Government vows to end school violence as experts say bullying methods have become more maliciousClutching an iron hair curler radiating scorching heat, a schoolgirl torments a classmate in a desolate school gymnasium.The curler sizzles raw flesh, as the camera pans to show scars on the victim’s body. Continue reading...
Musician who led acclaimed band on and off between 1962 and 2015 – and scored three UK top 10 albums – had suffered a fall last year and a series of strokesTony McPhee, the singer and guitarist who led British blues and rock group the Groundhogs across six decades, has died aged 79.A message was posted on the group’s Facebook page confirming that he died peacefully at home” on 6 June from complications after a fall last year. He had also suffered a series of strokes in later life. Continue reading...
by Anna Isaac, Alex Lawson and Joanna Partridge on (#6C2X6)
Large majority of members back proposals to overhaul UK business lobby group’s culture and governanceThe UK’s most prominent business lobby group, the Confederation of British Industry, has won support from its remaining members to continue speaking for firms after vowing to reform its culture and governance.But in a sign of the continued turmoil it faces, Rishi Sunak declined to say whether the government would resume links with the group, saying the CBI “have their issue so they need to work through”. Continue reading...
Reporter and his team exposed the Tory peer’s use of a government ‘VIP lane’ to provide PPE during the Covid pandemicThe Guardian reporter David Conn has won the Paul Foot award for investigative journalism for his report on a Tory peer’s use of a government “VIP lane” to provide PPE during the Covid pandemic.Conn and the Guardian’s investigations team reported last year that Michelle Mone and her children secretly received £29m originating from the profits of a PPE business that was awarded large government contracts after she recommended it to ministers. Continue reading...
The ‘parents’ rights’ group has backed book bans and the removal of discussions of race and LGBTQ+ issues in schoolsThe Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has listed Republican-connected “parents’ rights” group Moms for Liberty as an “anti-government extremist” organization in its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report.In a statement accompanying the report’s release, a spokesperson for the extremism watchdog group wrote that Moms for Liberty was the most prominent of 12 extremist “anti-student inclusion groups” mobilizing to “attack public education, ban books, and remove any curriculum that contains discussions of race, discrimination, and LGBTQ+ identities”. Continue reading...
Speculation revived about ownership of media group as talks with Lloyds over £65m loans break downThe future ownership of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph has once again been thrust into the spotlight, after it emerged that the newspaper group’s parent company faces the threat of being put into administration by lenders.Lloyds Banking Group has threatened to put Press Acquisitions, the company controlled by the Barclay family that owns the newspapers’ parent company, Telegraph Media Group (TMG), into administration after a breakdown in talks over loans the business has racked up over the years. Continue reading...
‘Girl A’ testifies she was groomed from age of 12 and rejects suggestion she is lying to gain a payoutA woman has told a court she was groomed and abused in Rochdale by 50 men from the age of 12, and said she was “not in it for the money”.The woman, known as Girl A to protect her identity, denied she was making false allegations in order to claim compensation as she began to give evidence at the trial of eight of her alleged abusers. Continue reading...
by Richard Partington Economics correspondent on (#6C31A)
Figures suggest insolvency-threatened council in Surrey faces huge write-down on its assetsWoking council risks a financial hit worth £1bn amid a government investigation into the local authority’s debt-fuelled investment spree in hotels and skyscrapers.The Surrey council is on the brink of insolvency, with a possible section 114 notice, signalling it cannot balance its budget, believed to be imminent. Continue reading...
Larger holding is nearly enough to block a potential takeover bid as speculation grows about online retailer’s futureMike Ashley’s Frasers Group has built its stake in Asos to almost 9% – taking him close to the ability to block a takeover bid – ahead of a potential battle for control of the ailing online fashion business.Ashley, the founder of Sports Direct, who has a long history of snapping up ailing brands, from House of Fraser to Everlast, has moved to gain influence at Asos. Its share price has fallen 63% since February amid falling sales and a slide into the red as the pandemic-induced online shopping boom evaporated. Continue reading...
