Dame Meg Hillier said the Department for Education "made a promise" about how Plan 2 student loans would be repaid, but that "hasn't been kept", which is having a "big impact on the generation who are paying off now". The previous and impending freeze of the repayment salary threshold, which will see graduates earning above a set amount being dragged into making larger repayments as their salaries increase, led the top Labour MP to accuse successive governments of "balancing the books on the back of people who have taken out student loans". Politics latest: Burnham hits back at Blair The Treasury Select Committee on Wednesday published documents produced by the Department for Education (DfE) and a contractor in 2018 and 2020 to explain to prospective university students how Plan 2 loans - for those starting courses between September 2012 and July 2023 - worked. They explained that they would only start repaying money to the Treasury once they earned more than a particular salary threshold, asserting: "The thresholds will be adjusted annually in line with average earnings." However, the previous government then froze the repayment salary threshold from 2021 until 2025, and Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that it will be frozen again at the 2026 level until 2030, meaning graduates whose incomes rise with inflation will repay more to the Treasury in real terms. The retrospective change to student loan repayment conditions is legal, as it was authorised in legislation, but the Treasury Select Committee boss said students were not fully informed of that possibility when they took out their loan(s), leading graduates to "feel angry and upset about the situation that they find themselves in". "That's partly because when they took out the loans they did not realise what they were signing up to and the full implications of that," Dame Meg told Sky News. She said that when the DfE "simplified" its advice to inform young people about the student loan system, they said "the threshold at which you start repaying will go up annually". "Well, that actually hasn't happened in the end," she explained. "You can understand that somebody in government thought it was a good idea to try and simplify that advice and make it clear for people to understand. But actually, you know, that was misleading." Dame Meg noted that the government has faced a series of crises in recent years, pointing to the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID pandemic in particular, and all chancellors "make decisions in order to balance the books". "But balancing the books on the back of people who've taken out student loans, and it's happened repeatedly under different governments, obviously it has had a big impact on the generation who are paying off now, and they feel very aggrieved by it, and not surprisingly," she said. How do graduates view their loans now? Her committee, which is conducting an inquiry into student loans and their impact on graduates, ran a survey earlier this year to understand their views on the system, and it received over 52,000 responses - one of the highest response rates to a select committee inquiry ever recorded. The unweighted survey found that: • Graduates overwhelmingly think the financial impact of repaying their loan(s) alongside the level of income tax is worse than expected, and has had a material impact on financial planning for the future; • They believe that the level of interest and repayment terms are or were unreasonable; • Graduates say they did not understand the full terms and conditions of their loan(s) before they took them out; • A majority would not take out a loan if given the choice again. Prospective students also submitted responses, and a majority told the committee that they do not have enough information to make an informed choice, and do not feel confident about making a decision. Experts to give evidence to parliament Asked what can be done, Dame Meg said there is a "huge understanding" on the Labour benches about the impact of student loans, and that is being communicated to the government. Her committee will be taking evidence from expert witnesses over the coming weeks, and aims to produce a report before the summer recess begins in July, which members "hope" will include immediate recommendations for ministers to ease the burden. "I wouldn't want to predict what they will be at this point, but we have an opportunity to press and push government to make some decisions that could make things better." In response, a government spokesperson said: "We recognise that some graduates have concerns about the cost of student loan repayments and understand why this is an important issue. "We inherited the current system and have taken steps to make it fairer - including raising the repayment threshold for the first time since 2021 and capping maximum interest rates this year to protect graduates from rising costs. We have also reintroduced targeted maintenance grants to expand opportunities for people from all backgrounds to go to university or college. "The student finance system protects lower-earning graduates, with repayments linked to income and any outstanding balances and interest written off at the end of repayment terms."

The former first minister was quizzed by detectives as part of Operation Branchform, an investigation into Scottish National Party (SNP) funding and finances. Ms Sturgeon was later told by Police Scotland that she would face no further action following direction from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. On Monday, Ms Sturgeon's estranged husband Peter Murrell, 61, pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP while the party's chief executive. Murrell used the funds to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, which included luxury goods such as a £4,225 fountain pen, salt and pepper grinders costing £2,618, a £3,231 coffee machine, and a £124,550 state-of-the-art motorhome. Ms Sturgeon was arrested in June 2023 as part of the probe, and, according to the Scottish Sun, reportedly "sat in silence for hours" at Falkirk police station and gave "no comment" answers to detectives. In a statement issued on behalf of Ms Sturgeon, solicitor Aamer Anwar stressed that the answer is standard legal advice, and rejected claims that the move hindered the investigation. Mr Anwar said: "In relation to the advice tendered to Ms Sturgeon to make no comment, this was by her solicitor, formerly a very senior crown counsel at Crown Office." The lawyer added that Ms Sturgeon later insisted on providing a "detailed written response" to Police Scotland questions. He said: "The idea that a highly resourced inquiry was hampered by a no comment interview is nonsensical. "Had there been any evidence whatsoever of criminality against Ms Sturgeon, there can be no doubt that this gold-plated investigation would have led to Ms Sturgeon being charged and prosecuted. "To make it abundantly clear, it was not the role of the first minister to sign off accounts - that was for the party treasurer. "There appears to be an assumption that as FM [first minister], when Mr Murrell was busy buying multiple pens or pepper pots etc she was with him, Ms Sturgeon was not as unsurprisingly she was busy with other matters." Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: "Did she never think to ask Peter where the money was coming from?" In a statement issued after Murrell's admission of guilt, Ms Sturgeon said she was unaware of his spending sprees, and had no idea about the pricey campervan until it became part of the police probe in early 2023. Read more:Operation Branchform: The downfall of Peter MurrellSturgeon denies knowledge of items husband bought Ms Sturgeon added: "In respect of any items I was aware of Peter having purchased, I had no reason to doubt that he had used his own money. "We were both earning high salaries, and, due to the responsibilities of my job, rarely socialised or went on holidays. "We had separate bank accounts, and I had no access to his financial records." On Wednesday, SNP leader John Swinney rejected calls from opposition politicians, and former colleagues including Joanna Cherry KC and Alex Neil, for an independent investigation into the party's finances. The first minister said: "The police investigation has led to a criminal case. "There has been a prosecution and there has been a guilty plea and there will be sentencing taking place as a consequence. So, all these issues have been looked at. "We know what the problem was - the problem was criminal behaviour and the police have identified that and the individual involved has been prosecuted. "You cannot get any inquiry more detailed than a police inquiry, and I think we should all respect the fact there has been a detailed inquiry into all the issues." Murrell will be sentenced next month.

