thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Why The Labour Leadership Race Just Got Very Interesting

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Russian to judgement?
“Solidarity!” That’s the phrase John McDonnell has ended most of his speeches with throughout his 40-year political career. Like Jeremy Corbyn, he’s used it to sum up the socialist international spirit that has powered their worldview since the 1970s to today.
Solidarity also happened to be the name of the Polish political movement that fought Soviet communism to demand rights for independent trade unions and citizens more broadly. And that’s a bitter irony not lost on internal and external critics of the Left of the Labour party.
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Today, Lisa Nandy went for the political jugular as she used her most substantive speech to date to attack Corbyn’s handling of Moscow. When the Salisbury poisonings took place, the Labour leader decided “to show solidarity with Putin, rather the Russian people”, she said. “We failed to live up to our values and I never want to see us do that again..We failed the test of solidarity.”
Nandy pointed out that Putin’s authoritarian regime discriminates against LGBT people, demonises Muslims and invades its neighbours. She swiftly faced a backlash from Corbyn’s former policy chief Andrew Fisher, who said he had only sought “categorical evidence” on Salisbury, and had repeatedly criticised Russia’s human rights. While Nandy hinted Corbyn’s instinct was to believe Moscow, Corbyn’s defenders will argue he simply refused to rush to judgement based on few facts.
Yet Nandy seemed to be making a wider point: that Corbyn’s anti-Americanism often leads him to spend more time attacking the US than standing up for those oppressed by undemocratic, gangster states. This was starkly illustrated when Corbyn demonstrated against the killing of Qasem Soleimani, but wasn’t at any demonstrations supporting Iranians furious at Tehran shooting down the Ukrainian airliner.
As Nandy was speaking, news was filtering through of Vladimir Putin’s latest authoritarian powergrab. Few know exactly what the ex-KGB agent is planning, but it looks like he wants to make himself leader for a very, very long time (as head of a beefed up ‘state council’ or even as beefed-up prime minister with no term limits).
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Now, this isn’t a risk-free move from Nandy. It may backfire among Corbyn supporters who feel he has long been wrongly depicted as a Soviet agent (a charge he successfully ridiculed in 2018). But it will send a three-pronged message to many Labour members, including all those new ‘registered supporters’ signing up: that she’s prepared to make big calls, has not been part of the Corbyn shadow cabinet and can rework the party’s internationalism.
Even members of Momentum could be attracted by her main pitch of standing up for values like human rights and immigration (she bigged up EU free movement today). A new set of polling stats and analysis from academic Tim Bale tonight shows that only 52%* of Momentum members list Rebecca Long-Bailey as their first choice.
In the YouGov/Party Members Project survey, Keir Starmer polled 15% of the Momentum vote, Emily Thornberry 8%, Nandy 7%and Jess Phillips 5%. That suggests Momentum members won’t act as a monolithic bloc when they finally vote for the leadership - and that Momentum’s controversial ballot could expose the difficulties facing Long-Bailey.
And yet the shadow business secretary will certainly be feeling happier than any other contender tonight, after the new LabourList/Survation poll of members. It put her in the lead on first preferences, with 42% to Starmer’s 39%. Phillips was on 9% and Nandy on just 7%, Thornberry on 1%. If Nandy can’t increase that number and increase it rapidly, she’s in trouble.
Now there’s got to be a big health warning to the Survation poll. It is a poll of LabourList readers who identify as Labour party members, and those who read the website may well not be representative of the wider membership. YouGov (which gave Starmer a decent lead) has a longer record of accuracy in Labour leadership races.
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But the Survation poll shows Starmer is not the dead cert many have assumed. On the deputy leadership, it also also puts Angela Rayner way ahead on 60% (41 points ahead of her nearest challenger), which will prompt many to ask again why she isn’t running for the top job herself.
Long-Bailey did a decent job in the Commons today setting out her green industrial agenda, and you can see Labour members liking that. By contrast, Nandy jibed today she never used the phrase ‘Green New Deal’ because it “means absolutely nothing to most of my constituents”. As on Russia, Nandy’s pitch seemed as much to the public as to her party. Whether that’s ultimately a tactical error, we will find out in coming polls.
Long-Bailey has been long ridiculed for being the ‘continuity Corbyn’ candidate, yet her own emphasis on his socialist Labour values puts her in a strong position. It’s not just the Survation poll that helps her either.
The YouGov/Members Project figures tonight found that ‘strong political convictions’ was the number one leadership quality demanded by Labour members (ahead of being able to appeal to the average voter, to unite the party and being ‘intelligent’). And Long-Bailey came top on that measure.
It’s a reminder this race may be both more complex, and more simple, than many think.
*FOOTNOTE: An earlier version of this article included different percentages on support among Momentum members, due to an error in initial figures supplied by Tim Bale.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Rebecca Long-Bailey Leading Labour Leadership Race - Poll

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A new poll has suggested Rebecca Long-Bailey would narrowly win in the race to become leader of the Labour Party.
A Survation poll of almost 4,000 party members for the LabourList website suggests Long-Bailey, seen as the most left-wing ‘Corbynite’ candidate, would win 42% of votes in the first round and Keir Starmer, viewed as the frontrunner, would receive 37%.
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Other candidates were far behind. Jess Phillips is on 9%, Lisa Nandy polled 7% and Emily Thornberry just 1%.
Long-Bailey would then lead 51% to 49% over Starmer once second preferences are factored in, and win the battle.
The survey of LabourList readers was weighted to reflect the party’s membership.
Labour leadership voting intention (after second preferences):
R. Long-Bailey: 51%
K. Starmer: 49%
via @Survation, 08 - 13 Jan
Note:
Survey of LabourList readers weighted to reflect Labour's membershiphttps://t.co/QqwHJhZpU0 https://t.co/mQHhsmlTwR — Britain Elects (@britainelects) January 15, 2020
The poll is in stark contrast to a YouGov survey earlier this month that had Starmer comfortably leading the race to take over from Jeremy Corbyn.
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That survey of 1,059 members had Starmer out in front in each round under the party’s preferential voting system.
The system knocks out the least popular candidates until one has more than 50%.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--What Boris Johnson’s Flybe Rescue Says About This Tory Government

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A Tory prime minister facing questions over whether he still believes in free market capitalism one month into office is truly a rare thing.
But Boris Johnson’s decision to rescue airline Flybe from the brink of collapse has prompted just that, as well as causing fury in the industry and raising eyebrows across Westminster.
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“It shouldn’t come as a shock to you,” a No.10 source said, as reporters questioned whether Johnson was living up to his billing as a “Brexity Hezza” - a reference to interventionist ex-cabinet minister Lord Heseltine.
And Tory insiders across the board have told HuffPost UK that the decision to bail out an ailing company in the name of protecting regional connectivity very much sets down a marker for how the Johnson government, with Dominic Cummings pulling the strings, will operate.
Downing Street pointed to Johnson’s mission to “level up” the UK by boosting the regions through infrastructure investment, having won an 80-seat majority by taking seats traditionally starved for investment.
The move follows the trend set by one of the party northern “blue wall” trailblazers, Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, who saved the local airport by nationalising it, in an ideologically surprising move for a Tory leader.
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But it is one that is paying dividends for Houchen’s constituents, many of whom are first time Tory voters.
The thinking behind Johnson’s decision on Flybe was similar – to save regional routes between places like Belfast, Newcastle, Newquay, Aberdeen, Exeter, Cardiff and Birmingham, used by eight million people a year that would have disappeared had the airline gone bust.
“The PM is concerned about infrastructure and regional connectivity. He has set that out many times and I think that is the very clear reason why [the government helped Flybe],” the No.10 source said.
And Houchen himself said: “Once these critical air links are gone, be it through a regional airport closing or the loss of airlines that serve the regions, they rarely ever come back. For our regions to prosper we need strong air links.”
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen with Boris Johnson PA Wire/PA Images
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One Tory MP, seen as a rising star in the party, said: “It shows three things – job losses in the regions is something we will not tolerate; the government is not economically liberal – we will intervene on the side of people regardless of longer term, wider impacts of that; and the treasury is not going to be an obstacle to doing this.”
Moreover, there is little resistance within a party seen as the guardian of the free market.
“No one is really thinking yet, all are in post-election euphoria,” the MP said, adding: “The economically liberal right is smaller than you think.”
They conceded it raises questions in the long run about “what happens to a low tax, economically liberal agenda”.
But now it appears that Johnson, along with a figure like Cummings who has strongly criticised the Tory party, is not going to be wedded to the ideologies of the past.
“Across government the main focus has been on delivering the people’s priorities, rather than being driven by ideological whims,” one Whitehall source said.
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“Previous Tory governments might have made some philosophical determination that this is just the market working effectively, the state shouldn’t subsidise failure and so on.
“But this government just works out what people care about and does it.”
Back during the election, a Tory insider from the same Vote Leave clan as Cummings pointed toward the direction of travel, insisting the PM’s chief of staff “is not obsessed with free trade”.
And this could shape what the government prioritises in its Brexit trade deal talks with the EU over the coming year.
“Dom’s view is reshape the economy,” they said, “and the advantage of free trade is less about getting cheap sweatshirts from China, and more about being able to use state aid and government policies, increasing research spending, with the pressure of imports driving up standards.
“You restart as a tiger economy with a degree of protectionism at first and then, when you are starting to thrive, open up.”
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The classic Labour-Tory divide is now “old”, they said.
“I think there will be a post-financial crisis consensus when you look back in 20 years.
“And it will be a mix of resetting industries, tighter on immigration, public funding for specific areas – NHS, education and police and so on – and I think that will be the consensus.
“I think the Tories are adjusting to it and Labour are not yet.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--US House Of Representatives Delivers Articles Of Impeachment To Senate

