Author: News Desk

The new rules on voter ID are a democratic scandal Telegraph says I wonder if, in all the deliberations about the results of the local elections on Friday, we will hear about the number of people who had turned up to vote without the right ID and were refused. Will these numbers be recorded? For this is the first time that the electorate has to use photo ID. Not just any photo ID, but only those specified. A passport, a driving licence, travel cards if you are over 60 but not for anyone younger. It’s a year since the Elections…

‘At age 93 I’ve never missed voting – but voter ID will force me to for the first time’ Mirror says A 93-year-old cancer sufferer says the new photo ID rule will exclude her from voting in tomorrow’s local elections. Oonagh Preece first went to a polling station in 1950 and has voted in every local and general election since. But the furious mum of three said the requirement for photo ID at polling stations now excludes her from democracy. The retired horse trainer said: “I’ve been voting all of my life, we all did in our family. Even my…

Half of local authorities spent just 11p per person on Voter ID awareness campaigns Mirror says Half of local authorities spent just 11p per voter on awareness campaigns for the new Voter ID requirements, research suggests. Of those who declared a specified budget to inform voters of the changes, half of authorities spent only £10,000 or less, according to freedom of information (FOI) requests. A local authority that might typically have around 90,000 electors would see the funding distributed at only 11p per head, research by Unlock Democracy showed. Some 12.2% of authorities had shockingly spent nothing at all on…

Man arrested outside Buckingham Palace A man was arrested outside Buckingham Palace for throwing suspected shotgun cartridges into the Palace grounds. The police have confirmed that the incident is not being treated as terror-related and that the man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon. There were no injuries reported. A controlled explosion was carried out following the incident. The rehearsal for the Coronation on Saturday went ahead as planned. The man was searched and found in possession of a knife and a suspicious bag. The incident is being treated as an isolated mental health issue. The…

Sudan conflict: UK announces final evacuation flights The UK government has announced that the final rescue flights from Sudan will take off on Wednesday. British nationals who still want to leave the country should head to the Coral Hotel in Port Sudan by 10:00 local time. The UK’s evacuation of over 2,341 people during 28 flights has been described as “the longest and largest operation of any Western nation.” Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has warned that there will be no further British evacuation flights from the city. The focus is now on providing humanitarian aid, with the UK maintaining a…

Keeping everything crossed…

Messi suspended by PSG for two weeks over Saudi Arabia trip Paris St-Germain has suspended football legend Lionel Messi for two weeks and fined him after he travelled to Saudi Arabia without the club’s permission. Messi had requested permission to make the journey to carry out commercial work but was refused. He will not train or play for PSG during his suspension. The 35-year-old has a role as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia. He is set to miss matches against Troyes and Ajaccio as PSG, who are five points clear with five games to go, look to clinch a…

India’s Go First cancels flights after bankruptcy Go First, the Indian budget airline, has suspended all flights for the next three days after filing for bankruptcy protection. The company says it will issue full refunds to affected passengers. The airline cites a severe cash flow problem, blaming US engine maker Pratt & Whitney for the need to ground many of its Airbus A320neo planes. According to Go First, the problem caused a revenue loss and expenses amounting to £1bn. The company accused Pratt & Whitney of failing to supply at least 10 serviceable spare leased engines by 27 April 2023,…

In a statement to Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, the NGOs warn that such legislation could hurt the EU’s credibility to defend human rights abroad and embolden repressive leaders.

Missing Australian fisherman’s body found in crocodile The remains of Kevin Darmody, a 65-year-old Australian fisherman who went missing while fishing with friends, have been found inside a crocodile in northern Queensland. Darmody was last seen at Kennedy’s Bend, a known habitat for saltwater crocodiles, before he disappeared. Two large crocodiles were euthanized and searched, with human body parts found inside one of them. Darmody’s friend John Peiti reported hearing Darmody yell before a loud splash and finding only his flip-flops. Crocodile attacks are rare in Australia’s tropical north, and Darmody’s death is only the 13th fatal attack recorded in…