by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#65FDT)
Greater Manchester mayor says report into 2017 atrocity raises serious questions for whole of UKThe “poor leadership” of emergency services meant Manchester was not ready for the terrorist attack that killed 22 people in 2017, the region’s mayor, Andy Burnham, has said.A damning inquiry report on the Manchester arena bombing identified significant failings by police, fire and ambulance services. At least one of those killed would probably have survived were it not for a response that was described as badly prepared, delayed and chaotic, it was found. Continue reading...
Chris Philp’s comments spark row as government faces pressure to fix ‘chaos’ at Manston refugee centreNo 10 has distanced itself from a Home Office minister’s remarks that it is “a bit of cheek” for asylum seekers to complain about the conditions at migrant processing centres.The government has come under criticism for allowing 4,000 people to be held at the Manston centre, a short-term holding facility in Kent, which is designed to hold no more than 1,600 asylum seekers for only a few days. Continue reading...
Despite relatively low case numbers, there are reportedly about 200 lockdowns across the countryWaves of outrage and frustration over China’s lockdown measures this week have demonstrated widening cracks in the general compliance with the government’s zero-Covid policy.Rising anger has been driven by the tragic death of a toddler, and highly public problematic lockdowns in the Henan capital, Zhengzhou. Officials were left scrambling to control the narrative, amid swirling rumours of imminent policy shifts and a former government health expert saying on Friday that “substantive changes will happen soon”. Continue reading...
Danny Miller predicts former health secretary will be punished for his Covid record before being voted offThe reigning I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! champion, Danny Miller, has said Matt Hancock should expect the public to use him as a “toy” before voting him off the show.The actor, known for playing Aaron Livesy on the ITV soap Emmerdale, suggested viewers would want to mete out punishments to the former health secretary as retribution for his handling of the Covid pandemic in the UK. Continue reading...
Poll date deferred amid claims EU and UK near agreement on some controversial Brexit arrangementsFresh elections for the Northern Ireland assembly have been put back to the new year amid claims that the EU and the UK are close to agreement on some elements of the controversial Brexit arrangements that have caused a Democratic Unionist party (DUP) boycott of Stormont.The Northern Ireland secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, had said an election would be called last Friday, the deadline for the resumption of power-sharing. But all parties warned such an outcome would be reckless and would not end the impasse over the Northern Ireland protocol. Continue reading...
UK parliamentarians call for inquiry into 2% levy on Eritreans abroad, amid fears that it fuels Tigray warA group of UK parliamentarians is calling for an urgent investigation into the collection of a “diaspora tax” by the Eritrean authorities, which they say could have helped fund war in neighbouring Ethiopia.MPs and members of the House of Lords want the government to launch a “full, formal, and fully funded” public inquiry into the collection of the 2% tax in the UK, and take “robust action to stop the practice”. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#65EXX)
Guidance states under-18s should only get such drugs alongside therapy and after being assessed by a psychiatristGPs are breaching medical guidelines by prescribing antidepressants for children as young as 11 who cannot get other help for their mental health problems, NHS-funded research reveals.Official guidance says that under-18s should only be given the drugs in conjunction with talking therapies and after being assessed by a psychiatrist. Continue reading...
Retailers go before John Lewis amid reports customers are bringing forward shopping to spread costsThe Christmas ad season has kicked off with big retailers including Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer altering their plans as a consequence of the cost of living crisis.M&S’s clothing and home advert, which last year had an extravaganza inspired by Singin’ in the Rain and Busby Berkeley’s 1930s showgirls, this year puts charitable causes at the heart of its ad. Continue reading...
Edi Rama tells press conference in Berlin that UK rhetoric sounds like ‘screams from a madhouse’The UK government should look to Germany to learn how to cope with a wave of immigrants, the Albanian prime minister has said, as he criticised its depiction of his countrymen as criminals.
Figen Murray says every day that inquiry recommendations are not implemented ‘is another day our safety is at risk’Figen Murray, who lost her 29-year-old son Martyn Hett in the Manchester Arena bombing, said she wanted now to look forward and make sure the same mistakes never happened again.Speaking outside Manchester magistrates court shortly after publication of Thursday’s inquiry report, Murray said: “Today we have learned about the failings of the emergency services. There’s no denying these failings led to a loss of life but I’m not here to play the blame game. Continue reading...
Det Insp David Jackman described scene north of Brisbane as ‘one of the most confronting … I’ve seen’A man and a woman will face Brisbane magistrates court on Friday after a seven-month-old boy was found dead by police north of the city.“I have been a detective for 30-odd years, it’s one of the most confronting scenes that I’ve seen,” said Det Insp David Jackman from the Queensland police. Continue reading...