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The US House of Representatives has voted to send articles of impeachment against president Donald Trump to the Senate nearly one month after voting to impeach him, clearing the way for his trial to begin.
Members of the House later formally marched the impeachment articles over to the Senate, following tradition.
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Earlier on Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the seven lawmakers she had chosen to act as managers in the Senate trial, arguing the case for removing Trump from office.
Due to Republicans’ control of the Senate, the president will most likely be acquitted.
The two articles of impeachment approved on December 18 ― abuse of power and obstruction of Congress ― involve Trump’s dealings with Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump is accused of attempting to use congressionally approved military aid earmarked for Ukraine as leverage to advance conspiracy theories about the 2016 election and to make trouble for a key 2020 rival, former vice president Joe Biden. Impeachment advocates have pointed to a particular phrase, “do us a favour”, which Trump used in a July phone call with Zelensky, to argue that he was abusing his power.
House sergeant at arms Paul Irving and clerk of the House Cheryl Johnson carry the articles of impeachment on Capitol Hill in Washington. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Do me a favour?” Pelosi said on Wednesday on the House floor as she recapped the president’s alleged wrongdoing. “Do you paint houses, too? What is this, ‘do me a favour’?”
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Trump, the speaker said, had launched “an assault on the US Constitution” and “gave us no choice” but to pursue impeachment.
During the weekslong delay imposed by Pelosi, Democrats had hoped to secure assurances from Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell about how the trial would be conducted, but received none.
In the interim, however, new evidence emerged in the form of a cache of emails that offered new details about the Ukrainian aid. In one email, an Office of Management and Budget official told a top Pentagon official there was “[c]lear direction from POTUS to hold”, referring to the aid.
Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer have pressed for new witnesses and documentation to be introduced. They are reportedly very close to securing support from four Republican senators, which would give them just enough leverage to issue subpoenas.
“Time has been our friend in all of this,” Pelosi said earlier on Wednesday.
Impeachment hearings in the House held late last year produced an array of testimony from State Department officials, but the Trump administration has blocked people who were closest to the conversations with Ukraine from speaking to investigators. One such official, former national security adviser John Bolton, said earlier this month he would testify if the Senate subpoenas him ― putting pressure on Republicans to do so. Trump has said he would move to block a subpoena on grounds of executive privilege.
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McConnell and other top GOP leaders, however, have been extremely dismissive about the prospect of a trial, with McConnell going so far as to say he would be “coordinating with the White House”.
“I’m not an impartial juror. This is a political process. There’s not anything judicial about it,” he told reporters in December.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--We Checked And, Yes, Harry And Meghan Will Have To Pay Tax

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Senior royals are rarely seen filling out tax returns – not just because that would be a really weird time to get your picture taken, but because most of them are exempt from paying tax at all.
But Harry and Meghan’s announcement they will “step back” as “senior” members of the royal family has thrown up many a question – where will they live? What does the Queen think? Will Piers Morgan ever recover?
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There’s also a fair bit of speculation about what this unprecedented situation actually entails, not least about their finances.
The couple plan to become “financially independent” – which, for Harry, means leaving behind the world of sovereign grants and other royal funding streams and stepping into the regular joe world of earnings and taxes.
Let’s start with some crucial, but very basic, information.
Citizenship and Meghan
Meghan is a US citizen and as such is subject to US tax law, not ours. This would obviously change if she acquired British citizenship; at the time of their engagement in 2017, Kensington Palace said she would be applying.
The palace also said this would be through regular channels and there wouldn’t be any special treatment for the royal-to-be.
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Someone applying for British citizenship must have been in the UK for five years before they can apply, meaning she still has a couple of years to wait.
Toby Melville / Reuters
BUT – and it’s a big but – there has been no update on this process since the couple announced their plan to split their time between the UK and Canada.
And if they spend more than 270 days outside of the UK in the three years up to her application, Meghan will no longer be eligible at all.
Citizenship and Prince Harry
Harry, as you’ll no doubt be aware, is a British citizen. But he’s no ordinary British citizen – he’s a royal British citizen.
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The royal family actually have tax-exempt status and, historically, members including the Queen have taken advantage of this perk of the job.
But this changed in the 1990s which was a bit of a... difficult decade for Her Maj and co, and public opinion was at a low point.
When Windsor Castle caught fire in 1992 there were concerns that taxpayers would have to foot the bill for the castle’s repairs.
Ultimately, the Queen agreed to pay 70% of the £36.5m costs by opening Buckingham Palace to the public for the first time to generate extra income. She also announced that she would pay income tax for the first time.
Peter Nicholls / Reuters
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Most of Harry’s money comes from Prince Charles’ Duchy of Cornwall income and the Prince of Wales has been a bit better on the tax front, voluntarily paying it since 1969.
But now Harry and Meghan have declared their wish to be “financially independent”, they are likely to be treated like the rest of us when it comes to tax.
OK, so what does that mean?
The most likely scenario is that Meghan will remain a US citizen for at least the next two or three years and be subject to US tax law, and that Harry will remain a UK citizen and become subject to UK tax law.
Why is this the most likely scenario?
Meghan doesn’t really have any other option right now as any application for British citizenship is still a while off.
Harry will remain a British citizen for the foreseeable future at the very least. Even though he’s bucked quite a few royal trends lately, applying for citizenship of another country would be a pretty bold move for a British prince.
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And even if Harry or Meghan or both applied for Canadian citizenship, they would have to have lived in Canada for three out of the last five years so would still be a little way off.
As it stands, Meghan will only be liable to pay tax in the UK in limited scenarios as she is not “domiciled” in the UK – that is, treating it as her permanent home.
Dr Laura Sant, director at Carthy Accountants and part of the Experts for Expats network, told HuffPost UK: “Because she’s not domiciled in the UK she can elect to be taxed on the remittance basis of taxation.
“What this means is that any income she earns outside of the UK, as long as she doesn’t physically remit it into the UK – bring it in in cash, or buy a really expensive painting and bring that into the UK – then that would remain outside the scope of UK taxation.”
If she does earn any money in the UK, it would be subject to UK tax laws but also to something called a double tax treaty – but we’ll come to those in a bit.
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What does British tax law say about people earning loads of money abroad?
Quite a lot, as you might expect.
But first we need to introduce you to a couple of terms.
First up, residency.
It’s not so much about citizenship and domicile, it’s about the residency conditions. If Harry’s going to be splitting his time and spending at least six months of the year in the UK, he’s going to remain a UK tax resident.
The UK and Canada have similar rules about what qualifies you as a tax-paying resident of both countries.
It can vary from person to person but generally speaking, if you spend 183 days (that is, more than half a year) in either, you are a tax resident of that country and have to pay tax in that country.
January 9th 2020 - Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex and Duchess Meghan of Sussex intend to step back their duties and responsibilities as senior members of the British Royal Family. - File Photo by: zz/KGC-375/STAR MAX/IPx 2018 7/5/18 Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle The Duchess of Sussex attend the Your Commonwealth Youth Challenge reception at Marlborough House. (London, England, UK) zz/KGC-375/STAR MAX/IPx
Harry and Meghan have so far only said they will “balance their time” between the UK and Canada. If it turns out that means spending 183 or more days of the year in Canada, then this entire article is null and void and we’ll have to write another one.
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So let’s assume they will be spending most of the year in the UK, which does seem more likely at this stage.
The second term is DTTs, or double tax treaties. They’re a bit complicated and boring so we’ll keep it simple.
“The UK has DTTs with most countries in the world and they are set up so individuals aren’t being doubly taxed on income,” says Sant.
And that is essentially it.
OK, what about all that money Harry is going to earn?
One of the more plausible forms of money-making for Harry would be public speaking so let’s imagine he’s off to the US for a speaking tour. Sant says: “As a starting point, the US would want to tax it.
“You then have to look at the DTT between the UK and the US to see whether the US do have a right to tax him and then the UK would want to tax him as well.
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“As long as there is a DTT between the UK and the country he is doing the work in, then he should be relieved from double taxation.”
Give me the bottom line
Meghan would only be subject to tax on UK sources of income.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Exclusive: Meghan Markle Targeted By Hundreds Of Racist And Sexist Tweets Amid Plan To Step Back

