Tag: Politics

  • Scallop war: French and British boats clash in Channel

    Image copyright EVN/France Télévision Image caption British boats are legally entitled to fish off the Normandy coast – however their French counterparts accuse them of “pillaging”

    A video published by French media appears to show a Scottish scallop dredger, the Honeybourne THREE, colliding with nearby vessels.

    The British could not fit the local armada. Numbering approximately five boats to 35 French vessels, they were in the end chased away.

    Why has all of it blown up now?

    Stress has rumbled for 15 years, however in the past 5 a deal has prevailed – higher British boats stayed out of the realm in alternate for extra fishing rights.

    British boats collected scallops year-round, but the French were restricted to between 1 October and 15 May.

    This yr, the fed-up French rejected that settlement.

    “For the Brits, it is an open bar – they fish when they need, where they would like, and as much as they would like,” Mr Rogoff complained.

    Symbol copyright Reuters Image caption Scallops are a popular shellfish on each side of the Channel

    “We Don’t want to stop them from fishing, however they could no less than wait until 1 October so that we will be able to proportion.

    “Scallops are a flagship product for Normandy, a first-rate useful resource and a extremely sensitive factor.”

    How have the Brits reacted?

    Mike Park, leader govt of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association, described the clashing incident as “transparent piracy”.

    Talking in regards to the Scottish boat, he told BBC Scotland: “He’s fully entitled to be there. UK vessels can enter that French zone, it’s not illegal.

    “The Peterhead vessel is going approximately its business. The French vessels are most certainly attacking it.”

    Fears fishermen ‘will no longer survive’ Brexit no deal Fish thrown into Thames in Brexit deal protest World’s fishing fleets mapped from orbit

    Appeals for calm had been issued by means of Britain’s National Federation of Fishermen’s Enterprises, which mentioned some boats have been filmed manoeuvring dangerously.

    “we have raised the matter with the British executive and requested for cover for our vessels, which are fishing legitimately,” its leader government, Barrie Deas, mentioned.

    “The deeper issues at the back of the clashes have to be settled via talking around the desk, now not at the top seas the place other people might be harm.”

    (more…)

  • Brexit: May defends ‘sensible’ plans for future EUROPEAN family members

    Media playback is unsupported to your tool

    Media captionMay: ‘Common sense’ to prepare for Brexit no deal

    Theresa Would Possibly has insisted her way to Brexit will ship a “good” deal for the uk and allow it to make essentially the most of opportunities around the world.

    Talking in South Africa, she instructed the BBC she was once sticking through her “good” plans as they both respected the 2016 referendum vote and protected jobs.

    While hopeful of an settlement in October, she said it used to be proper to organize for leaving with no deal.

    In Advance, she introduced £4bn of additional British make stronger for African economies.

    On the first day of a 3-day consult with to the continent, the top minister insisted industry offers with nations like South Africa could be a prize for “international Britain” after it leaves the eu subsequent yr.

    however the BBC’s political correspondent Ben Wright stated that as she heads to Nigeria and Kenya this week, she is aware of an excessively tough autumn of political bargaining awaits her again home.

    PM seeks new jobs partnership with Africa

    In an interview with the BBC, Mrs May performed down warnings by way of Chancellor Philip Hammond last week in regards to the dangers of a no-deal exit – which he stated will have a £80bn poor economic impact.

    She mentioned the feedback have been according to research first released in January that had been, at the time, a “work in development”.

    Mrs Would Possibly then pointed out feedback by means of the head of the world Business Organisation, who mentioned Brexit “may not be a stroll in the park, but would possibly not be finish of the sector both”.

    Media playback is unsupported on your device

    Media captionTheresa Might was all smiles as she joined faculty kids for a dance

    “we are operating for a fair deal, we have put forward our idea for a good deal,” she said. “i believe that deal is to the ease, not only of the united kingdom, but the ecu.

    “What the federal government is doing is setting up position the arrangements to be sure we can make a hit no matter what our long run courting is with the ecu and regardless of the end result of the negotiations.”

    Through the BBC’s Ben Wright in Cape The City

    With dogged choice Theresa Might danced together with a bunch of children in a soggy Cape The Town playground – her first stop on a three-day sprint round sub-Saharan Africa.

    It Is the primary No 10-led industry delegation to Africa for the reason that 2011. the school children symbolised, she mentioned later, the dynamism and creativity of the continent’s growing and youthful inhabitants.

    And it is jobs for those youth and tens of millions like them that the uk wants to lend a hand African economies create – the usage of UK firms, capital and executive lend a hand to speculate in African countries in the hope of keeping them politically solid later on.

