Category Archives: UK news

Macron clashes with both Erdoğan and Trump at Nato summit

Posted on by

French president is rebuked by Trump over Nato criticism after row with Turkey about Kurds

Nato disunity was on full display on the opening day of the alliance’s summit in London as the French president, Emmanuel Macron, accused Turkey of colluding with Islamic State proxies while Donald Trump described Macron’s criticisms of Nato’s “brain death” as insulting and “very, very nasty”.

The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for his part threatened again to veto Nato’s defence plan for the Baltics unless Nato endorsed its own assessment that Syrian Kurdish fighters on Turkey’s borders were terrorists, a definition that Macron and the Pentagon rejected.

Continue reading...

Data shows 90% of EU settlement scheme appeals successful

Posted on by

FoI reveals Home Office details on applications of EU citizens to stay in UK post-Brexit

Nine in 10 appeals brought by EU citizens who have challenged Home Office decisions about their right to stay in the UK post-Brexit have been successful, new data has revealed.

The Public Law Project (PLP), which obtained the figures, said the findings raised “a number of red flags” for EU citizens “seeking to make the UK their home”.

Continue reading...

Corbyn apologises for antisemitism in Labour party

Posted on by

Labour leader says: ‘Obviously I’m very sorry for what has happened’

Jeremy Corbyn has apologised to the Jewish community for antisemitic incidents involving Labour party members and said he was dealing with the issue.

The Labour leader said: “Obviously I’m very sorry for what has happened,” after being asked to apologise directly by presenter Philip Schofield, in an interview on ITV’s This Morning.

Continue reading...

Trump blasts Macron over ‘brain dead’ Nato remarks

Posted on by

US president calls French leader’s comments ‘nasty’ and says Paris could leave alliance

Donald Trump has lashed out at Emmanuel Macron on the first morning of a two-day Nato meeting, saying the French president’s description of Nato as brain dead was insulting and a “very, very nasty statement”.

At a news conference alongside the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, the US president also accused Macron of trying to break away from Nato, as well as running a failing economy – while discarding the fact he himself has described Nato as obsolete on previous occasions.

Continue reading...

Academic quits C of E body over chief rabbi’s Labour antisemitism comments

Posted on by

Gus John lambasts Justin Welby’s support amid church’s ‘woeful’ record on racism

A leading campaigner against racism has resigned from a Church of England advisory body in protest at the archbishop of Canterbury’s support for the chief rabbi’s comments last week on antisemitism in the Labour party.

Gus John, a respected author and academic, said: “As a matter of principle, I cannot continue to work with the Anglican church … after the archbishop of Canterbury’s disgraceful endorsement of the chief rabbi’s unjust condemnation of Jeremy Corbyn and the entire Labour party.”

Continue reading...

London Bridge attack: girlfriend praises ‘phenomenal’ Jack Merritt

Posted on by

Prisoner course coordinator opened doors for marginalised in society, says Leanne O’Brien

The girlfriend of Jack Merritt, killed in the London Bridge terror attack, has paid an emotional tribute to the “phenomenal” Cambridge graduate.

Leanne O’Brien, who was comforted by family members as she wept during a vigil for Merritt in Cambridge on Monday, said her boyfriend had “opened so many doors for those that society turned their backs on”.

Continue reading...

Trump denies interest in NHS even if it was handed to US ‘on a silver platter’ – video

Posted on by

Donald Trump has said he would not be interested in putting Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) on the table during trade talks with the UK even if it was ‘handed on a silver platter’.

Trump, who is in London for a Nato summit, said: ‘We have absolutely nothing to do with [the NHS], and we wouldn’t want to. If you handed it to us on a silver platter, we’d want nothing to do with it’

Continue reading...

Essex man arrested after boy, 12, dies in hit-and-run near school

Posted on by

Male, 51, held on suspicion of murder and six counts of attempted murder

Police investigating the death of a 12-year-old boy who was hit by a car outside a school in a suspected hit and run on Monday have arrested a 51-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

Four teenagers and a woman in her 50s were also hurt during the incident in Loughton, in Essex, though their injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.

