UK News and Discussions

[Time_Traveller]

Bibby Stockholm: 45 arrests as protesters block coach in bid to stop asylum seekers being moved to barge

Thursday 2 May 2024 18:28, UK

Police have arrested 45 people after protesters blocked a coach that was due to take asylum seekers to the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset.

A large group of demonstrators, many with their faces covered, surrounded the vehicle and linked arms near the Best Western Hotel in Peckham, southeast London, earlier in the day.

Several people sat down in the road in front of the coach, which had a flat tyre, and some demonstrators were removed by officers.

Police said they were called at around 8.40am to reports of people obstructing a coach, which was parked outside the hotel.

The Metropolitan Police said 45 people were arrested and taken into police custody for offences including obstruction of the highway, obstructing police and assault on police.

https://news.sky.com/story/bibby-stockh ... e-13127510

[Time_Traveller]

Local elections in the UK today. Should be an interesting bellwether for the General Election later this year (we still don't know when that is, but seems likely it'll be October/November. By law, the latest it can be held is January 2025).

Mayoral elections are also being held today. Sadiq Khan (Labour) is likely to gain a 3rd term as Mayor of London, as he's polling 20 points ahead of the Conservative candidate Susan Hall, and she is rather incompetent in radio/TV interviews. The right-wing media has been making a huge deal about the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), as though it's a pivotal and damaging issue for Khan, but most Londoners support it.

Local elections 2024: at-a-glance guide to results and declaration times

1 hour ago

The results of Thursday’s elections are being declared over several days, starting shortly after polls close and ending on Sunday, 5 May.

Here is a summary of all the key contests and times.

Thursday 2 May

Polls close across England and Wales in elections for 107 local authorities, 37 police & crime commissioners, 11 mayors, the London Assembly and the Blackpool South parliamentary by-election.

Around a third of councils are due to declare overnight, including Bolton and Hartlepool, where Labour is hoping to win overall control, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock – key tests of Conservative and Labour popularity in Essex – and Redditch in Worcestershire, where the Tories could lose their majority if the party’s vote collapses.

The result of the Blackpool South by-election is likely to be declared halfway through the night, with Labour tipped to gain this marginal seat from the Conservatives, in what would be the Tories’ 11th such defeat so far this parliament.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 38587.html

My cities being declared at 10pm on Friday night (3rd May), so will be looking forward to taking a look at the incoming result then.

[Time_Traveller]

Swinney looks set to be first minister as Forbes backs him

2 May 2024, 00:06 BST

John Swinney looks set to become Scotland's next first minister after Kate Forbes confirmed she would not challenge him for the SNP leadership.

Mr Swinney, the former deputy first minister and party leader, announced his intention to succeed Humza Yousaf and offered Ms Forbes a "significant" role in his government.

Ms Forbes later confirmed in a statement she would not stand in the contest and endorsed Mr Swinney.

The former finance secretary had been the only other SNP politician to publicly state she was considering a leadership bid.

She said in a statement: "I have concluded that the best way to deliver the urgent change Scotland needs is to join with John Swinney and advocate for that reform agenda within the Scottish government.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c88zvgl9y9go

[wjfox]

The Guardian's Lewis Baston:


Blackpool verdict looks like electoral death sentence for Tories

Fri 3 May 2024 09.43 BST

It was a grim night for the Conservatives and the pain seems likely to extend over the weekend, even if there may be moments of consolation from some mayoral elections.

The Blackpool South byelection was not a routine mid-term setback for the party of government. For a start, it comes well into the fifth year of the parliament and is therefore late-term. The swing is also much higher than normal for mid-terms. We have become used to swings of more than 20 percentage points and Blackpool South is the fifth Conservative seat to fall to Labour on such a large movement in the last year.

No previous parliament since 1945 has had more than two such wins for the main opposition. Blackpool’s verdict looks like an electoral death sentence for the Conservative government. [...]

