News- UK

Lib Dems drop mayoral contender over antisemitic comment about Jack Straw Geeta Sidhu-Robb said in 1997 she would ‘tell everyone Jack Straw is a Jew’ in response to Labour’s anti-Islam claimThe Liberal Democrats have suspended a prospective party choice for mayor of London after footage emerged of her urging Muslim voters not to vote for a Labour candidate in a previous general election because he was Jewish.The footage from the 1997 general election, uncovered by the PoliticsHome website, was filmed when Geeta Sidhu-Robb was taking on Labour’s Jack Straw, who is not Jewish, in his Blackburn constituency. Continue reading... Go to Source

Tory rebellion widens over Boris Johnson's bill to override Brexit deal Criticism grows of plan to break international law as EU calls for bill to be droppedDowning Street is facing a showdown with Conservative backbench rebels as criticism over its plans to break international law with a new controversial bill that could override parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement grew louder on Sunday.It is understood that opposition among the party is growing, with dozens of Tory MPs expected to support a key amendment to the internal market bill that would give parliament a crucial veto of any changes to the agreement. Continue reading... Go to Source

Motorists who cause death by speeding could face life sentence Law change will ensure dangerous drivers face full force of law, says ministerDrivers who cause death by speeding, racing or using a mobile phone could face life sentences under a overhaul of sentencing to be unveiled this week.The changes follow concerns from families and campaigners, as well as some judges, that the 14-year maximum fails to reflect the severity of the crime. Continue reading... Go to Source

Police urge people in England to respect Covid-19 ‘rule of six’ Resources strained as officers called to parties on last weekend before rule change on gatheringsPolice chiefs have urged the public in England to take personal responsibility and observe the new “rule of six” regulations following a weekend rife with illegal gatherings.Overall crime dropped dramatically during the coronavirus lockdown, when police were handed powers to enforce regulations designed to limit the spread of the disease. But Martin Hewitt, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said demand for the police was now close to that before the outbreak of the pandemic and urged the public to do their part by limiting gatherings indoors and outdoors to six people. Continue reading... Go to Source...

'Lost decade for nature' as UK fails on 17 of 20 UN biodiversity targets UK government said it failed on two-thirds of targets, but RSPB analysis is bleaker – and suggests UK is moving backwards in some areasThe UK has failed to reach 17 out of 20 UN biodiversity targets agreed on 10 years ago, according to an analysis from conservation charity RSPB that says the gap between rhetoric and reality has resulted in a “lost decade for nature”.The UK government’s self-assessment said it failed on two-thirds of targets (14 out of 20) agreed at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010, but the RSPB analysis suggests the reality is worse. On six of the 20 targets the UK has actually gone backwards. The government’s assessment published last year said it was not regr...

Ministers seek to extend police stop and search in England and Wales Proposals unveiled despite increased tensions between police and black communitiesMinisters are seeking to expand stop-and-search powers in England and Wales by allowing police to repeatedly check people previously convicted of carrying a knife without suspicion they are committing a fresh offence.The proposals are being unveiled despite mounting evidence that stop-and-search tactics are used disproportionately against ethnic minorities, which is in part behind enflamed tensions between black communities and the police. Continue reading... Go to Source

Reopening UK offices risks excluding women and minorities, says business chief Exclusive: CMI chief warns women without sufficient childcare could be left out of key decisionsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe government’s plan to push people back into the office risks a return to “white middle-aged males” making important decisions in the office, while women and people from ethnic minorities are excluded at home, according to one of the UK’s most senior business leaders.In an interview with the Guardian, Chartered Management Institute (CMI) chief executive, Ann Francke, warned that without careful oversight “blended working” could result in a two-tier system where women without sufficient childcare to return to the office are left out of key decisions. Cont...

