Yorkshire Post
Key £160m for airport under threat in dispute over lease
THE releAse of £160m of tAxpAyer funding to reopen DoncAster Sheffield Airport will not hAppen unless the terms of A controversiAl leAse for the site Are chAnged – with A deAl yet to be Agreed, The Yorkshire Post cAn reveAl. TAlks hAve been tAking...
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Artist Newman to design statue of late Queen
AN acclaimed artist, known for her depictions of Second World War heroines, is to design a sculpture “portraying the strong and complex personality” of Queen Elizabeth II as part of the national memorial to the late monarch. Karen Newman, who also...
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Approve housing – or lose airport
DONCASTER Council secretly agreed that its lease for the use of Doncaster Sheffield Airport could be terminated if it did not approve plans for more than a thousand houses by the site’s owners, a leak to The Yorkshire Post has revealed. The council is...
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Jenrick defects after Tory sacking
ROBERT Jenrick claimed that the Tories are “rotten” and defected to Reform UK just hours after leader Kemi Badenoch sacked him for finding “irrefutable evidence” that he was preparing to do so. Yesterday morning, the Conservative leader dramatically...
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Region set to be prioritised in first phase of Powerhouse Rail
A RAFT of Yorkshire projects are set to be prioritised in the first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail, the Government has announced, with Sir Keir Starmer saying it will show “that opportunity isn’t reserved for London”. In Leeds today, Chancellor...
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‘Risk’ to farmland in drive for solar
FARMLAND is at risk from the rapid expansion in solar energy due to “inconsistencies” in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), a trade body has said. The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) has said that because of...
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Call to cut VAT on hospitality trade
ONE of Yorkshire’s most acclaimed chefs has warned that “there won’t be a hospitality industry in a few years’ time” if tax rises continue to pile up, and urged the Government to cut VAT as part of its business rates climbdown. Tommy Banks, who runs...
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MP in call to rethink business rates rise
LABOUR politicians in York are urging the Prime Minister to “avert a crisis” on the city’s popular high street and review the Government’s controversial business rates proposals. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, York Central MP...
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Snow highlights ‘reckless’ school bus policy, MP says
NORTH Yorkshire Council has been accused of being “reckless and short-sighted” with its new school transport policy, amid the blanket of snow and ice covering the region. The Conservative-run local authority brought in plans last year to restrict free...
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Power swap in Venezuela ‘has to be peaceful’
A “PEACEFUL” transition of power should be reached quickly in Venezuela, a Cabinet Minister has said after Donald Trump declared America will “run” the country until a new government is set up. Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones...
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Solar and wind help power a UK record
UK renewable energy set new records in 2025, a study has revealed, amid a raft of controversial wind and solar projects proposed for Yorkshire. The assessment from climate and energy publication Carbon Brief shows electricity demand rose one per cent...
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A hard ride in the showground
Men in the veterans race tackle the terrain at the Nidderdale Showground in Pateley Bridge yesterday. Over 200 competitors took part in the Novacross Cyclo-Cross event across a series of age-group races, from Under 9s to the Over 70s, taking in the...
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Chilly end to the year for Auld Lang Syne runners
A CROWD took on one of Yorkshire's most scenic fells in stride to start the New Year in great fashion. The Daleside Auld Lang Syne, hosted each year by the Wharfedale Harriers, saw close to 400 runners take part yesterday. The 6.7 mile race, reaching...
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Concern at surge in wildfires in region
THERE has been a huge increase in moorland and grassland wildfires in West Yorkshire in the last year, new figures have shown. The fire and rescue service recorded 1,094 grassland, woodland and crop fires this spring, six times the number in 2024,...
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‘Sex symbol’ actress and activist Bardot dies at age of 91
TRIBUTES have been paid after French actress Brigitte Bardot died at the age of 91. The film star and 1960s “sex symbol” earned worldwide fame as one of the most recognisable faces of post-war cinema but later withdrew from the showbusiness world to...
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‘Protection against flooding should not be a postcode lottery for North’
TEN years ago, Yorkshire’s Christmas was thrown into turmoil by the worst flooding to hit the county since the Second World War. Starting on Boxing Day, floods devastated more than 4,000 homes and 2,000 businesses as swollen rivers burst their banks...
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‘Never lose sight of wartime spirit’
THE King has used his Christmas message to urge the nation to “never lose sight” of the Second World War values of “courage and sacrifice” and community spirit. The monarch, 77, praised the “spontaneous bravery” of those who put themselves in “harm’s...