The swing so far seems to have been particularly high in leave-voting towns, confirming the message of Blackpool South and building on the progress Labour made in the 2023 local elections.

It is very likely that the full results will point to Labour being able to win an overall majority in a general election.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ar ... for-tories

[weatheriscool]

[wjfox]

Excellent. Londoners have rejected hatred, divisiveness, and climate change denial.

[Time_Traveller]

Rishi Sunak 'up for the fight' of a general election despite miserable local results, minister says

Sunday 5 May 2024 16:29, UK

https://e3.365dm.com/24/03/1600x900/sky ... 0322113205

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has insisted Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives are "up for the fight" of a general election, despite their terrible results in this week's local contests.

The party lost 474 councillors across the country after Thursday's vote, as well as high-profile mayoral races - seeing the West Midlands mayor Andy Street booted out by Labour in a tightly fought contest.

Yet Mr Harper insisted the best response for the Tories was to support the prime minister and prepare for the general election, which is expected later this year.

Talking to Sky News' Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, the minister said: "It is always incredibly disappointing when you lose hardworking councillors, police and crime commissioners and fantastic mayors like Andy Street… it was a testament to him that that result was so close… so I can understand people being disappointed by that.

"But I think the key thing that people need to do now is get behind the prime minister, focus on the things the government is focused on delivering - the British people's priorities around the economy, dealing with migration - and get out there and take that fight to the country ahead of the general election."

https://news.sky.com/story/rishi-sunak- ... r-13129629

Ah Mark Harper, one of my old counties MPs until he was promoted by Rishi, in my opinion what a load of dribble from him. The Tories are done, the public have had enough of 14 years of this party time for Rishi to pack his bags and let someone else move into 10 Downing Street.

[Time_Traveller]

Single-sex toilets mandatory in new bars, restaurants and offices under proposed laws

Monday 6 May 2024 08:56, UK



Single-sex toilets are set to become a legal requirement for all new bars, restaurants, offices and shopping centres under new laws proposed by the government.

Self-contained toilets for both sexes may be provided in addition to single-sex toilets, or if there isn't enough space.

Care homes, hotels, schools, cells in custodial facilities, and buildings used for early years provision are all exempt from the proposed legislation.

The law would affect England only and applies to new buildings as well as existing premises that undergo a material change of use.

The government said that in a consultation on the proposals, 81% of respondents agreed "with the intention for separate single-sex toilet facilities" while 82% "agreed with the intention to provide universal toilets where space allows".

https://news.sky.com/story/single-sex-t ... s-13130415

[Time_Traveller]

John Swinney wins SNP leadership unopposed

6 May 2024, 12:21 BST



John Swinney has moved a step closer to becoming Scotland's seventh first minister after being confirmed as SNP leader.

A contest was avoided after a veteran SNP activist withdrew a rival bid following talks with Mr Swinney.

The former deputy first minister is expected to be nominated by MSPs as first minister as early as Tuesday.

Current first minister Humza Yousaf - who announced his resignation last week - said he would formally quit once a new SNP leader was confirmed.

Mr Swinney, who led the SNP between 2000 and 2004, will speak at an event in Glasgow later.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c72pk2qpqevo

[Time_Traveller]

Lib Dems to table no confidence motion in Rishi Sunak to force June general election

1 hour ago



The Liberal Democrats will try to force Rishi Sunak into calling a June general election by tabling a motion of no confidence in the government on Tuesday.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey will table the motion as soon as parliament returns after a brutal set of local elections for the Conservatives.

The motion is unlikely to pass, as it would need the backing of Conservative MPs to bring down Mr Sunak’s government, but Sir Ed said the PM should not be allowed to “desperately cling on to power”.

The prime minister has repeatedly come under pressure to name the date of the general election, with Labour the the Lib Dems accusing him of “squatting” in Downing Street until he is finally forced to go to the polls.

He has said there will be a general election in the “second half” of 2024, but refused to offer details about when.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 40284.html