The Met Office has issued an Amber warning for wind across parts of western and northern Scotland. The warning is in place between 9am on Sunday, 20 October, and 11.59pm on Sunday, 20 October, 2024.
The following areas are expected to be affected by the Amber warning:
Highlands and Eilean Siar (Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar)
Strathclyde (Argyll and Bute)
A Yellow warning for wind affecting much of Scotland is also in place between 3am on Sunday, 20 October, and 11.59pm on Sunday, 20 October, 2024.
The following areas are expected to be affected by the Yellow warning:
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders (Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders, West Lothian)
Strathclyde (Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire)
Further information about the weather warnings and flood information is available on the Met Office and SEPA websites.
Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland’s Head of Road Policing, said: “The amber warning for high winds means that there is a strong likelihood of disruption on the road network and as such, motorists are advised to plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel where possible.
“Make sure your vehicle has sufficient fuel and is completely roadworthy, with tyre pressure and tread meeting legal requirements. Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged in the event you need to call for assistance and if it is likely you may be within your vehicle for long periods of time, take additional clothing and water with you.
“Please do not ignore any road signage advising of changes to speed or closures to routes. These are in place for your safety and the safety of other road users and listen out for media broadcasts about the weather and how it may be impacting travel.
“Further information of the weather and road closures can be found by visiting the Met Office, Ready Scotland and Traffic Scotland websites and social media accounts.”
General advice for road users:
Plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel
All road users should consider if they really need to travel during adverse weather
Consider delaying travel until conditions improve
If you are travelling on the roads, prepare yourself and your vehicle for the conditions
Ensure your mobile phone is charged and plan your journey, including an alternative route
Have sufficient fuel, warm clothing, food and water in case you’re delayed
Do not ignore road closure signs – they are for your safety
Congestion caused by vehicles may restrict emergency services and recovery vehicles from providing essential assistance
Follow @trafficscotland on X for up-to-date travel information.
Wind
HGV and bus drivers should drive with extreme caution and be aware you may be asked to park at a suitable position by the police.
Drivers of vehicles vulnerable to being blown over should plan their route to avoid exposed areas or consider cancelling your journey until conditions improve.
Cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians should consider the risk of being blown over or into the path of other road users.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
Last Year, Pressley Secured $524K to Create New Mobile Library and Support STEM Programming
In Congress, Pressley Has Led Charge Against Book Bans and Promoted Culturally Relevant Learning in K-12 Schools
Video (YouTube) | Photo (Dropbox)
RANDOLPH – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) visited Randolph for a ribbon cutting for the Turner Free Mobile Library, which was made possible after she delivered $524,000 in federal funding for the new library and STEM programming. The new mobile library, also known as the “Page Turner” bookmobile, carries books, movies, Wi-Fi, and other resources to students, elders, and other residents across the Randolph community. In Congress, Rep. Pressley has led the charge against book bans and has championed policies that promote culturally relevant learning in K-12 schools.
Congresswoman Pressley was joined at the ribbon-cutting by Randolph Town Manager Brian Howard, Randolph Public Schools Superintendent Thea Stovell, Turner Free Library Director Sharon Parrington-Wright, and Randolph students, librarians, and city officials.
“When we say books save lives, we mean that. The Turner Free Mobile Library will support students without access to high-speed internet at home, bring books and resources to learners of every age in Randolph, and focus on increasing critical literacy rates and critical thinking,” said Rep. Pressley. “Thank you to the educators, librarians, legislators, and students for being part of building strong learning communities and fostering a love of learning for all ages. With book bans on the rise in Massachusetts and across the country, I am proud to have delivered federal funding to make this effort a reality and help Randolph residents access the learning resources they deserve.”
“The arrival of the Turner Free Library’s bookmobile is a proud moment for the Town of Randolph, as it reflects our commitment to expanding opportunities for learning and community connection, said Brian Howard, Randolph Town Manager. “This innovative resource will serve as a bridge, bringing essential library services directly to our residents and enriching the lives of all who engage with it. We are grateful for Congresswoman Pressley’s tremendous support and excited to see how this mobile library will strengthen Randolph’s dedication to literacy, education, and accessibility for everyone.”
“The Turner Free Library’s bookmobile is the latest in our long-standing efforts to reduce barriers and make library services accessible to all members of the Randolph community,” said Sharon Parrington-Wright, Turner Free Library Director. “We’re excited to use the bookmobile to support literacy, equitable access to information, and lifelong learning by bringing library services outside of the library’s walls and into our community—when and where they are!”
“I’m so enthusiastic about the new bookmobile and its potential impact on Randolph Public Schools. This transformative resource is a game-changer that is not only a mobile library but also a catalyst for bringing the joy of reading directly to students and fostering a vibrant community of literacy,” said Thea Stovell, Randolph Public Schools Superintendent. “By enhancing access to diverse literature and creating engaging learning opportunities, The Page Turner creates dynamic learning experiences that inspire a lifelong love of reading and foster a strong sense of community.”
Footage of the event can be found here, and photos are here.
In Congress, Rep. Pressley unveiled the Books Save Lives Act to help ensure an inclusive learning environment and counteract the harm of book bans across the country.
Rep. Pressley secured the federal funding for Turner Free Library in the government spending package that passed Congress and was signed into law by President Biden in December 2022. Rep. Pressley secured millions for 15 community projects across the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District in this major Congressional appropriations bill, capping off nearly a year of advocacy by Rep. Pressley and local leaders.
In April, 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph to celebrate the $524,000 in federal funding she secured for Turner Free Library to support a mobile library and STEM programming. Rep. Pressley held a roundtable discussion and press conference on how the project will serve elementary and middle school students across Randolph Public Schools who lack regular access to school librarians or library services. In August 2022, Rep. Pressley delivered $275,000 in federal community project funding for culturally responsive resources and digital literacy tools for Randolph Public Schools.
In October 2023, during Banned Books Week, Rep. Pressley visited the Turner Free Library in Randolph to discuss the growing threat of book bans across the country and the need for accessible, representative literature. Rep. Pressley was joined at the roundtable by librarians, educators, and community members from Randolph and Milton.
On October 10, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Just A Start, elected officials and community advocates and members for the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the Economic Mobility Hub at Rindge Commons, a 70,000-square-foot facility designed to address the evolving needs of the community.
On June 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Boston Medical Center (BMC) to celebrate $370,000 in federal community project funding she secured to support BMC’s Violence Intervention Advocacy Program.
On June 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea HealthCare Center to celebrate $1,150,000 in federal community project funding she secured to support Massachusetts General Hospital’s (MGH) efforts to address the statewide shortage of bilingual, culturally diverse mental health providers for immigrant and limited English proficiency communities.
On April 22, 2204, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) visited Nubian Square in Roxbury for a roundtable discussion to celebrate the $1,000,000 million in federal funding they secured for the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA).
On March 28, 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Roxbury to celebrate the $1,000,000 in federal funding she secured to provide emergency childcare support for families experiencing homelessness in the City of Boston.
In February 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea City Hall for a roundtable and press conference to celebrate the $750,000 in federal funding she secured for the City of Chelsea’s and City of Everett’s Island End River Coastal Flood Resilience Project.
In January 2024, Rep. Pressley visited Somerville to celebrate the $2.4 million in federal funding she secured to support the community-led transformation of the Clarendon Hill housing community, an ethnically, linguistically and economically diverse neighborhood.
In December 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Brighton to celebrate $400,000 she delivered for Amplify Latinx’s ALX Small Business Program.
In November 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Roxbury Community College (RCC) to celebrate $1 million in federal community project funding she secured for Northeastern University’s Roxbury Associate’s to Master’s Workforce Accelerator (RA2MWA).
In June 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea to celebrate $2,000,000 in federal community project funding she secured to improve the Broadway Corridor—home to an array of BIPOC-owned small businesses, vibrant public spaces, high frequency public transit routes, and dense residential housing.
In April 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph to celebrate $524,000 she secured for Randolph Public Schools to support a mobile library and STEM programming.
In March 2023, Rep. Pressley visited Dorchester to celebrate $250,000 in new Community Project Funding she secured for Big Sister Association of Greater Boston’s one-to-one mentoring and enrichment programs for girls.
In February 2023, Rep. Pressley visited the African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE) to celebrate the $643,003 in community project funding she secured for ACEDONE to support small businesses in predominately Black, brown and African immigrant communities.
In October 2022, Rep. Pressley visited The Dimock Center in Roxbury to celebrate $1 million in federal community project funding she secured to support substance use treatment and programming at the health center.
In August 2022, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph to deliver $275,000 in federal community project funding for culturally responsive resources and digital literacy tools for Randolph Public Schools.
In June 2022, Rep. Pressley visited the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology to deliver $300,000 in direct federal funding for the development of a Clean Energy Building Automation Systems certificate and associate degree program.
In May 2022, she visited Bunker Hill Community College to celebrate the $1,000,000 in federal community project funding she secured to expand the City of Boston’s Tuition-Free Community College program.
In April 2022, she visited Randolph to deliver $1,000,000 in federal community project funding for a new school-based community health center at Randolph High School.
In March 2022, she visited La Colaborativa in Chelsea to celebrate the $300,000 in federal community project funding that she delivered for La Colaborativa’s COVID Employment Recovery Program.
All primary schools, Early Learning and Childcare (ELC), Intensive Support Provision (ISP) settings and Fairview School in Perth and Kinross will be closed on Monday October 21 because of industrial action taken by UNISON in a national dispute over pay.
All secondary schools except St John’s Academy (Secondary) in Perth and the Community School of Auchterarder, will be open on Monday. All secondary ISP provision will be closed. Navigate will be open.
Due to the October holidays, it has not been possible, as previously indicated, to complete Risk Assessments for our primaries and ELC settings. This means we cannot guarantee there will be enough staff to ensure pupil safety and so have taken the decision to close these settings.
The situation will be reviewed daily during the two weeks of industrial action planned by UNISON.
It is possible a small number of primary schools will be able to open later in the week. However, the situation is likely to remain fluid and may change for individual schools on a day-to-day basis. We will continue to provide updates when necessary. Schools will also email parents and carers about their arrangements on Monday.
Where schools are closed before and after school care (Breakfast Clubs, Kids Clubs and Wraparound Care) will also be closed.
Remote learning will be provided when schools are closed to pupils as teachers are not taking part in the industrial action.
Payments will be made to families whose children are eligible Free School Meals because their families are in receipt of qualifying benefits.
We thank you for your understanding.
Leisure services provided at our four community campuses (Breadalbane, Loch Leven, North Inch and Strathearn) are also likely to be disrupted because of the industrial action.
The following activities will still be able to proceed:
Block Booked, Club/Group activity – Indoor and Outdoor
Instructor / Coach led activity – Swimming Lessons, Gymnastics, Fitness Classes etc.
I didn’t seek out The Vegetarian when I first read it. I was on a book buying ban and in the lucky position to be living with a fellow hoarder. As I perused our combined stacks, a slim volume by an author I hadn’t heard of caught my eye, and I am glad it did. The Vegetarian by Han Kang, is exactly my sort of story: dark, disturbing and beautifully wrought.
Yeong-hye is, as her husband charmingly says, “completely unremarkable in every way” – that is, until she becomes vegetarian. This decision sends her world, and her extended family’s, spinning aggressively off its axis. You may be thinking this is a bit dramatic (vegetarianism is normal), and it is.
The Korean satirical sensibility often disturbs you into realising humanity is messed up. Parasite (winner of the Oscar for best picture in 2020), Oldboy (the 2003 thriller that inspired John Wick) and The Vegetarian are born of the same sort of urgency to expose our shared ability for violence, which they attest is always there, simmering just beneath the surface.
