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Stories of the week 7 July

 

 

Brexit

 

This week revealed yet more ways the Brexit fantasy dream is turning into a real nightmare. In devastating news for the UK’s future trade, Canada refused to roll over the same deal they have with the EU for the UK. After years of negotiations, the Canadians refused to budge putting all future trade deals up for grabs in terms of conditions.

Local Councils in the UK are set for more misery after an £8bn EU fund for local growth will disappear in 2020.

There were several warnings this week from the likes of Theresa May and Liam Fox that the Union would not survive No Deal Brexit. Despite a poll of Conservative Party members finding that they prefer Brexit to keeping the Union if the choice had to be made. A sentiment supported by Nigel Farage.

Women are set to head-up EU institutions for the first time including Ursula Von Der Leyen who called Brexit ‘a burst bubble of hollow promises’.

 

 

Politics

The Conservative Party Leadership contest took a dangerous and worrying turn this week when it was revealed that Party Members are about to elect a Prime Minister who is not trusted by UK secuirity services. State secrets and sensitive material were routinely kept from Boris Johnson because he can’t be trusted with keeping them.

Boris Johnson also launched a bizarre proposal to review sugar tax.  Despite facing a backlash from medical professionals and other politicians, Johnson’s move wasn’t so strange when it was linked to paving the way for US high sugar food imports and the fact that his advisors have financial links to high-sugar drink brands.

Both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt were ridiculed for their No Deal Brexit threats with Philip Hammond claiming it would cost £90bn whilst other MPs are plotting to make sure Parliament can prevent it.

Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party became even more of a national embarrassment this week as they childishly turned their backs on the EU anthem at the opening of the EU Parliament in Brussels. The Press were far from impressed.

 

 

World

The heart-breaking protests in Hong Kong continue as China starts to clamp down hard on any unrest. Despairing Hong Kong freedom fighters are taking their own lives in the ultimate sacrifice for personal freedoms. The world is doing little but watch.

Donald Trump faced a severe backlash for militarising the traditional US 4^th of July celebrations through adding military vehicles and troops to the White House Parade. All the heads of the US armed forces were absent as a sign of protest as President Trump proudly proclaimed that the 1775 Revolutionary army took over airports.

 

 

Austerity

Five former chiefs of Scotland Yard announced this week that Government cuts had reduced policing to dangerously unsafe levels resulting in a feeling of lawlessness across the UK. Make no mistake, they said, the blame for this lies firmly with the Conservative Party.

 

Environment

This week scientists claimed that the answer to the Climate Emergency is right in front of our eyes. Planting 1 trillion trees would capture enough carbon to make a difference.  Greta Thunberg thanked OPEC for saying Climate Activists provided the greatest threat to oil and Prince Charles along with Chris Packham are planning an environmental summit.

 

 

 

Top stories of the week 10 March

 

 

Brexit

This week Conservatives ‘lost the plot’ on many fronts according to the Press. Cabinet ministers Amber Rudd, Andrea Leadsom and Karen Bradley were branded ‘muppets’ over astonishing gaffes. And, in two of our favourite headlines this week, Jacob Rees-Mogg says Conservative Government is not Right-wing and the Brexit department’s top civil servant is set to retire just as UK is set to leave EU.

Theresa May launched her big Brexit bribe, throwing money at Labour leave towns in return for Labour MPs’ support for her deal. The bung backfired terribly when it was pointed out that it was not nearly enough to make any real difference and payment would be spread out over six years.

Speaking of ‘bungs’, Conservatives also came under fire as Theresa May prevented a key vote that would have made tax havens more transparent at the same time as it the amount of donations to the party from the same tax havens was revealed.

In more bad Conservative news, 14 members were suspended as it was claimed that Islamophobia is rife throughout the party.

Brexit really does leave a bad taste in the mouth and that’s official. Meghan Markle entered into Brexit row with swipe at US where chicken is washed in chlorine. The UK was urged to reject ‘backward US food standards’.

In more condemnation of the Leave campaign, it was revealed this week that Arron Banks broke an agreement to suspend Brexit campaigning after Jo Cox’s murder.

 

 

Society

The Windrush scandal continued this week with the Home Office accused of complacency with only one victim helped by the end of 2018.  The Department’s failings were so bad there was suggestion of removing immigration duties in the near future.

An alarming report this week revealed that Life expectancy in the UK has fallen by six months in the biggest drop in UK forecasts.

