The Weekly Review: Feb 10 - Feb 16

Every Sunday, we bring together the most important stories of the week from across a wide range of sectors.

Politics

Sinn Féin have received 24.5 per cent of first preference votes, the largest number of any party, in the Irish general election.

Prime minister Boris Johnson has been called upon to disclose who paid for his holiday to Mustique between Boxing Day and January 5 this year.

Sajid Javid has resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer during Boris Johnson's first cabinet reshuffle since December's election. 

Jackson Carlaw, the interim leader for the Scottish Conservative party, has won the vote of members to take over as their new leader.

Immigration

The government are expected to lower the salary threshold for some migrants at a cabinet meeting this Friday. 

Housing

According to figures released by the ONS, people between the ages of 34 and 44 are increasingly unable to move onto the property ladder, with a third of this demographic renting from a private landlord in 2017. In 1997, among the same demographic, fewer than one in ten were renters.

Transport

The government is expected to announce its intention to invest £5 billion over the next five years to improve bus and cycle routes around the country. 

A range of government officials are considering the feasibility of building a bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to No 10.

Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has announced that the UK’s ban on the sales of new petrol, diesel or hybrid cars could begin in 2032. 

Education

The Department for Education has announced it will pull funding from 5,000 post-GCSE qualifications ahead of the introduction of T-levels in September.

Justice

Brexiteer Suella Braverman has been appointed as attorney general, the most senior legal adviser in the government.

Care

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has announced that the placement of children under the age of 16 in unregulated care homes will be banned.

Media

Ofcom has been granted new powers to force social media firms to respond to harmful content posted on their platforms.

Mark Zuckerberg has disclosed he is “happy to pay more tax in Europe”, following criticism that Facebook has not being paying enough taxes where they operate.