Revealed: ex-MPs use parliament access passes over 2,500 times in a year Exclusive: FoI victory uncovers scale of grace and favour access enjoyed by 324 former MPsA “strategic counsel” for the lobbying firm Crosby Textor is among 324 former MPs who together used grace and favour passes to access the Houses of Parliament more than 2,500 times in a single year.Data released after a significant freedom of information victory by the Guardian reveals how frequently individual former MPs have been using their “category X” parliamentary pass, which grants the bearer continued access to the corridors of power after they step down, along with parliament’s subsidised restaurants and bars. Continue reading... Go to Source

Minister says he would resign over Brexit bill if law is broken ‘in way I find unacceptable’ Justice secretary says he doesn’t believe international law will be broken, as discontent grows among Conservative backbenchers over internal market billThe UK justice secretary, Robert Buckland, has said he would resign if the law was “broken in a way that I find unacceptable”, as Downing Street continued to come under pressure over planned legislation that would override parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.In a remarkable scene in the Commons last week that astonished Conservative backbenchers, the Northern Ireland secretary, Brandon Lewis, admitted the internal market bill “does break international law in a very specific and limited way”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Care home staff fear for residents as Covid-19 cases rise across UK Managers say there have been delays in receiving test results for staffCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageCare home staff have expressed growing anxiety about a rise in hospitalisations and deaths among their most vulnerable residents, after leaked documents from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) revealed an increase in the number of coronavirus cases in England.The UK is experiencing a sharp rise in the number of positive cases, with 3,497 new cases reported on Saturday and an “R” number – the average number of people infected by each person with Covid – above 1 for the first time since March. Data shows the R number for England could be as high as 1.7, with prevalence of the viru...

Brussels considers EU equality law change to tackle racism Exclusive: Draft EU action plan proposes to investigate whether race equality directive has gapsBrussels will consider upgrading the EU’s race equality law as it sets out a sweeping plan to tackle discrimination against people from a black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background.A draft EU action plan against racism, seen by the Guardian, proposes to investigate whether the 2000 race equality directive has gaps, particularly on policing and law enforcement. Continue reading... Go to Source

US west coast choked by smoke as firefighters tackle deadly wildfires Death toll of 31 expected to rise in California, Oregon and Washington while air pollution reaches all-time highWildfire smoke that posed a health hazard to millions choked the west coast of the US as firefighters battled deadly blazes that obliterated some towns and displaced tens of thousands of people.The death toll from the fires in California, Oregon and Washington stood at 31 and was expected to rise sharply. Most of the fatalities were in California and Oregon. Continue reading... Go to Source

Roger Stone to Donald Trump: bring in martial law if you lose election Trump meanwhile promises to ‘put down’ leftwing protests and says US Marshals killing Portland suspect was ‘retribution’ Rage: Will Bob Woodward’s tapes bring down Donald Trump?Roger Stone, whose 40-month prison sentence for lying to Congress and witness tampering in the Russia investigation was commuted by Donald Trump, has said Trump should seize total power and jail prominent figures including Bill and Hillary Clinton and Mark Zuckerberg if he loses to Joe Biden in November.The long-time Republican strategist and dirty trickster, who has a tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back, lied about contacts with WikiLeaks during the 2016 election regarding emails hacked from Democratic party accounts. Continue reading... G...

Top lawyers slam Suella Braverman for wrecking UK’s reputation Attorney general faces fury of Bar Council as revolt over internal market bill spreadsThe attorney general, Suella Braverman, was on Saturday accused of sacrificing the UK’s reputation, sidelining legal advisers and bypassing the ministerial code during an extraordinary confrontation with some of the country’s top lawyers.During the annual general meeting of the Bar Council, the professional association for barristers, Braverman was asked how Britain could retain “a shred of credibility” in imploring other countries to follow international law after revealing its own willingness to breach agreements. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump uses Fox News interview to accuse Biden of taking drugs President makes unsubstantiated claim in Saturday broadcastRage: Will Bob Woodward’s tapes bring down Donald Trump?Fox News will broadcast an interview on Saturday night in which Donald Trump accuses Joe Biden of taking performance-enhancing drugs. Related: Trump ally who sought to change CDC Covid reports claims he was fighting 'deep state' Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus live news: France cases top 10,000 in one day; Victoria records 41 new infections Cases also rising in England and Scotland as Europe outbreak worsens; seven more deaths in worst-hit Australian state; Oxford University vaccine trials to resume. Follow developments liveOxford University resumes Covid-19 vaccine trialsTrump ally who tried to change Covid reports was ‘fighting deep state’‘World-leadingly bad’: the week Covid resurged in the UK 12.45am BST Still in Victoria, here is the link to the News Corp story I mentioned a couple of posts ago about a woman being “ripped out” of her car by police at a checkpoint.It comes after the state premier, Daniel Andrews, said police checkpoints on key roads out of Melbourne could be bolstered to ensure that people are not leaving the ...

