News- UK

Incumbent Andrzej Duda wins Polish presidential election - commission Duda has promised another term of backing ruling populists’ legislative agenda Andrzej Duda has won Poland’s presidential election, after results released on Monday morning gave the incumbent 51.2% of votes with almost all the ballots counted, the national electoral commission said.His Liberal challenger, Rafał Trzaskowski, the mayor of Warsaw, trailed with 48.8%. Continue reading... Go to Source

Quiz suspends clothing supplier over Leicester subcontractor concerns Subcontractor was alleged to be paying less than the minimum wage The fast fashion retailer Quiz has suspended a clothing supplier after a subcontractor in a Leicester factory was reported to be paying less than the minimum wage. Quiz also said it would carry out a full review of its procedures for auditing suppliers after finding the supplier used the subcontractor “in direct contravention of a previous instruction”. Continue reading... Go to Source

English councils poised to make cuts amid loss of commercial income Exclusive: jobs and services at risk as investments such as airports and property hit by lockdown measuresCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageEnglish local councils are set to shed thousands of jobs and cut services as they count the cost of lost income from multibillion-pound holdings in office blocks, retail parks, airports and cinemas, all badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic.The commercial investments, many acquired in a £7.6bn property spending spree in England over the past four years, were part of councils’ effort to find alternative incomes and protect local services that faced cuts or closure during a decade of deep austerity cuts. Continue reading... Go to Source

Priti Patel criticised over comments on Leicester’s sweatshops Home secretary suggested officials ignored problem for fear of seeming racistPriti Patel, the home secretary, has come under fire over claims that “cultural sensitivities” prevented a robust response to alleged worker exploitation in Leicester, with critics arguing cuts to regulators, the decision to limit inspections and an absence of unions were the biggest causes.Ten days after the Guardian reported on fears that conditions in sweatshops were a factor in Leicester’s surge in coronavirus cases and resulting lockdown, reports emerged on Sunday that Patel was considering new laws to curb modern slavery. Continue reading... Go to Source

Polish election goes to wire as exit poll gives Andrzej Duda tiny lead Final result of very close-run vote not expected till Monday afternoon or even TuesdayPoland election: latest updatesPoland’s tightly fought and intensely polarising presidential election has gone down to the wire, as a late poll on Sunday night showed the incumbent, Andrzej Duda, leading his liberal challenger, Rafał Trzaskowski, by less than two percentage points on 50.8% to 49.2%.The figures, released around midnight in Warsaw, were based on a wide-ranging exit poll adjusted to take into account the first few available results. They were within the poll’s margin of error of 2%, meaning the outcome was still up in the air in the early hours of Monday. However, Duda had improved slightly on the resu...

Priti Patel to unveil details of post-Brexit immigration plans Home secretary will announce the biggest overhaul of the UK system in decadesThe home secretary is to unveil further detail on the future of immigration in the UK on Monday in an attempt to prepare businesses and organisations for the biggest overhaul of the system in decades.The Home Office has previously revealed the core principles behind the forthcoming points-based system, which is meant to be introduced when the transition period from leaving the European Union ends on 1 January. Under the system, UK borders will be closed to so-called non-skilled workers and applicants will be have to show a greater understanding of English. Continue reading... Go to Source

Christchurch mosque attacker to represent himself at sentencing Australian man who pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder will be sentenced in AugustThe Australian man who pleaded guilty to killing 51 Muslims in a terrorist attack in Christchurch in March 2019 has chosen to represent himself at his sentencing next month.Brenton Tarrant pleaded guilty in March to 51 counts of murder, 40 of attempted murder and a terrorism charge after dozens of worshipers were gunned down at two mosques in New Zealand last year. Continue reading... Go to Source

Coronavirus: 200 farm workers quarantined in Herefordshire outbreak At least 73 employees at AS Green & Co near Malvern have tested positive for Covid-19Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAbout 200 workers at a vegetable farm and packing business supplying Sainsbury’s, Asda, M&S and Aldi have been ordered to isolate on the property after an outbreak of coronavirus.At least 73 of the workers at AS Green & Co, based in Herefordshire, have tested positive for Covid-19, and more are awaiting results. Continue reading... Go to Source

Immunity to Covid-19 could be lost in months, UK study suggests Exclusive: King’s College London team found steep drops in patients’ antibody levels three months after infectionCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coveragePeople who have recovered from Covid-19 may lose their immunity to the disease within months, according to research suggesting the virus could reinfect people year after year, like common colds.In the first longitudinal study of its kind, scientists analysed the immune response of more than 90 patients and healthcare workers at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS foundation trust and found levels of antibodies that can destroy the virus peaked about three weeks after the onset of symptoms then swiftly declined. Continue reading... G...

Fifth of vulnerable people considered self-harm in UK lockdown Exclusive: UCL findings shared with the Guardian underline mental health toll of pandemic ‘He was a big softie’: pub landlord remembered by family and friends Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA fifth of vulnerable people in Britain thought about self-harming or killing themselves during lockdown, according to research shared with the Guardian, as a series of inquests underline the mental health toll of the Covid-19 pandemic.Findings from University College London reveal that 8,000 out of 44,000 people surveyed (18%) reported thoughts of self-harm or suicide, and 42% had accessed support services. A further 5% said they had harmed themselves at least once since the start of the UK...