Continue reading...

Leaked NHS papers ‘put online by posters using Russian methods’

Posted on by

Questions about dissemination of documents do not mean they are fake, but poses new puzzle

Leaked documents said by Labour to prove that the NHS was “on the table” in trade talks with the US were initially disseminated online by anonymous posters operating in a way similar to a Russian information operation known as Secondary Infektion, according to a social media research firm.

A 19-page report published on Monday by the consultancy Graphika said that while it could not conclusively prove a Russian origin to the leak, the early distribution of the cache of files via Reddit, three German-language websites and an anonymous Twitter account reflected a method of operation seen repeatedly over recent years.

Continue reading...

Half of all homeless people may have had traumatic brain injury

Posted on by

Experts say TBI could be consequence or cause of homelessness

Half of all homeless people may have suffered a traumatic brain injury at some point in their life, according to new research – which experts say could be either a consequence or even the cause of their homelessness.

Traumatic brain injury is sudden damage caused by a blow or jolt to the head, which can be caused by a motor accident, a fall or an assault. Sometimes it can cause long-term damage to the brain, leading to neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Continue reading...

‘Help me fight this fight’: Virginia Giuffre in plea to public over Prince Andrew scandal

Posted on by

American tells BBC she was told to have sex with royal by Jeffrey Epstein’s friend Ghislaine Maxwell

A beleaguered Prince Andrew faced fresh embarrassment after his accuser Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked as a teenager to have sex with him, appeared on television to implore the British public to “not accept this as being OK”.

In her first UK broadcast interview, Giuffre repeated allegations she had sex with the prince when she was aged 17 on the instructions of Ghislaine Maxwell, a socialite and close friend of the US financier and sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in August.

Continue reading...

‘Jack would be livid his death has been used to further an agenda of hate’ | Dave Merritt

Posted on by

The father of Jack Merritt, who died on Friday at London Bridge, writes that the attack has been used to reinforce the worldview his son fought against

Jack was proud. Jack was absorbingly intelligent. Jack was fiercely loyal. Jack loved music, art, eating good food with his family, and having more than one pint with his mates. Oh, and in case you haven’t realised by now … he was also devilishly handsome.

But Jack was also angry, frustrated, selfless, stubborn. He was angry because he saw our society failing those most in need. He was frustrated because the political elite have forgotten why it is important to be fair. He was selfless in his dedication to make things right in every second of his life. Jack devoted his energy to the purpose of Learning Together: a pioneering programme to bring students from university and prisons together to share their unique perspectives on justice. Unlike many of us, Jack did not just go to work. He lived and breathed fire in his pursuit of a better world for all humanity, particularly those most in need.

Continue reading...

Syrian war documentary For Sama triumphs at British independent film awards

Posted on by

The chronicle of an activist who filmed the destruction in Aleppo wins prizes for best film, documentary, director and editing

For Sama, the acclaimed documentary about life under siege in the Syrian city of Aleppo, has unexpectedly triumphed at the British independent film awards, winning the top prize, best British independent film, as well as best documentary and best director for Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts.

Described by the Guardian’s Mike McCahill as a film to “break your heart and sear your soul”, For Sama is a chronicle filmed by Syrian activist-director al-Kateab as Aleppo is targeted during the country’s ongoing civil war. Al-Kateab spends much of the time in a hospital where her husband, Hamza, works, recording the destruction and horror. For Sama won a total of four Bifas, including best editing – previously announced with other Bifa “craft” awards on 15 November.

Continue reading...

General election: Swinson condemns Johnson over Trump friendship ahead of London visit – live

Posted on by

Lib Dem leader said leaders should be ‘very careful’ about relationship with US president, ahead of his arrival for Nato

Morning, Amy Walker here, I’ll be taking over the politics liveblog for the next hour or so.

The former head of the parole board, Nick Hardwick, has criticised government changes to the criminal justice system after London Bridge attacker Usman Khan was released from prison under licence.