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Hundreds of tweets containing sexist and racist abuse aimed at Meghan Markle were posted following the announcement that she and Prince Harry were quitting royal duties.
A study for HuffPost UK carried out by digital journalism analysts at the University of Sunderland captured the offensive posts mentioning the Duchess of Sussex.
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Some 400 tweets were captured in the the most severe category of abuse, containing sexist and racist insults.
Phrases included “self-loathing race traitor”, “trailer trash”, “meghan the queen, of monkey island”, “the woke Meghan bint” and “poisonous cow”. Markle was also described as a “bitch”, “c*nt”, “whore”, “slut” and “witch”, among other terms.
Responding to the analysis, Dr John Price, senior lecturer in journalism at Sunderland, said: “These results give a sense of the levels of abuse that have been published about Meghan Markle in the days after the announcement.
“There will be many more tweets not captured in the study, as racism and misogyny are often expressed in more subtle terms that do not use overtly abusive language.
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in Johannesburg, South Africa last year. Toby Melville / Reuters
“The vast amount of abuse captured in these findings is startling. It shows that aspects of social media, such as Twitter, have become a haven for people wishing to express hatred against women.”
Researchers set up a program using negative sentiment analysis to capture all tweets mentioning variations of the duchess’ name and an array of commonly used misogynistic and racist terms of abuse.
The sample of social media posts was collected between the time of the royal couple’s announcement on January 8 and midnight the following day.
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The same researchers previously investigated trolling of female MPs during the 2017 general election.
It comes amid national discussion about the duchess’s treatment by parts of the UK media – and whether it factored into her and Harry’s big announcement.
The couple have faced significant media scrutiny and Markle has endured frequent racist abuse from the public, especially online.
In July, presenter Eamonn Holmes came under fire for calling Markle “uppity” on This Morning during a discussion about the Duchess’s requests for privacy with reporter Lainey Lui who was in Canada.
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Historically the word was used in the US in the 19th Century as an insult to Black people who “didn’t know their place”.
During an interview on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu suggested the treatment of Meghan Markle in the media was symptomatic of racism in the UK.
She also claimed anchor Piers Morgan was “spouting [...] nasty and vile comments” loaded with “bigotry, misogyny, sexism and racism” aimed at the duchess.
The Labour leader’s spokesperson said: “Jeremy has commented in the past in relation to Prince Harry and Meghan, about press intrusion and its impact on people and their families and, to use Prince Harry’s words as well, the ‘racial undertones’ in relation to how the media has approached Meghan.”
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Corbyn’s message came as another Labour MP, Holly Lynch, told HuffPost UK that Meghan had been “hounded” by the press.
Lynch, who was personally phoned by the duchess last year to thank her for an open letter signed by 72 female MPs attacking “colonial undertones” of her treatment, said it was time to “call out” the media “frenzy” around the Sussexes’ decision to step away from the royal family.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Boris Johnson Wants Social Care Talks With Labour Before Corbyn Quits

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Boris Johnson wants to begin cross-party talks on solving the social care crisis within the first 100 days of his government, it is understood.
It will mean the prime minister will not wait for the new Labour leader to take office on April 4, creating an immediate headache for Jeremy Corbyn’s successor.
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Johnson was accused of breaking a Downing Street promise in July to “fix the crisis in social care once and for all [...] with a clear plan we have prepared” when the Tory manifesto subsequently contained only a vague pledge to hold talks with opposition parties to find a solution.
Under questioning on the issue earlier this week, the PM promised to come up with a “massive plan” to fund care for the elderly by the end of the year.
A senior government source has now confirmed that the government aims to begin cross-party talks on a new social care policy within its first 100 days – that is, by March 22.
Whitehall is already working up ideas on how to deliver on Johnson’s pledge that no one needing care will be forced to sell their home to pay for it, and this will form the basis for talks.
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Another government insider said it would be an “early opportunity to show leadership” for the new Labour leader when they take over on April 4.
Earlier, a spokesperson for Corbyn was sceptical about the government’s plans.
They told reporters: “If the government wanted to have a viable long-term social care policy they could have a look at what we laid out in the manifesto.
“As a matter of historical fact, on the efforts to go cross-party, there was the effort before the 2010 election which the Tories pulled the plug on and accused Gordon Brown of trying to have a ‘death tax’.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Russian Government Quits As Vladimir Putin Proposes Plans To 'Stay In Charge For Life'

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Russia’s government has unexpectedly resigned after president Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping reforms that could allow him to stay in charge of the country after his presidency ends.
The changes mean Putin could end up taking over as prime minister when he is forced to step down as president in 2024.
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The country’s current prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, announced he was on state TV while sitting next to Putin.
Medvedev is a long-time Putin ally who served as a placeholder president between 2008 and 2012 to allow him to observe term limits.
The constitutional shake-up proposed by Putin, 67, could allow him to rule in another capacity after his current term ends in 2024.
The plans shift power away from the president to parliament and the prime minister, and the move – if implemented – would add to speculation about Putin’s future plans.
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Putin has remained at the helm for more than 20 years – longer than any other Russian or Soviet leader since Josef Stalin.
““The only goal of Putin and his regime is to stay in charge for life, having the entire country as his personal asset and seizing its riches for himself and his friends."”
Political analyst Kirill Rogov said Putin’s proposals indicate his intention to remain in charge while redistributing powers between various branches of government.
“Such a model resembling the Chinese one would allow Putin to stay at the helm indefinitely while encouraging rivalry between potential successors,” Rogov said on Facebook.
Alexei Navalny, the most prominent Russian opposition leader, tweeted that the president’s speech signalled Putin’s desire to continue calling the shots after his term ends.
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“The only goal of Putin and his regime is to stay in charge for life, having the entire country as his personal asset and seizing its riches for himself and his friends,” Navalny alleged.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with his Serbian counterpart in Sochi on December 4, 2019 SHAMIL ZHUMATOV via Getty Images
In his state of the nation address earlier in on Wednesday, Putin suggested amending the constitution to allow politicians to name prime ministers and cabinet members. That means Putin himself could end up being named PM – or filling another role.
The authority to make those appointments currently belongs to Russia’s president.
“It will increase the role of parliament and parliamentary parties, powers and independence of the prime minister and all cabinet members,” Putin told an audience of top officials and politicians.
Attention now turns to who becomes the next prime minister. The array of possible candidates includes Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who is credited with breathing new life into the capital.
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Whoever he picks as prime minister will inevitably be viewed as a possible presidential successor – echoing the way that Putin stepped down from the presidency in 2008 to become prime minister under Medvedev, who then stepped aside four years later to allow Putin to resume the presidency.
In power in one of the two roles since 1999, Putin will step down when his fourth presidential term ends.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Excluding Children Does Not Stop Them Behaving Badly

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I got into politics because I am passionate about social justice. How much someone achieves in their life should not be determined by where they grew up, the colour of their skin or how much their parents earn.
Giving every child a great start in life – a great education – is key to tackling these injustices. So, it’s an even greater injustice when a child’s education is disrupted because we aren’t prepared to give them the support they need to learn effectively.
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In 2017/18, just under 8,000 children were permanently excluded from school. Around a third of these were simply for “persistent disruptive behaviour”: more than physical assault, verbal abuse, theft or drug addiction.
You would think that schools would be using exclusions as a last resort. But, instead, permanent exclusions are 50% higher than they were in 2013 – levels not seen since the end of the last Labour government.
Trends like this aren’t because children’s behaviour is worsening. They’re down to a worrying culture shift in how our schools deal with disruptive children.
This is concerning in and of itself. But it is also a problem because of who these children are.
45% of children expelled from school have special educational needs or a disability – and half of these have social, emotional or mental health difficulties.
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You’re almost three times more likely to be permanently excluded if your family is Black Caribbean than if you are white. And you’re four times more likely to be permanently excluded if you receive free school lunches than if you don’t.
Any government worth its salt would look at these trends and want to address them so that schools can improve their pupils’ behaviour and keep them in a mainstream setting.
But no. Instead, the Conservative manifesto makes it clear. If children are behaving badly, they “back heads to use exclusions.” This shift in how schools deal with bad behaviour is being encouraged by Conservative Ministers.
Why have they done this? I have my hunches. Excluding pupils is easy. If a child who really struggles at school behaves badly because they don’t want to be there, it’s easiest for them not to be there.
Meanwhile, the structural and cultural failures in our schools go unaddressed year after year.
Like the perverse incentives in our testing system that encourage headteachers to quietly take students off the school roll before GCSEs begin.
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Or the counsellors, teaching assistants and other support staff who have been axed from our schools because of budget cuts since 2015.
Or the inadequate investment in our children’s mental health services.
I am determined to stop the government getting away with taking the easy option.
We need to lower the stakes of testing, replacing Ofsted and league tables with measures that will support schools to succeed rather than punishing them for failure. We need to invest thousands of pounds more in support for every child with complex special educational needs. And we need to improve waiting times in our mental health services so that every child with a diagnosed condition can receive treatment on the NHS.
Exclusion should only ever be a last resort. But under the Conservatives, it’s become the easy option. Rather than addressing the causes of why children are excluded, we have a Government that is happy for schools to pass the problems on to someone else.
It’s time that we got serious about supporting our most vulnerable children. Liberal Democrats will campaign to make every school one where children come home happy, healthy and with the skills they need to succeed in life.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--A Favourite Couple Emerge After First Pie Of The Series  | Love Island Unpacked

A Favourite Couple Emerge After First Pie Of The Series | Love Island Unpacked
Tuesday’s episode of Love Island saw twins Jess and Eve getting their graft on as they chose to couple up with Callum and Mike, leaving Shaughna and Leanne single. But a recoupling later in the week could leave the twins with egg on their faces.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Sex Education Season 2: Cast, Release Date, Setting And Everything Else To Know About The Netflix Sh

Sex Education Season 2: Cast, Release Date, Setting And Everything Else To Know About The Netflix Show's Return

