Political news

• Damian Green Sacked After Sleaze Row - HuffPost Verdict

  20-12-2017 23:29
  K E Y   P O I N T SDamian Green forced to quit after breaching the ministerial code of conductCabinet Office inquiry found Green had lied about knowing of the existence of porn on his computerProbe found deputy prime minister had made ‘inaccurate and misleading’ statementsConcludes: ‘Plausible’ evidence he had sexually harassed an activistKate Maltby had accused Green of touching her knee and sending inappropriate textsGreen sent Maltby a text message after she
  
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• Damian Green Sacked After Sleaze Row

  20-12-2017 23:29
  Damian Green forced to quit after breaching the ministerial code of conduct
  Cabinet Office inquiry found Green had lied about knowing of the existence of porn on his computer
  Probe found deputy prime minister had made ‘inaccurate and misleading’ statements
  Concludes: ‘Plausible’ evidence he had sexually harassed an activist
  Kate Maltby had accused Green of touching her knee and sending inappropriate texts
  Green sent Maltby a text message after she appeared in a corset in
  
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• Damian Green forced to resign in computer porn row

  20-12-2017 23:15
  Third departure in two months removes one of most avowedly pro-European ministers
  
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• ‘EastEnders’ Spoilers: Jean Slater And Big Mo Confirmed To Return Alongside Kat Slater

  20-12-2017 23:01
  ‘EastEnders’ bosses have confirmed that Kat Slater will return to the soap in the coming months, revealing that two other fan favourites will be back alongside her - while her immediate family will remain off-screen.Jessie Wallace’s much-loved character will be return from the Irish town of Redwater in the Spring, with Big Mo and Jean Slater accompanying her.Teasing their return, the soap’s executive consultant John Yorke said: “The Slaters are one of the all-time g
  
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• Damian Green’s exit deprives Theresa May of her closest confidant

  20-12-2017 22:51
  ‘Friend and colleague’ throughout her political life had become central to her premiership
  
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• Damian Green: timeline of how a leak led to a downfall

  20-12-2017 22:26 via theguardian.com
  Tory minister forced to resign after claims of inappropriate behaviour and pornography found on a computerA series of leaked official documents from the Home Office are published in national newspapers, embarrassing Gordon Brown’s government. The Met police are asked to investigate, and then assistant commissioner Bob Quick takes charge of the inquiry.Continue reading...
  
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• Damian Green quits cabinet

  20-12-2017 22:11
  Third resignation in two months removes one of most avowedly pro-European ministers
  
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• Daily Serving Of Kale, Spinach Or Lettuce Could Slow Brain Ageing By Decade, Study Finds

  20-12-2017 22:01
  If you’re yet to do your Christmas food shop, make sure you basket is full of greens.A serving of green, leafy vegetables a day - such as spinach, kale or lettuce - has been linked to a younger brain, a new study has revealed.People who ate at least one serving a day had a slower rate of decline on tests of memory and thinking skills than those who rarely ate the vegetables.The difference between them was the equivalent of being 11 years younger in age, study author Martha C
  
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• Damian Green Forced To Resign Over Sex Harassment And Pornography Allegations

  20-12-2017 21:57
  Theresa May’s deputy Damian Green has been forced to quit the Cabinet after an inquiry concluded he had lied about pornography on his computer and found ‘plausible’ evidence he had sexually harassed a young activist.Green was effectively sacked by the Prime Minister after a Cabinet Office probe concluded that he had breached the ministerial code of conduct.The investigation decided that claims by Tory activist Kate Maltby, who had accused Green of touching her knee and sending
  
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• Labour calls for new laws to tackle Russian and far-right web propaganda

  20-12-2017 21:28 via theguardian.com
  Shadow digital minister says government should overhaul its national security strategy to defend UK democracyUK laws on electoral interference are hopelessly outdated amid a threat from Russia and far-right web propaganda, Labour is to argue, calling for the national security strategy to include a specific commitment to defend democracy.The party’s shadow digital minister Liam Byrne, during a Commons debate on the issue on Thursday, is to call for a series of updates to laws to prevent fut
  
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• UK spymasters say Moscow is ‘formidable adversary’

  20-12-2017 21:25
  Intelligence agencies point finger at Russia over misinformation
  
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• Russia a ‘formidable adversary’, say UK spymasters

  20-12-2017 21:25
  Kremlin’s reaction to MH17 downing cited as example of misinformation campaign
  
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• The Comeback Kid: How Michael Gove Is Saving The Tories

  20-12-2017 21:23
  Michael Gove has a mantra: “You always have less time than you think.”That might explain why he has been so energetic in his first six months as Defra Secretary.CCTV in all slaughterhouses, a proposed ban on bee-killing pesticides, reintroducing beavers into the UK, making the sale of products with microbeads illegal, a ban on ivory sales  – all measures pushed forward by Gove since rejoining the Cabinet in June.His work hasn’t gone unnoticed by environmentalists and
  
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• Michael Gove’s ‘Experts’ Line Ridiculed As IMF Says Its Dire Warnings About Brexit Have Proved True.