by Kiran Stacey Political correspondent on (#6C31B)
Kemi Badenoch accused of disrespecting backbenchers who fear ‘bonfire of regulations’ will not take placeKemi Badenoch has clashed with members of her own party over the government’s post-Brexit business policy during a heated Commons committee session that highlighted ongoing Conservative tensions over the issue.The business secretary argued openly with the Tory backbenchers David Jones and Richard Drax about her decision to reduce the number of business regulations the government is planning to scrap now that the UK has left the EU. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6C2ZP)
Principal of high-performing sixth form said two forms are ‘deeply unequal’ and diminish womenTeachers at a leading sixth form will no longer answer to “Sir” and “Miss”, because they’re “deeply unequal” and feed into a view of the world that diminishes women, the school’s executive principal has told students.While “Sir” brings to mind the heroics of Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad, “Miss” is how you refer to “a small girl, or an Edwardian shop assistant”, James Handscombe told school assembly at Harris Westminster Sixth Form in central London. Continue reading...
by Richard Partington Economics correspondent on (#6C2ZR)
PM told to consider pledge to increase supply of affordable homes in spirit of postwar town construction in next election manifestoRishi Sunak has been urged to consider a postwar-style programme of new town construction to tackle the collapse in home ownership among young adults.David Willetts, a Conservative peer and former universities minister, told the Commons Treasury committee that failure to increase the supply of affordable homes was among reasons for rising levels of inequality between young and old. Continue reading...
During cross-examination in phone-hacking trial, prince tells of paranoia he felt as a result of Mirror articlesPrince Harry has said “vile” British tabloids had a “devastating impact” on his mental health by portraying him as an irresponsible “thicko” prone to underage drinking and drug taking.The prince told the high court that the “constant intrusion by tabloid press” eventually forced him to move his family to California while warning that Rishi Sunak’s government was at “rock bottom” and avoids scrutiny by getting “in bed” with friendly newspapers.Piers Morgan, the former Daily Mirror editor, has subjected Harry and his family to “vile personal attacks” as a result of his decision to bring the case. Harry said he was left “physically sick” by the idea of Morgan listening to private messages left by his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.His voicemails were hacked by journalists while he was a schoolboy at Eton, and as a young man he had to hide in the boot of a car to avoid the paparazzi.His relationship with his ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy was undermined by “constant surveillance” by the tabloids that left them feeling “hunted by the media”.He was deeply affected as a teenager by tabloid rumours that his real father was the army officer James Hewitt, saying such stories were “hurtful, mean and cruel”.Tabloid coverage shaped how the public and army colleagues viewed him. “I was facing judgments and opinions based on what had been reported about me, true or not. I expected people to be thinking: ‘He’s obviously going to fail this test, because he’s a thicko,’” he said. Continue reading...
Commons votes to suspend Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP for 30 days after breach of Covid rules. This live blog is now closedFull story: MPs back 30-day suspension for Margaret Ferrier over Covid breachQ: What would the minimum wage for workers be under your fair pay agreement for care workers? (See 10.47am.)Starmer says his sister is a care worker. He knows how hard the job is. Continue reading...
by Aubrey Allegretti Senior political correspondent on (#6C2ZS)
Lawyer says not providing complete set of messages on platform would be ‘wrong in principle’A fresh battle over unredacted Covid documents is looming, as the public inquiry’s most senior lawyer voiced fears about a tussle with the government over messages sent on the Google Spaces platform.Hugo Keith KC said the “same issue” threatened to arise as with WhatsApps, which the Cabinet Office is refusing to hand over in full. Continue reading...
Duke of Sussex gives evidence during Mirror Group phone-hacking trialWould you say you have a longstanding hostility towards the press?Yes, Harry says. Continue reading...
Move could lead to byelection in Rutherglen and Hamilton West that would be key test for Scottish LabourMPs have voted to suspend the former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier from parliament for 30 days for breaching Covid-19 regulations, potentially paving the way for a byelection.Thirty-seven MPs opposed the sanction against the independent MP, while 185 supported it, in a vote that would normally pass without opposition. Continue reading...
by Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent on (#6C2YE)
Exclusive: volunteers sought in England to take equipment and drugs to people’s homes among other tasksHealth ministers are to recruit a new volunteer army for social care to ferry medical equipment and drugs to people’s homes in a bid to free up congested hospital wards.The plan will also see volunteers sent to, though not into, people’s homes to tackle loneliness and carry out shopping and other errands. Continue reading...
