Category: News Story

STORY

The Government has launched evacuation flights from Sudan in an attempt to get British nationals to safety following the outbreak of civil war in the country. The Foreign Office said in a statement:

“UK military flights are due to depart from an airfield outside Khartoum, supported by senior diplomats from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Flights will be open to those with British passports and priority will be given to family groups with children and/or the elderly or individuals with medical conditions.”

Andrew Mitchell, the Development Minister at the Foreign Office, told the House of Commons:

“The situation in Sudan is extremely grave. More than 427 people have been killed, including 5 aid workers. Over 3,700 people have been injured. Before this violence began, the humanitarian situation in Sudan was already deteriorating. We now estimate that approximately 16 million people – a third of the Sudanese population – are in need of humanitarian assistance. These numbers, I regret to inform the House, are likely to rise significantly.”

RESOURCES

Foreign Office Press Release on Evacuation

Andrew Mitchell’s Statement in the House of Commons

UK Government Statement on Situation in Sudan

STORY

Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has been suspended from the Labour Party following hate speech when she wrote that Jewish people did not face racism. A spokesperson for the Labour Party said:

“The Labour Party completely condemns these comments, which are deeply offensive and wrong. The chief whip has suspended the Labour whip from Diane Abbott pending an investigation.”

Abbott had written:

“Tomiwa Owolade claims that Irish, Jewish and Traveller people all suffer from “racism”. They undoubtedly experience prejudice. This is similar to racism and the two words are often used as if they are interchangeable. It is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice. But they are not all their lives subject to racism. In pre-civil rights America, Irish people, Jewish people and Travellers were not required to sit at the back of the bus. In apartheid South Africa, these groups were allowed to vote. And at the height of slavery, there were no white-seeming people manacled on the slave ships.”

Grant Shapps, the Net Zero Secretary, posted on Twitter:

“Once again, Jewish people have to wake up and see a Labour MP casually spouting hateful anti-semitism. Keir_Starmer, are you actually going to do anything?”

RESOURCES

Diane Abbott Statement of Apology

STORY

Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister, has resigned following the publication of a report written by Adam Tolley which shows that he was involved in bullying. Raab had said that he would resign of evidence was found of bullying, but noted in his resignation letter:

“Whilst I feel duty bound to accept the outcome of the inquiry, it dismissed all but two of the claims levelled against me. I also believe that its two adverse findings are flawed and set a dangerous precedent for the conduct of good government.”

Raab criticised the report in his letter, stating:

“In setting the threshold for bullying so low, this inquiry has set a dangerous precedent. It will encourage spurious complaints against ministers, and have a chilling effect on those driving change on behalf of your government – and ultimately the British people.”

Paul Nowak, the General Secretary of the TUC, posted on Twitter:

“‘Sorry, not sorry’. As classy a resignation statement as we might have expected. Beyond the non-apology, spare a thought for the civil servants who’ve had to put up with Dominic Raab’s unique brand of ‘direct oversight’ for so long.”

RESOURCES

Dominic Raab’s Resignation Letter

Adam Tolley’s Report

Rishi Sunak’s Letter to Dominic Raab

STORY

Colin Beattie, the SNP treasurer, has been arrested as part of an ongoing police investigation into the finances of the party. It follows the arrest two weeks ago of Peter Murrell, the Chief Executive of the SNP and also the husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Police Scotland said in a statement:

“A 71-year-old man has today, Tuesday, 18 April 2023, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National party. The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives.

A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media. As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.”

STORY

A political demonstrator has disrupted the World Snooker Championship by vandalising a table and forcing play to be suspended for several hours. The referee Olivier Marteel intervened along with security guards to prevent anyone at the tournament from being hurt.

A spokesperson for the event said on Twitter:

“Mark Allen vs Fan Zhengyi has resumed on table two. Upon completion of the match, a decision will be made on whether Robert Milkins vs Joe Perry will resume on the same table. Table one will be reclothed overnight. Thank you for your patience. #CazooWorldChampionship”

 

STORY

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, is under investigation by Parliament’s Standards Watchdog over allegations that he failed to disclose shares owned by his wife in a childcare firm. The investigation was launched after it was revealed that the childcare firm received a boost from the 2023 budget presented by Sunak, raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest.

The Parliamentary Standards Watchdog is an independent body responsible for ensuring that Members of Parliament adhere to the code of conduct for MPs. The watchdog investigates allegations of breaches of the code, which includes conflicts of interest, and can recommend disciplinary action. The investigation into Sunak’s undeclared shares is ongoing, and the outcome is yet to be determined.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said:

“The Prime Minister has set out in his response to the Liaison Committee that he is confident the appropriate process has been followed to avoid or mitigate any potential conflict of interest, and that the interest of ministers’ spouses or partners is not something that would influence their actions either as ministers or as members of Parliament”.