Two 15-year-old boys were given youth rehabilitation orders (YRO) and put on a supervision and surveillance programme by a judge last week. They raped the girls in separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024 and January 2025. Footage was also shared on social media. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was "clearly the right outcome" as he confirmed the attorney general had decided to refer the case to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. A third boy, 14, was also given a YRO for encouraging one of the attackers - and for an indecent images offence - over the January attack. His sentence will be reviewed too, although the referral does not automatically mean the sentences will be altered. The Court of Appeal could leave them unchanged if it decides they were within a reasonable range of sentences available to the judge. One of the victims told the BBC the sentences were "like a rock straight in my face" and politicians across the spectrum have raised serious concerns. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch called it a "disgrace", while Reform's Robert Jenrick said the judge had made a "very bad error". In a statement today, Attorney General Richard Hermer KC called it a "horrific case" and said he wanted "to bring closure to the victims and their families". "It is clear to me from their powerful personal statements, that these girls have displayed immense bravery in coming forward," he added. The girl in the first incident, who was 15 at the time, attended sentencing to deliver a victim impact statement. She said: "I was caught off-guard, I never want that to happen again, I will never get that innocence back again." "No one deserves the trauma of being raped," she added. In a statement on her behalf, the other girl described nightmares and struggling to sleep. "I feel ashamed, insecure and uncomfortable in my own body," she said. Read more from Sky News:Starbucks boss apologises after advert backlashWarning about swimming in lakes after boy's death Judge Nicholas Rowland praised their bravery in giving evidence, but said he wanted to "avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily". He told the boys: "I have to remember that you are not small adults. "I have to think how likely you are to do serious things again and I need to make sure you do not do serious things again in the future." He also said "peer pressure" had played a large part in their actions. The court was told one of the boys had ADHD and "long-standing anxiety", while the other also had an ADHD diagnosis and an IQ in the "bottom 1%". The 14-year-old was described as having "mild cognitive impairment".

Twenty-six Labour MPs and one former Labour MP, now an independent MP, have reported Reform UK for possible Islamophobia after the group claimed there was "overwhelming evidence" the party has breached its obligations under the 2010 Equality Act. In the letter the MPs claim: "Over the last few years, we have seen a number of Reform UK politicians and members make comments that are clearly racist and discriminate against ethnic minorities, and in particular, Muslims." The group went on to say: "The prevalence of racism within Reform UK does not exist in a vacuum and has real-world consequences for the millions of British Muslims in our country." Politics latest: Labour has 'no coherent plan', Blair tells Starmer A spokesperson for Reform UK said: "We stand by our comments. We will not be intimidated." The Labour MP heading up the complaint, Afzal Khan, said: "Reform UK have consistently failed to tackle their growing Islamophobia problem." He accused the party of "consistent attacks on Muslim communities". This letter comes after the government announced a definition of anti-Muslim hostility in March - something Mr Khan campaigned for in the past. When the definition was published, the government asserted that 45% of all religious hate crimes were targeted at Muslims - a record level, and more than any other faith group. And the government insists there is significant underreporting. Among the group of 27 MPs who have signed the letter to the EHRC are Labour MPs Ian Byrne, Clive Lewis and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, as well as Mother of the House and independent MP Diane Abbott. The MPs cite a list of examples of what they believe to be Islamophobic comments made by Reform politicians. For example, they allege that keader Nigel Farage was Islamophobic when he criticised a mass Muslim prayer event in Trafalgar Square, and for suggesting they could be banned from taking place at historic British sites. The letter to the EHRC also criticises Reform MPs Sarah Pochin, Suella Braverman and Lee Anderson, as well as Reform members of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Senedd.

With two hugely consequential months ahead in British politics, Sam and Anne look beneath the headlines and Westminster drama to ask what really comes next. As US President Donald Trump escalates tensions in the Middle East once again, the duo examine the pressure on Whitehall. Would any prime minister, whoever occupies Number 10, make a difference or face the same issues? Anne reports back from the Prague Security Conference where former Downing Street chief of staff - Morgan McSweeney - makes a stark warning on AI, political disruption and the future of campaigning. Plus, is Britain simply ungovernable?