  20-12-2017 20:49
  Michael Gove’s infamous line that the public have ‘had enough of experts’ was ridiculed by the world’s economic watchdog as it declared its warnings about Brexit had been vindicated.Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), hit back at Gove as she said the vote to quit the EU had already “squeezed” real incomes in Britain, thanks to a plunging pound and rising inflation.Lagarde was withering in her verdict on the arch Brex
  
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• Maybot channels her inner nasty party then is reprogrammed at lunch | John Crace

  20-12-2017 20:37 via theguardian.com
  Buoyed by Christmas survival, May is put in ‘so what?’ mode for PMQs before return to withdrawn setting for liaison committeeTop of the world, Ma. For her last prime minister’s questions of the year, Theresa May was determined to shoot from the hip. After months of being humiliated by all around her, she had finally reached a safe place. Her job was secure for the time being and she was going to enjoy the feeling while it lasted. No more trying to be caring and sharing. Now she
  
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• Laura Kuenssberg Tory Conference Speaker Story Sees The Canary Make Front Page Correction

  20-12-2017 19:43
  The Canary has made a front page correction to a story it wrote falsely claiming that BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg was a speaker at the Tory Conference in September.The prominent correction came after press regular, Impress, on Wednesday ruled that the leftwing, pro-Jeremy Corbyn website had breached its standards code with the headline:  “We need to talk about Laura Kuenssberg. She’s listed as a speaker at the Tory Party conference.”An updated version of the
  
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• Gene-Editing Found To Preserve Hearing In Mice And It Could Do The Same For Humans

  20-12-2017 19:08
  There are around 11 million people in the UK, or one in six members of the population, who suffer with hearing loss, and nearly half of all these cases have a genetic cause.Treatment has long been limited because scientists didn’t have the right technology at their disposal to treat the underlying problem, but a new study has found gene editing could provide the solution. Investigator David Liu, who worked on the study, said: “[It] could make a major difference in hearing-loss patien
  
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• Facebook Rolls Out New Facial Recognition Software For Photos

  20-12-2017 19:08
  Facebook has launched a new feature that will notify a person if a photo of them has been uploaded onto the site, even if it’s not tagged.The technology makes use of a facial recognition technology that the social network has already been using to help you tag photos of users and their friends.The new feature is optional but Facebook is pushing this as a new tool to help its users maintain more control over their identity on the site and in particular help crack down on the number of false
  
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• There Is A Great Gap Between The Rhetoric Of The Tory Government On Climate Change And The Reality

  20-12-2017 18:55
  Last week, Paris hosted the One Planet Summit, of which the central purpose was to examine how private and public finance could be used to combat climate change.There is a great gap between the rhetoric of the Tory Government on the issue of climate change and the reality. Although the UK Government made some meagre international financial commitments, its domestic policy on financing remains woefully inadequate.During the recent budget, the Government sneaked out the announcement that there wou
  
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• The Problem With Disability Is... Philip Hammond

  20-12-2017 18:54
  Good. Great.That’s a really good thing you said, Hammond.I never thought anyone could be so ignorant, but this is Theresa May’s government we’re talking about here.If you haven’t heard Hammond’s pearls of wisdom let me give you the rundown. At a meeting with the treasury committee he stated that “far higher levels of participation by marginal groups and very high levels of engagement in the workforce, for example of disabled people ... may have had an impact o
  
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• David Lammy reports email warning he could face 'same fate as Jo Cox'

  20-12-2017 18:27 via theguardian.com
  Message contained ‘friendly warning’ about Labour MP’s ‘attack on white population’ has been sent to the policeDavid Lammy has insisted he will not be intimidated after he received an email accusing him of striving for black supremacy in the UK and warning him he could suffer the same fate as murdered MP Jo Cox. A spokesman for Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, who shared an image of the email in a tweet, said the matter had been reported to police. The message, s
  
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• David Gauke Vows Not To Let 'Hard Left' Win On 'Social Media Battlefield'

  20-12-2017 18:01
  Work and pensions secretary David Gauke has vowed not to let the ‘hard left’ win arguments over Universal Credit on the social media ‘battlefield’.The cabinet minister entered into a Twitter spat - with mixed results - after Labour MP and work and pensions select committee chair Frank Field claimed the roll-out of the controversial benefit system had left one woman with no income until after Christmas. Gauke said the woman had in fact already been paid her advance an
  
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• Brexit transition must end in December 2020, says Barnier

  20-12-2017 17:44
  EU’s position highlights complex legal issues that must be resolved
  
