A planned shake-up of laws concerning foreign influence in the UK stalled amidst tensions with China, with a particular focus on a case linking Prince Andrew to an alleged Chinese spy, as the government faces pressure to address these foreign relations and security concerns.

MPs are considering naming an alleged Chinese operative linked to Prince Andrew, raising concerns about the speed of the UK’s efforts to rebuild ties with China amidst growing international tensions.

In response to the ongoing backlog in the courts, there are plans to potentially eliminate jury trials for some criminal cases in England and Wales, aiming to streamline the judicial process by using judges and magistrates instead to handle these situations more efficiently.

The UK government plans to cut over 10,000 civil service jobs as part of a new campaign to enhance efficiency and reduce spending, with the Chancellor pushing departments to find 5% cuts amid growing demands from Brexit and the COVID pandemic.