UK News and Discussions

[Time_Traveller]

Bibby Stockholm residents’ mental health at risk from overcrowding, MPs say

Fri 2 Feb 2024 13.20 GMT

Overcrowded conditions on the controversial Bibby Stockholm barge, where up to six men are sharing a room designed for one person, may be putting the mental health of asylum seekers at risk, MPs have said.

Last month a delegation of MPs and peers from the cross-party home affairs committee and the joint committee on human rights visited the barge, which accommodates about 300 people in Portland, Dorset, and spoke to residents and staff.

After the visit, the group wrote to Michael Tomlinson, the illegal migration minister, to set out serious concerns about the wellbeing of men on the barge.

The group of MPs and peers said “many asylum seekers expressed mental health concerns”, with one man telling them he had suicidal thoughts as a result of being housed on the barge.

Leonard Farruku, a 27-year-old Albanian man, was found dead on the barge on 12 December 2023 after a suspected suicide.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... ng-mps-say

[weatheriscool]

Northern Ireland gets its first Sinn Fin first minister in historic shift

Source: New York Times

BELFAST — After two full years without a functioning government, Northern Ireland’s Parliament Buildings opened their doors on Saturday and lawmakers returned to work — and one of their first acts will be to name Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill as first minister.

O’Neill, 47, will make history as Northern Ireland’s first republican leader, from a party that wants north and south to come together, someday, as a single country.

“It represents truly historic change in the north and across the island of Ireland,” she said in a statement to The Washington Post.

Calling it a “good day for democracy,” O’Neill noted that the restoration of government “respects the result” of the May 2022 election — when Sinn Féin for the first time won the largest share of seats in the assembly and the right to hold the first minister job under Northern Ireland’s delicate power-sharing agreement.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 ... le-oneill/

[Time_Traveller]

Northern Ireland's new first minister Michelle O'Neill 'contests' claim Irish unity is 'decades' away

Saturday 3 February 2024 21:59, UK

Northern Ireland's new first minister has told Sky News she "absolutely contests" the UK government's claim that a referendum on Irish unity is decades away.

Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill, the first nationalist to occupy the office, described her elevation at Stormont as "a historic day, truly representing a new dawn".

In a document, outlining the basis of the DUP's return to power-sharing, the UK government said it saw "no realistic prospect of a border poll".

But Ms O'Neill said: "I would absolutely contest what the British government have said in that document, in so far as my election to the post of first minister demonstrates the change that's happening on this island.

"That's a good thing. It's a healthy thing because this change I think can benefit us all.

https://news.sky.com/story/northern-ire ... y-13063691

[Time_Traveller]

Protesters climbing war memorials could face jail and £1,000 fine

3 hours ago

Protesters climbing on war memorials could face up to three months in prison under plans being proposed by Home Secretary James Cleverly.

Last year No 10 said it would look into giving police new powers after a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators scaled London's Royal Artillery Memorial.

Now the government has said it intends on making climbing on war memorials a specific public order offence.

Mr Cleverly said scaling memorials was "an insult" and "cannot continue".

He added that a change in the law would punish activists "insulting those who paid the ultimate price for their freedom to protest".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68196289

[Time_Traveller]

Rishi Sunak begins Northern Ireland visit marking power-sharing's return

1 hour ago

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has arrived in Northern Ireland for a visit to mark the return of power-sharing government.

He is due to attend Stormont on Monday with Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar.

Mr Sunak is set to meet ministers, including First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

Power-sharing government was restored in Northern Ireland for the first time in two years on Saturday.

Ms O'Neill made history in becoming Northern Ireland's first nationalist first minister.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern- ... s-68199790

[wjfox]

UK state pension age will soon need to rise to 71, say experts

Mon 5 Feb 2024 05.00 GMT

The retirement age will have to rise to 71 for middle-aged workers across the UK, according to research into the impact of growing life expectancy and falling birthrates on the state pension.

The UK pension age of 66 is set to rise to 67 between May 2026 and March 2028. From 2044, it is expected to rise to 68.

