent lawyers, has set out their belief that Sir Keir's pledge could be in breach of international law as the territory may not meet these criteria for a letter to the government's attorney general, Lord Hermer, first reported by the Times, they call for him to advise the prime minister against recognition."It is clear that there is no certainty over the borders of Palestine," they argue, and also that "there is no functioning single government, Fatah and Hamas being enemies". "The former has failed to hold elections for decades, and the latter is a terrorist organisation, neither of which could enter into relations with other states," the letter adds. The peers warn that it "would be unwise to depart from" the Convention, signed in 1933, "at a time when international law is seen as fragile".They add: "You have said that a selective, 'pick and mix' approach to international law will lead to its disintegration, and that the criteria set out in international law should not be manipulated for reasons of political expedience."Accordingly, we expect you to demonstrate this commitment by explaining to the public and to the government that recognition of Palestine would be contrary to the principles governing recognition of states in international law."Lord Hermer has previously insisted that a commitment to international law "goes absolutely to the heart" of the government's approach to foreign BBC has obtained a full list of signatories, which includes the prominent barrister Lord Pannick - who represented the previous government at the Supreme Court over its Rwanda well as lawyers, some of Parliament's most prominent Jewish voices, including crossbench peer Baroness Deech, Labour's Lord Winston and the Conservatives' Baroness Altmann, have also put their name to the letter. The peers' intervention follows condemnation of Sir Keir's announcement by Emily Damari, a British-Israeli women who was held captive by Hamas for more than a year, who said Sir Keir is "not standing on the right side of history". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also claimed it "rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism".Responding to fears the decision to recognise a Palestinian state does not align with the 1933 Montevideo Convention, business minister Gareth Thomas told Times Radio: "We haven't signed up to the Montevideo Convention, but is there a clear population in in Palestine? Yes, there is in Gaza and the West Bank."We have made clear that we think you would recognise the state of Palestine, and that state of Palestine would be based on the 1967 borders."Of course, there would have to be land swaps and there would be a shared capital of Jerusalem. They are well-regarded international views."Thomas stressed the UK Government had "made clear that there needs to be reform to the Palestinian Authority, that Hamas can have no role in the future government of Gaza and Palestine more generally". Pointing to the 147 other countries that have already recognised a Palestinian state, he added that the prime minister "was in talks this week with a series of countries, including Canada, and Canada have overnight, as you will have seen, taken the decision to recognise Palestine in September".Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his country plans to recognise a Palestinian state as part of the two-state solution - that is Israel and Palestine living said his decision was prompted by the "catastrophe" in Gaza, and because he feared the prospect of a Palestinian state was "receding before our eyes".The Palestinian Authority - which runs parts of the occupied West Bank - must commit to "much-needed reform" he said, and Hamas, which controlled Gaza, "can play no part".The UK has said it too would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel committed to a Keir has said the UK will only refrain from recognition if Israel allows more aid into Gaza, stops annexing land in the West Bank, agrees to a ceasefire, and signs up to a long-term peace process over the next two also said Hamas must immediately release all remaining Israeli hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and "accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza". 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