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, asked on Twitter “what’s Rishi Sunak got to hide?”.

RESOURCES

Angela Rayner’s Comments

STORY

In a keynote speech made in London today Rishi Sunak, the UK Prime Minister, has said that all school pupils in England should study some form of maths until they are 18 years old, stating that numeracy is a “key skill every bit as essential as reading”. Sunak first proposed the “maths to 18” vision in January 2023, but Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has admitted that schools do not currently have enough maths teachers to implement Sunak’s plans.

Sunak argues that ending the “anti-maths mindset” in Britain is necessary to boost economic growth and to support this goal, he has also proposed an expansion in Maths Hubs, which are collaborative networks of schools working together to improve maths teaching and learning. Despite Sunak’s commitment to improving maths education, there are concerns about the feasibility of his plans without sufficient resources and support from schools.

The Prime Minister said in his speech:

“Everyone in our country will study some form of maths all the way to 18. Now let me be absolutely clear – I am not saying the answer is A-Level maths for everyone. But we do need to work out the maths our young people should study. So we’re going to look at what 16-18 year olds around the world are learning. And we’re going to listen to employers and ask them what they say the maths skills are that they need”.

RESOURCES

Prime Minister’s Speech

PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister sets ambition of maths to 18 in speech [January 2023]

PETITION TO PARLIAMENT : Cancel plans for Maths to 18

PRESS RELEASE : Quality maths graduates flock to teaching [August 2012]

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Department for Education

NEWS STORY

The Foreign Office has said that they are concerned about the situation in Sudan, following ongoing armed confrontations in the country resulting in dozens killed and hundreds injured. The situation is related to the ongoing political instability and unrest in Sudan, which has been a persistent issue since the ousting of former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

One of the main sources of the current unrest is the ongoing dispute between the transitional government and the military over the country’s political direction and who should lead the country. There have also been reports of economic struggles, including high inflation rates and food shortages, exacerbating tensions in the country. Additionally, there have been clashes between various ethnic groups in the country, leading to violence and displacement. The United Nations has expressed concern about the current situation in Sudan and has urged all parties to prioritise dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts. The international community has also called for the protection of civilians and respect for human rights in the country.

The Foreign Office said in a statement:

“Now is the time for the Sudanese leadership to deescalate tensions and prevent further bloodshed. The UK calls on Sudanese leadership to return to dialogue. After months of fruitful political discussion, and real progress towards the return of a civilian-led transition, military action is not the solution. Long term peace is possible, but only through open, honest and pragmatic discussion.”

RESOURCES

Foreign Office Press Release

Troika and European Union Envoys statement on Sudan

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Foreign Office

STORY

On April 17, 2023, Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition politician and journalist, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being found guilty of treason and other offenses, including spreading false information about the Russian army and “participation in the activities of an undesirable organisation”. Kara-Murza, who holds both Russian and British passports, had been a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin for years and claimed to have been poisoned twice by Russian operatives in the past. The trial and sentencing of Kara-Murza represent the latest example of a broader crackdown on opposition voices in Russia, which has intensified since Putin sent troops to Ukraine in 2022.

James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, said in a statement:

“Vladimir Kara-Murza bravely denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for what it was – a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter. Russia’s lack of commitment to protecting fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, is alarming. We continue to urge Russia to adhere to its international obligations including Vladimir Kara-Murza’s entitlement to proper healthcare.

I pay tribute to Mr Kara-Murza and his family, including his wife Evgenia and her unwavering commitment to raising her husband’s cause on the international stage. The UK will continue to support them and to call for Mr Kara-Murza’s immediate release.”

RESOURCES

Foreign Office Press Release

Biography of Vladimir Kara-Murza

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Foreign Office

STORY

The Treasury has announced that Megan Greene has been appointed as an external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee. Greene is the Global Chief Economist at Kroll and a board member of the Academic Advisory Committee at the San Francisco Fed.

Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:

“Megan Greene’s wide experience across financial markets and the real economy will bring valuable new expertise to the MPC. I am delighted to appoint her to this role and look forward to seeing her contribution to policymaking in the coming years. I would also like to thank Professor Silvana Tenreyro for all her work since she joined the Bank of England, and wish her the best in the next stage of her career.”

Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, said:

“I am very pleased to be welcoming Megan Greene to the MPC this summer. She brings significant experience from her work across financial services and academia and we will benefit greatly from her contributions to our policy discussions. Silvana Tenreyro has made a tremendous contribution to the work of the MPC over the past six years. I would like to extend my thanks and wish her all the best for the future.”

RESOURCES

Treasury Press Release