Frances McDormand feature Nomadland wins the Golden Lion at Venice film festival Drama featuring McDormand as a retiree forced on the road after the 2008 recession takes top honours on the Lido, while Vanessa Kirby is named best actressChloe Zhao’s Nomadland, a recession-era road trip drama starring Frances McDormand, won the Golden Lion for best film on Saturday at a slimmed-down Venice film festival, which was held against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.Zhao and McDormand appeared by video from the United States to accept the award, as en virus-related travel restrictions made reaching the Lido in the Italian lagoon city difficult if not impossible for many Hollywood filmmakers and actors. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus: UK records nearly 3,500 new cases; Oxford University vaccine trials resume - live updates India racks up another 97,570 infections; police disperse demonstrators in Victoria; Brazil deaths climb past 130,000. Follow all the developmentsCovid-19 vaccine gamble: where bets have been placed and why‘World-leadingly bad’: the week Covid resurged in the UKPassengers furious at airlines over voucher policyBob Woodward rejects criticism he sat on Trump ‘deadly’ virus remarks 6.23pm BST Although most of California is still in lockdown, officials are starting to see signs of hope as new cases and hospitalisations drop, the Los Angeles Times reports.America’s most populous state still has the most cases in the country, but when adjusting for population, other states such as Florida, A...

UK move to classify Extinction Rebellion 'organised crime group' comes under fire Letter signed by 150 public figures hits back at move to scapegoat protestersStephen Fry, Mark Rylance and a former Archbishop of Canterbury are among 150 public figures to hit back at government moves to classify the climate protesters of Extinction Rebellion as an “organised crime group”. In a letter to be published in the Observer on Sunday, XR is described as “a group of people who are holding the powerful to account” – who should not become targets of “vitriol and anti-democratic posturing”.It comes in response to the prime minister and home secretary’s reported move to review how the group is classified in law after it disrupted the distribution of four national newspapers, including the Sun and the ...

Oregon fires burn as officials fear 'mass fatality incident' Dozens still missing and tens of thousands forced to fleeLighter winds and rising humidity help firefighters’ effortsLighter winds and rising humidity overnight helped efforts to battle massive wildfires in Oregon that have taken lives, destroyed property and burned a million acres. Related: 'I've never been so afraid': Oregon fire evacuees face unrecognizable landscape Continue reading... Go to Source

Black Lives Matter activists call for Met commissioner to step down Demonstrators outside New Scotland Yard say Cressida Dick has failed to acknowledge racism in the forceThe Metropolitan police commissioner is facing calls to step down from Black Lives Matter activists who say Cressida Dick has “failed to acknowledge” racism within the force.Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside New Scotland Yard on Saturday to denounce the “over-policing of black communities” through tactics including stop and search and police use of stun guns. Continue reading... Go to Source

Brexit: Gove claims internal market bill protects UK integrity from EU 'threat' Cabinet Office minister says new legislation ‘entirely consistent with the rule of law’Michael Gove has defended the government’s plan to override parts of its own Brexit deal with the EU, claiming the internal market bill was necessary to protect the territorial integrity of the UK.He also insisted that the government was acting “within the rule of law” and was behaving in a “constructive and pragmatic” way, despite the Northern Ireland secretary admitting the new legislation would breach international law. Continue reading... Go to Source

