universal credit News

 

 

 

 

Stories of the week 21 October

 

Brexit

A big week for Brexit from so many angles.

Hundreds of thousands of people marched for a People’s Vote and/or 2nd Referendum.  The Press were true to their political form and bias. Headlines and comments clearly show the steep divide between sections of the Press and therefore, sections of the public. See it all here.

The Prime Minister decided that an extension to the transition period might be best. This was met with disdain from all sides particularly Brexiters.

Various global car manufacturers once again warned against the dangers of a No Deal Brexit and the impact on future investment and job security.

In more unusual Brexit news, Theresa May’s Chequer’s deal has been the subject of an attack from an anonymously-backed Facebook campaign targeted at specific individuals.

 

 

Politics

In more disappointing news for the Government, one of their own, Conservative MP Johnny Mercer said that the Party had been so badly led by Theresa May that even he wouldn’t vote for it.

In more alarming news for the Government and the NHS budget, the UK Baby mortality rate could soon double that of other western nations if current trends continue and immediate action isn’t taken.

 

 

Austerity

The trail of destruction from Universal Credit continued this week. After admitting that claimants and families would actually be worse off under the new system, The Conservatives voted to cover up having to publicly declare by how much.

 

 

Society

In more fallout from Brexit and austerity, a major study has found a deeply divided Britain with religious hate crime up 40% and most of it aimed at the Muslim community.

 

 

Middle East

The news this week has been dominated by the tragic events around the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. It really is worth the time following this story through. Starting with accusations of the awful torture and murder of the journalist carried out in a consulate in Turkey. Saudi Arabia, although denying it, found itself exposed to the world. Donald Trump threatening retribution.

Saudi Arabia finally admitted to Mr Khashoggi dying in a fist fight. Something that was credible according to Donald Trump.

 

 

Environment

This week once again saw some truly incredible stories in our Environment section.

Donald Trump agreed that climate change existed but ‘it would change back’.

News on the largest living thing dying and the ‘Antarctic singing’ formed a great example of the range of environmental stories this week.

This week saw another extraordinary story when the tables turned and elephants hunted the hunter.

 

 

Science

Tributes poured in this week for Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen who passed away this week aged 65.

Plans came to light this week on a city in China launching a fake moon to brighten the night skies.  Night after night.

 

 

World

Similar to King Arthur, a young girl pulled a 1,500 year old Viking sword from a lake.

In astonishing news, one of the wealthiest cities in the US, Los Angeles, has an outbreak of typhus amongst its poorest citizens.

Universal Credit drives family to payday loans to cover bills and Christmas presents in The Sun

Ministers REFUSE to reveal the real damage to millions of Brits on Universal Credit in The Sun – Go To Article

Tories vote to ‘cover up’ impact of Universal Credit on people’s incomes in the Daily Mirror – Go To Article

Lord Dubs to launch Compassion in Politics cross-party campaign in The Guardian – Go To Article

 

 

Stories of the week 14 October

 

Brexit

This week’s Brexit was all about movement and lack of movement.

The M26 may well become the ‘road to nowhere’ in the event of a no-deal Brexit. At least that’s what the government plans as they undertook secretive studies in night closures this week.

On the other hand, Nicola Sturgeon believes that Scotland is firmly on the move with talk of the SNP backing a second referendum on top of another Independence vote.

Much like a truck on the M26, Arlene Foster and the DUP are going nowhere over the Northern Irish border issue.  They threatened to bring down the government if they didn’t like the final deal.  Now there’s talk of May either dumping the DUP to get her deal through or paying them millions more to ensure their support.

 

 

Politics

This week was grim for the Conservatives on the domestic front.

Despite May promising the end of austerity, Universal Credit has been found to be a catastrophic mistake.  Warnings of riots when the system is rolled out similar to the Poll Tax were made by politicians from all sides.  To make matters worse, Esther McVey admitted people would be worse off under the new system.  To complete the bleak picture it was also revealed that McVey had made charities sign gagging orders to stop them talking about the failure.

 

 

Society

The Army has launched an investigation after videos and photos emerged of far right figurehead, Tommy Robinson, posing with British soldiers in uniform.

In more ‘shocking’ news, Banksy has been voted more popular than the Queen.

 

 

Environment

A UN report this week had a massive impact around the world. We have 12 short years to halve global emissions or face a bleak future.  Time is running out and we have to move fast or face potentially life-ending consequences.

Damaging his ‘green credentials’, Michael Gove did not attend the Climate Change Summit day after the UN report.

 

 

 

Middle East

More bad news for the Government after they were accused of changing the long-held British approach to the death penalty in order to appease Donald Trump.

Saudi Arabia have been accused of the torturing and killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi as the world considers sanctions.

 

 

Technology

There was a bumper crop of stories in our Technology section this week.

In a world first, MPs invited a robot to give evidence on the subject of AI.  The robot will be the first ‘non-human’ to appear before the UK Parliament.

In the US, the first robot farm replaces humans with intelligent machines.

And finally, an ‘alien base’ has been found Google tools.

Esther McVey’s bid to silence benefits critics condemned in The Times – Go To Article

 

 

Stories of the week 9 September

 

 

Austerity

‘Father battling cancer whose benefits were cut because he was ‘well enough to make a cup of tea’ died aged 56 with just £8 to his name, his family says’. The headline says it all.  There are many kinds of austerity wrapped up in this from universal credit to NHS cuts in finding.  Again, the headline says so much more than we could ever say.

 

 

Brexit

‘Brexit’ became associated with unexpected and exciting situations this week.  None of them were what Theresa May or arch-Brexiters might have wanted or expected.

EU Chief Negotiator, Michael Barnier, rejected May’s Chequers plan and suggested a counter-proposal himself. He was not the only one to reject May’s Brexit plan.  Apart from Labour, DUP leader Arlene Foster, David Davis and other hard-line Brexiters rejected it too.

All this against the backdrop of millions of Leave Voters switching to Remain since the referendum in more compelling evidence for another vote.

To make matters even worse for optimistic Brexiters, China called the UK ‘Washington’s sharksucker’ and accused it of provocation by sending the Royal Navy into the South China Sea.  The UK’s support of the US put any post Brexit trade deal at risk, Chinese state authorities confirmed.

 

 

 

Politics

With continuing calls for a Scottish Independence vote and a second referendum, the Scottish National Party (SNP) have more paying members than the Conservatives for the first time. Labour still have the largest paying membership.

Membership of the Conservative party wasn’t the only thing that wasn’t growing. After the summer heatwave, farmers became increasingly unhappy with Michael Gove and the government’s inaction with any support.

 

 

 

NHS

Just at a time when the NHS faces a severe shortage of nurses, figures show a large percentage of student nurses are dropping out before graduating their courses. This at a time when there are increasing job vacancies and increasing reliance on agency nursing support.

 

 

 

Environment

Two environmental stories this week focussed on the letter ‘H’ – humans and hedgehogs.

Humans. We may become extinct. Since every major rise or fall in temperature in the earth’s history has resulted in mass extinction, climate change could be the time for human beings to be no more according to biologists.

Hedgehogs are disappearing fast.  In fact most of the countryside is devoid of any at all according to scientists.

 

 

 

Technology

If you can’t beat them, join them.  Addicted to smartphones?  Can’t stop swiping. Road signs could be put on the ground so people looking at their phones can see them and reduce the smart phone accident syndrome.