Young female fans allegedly ‘cast’ to have sex with Till Lindemann during and after heavy metal group’s showsSeveral people who attended concerts by the German band Rammstein have come forward describing a system whereby young female fans are recruited to have sex with the shock rockers’ lead singer, Till Lindemann, during and after their shows, following one fan’s allegation that her drink had been spiked at an afterparty in Vilnius last month.The reports have gathered momentum just ahead of Rammstein’s sold-out four-night residency at Munich’s Olympic Stadium starting on Wednesday, prompting the concert promoter to announce there would be no afterparties following the show nor a so-called “row zero” experience for select fans directly in front of the stage. Continue reading...
Project cost city £1bn and 12 years of disruption after multiple delays and legal battlesIt was described by one bruised official as “hell on wheels” but finally, a decade later than planned, Edinburgh’s tram line has been finished.From midday on Wednesday, the full 18.5km (11.5 mile) line will be fully opened, taking passengers from the old port of Newhaven, through Leith and central Edinburgh and on to its international airport. Continue reading...
Oscar-winning Jerry Maguire star was accused of raping unnamed woman but his lawyers have insisted encounter was consensualJust as a trial was to begin, it was revealed on Tuesday that Cuba Gooding Jr has settled accusations that he raped a woman in a New York City hotel a decade ago, according to court records. The actor had insisted through lawyers that his encounter with the woman was consensual after the two met at a nearby restaurant.The trial was to start with jury selection in New York federal court as the Oscar-winning Jerry Maguire star faced allegations that he met the woman in Manhattan, persuaded her to join him at a hotel, and convinced her to stop at his room so he could change clothing. Continue reading...
Joe Abbess, 17, and Sunnah Khan, 12, drowned after they were suspected to have been caught in riptideAll boat operations have been suspended off Bournemouth pier following the deaths of two young swimmers last week, the local authority has announced.Trainee chef Joe Abbess, 17, from Southampton, and Sunnah Khan, 12, from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, drowned and eight others were treated by paramedics after they were suspected to have been caught in a riptide next to the pier at the Dorset seaside resort on 31 May. Continue reading...
Daniel Sebastian Allen pleads guilty to three murders and manslaughter ‘by reason of suicide pact’A man has pleaded guilty to the murder of three members of the same family in a house fire in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.Denise Gossett, 45, her son Roman, 16, her daughter Sabrina, 19, and Sabrina’s 15-month-old daughter Morgana were all killed in a fire on 27 February 2018, at their home in Derrylin.In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is at 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Deputy political editor on (#6C2V7)
Three veteran backbenchers pictured at recent event in Budapest with other members of rightwing groupingThree Conservative MPs have been condemned after attending a conference hosted by the populist Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, along with representatives from a series of hard right and far-right European parties.Veteran backbenchers Sir Edward Leigh, Sir Christopher Chope and Ian Liddell-Grainger were pictured in Budapest alongside Orbán and members of other populist or far-right parties including Belgium’s Vlaams Belang, Spain’s Vox and the Sweden Democrats. Continue reading...
Survey of 350 businesses shows 56% favour hybrid workingHalf of the largest international employers are planning to cut their office space in the next three years, according to a survey, as they struggle to manage the complex nature of the post-Covid workplace.The survey of 350 businesses by property consultants Knight Frank and commercial real estate firm Cresa found that 50% the largest businesses they questioned – those with more than 50,000 employees – expect to shrink their global workspaces, although most are only planning to reduce by between 10% and 20%. Continue reading...
by Michael Goodier and Carmen Aguilar García on (#6C2TJ)
UKHSA figures also show gonorrhoea diagnoses rose by 50% to 82,600 – the most since records began in 1918Cases of syphilis were at their highest level in 75 years in England last year while gonorrhoea cases reached a record high, figures show.The UK Health Security Agency is urging people to use condoms, calling them “the best line of defence”, and advises people to go for a test if they have recently had unprotected sex. Continue reading...
Decision is linked to row over government plans to criminalise people who seek surrogacy abroadThe rightwing governor of Italy’s Lazio region has come under fire after withdrawing the administration’s support for Rome’s pride parade, saying its name could not be associated with events “aimed at promoting illegal conduct”.Lazio, the region surrounding Rome which has been under rightwing rule since March, had planned to sponsor the LGBTQ event on Saturday but backed out after organisers said the support was a sign that the region had distanced itself from plans by the national government to criminalise people who seek surrogacy abroad. Continue reading...