But the research suggests that this is not enough, and that anyone born after April 1970 may have to work until they are 71 before claiming their pension.

This age limit may need to be set even higher, say experts, thanks to the high rate of workers exiting the workforce before they reach state pension age, predominantly due to preventable ill health.

Les Mayhew, associate head of global research at the International Longevity Centre and author of the report State Pension Age and Demographic Change, said: “In the UK, state pension age would need to be 70 or 71 compared with 66 now, to maintain the status quo of the number of workers per state pensioner. But if you bring preventable ill health into the equation, that would have to increase even more.”

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/ ... ay-experts

[firestar464]

Could this be avoided by taxing the rich?

[wjfox]

Could this be avoided by taxing the rich?

Probably. But neither of the main parties seem at all interested in that.

The Tories will always be the party of the rich, and Labour are clearly petrified of announcing even slight deviations from Tory policy.

And by 2050 or thereabouts, I wouldn't be surprised if it's raised to 75+.

[Time_Traveller]

Probably. But neither of the main parties seem at all interested in that.

The Tories will always be the party of the rich, and Labour are clearly petrified of announcing even slight deviations from Tory policy.

And by 2050 or thereabouts, I wouldn't be surprised if it's raised to 75+.

At the moment I retire in 2055, so are they planning working until you die?

[weatheriscool]

[Powers]

I heard it was a prostate one.

[Time_Traveller]

Britain to suffer highest inflation in the G7 in 2024 and 2025, OECD

7 hours ago

Britain will suffer the highest inflation of the G7 group of advanced economies this year and next, new forecasts show.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) lowered its predictions for headline UK inflation to an average of 2.8 per cent in 2024 and 2.4 per cent in 2025, from the 2.9 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively forecast in November.

But this would still see the UK suffer the highest level of inflation of all the G7 countries, which include Canada, Italy, Japan, Germany, France and the US, in both 2024 and 2025.

The OECD also downgraded its forecasts for Britain’s economic growth, meaning the UK economy will be the third-worst performer this year. Just France and Germany are expected to grow less than Britain, while Britain’s economy will grow at the same rate as Italy.

The latest figures are a fresh headache for Rishi Sunak as the general election, expected this autumn, approaches. It means the country will be going to the polls amid a period of sluggish economic performance and inflation still above the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 90688.html

[Time_Traveller]

Dentists to get cash incentives for NHS patients

42 minutes ago



The government is preparing to offer dentists cash incentives to take on extra NHS patients, and send teams to schools to treat children's teeth.

Under a plan to boost services in England seen by the BBC, dentists will receive a "bonus" to take on more NHS patients.

Up to 240 dentists will also be offered £20,000 to work for three years in under-served areas.

There will also be a scheme to tackle dental decay among young children.

Ministers are preparing to unveil details of the "dental recovery plan" on Wednesday.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68171168

[Time_Traveller]

Kwasi Kwarteng to stand down as Spelthorne MP

7 hours ago

Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has announced he will be standing down from Parliament at the next general election.

The MP for Spelthorne in Surrey said on X it had been an "honour to serve the residents of Spelthorne since 2010".

Mr Kwarteng became the UK's first black Conservative cabinet minister in 2021.

A senior figure in former Prime Minister Liz Truss's government, he was sacked as chancellor in October 2022.

He lasted just 38 days in the role after a mini-budget he produced resulted in financial turbulence and a revolt from Tory MPs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-68214536

[Time_Traveller]

Liz Truss targets 'secret Tories' with new campaign

3 hours ago

Liz Truss is back. The former prime minister has launched a campaign to "galvanise" Britain's "secret Conservatives" and fight back against the "left wing extremists" she claims have taken over Britain's institutions.

In a speech in the grand surroundings of Westminster's Emmanuel Centre, Ms Truss said successive Tory governments had failed "to stand up for Conservative values".

She accused Conservative ministers of "pandering to the anti-capitalists" in the environmental movement and elsewhere - and some Tory MPs of caring more about being "popular at London dinner parties" than pursuing policies popular with voters.