Boris Johnson accused of plan to 'emasculate' UK devolution Senior figures in Scotland and Wales warn Brexit is bringing a ‘statutory fist crashing down’Boris Johnson has been accused of planning an “emasculation” of the devolution settlement, with senior officials and politicians warning that plans for a post-Brexit UK-wide internal market will put Scotland and Wales on a collision course with Westminster.As support for Scottish independence shows a sustained polling lead and the Welsh parliament prepares for a debate on Wednesday about holding an independence referendum, the UK government has been accused of bringing a “statutory fist crashing down” as it attempts to regulate policy and standards across the four parts of the UK. Continue reading... ...

Revealed: Dominic Cummings firm paid Vote Leave's AI firm £260,000 Boris Johnson’s chief adviser declines to explain reason for payments to FacultyA private company owned and controlled by Dominic Cummings paid more than a quarter of a million pounds to the artificial intelligence firm that worked on the Vote Leave campaign.The prime minister’s chief adviser is declining to explain the reason for the payments to Faculty, which were made in instalments over two years. Faculty also declined to say what they were for. Continue reading... Go to Source

Face masks in shops will not be mandatory in England, Gove suggests Minister’s comments spark confusion over government plans to stem spread of Covid-19 Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageWearing face coverings in shops will not become mandatory in England, Michael Gove has suggested, sparking confusion over plans to stem the spread of coronavirus as the country emerges from lockdown.On Friday the prime minister indicated he was considering making masks compulsory in shops and other enclosed spaces, but Gove, the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said instead that people could use their common sense. Continue reading... Go to Source

Government to spend £700m on readying UK border for Brexit Money will be used to hire 500 staff and build control posts to oversee customs proceduresMinisters are ploughing £700m into a Brexit border strategy to be ready once the country leaves the single market and customs union, hiring 500 extra staff and building control posts.The financial package comes days after a leaked letter from the international trade secretary, Liz Truss, revealed her concern that the country would not be ready for the transition period to end on 31 December. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK faith leaders urge chancellor to press G20 to cancel debts of poor countries Exclusive: Letter to Rishi Sunak warns of risks that coronavirus pandemic poses to poverty reduction effortsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageScores of senior UK faith leaders are calling on the chancellor to press for the cancellation of debts owed by the world’s poorest countries, which are facing the worst effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.In a letter to Rishi Sunak more than 70 bishops, rabbis, imams and other faith leaders appeal to the chancellor to show “ambition and leadership” when G20 finance ministers meet this week. Continue reading... Go to Source

Robert Mueller breaks his silence and condemns Trump for commuting Roger Stone's sentence US special counsel defends his investigation into allegations of corruption during 2016 electionThe former special counsel Robert Mueller made a rare move on Saturday to publicly defend his two-year investigation into allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election – and to castigate US president Donald Trump’s decision to commute Roger Stone’s prison sentence.Mueller wrote an opinion article for the Washington Post [paywall] published under the headline “Roger Stone remains a convicted felon, and rightly so”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Madeleine McCann: Portuguese police search wells – report Sites are near a beach where suspect Christian Brueckner’s camper van was photographed in 2007Portuguese authorities have searched wells as part of their investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, according to reports. The Mirror reported that police and divers in the Algarve region examined three disused wells in Vila do Bispo for eight hours on Thursday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Revealed: 20 areas of England at most risk of coronavirus resurgence • Bradford, Sheffield and Kirklees among areas of concern• Army deployed for hotspot mobile testsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe government has drawn up a list of 20 councils facing the worst coronavirus outbreaks in England, with Bradford, Sheffield and Kirklees identified as areas needing “enhanced support”, according to a classified document leaked to the Observer and the Guardian.As evidence mounts that the relaxation of lockdown rules is leading to a resurgence of Covid-19 in some of England’s most deprived and ethnically mixed areas, officials have ordered the army to deploy extra mobile testing units, which will be sent into a series of hotspots a...

Donald Trump wears mask in public for first time during Covid-19 pandemic President wears face covering during visit to military hospital as cases of coronavirus surge across the United StatesDonald Trump wore a mask in public for the first time during a visit to a military hospital a short helicopter ride from the White House on Saturday evening. The president’s decision to wear a mask came as cases of coronavirus surged to record levels in the US and after aides and experts urged Trump to follow his own government’s guidelines on face coverings.Trump flew to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Washington DC to meet wounded service members and health care providers caring for Covid-19 patients. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump's commutation of ally Roger Stone's sentence sparks outrage Mitt Romney calls move ‘unprecedented, historic corruption’Analyst: ‘It’s a disgraceful, dark day for American democracy’Outrage is growing among opponents of Donald Trump’s decision to commute the prison sentence of his longtime friend and notorious Republican fixer Roger Stone despite the US attorney general having declared Stone’s conviction “righteous”.Criticism on Saturday came from both sides of the political aisle. Continue reading... Go to Source

