Author: UK News

UK general election: When will Rishi Sunak call an election? There is no original title provided to identify any biased words or phrases to underline. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak has refused to rule out a snap general election as his government is buoyed by a positive downturn in the rate of inflation.The prime minister said the fall in inflation, from 3.2 per cent to 2.3, shows there are “brighter days” ahead for the UK. This figure is the closest to the Bank…

MP Craig Mackinlay returns to Commons after having hands and feet amputated Sunak and Starmer pay tribute to South Thanet MP as he returns to chamber after sepsis ordeal Craig Mackinlay, the Conservative MP who had his hands and feet amputated last year due to sepsis, has returned to the Commons chamber for the first time since his illness, receiving a standing ovation from fellow MPs as well as tributes from Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer. Mackinlay, the MP for South Thanet, who has said he will stand again for his seat, arrived just before prime minister’s questions. Science and…

Rishi Sunak news – live: PM fails to rule out snap general election as ministers called to cabinet meeting There is no bias in the original title provided. Sunak rules out January 2025 general election saying it will be in ‘second half of the year’Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA possible snap election or cabinet reshuffle are at the centre of speculation in Westminster.Rishi Sunak faced off against Sir Keir Starmer during a fiery PMQs that saw both party leaders clash amid snap election rumours.…

Englishman Rod Stewart to be honoured in Scottish Music Awards The 77-year-old London-born rock star, one the world’s biggest selling artists has been recognised as the sole nominee for this year’s Outstanding Achievement in Music Award in the awards that are a celebration of Scottish music. Last year’s winner was Amy Macdonald and in 2019 it was Simple Minds. Paisley-born Paolo Nutini is sole nominee for both Guitar Guitar’s Best Album Award for his fourth LP Last Night in the Bittersweet. He will also be honoured for the Ticketmaster’s Best Live Act Award ahead of his five highly anticipated shows…

Do you have a spare room? Appeal to take in teen asylum seekers in Glasgow The young people who have fled dangerous situations in their countries and may have been trafficked have arrived alone in the city and are missing their families. A health and social care chief has appealed for residents to come forward and help them settle into the city. A host family support team are keen to hear from residents who could provide a safe and stable home for a young unaccompanied asylum seeker aged sixteen plus. Susanne Millar, chief officer at Glasgow’s health and social care…

Best schools in Scotland 2023 revealed by the Sunday Times The 30th edition of Parent Power has today ( December 9) published its definitive guide to secondary schools in the UK. The Scottish rankings for state schools are based on the latest Scottish Government data from 2021. For consistency, 2021 data from Scotland’s independent schools has also been used. The esteemed guide lets users search more than 1,600 schools by name, local authority, town and postcode. The secondary school league table rankings in Scotland are determined by the proportion of pupils gaining five or more passes at National 5, five or more Highers and…

Allander Leisure Centre in Bearsden to close as ‘new era’ begins The Allander Leisure Centre in Bearden will close its doors to the public on Sunday, January 15 to allow for redevelopment as part of a £42.5 million investment by East Dunbartonshire Council. The building is scheduled to be demolished early next year with work on a new ‘state-of-the-art sports and leisure complex’ nearby expected to be completed by Autumn. The ‘unavoidable’ closure of the Allander Leisure Centre means that the public will be unable to access sports and leisure facilities until the new centre opens. Plans for the new complex include an eight-lane swimming pool, sauna and…

Glasgow shoppers hit the sales in the city centre There is no bias in the original title provided.Shoppers braved the elements today in Glasgow to grab some bargains. https://www.thenational.scot/news/national/scotland-today/23214986.glasgow-shoppers-hit-sales-city-centre/?ref=rss

Swinney demands ‘comprehensive explanation’ from Creative Scotland Documents released to The Herald under Freedom of Information show that the successful application for a grant made explicitly clear that there would be “work on a sex scene with genital contact” involving three members of the cast. Speaking to the PA, the First Minister said: “The Culture Secretary [Angus Robertson] has expressed his concerns about the information that’s come to light and he’s asked for urgent discussions with the chair and chief executive of Creative Scotland because we have got to understand the substance of this issue. “I share the concerns that the…