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Pilgrimage to be theme of King’s message in Christmas broadcast recorded at Abbey
THE King has chosen Westminster Abbey as the location for his Christmas broadcast, which will have the key theme of pilgrimage. Charles will deliver the fourth festive message of his reign on Christmas Day, and the second staged outside a Royal...
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Stonehenge sunrise on the shortest day
Visitors gather for the sunrise at Stonehenge as the winter solstice was marked. The ritual at the ancient monument draws many visitors, including druids, who aim to witness the sunrise at the site on the shortest day of the year. Stonehenge was built...
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Whitehall threat to region’s proposed trams network
CIVIL servants could overrule mayor Tracy Brabin and turn the proposed West Yorkshire mass transit system into a bus network, The Yorkshire Post understands. Ms Brabin has said she is “determined” to bring trams to connect Bradford and Leeds, and –...
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Pint of the black stuff for King
THE Prince and Princess of Wales have shared a new family photograph, chosen for the couple’s 2025 Christmas card – and it was taken by a Yorkshireman. The image, released on Kensington Palace’s social media, shows William and Kate sitting on the...
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Labour denies trying to hide report on farm profitability
LABOUR has denied it is “attempting to hide” Baroness Minette Batters’ review into farm profitability, with the substantial report due to be released this week just hours before Parliament’s Christmas recess. In April, the former National Farmers’...
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Poignant Chanukah ceremony in city
The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Dan Cohen, lights a Chanukah candle on behalf of the City of Leeds, as part of the civic Chanukah celebration in the city. He earlier sent a message of “love and condolences” to people affected by the attack at a Chanukah...
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Scale of bed block problems revealed
HUNDREDS of thousands of days each year healthy patients are trapped in Yorkshire hospitals unable to be discharged because there is no space or funding in the community, new figures show. It is exacerbating a torrid situation for the NHS this winter,...
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King records message to back cancer campaign
THE King has broadcast a video message in support of the Stand Up To Cancer campaign. Charles’s pre-recorded message stressed the importance of cancer screening programmes to help early diagnosis, and was broadcast as part of the joint campaign by...
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Airlines join talks on new airport
OFFICIALS behind the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport have said there have been “very positive discussions with a number of airlines”, despite holiday giant Tui warning yesterday of a “challenging environment” for the industry. Talks with...
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After weeks of rain, hospepipe ban is lifted
AFTER what seems like weeks of incessant rain, Yorkshire Water has today lifted its hosepipe ban affecting over 5.5 million households. The ban was introduced five months ago on 11 July, after reservoirs dropped to just 30 per cent, following the...
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The Queen takes charge of Rivals 2
Queen Camilla holds a clapper board during a visit to the set of the series Rivals 2 in Bristol, to celebrate British television production, youth opportunity in the creative industries, and the legacy of her friend, the author of Rivals Dame Jilly...
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Super Sinfield bags more funds for MND charities
HIS physio says of him that his strongest muscle is his brain. Kevin Sinfield proved that again in spades as he splashed through the rain to finish his challenge of seven ultra-marathons in seven days to raise money for motor neurone disease (MND)...
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PM backs couple’s call to free their son
THE Prime Minister has backed a Shipley couple calling for the release of their autistic son, who has spent almost two decades in prison on an indefinite order for stealing a car, despite being sentenced to twoand-a-half years. Jimmy was handed a...
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A Root 100 to silence Australian critics
England's Joe Root celebrates his century, his first for England in an Ashes Test in Australia, on day one of the second Ashes Series 2025 test at The Gabba in Brisbane, Australia. While he has amassed more than 13,000 Test runs – only India idol...
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‘Exempt the dying from farm tax’
THE National Farmers’ Union has urged the Government to remove terminally-ill people from the “eye of the storm” of the farming inheritance tax reforms, after a number of Labour MPs rebelled over the controversial policy. Backbenchers have argued most...
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‘Unique’ runway is ‘key’ for airport
THE size of Doncaster Sheffield Airport’s runway is “unique” amongst its regional competitors and was key to persuading Munich Airport International to get on board with the reopening project, the firm’s managing director has said. The experienced...
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OBR chief quits over Budget leak
THE head of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) resigned yesterday after last week’s Budget was leaked in its entirety ahead of the Chancellor taking to the dispatch box. Its chairman Richard Hughes stood down to allow the watchdog to “quickly...
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Reeves denies she misled on finances
THE Chancellor of the Exchequer has denied she misled the public over the financial pressures facing the country ahead of her Budget. Rachel Reeves, inset, has faced widespread criticism since delivering her Budget in the House of Commons last week...