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In the age of streaming, where there is almost too much choice when it comes to deciding what to watch, it can be hard for platforms like Netflix to have a break-out hit that really gets everyone talking.
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The teen drama follows socially-awkward high school student Otis, who lives with his sex therapist mother, Jean, and sets up his own sex clinic at his school to capitalise on the knowledge he’s absorbed from his mum.
With fans gearing up for the release of the second series later this week, here are the answers to all your burning questions...
Sam Taylor/Netflix
What happened at the end of Sex Education series 1?
If you’re anything like us, you probably binged the entirety of season one in a single sitting, so the whole thing might seem like a bit of a blur now
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For those in a need of a little refresher, the end of the series saw Maeve finally realise her feelings for Otis after breaking up with Jackson. But having thought he stood no chance with her, Otis had grown close to Ola, with the pair sharing a kiss that was witnessed by a crushed Maeve.
The kiss also awakened Otis’ sexual desires, after which the character was finally able to masturbate (you’ll remember that his inability to was a recurring theme throughout the first series).
Elsewhere, Adam finally gave into his growing attracting to Eric, but any chances of a long-term romance were scuppered when he was packed off to military school, after his parents were no longer able to cope with his behaviour.
You can watch a more detailed overview of the first series below...
Who is in the Sex Eduction season 2 cast?
The main players from series one are all returning for the new run of episodes.
Asa Butterfield will reprise his role a lead character Otis, while Gillian Anderson is back as his mother, Jean.
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Also returning are Emma Mackey (Maeve), Ncuti Gatwa (Eric), Aimee-Lou Wood (Aimee), Connor Swindells (Adam), Kedar Williams-Stirling (Jackson), Tanya Reynolds (Lily), and Patricia Allison (Ola).
There are also plenty of new faces joining for the new series too.
Newcomer Chinenye Ezeudu plays Viv, a super intelligent, multi-talented academic student, who is anything but gifted when it comes to love.
Sam Taylor/Netflix
French actor Sami Outalbali plays Rahim, a French student who turns heads when he joins Moordale Secondary.
Sam Taylor/Netflix
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Fellow newcomer George Robinson plays Isaac, who creates waves when he moves into Maeve’s caravan park.
Sam Taylor/Netflix
What is Sex Education series 2 about?
An official synopsis from Netflix reads: “As a late bloomer Otis must master his newly discovered sexual urges in order to progress with his girlfriend Ola whilst also dealing with his now strained relationship with Maeve.
“Meanwhile, Moordale Secondary is in the throes of a chlamydia outbreak, highlighting the need for better sex education at the school and new kids come to town who will challenge the status quo.”
Sam Taylor/Netflix
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The description continues: “Maeve and Aimee’s BFF relationship is stronger than ever since Aimee ditched ‘the Untouchables’.
“Eric notices his new-found self-confidence attracting unfamiliar kinds of attention. Adam is at military school, still conflicted by his feelings for Eric.
Sam Taylor/Netflix
“Lily has hit pause on her sexual endeavours to focus on her creative talents and finds a new found friend in Ola.
“Jackson is forced to flex his mental rather than physical muscle and is still buckling under the pressure from his parents to succeed.
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“Jean and Jakob’s relationship is discovered and they have to learn how to operate as a blended family. Jean forms an unlikely connection with Mrs Groff and a friendship between the two women begins to form.”
Sam Taylor/Netflix
When is Sex Eduction series 2 out?
Eight brand new episodes will begin streaming on Netflix on the morning of Friday 17 January – perfect for binging over the weekend.
What have people been saying about Sex Eduction series 2?
“It’s a strong follow-up season of the show as it continues to embrace diverse sexualities and relationships and celebrate them in all their glory - warts and all. It also develops the world of the show and the character’s personalities and wants more, and leaves us eagerly anticipating the third run.”
“The appealing performances and fundamental empathy remain — enough to ultimately make this a rewarding return — but Season Two keeps going off into more clichéd and less interesting territory.”
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“It’s very difficult to find anything to complain about in this infectious and often informative comedy. It’s the type of show that, considering its subject matter and the aforementioned US-UK hybrid aesthetic, could so easily have felt a bit forced and uncomfortable, but instead it comes across as natural and effortless; effortlessly charming, effortlessly witty and just so effortlessly enjoyable.”
“Though comedy often takes a back-seat in favour of thornier issues – this second season is far less lewd, sometimes to its detriment – Sex Education boasts enough moments of true hilarity to maintain pace. The school production of Romeo and Juliet, which closes the season, is even hornier than Tom Hooper’s recent adaptation of Cats – calamitous, ludicrous viewing from start to finish.”
Sam Taylor/Netflix
Where is Sex Education set?
Given the show’s US-UK hybrid aesthetic, its location has been something of a topic of fascination for fans.
Some have even criticised it for being too American, given it is a British show.
However, last year Sex Education director Ben Taylor explained that the show is meant to be set in “Nowheresville”, but disputed claims this was so the series would appeal to American audiences.
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Netflix
Speaking to Digital Spy, he said: “I know it’s frustrated some viewers, but at no point were we trying to pass it off as America. We were just trying to pass it off as a slightly heightened ‘Nowheresville’.
“I think it was certainly intentional – like it wasn’t an accidental by-product of it. It’s a very designed show.”
He added: “I just wanted to frame a British school experience in a slightly different way.
“I think it felt interesting, not only visually, but I think it does something to the story and the setting and the characters that it is a heightened world, it’s a heightened script.”
Filming of Sex Education actually took place across various locations in South Wales.
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Moordale secondary school uses a former campus at the University of South Wales as its setting, while it is thought Otis and Jean’s house is in the Wye Valley.
Other locations are said to include Symonds Yat, Tintern, and Llandogo and Sterrett’s Caravan Park in Ross-On-Wye.
Um, why is everyone talking about kimchi?
In the run up to the release of the second series, “kimchi” has been the breakout term fans of the show are searching for online.
“Why?” you may ask. Well, in the trailer, one of Otis’ school friends can be seen asking why his semen “tastes of kimchi”.
So clearly either people are suffering with the same problem, or they are not familiar with the Korean side dish made up of salted and fermented vegetables.
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So, can I watch the trailer?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Lisa Nandy Accuses Jeremy Corbyn Of Showing 'Solidarity' With Putin

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Labour leadership candidate Lisa Nandy has sharply criticised Jeremy Corbyn for standing with Russia in the wake of the Salisbury poisoning and showing “solidarity” with Vladimir Putin.
In a speech on foreign policy in central London on Tuesday afternoon, Nandy said the current Labour leadership had been “completely wrong” in its approach to Moscow.
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“Russia is a regime that discriminates against LGBT people, that demonises Muslims and other minorities and suppresses basic rights,” she said.
“It used chemical weapons on the streets of the UK and murdered a homeless person.
“It was completely wrong that our response to this was to cast doubt on what happened and call only for dialogue.
“At a crucial moment we hesitated in condemning the authoritarian regime that supports Donald Trump and invades its neighbours.
“We stood with the Russian government, and not with the people it oppresses, who suffer poverty and discrimination. We failed in a test of solidarity.
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“The Labour leadership failed on Russia and we must put this right.”
Nandy also told HuffPost UK: “What I do know is that when we chose to show solidarity with Putin, rather the Russian people, we failed to live up to our values and I never want to see us do that again.”
The MP for Wigan, who formally launched her campaign on Monday, has said Labour needs to “red bridge” uniting support across different wings and regions to prevent the party’s demise.
Labour leadership candidate Lisa Nandy, MP for Wigan PA Wire/PA Images
Nandy, who was one of Labour’s prominent voices calling for a soft Brexit after the referendum, also criticised Labour’s outgoing leader and others in the shadow cabinet for the failure on the issue.
“We’ve allowed the right to frame the debate into a series of false binaries and in doing so allowed a fully fledged cultural war to be unleashed,” she said.
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“The trap was set: you can be for your country or you can be for the world. And senior Labour politicians rushed headlong into it – it was a serious failure of leadership.”
Labour should have defended free movement and the benefits it brings, Nandy argued, while “recognising it has flaws” and not dismissing concerns “as simply racist anti-immigration sentiment”.
“I believe in free movement,” she said. “If it were paired with renewed and radical investment that enabled opportunities for young people, decent jobs, training and skills – then I know that those concerns about freedom of movement would have fallen away.”
In order to progress to the postal ballot of members and supporters, candidates must get the support of 5% of local parties or three affiliates, including two unions, by February 14.
Nandy won the support of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), while Sir Keir Starmer has been backed by Unison.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Love Island Bosses Address Fan Speculation Over Ollie's Decision To Quit

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Love Island bosses have hit back at speculation surrounding Ollie Williams’ sudden exit.
On Tuesday, bosses confirmed the Cornish land owner had left the villa of his own accord after just three days, with Ollie claiming he felt it would be “wrong” to remain on the show given that he has feelings for his ex-girlfriend.
His swift departure came at a time when he was at the centre of much controversy, after old photos of him posing with dead animals were unearthed.
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This led to hundreds complaining to Ofcom about his participation on the show, while an online petition calling for him to be removed had 38,000 signatories.
Ollie Williams Joel Anderson/ITV/Shutterstock
However, while many fans suspected the backlash may be the real reason for his departure, a Love Island rep has insisted to Digital Spy that this is not the case.
They said: “Ollie made the decision to leave off his own back and explained his reasons for doing so in his quote.
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“He was not made aware whilst he was in the villa of any press stories running around him but as with all Islanders, since leaving the villa he has now been briefed as to what has been written and said about him as part of our duty of care. We will be supporting Ollie as he leaves the villa.”
Earlier this week, it was revealed that more than 200 complaints had been made to Ofcom about Ollie, a figure which doubled in the space of a few days.
Bosses have since announced that two new boys will be entering the villa during Thursday’s show to replace him.
Love Island airs every night on ITV2.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Protester On Trial For 'Assaulting PC With His Voice Through A Megaphone'