The Vegetarian won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize, and Kang has now emerged as the surprise winner of this year’s Nobel prize in literature. She is one of the youngest writers to win. Artful is a word that comes to mind when thinking about her sparse and beautiful prose, which also manages to be so dense in meaning. It makes sense that Kang is a poet, and this quality in her translations is a testament to her translator, Deborah Smith.
As our writer, Jenni Ramone, notes, The Vegetarian was likely to have been the work that influenced the judging panel the most. Kang manages to fit a lot of horror into this slim text (it’s less than 200 pages) without it feeling crowded. It’s a searing novel, visceral and savage in its imagery, which is so elegantly and economically described.
I am currently in the lucky position of possessing an early reader copy of Kang’s newest novel We Do Not Part, which is out next year. I am so excited to get stuck in. Until then, I urge you to read The Vegetarian and to delve further into Kang’s catalogue, her poetry in particular.
This got us thinking about the difference between writing poetry and prose. Is it obvious that a good poet would write good prose, and vice versa? Answer our poll and reply to this email with your thoughts and examples where poets have written good or bad prose, and prose writers have written bad or good poetry.
Hallyu, the wave of Korean art and culture that has taken the west by storm, is going strong. Literature is getting its moment in the sun right now, and maybe Korea’s art will be next. If you want to be ahead of the curve, you should head down to London’s Southbank where you can catch artist Haegue Yang’s Leap Year at the Hayward Gallery.
The work is bright and bold, Yang is certainly an original and radical. The exhibition is a major retrospective of her work in which you will find collage, sculpture and installations featuring sound and even scent. Our reviewer, Martin Lang, writes: “Yang’s work suggests that art, too, has the power to bridge divides and foster empathy, breaking down barriers between cultures.”
“I remember watching it as a teenager in a lesson at school and once was enough for me,” writes politics academic Mark Lacy of the BBC film Threads, a truly terrifying imagining of the impact of a nuclear war on a city in the north of England from 1984. The film hasn’t been available to watch for decades, but has recently been put on iPlayer for us all to relive its horror.
As Lacy outlines, “it’s a brutal and grim tour of the aftermath of nuclear war, which anyone who viewed it when originally aired may struggle to watch again”. Lacy watched it at a time when the possibility of cold war tensions escalating was very real. While we have certainly been exposed to more nuclear fallout stories since, the film is once again available to watch at a time when the fear of attacks on nuclear facilities is again in the news.
The film The Apprentice also comes at a time of great nervousness as the US election draws near. The film, set in the 1970s and 1980s, charts the business career of presidential hopeful Donald Trump. It centres around Trump’s relationship with the prosecutor Roy Cohn, from whom he is said to have learned underhanded ways of business and Machiavellian dealmaking.
As our reviewer, professor of international relations Michelle Bentley, writes, it comes at a controversial time – with fewer than three weeks until the election. “The film seeks to get inside Trump’s mindset, not only as a businessperson, but unpicking what drove him in the White House, as well as the election he’s now fighting,” writes Bentley, who goes on to explain whether the film will affect the election at all. It is certainly a major event in this dramatic election.
There are so many brilliant music documentaries giving long-deserved dues to musicians who have fallen into obscurity but who had major influence on so many artists and genres. Think the films Searching For Sugarman and Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande. A wonderful new addition to this genre is Harder Than the Rock about the Cimarons.
This lovely piece by sociologist Kenny Monrose is full of childhood anecdotes of their music. The group were the UK’s first reggae band, and looking at the long list of people they worked with, from Bob Marley to Paul McCartney, it’s startling how little known they are – even by the film’s director, Mark Warmington. My colleague Anna said she had a wonderful afternoon editing Monrose’s piece while listening to the band’s music, which you we highly recommend you do too.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston gang Cameron Street was sentenced yesterday for committing an armed home invasion robbery with fellow gang members.
Brendon Amado, 27, of Randolph, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Amado pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats or violence.
Amado was identified as an associate of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence, including murder and attempted murder, to preserve, protect and expand their territory.
In July 2018, Amado, along with Cameron Street members and co-defendants Deronde Bethea and Michael Nguyen, committed a home invasion robbery with firearms of two victims at the home of a rival drug dealer in Canton. Amado, Bethea and Nguyen broke into the home through the back door, wearing masks and dark hoodies and carrying firearms. One victim ran out of the front door of the house and called 911. The second victim was brought into the living room, punched in the head, had a gun put to her head. as the men ransacked the house demanding, “where’s the stuff, where’s the money, where’s your boyfriend?” Amado, Bethea and Nguyen later fled the house in a silver pickup truck after stealing $2,000 in cash and a safe. Among other evidence, Amado and Bethea were identified on convenience store surveillance footage shortly before the robbery took place.
In December 2023, Nguyen pleaded guilty and in March 2024 he was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Bethea pleaded guilty in February 2024 and in June 2024 was sentenced to 250 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, and Boston Police Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland
Statement by TUV deputy leader Court Councillor Ron McDowell:
“The questions surrounding Sinn Fein when it comes to the issue of child safety continue to grow in number and there will be few who will be filled with confidence that the decision of some member of the Executive Office Committee to furnish Ms O’Neill with their questions in advance of the meeting is a route which is likely to get to the truth. However, in addition to those profoundly important issues we now have confirmation that the IRA “Army Council” continues to exist, that the IRA is still involved in gathering intelligence, that it retains arms 19 years after they were supposedly decommissioned and that the IRA’s “Army Council” continues to oversee Sinn Féin’s overarching strategy.
“Child safety is profound enough an issue to call into question the suitability of anyone to hold office. After this morning’s confirmation that nothing has changed when it comes to the IRA and the role of its leadership in Sinn Fein surely all Unionist MLAs will be queuing up to sign the TUV motion of no confidence on Monday morning?
“Any Unionist who doesn’t sign it obviously does have confidence in Ms O’Neill. One is given to wonder what on earth Sinn Fein/IRA would have to do in order to lose it.”
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Amanda Cole, Lecturer in Department of Language and Linguistics, University of Essex
On October 21 1964, the iconic and much-celebrated film My Fair Lady premiered in Hollywood. Sixty years later, the film remains an enjoyable rollick full of catchy songs, but is not a wholly accurate depiction of what linguists do – certainly not nowadays at least.
Linguists are far from the academics who are most frequently depicted in films. It’s normally the white-coat, work-in-a-lab, scientist-of-some-nondescript-sort professors who get to give stark warnings or unsettling research insights to the maverick protagonist. But My Fair Lady is a film all about linguistics (and also class, love and terrible Cockney accents – more on that later).
In the film, Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison), takes under his wing a Cockney flower seller called Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn). He wagers with his friend and fellow haughty linguist, Colonel Pickering, that he can teach her to speak “properly”.
It seems at first there is no hope but – hoorah! – Eliza finally grasps it, suddenly blurting out “the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain” in a perfect imitation of Queen’s English.
Doolittle then dazzles at an embassy ball, the perfect replica of an upstanding posh woman – or, as the film’s title suggests, a “lady” (itself a problematic word which encodes sexist tropes about what should be aspirational and respectable for women).
She even fools a man who has made a name for himself by identifying imposters based on their accent. Though, you may also wonder if she evades detection by barely speaking at the ball, converted into a demure and unforthcoming shadow of her previously forthright, unapologetic and garrulous self.
Professor Higgins: not your typical linguist
My Fair Lady avoids the common pitfall of assuming that the primary endeavour of the linguist is to learn as many different languages as they can, collecting them like stamps (the film Arrival can take note). But it still doesn’t get our job quite right.
I, for one, have never groomed a young, destitute woman to speak “correctly” while moulding her into a “respectable”, posh woman (if only modern academia granted the breathing space for such folly).
Linguists love, celebrate and are constantly itching to understand, study and explore the diverse tapestry of accents, dialects and languages that exist in the UK and around the world. We have no interest in reinforcing any societal ideal for a supposedly “correct” accent, or throwing a grammar rule book at unwitting members of the public.
By contrast, Higgins is repulsed by any accent that is not Queen’s English (which, by a wonderful turn of luck, is also his accent). In the opening number, he has a pop at the dialects of Yorkshire, Cornwall, America, Scotland and Ireland.
But he is particularly dismayed and repulsed that Doolittle, despite being from London, has a strong London accent (or she is meant to at least – I can only imagine Hepburn was instructed to open her mouth as wide as possible for all vowels and caw like a crow if all else fails).
Higgins makes various proclamations which will have you shouting at the telly, “Steady on, Professor!”. In his words:
Look at her, a prisoner of the gutter / Condemned by every syllable she ever utters / By right, she should be taken out and hung for the cold-blooded murder of the English tongue.
Best not tell him “hanged” is the past tense of “hang” when referring to capital punishment, else he walk himself straight to the gallows.
With a little bit of accent prejudice
The real beast in disguise at the embassy ball is not young, Cockney, Eliza Doolittle. It is misogyny and contempt for the working class that hides behind a mask of maintaining good standards and protecting the English language.
Accent prejudice is a smokescreen for broader societal prejudice. My Fair Lady seems antiquated and quaint in many ways – like Higgins using a gramophone to play back recordings of Doolittle – but accent prejudice is alive and well.
Women in the UK such as Alex Scott, Angela Rayner and Priti Patel still routinely face criticism, commentary and contempt for their regional accents.
You might think that the film’s lesson is for Doolittle to take on the world with her freshly mastered “standard” accent. After all, she consented to being ridiculed and paraded around like a show dog as she felt her accent prevented her from getting a job in a flower shop. Now, nothing stands in her way.
But people should not have to change their accent to get along – and it is not always possible or even a guaranteed ticket out of discrimination. If we take the accent out of accent prejudice, we are still left with the prejudice – let’s remove the prejudice and be left with the accent.
We need more unapologetically working-class women with regional accents at the embassy ball, but also in politics, academia, in the media and in all walks of life.
In the film, Doolittle ultimately feels she has been used and disrespected, leading her to sour on Higgins. After she leaves, he grows to miss her and wistfully plays back recordings of her voice.
And this is the real lesson for viewers today. Higgins has gotten to know Doolittle as a person and now sees beyond her accent and his own prejudice. The more we hear people with regional accents, the more normal and uneventful it becomes, and the more we will focus on what they say and not how they say it.
Amanda Cole does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Foreign Secretary David Lammy met Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi, in Beijing today.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy met Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi, in Beijing today (18 October).
The Foreign Secretary set out that as fellow Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, it is a necessity that the UK and China increase bilateral engagement. He made clear that, as global players, both countries have an obligation to work together to find pragmatic solutions to complex challenges.
Areas of pragmatic, mutually beneficial cooperation were clear. This included working together on achieving the global green transition; making greater efforts on development and global health; and the safe use of AI. The Foreign Secretary reiterated his commitment to promoting secure and resilient growth through increased trade and investment which creates jobs, drives innovation, boosts productivity and provides economic stability and certainty for the UK economy. They agreed that the UK and China can support both countries’ growth objectives, with China as the world’s second largest economy and the UK’s 4th largest trading partner.
The Foreign Secretary also raised a number of foreign policy and security matters, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, where he stated how both the UK and China have a shared interest in European peace and ending the war. He reaffirmed that concerns over China’s supply of equipment to Russia’s military industrial complex risks damaging China’s relationships with Europe whilst helping to sustain Russia’s war. The Foreign Secretary urged Wang Yi to take all measures to investigate and to prevent Chinese companies from supplying Russia’s military. The Foreign Ministers agreed to continue to discuss this and other broader foreign policy issues, such as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Human Rights were discussed, including in Xinjiang, and the Foreign Secretary referenced this as an area which the UK and China must engage, even where viewpoints diverge. Hong Kong is a shared interest, and the Foreign Secretary raised serious concerns around the implementation of the National Security Law and the ongoing treatment of British national Jimmy Lai, again calling for his release.