    At a speech within the city on Tuesday, the prime minister pledged an extra £4bn in direct UNITED KINGDOM executive investment – which she expects to be matched by the personal sector.

    Mrs may additionally stated the uk could essentially shift the way in which it spends support money – to deal with lengthy-term economic and security demanding situations rather than brief-time period poverty aid.

    For the united kingdom in fact, Brexit is a spur to expand business beyond the ecu, that is by way of far our biggest market.

    A Few Tory MPs have said they can not fortify Mrs Would Possibly’s blueprint for the uk’s long term members of the family with the ecu, pronouncing it is a betrayal of the thousands and thousands who voted to depart the european in 2016.

    But Mrs May mentioned the proposals were good as they insisted that an end to ECU freedom of motion and the jurisdiction of the european Court was “non-negotiable”, at the same time as ensuring British manufacturers had unrestricted get admission to to an european extensive loose industry zone for goods.

    “It Is right as we look to our long term relationships that we protect jobs and livelihoods,” she added.

    As part of a renewed take care of Africa, Mrs Might has said she desires the united kingdom to grow to be the continent leading’s funding spouse throughout the G7, overtaking the US.

    She told the BBC that this used to be no longer unrealistic, given that the uk was already the biggest foreign investor in South Africa, the continent’s biggest economic system.

    “one in all the benefits of leaving the eu is that we will be able to have the opportunity to negotiate our personal business deals in the long run,” she mentioned.

    “we glance to an international Britain outdoor the european making the most of these trade offers across the rest of the world.”

    (more…)

  • Brexit: First applications from ECU nationals for settled standing

    Motorist passing pro-EU campaigners in Parliament Symbol copyright Reuters

    The Primary packages from ECU nationals desirous to stay within the UK after Brexit are being submitted.

    A team of college students and NHS employees within the north-west of britain are taking part in a tribulation to check the system sooner than it opens later this yr.

    The three million or so ECU residents in the UK have until the tip of June 2021 to sign up for “settled status”.

    Ministers, who insist the method might be simple, say the pilot will allow for “important changes” to be made.

    The UNITED KINGDOM is due to depart the eu on 29 March 2019.

    The Federal Government has said it needs EUROPEAN nationals living in the u . s . to give you the option to stay, with Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab announcing final week that this implemented whether or not there has been an agreement on the phrases of go out or now not.

    ‘Anyone who meets me thinks I Am British’ EU residents will not be ‘turfed out’ Brexit: What now for EU citizens within the UK?

    Ministers have stated they aim to maintain paperwork to a minimum, announcing the shape that has to be stuffed in on-line or by means of cellphone app will include just a handful of questions and take a question of minutes to complete.

    up to 4,000 other folks, including students from Liverpool University and health provider staff, can be the primary to have a go throughout the pilot. they’re being guided through the utility process by way of Home Office officers.

    Applicants have to provide proof of identity, claim any felony convictions and upload a photograph – while officers will test employment data and run security checks.

    The process – as a way to value £65 for adults and £32.50 for children beneath the age of SIXTEEN – will perform at the foundation of a presumption that applications can be accepted.

    While stopping short of making certain their long run, Mr Raab stated final week that it was “unimaginable” that non-UK electorate can be requested to go away regardless of the result of present negotiations with the ecu.

    Immigration minister Caroline Nokes said the pilot was once every other step in making it easy for EU nationals to obtain settled standing – enabling them to live and paintings in the UK on the comparable phrases as now.

    “From today, we are inviting a small crew of EU electorate to make an utility to safe their status,” she stated. “we will be able to use their feedback to make any essential changes sooner than the scheme being fully opened.”

    The scheme is because of totally open on 30 March, 2019, with settled status granted to EU nationals who have lived in the UK for five years – until they’ve severe felony convictions or for safety reasons.

    Those who are resident in the UK by way of 31 December 2020 however who have no longer lived in the UNITED KINGDOM for 5 years will get pre-settled standing which permits them to reside and paintings in the UK until they achieve the five 12 months mark and will claim settled standing.

  • Inexperienced Birthday Party member ends deputy leader bid after father’s abuse conviction

    Aimee Challenor Symbol caption Aimee Challenor was operating to become the deputy leader of the golf green Birthday Party

    A Green Party member has pulled out of the race to be the party’s deputy leader, after her father was jailed for sexually abusing a ten-yr-vintage girl.

    David Challenor, 50, who has been sentenced to 22 years in jail, were an election agent for Aimee Challenor on the 2017 common election.