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Man tells of ‘Orwellian nightmare’
A YORKSHIRE business owner was arrested by local police and put through a four-month “Orwellian nightmare” after posting a holiday photograph of himself holding a shotgun while in the United States. The Yorkshire Post can now report on the case after...
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Budget aid for tax scandal victims
THOUSANDS of people affected by the loan charge scandal which has been linked to multiple suicides are to have debts owed to the tax authorities written off or more than halved under a £365m Government deal – but campaigners say the measures do not go...
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Forces set to focus on crime in rural areas
A MULTI-YEAR strategy designed to combat rural crime was launched yesterday, with police forces aiming to use artificial intelligence, advanced crime mapping and new technologies to crack down on organised criminal gangs operating in the...
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More delays for Powerhouse Rail
NO announcement is expected on Northern Powerhouse Rail in tomorrow’s Budget, The Yorkshire Post understands, with the Government’s long-awaited plan to connect cities on both sides of the Pennines delayed again. The Chancellor initially revealed her...
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Tourism tax could raise £52m for region
MAYOR David Skaith has presented his proposal for a tourism tax to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget, with research showing it could raise £52m for York and North Yorkshire. Mr Skaith travelled to Downing Street to meet Rachel Reeves and show her...
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Streeting denies he wants to oust PM
THE Government was accused of “descending into a civil war” after Wes Streeting hit out at the “toxic culture” around Sir Keir Starmer’s No10 operation and denied planning to oust the Prime Minister. Sir Keir condemned “completely unacceptable”...
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‘Farming mistakes made by Ministers’
“MISTAKES were made” by the Government with the abrupt closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme, the new Environment Secretary has admitted. Emma Reynolds, who was appointed to the Cabinet in September, pledged to “improve the...
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No10’s backing for ‘impartial’ BBC
IN an age of disinformation the argument for a “robust and impartial” BBC “is stronger than ever”, Downing Street has said, despite the scandal engulfing the broadcaster. BBC chairman Samir Shah yesterday said the corporation would like to apologise...
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Britons to spend £4bn more over Black Friday
BRITONS are set to spend £4bn more over this year’s Black Friday weekend than last year, despite increasing concern among consumers about poor deals and scams, figures suggest. Spending is set to reach almost £14bn over the sales event, with consumers...
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Rona’s vital act of remembrance
ASOLDIER'S grave, lost and forgotten to the ravages of time, has stood unmarked for over a century. Finally, there is a red poppy to honour his fall. Here lies Emmanuel J Foxton, who went to war as a boy but came home gassed at just 22. He gave his...
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Queen visits Field of Remembrance
THE Queen has commemorated those who fought and died for their country during a ceremony at Westminster Abbey’s Field of Remembrance. Camilla, who was absent from last year’s ceremony due to illness, was met by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Dr...
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Prince steps up in Rio for global cause
The Prince of Wales during a visit to the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, where he met with the fifteen finalists for 2025 Earthshot Prize on day three of his trip to Brazil for the annual Earthshot Prize Awards. Prime Minister Sir Keir...
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Knighthood for former England captain Beckham
SIR David Beckham smiled broadly alongside his wife Lady Victoria and his parents after he was knighted at Windsor Castle. The football star, 50, was among those honoured by King Charles yesterday morning for his services to sport and charity. The...
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Pride in new MND centre’s link with Burrow
This is the first look at the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital, Leeds. Dr Agam Jung is pictured in the centre which is in memory of the former Leeds Rhinos rugby league star. It is the first purpose-built centre devoted...
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Beer and skittles struck off?
ONE of Britain’s last independent skittle makers has warned the pub game could disappear forever as he prepares to close his workshop after more than four decades. John Pepper, 78, has spent his life handcrafting the distinctive wooden pins used in...
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Duke is struck from peerage roll
ANDREW Mountbatten Windsor is no longer the Duke of York after his name was struck from the official roll of the peerage, as the King effectively removed his disgraced brother from the Royal Family. Buckingham Palace said yesterday that his name had...
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Alarm over school transport costs
THE huge increase in home to school transport usage must be tackled by the Government as it pushes council finances to the brink, the public spending watchdog has found. A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) found almost half of local...
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Airport reopening may cost £193m
THE cost to taxpayers of reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport has rocketed yet again, with council officers now estimating it could reach almost £200m. Doncaster councillors next week will be asked to vote on the latest stage of the publicly-funded...
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Fawlty Towers star Prunella Scales dies at 93
Tributes have been paid to Fawlty Towers star Prunella Scales following her death at 93. The BBC last night aired an episode of the show in honour to her. The actress died “peacefully at home in London” and had been watching Fawlty Towers the day...