The meeting was constructive across the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, from areas of pragmatic cooperation to issues of contention. Both the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister agreed that maintaining channels of communication was essential and committed to holding regular discussions across their respective governments at Ministerial level.
A Banbridge man has been convicted in court for being the keeper of a Bully dog which mauled and seriously injured a man two years ago.
On Thursday 17 October, Gabriel McCauley of Ballygowan Park was convicted of a dog control offence under Article 29 of the Dogs (NI) Order 1983 (as amended) for being the keeper of a Bully dog which attacked another person.
In response to the attack, which occurred on October 3, 2022 at Havelock Park, the Dog Warden team from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council attended the scene alongside police officers. The dog was brought under control before being humanely destroyed.
At Banbridge Magistrates Court, sitting in Newry on Thursday – Mr McCauley was found guilty of the offence and was fined £500, with a £15 offenders levy and the Council awarded costs of £300.
A Council spokesperson welcomed the conviction for the attack, and said it was important that all owners of XL Bully dogs comply with the new laws for keeping these dogs.
“This was an extremely serious attack which has left the victim with life-changing injuries, so it is welcome that the owner is brought before court and convicted,” they said.
“We want to emphasise that the Council operates a rigorous enforcement policy on dog control, and we also want to ensure that everyone is aware of the new rules around owning these XL Bully dogs.
“Owners need to keep their dog muzzled and on a lead when in public places. The dog must be kept in secure conditions that will stop it from escaping.
“Furthermore, owners are not allowed to breed, sell, exchange, gift or abandon an XL Bully type dog.”
Across Northern Ireland, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully dog without an Exemption Certificate from January 1, 2025. The application process for XL Bully dog exemptions is now open and will close on December 31, 2024.
Copies of the letters from Max Soule, Deputy Director Local Government Stewardship and Interventions at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to Michael Hainge and Richard Paver, detailing the decision by ministers to appoint them as Assistant Inspectors in relation to Warrington Borough Council under section 10 of the Local Government Act 1999.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Government marks ‘new beginning’ of relationship with civil society to tackle some of society’s most pressing issues with launch of a new ‘Civil Society Covenant’
Government marks ‘new beginning’ of relationship with civil society to tackle some of society’s most pressing issues
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy host No10 roundtable discussion and reception with key civil society representatives
Event signals start of a period of wider engagement over the Autumn to forge a bold new partnership between Government and civil society
The creation of a ‘Civil Society Covenant’ will usher in a new era of partnership between government and civil society and help tackle some of the country’s biggest challenges, the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary will announce today.
The new Covenant is designed to harness the knowledge and expertise of voluntary, community, social enterprises (VCSEs) and charities to deliver better outcomes for communities right across the country.
Civil society occupies a unique place in public life by providing support to those in need, binding communities together and helping drive growth. Across the country, there are countless examples of what partnership between civil society and government can achieve, including youth activities to support vulnerable teenagers and tools to support people into work.
The new Covenant will build a new partnership between government and civil society based on trust and mutual respect. Crucially, it will unlock the dynamism, innovation and trusted reach of civil society across communities, helping to deliver the defining missions of this government; driving economic growth and opening up opportunity to all.
As a first step, a Covenant Framework has been developed in consultation with key civil society bodies, including the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO).
The inclusion of key representative organisations recognises the expertise civil society offers in tackling disadvantage, driving cohesion, supporting democracy and community voices both at home and abroad.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy will chair a roundtable discussion with civil society leaders at 10 Downing Street today to launch the Covenant Framework. This will be followed by a reception hosted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to welcome leaders from a range of civil society organisations. Attendees will represent civil society from across the four nations, including grass roots charities and social enterprises covering a range of diverse communities.
Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer said:
To fix the foundations of our country we need a fundamental reset of the relationship between government and civil society.
That is why we’re building a new partnership with the sector to tackle the complex social and economic challenges we face as a country.
By harnessing the dynamism, innovation and trusted reach of civil society organisations, we can boost growth and deliver better outcomes for communities right across the country”.
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said:
The Covenant paves the way for a new era in the relationship between government and civil society — one that recognises the critical role the sector plays as a trusted partner in achieving shared goals for the benefit of communities across the UK.
Voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises all understand the challenges being faced every day in our villages, towns and cities and the government wants to work hand-in-hand with them to help fix them — changing lives for the better.
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) CEO, Sarah Elliott said:
We are proud to be working with the Government on the Civil Society Covenant. This foundational moment resets the relationship between government and civil society, ensuring the expertise of charities and social enterprises are central to decision making. We look forward to continuing our work with partners across the sector to achieve this vision.
Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) CEO, Jane Ide said:
ACEVO welcomes the government’s commitment to work together to develop a Civil Society Covenant which aims to redefine our relationship for the benefit of the people, causes and communities we serve. Effective leadership relies on collaboration, trust, and mutual respect — values that underpin this Covenant. Civil society leaders are essential partners in realising this vision and ensuring its principles are upheld.
Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) CEO, Dr Lindsay Cordery-Bruce said:
WCVA has proudly worked alongside the Welsh Government for over 20 years to ensure positive and meaningful engagement with the third sector. We welcome the new Covenant as the next step in the civil society movement across the UK. A new Covenant that complements the existing arrangements in the devolved nations will offer an opportunity to build on good practice.”
Locality CEO, Tony Armstrong said:
We welcome the government’s commitment to resetting its relationship with civil society. Local community organisations have long played a vital, yet often overlooked role in addressing society’s most pressing issues. We see every day what community power can achieve, and the support of government at all levels will allow community organisations to do even more to help local people thrive.
Refugee Council CEO, Enver Solomon said:
It is very encouraging to have a government firmly committed to reaching a new deal on how it works with the voluntary sector as it responds to the huge challenges society and public services face.
Charities bring years of invaluable frontline experience, service innovation and an independent perspective that can make government policy and delivery stronger and grounded in the reality of people’s lived experience.
Four key principles will form the basis of the Covenant Framework: transparency, recognition, participation and partnership. They will act as a starting point for wider engagement across Government, the public sector and civil society.
The initiative aims to improve Government and civil society’s ability to tackle complex social and economic challenges by uniting the unique capabilities of the two to facilitate better outcomes for communities which would otherwise be impossible to achieve in isolation.
Today’s events at Downing Street will kickstart a period of engagement throughout the autumn, with consideration given to ensuring broad representation is achieved across the full breadth of civil society, inclusive of organisations of all purposes, sizes, geographical locations and demographic focus.
In parallel, engagement will take place across Government including the Devolved Governments, Arm’s Length Bodies, local authorities and Mayoral Combined Authorities.
The robust engagement period will culminate in the publication of a final co-created Covenant to be published next year.
ENDS
Additional quotes:
National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) CEO, Maddy Desforges said:
We welcome Government’s explicit recognition of the VCSE’s role in tackling complex and deep rooted societal problems. Local VCSE support organisations form critical connections between the VCSE and statutory partners and capture communities’ unique knowledge and problem solving insights. We are excited to work with Government to collaborate and deepen our relationship to support and develop resilient communities.
Voice4Change England Director, Kunle Olulode MBE said:
Voice4change England welcomes the opportunity to work with government on setting out a new relationship with voluntary organisations, social enterprises and civil society generally.
It is long overdue for the government to engage seriously with the parts of the Black and Minoritised third sector we are involved in, so we are keen to make it work. We look forward to constructive, meaningful engagement and positive changes for all in British Society.
The Civil Society Covenant will support partnerships between: 1. national government and associated public bodies including executive agencies and arm’s length organisations 2. civil society organisations including charities, community groups, social enterprises, funders and contributors to the impact economy.
While the Covenant scope will focus on core Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, relevant industry bodies including Trade Unions were also consulted as part of the initial drafting via engagement with NCVO and ACEVO.
The Covenant will not override existing arrangements between civil society and the Devolved Governments, local authorities and combined authorities, but will instead seek to support these existing relationships.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Lea Paterson announced as Chair of the Senior Salaries Review Body.
Today, Thursday 17 October 2024, the Government has announced that Lea Paterson will be the new Chair of the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB).
Lea brings extensive experience from public policy, regulation, HR and financial journalism. She has held a number of senior roles at the Bank of England, including serving as the Bank’s Executive Director of People & Culture, and as the organisation’s first Director of Independent Evaluation.
Lea is currently a Board Member at the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, an independent member of Warwick University’s Remuneration Committee, and a Civil Service Commissioner. She also holds a number of voluntary and community roles.
As Chair of the SSRB, Lea will provide strong leadership at a senior level and a clear direction of the policy, financial and operational levers that impact on remuneration decisions, especially in the public sector.
The SSRB provides independent advice to the Prime Minister and senior ministers on the pay of many of the nation’s top public servants.
The SSRB’s remit covers senior civil servants, the judiciary, the senior military, certain senior managers in the NHS, Police and Crime Commissioners and chief police officers.
This is a Prime Ministerial appointment with Cabinet Office being the sponsoring department. The appointment process for this role was in full accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.
The Rt Hon Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said:
Congratulations to Lea on her appointment as Chair of the Senior Salaries Review Body.
This role requires someone with financial expertise, strong leadership skills and dedication to public service, and Lea’s skills and experience across many relevant fields will be invaluable.
I wish her the best of luck in her new role.
Lea Paterson, incoming Chair of the Senior Salaries Review Body, said:
I’m delighted to have been appointed as Chair of the Senior Salaries Review Body.
I’m looking forward to working with colleagues to deliver independent, evidence-based advice that not only helps to attract and retain great talent for our public services, but also ensures value for money for the taxpayer.
I would also like to thank the outgoing Chair Pippa Lambert for her sterling leadership of the SSRB.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kieran Maguire, Senior Teacher in Accountancy and member of Football Industries Group, University of Liverpool
When the Premier League broke away from the rest of English football in 1992, its 22 clubs generated £205 million in its debut season, and the average player earned £2,050 a week. Thirty years later, despite having two fewer clubs, the league’s revenue had increased by 2,850% to £6.1 billion and the average player earned £93,000 a week.
At the heart of this extraordinary growth is an American revolution. In the Premier League’s inaugural season, football was still in recovery from the horrors of the stadium disasters at Hillsborough and Heysel. Owners tended to be from the local area and with a business background. The only foreign owner was Sam Hamman at Wimbledon, a Lebanese millionaire who bought the club on a whim having reportedly been much more interested in tennis. The season ended with Manchester United (under Alex Ferguson) winning the English game’s top league for the first time in 26 years.
Now, if the Texas-based Friedkin Group’s recent deal to buy Everton goes through, 11 of the 20 Premier League clubs will be controlled or part-owned by American investors. The US – long seen as football’s final frontier when it comes to the men’s game – suddenly can’t get enough of English “soccer”.
Four of the Premier League’s “big six” are American-owned – Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea – while a fifth, Manchester City, has a significant US minority shareholding. Aston Villa, Fulham, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Ipswich Town also have varying degrees of American ownership.
And it’s not even just the glamour clubs at the top of the tree. American investment has also been significant lower down the football pyramid, led by the high-profile acquisition of then non-league Wrexham by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny, and Birmingham City’s purchase by US investors including seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady. American investment in football has reached places as geographically diverse as Carlisle and Crawley in England, and Aberdeen and Edinburgh in Scotland.
The Insights section is committed to high-quality longform journalism. Our editors work with academics from many different backgrounds who are tackling a wide range of societal and scientific challenges.
Manchester United was the first Premier League club to come under American ownership – after a row about a horse.
In 2005, United was owned by a variety of investors including Irish businessmen and racehorse owners John Magnier and J.P. McManus. Their erstwhile friend Ferguson, the United manager, thought he co-owned the champion racehorse Rock of Gibraltar with them – a stallion worth millions in stud rights. They disagreed – and their bitter dispute was such that Magnier and McManus decided to sell their shares in the football club.
