Stories of the week 16 September
Brexit
Bank of England chief, Mark Carney, joined in with the various government warnings on a No Deal Brexit. After alerting the public to the facts that a No Deal Brexit would be as bad as the 2008 financial crisis with rapidly rising interest rates and unemployment along with rapidly falling house prices. Carney was, of course, accused of spreading doom and gloom by Brexiters.
In more Brexit financial news, New York replaced London as the world’s top financial centre as uncertainty over Brexit continues.
Politics
After his burqa row, Boris Johnson continued with his inflammatory language commenting on Theresa May’s ‘Chequers Plan’. Johnson decided to liken it to the Prime Minister putting ‘a suicide vest’ on the UK economy.
In more Boris Johnson news, the Government has been accused of ‘a power grab’ through changing constituency boundaries. These proposed changes will reduce the number of MPs. It will also reduce the majority of many Conservative MPs and puts both Boris Johnson’s and Jeremy Corbyn’s seats at risk.
Society
The Home Office warned of an ever-growing terror threat from the far right. For the first time there were more white people arrested on terrorism charges than any other ethnicity.
Mark Carney was back with more disturbing news. The Bank of England are considering the possibility that with the new industrial revolution and AI, people may never be able to retire in the future.
Austerity
This week Austerity stories demonstrated how cuts are having a real impact on everyday lives.
The Home Office admitted it had no idea how budget cuts were affecting the Police even though the Police were also preparing for civil unrest in the case of a No Deal Brexit. Proof of the effect of cuts wasn’t long in coming. London’s Met Police dropped tens of thousands of cases.
The NHS financial crisis has long been in the news but this week it emerged that the NHS is selling its land at an increasing rate.
A report also revealed some incredible inequality in the UK. People in wealthier areas enjoy 19 more years of good health than people in the poorest areas.
Middle East
There have been many gruesome stories in the Syrian conflict. Idlib appeared to be potentially one of the worst with the UN predicting a humanitarian crisis if Assad’s Idlib offensive continued. Despite talk of attacks and counter attacks amongst the super powers, the threat of chemical weapons and the potential for one of the worst atrocities of the war, a ceasefire was established.
Environment
Two great stories this week really stood out.
After freak blizzards in Africa, there was snow on the Savannah and a US state didn’t like the idea of rising sea levels so passed a law against it.