She told a hall packed with Britain's leading right wingers, including Professor David Starkey and Vote Leave director Matthew Elliott, that the Popular Conservatism movement would challenge "wokery" and, ultimately, "restore faith in democracy".

What she did not do was directly attack Rishi Sunak. The people behind Popular Conservativism - or Pop Con for short - insist they are not out to undermine the prime minister or wreck his general election campaign.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68218299

Guess who appeared out of the woodwork?

[Time_Traveller]

Councillors’ ‘Dickensian’ comments about disabled children caught on camera

[media]https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/R80KpXTp [/media]

Three Conservative councillors have been forced to apologise after offensive comments on special needs children during a council meeting, including asking if there was ‘something in the water’.

One also questioned why there are “so many people now jumping out with these needs”, asking “where were they in the past when I was at school?”

Another also described how rather than a child having ADHD, they might be “really badly behaved” and “need some form of strict correction”.

It was explained to him that children with special needs were not seen in schools in the 1960s and 1970s because they were placed in institutions.

The attitudes of the councillors were branded “Dickensian” and show the need for more education in this area, a coalition of charities has said.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 92235.html

[Time_Traveller]

UK state pension age will soon need to rise to 71, say experts

Mon 5 Feb 2024 05.00 GMT

The retirement age will have to rise to 71 for middle-aged workers across the UK, according to research into the impact of growing life expectancy and falling birthrates on the state pension.

The UK pension age of 66 is set to rise to 67 between May 2026 and March 2028. From 2044, it is expected to rise to 68.

But the research suggests that this is not enough, and that anyone born after April 1970 may have to work until they are 71 before claiming their pension.

This age limit may need to be set even higher, say experts, thanks to the high rate of workers exiting the workforce before they reach state pension age, predominantly due to preventable ill health.

Les Mayhew, associate head of global research at the International Longevity Centre and author of the report State Pension Age and Demographic Change, said: “In the UK, state pension age would need to be 70 or 71 compared with 66 now, to maintain the status quo of the number of workers per state pensioner. But if you bring preventable ill health into the equation, that would have to increase even more.”

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/ ... ay-experts

This is more on the subject: -

Pension income needed to retire jumps as family costs rise

8 hours ago

A single person will need £31,300 a year for a moderate income in retirement, according to a pensions industry body.

The rising cost of living and an expectation to offer financial support to grandchildren had pushed up the income required by £8,000, it said.

The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) uses evidence from focus groups to make the estimates.

It is intended as a guide for those planning their retirement savings.

The rise is primarily the result of rising food and energy costs, researchers said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68222807

[Time_Traveller]

HS2 now offers 'very poor value for money', MPs warn

19 hours ago



The cancellation of HS2's northern legs means the project will be "very poor value for money", MPs have warned.

The Public Accounts Committee report also said it was "sceptical" government would attract enough private investment to build a key new station at Euston.

The Department for Transport disagreed with the report and said HS2 would be built "at the lowest reasonable cost".

It comes as separate analysis suggests the UK's big infrastructure projects are too expensive and take too long.

In October, the prime minister announced the parts of the high-speed rail line linking the West Midlands to Manchester, and to the East Midlands, would be cancelled due to spiralling costs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68217031

It's getting interesting year by year, never trust a Tory in anything?

[wjfox]

Pretty accurate.

Although I disagree with him on a couple of things, e.g. Corbyn (IMO the worst Labour leader ever).

[Time_Traveller]

Minimum alcohol unit price in Scotland to rise to 65p

1 hour ago

The minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol in Scotland is to be raised from 50p to 65p, it has been announced.

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison announced the plan on Thursday in a statement to Holyrood.

This means shops in Scotland will not be able to sell a bottle of wine for less than £6.09.

Scotland was the first country in the world to set a minimum price at which alcoholic drinks can be sold when the policy was introduced in May 2018.

A sunset clause in the legislation mean the current regulations will expire at the end of April.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-68238846