News- UK

Labour election inquiry will not recommend leadership candidate Inquiry will look at reasons for party’s poor showing rather than suggesting replacement for Jeremy CorbynA review into why Labour lost the general election will not seek to recommend a particular candidate to replace Jeremy Corbyn, the group spearheaded by Ed Miliband said on Monday.Labour Together, which is running what it calls a cross-factional commission into the party’s worst election showing since 1935, will assess what went wrong in the December poll. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson under fire for not planning to visit flood-hit areas Lib Dem MP for Bath hits out at PM after rivers burst their banks across southern EnglandBoris Johnson has been criticised for not visiting flood-stricken communities at Christmas after it emerged he had no immediate plans to travel to areas hit by heavy rain.Families may be forced to spend the festive period away from their homes after rivers burst their banks in Kent, Cornwall, Sussex and Norfolk. The Met Office has 54 flood warnings and 141 flood alerts in place across the UK, including in the north of England and the Midlands, with some likely to remain active until Christmas Eve as more rain is forecast. Continue reading... Go to Source

Chelsea supporter arrested for racially abusing Tottenham’s Son Heung-min • Incident was reported to police by fellow Chelsea fan• Spurs investigating abuse of Antonio RüdigerEnglish football’s racism crisis took a new twist after it emerged that a Chelsea supporter was arrested for racially abusing Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min on Sunday afternoon – during the Premier League match that had to be paused because a monkey chant was aimed at Chelsea’s Antonio Rüdiger by a section of the crowd.Anthony Taylor, the referee, stopped play after Rüdiger claimed he had heard racist taunts during the second half of Chelsea’s victory over their London rivals. An announcement on the public address system informed the crowd at the Tottenham...

Saudi Arabia sentences five to death for murder of Jamal Khashoggi Former royal adviser Saud al-Qahtani was investigated but released without being chargedFive men have been sentenced to death and another three face 24 years in prison for their roles in the gruesome murder of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year, the Saudi public prosecutor’s office has said.All 11 people on trial were found guilty of the killing, which triggered the kingdom’s biggest diplomatic crisis since the 9/11 attacks as world leaders and business executives sought to distance themselves from Riyadh. Continue reading... Go to Source

Sixty-nine-vehicle pile-up in Virginia injures more than 50 Police say fog and icy road conditions contributed to crash on Interstate 64Dozens of people have been injured in a pile-up involving more than 60 cars on a major interstate in Virginia.Photos from the scene showed a tangled mass of metal, with car hoods crumpled, windows smashed and a red truck on top of another vehicle. Continue reading... Go to Source

PFA calls for UK government inquiry into racism in football Professional Footballers’ Association urges governing bodies to unite to end abuseThe Professional Footballers’ Association has called for a government inquiry into racism in football as campaigners demand more comprehensive sanctions following an alleged racist incident that occurred during Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.The association said: “Once again, a Premier League fixture has been tainted by abuse from the stands towards players.” Continue reading... Go to Source

TV presenter Caroline Flack pleads not guilty to assaulting boyfriend Love Island host appears at magistrates court charged with assault on Lewis Burton The TV presenter Caroline Flack has pleaded not guilty to assaulting her boyfriend, Lewis Burton.The host of Love Island walked past the packed public gallery accompanied by a police officer and a member of her legal team before her appearance in front of district judge Julia Newton at Highbury Corner magistrates court in north London. Continue reading... Go to Source

Ed Miliband to join Labour inquiry into election defeat Panel includes MPs and representatives from unions, local parties and community groupsA group of MPs and other Labour members intended to represent opinions from across all wings of the party have launched a formal inquiry into its 2019 general election defeat and the lessons that can be learned.The panel, including MPs Lucy Powell, Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood, as well as a former adviser to the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, and representatives from unions, local parties and community groups, hopes to report by the end of February, before a new leader is chosen. Continue reading... Go to Source

PM urged to overhaul flood defence funding or risk ‘catastrophe’ Regional leaders call on Boris Johnson to act as Kent and East Sussex are hit by floodingBoris Johnson must overhaul the system for deciding where flood-defence funding is spent and launch an emergency response unit to prevent a repeat of the “catastrophic” damage caused by the November floods, leading politicians have said.Nearly 100 flood warnings were in place across much of England on Sunday, hampering the Christmas getaway, with towns and villages deluged in Kent and East Sussex. Continue reading... Go to Source

Man arrested on suspicion of murder after death of two women in Crawley Police were called to property in Crawley Down where they also found a man seriously injuredA man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of two women outside a property in West Sussex.Police said they were called to an address in Crawley Down shortly before 10.20am on Sunday morning, where they also found a seriously injured man inside. Continue reading... Go to Source

