Windrush News
Top stories of the week 10 March
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.
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.
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.
Microplastics found in every lake and river in Britain and Climate change could bring Zika and malaria to the UK.
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 10 February
This week the Brexit battle ground opened up with some retaliation from the EU after a couple of years of UK taunts. With May returning yet again to try and open negotiations despite the EU being clear that this was not an option, Donald Tusk pointed out what seems to be the simple truth that ‘there’s a special place in hell’ for those who promoted Brexit without a plan. And look where we are now…still no plan.
The Press were also quick to point out the Government’s other failings in creating this Brexit chaos. The UK is bullying developing countries into unfair trade deals. The benefit system and Government deceit is the real hell. We are being conned by lies, pantomime and half-truths were just some of the failings.
Brexit didn’t look any better on the wider stage with the potential for UK exports to be locked out of harbours around the word. The US will side with Ireland over No Deal and Europe and, in the ultimate insult to May, Europe says Jeremy Corbyn’s solution is the best.
Rumours of a fantasy No Deal Dunkirk Brexit spirit were finally ground into the dust with Nissan hinting that even a Government bribe of £60m wasn’t enough to keep them in No Deal Britain. The biggest free trade deal in history was signed between Europe and Japan, putting the final nail into the UK car industry’s coffin. Japan will move production to mainland Europe and have a zero tariff within seven years in any case.
But all is not lost for Brexiteers. Apparently, if Brexit is delayed by even a millisecond thousands of Tory voters will leave the sinking ship and join Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party. Hurrah.
In another shockingly appalling Government failure, the Windrush hardship fund had only helped one single person by the end of 2018. An absolute disgrace and so much for the Government denying ‘the hostile environment’.
Donald Trump continues to focus on Venezuela with threats of troops as well as aid. Europe has been thrown into disarray over whether to side with Trump on this or not. In the meantime, Maduro is convinced this is a ‘gringo’ plot to overthrow the revolution.
This week saw the great tech rip-off. Cryptocurrency investors became locked out of $190m after exchange founder dies with the password.
