'Unnecessary Misery': UN Poverty Expert Lambasts Austerity And Government Cuts
Government cuts have inflicted “unnecessary misery in one of the richest countries in the world” and entrenching high levels of poverty, a UN investigation into poverty in Britain has found. Professor Philip Alston, a United Nations special rapporteur on poverty and human rights has spent 12 days investigating the impact of austerity measures, Universal Credit, and Brexit in Britain. In a remarkable conference in London on Friday to present his preliminary findings. Speaking on the impact of austerity, Alston said: “In the fifth richest country in the world, this is not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster, all rolled into one.” Pulling no punches, Alston lambasted government cuts, saying few savings had really been made, but tightening public budgets had instead exacerbated serious social problems in community, families and emergency rooms. Alston said that poverty was rising, with child poverty predicted to rise seven per cent between 2015 and 2022, and that homelessness was up by 60% – with the use of food banks multiplying.
What is this Brexit distracting from? What is the point of it? Why don't they ask Cameron to negotiate because he asked for the referendum and then quit? Why didn't they have a plan in place for leave and remain before the vote? Since it is so important. What a terrible shame. What is politics for? Pseudo-intellectuals I think.
Boris Johnson's unused water cannon sold for scrap at £300,000 loss
Three unusable water cannon bought by Boris Johnson when he was mayor of London have been sold for scrap, at a net loss of more than £300,000. Johnson bought the crowd-control vehicles from the German police in 2014, in anticipation of social unrest, without checking whether they could be used on London’s streets. In one of his most humiliating episodes as mayor the then home secretary Theresa May banned them from use anywhere in England and Wales. It left the capital’s taxpayers with three expensive white elephants.
Sajid Javid is grass root Tories' favourite to replace May after she vows to step down by 2022
Home Secretary Sajid Javid is favourite with the Tory faithful to succeed Theresa May, with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in second place – and Boris Johnson well down the field.
According to the survey of Conservative councillors, Home Secretary Mr Javid is the Party's first choice to replace Mrs May. He is followed by Mr Hunt and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.
Surprisingly, Mr Johnson, Mrs May's most prominent critic, trails in seventh place.
Danny Dyer's hilarious alternative Christmas speech blasts 'backstabbing' politicians
Danny Dyer has blasted "backstabbing" politicians in his hilarious Alternative Christmas Message on Channel 4. The EastEnders actor, who was described as an "unofficial man of the people," sat at a festive table, sipping out of a royal wedding mug with the faces of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle smiling out.
He said: "That shambles down in Westminster, what a palaver that is. I mean, where are our leaders? Where are they? There's been more backstabbing than we have in Albert Square."
"From his colourful opinions on Brexit to his hilarious and moving appearance with daughter Dani on Celebrity Gogglebox, when Danny speaks, people listen. His message is full of wit, heart and just the right amount of Dyer attitude. Merry Christmas, loves!"
Farage is an eel. The slippiest of eels. He tried to ambush O’ Brien but O’Brien is too smart, too well-researched for Farage’s **** shenanigans. O’Brien is the best political journalist around by a stretch. He should be treasured, not castigated for his endeavours.
StanMarsh1 4 years ago
O'Brien did a **** good job, quick, clear headed and knowledgeable. Farage is a dangerous man, worse for the poor than the Tories but he likes to pretend he's 'one of us'.
Benefits rule changes could cost pensioners in UK thousands a year
The work and pensions secretary, Amber Rudd, leaves No 10. Age UK has described the changes as a ‘substantial stealth cut’. Photograph: Mark Thomas/Rex/Shutterstock Thousands of poorer UK pensioners who have partners of working age could lose up to £7,000 a year in top-ups as a result of imminent rule changes that will require them to claim universal credit as a couple. Changes slipped out on Monday night by the Department for Work and Pensions mean that from 15 May, new pensioners whose partners are younger than the state retirement age of 65 can no longer claim a means-tested top-up called pension credit. Instead they will be forced to claim the much less generous universal credit alongside their younger partners. The couple rate of universal credit is £114.81 a week compared with £255.25 for a couple receiving pension credit. This amounts to a potential loss of £7,320 a year. Age UK described the change as a “substantial stealth cut” and said it could have a devastating effect on the health and wellbeing of some older people and increase the numbers of pensioners in poverty.
