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'I am not a slapper': Labour MP hits back at criticism of attire Tracy Brabin responds to Twitter insults over shoulder-baring despatch box outfit A Labour frontbencher has shrugged off criticism over an outfit that showed part of her shoulder in the Commons as she spoke at the despatch box.Tracy Brabin reported that she received a series of insults over her choice of attire on Tuesday. Her remarks were in response to a Twitter user sharing a photograph of her wearing the outfit and asking: “Is this really appropriate attire for parliament?” Continue reading... Go to Source

Johnson sets out his climate crisis vision as Cameron turns down talks role PM reaffirms 2050 net-zero pledge but his predecessor declines offer to lead UK preparations for crucial summitBoris Johnson has set out his vision for forging a new global consensus on the climate crisis promising “we will crack it”, amid news that he approached former prime minister David Cameron to lead the UK’s preparations for a crucial summit.Johnson has brought forward the UK’s phaseout of diesel and petrol vehicles by five years to 2035, and hastened the phaseout of coal-fired power by a year to 2024. He reaffirmed the UK’s pledge to switch to a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, and urged other nations – without naming any – to do the same. Continue reading.....

Coronavirus: UK advises British citizens to leave China – live updates Advice comes after 39-year-old man in Hong Kong dies of the virus as WHO says outbreak is not yet a pandemicFull story: UK foreign secretary tells Britons in China to leaveChina’s leadership admits ‘shortcomings’ in coronavirus responseHow to protect yourselfAfrican countries rush to reinforce defences 5.57pm GMTThe head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday he had written to all health ministers urging them immediately to improve data-sharing on coronavirus and said he would send a team of international experts to work with Chinese counterparts, Reuters reports. So far 22 nations have officially reported trade or travel-related measures linked to the coronavirus, which WHO direc...

Is UK overreacting to coronavirus crisis by telling citizens to leave China? Decision leaves tens of thousands weighing up huge choice without knowing why they should leaveFull story: UK tells Britons in China to leaveCoronavirus crisis - live updatesThe British government’s surprise announcement telling Britons to leave China “if they can” comes amid mounting international concern about the spread of coronavirus.But the advice came with no detailed guidance about why the UK’s position had changed – making it unclear whether this was a political stance, or a position based on new medical guidance that British authorities have not shared publicly. Continue reading... Go to Source

Ian Paterson inquiry: culture of denial allowed rogue breast surgery Report says hospitals displayed wilful blindness to damaging operations on hundreds of patientsA rogue breast surgeon was able to perform unnecessary and damaging surgery on hundreds of patients because of multiple blunders by NHS and private hospitals and “a culture of avoidance and denial”, an official inquiry has declared.Opportunities to stop Ian Paterson carrying out medically unjustified operations were missed because staff and bosses of hospitals he worked in displayed a “wilful blindness” to his behaviour, despite many being concerned by it and some making complaints. Continue reading... Go to Source

Sinn Féin steps up attacks on Irish rivals after shock poll lead Party leader says voters want change as poll puts it in top position for general electionSinn Féin has stepped up its attacks on Ireland’s political establishment as polls show the party poised for a historic breakthrough in Saturday’s general election.Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Féin’s leader, said on Tuesday that Irish people wanted a change from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, centrist rivals that have dominated Irish politics for a century. Continue reading... Go to Source

Iowa caucus chaos: Democrats plan to release results 'as soon as possible' – live coverage Full story: Democratic race off to disastrous startIowa caucuses results – live updatesWhat is the smartphone app at centre of Iowa debacle?Analysis: Trump campaign jubilant as Dems’ big night implodesHelp us cover the critical issues of 2020. Consider making a contribution 5.57pm GMTThe Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) just held a conference call for the presidential campaigns to update them on the delayed Iowa caucus results. It was heated.On a call with the Iowa Democratic Party and presidential campaigns, Bernie Sanders senior adviser Jeff Weaver said “folks who are just trying to delay” the Iowa results being released because of their position in the count are being &ldqu...

Democratic race starts disastrously as 'inconsistencies' delay Iowa results Hours after voting began there were no results as the state’s Democratic party said it was ‘simply a reporting issue’Iowa caucuses latest newsIowa caucuses resultsHow do the caucuses work? The Guardian’s guideThe Democratic presidential primary contest has got off to a disastrous start after results from the highly anticipated Iowa Democratic caucuses were dramatically delayed due to “inconsistencies” in the reporting of the data.The state’s Democratic party said it was performing “quality control” on the numbers “out of an abundance of caution”, after reports on Monday of problems with a phone app used to relay vote tallies. Continue reading......

Voters should not trust Boris Johnson to keep promises, says former Tory minister sacked from COP 26 role - live news Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happenPM ‘doesn’t get climate crisis’No 10 reporter ban: civil service chief must investigate, says Starmer 11.41am GMTDominic Cummings, the PM’s chief adviser, was photographed carrying a book called Chinese Spies this morning as he arrived at Downing Street. It’s by the journalist Roger Faligot, and it says China has the largest intelligence service in the world, although the Times’s review (paywall) says Faligot’s account left him wondering “if there is such a thing as an overdevious secret service. In their constant quest to discover the imagined layer...

Coronavirus: Hong Kong reports first death as China's leadership admits ‘shortcomings’ Carrie Lam says measures would be taken ‘to reduce movement across the border’ as death toll growsCoronavirus - live updatesHong Kong has reported its first death from coronavirus, as the toll in China passed 420 and its leadership admitted “shortcomings” in its handling of the outbreak.A 39-year-old man with an underlying health condition died on Tuesday morning, according to the public broadcaster RTHK. Continue reading... Go to Source

Terror offenders should be jailed indefinitely if necessary, says Gove After Streatham attack, experts warn against applying emergency law to current prisonersMichael Gove has said some terrorism offenders should be jailed indefinitely “if necessary” as the government was warned that it faces legal challenges to emergency legislation proposed in the wake of the Streatham attack.The senior cabinet minister said “Islamist extremist terrorists” were in a different category to other offenders and must not be released until the Parole Board had deemed them safe to be on the UK’s streets. Continue reading... Go to Source

Cambridge sociologist’s visa fight ‘sends shockwaves’ through universities Academics say case of Dr Asiya Islam, turned down after 10 years in UK, gives the lie to assurances Britain is open to expertsThe UK is “open to global talent”, the government declared last week, with a new visa designed to woo the best overseas researchers. But angry academics say their protests about the Home Office’s “shocking” refusal to grant residency to Dr Asiya Islam, an “unequivocally superb” Indian sociologist at Cambridge University, have fallen on deaf ears.Senior academics warn that unless the government reins in its aggressive application of immigration rules, talented international researchers will not want to come to the UK. Continue reading... Go to So...

Coronavirus live updates: first Hong Kong death reported as China cases pass 20,000 – latest news Thirty-nine year old man in Hong Kong believed to have had underlying condition. Death is only second outside mainland China – latest updatesChina’s leadership admits ‘shortcomings’ in coronavirus responseCoronavirus: British evacuee falls ill during flight from ChinaHow to protect yourself Hundreds of Canadians await evacuation flight from Wuhan 5.41am GMTThe Chinese women’s football team have been forced to train in hotel corridors ahead of their Olympic qualifying opener in Sydney on Friday. The team has been in isolation at a Brisbane CBD hotel since their arrival in Australia last week due to strict protocols in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Rela...