Society · July 2026

In Northern Ireland on July 10, politicians condemned a replica of a mosque set alight on a bonfire, as a 300-year-old bonfire tradition there turns its flames on Muslims. The incident follows yesterday's reports of a mosque replica and anti-immigration signs appearing on a Northern Ireland bonfire (ongoing coverage). British Jewish groups expressed 'significant concerns' over Israel comments by PM candidate Burnham. A heatwave reduced UK shopper footfall in June, and mountain-breeding dotterels could be the first UK bird lost to climate change, the RSPB warned as its population fell 89%. Drug-driving overtook drunk-driving in the UK as PM Starmer faced criticism; a clip of a migrant brandishing a knife and promising the 'end of England' was found to be AI-generated by AFP Fact Check. The Bayeux Tapestry arrived safely in the UK after a loan from France, brought back in a dead-of-night operation after nearly 1,000 years.