Johnson visit to Lebedev party after victory odd move for 'people's PM' PM mingled with Russian elite amid claims of Moscow interference in UK politicsIt was the equivalent of a V-sign cheerfully flashed at his critics. The day after his landslide election victory, Boris Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds dropped into a caviar-fuelled Christmas party in London hosted by former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev and his son Evgeny.During the campaign Johnson had stubbornly refused to publish the Russia report, written by the last parliament’s intelligence and security committee. Continue reading... Go to Source

First woman to beat a man at PDC world darts overwhelmed by response Billie Jean King leads wave of tributes to Fallon Sherrock after ‘gamechanging’ victoriesFallon Sherrock has said she is overwhelmed by the “incredible” response to her historic victories at the PDC World Darts Championship, as Billie Jean King led a wave of congratulations from across the globe.Sherrock became the first woman to defeat a male darts player in the sport’s best-known competition last week and repeated the feat by beating one of the world’s top-ranked players on Saturday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Ukraine aid blocked soon after Trump’s phone call with Zelenskiy, emails show Trump acted about 90 minutes after the ‘do us a favor’ phone call behind the scenes to freeze aid from the PentagonIt took only about 90 minutes after Donald Trump’s infamous July telephone call to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy for White House officials to order the Pentagon to freeze military funding for Ukraine, according to newly-released government emails. Related: Republican rush to defend Trump reveals a party in thrall to its leader Continue reading... Go to Source

Tesco withdraws Christmas cards from sale after forced labour claims Supermarket halts production in China after six-year-old girl finds plea for help inside cardTesco says it has suspended production at a factory in China alleged to have forced foreign prisoners to help make charity Christmas cards and also withdrawn them from sale. The allegations came to light after the Sunday Times reported that Florence Widdicombe, aged six, from Tooting, south London, opened a box of charity Christmas cards from the supermarket and discovered a plea for help inside one of them. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson told to 'stop campaigning and start governing' Ken Clarke criticises PM for having no detailed plans for Brexit or social careKen Clarke has warned Boris Johnson he must “stop campaigning and get on with governing”, condemning the prime minister for seemingly having no detailed plans for a final Brexit deal, or for other vital issues such as social care.The veteran former Conservative MP, who stepped down from parliament at the election having been stripped of the Tory whip shortly beforehand, said Johnson should replace advisers such as Dominic Cummings with people who were able to govern. Continue reading... Go to Source

Woman dies in coach crash in south-west London Twenty-six-year-old car passenger killed in collision in Queenstown Road, BatterseaA 26-year-old woman has died after a collision between a National Express coach and a car in south-west London.The incident took place on Queenstown Road, in Battersea, at about 4.30am on Sunday. A rear-seat passenger of the car was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 5am. The female driver of the vehicle was taken to a south London hospital where police said she remained in a critical condition. Continue reading... Go to Source

Young Labour members point to shift away from Corbynism Many under-30s are keen to see a change in direction after four defeats in a rowAs Labour heads into another leadership contest, it will be the votes of the party’s 550,000 members that will matter most in the end. They will have the final say after a 12-week contest that will start next month.Since 2015, the membership has been strongly supportive of Jeremy Corbyn, and he won thumping majorities in 2015 and 2016 thanks largely to them. But after the recent catastrophic election defeat, Labour’s fourth in a row, are some losing patience? Do they want more Corbynism, or is the brand now tainted by failure? Continue reading... Go to Source

Australia fires: NSW devastation laid bare as 72 homes destroyed in SA bushfires Australian PM Scott Morrison says government won’t change its climate change policy as New South Wales premier says ‘not much left’ of town of Balmoral The devastation from Australia’s bushfire crisis became clearer on Sunday, as the South Australian premier said 72 homes had been destroyed and his New South Wales counterpart revealed there was “not much left” of the town of Balmoral, south-west of Sydney.It is feared the figures for homes lost may get much worse as authorities continue to assess the damage from Saturday, and with dozens of fires still active. Continue reading... Go to Source

Home Office ‘ignoring offers to give homes to child refugees’ Lord Dubs calls response ‘miserable’ amid claims 1,400 offers from councils spurnedThe Home Office has been accused of ignoring more than 1,400 offers from local councils to house child refugees, prompting criticism that Boris Johnson’s government is defying its obligations to offer sanctuary to vulnerable minors. Councils across the UK have volunteered to take hundreds of unaccompanied children from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. However, numbers of arrivals are said to be “pitifully low to nonexistent”.Wiltshire, Leicestershire, Brighton and Hove, along with the London boroughs of Islington, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Lewisham have each pledged to take at least 100 children, acco...

