UK News and Discussions

[Time_Traveller]

New plans to redraw Westminster map of UK unveiled next week - after 11 years and £14m

2 Jun 2021

New plans to change MPs’ seat boundaries will finally be unveiled on Tuesday after Tory ministers wasted £14million on two failed shake-ups.

The Boundary Commission for England will publish its initial plans to redraw the Westminster map for the first time since 2010 - after ministers binned off years of work they did in 2013 and 2018.

This time the final recommendations will take force automatically, unless ministers kill them off with an Act of Parliament.

But the changes will only come into effect in late 2023 - which will be too late for the next election if Boris Johnson decides to call it early.

The review is designed to end the unfairness of some MPs having only 50,000 constituents while others are shared by 100,000.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/ ... p-24236079

[weatheriscool]

Tens of Thousands of British People In Europe Could Soon Become 'Undocumented Migrants' Thanks To Br
Source: Business Insider

Up to 100,000 British citizens living in mainland Europe have less than a month to apply for permanent residency on the continent or risk becoming unauthorized immigrants with the threat of lost rights or deportation.

Under post-Brexit rules, UK citizens who live in countries including France, Malta, and Luxembourg are required to apply for residency by June 30 or risk losing basic rights. But tens of thousands living abroad have still not applied, leading to concerns that those affected could lose access to services such as healthcare as a result of their new status.

"We are now less than a month before our deadline, and people just do not know what the consequences will be -- they don't know exactly how their lives will be impacted," Kalba Meadows, a resident in France who cofounded the citizens-rights group France Rights, told Insider.

"If they haven't applied before the deadline and they aren't due to have reasonable grounds for a late application, they're going to become undocumented migrants. "What the actual consequences of that will be we don't know, but it is highly likely that they will lose access to healthcare. That has serious consequences, especially for the elderly and vulnerable."...

Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/brexit- ... nts-2021-6

[Time_Traveller]

Sky News research finds quarter of controversial statues removed, due to be removed or under review since Edward Colston monument toppled

Sunday 6 June 2021

A quarter of contentious statues have been removed, will be removed or are under review since the Edward Colston monument was toppled last year, according to Sky News research.

Reviewing the statues includes consulting members of the public and gathering views from panellists from across art and culture.

Sky News contacted 44 councils in England, Wales and Scotland who share 84 controversial statues between them. All have been condemned for their ties to slavery and colonialism.

Of the 84 statues, 21 have been removed, are due to be removed or are under review since the statue of slave trader Colston was pulled down in Bristol last year.

https://news.sky.com/story/sky-news-res ... d-12326278

[Ozzie guy]

The BBC is truly amazing they have produced some of my favourite comedy and I imagine they are doing so on a tight budget with actors and staff who haven't yet hit fame. Comedy of course isn't even the TV stations main thing.

[Time_Traveller]

Raise age for sale of cigarettes to 21 and stop ‘tobacco epidemic’, say UK MPs

Wed 9 Jun 2021

MPs have called for a consultation on raising the age for the sale of cigarettes to 21 from 18 in order to end the “tobacco epidemic” by 2030.

The all-party parliamentary group on smoking and health has recommended raising the age of sale from 18 to 21 as part of tougher tobacco regulations to protect children and young people from becoming smokers and help smokers quit.

The recommendations, backed by health charities and medical organisations, also include a “polluter pays” amendment to the health and social care bill to secure funding for a tobacco control programme, forcing manufacturers to pay to deliver the end of smoking.

The cross-party group of MPs and peers has warned the government that it can only build back “better and fairer” from the pandemic by making smoking obsolete and must commit now to the actions needed to secure its vision of a Smokefree 2030.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... -to-21-mps

If it rose to 21, we would join countries like the US and India. Here is also a link to show what countries have a 18 and 21 years of age to smoke. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_age#Europe

[wjfox]

[Yuli Ban]

One in three Brits preferring isolation to seeing friends and family, You Gov survey finds

A
third of Brits are choosing to “stay at home” and have no social contact despite lockdown restrictions easing for summer, a YouGov poll has found.

Asked how many days people had set aside at least an hour to socialise it was revealed that 33 per cent of Brits are still choosing to avoid social contact altogether.

Not going to lie... that's the most British thing I've read in some time.

[Time_Traveller]

Is Sunak trying to make the city of London, the tax haven capital of Europe?

[wjfox]

[Time_Traveller]

Boris Johnson and Joe Biden set to agree 'new Atlantic Charter' ahead of G7 meeting

10 June 2021

Boris Johnson and Joe Biden will set out their joint vision for a "sustainable global recovery" from the coronavirus pandemic when they meet ahead of the G7 summit in Cornwall.

Holding their first face-to-face talks on Thursday, the leaders are expected to agree what has been billed as a new Atlantic Charter - a reference to the declaration of post-war cooperation between Winston Churchill and President Franklin D Roosevelt in 1941.

According to Downing Street, the meeting will focus on climate change, security, the global trading system and defending democracy, as well as efforts to coordinate how transatlantic travel can resume safely.

https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnso ... t-12328896

[wjfox]

[Time_Traveller]

GB News starts tomorrow. It has secured financial backing from media giant Discovery and its contributors are stuffed with pro Brexit/ Spikedonline.com far right unpleasantness.