James Farrar denies two charges of assault PA Wire/PA Images
A police officer was left with her ear ringing “like a fire alarm going off” when she was allegedly assaulted by a protester’s voice through a megaphone, a court has heard.
James Farrar, 51, was charged with two counts of assault by beating on an emergency worker after he used the loudhailer near to Sergeant James Lewis and Constable Ann Spinks on March 4 last year.
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Prosecutor Terence Woods told jurors that while there was no physical beating, using the megaphone in proximity to the Metropolitan Police officers was an “unlawful application of force”.
Giving evidence, PC Spinks said Farrar “blasted” his voice into her left ear through the megaphone, causing tinnitus for a few days.
Farrar, chairman of the United Private Hire Drivers’ branch of the IWGB union, had organised a weekly Parliament Square demonstration against Transport for London for exempting black cabs from the congestion charge but enforcing it for Uber and minicab drivers.
Southwark Crown Court heard officers with body worn cameras including Sgt Lewis and PC Spinks were told to enter the main body of the protest after some demonstrators climbed on to a flatbed truck.
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PC Spinks, who was acting as a liaison officer between the demonstrators and the police, said Farrar had been warned not to use the megaphone at ear level prior to the alleged assault, after an incident with Sgt Lewis.
She said: “Mr Farrar was still shouting through his megaphone and, during that time he’s shouting, into my left ear came the sound of his voice.
“I told him he had just blasted into my ear and said he had been warned about that and said you can damage people’s hearing shouting through those.”
PC Spinks used her hand to show jurors how close the cone of Farrar’s megaphone was to her head, agreed to be approximately one foot away.
She continued: “I told PC Wayne Tebboth that [Farrar] had blasted the megaphone into my left ear causing ringing, tinnitus, like a fire alarm going off in your ear.
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“My ear at that time had gone bright red and was quite hot to touch.
“The initial ringing in my ear was still happening towards the end of that day and it wasn’t as bad as it had initially been, probably about two or three days after.”
Jurors were told PC Spinks had been diagnosed with a hearing problem several decades ago, leading her to now wear hearing aids in both ears.
Woods said: “I think it is right to say that you many years before had seen somebody about your hearing.”
PC Spinks replied: “Yes. I was told that by the time you’re 50, 55, your hearing will be significantly less than it is now.”
Jurors were later shown footage of PC Spinks standing next to Farrar using the megaphone after he had been asked to lower the megaphone from ear level by Sgt Lewis.
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Icah Peart QC, defending, said: “There was no concern on your face at how he was using his megaphone. You couldn’t be much closer to him, could you.
“It’s always going to be at ear level because it’s going to be at mouth level.”
The court heard that shortly after the incident, PC Spinks described her hearing as if she had been at a loud rock concert.
Peart said: “During that protest, there were all manner of equipment deployed to make noise.
“That’s what the demonstration was like, a loud rock concert. You can’t attribute the ringing in your ear simply because you’ve chosen to stand in front of Mr Farrar’s megaphone.”
“Not specifically, no,” PC Spinks replied.
Farrar, of Seymour Road, Bordon, Hampshire, denies the two charges of assault.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Jeremy Corbyn Attacks ‘Racial Undertones’ Of Meghan Markle’s Media Treatment

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Jeremy Corbyn shares Prince Harry’s concerns over the “racial undertones” of media coverage of his wife Meghan, the Labour Party has revealed.
The Labour leader sympathises with the royal couple over the “press intrusion” and the impact it had on their private life, his spokeswoman said.
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Corbyn’s message of support for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex came as another Labour MP told HuffPost UK that Meghan had been “hounded” by the press.
Holly Lynch, who was personally phoned by the duchess last year to thank her for an open letter signed by 72 female MPs attacking “colonial undertones” of her treatment, said it was time to “call out” the media “frenzy” around the Sussexes’ decision to step away from the royal family.
Corbyn’s stance contrasts with that of Boris Johnson, who told the BBC on Tuesday “I don’t want to in any way deprecate the media” over their coverage of the couple.
The Labour leader’s spokesperson said: “Jeremy has commented in the past in relation to Prince Harry and Meghan, about press intrusion and its impact on people and their families and, to use Prince Harry’s words as well, the ‘racial undertones’ in relation to how the media has approached Meghan.”
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has criticised the racial undertones of negative press coverage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry PA Wire/PA Images
She said that from his own experience Corbyn “understands how press intrusion can have a negative impact on people and their private lives”.
In November 2016, Harry used a statement to attack the “wave of abuse and harassment” Meghan had faced from the media, citing the “racial undertones of comment pieces”.
Since the couple’s decision to break away from the royal family, the racist coverage she has been subjected to has been thrown into the spotlight once more, with many Black Britons and others expressing their anger.
Lynch, MP for Halifax, won support last year after she published an open letter of “solidarity” with Meghan.
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Women MPs from all political parties have put aside our differences to stand in solidarity with the Duchess of Sussex today and are sending her this open letter. pic.twitter.com/ytLHG5qPf4 — Holly Lynch MP (@HollyLynch5) October 29, 2019
MPs including Diane Abbott and Jess Phillips wrote to the duchess directly, saying they “stand with” her and relate to her experience of negative coverage.
In her new blog for HuffPost UK, Lynch said: “Once again it seems that there is a frenzy around the couple playing out in the papers which bears no resemblance to the reality of how the public feel about it, and it needs calling out.
“I don’t believe that in this day and age a woman who is successful in her own right, who marries the sixth in line to the throne, should be expected to stop working, become reliant on the tax-payer and cease overnight to have an opinion of her own.
“Elements of the press have hounded Meghan beyond anything which resembles reasonable. They thought it was entirely within the rules to print what they liked about her and her family.”
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Lynch, a new mother like Meghan, added that female politicians shared the Duchess’s frustration with her treatment.
“Although our roles are very different to Meghan Markle’s, as women in public life, we share in her sense of frustration, that tearing women down has become all too easy.
“The language and tone used is becoming increasingly distasteful and often abusive. In the case of Meghan Markle, the fact that she is not British is often at the forefront of the narrative, and it’s been ugly.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Harry And Meghan's Withdrawal Doesn't Need To Be This Complicated

Meghan and Harry AP
Back in October, I joined with 72 other women MPs from all political parties to send an open letter to the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. The letter made it clear that as women in public life, we stood with her in calling out the persistent invasions of her privacy, the undue criticism and what we described as “colonial undertones”, which were used with increasing frequency in our national press.
Even then, it was clear that the press interest in her had long crossed the line of what was in the public interest, and we were moved to act when the documentary following Harry and Meghan’s visit to Africa, with their young son Archie, laid bare that the insatiable appetite of the press was inevitably taking its toll on the new parents.
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Although our roles are very different to Meghan’s, as women in public life, we share in her sense of frustration that tearing women down has become all too easy. The language and tone used is becoming increasingly distasteful and often abusive. In the case of Meghan Markle, the fact that she is not British is often at the forefront of the narrative, and it’s been ugly.
The contrast between the headlines on stories relating to the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex are stark and obvious and there can only be a limited number of reasons why this is.
The news this week that the royal couple are looking to do things differently, spending only part of their year in the UK and seeking to becoming financially independent from the royal coffers, can have come as a shock to absolutely no-one. The same old newspapers have of course printed their outrage, but I’m yet to meet a real person who is the mildest bit surprised, less bothered by it.
“Elements of the press have hounded Meghan beyond anything which resembles reasonable.”
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Recent YouGov polls suggested that nearly half of Britons (46%) support the couple’s decision, compared to only 27% who oppose it. A survey conducted in August last year – two months before the letter from MPs and the Africa documentary – revealed that 44% of Britons said that the press’s treatment of Harry and Meghan is overly critical with only 23% believing it was fair.
The writing was on the wall that they felt the situation was intolerable, and the British public could see it. The 72 women MPs could see it. What the press hadn’t expected was that Harry and Meghan would change the playing field.
The various royal leaks and crisis-talks filling the front pages in recent days suggest that there has been a breakdown in communication within the royal family. I know nothing about what is going on and so had initially turned down any requests for comments on the grounds that I would only be engaging in speculation.
Yet, once again, it seems that there is a frenzy around the couple playing out in the papers, which bears no resemblance to the reality of how the public feel about it, and it needs calling out.
I don’t believe that in this day and age a woman who is successful in her own right, who marries the sixth-in-line to the throne, should be expected to stop working, become reliant on the taxpayer and cease overnight to have an opinion of her own. I’ve been pleased to see that the Queen agrees, effectively proposing a “transition agreement”.
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Elements of the press have hounded Meghan beyond anything which resembles reasonable. They thought it was entirely within the rules to print what they liked about her and her family. I don’t think they imagined that the royal couple would resort to rewriting the rule book about what a Duchess can and cannot do, and it’s about time.
I wish Meghan, Harry and Archie all the very best with the next phase of their lives.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Boost For Keir Starmer As Labour's Environment Campaign SERA Backs Leadership Bid