PA Media reports a vigil will be held to pay tribute to the victims killed in the London Bridge terror attack and to honour the emergency services and members of the public who responded to the incident.

Continue reading...

South Western Railway strike: commuters face misery as walkout begins – live updates

Posted on by

All the latest news and reaction as the first of a month-long series of strikes to hit southern England begins

Are you taking part in or affected by the South Western rail strikes? We’d like to hear your experiences

A month of strike action by South Western Railway (SWR) staff starts on Monday across its entire network.

Related: Are you taking part or affected by South Western rail strikes?

Morning, my name is Aamna Mohdin and I’m running the live blog on the South Western Railway (SWR) strike. SWR is one of the busiest commuter lines in the country – used by about 600,000 passengers daily – and all who use the service are expected to be affected.

Here’s some background from our transport correspondent, Gwyn Topham. He reports:

A month of misery for hundreds of thousands of rail commuters begins on Monday when RMT members of South Western Railway walk out on the first of 27 days of strike action.

Hundreds of guards and a small number of drivers will not clock on for work again this Christmas, apart from on election day on 12 December, in a bitter row over the role and responsibilities of onboard train crew. The train firm was among others to be hit by similar strike action last year over the role of guards.

Related: South Western Railway commuters face misery as strike due to begin

Continue reading...

London Bridge attack: Boris Johnson ignores family’s plea not to exploit victims’ deaths

Posted on by

PM accused of ‘distasteful’ attempt to turn London Bridge attack into election issue

Boris Johnson has been accused of twisting the facts of the London Bridge terror attack in a “distasteful” attempt to turn it into an election issue, as he tried to blame Labour for the release of the terrorist who stabbed two people to death.

Despite one of the victims’ families pleading for their son’s death not to be used as an excuse for kneejerk political reaction, Johnson claimed that “a lefty government” was responsible for Usman Khan being freed.

Continue reading...

Boris Johnson urged to challenge Trump on climate denial

Posted on by

350 experts call on PM to address president’s ‘dangerous’ and ‘irresponsible’ claims

Boris Johnson is being urged by 350 leading climate researchers to robustly challenge Donald Trump on his “dangerous” and “irresponsible” denial of the risks of climate change during the US president’s visit to the UK this week.

Putting the prime minister under more pressure over his stance on global heating, leading academics involved in climate research said he must try to persuade Trump to take strong domestic and international action.

Continue reading...

London Bridge attack: woman killed was former Cambridge student – live news

Posted on by

University says both victims were alumni, with member of staff also injured, as Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn pressed on counter-terrorism policies

The campaigner and businesswoman Gina Miller has called on Remain voters to vote tactically in the general election, saying that doing so could prevent a Conservative majority.

Presenting a new poll and MRP seat projection for ‘Remain United’ on ‘Sophy Ridge on Sunday’, she said: “With no tactical voting, just based on voter intention at the moment and where the polls are sitting and the difference between the seats, there would be a 12 seat majority for the Conservatives.”

The Conservatives appears to have acquiesced to BBC demands that they take down Facebook adverts featuring footage of journalists Laura Kuenssberg and Huw Edwards.

As reported by the Guardian’s Jim Waterson, the broadcaster had argued that their inclusion could damage perceptions of the corporation’s impartiality.

Conservative ads pulled on copyright grounds for using BBC footage of Laura Kuenssberg and Huw Edwards. (Background: https://t.co/T9sykIwXkA) pic.twitter.com/zS9H4KIo58

Continue reading...

Man critical after burns incident at New Street station in Birmingham

Posted on by

Transport police believe victim came into contact with overhead power cables

A man seen on fire after coming into contact with overhead cables at a Birmingham train station is in a life-threatening condition in hospital.

Paramedics, police and firefighters were called after reports that a man had been seriously injured at Birmingham New Street station on Sunday at about 8am. A British Transport Police spokeswoman said that paramedics and police had arrived quickly at the scene and treated the man for “burns injuries”.

Continue reading...