5 important things happening in the UK today

Here are 5 important things happening in the UK today, 8 September 2025.

• Tube strikes hammer London: London Underground services are continuing to face disruption on Monday, after workers walked out on Sunday in rolling action over pay and conditions. Members of the Rail, Maritime And Transport union (RMT) are staging the walkout until Thursday. There is little or no service on all of the Tube as different parts of RMT membership walk out on different days. The Elizabeth line and the Overground are operating but will be much busier than usual. [BBC]
• Starmer under pressure from senior Labour leaders: Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been warned by senior Labour figures to stop making mistakes, before a battle over the party’s deputy leadership and amid fears the government could row back on workers’ rights. As candidates began to jostle to replace Angela Rayner, the prime minister faced public criticism from Emily Thornberry, a potential contender, who said further mistakes from Starmer could lead to having to “hand our country to [Nigel] Farage”. [Guardian]
• Unions threaten Starmer over workers’ rights law: Starmer has been put on notice by Labour’s union backers that he must not water down the workers’ rights bill after Angela Rayner’s resignation. Union chiefs vowed to fight for the bill following the departure of the deputy prime minister, who championed the legislation despite fears that it would damage the economy. [Telegraph]
• Asylum seekers to be housed in barracks: Asylum seekers will be moved out of hotels and into barracks on former military bases, the UK government has said, as Starmer seeks to tackle the issue at the top of the political agenda after his sweeping cabinet reshuffle. Defence Secretary John Healey on Sunday confirmed that ministers were looking at using military sites as temporary accommodation for migrants who have crossed the English Channel on small boats while they are processed. [Financial Times]

• On Monday, Oil was trading flat at $66.11. The pound is trading at $1.35, €1.15, and ¥9.65.

Now read: How tariff wars are reshaping migration