News- UK

Hundreds more potentially avoidable baby deaths found at Shropshire NHS trust Additional 496 cases raise fears of a possible cover-up at Shrewsbury and Telford trustHundreds more cases of potentially avoidable baby deaths, stillbirths and brain damage have emerged at an NHS trust, raising concerns about a possible cover-up of the true extent of one the biggest scandals in the health service’s history.The additional 496 cases raise further serious concerns about maternity care at Shrewsbury and Telford hospital NHS trust since 2000. Continue reading... Go to Source

EU leaders seal deal on spending and €750bn Covid-19 recovery plans Euro rises as heads of state finally thrash out agreement on day fiveExplainer: what has been agreed and why was it so difficult?EU leaders have reached a historic agreement on a €750bn coronavirus pandemic recovery fund and their long-term spending plans following days of acrimonious debate at the bloc’s longest summit in nearly two decades.As the meeting reached its fifth day, the 27 exhausted heads of state and government finally gave their seal of approval to a plan for the EU to jointly borrow debt to be disbursed through grants on an unprecedented scale, in the face of an economic downturn not seen since the Great Depression. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump's vow to send federal officers to US cities is election ploy, critics say Opponents warn of grave threat to civil liberties as observers say president seeks to build ‘law and order’ credentialsDonald Trump has vowed to send federal officers to several American cities led by Democrats in what critics say is an attempt to play the “law and order” card to boost his bid for re-election.The president’s threat came after a federal crackdown on anti-racism protests in Portland, Oregon, that involved unmarked cars and unidentified forces in camouflage. Continue reading... Go to Source

Amber Heard insists she had visible injuries after alleged Johnny Depp attack Actor tells court makeup could have covered marks on her face after incident in May 2016Amber Heard has insisted she had visible injuries on her face the day after her former husband Johnny Depp allegedly assaulted her in their Los Angeles penthouse and their marriage finally fell apart.Giving evidence for a second day at the high court in London, Heard was asked to explain why other witnesses could not see any signs of bruises, cuts or marks on her in the days after the alleged attack on 21 May 2016. Continue reading... Go to Source

Almost 900,000 public sector workers to get pay rise, says Rishi Sunak TUC calls for social care workers to also receive pay rise as chancellor praises frontline effortsAlmost 900,000 public sector workers will be given an above-inflation pay rise on Tuesday, the Chancellor has announced, praising their work on the frontline during the pandemic.Teachers and doctors will be seeing the largest increase at 3.1% and 2.8% respectively, according to the Treasury. Police, prison officers and National Crime Agency staff will be given a 2.5% rise in pay and members of the armed forces will receive a 2% uplift. Members of the judiciary and senior civil servants will also see their pay topped up by 2%. Continue reading... Go to Source

Oxford coronavirus vaccine triggers immune response, trial shows Early results also indicate vaccine is safe, raising hopes it could help end pandemicCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOxford University’s experimental coronavirus vaccine is safe and generated a strong immune response in the people who volunteered to help trial it, researchers have said, raising hopes it could contribute to ending the pandemic.Professor Sarah Gilbert, from Oxford’s Jenner Institute, said they were more than happy with the first results, which showed good immunity after a single dose of vaccine. “We’re really pleased that it seems behaving just as we thought it would do. We have quite a lot of experience of using this technology to make other vaccines...

UK risks China’s wrath by suspending Hong Kong extradition treaty Foreign secretary also bans export of riot control kit in response to security crackdownThe UK is to immediately suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and also bar the export of riot control equipment following Beijing’s imposition of a sweeping national security law on the territory, Dominic Raab has announced.Speaking to the Commons on Monday, the foreign secretary said that while the UK sought cooperative ties with China, it was deeply worried at events in Hong Kong and the repression of the Uighur population in China’s Xinjiang province. Continue reading... Go to Source

Chief nurse was dropped from briefings after refusing to back Cummings Ruth May tells MPs she was told she was no longer needed after failing to back Johnson adviserCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageEngland’s chief nurse has confirmed she was dropped from the Downing Street daily coronavirus briefing after refusing to back Dominic Cummings.Ruth May said that in a trial run for the 1 June briefing, she was asked about Boris Johnson’s chief adviser’s decision to drive his family from London to Durham during lockdown while his wife had suspected Covid-19. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump consults Bush torture lawyer on how to skirt law and rule by decree John Yoo wrote memo used to justify waterboardingTrump keen to use executive orders and circumvent CongressThe Trump administration has been consulting the former government lawyer who wrote the legal justification for waterboarding, on how the president might try to rule by decree. Related: Watching Trump's paramilitary squads descend on Portland, it's hard not to feel doomed | Francine Prose Continue reading... Go to Source

Grenfell firm took some of cladding savings for itself, inquiry told Rydon contract manager admits firm under-reported savings from switch to ACM panelsThe main contractor on the Grenfell Tower refurbishment secretly “pocketed” £126,000 while switching the cladding to cheaper, more combustible materials, the inquiry into the deadly fire at the building has heard.Rydon was bidding for the project in March 2014 when it told the landlord of the council block that it could save £293,368 by switching from the originally specified zinc cladding to plastic-filled aluminium panels, which the inquiry has heard had “significantly worse” fire performance. Continue reading... Go to Source