Such is the anger with the Speaker at senior levels of government, it has been suggested he could be blocked from getting a peerage when he retires. Ministers are furious at what they see as John Bercow's "bias" during Commons debates on Brexit. The move would break a tradition dating back 230 years, that former Commons speakers are automatically offered a seat in the House of Lords. A Cabinet source said: "It's a good job peerage nominations are in our gift." They added: "I'm sure we'll be thinking carefully about which individuals we would choose to elevate to the House of Lords. "I can't imagine we would look favourably on those who've cheated centuries of procedure." By tradition, retiring Speakers have stood down as MPs at the same time, triggering a by-election.
High-risk paedophile who thrust **** against girl, three, is spared jail for breaching court order
A high-risk paedophile who sexually assaulted a three-year-old girl in a supermarket has been spared jail for repeatedly breaching a court order – because it would “crush” him. Keith Holloway, 65, thrust his exposed genitals against the girl in front of her horrified mum. He also filmed under the skirts of young women and offered an eight-year-old girl an ice pop, telling her she was “beautiful” and inviting her to use his new shower. Holloway was hauled before Worcester Crown Court after he admitted breaching a court order banning him from owning a camera.
Tory peer in £600,000 conflict of interest: Climate Change chief John Gummer faces calls to quit over payments from 'green businesses' to his family firm where daughter he famously fed a beef burger during the height of the BSE crisis is a director Conservative peer's family-run consultancy been paid huge sums by businesses MPs say Mr Gummer should have declared the payments – but he never has He last night denied conflict of interest and said complied with disclosure rules
Comments
Government cuts have inflicted “unnecessary misery in one of the richest countries in the world” and entrenching high levels of poverty, a UN investigation into poverty in Britain has found.
Professor Philip Alston, a United Nations special rapporteur on poverty and human rights has spent 12 days investigating the impact of austerity measures, Universal Credit, and Brexit in Britain.
In a remarkable conference in London on Friday to present his preliminary findings. Speaking on the impact of austerity, Alston said: “In the fifth richest country in the world, this is not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster, all rolled into one.”
Pulling no punches, Alston lambasted government cuts, saying few savings had really been made, but tightening public budgets had instead exacerbated serious social problems in community, families and emergency rooms.
Alston said that poverty was rising, with child poverty predicted to rise seven per cent between 2015 and 2022, and that homelessness was up by 60% – with the use of food banks multiplying.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/apos-unnecessary-misery-apos-un-135047720.html
Three unusable water cannon bought by Boris Johnson when he was mayor of London have been sold for scrap, at a net loss of more than £300,000.
Johnson bought the crowd-control vehicles from the German police in 2014, in anticipation of social unrest, without checking whether they could be used on London’s streets. In one of his most humiliating episodes as mayor the then home secretary Theresa May banned them from use anywhere in England and Wales. It left the capital’s taxpayers with three expensive white elephants.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/boris-johnsons-unused-water-cannon-sold-for-scrap-at-£300000-loss/ar-BBPRLUE?ocid=spartanntp
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/likely-person-beat-theresa-may-leadership-election-113558332.html
Home Secretary Sajid Javid is favourite with the Tory faithful to succeed Theresa May, with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in second place – and Boris Johnson well down the field.
According to the survey of Conservative councillors, Home Secretary Mr Javid is the Party's first choice to replace Mrs May.
He is followed by Mr Hunt and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.
Surprisingly, Mr Johnson, Mrs May's most prominent critic, trails in seventh place.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexit/sajid-javid-is-grass-root-tories-favourite-to-replace-may-after-she-vows-to-step-down-by-2022/ar-BBQSt2V?ocid=spartandhp
Danny Dyer has blasted "backstabbing" politicians in his hilarious Alternative Christmas Message on Channel 4.