Lammy hints at bid to be Labour’s first BAME leader Tottenham MP says party should counter ‘populist, ethnic nationalism’ with a new ‘civic nationalism’David Lammy today sets out plans to foster a new “civic nationalism” based not on skin colour, religion or ethnicity but on shared values as he lays the ground for a possible pitch at the Labour leadership. Related: Labour: After the debacle, what comes next? Continue reading... Go to Source

Brexit: Boris Johnson dances around Varadkar's claim of 'hard' exit Irish leader fears UK wants to ‘undercut’ European rivals in areas such as food after exitBoris Johnson appeared to sidestep accusations from European leaders that he is on course to deliver a “harder Brexit”.The prime minister is expected to have combative trade talks in the new year after ruling out adhering to Brussels’ rules after 2020 when the transition period ends. Continue reading... Go to Source

Martin Peters, World Cup winner with England in 1966, dies aged 76 • Former West Ham and Tottenham player won 67 England caps• Midfielder Peters was said to be ‘10 years ahead of his time’Martin Peters, a member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning team, has died aged 76. The midfielder scored against West Germany in that final at Wembley and won 67 caps.Peters played most notably for West Ham United and Tottenham, although he also had a successful spell at Norwich City before finishing his professional career with Sheffield United. He made almost 900 appearances before retiring in 1981. In 2016 it was announced that he had Alzheimer’s disease. Continue reading... Go to Source

Waiting for a megafire: the battle against Australia's biggest blaze The Gospers Mountain fire has consumed hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest and is now threatening towns and livesThe fire is two kilometres away, but the heat is already beginning to warm the faces of those who wait.The air is eerily still. There is no wind. There are no birds. There is no natural noise, just the distant chatter of helicopters in the sky, flying between water source and flames. Continue reading... Go to Source

Australian bushfires: death toll rises as fires sweep across NSW and South Australia Two people confirmed dead in South Australia as fires burn at emergency level across three different statesNSW fires live: PM returns to Australia from Hawaii holiday as bushfires destroy properties and second person deadBushfire survival supersedes Christmas plans as firefighters battle infernosEmergency-level fires have swept across parts of New South Wales and South Australia, and the death toll and number of injured firefighters has risen, as the country’s severe heatwave and bushfire crisis continued on Saturday.Two people were confirmed dead in South Australia, and homes were destroyed and communities evacuated in what authorities described as “an awful day” in which fires rage...

Man tells of using narwhal tusk during London Bridge attack Civil servant Darryn Frost confronted terrorist and pinned him to the groundA civil servant has described the moment he confronted the London Bridge terrorist with a narwhal tusk as the terrorist threatened to detonate a suicide vest.Darryn Frost, 38, a South African who has lived in the UK for 14 years and works in the Ministry of Justice, intervened after Usman Khan had fatally wounded Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt at a criminal justice conference at Fishmongers’ Hall on 29 November. Continue reading... Go to Source

Guardian and Observer charity telethon: call our writers to donate Katharine Viner, Owen Jones and George Monbiot will be among those picking up the phonesWant to talk about the climate crisis with George Monbiot or discuss tumultuous recent political events with Polly Toynbee, Owen Jones or Marina Hyde? Or talk food and drink with Felicity Cloake, beauty with Sali Hughes, or movies with Peter Bradshaw?A team of Guardian and Observer journalists will be taking calls and donations at our annual charity telethon this Saturday. The cause is the climate emergency and we’re raising money for four charities that plant and protect trees, forests and woodlands. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK weather: rain and floods hit Christmas getaway More than 100 flood warnings and 255 flood alerts issued as millions of people hit roadsThe Christmas getaway is likely to be hit by flooding as a swath of wet weather batters large parts of the country.As millions take to the roads this weekend, more than 100 flood warnings have been issued, with heavy rain forecast on Saturday afternoon and evening across southern England. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK approves takeover of Cobham defence firm by US company Ministers sign off on £4bn deal saying it won’t compromise national security The government has given the green light to a £4bn takeover of UK defence company Cobham by a US private equity firm.A merger between the Dorset-based manufacturer and US firm Advent was agreed to in July, however the acquisition was delayed so that the government could address national security concerns raised by the takeover. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson asks UK to 'move on' from Brexit as MPs debate withdrawal bill Prime minister says it’s time to drop ‘old labels of leave and remain’, but Labour will oppose billLatest politics news - live updatesBoris Johnson has called on the British public to discard the labels of leave and remain as MPs prepared to take a historic step towards withdrawing the UK from the EU.The prime minister was opening the debate on the second reading of the withdrawal agreement bill (Wab), MPs’ first opportunity to vote on Brexit since last week’s general election. Continue reading... Go to Source

Andrew Bailey appointed head of Bank of England Sajid Javid announces head of Financial Conduct Authority as replacement for Mark CarneyLive: Chancellor appoints Andrew Bailey new Bank of England governorAndrew Bailey, the head of the UK financial watchdog, has been named as the next governor of the Bank of England.The chancellor, Sajid Javid, announced the replacement for Mark Carney, who is due to stand down from the role at the end of January after six and a half years in the job. Bailey is the current chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority. Continue reading... Go to Source