Tag: News Story

STORY

In a case that has sparked intense debate about police use of force, Metropolitan Police firearms officer Martyn Blake has been found not guilty of murder in the death of Chris Kaba. Mr. Kaba, an unarmed 24-year-old, was fatally shot through the windscreen of his car in Streatham Hill, South London, in September 2022.

The jury at the Old Bailey reached their verdict after three hours of deliberation, acquitting Mr. Blake, who fired the single fatal shot that ended Mr. Kaba’s life. The officer had been charged with murder following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The court heard how the Audi Mr. Kaba was driving had been linked to a firearms incident, although no gun was found in the vehicle. Mr. Blake testified that he believed Mr. Kaba was reaching for a weapon.

The verdict has elicited strong reactions. Mr. Kaba’s family expressed profound disappointment and vowed to continue their fight for justice, while the Metropolitan Police emphasised respect for the judicial process and acknowledged the complexities of armed policing.

STORY

UK inflation has fallen to 1.7% in the year to September, in a fall which was larger than predicted by the markets. The news means that interest rate cuts are now more likely as inflation has fallen below the Bank of England’s target of 2%.

STORY

Sue Gray has confirmed her resignation as the Chief of Staff to Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, but will take up a new role as the Envoy for Nations and Regions. Starmer said in a statement:

“Sue has played a vital role in strengthening our relations with the regions and nations. I am delighted that she will continue to support that work”.

STORY

Grant Shapps, the former Secretary of State for Defence, has said that he has seen “no evidence at all” of the allegations made by Robert Jenrick, a candidate for the Tory leadership, that British military forces were killing rather than capturing terrorists. Jenrick has refused to provide any evidence for his allegations.

STORY

Robert Jenrick, one of the four candidates for the Tory leadership, has made an allegation that British armed forces have been engaged in killing terrorists rather than follow orders to capture them. Jenrick has yet to prove evidence of his serious allegations about the competence of the British military forces and is under some pressure to do so by political figures in the party. Jenrick refused to supply evidence, noting:

“Of course I’m not going to elaborate on particular cases because these things, these cases are not things that any minister can speak about.”

Tom Tugendhat, another candidate to lead the Conservative Party, condemned the comments and said:

“I’m extremely concerned that such words should not be seen in any way to encourage people to take any action other than surrender to British forces when asked to do so”.

James Cleverly also rejected Jenrick’s attack on the military, saying:

“The British military always abide by international humanitarian law, the law of armed conflict. We have the the most professional military in the world and our military do not murder people.”

STORY

The Bank of England has confirmed that interest rates will be held at 5% after a cut from 5.25% the previous month. The members of the Monetary Policy Committee voted 8-1 to leave interest rates unchanged with Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, saying:

“It’s vital that inflation stays low, so we need to be careful not to cut too fast or by too much”.

STORY

Mel Stride is the second candidate to have left the contest to become the next Conservative leader after he secured the lowest number of votes in the second round of voting by Conservative MPs. Robert Jenrick secured 33 votes, Kemi Badenoch secured 28 votes whilst James Cleverly and Tom Tugenhadt received 16 votes. The next vote of Tory MPs will be after the party’s conference, when the party members will then decide between the final two candidates.

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The Foreign Office have announced a change of the British High Commissioner to Cameroon, with Matt Woods taking over Barry Lowen in September 2024. Woods’s previous roles include:

STORY

Serious allegations have been made against Jeremy Kyle during the inquiry into the suicide of Steve Dymond. Kyle’s show was cancelled by ITV after reviewing the footage and Dymond’s landlady Michelle Thaxter revealed that he had told her that Kyle had “backed him into a corner”. It was revealed that Kyle had used aggressive language against Dymond during the show, with Thaxter’s son saying that Dymond was “mortified and disgusted by the way Jeremy Kyle had treated him”. It was also revealed by the inquest that producers on the show had laughed in private messages that Dymond had been crying before appearing on the show. The inquest is continuing.

STORY

It was revealed today at Winchester Coroner’s Court that Jeremy Kyle, the controversial presenter of the show which took his name, told guest Steve Dymond to “grow a pair of balls”. Dymond committed suicide shortly after the show and in response ITV permanently scrapped the show after reviewing evidence of the broadcast. Kyle also admitted that he said on the show that “he wouldn’t trust [Dymond] with a chocolate button”, but said that he said this as he wanted there to be a chance that Dymond “had a chance of being together” with his former partner. Kyle rejected serious allegations of any bullying linked to Dymond’s death, saying “from the moment Steve Dymond came out, I called him ‘mate’, I called him ‘pal’”. Kyle claimed that he relied on the support of the production team and Dymond’s GP that his appearance on the show would be appropriate.