PA Wire/PA Images
Keir Starmer’s hopes of being crowned Labour leader received a fresh boost on Tuesday after he won the backing of the party’s green campaign group.
SERA (the Socialist Environment and Resources Association) has thrown its weight behind the shadow Brexit secretary’s bid to replace Jeremy Corbyn, HuffPost UK can reveal.
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The news will be a blow for his main rival Rebecca Long-Bailey, who led the party’s campaign for a Green New Deal as shadow business secretary.
SERA’s backing for Starmer establishes him as the frontrunner as it comes after the health and public services union Unison - thought to be Labour’s largest affiliated union by membership - announced support.
SERA co-chairs Jake Sumner and Melanie Smallman said: “We looked hard at the record and competences of all of the candidates and it was very clear to us that Keir stood out as the candidate who had consistently supported SERA’s positions within the party and in parliament – opposing the expansion of Heathrow airport, standing up to protect environmental legislation in the Brexit debate, and campaigning with us on air quality.
“Most importantly, we are in a race to tackle the climate emergency. We need a leader who can take on the government now and who has the experience and broad appeal to take Labour into power and urgently deliver the measures needed to address the looming climate emergency.”
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File photos of (left to right) Labour MPs Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips, Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Clive Lewis and Emily Thornberry. Lewis has abandoned his leadership bid for the party after falling short of the 22 nominations necessary from his fellow MPs. PA Wire/PA Images
SERA is the only environment campaign affiliated to Labour and is one of many groups officially linked to Labour that leadership candidates will need to convince in the coming weeks.
Under Labour’s new leadership rules, candidates must secure 5% (33) of Labour’s CLPs (Constituency Labour Parties) or three affiliates by February 14 to progress to a ballot of members. These can include groups like SERA but two out of three affiliates must be trade unions.
Though many other unions have yet to announce, Unite and the Communication Workers’ Union are expected to back Long Bailey.
Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry and campaigning MP Jess Phillips have strong support among Labour’s pro-EU grassroots.
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Wigan MP Lisa Nandy meanwhile, who has centred her campaign on winning back towns, could get support from GMB.
SERA’s backing means Starmer is just one union’s support away from clearing the second round hurdle.
He said: “I’m delighted to have received SERA’s nomination.
“We are living through a climate emergency. If elected Labour leader, I will make tackling climate change our number one priority and hard-wired into everything we do.
“Another future is possible, but we have to fight for it.”
The winner is decided on a ballot of members by a proportional representation system known as AV (alternative vote), which sees candidates ranked in order of preference.
If one of the five wins more than 50% of first preference votes, they are declared the winner outright. However, if no candidate hits 50%, the candidate with the least support is eliminated and their second preferences are allocated to the remaining contenders. That process is repeated until one candidate reaches that crucial 50% mark.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Prince Harry Is A 'Rebel Without A Crown' In New London Street Art Mural

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Prince Harry has received a movie star makeover in a new street art mural.
Street artist Pegasus painted the Duke of Sussex as the late James Dean’s character Jim Stark in the hit 1955 film “Rebel Without A Cause” on a wall in London’s Shoreditch neighbourhood on Saturday.
He titled the one metre high promo poster-style piece: “Rebel Without A Crown.”
Pegasus London-based street artist Pegasus, who originally hails from Chicago, painted a "tongue-in-cheek" commentary on the royal news on a wall in Shoreditch, London, over the weekend.
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It was a “tongue-in-cheek” response to Harry and wife Meghan Markle’s shock announcement last week about stepping back as senior members of the British royal family, Pegasus told HuffPost via email.
The couple revealed they and young son Archie would now split their time between North America and the United Kingdom as they disentangle themselves from the royal family and pursue financial independence.
“Seeing as Prince Harry has never been first in line to the crown and has a rebellious history as royal-gone-rogue in his bachelor days, the pun seemed appropriate in this current situation which has left the nation and royal family shaking in their gems,” the artist explained.
zz/KGC-178/STAR MAX/IPx Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced last week that they would be stepping back as senior members of the British royal family.
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Pegasus, whose real name is Chris Turner, shared clips of himself creating the piece on Instagram. In one, he painstakingly cuts out a stencil of Harry’s face:
Another video shows him painting the piece onto the wall:
Pegasus painted this “Harry’s Girl” piece on another wall in London when Harry and Meghan started dating in 2016:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--How Does Climate Change Affect Natural Disasters?

How Does Climate Change Affect Natural Disasters?
With countries around the world continually beating their own records for both heat and rainfall year on year, extreme weather is becoming more common. Now, as the planet heats up, natural disasters are on the rise. We have seen events from wildfires to hurricanes increasing in frequency and intensity, but how exactly can our changing climate have an effect on natural disasters?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Pensioner Arrested In Pakistan Over Cold Case 2005 Murder Of PC Sharon Beshenivsky

PC Sharon Beshenivsky was murdered in 2005 Shutterstock
A pensioner has been arrested in Pakistan in connection with the murder of a Bradford police officer in 2005.
Mother-of-three PC Sharon Beshenivsky was shot dead when she and a colleague responded to an armed robbery.
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West Yorkshire Police said Piran Ditta Khan, 71, was arrested on Tuesday in Pakistan in connection with her murder.
The force said he appeared at court in Islamabad on Wednesday where his extradition was discussed.
He was remanded in custody to next appear at court on January 29.
Detective Superintendent Mark Swift said: “I would like to thank the National Crime Agency officers in Pakistan and partners who have made this arrest possible.
“This is a major development in this long-running investigation and their assistance in this matter cannot be understated.
“We are continuing to liaise with partners in Pakistan to process Khan’s extradition with the intention of returning him to the UK to face court proceedings.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Vulnerable Children Will Keep Falling Prey To Grooming Gangs Unless Government Gets Serious

child abuse Getty
This week’s publication of the inquiry into the catastrophic failures to protect very vulnerable children in Greater Manchester is another reminder of how agencies and authorities whose job it is to protect those at risk have too often let them down.
The details are atrocious and the impact of the mistakes that were made will still be felt today by the adult victims of child sexual exploitation.
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For many it will be a life sentence, and of course for one young girl it is all too late – Victoria Agoglia, who had been in care since the age of eight, died aged 15 shortly after she was injected with heroin by an older man.
The temptation is to see all this as historical – it was 17 years ago and things have changed.
But have they? Are we actually doing all we can as a society to keep kids at risk of exploitation safe?
I’m afraid the answer is no. What happened in Greater Manchester at the turn of the century – the grooming of vulnerable children – is happening somewhere in England right now.
In fact it’s happening in cities, in towns and in villages up and down the country. We hear about it all the time on the news – another murdered young person becomes a headline, another family grieves, another council launches a serious case review. More lessons will be learnt – until the next time.
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The parallels between the child sexual exploitation of vulnerable girls in Greater Manchester and Rochdale and the child criminal exploitation of county lines are clear.
“A previous government successfully cut knife crime by getting a grip on the issue in the centre, and there is no reason why that cannot be repeated by this one.”
Children are growing up today in the same circumstances as those kids who were targeted and used by ruthless sexual predators – they are the children running county lines or sucked into gangs because local agencies and authorities either haven’t spotted them or don’t have the resources to help. Some of them will also be suffering from sexual exploitation.
Last year my report “Keeping Kids Safe” warned that many of the mistakes that were made over child sexual exploitation 20 years ago are being repeated today, with organised criminal gangs involved in the drugs trade grooming and exploiting children who have fallen through the gaps. Local safeguarding boards and the police often seem ill-equipped to cope.
So reports this morning that the prime minister wants to take personal responsibility for tackling knife crime and county lines is welcome. But it must now be backed up by action and resources.
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The previous government’s Serious Violence Taskforce, of which I am a member, has not met for many months, and the prime minister has not continued his predecessor’s series of Downing Street summits to ensure cross-government accountability on this issue.
Not surprisingly, politicians’ thoughts have been elsewhere – on Brexit and elections – but the minds of those who spot vulnerable kids and exploit them, have not.
No.10 taking a lead on tackling these issues would be a step in the right direction.
I’ve long maintained that serious violence and gangs will only be beaten if the PM makes it their mission and drives and coordinates delivery relentlessly. A previous government successfully cut knife crime by getting a grip on the issue in the centre, and there is no reason why that cannot be repeated by this one.
Crucially, though, it will require money. I have been calling for a multi-billion pound package to tackle the root causes of gang violence and to keep our most vulnerable children safe. We also need a root and branch independent review of the care system, which is still putting very vulnerable children in situations where they are ripe for exploitation.
I want to hear less about lessons being learnt and more about what those responsible for keeping children safe are doing – from government to councils, from the police to the NHS and schools.
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The thousands of children in England in danger of becoming the next lurid headline or subject of another inquiry need, and have a right to, our protection.
Anne Longfield OBE is the children’s commissioner for England.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--McDonald’s Gives Payout To Guide Dog Owner Thrown Out Of Restaurant

Fraser Kane has agreed a settlement with McDonald's LinkedIn
A blind law student who was kicked out of McDonald’s because he had a guide dog has won an apology – and an apparently sizeable financial settlement.
Fraser Kane, a student at the University of Strathclyde, was left “completely distraught” after being asked to leave the Paddington branch in August.
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According to The Times, the 21-year-old has agreed a financial settlement with McDonald’s that could be anything up to £8,600 – an estimate based on previous legal cases in which claimants have suffered hurt feelings.
The fast food giant admitted the incident was “unacceptable” and stressed that guide dogs are welcome in its restaurants – despite a handful of similar incidents being reported at different branches in recent years.
In a statement released to HuffPost UK, a McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and welcoming business, and would like to apologise to Mr Kane for his experience, which was unacceptable.
“We have taken this extremely seriously, and been in conversation with Mr Kane to find a resolution and ensure he is satisfied with the actions we have subsequently taken.
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“The employee working at the time has been given additional training and the restaurant team more widely has been reminded of our guidance in this area.
“The guidance in place is there to ensure our restaurant teams are clear that guide dogs are welcome in our restaurants, so it was disappointing to learn of Mr Kane’s experience.
“In 2019 we met with Guide Dogs UK and updated some of our training materials and how we communicate this information to restaurants, following their recommendations. However, given this situation occurred, we still have work to do, and will be reviewing our practices to ensure we continue to move forward on this issue.”
According to the Equality Act 2010, guide dog owners with disabilities have the same right to services supplied by shops, banks, hotels, libraries, pubs, taxis and restaurants as everyone else. But Guide Dogs UK has found that 75% of assistance dog owners surveyed have been refused access to a restaurant, shop or taxi.
In 2015 a McDonald’s restaurant in Fredrikstad, Norway was reportedly facing police action after a blind woman was asked to leave because she was accompanied by her guide dog.
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Tia Marie Askiainen wrote on Facebook that she, her dog and her five-year-old daughter were “loudly” asked to go and that the incident left her in tears.
Her dog, Rex, was clearly wearing a fluorescent harness identifying him as a working animal.
In 2011 a blind woman received an apology after she was “chased” out of a South African branch of the restaurant with her guide dog Grover.
Sanet Gouws received an apology from the managing director of McDonald’s South Africa, who told her: “We treasure all our customers.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-15--Matt Hancock Hints NHS A&E Waiting Times Could Be Scrapped