Shaima Dallali ‘considering all available legal remedies’ after ousting from national student bodyShaima Dallali, the president of the National Union of Students, plans to fight the organisation’s move to oust her, as supporters expressed alarm at the handling of the antisemitism allegations that led to her dismissal.The NUS said Dallali was dismissed as president this week after an independent investigation into the allegations found “significant breaches of NUS policies” – but that it would not reveal further details because of employee confidentiality. Continue reading...
by Vivian Ho (now); Martin Belam and Samantha Lock (e on (#65DHH)
Russian ambassador to UK accuses Britain of being over-involved in warReuters reports that the British ambassador arrived at the Russian foreign ministry on Thursday morning, according to local reports. Deborah Bronnert was summoned to discuss Moscow’s claims that Britain was involved in a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Black Sea fleet in Crimea.Electricity supply has been restored to everybody in the Kyiv region after Monday’s Russian bombardment of energy facilities, according to the region’s governor, Oleksiy Kuleba.This is Martin Belam taking over the live blog in London. You can contact me on martin.belam@theguardian.com Continue reading...
Steven Croft apologises for church’s history on LGBTQ+ rights, but calls for ‘love and respect for those who take different views’The Church of England should allow same-sex marriage for congregation and clergy, the Bishop of Oxford has said, becoming the most senior figure to weigh in on the subject.The Rt Rev Dr Steven Croft also acknowledged the “acute pain and distress of LGBTQ+ people in the life of the church”, and apologised for his own views being “slow to change”. Continue reading...
David Montgomery says the publisher is in the early stages of a potential offerThe owner of the Scotsman and Yorkshire Post has revealed it is plotting a surprise takeover of much larger rival Reach, the parent company of the Mirror and Express titles and hundreds of regional newspapers including the Manchester Evening News.National World, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and run by the former boss of the Mirror newspaper group David Montgomery, has said that it is in the early stages of a potential offer for Reach. Continue reading...
From the assassination of its first PM in 1951, the country has suffered waves of brutal sectarian conflict and murdersLast month, Pakistan summoned the US ambassador in Islamabad for a dressing down after President Joe Biden described the south Asian country as “one of the most dangerous nations in the world”. Biden was apparently referring to Pakistan’s combination of nuclear weapons and apparent instability. He might have been talking about the threat faced by the country’s own politicians instead.On Thursday, the former prime minister Imran Khan was shot when his anti-government protest convoy came under attack in the east of the country, in what his aides said was a clear assassination attempt. The 70-year-old did not appear to be seriously injured but the incident underlines once again how politics in Pakistan is inseparable from violence. Continue reading...
Inquiry advice includes reviews of police funding and ambulance trusts’ responses to mass casualties, and medical staff based at venuesThe Manchester Arena inquiry chairman, Sir John Saunders, delivered a scathing report on the response of the emergency services to the terror attack at the arena in May 2017 and outlined key failures, recommending solutions. Here are some of his points for service improvements.Police funding Continue reading...
Longest serving prime minister, who is still facing corruption charges, is expected to lead far-right coalitionIsrael’s prime minister, Yair Lapid, has called Benjamin Netanyahu to offer his congratulations on the opposition leader’s election win following the conclusion of vote counting in this week’s election.Netanyahu, chair of the conservative Likud party and Israel’s longest serving prime minister, is expected to begin an unprecedented third term as premier after holding coalition negotiations with his religious and far-right allies on forming a government. Continue reading...
Lawyers on behalf of charity Detention Action say complaint also includes ‘serious threats to the safety of children’The autumn statement will be unveiled in two weeks today. It could be the most important fiscal announcement of Rishi Sunak’s premiership, and it will involve tax rises and spending cuts intended to fill a “black hole” in the government’s accounts worth an estimated £50bn. Here are some of the stories from today’s papers setting out what it might contain.Steven Swinford in the Times says the government is planning “to extend windfall taxes on oil and gas companies to raise an estimated £40bn over five years” in the autumn statement. He says:The prime minister and chancellor met yesterday afternoon to discuss items for the autumn budget, which are due to be submitted to the official forecaster at the end of the week.They want to maximise revenues from the windfall tax by increasing the rate from 25% to 30%, extending the levy until 2028 and expanding the scheme to cover electricity generators.Jason Groves in the Daily Mail says the government may suspend the triple lock for pensions next year, and raise pensions in line with earnings, not inflation. He says:Under one option considered by the Treasury, pensions would rise in line with average earnings rather than inflation next year, meaning an increase of 5.5%, instead of 10%.If approved, the state pension of £185.15 per week would rise to £195.35 rather than £203.70, costing pensioners £8.35 a week, or £434 a year.Natasha Clark and Jack Elsom in the Sun says the government is planning to freeze tax allowances for six years in the mini-budget. They say:Thousands more earners will be dragged into higher tax brackets, which won’t rise in line with inflation.Middle earners on £50,000 could be around £3,500 poorer, according to research from Blick Rothenberg.Arj Singh in the i says Rishi Sunak has “shelved Liz Truss’s promise to build the flagship Northern Powerhouse Rail”.The prime minister joined several Army personnel and the civil servant Stephen le Roux to raise money for the Royal British Legion’s (RBL) annual poppy appeal at about 8am this morning.Sunak was seen holding a tray full of poppies and talking to members of the public during the brief appearance to which no media was invited. Continue reading...