Revealed: NHS denied PPE at height of Covid-19 as supplier prioritised China Disclosures call into question UK’s reliance on ‘just in time’ logistics during pandemicCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe NHS was deprived of large amounts of protective gear at the height of the coronavirus outbreak after a French company contracted to supply millions of masks allegedly prioritised more lucrative deals with deep-pocketed clients including a Chinese state-owned energy company.A joint investigation by the Guardian and the French news website Mediapart has uncovered evidence suggesting the mask manufacturer Valmy failed to fulfil the terms of a £1.2m contract with the NHS to supply about 7m masks in the event of a pandemic. Continue read...

Beefeaters at Tower of London face job cuts amid coronavirus crisis First time in more than five centuries that tower’s guards threatened with redundanciesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe famous Beefeaters at the Tower of London are among staff at six palaces in London and Northern Ireland threatened by redundancies as the coronavirus pandemic hits visitor numbers.Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), the charity that looks after the palaces, faces a shortfall of £98m this year, and it expects visitor numbers to take years to recover to 2019 levels. Continue reading... Go to Source

Martin Lewis accuses Student Loan Company of misleading graduates Finance expert says borrowers are being pushed into making needless repaymentsThe Student Loans Company is giving graduates a “demoralising, damaging and dangerous” picture of their debts, according to the consumer finance champion Martin Lewis, who accused the company of pushing its users into making needless repayments.Lewis, the founder of Moneysavingexpert.com, said a new version of the SLC’s repayments website exaggerated the status of outstanding loans of former students, and prioritised quick repayment options while failing to make clear that they make “diddly squat” difference to what most people need to repay. Continue reading... Go to Source

Red kites thriving in England 30 years after reintroduction Three decades after 13 were flown in by jet from Spain, there are nearly 2,000 breeding pairs of red kites across the country In July 1990, 13 red kites had to be flown by British Airways jet from Spain before they could grace the skies of the Chilterns.Thirty years on, nearly 2,000 breeding pairs of red kites display their distinctive forked tails as they soar over virtually every English county, in what has been hailed as one of the most successful reintroduction projects in the world. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson prepares to suspend UK extradition treaty with Hong Kong Raab due to address the Commons, while China has urged UK not to go down ‘wrong path’ of Hong Kong sanctionsBoris Johnson has all-but confirmed the UK will suspend an extradition treaty with Hong Kong due to a national security law imposed by Beijing, bringing another clash with China following last week’s decision over Huawei.Speaking on a visit to a school in Kent, the prime minister said foreign secretary Dominic Raab would explain later on Monday “about how we are going to change our extradition arrangements to reflect our concerns about what’s happening with the security law in Hong Kong”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus: senior doctors warn second wave could 'devastate' NHS Medics appeal to public to prevent ‘overwhelming’ resurgence by following face mask and physical distancing guidelinesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSenior doctors are pleading with the public to help prevent a second wave of coronavirus that could “devastate” the NHS, amid concern at mixed government messages about face masks and returning to work.Prof Carrie MacEwen, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said medics and healthcare workers felt “totally reliant on the public understanding that this has certainly not disappeared and could come back and cause even more suffering for the population.” Continue reading... Go to Source

UK urges EU countries to ensure Britons living abroad can stay after Brexit Government launches multimillion pound campaign to reach 1m British citizens in EUThe UK government is launching a multimillion pound communications campaign to reach the estimated 1 million British citizens living in the EU to ensure they know what steps to take if they wish to remain in their host countries after Brexit.And it is urging all EU member states to accelerate the process to enable British nationals to secure their rights amid concern among campaigners that some countries have not yet even opened schemes for UK citizens. Continue reading... Go to Source

China's UK ambassador denies abuse of Uighurs despite fresh drone footage Liu Xiaoming blames reports of forced sterilisation of women on ‘anti-China elements’China’s ambassador to the UK gave a brazen defence of his country’s human rights record on Sunday, insisting the Uighur people live in “peaceful and harmonious coexistence with other ethnic groups”, as he was confronted with footage of shackled prisoners being herded on to trains in Xinjiang.As the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, prepared to give a statement on Hong Kong on Monday, in which he is expected to suspend extradition arrangements with the territory, Liu Xiaoming flatly denied claims of abuses by Beijing. Continue reading... Go to Source

Manchester United v Chelsea: FA Cup semi-final – live! Updates from the 6pm BST kick-off at WembleyLampard wary United will punish Chelsea’s flawsAny comments? You can email Rob 6.58pm BSTAzpilicueta played a give and go with Willian down the right and curled a fast cross to the near post. Giroud got away from the sleepy Lindelof and flicked a neat shot with the outside of the left foot that went through de Gea and into the net. 6.57pm BSTOlivier Giroud scores in the 56th minute! Continue reading... Go to Source

