PC Andrew Harper's widow, Lissie Harper, called the potential early release of two of his killers "deplorable" as Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a review of the Sentencing Act, which allows for earlier release of thousands of offenders in England and Wales to ease prison overcrowding.
EU leaders confront urgent China policy challenges, highlighted by Volkswagen's reported 100,000 job cuts due to Chinese competition. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic met Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Brussels to launch a new trade consultation platform amidst spiraling tensions.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski is conducting a sweeping review of the party's policy platform to remove unpopular proposals as support for the movement grows. The party, now with 226,000 members (up from 20,000), won its first parliamentary by-election in February and is fighting for second place behind Reform UK. Officials are targeting controversial policies including abolition of the monarchy, outlawing private landlords, and a 55mph motorway limit. Polanski wants to revise the party's member-driven system, giving elected individuals more control over the process while maintaining its democratic core.
