News

Government plans nuclear overhaul to speed up new reactors

Published

3 months ago

March 13, 2026

MINISTERS say reforms will cut costs and strengthen energy security, but critics warn projects remain expensive and slow to build

The UK government has announced a major overhaul of the country’s nuclear planning and regulatory system aimed at speeding up the construction of new reactors, reducing costs and strengthening national energy security.

The reforms follow an independent review led by John Fingleton, which concluded that the current regulatory framework is overly complex and bureaucratic, slowing the delivery of nuclear infrastructure.

Ministers say the changes will simplify regulation while maintaining safety and environmental protections, with all recommendations expected to be implemented by the end of 2027.

The government argues that expanding nuclear energy will help reduce Britain’s dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets and support the transition to low-carbon electricity.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “The current conflict in the Middle East shows why we must move further and faster to build the clean energy system our country needs.

“A crucial part of this is ensuring that we speed up the building of infrastructure in a way that reduces costs while delivering better outcomes for nature.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said nuclear energy would play an important role in strengthening the UK’s economic resilience.

“To build national resilience, drive energy security and deliver economic growth, we need nuclear,” she said.

The government has already approved major nuclear projects including Sizewell C in Suffolk and the ongoing construction of Hinkley Point C in Somerset. Ministers are also backing plans for small modular reactors, with the first expected to be built at the former Wylfa nuclear site on Anglesey in North Wales.

Alongside the regulatory reforms, the government confirmed £65.6 million of funding for seven nuclear research programmes at universities across the UK.

Institutions involved include Bangor University and Swansea University, with the funding delivered through UK Research and Innovation and matched by industry partners.

The programme will also fund more than 500 doctoral students over four years to train the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers.

Research areas will include advanced reactor technologies, nuclear waste disposal, innovative fuels and materials, and technologies linked to national security.

However, environmental campaigners remain sceptical about the expansion of nuclear power.

Groups including Greenpeace UK have previously warned that nuclear plants are expensive and take many years to build, arguing that investment should instead focus on renewable energy such as wind and solar.

Large nuclear projects in the UK have also faced significant delays and rising costs. Hinkley Point C, currently under construction in Somerset, has seen its estimated completion date pushed back several times while projected costs have increased substantially.

Supporters of nuclear power argue that it provides a reliable source of low-carbon electricity that can operate regardless of weather conditions, helping to stabilise the energy system as more renewable power comes online.

The government says the wider nuclear sector could support around 65,000 jobs by 2030, including roles linked to the UK’s defence nuclear programme and the construction of new Dreadnought-class submarines.

The reforms are intended to make it easier to deliver both civil and defence nuclear projects while maintaining safety standards and environmental protections.

Charity

RSPCA backs under-16 social media ban over animal cruelty fears

Published

1 minute ago

June 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Charity says children are still being exposed to disturbing abuse videos online

THE RSPCA has welcomed plans to ban under-16s from accessing social media, warning that online platforms have become “poisoned” by images and videos glorifying animal cruelty.

The charity said the move could help protect children from disturbing content and reduce the risk of young people becoming desensitised to animal suffering.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that children under 16 in the UK will be barred from using social media platforms, in what the government says is a major step to protect young people online.

David Bowles OBE, the RSPCA’s Head of Public Affairs, said the charity supported measures aimed at shielding children from harmful material.

He said: “Social media channels have become poisoned by images and videos which glorify animal abuse, so the RSPCA welcomes moves that better protect children from this disturbing content.

“Our Animal Kindness Index highlights that 30% of people have witnessed animal cruelty online, and social media is by far the most likely place for them to stumble upon it.”

Mr Bowles said restrictions on animal cruelty content were included in the Online Safety Act three years ago, but young people were still being exposed to abuse material.

He added that the charity had seen cases where people copied cruelty they had viewed online.

The RSPCA said any ban must be backed by continued pressure on social media companies to remove content glorifying animal violence and to make it easier for users to report cruelty.

Mr Bowles said technology could still be used positively to connect young people with animals, including through the RSPCA’s Animal Futures game and its Summer of Kindness campaign, which encourages families to help animals in their local communities.

He said the proposed ban, alongside plans for a new natural history GCSE in England, could help create “a better world for every kind.”

Business

Crackwell Street closure extended again as Tenby traders voice frustration

Published

4 minutes ago

June 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

TRADERS in Tenby have been left frustrated after Pembrokeshire County Council extended the closure of Crackwell Street once again.

The street, which provides direct access to Tenby Harbour, has been closed for several months to allow scaffolding work to be carried out at Goscar House.

It had been due to reopen on Friday, but the council has now extended the closure until June 19.

Local businesses say the repeated delays have affected trade, with concerns that the ongoing closure is making access to the harbour area more difficult during a busy period for the town.

The road remains closed while scaffolding is in place at the property.

Caption:

Ongoing closure: Scaffolding remains in place on Crackwell Street, Tenby (Pic: Malcolm Richards).

Crime

Llangadog man fined after breaching restraining order twice

Published

7 minutes ago

June 15, 2026

Court Reporter

Court hears defendant contacted protected person despite ban

A LLANGADOG man has been fined £1,375 after twice breaching a restraining order by contacting a protected person he had been banned from approaching.

Adam Thomas Davies, 34, of Llangadog, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jun 15) for proceedings linked to an existing community order.

The court heard Davies had breached a restraining order on two separate occasions in June last year by contacting a person he had been prohibited from approaching under an order imposed by Llanelli Magistrates’ Court in November 2019.

Magistrates were told the original community order, imposed in August 2025, had become unworkable due to long-term physical health issues alongside Davies’ employment.

The court revoked the existing order and resentenced him for the original offences.

Davies was made subject to a new community order running until June 14, 2027. He must comply with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and attend appointments or activities as directed by probation services, for up to 15 days.

As a punitive element of the order, magistrates imposed a fine of £1,375.

The court heard the breaches related to unlawful contact made in Carmarthenshire despite the restrictions remaining in force.

Davies was ordered to pay the fine at a rate of £120 per month, starting from July 13.