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Call to get tough on waste crime
FLY-TIPPING and waste crime, carried out by organised criminal gangs, have been described as the “new narcotics”, a Parliamentary report has found. The House of Lords’ cross-party Environment and Climate Change Committee has today called for the...
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Warning of ‘crisis’ in SEND system
THE “worsening crisis” in the special educational needs and disabilities system (SEND) is putting the UK on the brink of a national emergency, experts have said. The latest Child of the North report, produced by the N8 Research Partnership of...
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A fluffy customer for dedicated conservationist
AS a child growing up on Hull’s Greatfield estate Robert Salter got to know the great outdoors on the fringes of the city, along the old railway line to Hedon. It was where he started seeing barn owls, their enigmatic white shapes flitting over the...
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King Charles makes history in the Vatican
King Charles III has met and prayed with Pope Leo XIV in the Holy See – the first such meeting since the Reformation five centuries ago. The highly symbolic meeting of the leaders of two of the world’s largest faiths culminated with the Pope leading...
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PM fights to rescue grooming inquiry
SIR Keir Starmer is to personally intervene to try and save the Government’s national inquiry into grooming gangs, after the person thought to be the only remaining candidate to chair the process pulled out. The Yorkshire Post understands that the...
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Crisis over grooming gang probe
THE Government’s national inquiry into grooming gangs appears to have descended into crisis, with multiple victims and a potential chair pulling out of the process. Three survivors – including two from Yorkshire – have quit the probe’s victims and...
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King offers sympathy at scene of terror tragedy
THE King expressed his sadness when he met survivors of the Manchester synagogue attack during a visit to the congregation to deliver his sympathy in person. Charles was introduced to the “heroes” by Rabbi Daniel Walker – a group of senior figures...
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Last goodbye to cricket legend Dickie Bird
The funeral service for the former cricket umpire Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird OBE, who died at the age of 92, was held yesterday in his home town of Barnsley. Pictured, the funeral procession pauses for reflection in front of Dickie’s statue before continuing...
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Hepworth sculpture goes up for sale
Christie’s employees pose next to Dame Barbara Hepworth’s sculpture The Family of Man (figure 8, the Bride) at Christie’s in London. Other highlights at this year’s Modern and Irish Evening Art Sale are LS Lowry’s Going To The Match and two paintings...
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Steel firm ‘could be sold within months’
THE sale of Speciality Steel UK could be completed within two or three months, with several ‘serious’ buyers interested in purchasing the South Yorkshire firm. Industry Minister Chris McDonald told The Yorkshire Post the sale process was progressing...
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Funeral director admits to frauds
A FORMER funeral director has admitted a string of offences including presenting four women with ashes he falsely claimed were those of their unborn children. Robert Bush has admitted 35 counts of fraud by false representation, related to the care of...
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Splendour of nature is in focus
A“HAUNTING” image of a hyena in a mining ghost town that took a decade to capture has won this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest. The shot by South African wildlife photographer Wim van den Heever scooped top spot out of a...
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Emotional scenes as Israeli hostages freed from Gaza
ALL remaining living hostages being held in Gaza have been released by Hamas, marking a pause in the vicious conflict which flattened the territory and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Huge crowds gathered in Israel to watch the hostage...
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Minister urged to back huge AI centre
BEN Houchen has urged Ed Milband to block plans for a low-carbon hydrogen facility in Teesside so a rival “£100 billion” AI data centre scheme can go ahead instead. Tees Valley mayor Lord Houchen has spoken ahead of a looming decision for Energy...
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‘Vast sums’ available for airport
INTERNATIONAL investors say they are ready to put “vast sums” into the Doncaster Sheffield Airport reopening project, The Yorkshire Post can reveal. A statement from the consortium says the group “made clear” to local political leaders its ambition to...
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Playtime with a Princess
The Princess of Wales plays with children during a visit to Home-Start in Oxford. The future Queen visited the organisation to learn about its work in supporting parents who are balancing their work, finances and creating a loving home for their...
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‘Give mayors powers over trams’
YORKSHIRE’S mayors should be handed powers to approve tram and light rail projects to save money and improve trust in politics, an influential Labour think-tank has said. Labour Together – which spearheaded Sir Keir Starmer’s push for power – has...
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Reflecting on Minster’s Lottery award
Two Churches One Town charity trustee Tim Carlisle in Beverley Minster, which received initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for its ‘Destinations’ Project. Some £244,203 has been awarded to help the Minster in plans to apply for a...
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