The Miami-based Glazer family – already involved in sport as owners of NFL franchise the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – had already been buying up small tranches of shares in United, but the sudden availability of the Irish shares allowed Malcolm Glazer to acquire a controlling stake for £790 million (around £1.5 billion at today’s prices).
The fact Glazer did not actually have sufficient funds to pay for these shares was a solvable problem. In the some-might-say commercially naive world of top-flight English football before the Premier League, Manchester United was a club without debt, paying its way without leveraging its position as one of the world’s most famous football clubs. Glazer saw the opportunity this presented and arranged a leveraged buy-out (LBO), whereby the football club borrowed more than £600 million secured on its own assets to, in effect, “buy itself” in 2005.
Despite the need to meet the high interest costs to fund the LBO, United continued winning trophies under Ferguson – including three Premier League titles in a row in 2007, 2008 and 2009, as well as a Champions League victory in 2008. Amid this success, the club felt that ticket prices were too low and set about increasing them, with matchday revenue increasing from £66 million in 2004/05 to over £101 million by 2007/08.
Commercial income was another area the Glazers were keen to increase. United set up offices in London and adopted a global approach to finding new official branding deals ranging from snacks to tractor and tyre suppliers – doubling revenues from this income source too.
But in this new, more aggressive world of “sweating the asset”, the debts lingered – and most United fans remained deeply suspicious of their American owners. (Following their father’s death in 2014, the club was co-owned by his six children, with brothers Avram and Joel Glazer becoming co-chairmen.)
Today, despite its partial listing on the New York Stock Exchange and the February 2024 sale of 27.7% of the club to British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe for a reputed £1.25 billion, United still has borrowings of more than £546 million, having paid cumulative interest costs of £969 million since the takeover in 2005. But with the club now valued at US$6.55 billion (around £5bn), it represents a very smart investment for the Glazer family.
Indeed, while the prices being paid for football clubs across Europe have reached record levels, they are still seen as cheap investments compared with US sports’ leading franchises. Forbes’s annual list of the world’s most valuable sports teams has American football (NFL), baseball (MLB) and basketball (NBA) teams occupying the top ten positions, with only three Premier League clubs – Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City – in the top 50.
With NFL teams having an average franchise value of US$5.1 billion and NBA $3.9 billion, many English football clubs still look like a bargain from the other side of the pond.
The risk of relegation
The latest to join this US bandwagon, the Friedkin Group – a Texas-based portfolio of companies run by American businessman and film producer Dan Friedkin – is reported to have offered £400m to buy Everton, despite the club’s poor financial state.
“The Toffees” have been hit by loss of sponsorships as well as two sets of points deductions for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules, leading to revenue losses from lower league positions. While the new stadium being built at Liverpool’s Bramley-Moore dock has been yet another financial constraint, it will at least increase matchday income from the start of next season.
Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore dock will open in time for the start of the 2025-26 season. Phil Silverman / Shutterstock
A wider reason for the relative bargain in valuations of European football clubs is the risk of relegation – something that is not part of the closed leagues of most US sports. While the threat of relegation (and promise of promotion) has always been an integral part of English and European football, the jeopardy this brings for supporters – and a club’s finances – does not exist in the NFL, NBA, Major League Soccer and similar competitions.
The Premier League, with its three relegation spots at the end of each season, has featured 51 different clubs since it launched in 1992. Only six clubs – Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton – have been ever present, with Arsenal now approaching 100 years of consecutive top-flight football.
Other Premier League clubs have experienced the dramatic cost-benefit of relegation and promotion. Oldham Athletic, who were in the Premier League for its first two seasons, now languish in the fifth tier of the game, outside the English Football League (EFL). In contrast, Luton Town, who were in the fifth tier as recently as 2014, were promoted to the Premier League in 2023 – only to be relegated at the end of last season.
While it is difficult to compare football clubs with basketball and American football teams, the financial difference between having an open league, with relegation, and a closed league becomes apparent when you look at women’s football on both sides of the Atlantic.
Angel City, a women’s soccer team based in Los Angeles, only entered the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in 2022 and is yet to win an NWSL trophy. But last month, the club was sold for US$250 million (£188m) to Disney’s CEO Bob Iger and TV journalist Willow Bay – the most expensive takeover in the history of women’s professional sport.
In comparison, Chelsea – seven-time winners of the English Women’s Super League and one of the most successful sides in Europe – valued its women’s team at £150 million ($US196m) earlier this summer. While there are a number of factors to this price differential, the confidence that Angel City will always be a member of the big league of US soccer clubs – and share very equally in its revenue – will have made its new owners very confident in the long-term soundness of their deal.
The story of Angel City FC, the most expensive team in women’s sport.
A further attraction for American investors is the potential to enter two markets – one mature (men’s football) and one effectively a start-up (the women’s game) – in a single purchase. In the US, the top men’s and women’s clubs are completely separate. But in Europe, most top-flight women’s teams are affiliated to men’s clubs – with the exception of eight-time Women’s Champions League winners Olympique Lyonnais Feminin, which split from the French men’s club when Korean-American businesswoman Michele Kang bought a majority stake in the women’s team in February 2024).
While interest in, and hence value of, the WSL is now growing fast, the women’s game in England is dwarfed by viewer ratings for the Premier League – the most watched sporting league in the world, viewed by an estimated 1.87 billion people every week across 189 countries.
These figures dwarf even the NFL which, while currently still the most valuable of all sporting leagues in terms of its broadcasting deals, must be looking at the growth of the Premier League with some jealousy. This may explain why some US franchise owners, such as Stan Kroenke, the Glazer family, Fenway Sports Group and Billy Foley, have subsequently purchased Premier League football clubs.
Ironically, for many spectators around the world, it is the intensity and competitiveness of most Premier League matches – brought on in part by the threat of relegation and prize of European qualification – that makes it so captivating. However, billionaire investors like guaranteed numbers and dislike risk – especially the degree of financial risk that exists in the Premier League and English Football League.
European not-so-Super League
In April 2021, 12 leading European clubs (six from England plus three each from Spain and Italy) announced the creation of the European Super League (ESL). This new mid-week competition was to be a high-revenue generating, closed competition with (eventually) 15 permanent teams and five annual additions qualifying from Europe. According to one of the driving forces behind the plan, Manchester United co-chairman Joel Glazer:
By bringing together the world’s greatest clubs and players to play each other throughout the season, the Super League will open a new chapter for European football, ensuring world-class competition and facilities, and increased financial support for the wider football pyramid.
The problem facing the Premier League’s “big six” clubs – and their ambitious owners – is there are currently only four slots available to play in the Champions League. So, their thinking went, why not take away the risk of not qualifying? However, the proposal was swiftly condemned by fans around Europe, together with football’s governing bodies and leagues – all of whom saw the ESL proposal as a threat to the quality and integrity of their domestic leagues. Following some large fan protests, including at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Manchester City was the first club to withdraw – followed, within a couple of days, by the rest of the English clubs.
Under the terms of the ESL proposals, founding member clubs would have been guaranteed participation in the competition forever. Guaranteed participation means guaranteed revenues. The current financial gap between the “big six” and the other members of the Premier League, which in 2022/23 averaged £396 million, would have widened rapidly.
For example, these clubs would have been able to sell the broadcast rights for some of their ESL home fixtures direct to fans, instead of via a broadcaster. All of a sudden, that database of fans who have downloaded the official club app, or are on a mailing list, becomes far more valuable. These are the people most willing to watch their favourite team on a pay-per-view basis, further increasing revenues.
At the same time, a planned ESL wage cap would have stopped players taking all these increased revenues in the form of higher wages, allowing these clubs to become more profitable and their ownership even more lucrative.
American-owned Manchester United and Liverpool had previously tried to enhance the value of their investments during the COVID lockdowns era via ProjectBig Picture – proposals to reduce the size of the Premier League and scrap one of the two domestic cup competitions, thus freeing up time for the bigger clubs to arrange more lucrative tours and European matches against high-profile opposition.
Most importantly, Project Big Picture would have resulted in changing the governance of the domestic game. Under its proposals, the “big six” clubs would have enjoyed enhanced voting rights, and therefore been able to significantly influence how the domestic game was governed.
Any attempt to increase the concentration of power raises concerns of lower competitive balance, whereby fewer teams are in the running to win the title and fewer games are meaningful. This is a problem facing some other major European football leagues including France’s Ligue 1, where interest among broadcasters has dwindled amid the perceived dominance of Paris St-Germain.
So while to date, American-led attempts to change the structure of the Premier League have been foiled, it’s unlikely such ideas have gone away for good. The near-universal fear of fans – even those who welcome an injection of extra cash from a new billionaire owner – is that the spectacle of the league will only be diminished if such plans ever succeed.
And there is evidence from the women’s game that the US closed league format is coming under more pressure from football’s global forces. The NWSL recently announced it is removing the draft system that is designed (as with the NFL and NBA) to build in jeopardy and competitive balance when there is no risk of relegation.
Top US women’s football clubs are losing some of their leading players to other leagues, in part because European clubs are not bound by the same artificial rules of employment. In a truly global professional sport such as football, international competition will always tend to destabilise closed leagues.
Why do they keep buying these clubs?
Does this mean that American and other wealthy owners of Premier League clubs seeking to reduce their risks are ultimately fighting a losing battle? And if so, given the potential risks involved in owning a football club – both financial and even personal – why do they keep buying them?
The motivations are part-financial, part technological and, as has always been the case with sports ownership, part-vanity.
The American economy has grown far faster than that of the EU or UK in recent years. Consequently, there are many beneficiaries of this growth who have surplus cash, and here football becomes an attractive proposition. In fact, football clubs are more resilient to recessions than other industries, holding their value better as they are effectively monopoly suppliers for their fans who have brand loyalty that exists in few other industries.
From 1993 to 2018, a period during which the UK economy more than doubled, the total value of Premier League clubs grew 30 times larger. And many fans are tied to supporting one club, helping to make the biggest clubs more resilient to economic changes than other industries. While football, like many parts of the entertainment industry, was hit by lockdown during Covid, no clubs went out of business, despite the challenges of matches being played in empty stadiums.
Added to this, the exchange rates for US dollars have been very favourable until recently, making US investments in the UK and Europe cheaper for American investors.
So, while Manchester United fans would argue that the Glazer family have not been good for the club, United has been good for the Glazers. And Fenway Sports Group (FSG), who bought Liverpool for £300 million in 2010, have recouped almost all of that money in smaller share sales while remaining majority owners of Liverpool.
Despite this, the £2.5 billion price paid for Chelsea by the US Clearlake-Todd Boehly consortium in May 2022 took markets by surprise.
The sale – which came after the UK government froze the assets of the club’s Russian oligarch owner, Roman Abramovich, following the invasion of Ukraine – went through less than a year after Newcastle United had been sold by Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley to the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund for £305 million – approximately twice that club’s annual revenues. Yet Clearlake-Boehly were willing to pay over five times Chelsea’s annual revenues to acquire the club, even though it was in a precarious financial position.
Clearlake is a private equity group whose main aim is to make profits for their investors. But unlike most such investors, who tend to focus on cost-cutting, the Chelsea ownership came in with a high-spending strategy using new financial structuring ideas, such as offering longer player contracts to avoid falling foul of football’s profitability and sustainability rules (although this loophole has since been closed with Uefa, European football’s governing body, limiting contract lengths for financial regulation purposes to five years).
Chelsea’s location in the one of the most expensive areas of London, combined with its on-field success under Abramovich, all added to the attraction, of course. But there are other reasons why Clearlake, along with billionaire businessman Boehly, were willing to stump up so much for the club.
From Hollywood to the metaverse
While some British football fans may have viewed the Ted Lasso TV show as an enjoyable if slightly twee fictional account of American involvement in English soccer, it has enhanced the attraction of the sport in the US. So too Welcome To Wrexham – the fly-on-the-wall series covering the (to date) two promotions of Wales’s oldest football club under the unlikely Hollywood stewardship of Reynolds and McElhenney.
