News

Fears child poverty may rise to record 60-year high under Tories Thinktank Resolution Foundation predicts social crisis will worsen if Boris Johnson wins general electionChild poverty is at risk of rising to a record 60-year high under a Conservative government because its manifesto retains the coalition’s benefit cuts, according to the Resolution Foundation thinktank.An analysis by the organisation predicted a rise in the number of children living in relative poverty under a Boris Johnson-led government to 34.5% in 2023-24 up from 29.6% in 2017-18. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour has let poison of antisemitism take root, says chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis says Jews have justified anxiety over prospect of Corbyn election winThe chief rabbi has accused Jeremy Corbyn of allowing a “poison sanctioned from the top” to take root in Labour, saying Jews are justifiably anxious about the prospect of the party forming the next government.Ephraim Mirvis, the spiritual leader of the UK’s 62 orthodox synagogues, made a rare intervention in politics to argue that the “soul of the nation is at stake” as the country goes to the polls in just over two weeks’ time. Continue reading... Go to Source

Man arrested in east London over Essex lorry deaths case Thirty-six-year-old arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic peopleA 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the deaths of 39 Vietnamese people in a lorry trailer found in Grays, Essex.The man, from Purfleet in the same county, was arrested on Monday morning at a property in Dalston, east London, Essex police said. He was also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic people and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. He remains in custody for questioning. Continue reading... Go to Source

Whistleblowers: funeral firm described customers as ‘gazelles’ to be hunted Exclusive: Prosperous Life staff felt pressure to sign up clients regardless of income, former staff say‘Bring them home to the pack’: call centre’s Wolf of Wall Street cultureStaff at a call centre where customers were described as “gazelles” to be hunted have been subjecting elderly people to dozens of calls a week to sell them expensive funeral packages, whistleblowers have told the Guardian.Former employees at Prosperous Life, which sells more than 1,000 pre-paid funeral plans every month, said they had felt under pressure to push people to sign up for schemes with little regard for their income. They said that high-pressure sales tactics existed alongside a company culture inspired by The Wolf of Wall Str...

Don McGahn: former White House counsel must testify, judge rules – live Federal judge rules McGahn must testify to House judiciary committee, putting pressure on other Trump officials tied to impeachment inquiryIn this defining moment for America, support the Guardian’s independent journalism. Make a contribution 11.51pm GMT“Now that the court has ruled, I expect [McGahn] to follow his legal obligations and promptly appear before the Committee,” House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler said in a statement. “McGahn is a central witness to allegations that President Trump obstructed Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation, and the Administration’s claim that officials can claim ‘absolute immunity’ from Congressional subpoenas has no basis in law, as the court recognized today.”...

Uber loses London licence after TfL finds drivers faked identity Ride-hailing service to continue while it appeals against Transport for London decisionUber has been stripped of its London licence after authorities found that more than 14,000 trips were taken with drivers who had faked their identity on the firm’s app.Transport for London announced the decision not to renew the ride-hailing company’s licence at the end of a two-month probationary extension granted in September. Uber was told then it needed to address issues with checks on drivers, insurance and safety, but has failed to satisfy the capital’s transport authorities. Continue reading... Go to Source

Storms in France, Greece and Italy leave 'biblical destruction' Seven people die as weekend of heavy rain brings landslides, floods and collapsed overpassSeven people have died as violent storms swept through parts of France, Greece and Italy over the weekend, causing flash floods, landslides and the collapse of an overpass.Greek media described the storms as leaving a trail of “biblical destruction” in some areas of the country while the overpass collapse in northern Italy brought back a chilling reminder of Genoa’s Morandi bridge giving way during a thunderstorm in August 2018, killing 43 people. Continue reading... Go to Source