    In a statement Ms Challenor, a transgender activist, apologised and mentioned she didn’t find out about his crimes.

    The Inexperienced Birthday Celebration said it has introduced a whole research.

    Ms Challenor, 20, who’s a member of the green Birthday Celebration in Coventry, stated she was once disgusted together with her father’s behaviour, and didn’t realize the entire main points of his crimes until just lately.

    Her father was once charged in November 2016, West Midlands Police said.

    Challenor, of Charterhouse Highway, Coventry, used to be convicted via a jury of 23 counts of kid sex offences at Warwick Crown Courtroom and sentenced closing week.

    Midlands Live: Hunt to find Solihull double murder suspect; Teenager arrested over stabbing

    The Inexperienced Birthday Celebration said it had no longer been acutely aware of Challenor’s arrest, and “apologised unreservedly” for the truth he used to be as an election agent for his daughter within the general election and local elections in May.

    Ms Challenor, the Greens’ equalities spokeswoman, said “there were sustained sessions” where she didn’t reside in the family home.

    She brought: “in retrospect, i will remember the fact that it was once unacceptable for me to nominate my dad as my election agent whilst he were arrested.

    “i can now be mindful the prospective risks of that decision. For that i am sorry.”

    In an announcement the golf green Celebration stated: “a full research into how this was capable of occur is going down.

    “His club was once terminated with rapid impact as quickly because the data used to be delivered to the eye of determination makers.”

  • Electric shock collars for pets to be banned

    Dog with shock collar Symbol copyright Getty Pictures

    Electrical surprise collars for cats and canines will be banned in England, the government has announced.

    The coaching gadgets deliver as much as 6,000 volts of electricity or spray noxious chemical compounds to regulate animals’ behaviour.

    Environment secretary Michael Gove mentioned this causes unacceptable “hurt and suffering”.

    Wales and Scotland have already taken steps to prevent the use of electrical collars.

    Animal charities, lots of which had campaigned for the modification within the law, welcomed the move.

    Symbol Copyright @DavidBowles21 @DavidBowles21 Symbol copyright Getty Images Symbol caption There Is “no excuse or want” for surprise collars, the RSPCA said

    A ban at the gadgets used to be sponsored by SEVENTY FOUR% of individuals in a 2014 poll by the Kennel Club.

    The canine welfare agency stated a ban could make sure that pets were trained with “positive strategies, loose from pain”.

    The announcement follows a central authority consultation, during which half of the 7,000 responses mentioned they did not wish to see containment fences banned.

    Image Copyright @TheKennelClubUK @TheKennelClubUK

    Document

    Twitter post by @TheKennelClubUK: BREAKING NEWS!We ’re thrilled to announce that the Government are banning the use of electric shock collars across the UK.It ’s been a hard-fought campaign for us, starting over 10 years ago; but today ’s news will ensure dogs are trained using positive methods, free from pain. Image Copyright @TheKennelClubUK @TheKennelClubUK

    Report

    Mr Gove stated: “We Are a nation of animal fanatics and the use of punitive surprise collars cause harm and struggling to our pets.”

    He advised pet house owners to make use of “certain reward coaching strategies” instead.

    Ian Gregory, a lobbyist for pet collar producers, campaigned to forestall the ban on containment fences, arguing that they helped prevent some of the 300,000 deaths of cats in street accidents.

    He mentioned that animal charities exaggerated the affect of the shock added by way of a collar, which was about a millijoule of power, in comparison to cattle fencing which used to be 1000 times extra powerful.

    “The anecdotal problems pronounced with puppy collars can also be resolved via product standards rather than by means of banning a confirmed generation,” he said.

    “the masses of thousands of dog homeowners using far off running shoes don’t need to be criminalised.”

  • Colombia anti-corruption referendum fails to satisfy quorum

    Two men voting at a polling station in in Bogota (26/08/2018) Image copyright Reuters Symbol caption Nearly 12 million other people went to the polls, however that was once too few for the referendum to be legitimate

    Colombia’s anti-corruption referendum has didn’t reach the minimal selection of votes required for it to be valid.

    Much Less that 12 million people went to the polls and the referendum wanted a little greater than 12 million to take part for it to be binding.

    Alternatively, an amazing majority of those who did vote approved the anti-corruption measures proposed.

    Each of the seven measures had more than 99% support.

    But for the referendum to be valid, a third of the rustic’s 36.4 million eligible electorate had to participate and the turnout fell just short of that.