Welcome To Wrexham, season one trailer.
The growth in US interest in English football is reflected in the record-breaking Premier League media rights deal in 2022, with NBC Sports reportedly paying $2.7 billion (£2.06bn) for its latest six-year deal.
But as well as football offering one of increasingly few “live shared TV experiences” that carry lucrative advertising slots, there may also be more opportunity for more behind-the-scenes coverage of the Premier League – as has long been seen in US coverage of NBA games, for example, where players are interviewed in the locker room straight after games.
According to Manchester United’s latest annual report, the club now has a “global community of 1.1 billion fans and followers”. Such numbers mean its owners, and many others, are bullish about the potential of the metaverse in terms of offering a matchday experience that could be similar to attending a match, without physically travelling to Manchester.
Their neighbours Manchester City, part-owned by American private equity company Silverlake, broke new (virtual) ground by signing a metaverse deal with Sony in 2022. Virtual reality could give fans around the world the feeling of attending a live match, sitting next to their friends and singing along with the rest of the crowd (for a pay-per-view fee).
Some investors are even confident that advancements in Abba-style avatar technology could one day allow fans to watch live 3D simulations of Premier League matches in stadiums all over the world. Having first-mover advantage by being in the elite club of owners who can make use of such technology could prove ever more rewarding.
More immediately, there are some indications that competitive matches involving England’s top men’s football teams could soon take place in US or other venues. Boehly, Chelsea’s co-owner, has already suggested adopting some US sports staples such as an All-Star match to further boost revenues. Indeed, back in 2008, the Premier League tentatively discussed a “39th game” taking place overseas, but that idea was quickly shelved.
The American owners of Birmingham City were keen to play this season’s EFL League One match against Wrexham in the US, but again this proposal did not get far. Liverpool’s chairman Tom Werner says he is determined to see matches take place overseas, and recent changes to world governing body Fifa’s rulebook could make it easier for this proposal to succeed.
The potential benefits of hosting games overseas include higher matchday revenues, increased brand awareness, and enhanced broadcast rights. While there is likely to be significant opposition from local fans, at least American owners know they would not face the same hostility about rising matchday prices in the US as they have encountered in England.
When the Argentinian legend Lionel Messi signed for new MLS franchise Inter Miami in 2023, season ticket prices nearly doubled on his account. And while there is vocal opposition to higher ticket prices in England, this is not borne out in terms of lower attendances for matches against high-calibre opposition – as evidenced by Aston Villa charging up to £97 for last week’s Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich.
Villa’s director of operations, Chris Heck, defended the prices by saying that difficult decisions had to be made if the club was to be competitive.
Manchester United’s matchday revenue per EPL season (£m)
For much of the 2010s, with broadcast revenues increasing rapidly, many Premier League owners made little effort to stoke hostilities with their loyal fan bases by putting up ticket prices. Indeed, Manchester United generated little more from matchday income in the 2021-22 season, as football emerged from the pandemic, than the club had in 2010-11 (see chart above).
However, this uneasy truce between fans and owners has ceased. The relative flatlining of broadcast revenues since 2017, along with cost control rules that are starting to affect clubs’ ability to spend money on player signings and wages, has changed club appetites for dampened ticket prices. This has resulted in noticeable rises in individual ticket and season ticket prices by some clubs.
However, season ticket and other local “legacy” fans generate little money compared with the more lucrative overseas and tourist fans. They may only watch their favourite team live once a season, but when they visit, they are far more likely not only to pay higher matchday prices, but to spend more on merchandise, catering and other offerings from the club.
Today’s breed of commercially aware, profit-seeking US Premier League owners – pioneered by the Glazer family, who saw that “sweating the asset” meant more than watching football players sprinting hard – understand there is a lot more value to come from English football teams. The clubs’ loyal local supporters may not like it, but English football’s American-led revolution is not done yet.
To hear about new Insights articles, join the hundreds of thousands of people who value The Conversation’s evidence-based news. Subscribe to our newsletter.
Kieran Maguire has taught courses and presented on football finance for the Professional Footballers Association, League Managers Association, FIFA and national football associations in Europe.
Christina Philippou is affiliated with the RAF FA, and Premier League education programs.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
New rules will give millions of Buy-Now, Pay-Later users key protections offered by other forms of credit.
Providers will have to ensure lending is affordable – stopping users from accumulating unmanageable debt
Rules deliver better protection for shoppers and clarity for innovative sector after years of uncertainty
Millions of shoppers are set to be protected by new rules for Buy-Now, Pay-Later products.
Buy-Now, Pay-Later products have become increasingly popular in recent years as they allow people to spread the cost of purchases over time, but users currently do not have access to a range of key protections provided by other consumer credit products.
The Government has today launched a consultation on proposals to fix this by bringing Buy-Now, Pay-Later companies under the supervision of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and applying the Consumer Credit Act, ensuring users receive clear information, avoid unaffordable borrowing, and have strong rights when issues arise.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury Tulip Siddiq said:
Millions of people use Buy-Now, Pay-Later to manage their finances, but the previous government’s dither and delay left them unprotected.
We promised to take action before the election and now we are delivering. Our approach will give shoppers access to the key protections provided by other forms of credit while providing the sector with the certainty it needs to innovate and grow.
The new rules will allow the FCA to apply rules on affordability – meaning that Buy-Now, Pay-Later companies will have to check that shoppers are able to afford repayments before offering a loan, which will help to prevent people building up unmanageable debt.
Companies will also need to provide clear, simple and accessible information about loan agreements in advance so that shoppers can make fully informed decisions and understand the risks associated with late repayments. Consumer Credit Act information disclosure rules will be disapplied so that the FCA can consult on bespoke rules that ensure users are given this information in a way that is tailored to the online setting in which Buy-Now, Pay-Later products are generally used.
Buy-Now, Pay-Later users will be given stronger rights if issues arise with products they purchase, making it quicker and easier to get redress. This includes applying Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which allows consumers to claim refunds from their lender, and access to the Financial Ombudsman Service to make complaints.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:
Which? has been a leading voice calling for the regulation of Buy Now Pay Later for years so it’s positive that new rules are coming in that should provide much-needed protections for users of these products.
Our research found that many BNPL customers do not realise they are taking on debt or consider the prospect of missing payments, which can result in uncapped fees, so clearer information about the risks involved as well as the use of affordability checks and options for redress would be a win for consumers.
We are keen to see legislation quickly passed to ensure that BNPL users are protected as strongly as consumers using other credit products.
Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Co founder and CEO of Klarna, said:
Congratulations to Tulip Siddiq and the government on moving quickly! They have been working with the industry and consumer groups long before coming into office. We’re looking forward to carrying on that work to put proportionate rules in place that protect consumers while fostering growth.
Michael Saadat, International Head of Public Policy at Clearpay said:
We welcome today’s update from City and FinTech Minister, Tulip Siddiq, on BNPL regulation. It is encouraging that HM Treasury has listened to industry feedback and evolved the previous framework to ensure a more proportionate approach to regulation. We have always called for fit-for-purpose regulation that prioritises customer protection, delivers much-needed innovation in consumer credit and that sets high industry standards across the board.
We will continue to support the Government and the FCA to deliver fit-for-purpose regulation that ensures consumers are protected in a way that supports the UK’s thriving FinTech sector.
Chris Woolard, Author of the 2021 Woolard Review, which looked at change and innovation in the unsecured credit market, said:
Today marks a significant milestone for consumer-focused financial regulation. The proposed package of regulation would implement the recommendations of the Review and mean millions of people up and down the UK will benefit from stronger financial protection as they borrow using BNPL, especially the most vulnerable in society. The incoming regulation will also provide long-term certainty and standards for the market.
The consultation will be conducted quickly – closing on 29 November – to reflect the urgent need for action to protect consumers.
Final legislation is expected to be laid in Parliament in early 2025. Once the legislation is laid, the FCA will finalise the rules so they can take effect in 2026 – bringing clarity to the sector after years of uncertainty about how it will be regulated.
This follows the Prime Minister saying he would remove regulation that needlessly holds back investment and growth. Today’s announcement brings in much needed regulation that stops people spiralling into debt.
Justin Basini, Co-Founder and CEO of The ClearScore Group said:
We welcome this consultation to bring Buy-Now, Pay-Later borrowers under the same protections and creditworthiness assessments as other mainstream financial products such as credit cards and loans.
It is a sensible step in ensuring that this new, important form of credit continues to provide much-needed flexibility for consumers while also managing any risks.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The Police Station Representative Register (PSRR) is a listing of probationary and accredited representatives maintained by the Legal Aid Agency.
The LAA used to publish the register on the GOV.UK page on a regular basis but has listened to feedback that whilst useful this only provided a version that was 100 per cent accurate on the day it was published.
Ongoing management sees representatives join and be suspended from the register on a daily basis so whilst, for example, solicitors could confirm a representative was on the register at time of last publication they were unable to confirm the same was still true prior to instructing them.
Whilst we hope this change will be seen as beneficial by all stakeholders feedback is welcome along with further suggestions for improvement and can be sent to Sean Haszard.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Defence Secretary agrees to range of initiatives from boosting ease of access to space and virtual training to developing cutting-edge drones.
NATO allies could be set to use Britain’s launch vehicles and space ports, following new work that will see the alliance start work to rapidly deploy assets to space.
With adversaries attempting to maximise their advantages in space, the Defence Secretary John Healey MP today signed a letter of intent, which will see NATO allies work closer on government and commercial space launch capabilities.
Attending his first NATO Defence Ministerial, the Defence Secretary also signed up to a range of multinational long-term projects, from virtual training to drone procurement.
Tomorrow and Saturday (Friday 18 October, Saturday 19 October) the Defence Secretary will attend the G7 Defence Ministers meeting.
The meeting, hosted by the Italian Presidency of the G7, in Naples, will see the Defence Secretary meet with his G7 opposite numbers.
On the margins of the G7, Mr Healey will also attend a meeting of the Global Combat Air Programme, with his Italian and Japanese counterparts.
Today’s space cooperation announcement will see the UK help develop NATO’s space capabilities.
Known as the STARLIFT programme, it will build space launch capabilities across the alliance and will see the UK, alongside our allies and commercial partners, create a network of space launch capabilities across the alliance.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:
By developing these cutting-edge technologies, we are setting up our Armed Forces for the battlefields of the future, and creating significant opportunities for British industry.
Our Government’s commitment to NATO is unshakeable. Together with our partners, we will ensure the collective security of our citizens and strengthen our alliance for decades to come.
Virtual training
The UK is today signing a letter of intent to share virtual simulator training across NATO, allowing Allies to train and work together without the need for a physical deployment, saving time, resources and money.
Artillery munitions
The UK has agreed today that NATO will create a single test network to enable allies to use different munition types, such as 155mm, on various artillery systems. This will ensure greater flexibility in joint operations.
Drones
The Defence Secretary also confirmed that the UK will take part in a project to develop cutting-edge drones.
The UK has played a key role in sending thousands of drones to Ukraine, where we have seen first-hand the vital role they have played in fighting back against Putin’s forces.
NATO allies will work together to develop these unmanned platforms which will gather intelligence, surveillance and deliver strike capabilities.
UK participation also helps to integrate the MQ-9B/Protector uncrewed aircraft capability into the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force and defence of the High North and Arctic region.
The UK’s participation in these ambitious projects underline our unshakeable commitment to NATO.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Insolvency Service working with regulators to improve support for people with debt
Research was commissioned by the Insolvency Service in light of concerns about the Individual Voluntary Arrangement market.
Of the 310 terminated IVAs that were examined, 60% showed evidence of poor practice by providers.
The Insolvency Service is working with the industry’s regulators to address the situation.