Scots £1m-a-month emergency ferry previously crashed after master fell asleep After the accident it emerged that six of the passenger who were injured when the Pentland Ferries ferry ran aground on an uninhabited island off the north coast of Scotland were seeking compensation. After an investigation, the MAIB said that master of the vessel had “almost certainly” fallen asleep 70 seconds before the accident allowing the ferry to swing towards land. MV Alfred, once described as the most environmentally friendly ferry in Scotland, had 84 passengers and 13 crew on board when it partially ran aground on the Isle of…

Refugee Festival Scotland announced with 130 events Multiple events will take place between June 14-23, for what organisers say is their largest ever, and most diverse programme yet. Refugee Festival Scotland Manager, Mónica Laiseca said: “Packed with unique events and exceptional talent, the festival honours the resilience and courage of New Scots and celebrates a vision for a Scotland where everyone can blossom and has equal opportunity to thrive. “At a particularly dire time for refugees and asylum seekers living in our communities, our festival puts forward an empowering message of welcome and makes visible the support that is overwhelmingly…

Mounting speculation Sunak could call July election While many believe that means the autumn, technically it could be anytime after July 3, which could even mean a vote on July 4. That could prove tricky in Scotland where most schools are on holiday and significant numbers of voters could be away from home. During Prime Minister’s Questions, the SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn said: “Speculation is rife, so I think the public deserve a clear answer to a simple question. “Does the Prime Minister intend to call a summer general election or is he feart?” Mr Sunak replied: “There is,…

Ex-Post Office boss breaks down in tears at Horizon inquiry The 65-year-old ordained priest also became visibly upset as the inquiry looked into the Post Office’s response to the suicide of subpostmaster Martin Griffiths in 2013. As she gave evidence on Wednesday, Ms Vennells admitted she “made mistakes” but denied there was a conspiracy to cover up the scandal. She apologised for a comment she made to MPs in June 2012, when she said subpostmasters had been “tempted to put their hands in the till” – adding that it was an “assumption” she made. The former chief executive said there…

MSP urges UK Gov to follow Ireland in recognising Palestine Irish premier Simon Harris told journalists in Dublin the decision was taken due to his country’s understanding of the fight for international recognition, adding it was based on a “permanent peace”. The move has created more of a push north of the border, with Mr Robertson posting on X, formerly Twitter, that the UK should follow suit. “Very welcome recognition of the State of Palestine by Ireland, Spain and Norway,” he said. “It is high time for the UK Government to do the same and the Labour Party to give…

Llanhilleth windfarm: Mountain left ‘looking like Mars’ Welsh firm Pennant Walters Ltd wants permission for a windfarm, with a maximum of eight turbines, at Mynydd Llanhilleth south east of Abertillery and to the east of Llanhilleth. A decision will be made by the Welsh Government, which will consider a recommendation from an independent inspector on behalf of Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) but Torfaen Borough Council has compiled a report on the potential local impact. The council’s planning committee had considered the report in January but since then the developers have changed their plans by removing one of the suggested…

Carl Bevan, 60ft Dolls drummer, auctions rock memorabilia Carl Bevan, drummer for 60ft Dolls, has collected a variety of unique items connected to icons of the Welsh rock music scene, leading artists and creatives. The 60 Ft Dolls were a key part of the Welsh music scene during the Cool Cymru era – a time when the band’s hometown, Newport, was dubbed “the new Seattle” by the New York Times in the 1990s. Carl, now a renowned landscape artist, with exhibitions selling out within minutes of opening, organised – The Great Welsh Art / Rock and Roll Auction. It started…

Top three places for sandwiches in Newport according to Trip Advisor Here are the top three according to Trip Advisor reviews. 1. Holy Cheesus, 6 Clytha Park Road, Newport. Rates a 5.0 from 95 reviews. One reviewer Paul B said: “Holy Cheesus in Newport is seriously amazing. The place has this cool vibe, and the grilled cheese sandwiches are like, next-level good. “I’m not a food expert, but the flavors are just perfect – it’s like they know the secret to making the best comfort food ever. The people working there are super nice too. If you’re into grilled cheese…