    The proposed measures include a cut in wages of contributors of Congress, bans on alternative sentences like area arrest for corruption, forcing elected officials to submit their tax returns and a 3-term prohibit on local and nationwide lawmakers.

    Corruption is rife in the u . s . despite efforts to take on the problem through rules, more thorough investigations or even by way of elevating public awareness through campaigns.

    The outgoing comptroller common, Edgardo Maya, said not too long ago that corruption was once costing the country more than $15bn a year.

    “they’re stealing the whole thing,” he mentioned.

    Then Again, politicians will most certainly must consider that an awesome majority of these who did vote licensed the measures.

    Supporters said it showed Colombians were bored to death with the scandals and desired to cling politicians to account.

    “Citizens want a real and genuine change in political practices,” stated Angelica Lozano, a Green party senator who campaigned for “Sure”.

    Other members of Congress who supported the “Yes” marketing campaign stated they might present a selection of new rules in accordance with the seven measures in Congress this week.

  • Nicola Sturgeon: ‘No legal basis’ to droop Alex Salmond

    Alex Salmond Symbol copyright AFP Image caption Mr Salmond has defined the lawsuits against him as “patently ridiculous”

    Nicola Sturgeon has mentioned there is “no legal foundation” to droop Alex Salmond from the SNP amid allegations of sexual harassment.

    The SNP leader said the court cases had been being investigated via the Scottish executive – and had now not been shared together with her party.

    Mr Salmond has strenuously denied any claims of harassment or illegal activity, and criticised the court cases process

    He said there had been “sustained leaking” from inside the executive.

    Salmond probe ‘entirely confidential’ Salmond denies sexual misconduct claims Alex Salmond profile

    Ms Sturgeon has faced calls from competition parties to droop Mr Salmond from the SNP since the Daily Record discovered on Thursday that two female government employees had lodged court cases about his behaviour while he used to be first minister.

    Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Ms Sturgeon has said the complaints towards her friend and mentor have created an “incredibly tough situation” for her

    Ms Sturgeon also defended Leslie Evans, the Scottish government’s most sensible civil servant, who has been singled out for criticism via Mr Salmond.

    “The permanent secretary used to be completely proper to make sure that the procedure was once applied on this case and he or she has my complete give a boost to in having done so,” she said.

    The proceedings in opposition to Mr Salmond have additionally been passed to Police Scotland which says it is assessing the information.

    The Scottish Conservatives mentioned Ms Sturgeon’s remark left many questions unanswered.

    Equalities spokeswoman Annie Wells stated: “We’re still none the wiser as to the way the assault used to be handled while it was alleged to have taken place, nor do we understand whilst someone in the SNP or the Scottish government was informed about the incident.”

    The Scottish govt has stated Ms Sturgeon used to be first made aware of the allegations in opposition to Mr Salmond in April this 12 months, and made it clear to him that she would not intervene within the court cases process.

    Scottish Labour had in advance called for “complete transparency” from the Scottish executive.

    Parliamentary industry supervisor and women’s spokesperson Rhoda Furnish mentioned: “It Is understood that Alex Salmond met the first minister on multiple occasions to talk about the research into allegations of sexual attack into him.

    “it would be totally unacceptable if the details of these meetings remained unknown.”

    (more…)

  • New regulations could see non-MP lead Lib Dems

    Sir Vince Cable Symbol copyright PA

    The Liberal Democrat’s Sir Vince Cable is to announce a shake-up of the party’s laws, in a transfer that could see somebody who’s not an MP grow to be chief.

    As smartly as starting up the function to candidates outdoor of the party’s 12 MPs, Sir Vince wants to involve extra supporters within the variety process.

    A Lib Dem spokesman played down studies within the Sunday Occasions that Sir Vince used to be making plans to stand down.

    They mentioned he had no plans to go away “any time quickly”.

    In a speech on 7 September, Sir Vince will unveil proposals to create a registered supporters scheme similar to the one that allowed A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY,000 people to vote in the Labour leadership elections.

    He additionally plans to rewrite the principles in order that supporters want to be enrolled for one year earlier than vote casting, to stop infiltration by rival parties.

    Sir Vince hopes to emulate the luck of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Birthday Celebration in Canada, which leaped from 3rd place to victory in 2015.

    The Lib Dem chief stated attractive individuals and a wider frame of supporters in selecting their leader and candidates had been a very powerful to their rise.

    In his spring conference speech this yr, he mentioned: “i’m determined that we Liberal Democrats should lead a new groundswell for political renewal.”

    A session at the adjustments is expected to final a few months.