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Health secretary Matt Hancock has hinted that landmark NHS targets could be scrapped following the health service’s worst A&E waiting times since records began.
More than one in five patients were forced to wait for more than four hours for treatment in December.
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But Hancock said there was a “problem” with the target as it failed to take into account other improvements.
NHS England figures published last week showed just 79.8% of A&E patients were seen within the specified time, way below the 95% target that was introduced by Tony Blair’s government in 2004.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine said that the dire statistics were proof of a “miserable Christmas” for patients and staff as nearly 100,000 people were forced to wait on trolleys over four hours - and more than 2,000 people waited over 12 hours for a hospital bed.
But when quizzed by BBC Radio 5 Live on whether the Tory government should be judged by NHS targets, Hancock said: “We will be judged by the right targets”.
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Asked if that meant “there’s the right targets and the wrong targets?” he replied: “That’s right... because targets have to be clinically appropriate.
“The four-hour target in A&E which is often taken as, and has been in the past, taken as the top way of measuring what’s going on in hospitals.
“The problem with that target is that increasingly people can be treated on the day and able to go home. That is much better for the patient. It’s also better for the NHS and yet the way that that’s counted in the target doesn’t work.
“So it’s far better to have targets that are clinically appropriate, supported by clinicians so we’ve got clinicians looking at that. It’s best if that is led by the doctors.”
NHS England Medical Director Steve Powis is currently leading a review of NHS targets, but ever since David Cameron was PM ministers have long been wary of the political backlash that could follow from being seen to change the goalposts.
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SIPA USA/PA Images
Jon Ashworth, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said changing the target would not “magic away the problems in our overcrowded hospitals, with patients left on trolleys in corridors for hours and hours”.
“Any review of targets must be transparent and based on watertight clinical evidence, otherwise patients will think Matt Hancock is trying to move the goalposts to avoid scrutiny of the government’s record,” he said.
“After years of austerity under the Tories, the government’s first priority must be to give the NHS the funding and staff it needs to end the waiting time crisis.”
Dr Katherine Henderson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “So far seen we’ve seen nothing to indicate that a viable replacement for the four-hour target exists and believe that testing should soon draw to a close.
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“Rather than focus on ways around the target, we need to get back to the business of delivering on it.”
Dr Simon Walsh, emergency medicine expert at the British Medical Association, said: “Ultimately, replacing targets does not address the fundamental issues of capacity and resourcing within the NHS/”
Many doctors believe that although the four-hour target can be a blunt instrument, it forces the system to avoid longer waits that can lead to patient harm.
One doctor swiftly accused Hancock of wanting to “bin” the current targets.
Pretty clear here @MattHancock’s ‘plan’ for addressing the dire plight of our overcrowded A&Es *isn’t* the investment in health & social care so urgently needed - but to bin the targets.
How exactly does eradicating evidence & scrutiny help patients, Mr Hancock? https://t.co/PK3OeRbJMC — Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 15, 2020
When asked to comment on remarks by former Society for Acute Medicine president Dr Nick Scriven that failure to meet targets has been “normalised” by this government, Hancock disagreed.
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“I would challenge this idea that there hasn’t been improvements. There’s been massive improvements in the way that the NHS delivers care for instance, the proportion of people who are now cared for and treated on the same day, and can get home at night instead of having to stay overnight in hospital that proportion has increased.
“This year, 2019, the number of people treated in A&E departments has gone up by over a million.”
Other missed targets include one in six ambulance crews had to queue outside any units more than 13 minutes, 690,000 patients waiting more than 18 weeks for non-urgent surgery, the highest since 2008. Some cancer waiting targets have not been hit since 2016.
Hancock said some of the statistics were “important and which we are gripping” but stressed “people in the NHS are delivering more services to people than ever before”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-16--The First Boy Bombshells Are On Their Way | Love Island Unpacked

Ollie Leaves, Two Bombshells Arrive | Love Island Unpacked
As Ollie leaves the villa, two new boys shake things up. Shannise and Nas come to blows and Shaughna grafts on Callum ahead of the recoupling.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-16--Rebecca Long-Bailey Backed Stricter Abortion Laws

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Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey has supported stricter limits on abortion.
Long-Bailey told Catholic priests during the election campaign she would make sure their “views are heard” when it came to any changes to the law.
Under current rules it is possible to have an abortion up to 23 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy.
But there is no time limit on when an abortion may take place if there is evidence of a fatal foetal abnormality or a significant risk to the life of the mother if she continues with the pregnancy.
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Long-Bailey said: “It is currently legal to terminate a pregnancy up to full-term on the grounds of disability while the upper limit is 24 weeks if there is no disability. I personally do not agree with this position.”
The shadow business secretary said she agreed with the Disability Rights Commission that “the context in which parents choose whether to have a child should be one in which disability and non-disability are valued equally.”
Long-Bailey, who is Catholic, was answering a series of questions put to parliamentary candidates in Manchester by priests at Salford cathedral. Her comments were first reported on Thursday by Red Roar.
But spokesperson for Long-Bailey said Red Roar had highlighted her comments “to propagate a misleading narrative”.
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“Rebecca unequivocally supports a woman’s right to choose and has only ever voted in favour of extending the right to abortion, such as in Northern Ireland.
“These responses have been selectively quoted by the fake news peddlers at the Red Roar to propagate a misleading narrative.
“Rebecca’s response to the Deanery of Salford clarified the existing law and current Labour policy, stating that abortion procedures should be properly regulated, and that women’s reproductive rights and the decriminalisation of abortion should be maintained.
“Rebecca’s response was also a reflection of her own personal agreement with the Disability Rights Commission — that ”the context in which parents choose whether to have a child should be one in which disability and non-disability are valued equally” — rather than her view on policy.
“During any proposed public consultation a wide range of views would of course be heard, and it is Rebecca’s duty as an MP to ensure her constituents are able to respond.”
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The MP for Salford and Eccles said while she would “never contemplate abortion” herself she had “tried to understand the agonising decisions many feel forced to make and what support they would need”.
She added: “My main concerns are about the lack of support, guidance and the lengths many may feel forced to go to.”
Long-Bailey told the priests: “Labour would propose a wide public consultation on the detail of new laws and regulations and of course I will play my part in that discussion in ensuring that your views are heard.”
She voted in favour of decriminalising abortion in Northern Ireland when MPs voted on it in 2019.
Labour’s 2019 manifesto pledged to “uphold women’s reproductive rights and decriminalise abortions”.
Long-Bailey appears to have clawed back ground on her leadership rival Keir Starmer, after the first poll of Labour members put him narrowly ahead.
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According to a survey by Survation, Long-Bailey would win 42% of first preference votes to the shadow Brexit secretary’s 37%.
The pollsters asked readers of Labour List for their preferences and then weighted the results to reflect the membership.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-16--Dog Sniffs Out Injured Koalas In Australia

Dog Sniffs Out Injured Koalas In Australia
Conservation dogs are being used to sniff out injured koalas as the devastating bushfires continue in Australia. Taylor, a four-year-old Springer Spaniel has been trained to sniff out their fur and their scats. Over 30,000 koalas died in the fires on Kangaroo Island alone. The World Wide fund for Nature estimates that 1.25 billion animals have been killed in the fires.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-16--Valentine's Day Trees Are Here – And Look At How Extra They Are

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For those who simply can’t bear to see the empty space where their Christmas trees once stood – there is another option. Valentine’s trees.
That’s right, people are decorating trees with hearts ahead of 14 February. And while it might sound utterly ridiculous (bear with us here), we’re thinking: why the hell not? January is a pretty dull month, after all.
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Rather than the glittery golds and silvers that December trees bring, expect vibrant reds, pastel pinks, loads of hearts and ALL of the roses.
The trend is taking off on Instagram, mainly spearheaded by those in the US, with people sharing photos of their love heart-adorned trees. And some have really gone to town on the decoration-front.
aapsky via Getty Images
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-16--Protester On Trial For 'Assaulting PC With His Voice Through A Megaphone' Is Cleared