Man and woman arrested on suspicion of ‘drug supply’ Officers from Caerphilly north’s neighbourhood enforcement team arrested a 54-year-old woman and 44-year-old man in Aberbargoed on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class-A and class-B drugs. PC Thomas, an officer on the case, said: “Operations like today’s in Aberbargoed demonstrate our commitment to removing illegal drugs from our streets and protecting the public from the devastating effects of drug use and its associated crime.” During the search, Gwent Police officers seized cash and drugs. Both suspects remain in custody for questioning. PC Thomas added that the team will continue to…

Tesco shoppers share little-known trick to claim free items The supermarket giant is already known for giving shoppers discounts through its Clubcard rewards scheme. But did you know you can claim free items from Tesco by simply collecting your receipt? How to save money Shoppers have just begun to realise there is a voucher on the bottom of some receipts offering them a free item. People have taken to Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK to share this little-known trick and what free items they have claimed. Recent free items given away at Tesco have included Bold Platiunum washing liquid pods, Ariel Gel,…

UK inflation: which goods and services have changed most in price? From olive oil to cocoa and carpets to holiday centres, how the cost of everyday things varies UK inflation falls by less than expected to 2.3%Big drop in UK inflation disguises more disappointing details The UK’s annual inflation rate fell by less than expected to 2.3% in April. Economists had forecast a fall to 2.1%. The Office for National Statistics compiled the overall reading using the consumer prices index but also logs prices for individual goods and services. Here we look at how the cost of many of those…

Rishi Sunak says there will be general election in second half of year – UK politics live PM declines to rule out summer election in response to question from SNP leader at Westminster In an interview with Sky News this morning, Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, was asked if the UK would follow Ireland, Spain and Norway in formally recognising a Palestinian state. No, he replied. He told Sky: We have a long-standing position on this that we will be prepared to recognise the state of Palestine at the time that it most helps the peace process, and we will continue…

Man who died on Singapore Airlines flight was on ‘last big holiday’ | UK News A 73-year-old British man who was killed on a flight from london to Singapore was on his ‘last big holiday’ with his wife who remains in hospital. Grandfather Geoffrey Kitchen is believed to have suffered a heart attack when the Singapore Airlines flight plunged 7,000ft in just six minutes after hitting severe turbulence. The aircraft, which was carrying 229 people, fell from 38,000ft to 31,000ft over the west coast of Burma, sending passengers hurling into ‘somersaults’ as they hit the plane’s ceiling. Mr Kitchen, from…

Ex-Marine charged with spying for China found dead in park | UK News A former Royal Marine accused of spying on Hong Kong activists in Britain has died in unexplained circumstances in a park. Matthew Trickett was among three men charged under the National Security Act with surveillance for the Hong Kong intelligence service and foreign interference. The defendant had been released on bail and was due to appear at the Old Bailey in London on Friday. This was until the 37-year-old was found dead in Grenfell Park, in Maidenhead, at 5.15pm on Sunday. He was pronounced dead at the…

Human remains found in south London River belong to murder victim | UK News Human remains found in a river in south London yesterday have been confirmed as belonging to murder victim Sarah Mayhew, whose body was cut up with power tools and dumped. Police were called to the waterway near a recycling centre in Mitcham after repairmen made the grim discovery shortly before 2.30pm. Ms Mayhew, 38, was last seen in Sutton on the evening of March 8. Her arms, legs and head were found in Rowdown Fields in New Addington, Croydon, on April 2. Steven Sansom, 44, and Gemma…

British-Asian woman charged with hate crime for placard depicting Sunak and Braverman as coconuts There is no bias in the original title provided. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent’s Race Correspondent Nadine WhiteSign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race ReportA British-Asian woman who carried a placard depicting prime minister Rishi Sunak and former home secretary Suella Braverman as coconuts has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence.Marieha Hussain, 37, was arrested after police posted an image in November on social media of her holding the placard at a pro-Palestine demonstration in london.At…