The EastEnders actor, who was described as an "unofficial man of the people," sat at a festive table, sipping out of a royal wedding mug with the faces of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle smiling out.
He said: "That shambles down in Westminster, what a palaver that is. I mean, where are our leaders? Where are they? There's been more backstabbing than we have in Albert Square."
"From his colourful opinions on Brexit to his hilarious and moving appearance with daughter Dani on Celebrity Gogglebox, when Danny speaks, people listen. His message is full of wit, heart and just the right amount of Dyer attitude. Merry Christmas, loves!"
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/tv/danny-dyers-hilarious-alternative-christmas-speech-blasts-backstabbing-politicians/ar-BBRqrUW?ocid=spartanntp
Thomas Bonner
1 month ago
Farage is an eel. The slippiest of eels. He tried to ambush O’ Brien but O’Brien is too smart, too well-researched for Farage’s **** shenanigans. O’Brien is the best political journalist around by a stretch. He should be treasured, not castigated for his endeavours.
StanMarsh1
4 years ago
O'Brien did a **** good job, quick, clear headed and knowledgeable. Farage is a dangerous man, worse for the poor than the Tories but he likes to pretend he's 'one of us'.
Neil Hedley
1 year ago
Farage as usual talks a lot and says nothing
The work and pensions secretary, Amber Rudd, leaves No 10. Age UK has described the changes as a ‘substantial stealth cut’. Photograph: Mark Thomas/Rex/Shutterstock
Thousands of poorer UK pensioners who have partners of working age could lose up to £7,000 a year in top-ups as a result of imminent rule changes that will require them to claim universal credit as a couple.
Changes slipped out on Monday night by the Department for Work and Pensions mean that from 15 May, new pensioners whose partners are younger than the state retirement age of 65 can no longer claim a means-tested top-up called pension credit.
Instead they will be forced to claim the much less generous universal credit alongside their younger partners.
The couple rate of universal credit is £114.81 a week compared with £255.25 for a couple receiving pension credit. This amounts to a potential loss of £7,320 a year.
Age UK described the change as a “substantial stealth cut” and said it could have a devastating effect on the health and wellbeing of some older people and increase the numbers of pensioners in poverty.
https://uk.yahoo.com/finance/news/benefit-rule-changes-could-cost-174057949.html
Such is the anger with the Speaker at senior levels of government, it has been suggested he could be blocked from getting a peerage when he retires.
Ministers are furious at what they see as John Bercow's "bias" during Commons debates on Brexit.
The move would break a tradition dating back 230 years, that former Commons speakers are automatically offered a seat in the House of Lords.
A Cabinet source said: "It's a good job peerage nominations are in our gift."
They added: "I'm sure we'll be thinking carefully about which individuals we would choose to elevate to the House of Lords.
"I can't imagine we would look favourably on those who've cheated centuries of procedure."
By tradition, retiring Speakers have stood down as MPs at the same time, triggering a by-election.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46913477
A high-risk paedophile who sexually assaulted a three-year-old girl in a supermarket has been spared jail for repeatedly breaching a court order – because it would “crush” him.
Keith Holloway, 65, thrust his exposed genitals against the girl in front of her horrified mum.
He also filmed under the skirts of young women and offered an eight-year-old girl an ice pop, telling her she was “beautiful” and inviting her to use his new shower.
Holloway was hauled before Worcester Crown Court after he admitted breaching a court order banning him from owning a camera.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/4145670-175312184.html
Tory peer in £600,000 conflict of interest: Climate Change chief John Gummer faces calls to quit over payments from 'green businesses' to his family firm where daughter he famously fed a beef burger during the height of the BSE crisis is a director
Conservative peer's family-run consultancy been paid huge sums by businesses
MPs say Mr Gummer should have declared the payments – but he never has
He last night denied conflict of interest and said complied with disclosure rules
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6661513/Climate-Change-chief-John-Gummer-faces-calls-quit-payments-green-businesses.html