 

 

Austerity

The Government’s brutal austerity was revealed this week as two of the most important aspects of modern day life were thrown into stark relief.

The Government was accused of robbing an entire generation of ‘opportunity’ when more than 7,000 head teachers wrote to millions of parents warned of a ‘school funding crisis’ amid claims of 20% cuts in sixth-form budgets over the past decade. As usual, the Government refused to acknowledge there was anything wrong.

As the knife crime endemic continues to grow and more and more young lives are lost, both Theresa May and Philip Hammond refused to acknowledge that drastic police funding cuts had anything to do with it. You can imagine the outcry that followed.

 

 

Environment

Microplastics found in every lake and river in Britain and Climate change could bring Zika and malaria to the UK.

 

 

Middle East

The sad and complex story of Shamima Begum continued this week as the sad news of the death of her baby came through and the Government were blamed for the ‘callous’ decision to strip mum’s citizenship

 

 

 

Stories of the week 25 November

 

 

Brexit

Brexit took a number of major turns this week and even sprinted down some unexpected alleys as the process comes to a decisive phase.

Hugely alarming reports in the news this week of the Army being put on the streets to protect supermarkets and petrol stations in the event of a No-Deal Brexit.

In an attempt to avoid the No-Deal scenario, Theresa May was accused of ‘cronyism’ after handing a knighthood to a Brexit-backing MP and pouring money into Northern Ireland to appease the DUP and buy her deal through Parliament.

David Davis was ridiculed for not understanding EU negotiations whilst Boris Johnson was paid £47,254 fir an hour’s work in his own Brexit dividend.

The Government also tried to stop the European Court of Justice deciding if Article 50 could be reversed but failed in a victory for democracy.

Moves for Scottish independence increased this week as the country rejected the proposed Brexit deal.  In a move that would break up the UK, Scotland received support from Spain to join the EU as an independent country.

In more Brexit drama, Spain reacted furiously to the UK’s stance on Gibraltar, threatening to veto May’s deal.

 

 

Austerity

There were major and extraordinary stories in the Press this week on Austerity.

In the continuing row over the UN Report into Poverty in the UK, the Government not only remained in denial over the whole issue but unbelievably a Government Minister actually suggested that poor families could take in a lodger to beat Universal Credit.

In more disturbing reports on Government austerity that can’t be denied, private police walk wealthy people home in London while vigilantes patrol the streets of Hartlepool because the town has become lawless from police cuts.

 

 

Environment

A couple of big environmental news threads this week.

In the UK, Extinction Rebellion – the movement leading the fight to protect humanity from extinction, continued their ‘swarm protests’ angering Nigel Farage, making Lord Tebbit drive at a protester and Jim Davidson say ‘don’t they like it warmer’. A job well done then.

In the US, the Administration finally went against the President publishing a report on the devastating impact climate change will have on the country.

 

 

Society

In more shocking news for the Government, two children under 18 are stabbed every day in the UK – a rise of 80% in three years as Police Cuts bite.

Inequality was highlighted again this week with news that the poorest are dying 10 years earlier than the wealthy in the UK.

 

 

Middle East

The terrible Khashoggi story continued this week. As France joined Germany in sanctioning Saudi Arabia, Trump changed his stance completely and contradicted his own earlier statements.

 

 

Science

In exciting scientific news, a plane without any moving parts actually flew. The press called it the ‘Star Trek’ flight.

Spiralling London murder rate prompts scramble to repair damage done by austerity — but for many it is already too late

Inside the deadliest estate in Britain

There is only one way to end this knife crime epidemic

Romanian murder victim’s family return home because London is too dangerous

‘We’re leaving Britain because London is too dangerous’: Family of 21-year-old Romanian who was stabbed to death three weeks after moving to UK return home to escape capital’s epidemic of violence

Family of Romanian knifed to death in Lawless London return to native country because Britain is ‘too dangerous’

Force cuts push police ‘to the edge’

Public confidence in the police ‘severely dented’ following years of Tory cuts

Public confidence in police damaged by cuts, report warns

Police at risk of losing public trust, warns policing minister

 

 

 

 

Stories of the week 28 October

 

Society

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.

 

 

Brexit

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.

 

 

Austerity

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.

 

 

Middle East

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.

 

 

NHS

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.

 

 

World

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.

 

 

Environment

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.

 

 

Politics

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.

 

 

 

 

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.