Manchester colleges agreed to share data of students referred to counter-terror scheme Exclusive: secretive agreement drawn up with help of counter-terror police and DfEColleges in Greater Manchester entered a secretive agreement to tip off universities when an incoming student ad been referred to the government’s programme for stopping people from becoming terrorists, the Guardian can reveal.Further education and higher education institutions in the area drew up the data-sharing agreement in the last two years with the help of counter-terrorism police and the Department for Education (DfE) to share details of students referred to Prevent. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus: Boris Johnson insists he can avoid second England-wide lockdown PM says reimposition of national measures is ‘nuclear deterrent’ he hopes never to useCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBoris Johnson has insisted he can avoid imposing another England-wide lockdown this winter, describing it as a “nuclear deterrent” that he hopes never to use.Despite chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance saying “national measures” might be necessary if there were fresh waves of the virus in the coming months, the prime minister said he “certainly” did not want to have to order the public to “stay at home” again. Continue reading... Go to Source

Pressure from Trump led to 5G ban, Britain tells Huawei ‘Geopolitical’ factors were behind the move, the company was told, with hints that the decision could be reversed in futureThe British government privately told the Chinese technology giant Huawei that it was being banned from Britain’s 5G telecoms network partly for “geopolitical” reasons following huge pressure from President Donald Trump, the Observer has learned.In the days leading up to the controversial announcement on Tuesday last week, intensive discussions were held and confidential communications exchanged between the government and Whitehall officials on one side and Huawei executives on the other. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus leaves UK firms unprepared for no-deal Brexit A third of companies are in a worse position on facing the post-EU economy than in 2019, says thinktankCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMany companies are now less prepared for a no-deal Brexit than they were a year ago and have yet to make any preparations for such an outcome, ministers are being warned.As a result of the coronavirus crisis, stockpiles have been wound down, Brexit-related staff redeployed and cashflows seriously depleted. Yet a potential no-deal outcome is now less than six months away. Continue reading... Go to Source

'Not in a position to say': Ian Botham refuses to comment on peerage claims Exclusive: Former cricketer says he must respect protocol, following reports he will enter House of LordsIan Botham has refused to comment on speculation he is to be awarded a life peerage as Boris Johnson marks his first year in Downing Street by appearing to reward Brexit supporters.The 64-year-old former England cricketer said he was respecting protocol, meaning he “cannot say anything at this stage”. A report in the Times suggested he would enter the House of Lords after being a high-profile supporter of Brexit. Continue reading... Go to Source

Return to normality depends on how 'alert' people are, says Grant Shapps Minister says Christmas target possible, but Sage member says normality ‘a long way offCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageEngland could return to normality by Christmas but it depends on how “alert” people are, according to the transport secretary, Grant Shapps.Shapps made the comments after Boris Johnson unveiled his plans for a “more significant return to normality” by the festive season. The prime minister revealed steps to encourage people back to work in England and sweeping measures that will allow ministers to issue stay-at-home orders to tackle outbreaks. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump clashes with Fox News interviewer over false claim about Biden Chris Wallace contradicts Trump over Biden’s views on policingPresident requests document that fails to vindicate himAnalysis: Campaign reshuffle shows Trump knows he’s losingDonald Trump has clashed with a Fox News interviewer after the president was challenged about a false claim that Joe Biden wants to defund police. Related: 'The guy stinks and he’s a racist': Anthony Scaramucci on Donald Trump Continue reading... Go to Source

John Lewis, US civil rights hero and Democratic congressman, dies at 80 Lewis helped Martin Luther King organise the March on Washington in 1963 and once suffered a broken skull at the hands of state troopers View from Washington: the legacy of John LewisJohn Lewis, the civil rights hero and Democratic congressman, has died at the age of 80. Related: John Lewis obituary Continue reading... Go to Source

French firefighters bring blaze at Nantes cathedral under control Fire at 15th-century building that destroyed its grand organ and stained glass windows now treated as suspected arsonA fire which broke out in a cathedral in the western French city of Nantes blew out stained-glass windows and destroyed the grand organ in the 15th-century building, officials said.The prosecutor Pierre Sennes said three fires had been started at the site and authorities were treating the incident as a criminal act. Continue reading... Go to Source

Len McCluskey to step down as Unite leader earlier than planned Union general secretary will leave role a year before his term ends in 2022, say reportsUnite’s general secretary, Len McCluskey, is reportedly stepping down from the role earlier than planned.McCluskey, a key ally of the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, became general secretary of the trade union in 2010 and was twice re-elected to the position. His term of office finishes in 2022 but a successor will be chosen a year earlier, according to a report by the Times. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson's plan for 'return to normality' met with scepticism PM accused of making policy ‘on a wing and a prayer’ and passing the buck to businessCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBoris Johnson has held out the prospect of a “significant return to normality” by Christmas as he announced a fresh easing of lockdown restrictions in England – but his roadmap was met with a backlash from business leaders and claims he is making policy “on a wing and prayer”.After four months of encouraging the public to work from home to help contain the spread of coronavirus, the prime minister said from 1 August the onus would be on employers to decide whether staff could safely come back to the office. Continue reading... G...