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Stories of the week 28 October
MP’s were warned of ‘dire consequences to public safety and criminal justice’ as Police Chiefs said Government funding cuts had made it impossible for them to do the job. Many crimes were simply not being investigated and police were becoming ‘irrelevant’ in everyday life. The treat of civil unrest was growing every day.
More warnings on the fallout of a No Deal Brexit this week. The UK’s borders have run out of time to be ready for a No Deal option. People will have to stockpile their own medicines and the government is chartering emergency ships to bring in supplies. The NHS will crumble and implode.
More misery on the UK High Street this week. Two more famous and well-established names are heading for closures and thousands of job losses as austerity continues to bite.
The sorry and sordid tale of Jamal Khashoggi’s brutal murder and Saudi Arabia’s involvement continued to hit the headlines this week. After denial and even talk of a body-double being used as a decoy, Trump labelled it the ‘worst cover up ever’. Countries around the world considered their position on future dealings with the kingdom including the UK. See for yourself here.
There were two major stories on the NHS this week. Both with enormous implications.
The first is the continuing lack of NHS funding by the Government. NHS Scotland has been found to be financially unsustainable. Brexit won’t let Hammond and the Government end austerity and will further damage the NHS. The NHS is at breaking point as another winter crisis looms with many services, particularly, mental health services broken.
The second story was just as concerning. The government’s ‘clean air’ policy has been taken to court many times. Now both hospitals and GP Practices are in areas of high toxic air pollution and the pollution itself is driving patients to A& E. A vicious toxic circle.
A ‘caravan’ of thousands of desperate South and Central American refugees are making their way towards the US border, travelling through various countries along the way. Trump has threatened to use military force to keep them out and even stated ‘there could be Middle Easterners among them’. With midterm elections approaching in the US and the caravan approaching the US border, this story has some way to go.
This week saw more stories on the devastation plastic is having on our world. For the first time microplastcs have been found in the human digestive system in countries around the world. The first to make a move was the European Parliament through introducing a sweeping ban on single-use plastics.
The Government has promised an end to austerity but this week’s stories cast a lot of doubt on that promise. Labour said it was a lie. Reports suggested that at least £31b would have to be found in the budget and that NHS would need at least £13b to stand still.
Theresa May was accused of cronyism as she appointed one of her favourites, Sir Mark Sedwill, as her civil servant chief without due process.
Theresa May also attacked Jeremy Corbyn, misquoting from a book she was holding in her hand.
