Author: britishbulletin.com

There’s plenty of debate these days about the pros and cons of the race towards net-zero.But one thing isn’t up for debate: going green when taking out a mortgage can be very good for your bank balance.I’m often asked, “What are green mortgages?” Put simply, they’re mortgage products that incentivise buyers who choose an energy-efficient home, or a property that includes approved eco-friendly features.The rewards vary. They might be financial, such as cashback, or come in the form of preferential mortgage terms. The aim is to encourage more people to consider greener homes.To qualify for a green mortgage, you generally…

PA archivePat Tate, 37; Craig Rolfe, 26; and Tony Tucker, 38, were gunned down in an underworld killing in EssexEight shotgun blasts on a winter’s night left three men dead and brought their drugs empire crashing down. Thirty years on, why does the Essex Boys story still grip people?A snowy farm track marked the end of the road for Tony Tucker, Pat Tate and Craig Rolfe on 6 December 1995.Their bodies were discovered the following morning in a blue Range Rover at Rettendon, near Chelmsford.The shootings have entered modern folklore, inspiring numerous films, TV shows and podcasts.Some claim these have…

Chris Duncan earned another memorable win as he submitted Terrance McKinney amid a tense first round of their lightweight bout at UFC 323 in Las Vegas.After being stunned multiple times by McKinney’s strikes, Scotland’s Duncan dropped the American with an elbow before taking control on the ground.With noise levels inside the T-Mobile Arena rising, Duncan submitted McKinney with an anaconda choke for his fourth straight UFC win.It comes just four months after Duncan’s brutal back-and-forth victory over Poland’s Mateusz Rebecki in a fight-of-the-year contender.After beating McKinney, Duncan referenced his late mother in his post-fight interview. In 2014, a day before…

Almost 350,000 families from foreign-born households are set to benefit from new measures introduced in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s latest budget. New analysis, based on Freedom of Information requests examining 2021 census data, has revealed that families originating from Pakistan and Bangladesh are likely to receive the largest share of additional payments.The new bungs will be awarded to households with three or more children following Ms Reeves’s decision to abolish the two-child benefit cap.Approximately 341,735 migrant families are now set to gain from the liberalisation, according to research by Conservative MP Nick Timothy.Pakistan accounts for the largest group, with 59,948 families…

Blue DiamondGarden centres across the North West have become Christmas destinationsWhen Alfred and Margaret Bent started selling roses from the front garden of their terraced house in Warrington in 1937 they could never have imagined that it would one day grow to become one of the North West’s biggest Christmas destinations.The business soon expanded, but selling plants was seasonal and the family was looking for ways to diversify over the winter months.”In the 80s garden centres were just selling plants in the gardening season,” Bent’s Chief Executive and third generation family member Matthew Bent said.”A lot of people, especially for…

One of the most innovative manufacturers in the world has created a revolutionary device that could slash vehicle emissions further than previously thought.Mazda has debuted the new “Mazda Mobile Carbon Capture” technology, which utilises carbon-neutral fuel derived from microalgae.Displaying the new technology at the Japan Mobility Show, Mazda exhibited the Vision X-Coupe, which is designed to embody the “Kodo-Soul of Motion” design language.Mazda said the X-Coupe was making use of a multi-solution approach to slash vehicle emissions, with the plug-in hybrid model having 160km of electric motor-only range.The carbon capture technology integrates a CO2 collection system into the exhaust, allowing…

Jayne McCormack News NI political correspondentPA MediaMinisters will meet this week to discuss how money will be allocated as part of a Stormont mini-budgetTensions at the heart of the Northern Ireland Executive over funding pressures have been laid bare in an exchange of letters seen by News NI.Executive ministers are set to meet this week to discuss how money will be allocated as part of a Stormont mini-budget, amid outstanding public sector pay pressures.Pay deals for healthcare workers, teachers and police staff for this year have yet to be resolved – earlier this year the executive committed to find the…

England finally demonstrated they can alter their approach by batting through the first session on day four of the second Ashes Test, ensuring Australia will require their second innings.After a dismal showing on the third evening, England began the fourth day on 134-6, 43 adrift of the home side in Brisbane.But captain Ben Stokes set an example to his team-mates, alongside number eight Will Jacks in a watchful unbroken partnership of 65.Stokes, who began the day on four from 24 deliveries, had 36 from 112 balls at the break. Jacks moved from four off nine to 25 off 66.England battled…

Senior barristers have accused Justice Secretary David Lammy of distorting figures on collapsed rape cases to justify reforms that would halve the number of jury trials.Mr Lammy has suggested several times that 60 per cent of victims withdraw from cases due to delays in the court system.However, figures show the vast majority of rape cases never reach the courts because of policing delays, and only 8 per cent of victims pull out once a charge is brought.The Justice Secretary told Sky News: “If a woman is, sadly, raped in our country today, she will likely have her trial come on…

Elon Musk’s Tesla has experienced a significant drop in UK car registrations during November, with figures falling 19 per cent compared to the same month last year. Data from the research group New AutoMotive revealed that 3,784 Tesla vehicles were registered in the UK, down from 4,680 in November 2024.The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders recorded a slightly different figure, showing a 17.2 per cent year-on-year decrease to 3,772 units. The variation stems from the two organisations using different data sources and calculation methods.The EV manufacturer’s British performance mirrors difficulties across the continent, where the company has faced steep…