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The boss of a cab driver’s union accused of assaulting two police officers by using a megaphone too close to their ears has been found not guilty part way through his trial.
James Farrar, 51, faced two charges of assault by beating of an emergency worker after he used a loudhailer near PC Ann Spinks and Sergeant James Lewis during a demonstration about the congestion charge on March 4 last year.
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But at the end of the prosecution case, Judge Philip Bartle QC told the jury at Southwark Crown Court to find Farrar not guilty after his defence argued there was no evidence he had committed a crime.
Prosecutor Terence Woods argued that while there was no physical beating, using the loudhailer in proximity to the officers was an “unlawful application of force”.
But dismissing jurors on Thursday, Judge Bartle said: “The essence of the defence argument, which I accept, was the facts did not justify the offence in either case of assault by beating because the offence requires unlawful application of force.”
Farrar, chairman of the United Private Hire Drivers’ branch of the IWGB union, had organised a weekly Parliament Square demonstration against Transport for London (TfL) for exempting black cabs from the congestion charge but enforcing it for Uber and minicab drivers.
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Icah Peart QC, defending, said it would be “violence to the English language” to say that using a megaphone was an application of force.
“There was no actus reus, a guilty act, because speaking through a megaphone cannot and does not amount to the application of force.
“What he was doing to address the protesters was, given the circumstances, entirely appropriate.”
Jurors previously heard Farrar, of Seymour Road, Bordon, Hampshire, had used the megaphone before at the weekly protests which typically featured drums, air horns, whistles and vuvuzelas, as well as other megaphones.
Peart said: “As the organiser of the protest, how else could he have made himself heard if he had not taken advantage of equipment such as the loudhailer?
“There is no suggestion that Mr Farrar ought to have appreciated that by using that loudhailer in the way he had done numerous times previously that anyone was going to suffer any discomfort over and above how they were going to suffer having been in that crowd in any event.”
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He added: “The evidence that either of these police officers experienced the discomfort they did solely based on what Mr Farrar did rather than being stuck in the protest for a couple of hours is not easy to see.”
Both Metropolitan Police officers had pre-existing conditions and neither suffered lasting hearing loss as a result, the court was told.
But making his decision on Thursday, Judge Bartle dismissed the suggestion that the prosecution would have infringed on Farrar’s rights to protest and free speech under the European Convention on Human Rights.
James Farrar has been cleared PA Wire/PA Images
He also dismissed the defence argument that it would have been impossible for the jury to think that only the megaphone caused the officers’ injuries.
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He said: “There is evidence that each of these two officers suffered immediate pain and injury to their ears.
“That is a matter on which a jury could conclude that the use of the loudhailer was a significant cause of the problem that both the officers had with their ears.”
But the judge went on: “Taking account of all the circumstances, I am not satisfied that it does amount to an unlawful application of force.
“In particular, I take account of the fact that Mr Farrar had used the loudhailer on previous occasions other than the protest on March 4.
“It was something he needed to use in order to communicate what he wanted to say to the crowd. The use, in my judgement, was itself lawful and not in any way an unlawful application of force.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-16--Sandi Toksvig Quits Great British Bake Off

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Sandi Toksvig has revealed she’s stepping down as host of the Great British Bake Off.
The presenter – who co-hosts the show with Noel Fielding – made the announcement on Thursday, revealing she was leaving to focus on other work commitments.
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She explained: “When stepping down from a job it is quite common for people to say they are doing so in order to spend more time with their family.
“Unusually I am departing from the Great British Bake Off so I can spend more time with my other work. As my waistline will testify, Bake Off is an all-consuming show.”
Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding Channel 4
“Spending time with Prue, Paul and Noel has been one of the great pleasures of my life. These are friendships which I know will continue beyond the confines of television,” she added.
“Bake Off is a wonderful programme which has already proved it can happily withstand a change of hosting personnel. The reason for that, of course, is that the true stars of the show are the bakers themselves. I wish everyone well.”
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Channel 4 has made it clear that Noel will remain with the show, as will judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
In a press statement, Channel 4 revealed the “hunt is currently on” for Sandi’s replacement, joking: “Candidates must have experience of mopping up spills and the occasional tear, making tea and keeping the amateur bakers to time.
“More information will be announced in due course.”
All pud things come to an end. The upcoming series of The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off will mark the end of Sandi’s magnificent stint as a presenter on the show. We would like to thank her for all the wonderful memories and wish her the very best for the future. #GBBO pic.twitter.com/aEnEu00fqu — British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) January 16, 2020
Sandi and Noel took over as presenters of the Great British Bake Off when it made the jump to Channel 4 in 2017.
They replaced Mel and Sue, who had hosted the show during its seven-series tenure on BBC, but chose not to stay with it when it moved channels.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-16--Teen Whose Dismembered Remains Were Found In Sports Bag And Burnt Out Car Is Pictured

Keane Mulready-Woods, 17, from Drogheda, whose remains were found in Dublin PA Media
A murder victim whose remains were found in separate locations in Dublin has been identified as a 17-year old who had been missing since Sunday evening.
Partial body parts belonging to Keane Mulready-Woods, from Drogheda, were found in a sports bag in Coolook, north Dublin on Monday.
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On Wednesday, more remains were found in a burnt-out Volvo in Trinity Terrace, in Drumcondra, and some of his body parts were found on a park path by children.
Local media reports the murder has sparked an investigation into organised crime and feuding gangs, namely between two Drogheda criminal gangs.
Garda Deputy Commissioner John Twomey said: “An Garda Siochana is determined to bring those behind this shocking crime to justice.
A burnt out car which contained partial human remains is removed from the scene on Trinity Terrace in the Drumcondra area of Dublin PA Wire/PA Images
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“In recent years An Garda Siochana has made significant progress in tackling organised crime through arrests leading to convictions and major seizures of guns, drugs and cash.
“This focus will continue. As always, the help and support of communities is vital to this.”
Later a house in Drogheda was sealed off as part of the investigation.
The property in Rathmullen Park has been declared a crime scene and is being forensically examined.
A Garda statement on Wednesday said that Forensic Science Ireland had confirmed that partial human remains discovered in Coolock on January 13 were those of Mulready-Woods.
“Keane is a 17-year-old juvenile, he disappeared on January 12 and parts of his remains have now been discovered,” the statement said.
“This is a brutal and savage attack on a child and is completely unacceptable in any normal democratic society.
“The level of violence is shocking and the investigation into the murder of Keane is being co-ordinated from Drogheda Garda Station.
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“It is important to remember that Keane was a child, a young boy, trying to find his way in life. He has now lost his life and his family have lost their loved son and brother.”
Detectives have issued an appeal for information about the teenager’s last known movements.
“Keane was last seen in Drogheda by his family at approximately 6pm on the evening of January 12.
“At this time Keane was wearing a navy Hugo Boss tracksuit, black Hugo Boss runners [with] brown sole [and] black laces, red/orange Canada Goose jacket and a Gucci baseball cap.
“At approximately 9.55pm on January 13 Gardai responded to a 999 call that a bag containing human remains had been found at Moatview Drive, Priorswood, Dublin 17.
“A black Puma sports bag was recovered which contained partial human remains.
“At approximately 1.30am on January 15 Gardai responded to a call from Dublin Fire Brigade stating that there was a vehicle on fire at Trinity Terrace, Dublin 3. Further partial human remains were recovered from this vehicle.
“A number of searches have been conducted in the Drogheda area on January 14, one search location remains ongoing at present.
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“Incident rooms have been established at Drogheda, Coolock and Mountjoy Garda Station with the investigation being co-ordinated from Drogheda Garda Station.”
Anyone with information can contact Gardai at Drogheda Garda Station on 041 9874200, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, Crimestoppers on 1800 250 025 or any Garda station.
Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe said: “I want to acknowledge that within my own constituency I do have experience of the cycle of terror, of the cycle of fear that organised crime can bring.
“This is the reason why minister Charlie Flanagan has ensured we are recruiting 700 gardai per year and it’s the reason we’ve resourced the armed emergency unit to make sure they have the capacity to respond back to organised crime.
“In my own constituency of Dublin Central, we have seen the ability of those kinds of changes, combined with community investment, to deal with the kind of terror.”
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Fianna Fail deputy leader Dara Calleary described it as a massive human tragedy.
“It is true to say that this is not just one area,” he added.
“When you reduce investment in programmes such as the urban renewal project you take away opportunities from people.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-16--Single Tweet Sees Orders Flood In To Bookshop That Had Been 'Struggling To Pay Bills'

The Petersfield Bookshop owner John Westwood Matthew Ashton via Getty Images
A bookshop owner left wondering how he would pay the bills this month has been overwhelmed with orders, after a single tweet unleashed an outpouring of support.
John Westwood runs The Petersfield Bookshop in Hampshire, specialising in antique and second-hand books.
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But a disturbingly quiet January saw barely any customers come through the door, prompting one of John’s staff to turn to Twitter to tout for business.
...Tumbleweed...
Not a single book sold today...
£0.00...
We think think this maybe the first time ever...
We know its miserable out but if you'd like to help us out please find our Abebooks offering below, all at 25% off at the moment.... pic.twitter.com/Cn5uhYWw88 — Petersfield Bookshop (@The_PBS) January 14, 2020
The appeal was spotted by fantasy author Neil Gaiman, who shared it with his 2.8m followers – prompting an avalanche of orders from book-lovers all over the world.
“It has been absolutely overwhelming,” John told HuffPost UK.
“I don’t really do social media, I don’t know how it all works, so one of my staff sent out the tweet. We got one order for £15 at first, which we thought was a decent response to one tweet.
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“Then they started to roll in. We had someone call from Inverness, telling us they wanted to spend £10 on any book – they didn’t care what, they just wanted to support us.
“Then we had a guy come in who told us he lived locally but had never visited before. His friend in San Francisco saw the tweet and told him he had to go in and buy something.”
In these dark days it's wonderful to see Twitter doing something good! https://t.co/g0YNPkRsG2 — Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) January 16, 2020
John, who has worked in the shop since he left school, said he had been worrying about how he would make ends meet this month.
But he has since brought in extra staff to help work their way through the deluge of requests, which were still being totted up on Thursday morning.
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“My dad bought the shop in 1958,” the 56-year-old – who is well-known locally as a colourful Portsmouth FC supporter – added.
“Now we’ve had to get volunteer staff in to help us work through the backlog of hundreds and hundreds of orders.