The new Prime Minister wants to fix the “fragmented and broken” skills system he says he inherited from the previous Government.
Keir Starmer claims England’s current skills training system is “in a mess”, and this is why he has announced this week that he is setting out, alongside new Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, to transform the country’s approach to meet skills needs over the coming decades.
The new Government believes skills are “crucial” to the country’s economic growth.
Recent statisicts show that a third of productivity improvement over the last two decades can be owed to improvements to skills levels, but despite this, between the years of 2017 and 2022, skills shortages in England doubled to more than half a million, and the Government says these unfortunately now account for 36% of job vacancies.
To address this, the Prime Minister and Education Secretary have this week announced the launch of ‘Skills England’.
ADVERTISEMENT
We’re announcing the launch of Skills England, a transformative new body to identify current and future skills gaps enabling people to make the most of opportunities.
— Department for Education (@educationgovuk) July 22, 2024
‘Skills England’ is a new body to “bring together the fractured skills landscape” and ultimately create a “shared national ambition to boost the nation’s skills”.
By joining together central and local Government, businesses, training providers, and unions, ‘Skills England’ is aiming to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions, and provide “strategic oversight” of the post-16 skills system aligned to the Government’s industrial strategy.
ADVERTISEMENT
It will also support local areas to develop the skilled workforces they need for their region – with construction and healthcare highlighted as two key areas.
Government launches ‘crucial’ new mission to plug England’s skills gaps for next decade / Credit: 10 Downing Street / Keir Starmer (via X)
This new body is said to be “fundamental” to the Government’s mission to “raise growth sustainably”.
“Our skills system is in a mess,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented, “which is why we are transforming our approach to meet skills needs over the coming decades.
ADVERTISEMENT
We’re announcing the launch of Skills England, a transformative new body to identify current and future skills gaps enabling people to make the most of opportunities.
— Department for Education (@educationgovuk) July 22, 2024
“They will help to deliver our number one mission as a Government, to kickstart economic growth, by opening up new opportunities for young people and enabling British businesses to recruit more home-grown talent.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said Skills England will “jumpstart young people’s careers” and “galvanise” local economies.
“The skills system we inherited is fragmented and broken,” she added. “Employers want to invest in their workers but for too long have been held back from accessing the training they need.”
Police arrest another man in connection with Manchester synagogue terror attack last year
Emily Sergeant
Another man has been arrested this week in connection with the attack on a synagogue in Manchester last year.
In case you need a reminder, the shocking knife and car attack took place on 2 October 2025 on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, and during the incident, two men sadly lost their lives during the attack – Adrian Daulby, 53, who was shot dead by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) while trying to stop the attacker from entering the synagogue, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who also helped stop the attacker.
The attacker was named as 35-year-old Jihad al Shamie – a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who lived in Prestwich – who at the time was on bail for an alleged rape, before being shot dead by police.
Yesterday evening (Tuesday 26 May 2026), officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North West, alongside GMP, executed a warrant at an address on St James’ Road in Higher Broughton.
A 49-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of failing to disclose information regarding terrorist activity, contrary to S38B of the Terrorism Act 2000, and he has been taken into custody for questioning.
Another man has been arrested in connection to the Manchester synagogue terror attack / Credit: Google Maps | GMP
This brings the total number of people arrested in connection with the incident to eight.
That number includes a 30-year-old man arrested on suspicion of failing to disclose information regarding terrorist activity, contrary to S38B of the Terrorism Act 2000, who still remains under investigation, and a man who has since been charged with terrorism offences that are not directly linked to the attack.
“We remain unwavering in our commitment to establishing the full picture behind the attack and getting answers for those affected, including the local community,” commented Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, who holds operational responsibility for Counter Terrorism Policing North West.
“We are prepared to take swift, firm action where we suspect criminal offences may have occurred.
“Our investigation is continuing, and I would once again urge anybody who may have information that could assist us to please contact police.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Met Office dishes on how long heatwave’ll last as yesterday was hottest May day on record
Emily Sergeant
The Met Office has given us an idea of how long this current heatwave may last.
It comes after a new UK temperature record was broken yesterday, as it reached 34.8°C at the weather station in Kew Gardens – with the figure being both the highest daily maximum temperature recorded in meteorological spring (March, April, and May), as well as the highest temperature in May all together.
The previous record of 32.8°C was reached in 1922 and 1944.
If confirmed and validated, and May sees a new official daily temperature record, it would mean that more than half of the monthly record highs – seven out of 12 – have been set since 2003.
Today has been the hottest day in May on record with Kew Gardens provisionally reaching 34.8°C – exceeding the previous highest May temperature in the UK by a full 2 degrees Celsius🌡️
This heat would be exceptional in the UK even in mid summer, let alone in May📈 pic.twitter.com/d8boJYgaXJ
But what exactly is considered to be a heatwave? Well, heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location.
Looking ahead to the rest of the week, and providing the public with an indication of how long these temperatures could last, Met Office weather forecasters say the start of the week will see the heatwave continue for much of England and Wales with temperatures ‘well above average’, and today (Tuesday 26) expected to be another ‘very hot day’ with a rapid rise in temperatures through the morning.
The heat will then continue through the week, with highs of 31°C forecast for Wednesday, 30°C on Thursday, 27°C on Friday, and 28°C on Saturday.
“We’ve now provisionally broken the spring and May temperature record,” commented Met Office Chief Operational Meteorologist, Dan Suri.
“Meteorologically, what we’ve seen is the influence of warmth building under an area of high pressure near the UK allowing exceptional heat to build allowing maximum and minimum temperatures to reach levels not previously reported at this time of year.
“Further heat is in the forecast for much of England and Wales, with similar temperatures forecast for Tuesday.
“High pressure is forecast to gradually lose its influence later in the week, though maximum temperatures will still remain high and in the low 30°Cs for some mid-week and high 20°Cs late this week.”
Emily Sergeant -
23rd July 2024 