Agnieszka Kalinowska and Andrzej Latoszewski sentenced to 39 years for torturing boy to deathA woman and her partner have each been sentenced to 39 years in prison for the “horrific” murder of 15-year-old Sebastian Kalinowski.Agnieszka Kalinowska, 36, and Andrzej Latoszewski, 38, were convicted at Leeds crown court in July of murdering Kalinowska’s son at their home in Huddersfield in a prolonged campaign of physical abuse amounting to torture. Continue reading...
Ansbach court rules in favour of two cycling activists who had been fined €100 for breaching data protection regulationPeople who notify the police of parked cars blocking pavements and bike paths will in future be able to submit photographs as evidence of offences, a court in Bavaria has ruled.An administrative court in Ansbach has ruled in favour of two cycling activists who had been fined €100 (£87) each for breaching data protection regulation for photographing apparently illegally parked cars and emailing the images to the police. Continue reading...
Hurricane Lisa, which has battered Belize, formed at same time as Martin, now over Atlantic, for only third time since records beganTwo November hurricanes have simultaneously formed in the Atlantic Ocean for only the third time since records began.Hurricanes Lisa and Martin have brought an unusual amount of activity for this time of year, when hurricane season is usually nearly over. A third system in the Caribbean is also developing, reports the Washington Post. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#65E72)
Decision due soon, MPs told, as campaigners press for ‘full and fearless’ public inquiryMinisters may order a public inquiry into mental health care and patient deaths across England because of the number of scandals that are emerging involving poor treatment.Maria Caulfield, the minister for mental health, told MPs on Thursday that she and the health secretary, Steve Barclay, were considering whether to launch an inquiry because the same failings were occurring so often in so many different parts of the country. Continue reading...
Charities warn increase in monthly local travel pass will freeze out millions struggling with living costsGermany plans to replace its successful €9-a-month local public transport pass with a €49 version, a move that is drawing criticism from charities and social care groups who say the new price tag will freeze out millions of Germans suffering under the cost of living crisis.The €9 pass (equating to about £7.80) was introduced as an experiment over the summer in an effort to entice people to use public transport and help counter rising inflation. Continue reading...
Leader under pressure to commit to higher taxes for super-rich as Tory government prepares spending cutsThe Labour leader, Keir Starmer, is under pressure from campaigners, unions and his own MPs to set out plans for “wealth taxes” on the richest in society in order to support public services and help the poorest through the cost of living crisis.As the government prepares to cut spending to fill an estimated £35bn black hole in the nation’s finances, calls are growing for higher taxes on the super-rich, many of whom have seen their fortunes soar during the pandemic. Continue reading...
Corporation says episode of The Papers hosted by Martine Croxall failed to meet its editorial standardsThe BBC has found that an episode of The Papers on 23 October presented by Martine Croxall failed to meet its editorial standards on impartiality.The programme started about 90 minutes after Boris Johnson had pulled out of the Tory leadership race. Continue reading...
Move comes after ‘multi-step’ review by Canada’s national security and intelligence agenciesCanada has ordered China to immediately sell its holdings in three Canadian mining companies, as the need for investments in the extraction of critical minerals clashes with growing concerns over national security.On Wednesday Canada’s industry minister, François-Philippe Champagne, said three Chinese companies would be required to divest from junior mining companies. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Political correspondent on (#65DZ5)
Staff warn of short timetable to introduce changes, with final details of voter ID system yet to be releasedA series of major changes to UK elections including voter ID and an imminent revamp of Commons constituencies is leaving electoral administrators overwhelmed and risks bringing chaos to polling stations, officials and opposition parties have warned.Final Commons boundary changes, being announced next week for England and Scotland, will automatically take effect for any subsequent general election, requiring vast efforts to allocate officials and polling stations to the redrawn constituency maps. Continue reading...
by Samantha Lock, Martin Belam and Vivian Ho on (#65DBB)
Vladimir Putin says Moscow will rejoin grain export deal; US alleges North Korea covertly supplying Russia with a ‘significant’ number of artillery shells
Supermarket chain says it has tried to keep prices down with households dining more at home rather than eating outHouseholds “feeling the squeeze” are shopping earlier for Christmas to spread the cost and have made a shift to dining at home rather than at restaurants, according to Sainsbury’s.The supermarket revealed an 8% fall in first-half profits as it said it had invested in keeping prices as low as possible, with food price inflation in its stores running at “comfortably less” than the 10%-plus reported for the wider market. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Mohammed Ramadhan, who alleges he was tortured into confessing to deadly bombing, urges pontiff to act on visit to Gulf stateA former airport security guard who is on death row in Bahrain for a crime he alleges he was tortured into confessing to has urged Pope Francis to call for his release during the pontiff’s visit to the Gulf state.In a letter shared exclusively with the Guardian through the London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (Bird), Mohammed Ramadhan, who has been in prison for nine years, asked the pontiff to “ask the king of Bahrain to release me and reunite me with my family and children”. Continue reading...
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