There is a connection with Discovery and Liberty Global who own Virgin Media. Perhaps UK members could be encouraged to avoid these companies or write to them expressing their displeasure.

[wjfox]

[Time_Traveller]

Irish-language row threatens to derail Northern Ireland government

Mon 14 Jun 2021

A dispute between Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) over an Irish-language act is threatening to derail the Northern Ireland assembly and executive.

Arlene Foster formally resigned as first minister at 1pm on Monday but a standoff between the two biggest parties at Stormont is blocking her designated successor, Paul Givan, 39, from taking the post.

If Sinn Féin and the DUP do not resolve the crisis within seven days – by 1pm on 21 June – the devolved power-sharing institutions will collapse and there will be an early assembly election.

Edwin Poots, the DUP leader, appeared to harden his position on Monday when he declined to say if Irish-language legislation would happen during this mandate. “Time will tell,” he told BBC Radio Ulster.

Sinn Féin has demanded the long-promised legislation as part of the price of rebooting the executive after a change of DUP leadership. It has accused Poots of acting in bad faith.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... government

[Time_Traveller]

14-year-olds could be called up for new national service ‘to heal divided UK’

Monday 14 Jun 2021

A new national service could be brought in to help ‘heal the divisions’ within British society, it has been revealed.

Downing Street is reportedly looking into the idea of having 14 year olds spend a month with students from other schools and backgrounds during the school term.

The teens, from rich and poor families alike, would be put in teams of 12 to bond on camping and hiking trips, reports the Mirror.

They would also be taught new skills and perform activities that benefit their local communities.

The idea is said to have been inspired by a new book from former government education adviser Jon Yates, entitled Fractured: Why our Societies are Coming Apart and How to put them Back Together Again.

https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/14/14-year- ... i=14769035

Anyone for the 21st century version of National Service?

[joe00uk]

Anyone for the 21st century version of National Service?

Actually, this looks like a pretty good idea - although I'd say somewhere between 16-18 is a better age. I think we still have the voluntary National Citizen Service (NCS) which is for 16-17 year olds. I signed up for it when I was that age, and it was quite good fun. There were a few dropouts early on, but for the vast majority of people, it's definitely worthwhile. If the government has the resources to spare for a programme like this, I'd be all for it. Perhaps if some practical work (like some sort of farm work) was involved, it might ease the financial burden.

[Time_Traveller]

Retirees could get record state pension rise next April because of Covid - explained

16 JUN 2021

Retirees could get a record £15 added to their weekly state pension next year - but only if the Conservatives don't derail the £5billion increase.

Every year the state pension will go up by the highest of inflation, 2.5% or average wage growth under an agreement called the triple lock. All governments have backed this since it was introduced in 2010.

The triple lock is set to work in pensioners' favour next year, because wage growth rose 8.4% in the year to April, according to the Office for National Statistics this week.

This record rise in wages is because average earnings were lower during lockdown, then rose again as the country began to return to work.

An 8.4% increase would mean the current full state pension rises £15 a week. That means the current maximum of £179.60 a week would be £194.60 from April 2022.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/retirees ... e-24330635

Well don't break the pension bank Tories, the UK is still one of the lowest state pensions in Europe aren't we still?

[wjfox]

Shocking defeat for the Conservatives in this by-election.

This is equivalent to a U.S. Democrat winning in somewhere like Alabama.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-b ... s-57472032

[Time_Traveller]

Electoral Commission to be stripped of power to prosecute after probe into Boris Johnson’s flat makeover

31 minutes ago

Boris Johnson is to strip the Electoral Commission of the power to prosecute law-breaking, just weeks after it launched an investigation into his controversial flat refurbishment.

The watchdog has been threatened with curbs ever since it embarrassed senior Tory figures by fining Vote Leave for busting spending limits for the Brexit referendum.

Now ministers have announced that a new Elections Bill will remove its ability to prosecute criminal offences under electoral law – arguing it “wastes public money”.

The watchdog launched an immediate protest, warning the move would “place a fetter on the commission which would limit its activity”.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 68407.html

The Tories trying to be more corrupt by stripping the electoral commission after they launched a investigation into Johnson's flat refurbishment.

[Time_Traveller]

Wildflower meadow on White Cliffs of Dover named in honour of Dame Vera Lynn

Friday 18 June 2021

A meadow on the famous White Cliffs of Dover has been renamed in memory of beloved singer Dame Vera Lynn to mark the anniversary of her death.

The picturesque stretch of land by the sea is alive with wildflowers and songbirds and will serve as a lasting tribute to the adored wartime figure.

A lighthouse standing atop the cliffs was to be lit on Thursday in honour of Dame Vera, shining out over the English Channel after being switched on by her daughter.

Dame Vera, who entertained troops with morale-boosting visits to the front line during the Second World War, died aged 103 on June 18 2020.

Her famous lyrics “There’ll be bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover” have seen her forever associated with the beautiful Kent coastline.

https://www.itv.com/news/2021-06-17/wil ... -vera-lynn