Latest research commissioned by the Insolvency Service has shown evidence of poor practice among providers of Individual Voluntary Arrangements.
Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) are a legally binding agreement between a person who is insolvent and their creditors.
They are administered by licensed Insolvency Practitioners, usually last for between five and six years, and give people the opportunity to pay an affordable monthly contribution towards their debts.
After concerns were raised about the way IVAs were being offered to people who signed up to them, the Insolvency Service commissioned independent research to look into the market.
The research, which has been published today, looked at 310 randomly selected IVAs which had been both registered and terminated between 2021 and 2023, and found that 60% showed evidence of poor practice in the early stages.
Examples of poor practice included people’s income and expenditure not being recorded accurately by providers, other debt solutions being incorrectly dismissed and providers failing to make sure people understood what they were signing up to.
Claire Hardgrave, the Head of Insolvency Practitioner Regulation for the Insolvency Service said:
Poor practice in the IVA market isn’t in anyone’s interest. It is bad for the economy, for creditors and providers, and it has negative consequences for people dealing with problem debt, including those who are vulnerable.
While IVAs can work well for many, if an IVA is unsuitable it can leave people struggling with their household budget, being in debt for longer, or even taking on more debt to make their IVA payments.
We are working with the industry’s regulators on ways to improve this important area of support for people with debt, to make sure they are always given the best advice.
Across England and Wales, a total of 64,050 IVAs were registered in 2023.
The agreements freeze a person’s debts, stop recovery action and provide debt-relief, allowing them to become debt free over a set period. They often provide a better outcome for consumers and creditors than alternative debt solutions, such as bankruptcy.
Despite steps to improve poor practices over the past few years, the Insolvency Service has still received reports of poor practices, including aggressive marketing towards people in financial distress which fails to mention the fees which organisations charge or the cheaper alternatives available.
Following the publication of its research, the Insolvency Service is continuing to progress its work with regulatory bodies on actions to improve the IVA market.
Measures being investigated include creating new advertising protocols, simplifying the process for people entering IVAs, making sure people are presented with more information before they sign up to an IVA and providing better training for Insolvency Practitioners’ staff.
Anna Hall, Corporate Director for Debt at the Money and Pensions Service, said:
This research shows how incredibly important it is that those who are struggling with debt have access to free and impartial advice, helping them to understand the best way to manage their financial situation.
For free and impartial guidance, visit MoneyHelper.org.uk to access our debt advice locator tool which provides information about free and confidential debt advice online, over the phone or near to where you live.
A debt adviser will treat everything you say in confidence, never judge you, and will suggest ways of dealing with debts that you might not know about.
For more information about IVAs and this research, see here.
DAERA launches £1.55 million rural micro business development grant aid fund
17 October 2024
Small businesses in the Derry City and Strabane Council area are being encouraged to stake their claim for development grant funding worth up to £4,999.00. DAERA’s Rural Business Development Grant Scheme will deliver a total of £1.55 million in capital grants to support rural micro businesses across Northern Ireland. The programme is funded through the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Rural Business Development Grant Scheme (RBDGS) and is delivered in partnership with local Councils. Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, encouraged local businesses to find out more about the application process and avail of the opportunity to give their business a competitive edge. “This programme offers rural micro businesses the opportunity to take their enterprise to the next level,” she said, “It is an opportunity to invest in equipment and machinery that can streamline your business and give you a competitive edge in the marketplace “I would urge applicants to book their attendance at the Pre Application workshops now as these are mandatory for a successful application,” she added. Eligible rural businesses can apply for capital assistance of 50% up to the value of £4,999 for the purchase of capital equipment that will help their business to enhance sustainability or lead to growth opportunities and the creation of employment opportunities which in turn strengthen the rural economy. Launching the scheme, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, MLA, said: “I am pleased to announce the opening of the £1.55 million Rural Business Development Grant Scheme. “This fund is important in delivering on the Department’s priority of building strong sustainable and diverse rural communities and the draft Programme for Government priority of growing a globally competitive and sustainable economy with a focus on addressing regional balance”. Minister Muir continued: “I urge all eligible rural businesses to go online and apply as soon as possible. “Rural Businesses continue to play a vital role in our rural communities and I want to support them at this challenging time and provide them with opportunities that will maximise their potential and stimulate business growth”.
Only online applications can be accepted for this scheme. The Scheme opens for applications at 9.00am on 16 October 2024 and closes at 12 noon on 8 November 2024.
For more details on pre-application workshops and link to the Application visit http://www.derrystrabane.com/businesssupport The workshops will take place on Wednesday October 23rd at 6pm (Online), Wednesday 30th October at 1pm (Glenelly Room, Strabane) and Tuesday November 5th at 1pm (Online).
Details of the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme are on the DAERA website at Rural Business Development Grant Scheme (RBDGS) 2024/2025 | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk).
Only online applications can be accepted for this scheme. The Scheme opens for applications at 9.00am on 16 October 2024 and closes at 12 noon on 8 November 2024.
Opening up about mental health is losing its stigma and has been given a fresh look by Westminster City Council thanks to new funding and initiatives.
Based in North Paddington, Trim Talk provides free mental health training for barbers so their shops will become safe spaces for young men to talk about their feelings and emotions. Launched earlier this year, there are a number of shops who have already completed the training and know how to spot the signs of someone struggling with their mental health.
Thanks to funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), barbers have been trained to facilitate conversations about mental health and make customers feel comfortable about speaking up and tackling issues such as, loneliness or feel as if they are suffering in silence. The training offers a thorough understanding of the factors affecting mental health and equips participants with the skills to identify, support, and direct someone experiencing mental health issues. It also enhances conversation and listening skills, building confidence to offer support even in crisis situations.
Westminster City Council is further strengthening its support for mental health services with an easy to access wellbeing hub on the council’s website offering a simpler experience with all the council’s resources available in one place.
With 1 in 4 adults in Westminster admitted to feeling anxious and with services reporting an increase in demand for support since the pandemic, the wellbeing hub gives residents free or low-cost mental health and emotional wellbeing support in Westminster alongside some UK wide services.
Adam Hyland, owner of Raisa’s Barbers on Harrow Road is proud to pioneer the trim talk scheme:
We are thrilled to support Trim Talk. Our colleagues, customers and communities deserve a psychological safe space where they can ‘open up’ and we are proud to champion this mental health campaign with Westminster City Council. When we say any style, any time, any one we live it and breathe it.”
Cllr Cara Sanquest, Westminster City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities added:
I hope customers who use the service will find it beneficial and use it is as an opportunity to start the change dial on misconceptions around men’s mental health. I would also encourage other shops or owners in the North Paddington area to get involved so we can create a real community of men taking positive action towards their mental health.”
On the council’s new approach to mental health, Cllr Nafsika Butler-Thalassis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Voluntary Sector said:
There is a lot of stigma attached to sharing personal difficulties or being open about your mental health. This project supports the view that mental health is everyone’s business and that we can all be trained to provide support. We want to create a community where people can seek help easily and where they know they will be treated with sympathy and kindness wherever they seek help.”
Rail Campus Derby has officially launched at a special event on Thursday 17 October. Over 200 delegates and stakeholders from the rail sector and beyond attended the widely anticipated event.
A joint effort between Derby City Council, Great British Railways Transition Team, East Midlands Combined County Authority, and wider stakeholders, Rail Campus Derby will become a key hub for the UK’s rail industry, supporting collaboration across all facets of the sector.
Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh MP, and the Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, both attended the event, highlighting the project’s significance both on a regional and a national level.
Rail Campus Derby was born out of Great British Railways’ mission to create a simpler and more efficient railway system for everyone in Britain.
With its impressive rail heritage and position at the heart of Europe’s largest rail cluster, Derby is the ideal location for this industry-wide hub. For over 180 years the city has been a leader in the rail sector, which still employs more than 11,000 in the area.
Beyond the railways, Derby is a home to advanced manufacturing, hi-tech employment, major global companies such as Rolls-Royce, and Toyota. The city’s skilled workforce, and its easy accessibility, makes it an attractive destination for investment.
Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council said:
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Derby; one that will create more training and jobs for local people, and bring huge opportunities for further regeneration.
Rail Campus Derby will not only preserve our rail heritage, but will also be a catalyst for future economic growth, bringing together all aspects of the railway industry, attracting more investment, and creating further opportunities for collaboration across the sector.
I know the potential that Derby has. We already boast an incredibly skilled workforce and are home to major players and an unrivalled rail sector. By working together we can make Rail Campus Derby the beating heart of the UK’s rail network.
Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh MP, said:
“Derby is already a hub for rail with the largest concentration of innovation and expertise in Europe, and today I was delighted to see how the local council plans to expand this even further through a new Rail Campus.
“The railways are at the centre of our plans for change, and I look forward to seeing how the Campus will lead to greater innovation, growth and collaboration, benefitting not only our rail network but the wider economy too.”
Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said:
The new Rail Campus will be a hub of learning and innovation. It will bring together public and private sector organisations in a collaborative environment, working towards faster and more efficient outcomes for all the railway’s stakeholders. As the Mayor of the East Midlands, my vision is to ensure that local people have the skills they need to access the well-paid jobs that this industry provides.
“That’s why we will be investing in training programmes and creating new opportunities in partnership with Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire’s educational institutions. We want to see local people—our young people—benefiting from the jobs and careers this project will generate.
Rufus Boyd, Lead Director of Great British Railways Transition Team, said:
The presence of GBR HQ in Derby is just one component of the Rail Campus Derby vision.
Today’s event is about driving collaboration between the private sector, the supply chain, local government, and educational partners. Bringing the sector closer together and offering the chance to co-locate, share knowledge, and experience work across different businesses will embed the practices, culture and behaviour Britain’s railway must embod to succeed.
The Museum of Oxford has been awarded a £136,309 grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to mark its 50-year anniversary in 2025.
The National Lottery funding will support a new project titled “50 Years and Beyond: Embedding Community Voices”, which aims to engage Oxford’s diverse communities in celebrating and sharing their heritage and the city’s rich history.
As part of the project, the Museum of Oxford will collaborate with Oxford’s communities to co-create an exhibition and year-long programme of events. Working closely with local people, community groups, and Oxfordshire County Council’s Museum Collections Team, the museum will identify existing and new objects, stories, and artefacts that reflect the cultural diversity of Oxford’s residents. These materials will become part of the museum’s permanent collections through loans or acquisition, ensuring they remain accessible to future generations.
The project will invite community contributors to co-curate exhibition content, sharing their perspectives on Oxford’s history and offering new heritage stories. Through expert talks, family activities, and special events, the public programme will celebrate Oxford’s unique heritage while fostering community cohesion.
Key Project Outcomes
Public programme: A celebratory year-long series of events including talks, family activities, and exhibitions.
Workforce development: Recruitment of a Cultural Learning and Participation Apprentice, who will undertake a Level 3 apprenticeship, gaining skills in partnership working, consultation, and exhibition development.
Sustainable heritage: The project will establish a cross-generational, cross-community approach, ensuring the museum continues to reflect and represent Oxford’s diverse cultural landscape for years to come.
The Museum of Oxford will begin preparations this autumn, with the project running for 26 months leading up to and beyond the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2025.
Comment
“We are delighted to support this project, which thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will mean that more people will be able to get involved with, protect, and learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep. Heritage has a huge role to play in instilling pride in communities and boosting local economies, and this project is a fantastic example of achieving those aims.”
Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund
“We are really pleased to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This project is a great opportunity to bring more voices into the Museum of Oxford’s story, ensuring that our heritage reflects the rich diversity of our city. By working closely with local communities, we’re not just celebrating 50 years of the museum, but also creating a lasting legacy that represents everyone who calls Oxford home.”
Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Business, Culture, and an Inclusive Economy at Oxford City Council
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A man described as ‘arrogant’ by a judge has been sentenced for arranging waste to be illegally dumped on his rural land near Consett.
Peter Snailum, 64, from Whitworth, Spennymoor, appeared at Durham crown court for sentencing on Wednesday 16 October after previously pleading guilty to two offences of depositing waste without an environmental permit.
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement to complete 90 hours of unpaid work.
The court heard that between January and March 2020, excavation waste was transported from a construction site in Consett to Snailum’s land at School House Farm, Kiln Pit Hill, and illegally dumped.
Snailum had a registered waste exemption for his land at School House Farm. This means that low level waste activity could take place at the site for construction purposes, with limits on the amount and type of waste allowed.
During the Environment Agency investigation, it transpired that more than 5,000 tonnes of waste had been dumped at School House Farm – five times the 1,000 tonnes allowed under the exemption.
It was also clear that the waste was not to be used for construction but in an attempt to level land, activity that would require an environmental permit.
In passing sentence, judge Joanne Kidd criticised Snailum for his arrogance, after hearing that he had twice taunted the Environment Agency officers speaking with him about the illegal activity, saying that they should prosecute him as he would only receive a fine.
The judge was also critical of his insistence on initially denying the charges and taking the case to the crown court, all in the face of overwhelming evidence.
Warned he was ‘breaching the law’
Gary Wallace, area environment manager for the Environment Agency in the North East, said:
Waste crime such as this has a negative impact on the environment and local communities and Snailum was warned he was breaching the law.
His actions also undermined legitimate businesses as he made financial gains by not properly and legally disposing of the waste.
I hope this case sends out the message to others that we take waste crime seriously and those involved can expect to be put before the courts for their actions.
Prosecuting, Holly Clegg told the court that in January 2020, Environment Agency officers attended the site in response to reports of wagons tipping waste there.
Checks showed metal and timber mixed with soils and stone. It was estimated the stockpile was close to the 1,000 tonne exemption limit and Snailum was told to stop accepting further waste to the site.
He said he was importing soils to level around the trees and filling in hollows around the site – he was told the exemption restrictions meant it could only be used for construction.
While the officers were there a wagon arrived which was moving waste from a construction site in Consett to Snailum’s land.
The officers then visited a care home construction site and spoke to the site manager, who told them that to date 871 tonnes had been taken to School House Farm.
Follow up visits revealed further deposits
A month later follow up visits to both the construction site and School House Farm revealed further deposits had taken place which would exceed the limits of the exemption. On 2 March, Snailum was instructed to cease accepting further waste.
Environment Agency officers were later supplied with and assessed the waste transfer documentation, which showed more than 5,000 tonnes of waste soil and stone had been taken to School House Farm between January and March 2020.
Then, in early 2021 Snailum allowed another large deposit of waste, this time tonnes of supposedly crushed MDF but this was contaminated with various other waste types.
Previously sentenced at Peterlee magistrates’ court on 23 April 2024 for their part in the case were:
Jonathan Mann Developments, of Sandhu House, Delves Lane, Consett, which owned land there that was being developed for the construction of new care homes. It pleaded guilty for its involvement in the illegal waste deposits and were ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling £3,832.
Groundworks Direct Ltd excavated and loaded the waste material from the construction site onto wagons supplied by the hauliers. It was ordered to pay a fine and costs of £5,000 in total.
In addition, G O’Brien & Sons Ltd, which collected the waste material and transported it to Snailum’s land, agreed to an enforcement undertaking, paying £5,000 to Durham Wildlife Trust to go towards environmental improvements, and a further £1,600 in costs.
Ambitious plans have been set out on how Manchester can play its part in rolling out hundreds of new electric vehicle (EV) charging points in years to come.
The growth of EV usage across Manchester forms an important pillar in the project of Manchester becoming zero-carbon by 2038.
It is estimated that by 2038 there could approximately be 150,000 EV car and light goods vehicles (LGVs) in use in the city. To support that the current network of charging points across the city will need to be significantly expanded.
In a report going to the City Council’s Executive today (October 16) a plan has been set out on how Manchester City Council can play its part alongside local, national and commercial partners in working towards improving EV provision over the coming decade.
In its report, the Council sets out three key priorities which will guide this ambition.
They are:
Encouraging the transition towards EVs
Improving charging infrastructure
Identifying funding opportunities
The Council recognises that to meet its zero-carbon aims a significant amount of work will need to take place to firstly encourage more people away from polluting vehicles to EVs, then ensuring that charging infrastructure is available for people to use and ensure that funding is available to provide that key infrastructure.
In the coming years the Council will leverage its position as a voice within Manchester to communicate the benefits of transitioning to EVs, as well as supporting groups where funding is available who may find it harder to transition from cheaper – albeit more polluting – forms of transport. These groups include but aren’t limited to high mileage users such as taxis or delivery drivers, low-income residents as well as people with disabilities of lower mobility.
The government will also be pressed to lower VAT on public charging to a rate in line with at-home charging, making it easier on people’s finances when considering a change to an EV.
Around £3.3m has already been provisionally identified via two funding streams – the Local EV Infrastructure grant (LEVI) and the City Regions Sustainable Transport Settlement Funds (CRSTS). This funding will be used to support an initial roll-out of additional charging points across Manchester in a number of different configurations as well as incorporating new charging points at existing car parks. It is hoped that over time even more funding will be secured to expand the charging network.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport said: “The use of EVs will play a huge part in Manchester becoming a zero-carbon city by 2038. At this moment in time, we know there are a number of barriers which could prevent someone from investing an in EV, a key one being the lack of charging points across the city.
“As a Council we are not under any statutory obligation to provide EV charging points but we know that this is the right course of action to take. EV usage will hinge on how accessible it is for people and by working to break down barriers we will be playing part in their success.”
More than 150 new homes look set to be built on redundant brownfield land in the city thanks to a successful bid for government funding.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been awarded £2.2 million from the government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 – one of four local authorities in the West Midlands to receive a share of £5.4 million.
As part of its commitment to delivering new homes and jobs in the city, the council has now identified two parcels of land for redevelopment, and work to clear the sites will soon get underway after the proposals were agreed by cabinet earlier this month.
The council is looking to transform the former Brookhouse Green Primary School site, on Wellfield Road in Bentilee, into a new estate for 117 new affordable homes. The site has been vacant since the school closed in 2006.
It is expected that the former Olympus Engineering site, on College Road in Shelton – which was deemed surplus to requirements in 2020 – will also be cleared, to make way for new apartments. This is one of three sites in the north Shelton area of the city which has been earmarked for future residential development.
Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration, said: “Everybody has the right to live in a decent home which is why we are committed to bringing forward these much-needed new homes and raising housing standards in the city.
“In the last 12 months we have made a significant investment in our housing stock with almost 9,000 council-owned homes benefitting from our multi-million-pound capital investment programme, so it would be great to see these long-term vacant sites regenerated, transforming empty brownfield land into thriving new communities.”
The three-year £180 million Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 was launched in July 2022. The primary aim of the Fund is to release local authority-owned land by the end of March 2028 for housing development that otherwise would not come forward during that period.
With the funding, councils are able to cover the cost of decontamination, clearing disused buildings or improving infrastructure such as internet, water and power.
In this latest round of funding, a total of £68 million has been directly awarded to 54 councils in England.
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that 6 gigawatts (GW) of distributed solar have been installed across New York, marking the early achievement of the State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act statutory goal a year ahead of schedule. The solar power generation, which benefits homes, business owners and off-takers of community solar projects, is enough to power more than a million homes, underscoring New York’s leadership in growing one of the strongest distributed solar markets in the nation.
“Today we celebrate the early achievement of New York’s 6-GW milepost, which brings us one step closer to a reliable and resilient zero-emission grid,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “Distributed solar is at the heart of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the availability of renewable energy, and delivering substantial benefits for our health, our environment, and our economy.”
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) President and CEO Doreen M. Harris made the announcement at a distributed solar project in the Town of New Scotland. The project, developed by New Leaf Energy and owned by Generate Capital, includes a 5.7-megawatt solar array that will produce 6.7 million kilowatt-hours of solar energy annually, enough to power nearly one thousand homes. The project participates in the Solar for All pilot program with utility partner National Grid where the energy harnessed by this project benefits low-income households.
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “As the top community solar market in the nation, New York State has provided a replicable model for others to deliver clean, low-cost renewable energy to more consumers. Our public-private partnerships are the catalysts which have helped us to achieve our 6-GW goal well ahead of target, trailblazing New York’s path to an equitable energy transition.”
With the achievement of New York’s 6-GW goal—which is underpinned by support from the State’s signature $3.3 billion NY Sun initiative—distributed solar is generating enough energy to power more than a million homes and businesses across the state, including those in disadvantaged communities. The expeditious achievement of the 6-GW goal has also generated approximately $9.2 billion in private investment across New York.
To date, solar projects in New York have created more than 14,000 solar jobs statewide, from engineering and design to installation. In addition, New York requires all solar projects more than 1 megawatt (MW) in size to pay prevailing wages, further supporting the opportunity to advance family sustaining clean energy jobs across New York.
In anticipation of the success, three years ago Governor Hochul directed NYSERDA and the Department of Public Service to expand the goal to 10 GW by 2030. With 6 GW now complete, New York continues to be ahead of schedule for reaching the expanded 10-GW goal with almost 3.4 GW already in development.
New York State Public Service Commission Chair Rory M. Christian said, “Hitting this 6 GW milestone is an important accomplishment, and all involved in this endeavor deserve a round of applause. This is further evidence that distributed solar is a critically important piece of the equation and, through Governor Hochul’s leadership, we are well on our way to creating a clean energy economy.”
New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “Today’s milestone is a testament to the power of strong partnerships in advancing distributed solar projects across New York State. As we work together to expand the deployment of solar energy, NYPA is committed to working with municipalities, school districts, and state entities to build a portfolio of projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide energy savings for our customers.”
Generate Capital Investments Managing Director Peggy Flannery said, “Customers and consumers are asking for access to clean energy, and New York state is listening. We’re very excited to have helped New York reach six gigawatts of solar and deliver the benefits of clean energy to the community. Generate operates 69 projects and counting in New York, and this celebration is another proof point of our successful efforts in serving developers, customers, and local communities and accelerating the clean energy transition.”
New Leaf Energy Director of Policy and Business Development Sam Jasinski said, “New Leaf is honored to be celebrating this impressive milestone with the many State and local agencies, towns, fellow industry members, and utilities that made it happen. It shows real progress towards meeting New York’s nation-leading clean energy goals. And while we’re incredibly proud of the work and partnerships that have led to this achievement, we’re more excited that it can be repeated and multiplied. With the State’s continued leadership, we’re confident we can get to 10 GW and beyond.”
New York is the national leader in community solar deployments, allowing renters, low-income residents, and others who cannot install their own panels to benefit from solar energy. In 2023, New York ranked first in the nation in total installed community solar capacity. Last year was also the state’s most productive year ever for solar installations, with 885 MW of capacity installed.
Through NY-Sun, New York is making it much easier for low-income households to benefit from solar projects through the first of its kind Solar for All pilot program. The Solar for All program, which is administered through NYSERDA, allows solar project developers to partner with National Grid to provide additional bill savings to low-income customers in their Energy Affordability Program (EAP). The Public Service Commission has approved an order to replicate NYSERDA’s Solar for All pilot program statewide, including solar projects in National Grid, ConEdison, Orange and Rockland, New York State Electric and Gas, Central Hudson Gas & Electric, and Rochester Gas and Electric utility territories.
The statewide Solar for All program delivers an electric bill credit to EAP customers. The long-term program design is driving continued community solar and storage growth and directs the benefits of that growth to New York State’s low-income residents.