Terence Conran, designer, retailer and restaurateur, dies aged 88 Conran ‘passed away peacefully’ at home on Saturday, his family says in a statementDesigner, retailer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran “passed away peacefully today at his Barton Court home aged 88”, his family said in a statement.More details soon … Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus: England will not exempt children from 'rule of six'; Philippines reports record daily deaths - live updates India racks up another 97,570 infections; police disperse demonstartors in Victoria; Brazil deaths climb past 130,000. Follow all the developmentsCovid-19 vaccine gamble: where bets have been placed and why‘World-leadingly bad’: the week Covid resurged in the UKPassengers furious at airlines over voucher policyBob Woodward rejects criticism he sat on Trump ‘deadly’ virus remarks 12.39pm BST The US was supported only by Israel in a vote against a UN resolution for a “comprehensive and coordinated response” to the Covid-19 pandemic, AFP reports.The measure, which has been negotiated since May, was adopted on Friday by an overwhelming majority of 169 countries out of 193...

Dozens missing in Oregon as historic fires devastate western US At least 23 dead in California, Oregon and WashingtonWashington governor: ‘We have to think of it as a climate fire’Follow for live updates of the wildfiresDozens of people are missing and at least 23 people are believed to have been killed as historic wildfires in the western US forced evacuations, stretched fire crews thin and spawned misinformation.Residents of Portland, Oregon, awoke on Friday to air thick with smoke pollution that dimmed the sun and turned the skies blood-orange red. Hundreds of firefighters are battling two large wildfires that threatened to merge near the most populated part of Oregon, including the suburbs of Portland, and the governor said dozens of people are missing in other parts of the state. C...

Syrian asylum seekers return to Calais nine days after UK flew them to Spain Group of 11 men who were ‘left in the street’ in Madrid after being deported are now waiting to cross Channel again Eleven Syrian asylum seekers who were removed from the UK on a charter flight to Spain nine days ago and who were abandoned in the streets of Madrid have all returned to Calais, hoping to reach the UK once again, the Guardian has learned.One of the men who returned to Calais on Friday evening, said: “We were left in the street after the Home Office deported us last Thursday. It was impossible to survive like this.” Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus: England 'on knife-edge' as cases rise and lockdowns grow Former chief scientific adviser issues warning to government after huge surge in cases Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNew cases of coronavirus are doubling almost weekly across England, figures revealed, as Birmingham became the biggest local authority to announce a tightening of lockdown measures and health officials flagged “worrying signs” of infections in elderly people.The measures to be introduced in Birmingham next week mean more than 7.3 million people – 11% of the UK population – will be living in areas affected by some level of local lockdown, according to a Guardian analysis. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK health screening advisers not involved in 'moonshot' Covid plan Exclusive: Public health experts say it is ‘incomprehensible’ NSC not consulted on £100bn rapid mass testing projectCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe government’s health screening advisers have not been involved in Boris Johnson’s “moonshot” project to test the entire population for Covid-19, an omission public health experts have described as “incomprehensible”.The National Screening Committee, which advises ministers and the NHS about “all aspects of population screening”, has not been consulted on the £100bn plans for mass surveillance involving up to 10m coronavirus tests every day. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus cases in England doubling every eight days, study shows Research finds evidence of accelerating spread at end of August and start of SeptemberCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageCases of coronavirus in England are doubling every seven to eight days, research has revealed in the latest figures to show a resurgence of Covid-19.The study, known as React-1, is a population surveillance study that began in May and uses swabs from about 120,000 to 160,000 randomly selected people in England across 315 local authority areas each month to track the spread of coronavirus using PCR analysis – the “have you got it now” test. Continue reading... Go to Source

Brexit: UK negotiators 'believe brinkmanship will reboot trade talks' Plan has enraged EU and many Tories but sources say No 10 thinks it will move talks along Britain’s Brexit negotiators believe Downing Street’s plan to break international law, pushing the trade and security negotiations to the brink, may have helped reboot the talks by offering Brussels a reality check about the looming danger of a no-deal outcome.The publication of the internal market bill on Wednesday, under which key parts of the withdrawal agreement agreed last year would be negated, has enraged the EU and prompted an internal rebellion within the Conservative party. Continue reading... Go to Source