Liverpool gangs 'dominate' gun and drugs trade outside London National Crime Agency uses encrypted chat to uncover gun factories in north-westOrganised criminal gangs from Liverpool have risen to the summit of the UK underworld and “dominate” the firearms and drugs-trade outside London, the latest intelligence from senior officers at the National Crime Agency (NCA) reveals.Analysis of encrypted messages from a communications system used by criminals has shown that the city has become the preeminent location for top-tier gangs sourcing high-volume importations of drugs and automatic weapons. Continue reading... Go to Source

Hundreds visit Leeds United ground to remember Jack Charlton Bouquets and tributes at Elland Road show how much Big Jack was admired in the city and beyondThey came in their hundreds, paying homage to the man known across the world as Big Jack. But beneath the stands of West Yorkshire’s Elland Road, Jack Charlton was most commonly remembered as an adopted Loiner, a citizen of Leeds.Charlton, who died on Friday aged 85, spent almost a quarter of his life marshalling the defence of Leeds United, retiring as a one-club man having made a record number of appearances. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour calls for immediate publication of inquiry into Priti Patel bullying claims Senior shadow ministers concerned No 10 aides may be putting pressure on the inquiryAn inquiry into allegations that the home secretary, Priti Patel, bullied staff must be published immediately amid claims the inquiry’s chief is resisting pressure from Downing Street to exonerate her, Labour has said.The shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, wrote to the Cabinet Office minister, Michael Gove, on Saturday, saying the delay in publishing the findings is unacceptable. Continue reading... Go to Source

Hackney domestic violence charity faces battle to stay in premises Sistah Space, London’s only service for women of African and Caribbean heritage, faces a return to building it says is unsafeCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageLondon’s only domestic violence service for women of African and Caribbean heritage is facing eviction from its premises, and claims it has had to turn away survivors amid a dispute with the local authority.Hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters gathered outside Hackney town hall on Friday amid fears Sistah Space will be forced to return to its “dangerous” former building next month, amid the pandemic. Continue reading... Go to Source

Jack Charlton, England World Cup winner, dies aged 85 Centre-half was part of 1966 World Cup-winning teamCharlton also a successful Republic of Ireland managerJack Charlton, a World Cup winner with England and a former Republic of Ireland manager, has died aged 85. Charlton, the elder brother of Bobby, played 35 times for England as a central defender, including all six matches at the 1966 World Cup. Related: 'He was larger than life': football world pays tribute to Jack Charlton Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump commutes sentence of Roger Stone, longtime friend and adviser Move means Stone, due to serve more than three years for crimes related to Russia investigation, will not set foot in prisonDonald Trump has commuted the sentence of Roger Stone, a longtime friend and former campaign adviser who was to spend three years and four months in jail for crimes related to the Russia investigation.In a statement released on Friday evening, the White House denounced the prosecution of Stone on charges stemming from “the Russia Hoax” investigation. “Roger Stone has already suffered greatly,” the statement reads. “He was treated very unfairly, as were many others in this case. Roger Stone is now a free man!” Continue reading... Go to Source

Huawei believes it can supply 5G kit to UK despite US sanctions Chinese telecom firm stockpiles 500,000 pieces of equipment but fears wider ban Huawei believes it can supply 5G hardware unaffected by White House sanctions to the UK for the next five years, sidestepping the expected conclusion of an emergency review on Tuesday next week.The company has stockpiled 500,000 pieces of kit but fears a wider ban on its equipment will be unveiled to placate Conservative rebel MPs, who say the Chinese supplier represents a national security risk. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson plans radical shake-up of NHS in bid to regain more direct control Exclusive: health secretary said to be frustrated by his lack of authority over NHS England boss Simon StevensWhat might Boris Johnson’s restructuring plan mean for the NHS?Boris Johnson is planning a radical and politically risky reorganisation of the NHS amid government frustration at the health service’s chief executive, Simon Stevens, the Guardian has learned. Related: What might Boris Johnson's restructuring plan mean for the NHS? Continue reading... Go to Source

Genocide denial gains ground 25 years after Srebrenica massacre Even as remains continue to be identified, denialism is moving from far-right fringe into mainstreamAt the genocide memorial centre outside Srebrenica, thousands of simple white gravestones stretch across the gently inclined hillside for as far as the eye can see.Nearby, over a number of days in July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces systematically murdered around 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men and boys. It was the worst crime of the Bosnian war, and remains the only massacre on European soil since the second world war to be ruled a genocide. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boohoo co-founder Jalal Kamani linked to Leicester garment factory Supplier accused of paying below minimum wage linked to brother of current Boohoo leaderA co-founder of fashion giant Boohoo has links to the Leicester factory accused of paying less than the minimum wage and failing to protect staff from coronavirus, the Guardian can reveal.Boohoo has confirmed that the factory at the heart of the allegations is run by Morefray Ltd, a Manchester-owned firm with ties to the separate I Saw It First fashion brand. The I Saw It First business was set up by Jalal Kamani, 60, who jointly founded Boohoo with his brother Mahmud, 55. Continue reading... Go to Source