Building on this effort, in April 2024, NYSERDA was selected to receive nearly $250 million from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Solar for All program to enhance New York State’s existing portfolio of highly successful and effective solar deployment, technical assistance, and workforce development programs for the benefit of over 6.8 million residents that live in low-income households and disadvantaged communities. As part of the grant funding, the New York State Housing and Community Renewal, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and New York City Housing Preservation and Development, will also implement new programs that target specific barriers to solar deployment for this population.
Clean solar energy reduces the need for fossil fuel-based power generation while producing less harmful emissions, resulting in cleaner air and improved public health.
New York Solar Energy Industries Association Executive Director Noah Ginsburgh said, “New York has achieved its 2025 rooftop and community solar goal ahead of schedule and under budget, and we’re just getting started. Distributed solar projects are lowering New Yorkers’ electric bills, providing tax revenue to local governments, and employing thousands of workers across the Empire State. NYSEIA congratulates Governor Hochul, the legislature, NYSERDA, the Public Service Commission, the solar industry, and all New Yorkers on this important milestone.”
Coalition for Community Solar Access Northeast Regional Director Kate Daniel said, “The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) congratulates the Empire State on reaching this impressive milestone. We are tremendously proud of the large role community solar has played in achieving the first Climate Act requirement ahead of schedule. The 6 GW of rooftop and community solar operating today in New York means direct bill savings for millions of customers, good-paying jobs and economic benefits to host communities, and millions of tons of reduced greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to continued growth in New York’s community solar programs to help New York on its way to the remaining Climate Act goals.”
State SenatorKevin Parker said, “The installation of six gigawatts of distributed solar energy is a giant step to meeting the state’s renewable energy goals and a major win for clean energy development, the environment and New York’s disadvantaged communities. I applaud Governor Hochul and NYSERDA for taking strong action to ensure New York is a national leader in solar energy production and making tremendous progress toward the goals under the CLCPA.”
State Senator Neil Breslin said, “This program spreads the economic opportunities of solar power beyond corporate investors to local homeowners, property owners and small businesses. It is an increasingly important part of the clean energy mix New York State, and our nation, needs to leverage.”
Assemblymember Patricia Fahy said, “Meeting New York’s ambitious climate mandates under the nation-leading CLCPA is not a question of if – but when. Today’s announcement showcases New York’s commitment to responsibly building out solar energy to help us transition to clean energy and reduce emissions that are driving costly extreme-weather events for too many communities across the state. Climate change is the transcendent threat of our time, and we are already paying for it. I couldn’t be prouder to see the Town of New Scotland right here in the 109th District leading the way to ensure that New York’s clean energy future is bright, affordable, and within reach.”
New Scotland Town Supervisor Douglas LaGrange said, “As a Climate Smart Community, the Town of New Scotland is proud to have been a part of seeing this project come to fruition. We are equally proud that we can do our part to help reach Governor Hochul’s goals for renewable energy in New York State.”
New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe said, “The state reaching its goal of 6GW of installed distributed solar is an important reminder that, with strong leaders like Governor Hochul and NYSERDA President Dorreen Harris, we are capable of tackling difficult challenges. And as the climate crisis grows more urgent by the day, there is no more important challenge than transitioning to a clean energy economy, which is why we must increase the pace of our renewable energy development and double down on our efforts to meet all of our CLCPA obligations, including by continuing to increase the distributed solar goal as we exceed initial targets.”
Vote Solar Northeast Director Elena Weissmann said, “Distributed solar is a key component of NY’s decarbonization mandate, and promises cleaner air, good jobs, and lower energy bills for New Yorkers. As we celebrate this remarkable milestone – a year ahead of schedule – we must seize this opportunity to double down on what’s working so well. This moment is a testament to the power of distributed solar and a call to accelerate deployment of solar for our homes and communities, so that communities across the State can harness the benefits of a clean energy future.”
National Grid’s Chief Operating Officer for Electric Brian Gemmell said, “Today’s announcement is an important next step in our ongoing efforts to build a smarter, stronger, cleaner electric grid that delivers reliable power for all New Yorkers. Greater access to renewable generation resources like solar power not only advances the state’s clean energy goals, but also helps secure long-term economic stability. We appreciate the partnership of Governor Hochul, NYSERDA, and all the other stakeholders who share our commitment to ensuring a safe, reliable, and accessible energy future.”
New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State’s climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is advancing a suite of efforts – including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. New York is also on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $28 billion in 61 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector as of 2022 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with more than 400 registered and more than 130 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martina Egedusevic, PhD Candidate, Impact Fellow (Green Futures Solutions), University of Exeter
Think of flood prevention and you might imagine huge concrete dams, levees or the shiny Thames barrier. But some of the most powerful tools for reducing flood risk are far more natural and widely recognisable: woodlands and green spaces. Trees offer much more than beauty and oxygen. Here’s how trees help to protect us from floods.
1. Intercepting rainfall
Trees and green spaces hold the key to protecting us against flooding. When rain falls on a forest, trees play a vital role in managing water flow. The canopy of a forest acts like a giant umbrella, catching and holding rainwater before it hits the ground.
This slows down how quickly rain reaches the soil, allowing water to gradually seep into the earth instead of rushing over the ground and straight into rivers and watercourses. This delayed water flow can reduce peak water levels in rivers during heavy storms, helping to prevent flash floods.
One of us (Martina) was involved in a two-year study, which has not been peer reviewed, that used sensor equipment to measure the speed and level of surface water at various locations along two streams in the Menstrie catchment area in Scotland: one with greater tree cover and another with less.
The stream with more trees appeared to have consistently reduced flow discharges compared with the more barren stream. This suggests that young forests may be able to dramatically reduce water runoff during rainfall, potentially preventing water from overwhelming streams and rivers.
As trees grow and mature, their effect on water management could become even more significant. This study adds to a growing body of evidence that shows forests offer a natural defence against floods.
Trees are one of our best allies in adapting to the increasing risks posed by climate change. Trees also remove water from catchments via evapotranspiration, whereby moisture evaporates from the surface of the soil and is released from the plant’s leaves and other surfaces.
Importantly, these processes aren’t just relevant at the scale of rural, catchments. We can use the benefits of trees and plants in our towns and cities as targeted small-scale interventions.
2. Keeping rivers clean
Trees help keep rivers clean and healthy. When there are no trees, rain can wash away a lot of soil (and pollutants) into rivers. This might lead to them having a reduced capacity to convey water. But tree roots act like anchors, binding the soil in place and preventing it from flowing into rivers.
This keeps the rivers clear and stops sedimentation, helping them cope with flood waters better. That, in turn, can prevent flooding and maintain river capacity to protect against future flooding.
In places like the Menstrie catchment, planting trees around rivers helps trap dirt and sediment in the upper parts of the river, keeping the lower parts cleaner.
Ploughed ground can better capture sediment across the catchment because the plough lines act as barriers. They keep the sediment in place more efficiently than other techniques, such as hand-screefing (when someone clears a small spot of ground by hand to plant a tree) and excavator mounding (a process that uses a machine to build little hills to help trees grow better in wet areas), which were less successful in containing the sediment.
Evidence shows that trees are essential for long-term soil stabilisation. Cultivation methods and forestry practices therefore play a crucial role in managing erosion and sediment flow.
3. Absorbing and storing water like sponges
Trees improve the soil’s ability to soak up water. Their roots channel deep into the ground, creating preferential flow paths that allow water to absorb into the soil profile, rather than run off on the surface. This process helps reduce the amount of water rushing towards rivers and streams after a heavy rainstorm, which is a major factor in slowing the flow of water and reducing flooding.
How trees are planted, the slope of the land and the type of soil all affect how much water runs off during rainfall. Different planting techniques affect water runoff differently depending on the amount of rain.
During floods, some areas with trees planted (that includes plots with plough cultivation and excavation mounding) have less water runoff compared with unplanted areas without trees.
4. Reducing surface runoff
When heavy rain falls on bare land, water runs off quickly, which can cause floods. Trees, with their roots and fallen leaves, slow this down by helping the ground soak up more water.
This reduces how much water flows into rivers all at once, helping to prevent floods. Planting trees using different layouts, densities and patterns can make this even more effective by helping trees grow better and absorb more water, thereby reducing runoff.
5. Stopping floodwaters
In Somerset, England tree planting projects along rivers, such as those under the Environment Agency’s initiative, have played a crucial role in reducing flood risks.
Since 2020, almost 30,000 trees and shrubs were planted across multiple sites to help slow water flow and protect communities vulnerable to flooding. These trees were strategically placed along riverbanks, including in the Parrett catchment in Somerset, an area known to be prone to flooding.
Underground, tree roots drink up lots of water, slowing how quickly the rainwater flows. And when floodwater hits a forest, the tree trunks act like a natural barrier or wall, slowing the water down so it doesn’t rush all at once to other areas and cause bigger floods. By planning and planting forests to build climate resilience, these positive effects can become even stronger.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Martina Egedusevic receives funding from the Scottish Forestry Trust.
Daniel Green works for Heriot-Watt University as an Assistant Professor in Nature-based Solutions. He is also a Research Associate at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Explanation of vote by Archie Young, UK Ambassador to the General Assembly at the UN Fourth Committee.
Location:
United Nations, New York
Delivered on:
(Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)
The UK would like to explain our position on this and our vote.
This resolution deals with a number of important issues of interest to all members, including the importance of the right of self-determination, sovereign equality and territorial integrity to which the UK’s commitment is iron-clad.
The same cannot be said for the sponsors of this resolution.
Today’s resolution put forward by Russia and Venezuela, amongst others, is a disingenuous and opportunistic effort to appropriate what is genuinely a serious and sensitive issue for their own political purposes.
This is clear by the fact that Member States, as others have said, have not been offered an opportunity to scrutinise this resolution in detail, nor has there been any attempt by the sponsors to engage widely and transparently with members before such an important and complex issue is put before the Fourth Committee, especially given the divergent views in the C24 committee.
We therefore cannot support today’s resolution.
In doing so we reaffirm the UK’s commitment to the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples of the British Overseas Territories, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter. We are equally committed to supporting requests for the removal from the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories from those Territories whose permanent populations so wish. We remind the delegations that each British Overseas Territory has a large measure of internal self-governance, and all have chosen to retain their link to the UK.
And if I can make one more point regarding specifically this resolution, I wanted to underline the point that has already been made about the significant PBI’s (programme budget implications) which we do not support, and that were circulated just this morning which further underlines our practical and procedural concerns about this resolution.
Highland Council Trading Standards are warning residents to be on their guard following reports of an unsolicited text message claiming to be from the UK Government Living Allowance Office.
The text reads:
“UK Government Living Allowance Office Last Time Reminder: Due to the reduction of winter heating subsidy, you can no longer receive it, and the uk government has decided to advance the living subsidy to allow you to survive the winter.
We will reopen applications. Please apply for your living subsidy in the link as soon as possible after receiving the information. If you do not submit an application before 2024/10/15, we will cancel your qualification and reallocate the funds.”
Mark McGinty Trading Standards Team Leader states: “Please be careful when you receive a text message from a Government Body, it’s not usually something that Government Bodies do, and if you think the text means something to you please go to your original source and check things out that way” He also offered this advice to anyone receiving such a text message:
Never click on any links in the text
Be suspicious
Beware of pressure selling tactics. These can include being told time is of the essence
Always check with the Government Body in another way, the .gov website is a good starting point.
Do not rely on a number provided in the text
Do not provide any personal information
Report the text by using 7726
Mr McGinty adds, “Scam texts are designed to get your interest and mislead you into thinking you are doing the right thing by responding. Responding will only give the scammers what they need to exploit you, usually financially, by emptying your bank account. Please take a minute to think and if in doubt do not engage.”
If you have a complaint or wish to report a scam text you can contact Trading Standards partner agency Advice Direct Scotland on telephone 0808 164 6000 or at http://www.consumeradvice.scot
