UK News Daily Essex Merges Councils to Core Unitary, Doctors Strike After Pay Talks Stall, Met Police Arrests Resume Amid Uncertainty, UK Intercepts Shadow Fleet, and more...
Mar 26, 2026
A major local government shake-up will merge 15 councils into five unitary authorities by 2028. Doctors plan a sixth day of strikes after pay talks stall. Police resume arrests in protests amid legal uncertainty. The UK moves to intercept a suspected Russian shadow fleet to enforce sanctions. A £50m programme launches to link veteran services across the country.
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Essex Consolidates Local Government
- Essex will replace 15 councils with five unitary authorities to centralise services like waste, planning, adult social care and children's services.
- Officials expect streamlined decision-making to boost housing delivery and net a ~£35m gain by 2032–33.
Urgent Pay Talks Needed To Avert Costly Strikes
- Government and unions should prioritise rapid, realistic pay-restoration talks to avoid further doctor strikes that could cost the NHS up to £300m.
- The BMA rejects spreading increases over three years, saying it fails to reverse pay erosion since 2008.
Met Reinstates Arrests Amid Legal Uncertainty
- The Met resumed arrests for supporting Palestine Action because the ban remains law while a High Court appeal proceeds.
- Over 2,700 arrests have occurred and hundreds of trials are paused pending the appeal outcome.