The winner will receive £1,000, and have their story featured on the Guardian websiteA short story competition run by the Guardian and publisher 4th Estate is open for entries from unpublished writers of colour living in the UK.The winner of the 4thWrite prize will receive £1,000, a one-day publishing workshop with 4th Estate and publication of their story on the Guardian website. Continue reading...
Anders Wiklöf fell foul of system based on severity of offence and offender’s incomeA multimillionaire businessman has been hit with one of the world’s highest speeding fines – €121,000 (£104,000) – for driving 30km/h (18.6mph) over the limit in Finland, where tickets are calculated as a percentage of the offender’s income.“I really regret the matter,” Anders Wiklöf, 76, told Nya Åland, the main newspaper for the Åland Islands, an autonomous Finnish region in the Baltic Sea. “I had just started slowing down, but I guess that didn’t happen fast enough. It’s how it goes.” Continue reading...
Sum follows Ofgem inquiry into firm’s power generation arm earning ‘excessive payments’ from National GridThe energy regulator has said the power generation arm of Scottish energy company SSE will pay a near-£10m penalty for breaching the terms of its licence.Ofgem said a detailed investigation had found that SSE Generation had secured “excessive payments” from the National Grid, the electricity system operator (ESO), during periods of what is known as “transmission constraint”. Continue reading...
Watchdog says ex-civil servant must wait six months to start job rather than the maximum delay of two yearsThe former civil servant Sue Gray has been cleared to take up her new role as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff in the autumn after a vetting board rejected calls for her to have a much longer period of gardening leave.Gray, who led the investigation into Partygate last year, took ministers by surprise with a plan to quit the civil service and work for Labour. The announcement triggered an inquiry and an expectation that restrictions would be placed on when she could take up the role and what she could do. Continue reading...
State TV says Fattah missile has range of up to 870 miles and can bypass any regional missile defence systemIran has claimed it has created a hypersonic missile capable of travelling at 15 times the speed of sound.The announcement came as tensions remain high with the US over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6C2PP)
Staff and observers fear UK equality watchdog ‘politicised as never before’ as ministers and press allies rally behind under-fire chairBritain’s equality watchdog is reeling from a breakdown of trust between its board and staff amid concerns it has become politicised, senior insiders say.The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) appointed a leading lawyer to carry out an independent investigation into 40 internal complaints, including bullying and harassment, made against its chair, Kishwer Falkner, but paused the inquiry last week after damaging leaks which laid bare tensions within the organisation. Continue reading...
Parties accuse government of ‘giving green light to puppy smuggling’ after animal welfare legislation is droppedIf you’ve spent much time on Facebook or Twitter lately, it’s pretty likely you’ll have seen adverts featuring mournful caged puppies posted by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.The opposition parties appear to have decided to try to make puppies the next big wedge issue, as they accuse the Conservatives of “giving the green light to puppy smuggling” after the Tories dropped a suite of animal welfare legislation, which included a crackdown on intensive dog breeding practices. Continue reading...
by Guardian staff and Associated Press on (#6C2NG)
Sag-Aftra president Fran Drescher tells more than 60,000 union members she is proud of themActors represented by the Hollywood union Sag-Aftra have overwhelmingly voted to strike if they don’t agree on a new contract with major studios, streamers and production companies by 30 June.On Monday 65,000 members of the guild, which represents more than 160,000 screen actors, broadcast journalists, announcers, hosts and stunt performers, voted, with 98% supporting a strike if negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) fail. Continue reading...
Members voting on lobby group’s commitments to reform its governance and culture after sexual misconduct allegationsThe future of Britain’s most prominent business lobby group, the Confederation of British Industry, is on a knife-edge as it relies on the backing of trade bodies in a crunch vote.The CBI has been canvassing support from its members ahead of an extraordinary general meeting on Tuesday that will decide on its fate after sexual misconduct allegations revealed by the Guardian. Continue reading...
Industry submissions on harm reduction plan at times misused evidence, academics say, but health minister says there’s ‘no suggestion’ the strategy was influenced
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