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• Don’t Panic! Your Children’s New Connected Toy Is Unlikely To Be Hacked This Christmas

  20-12-2017 17:42
  Are so-called ‘smart’ toys really a danger to your children? Recently, I’ve had a number of worried parents ask me whether it is actually safe to buy any of the exciting, new connected toys that have come on the market in the last year as they’ve heard a fair few horror stories in the media. As many of these toys are topping the wish lists being sent to Santa this year, it’s not surprising that parents are concerned.Earlier in the year, the German authorities actual
  
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• Mum 'Broke Son's Heart' By Accidentally Cooking His Elf On The Shelf

  20-12-2017 17:35
  While some parents would happily never see the elf on the shelf (and that smug smile) ever again, unfortunately our children might have something to say about that.One mum has found out exactly what happens when you destroy the festive spy in front of your little one, and it isn’t pretty.Brittany Mease admitted that she accidentally melted the elf after putting him in the oven to stop the children noticing she hadn’t moved him in two weeks.Mease said she “can’t stand
  
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• UK Regions That Voted To Leave EU Are More Vulnerable To Effects Of Brexit, University Of Birmingham’s Research Shows

  20-12-2017 17:29
  The UK regions that voted to leave the European Union are more vulnerable to the economic impact of Brexit than those which voted Remain, research suggests.On the whole, the UK is 4.6 times more exposed than the rest of the EU, with the majority of EU member states facing almost no exposure at all, according to the University of Birmingham’s research.Because of this, the UK is in a “very weak bargaining position”, it said.The study from the university’s City Reg
  
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• Five Hacks To Get You Through Christmas...

  20-12-2017 17:18
  HERE ARE MY FIVE HACKS TO MAKE THE FESTIVE SEASON (ALMOST) BEARABLE. YOU CAN THANK ME LATER.1: HAVE (NOT SO) GREAT EXPECTATIONSWhy not set yourself some realistic (achievable) Yuletide goals? Here are some suggestions:i: Limit yourself to just one argument on Christmas day. Your row could be about anything: Brexit, doing the washing up or even who’s better, Ant or Dec, it really doesn’t matter. Expect the argument, enjoy it and move on.ii: Don’t get After Eight angry.
  
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• The Most Popular Baby Names In 2018, Revealed By More Than 3,000 Expectant Mothers

  20-12-2017 17:14
  We might not have finished 2017 yet, but many expectant parents are already itching to get into next year so they can meet the new member of their family.Which means they’ll need to settle on a baby name, so why not be inspired by the top 20 most popular choices for 2018, as revealed by nearly 3,500 expectant mothers.The survey, by Emma’s Diary, found Olivia will continue to rule the charts for girls - it was number one in 2017, 2016 and 2015 - but a surprise entr
  
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• How To Invest In A Cryptocurrency Initial Coin Offering And Stay Safe

  20-12-2017 15:51
  A wave of media publicity and debate has been generated in recent weeks concerning the safety of investing in cryptocurrencies with one of the most popular strategies that investors are turning to being Initial Coin Offerings (ICO).ICO sales are a means of raising capital by offering shares in a newly launched cryptocurrency in exchange for cash or other digital currencies such as Bitcoin, LEOcoin or Ethereum. After a sale the consumer shares in the subsequent risks or rewards associated with th
  
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• Resiliently Handling Difficult Relationships At Christmas

  20-12-2017 15:44
  When it comes to Christmas, on the one hand we can be excited about seeing our family and friends and on the other hand we can be nervous about seeing our family and friends. From underlying tension between you and your partner or you and your in-laws, to having to answer questions from loved ones about your career, dating life or bearing children, the opportunities for stress and overwhelm can be plentiful.To help you look forward to all of the festive fun you’re going to be involved in,
  
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• Work And Pensions Secretary David Gauke's Universal Credit Defence Backfires After Being Called Out Over Tweet

  20-12-2017 15:43
  Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke faces a backlash after issuing a strongly-worded rebuttal to a report of hardship on crisis-hit Universal Credit.Gauke defended the benefits reform on Twitter by responding to a claim from Labour MP Frank Field that a young mother would not receive any money before Christmas under the scheme.Last Friday, Field wrote: “A mum with two young children has this week received a DWP letter. Her Income Support has stopped and she has to apply for U
  
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• Rachael Burford: Low Points In My Rugby Career Tested Me, But Giving Up Was Never An Option

  20-12-2017 15:41
  England Rugby player Rachael Burford believes you don’t get anywhere in life without a large helping of hard work.The rugby union player first picked up a ball when she was just six years old, following in the footsteps of her mum and sister. Now at 31, she has gone on to represent England at four Women’s Rugby World Cups.She won the World Cup in 2014 and went on to play in every match for the 2017 Six Nations Grand Slam winning team.Burford was also awarded the Rugby Players’
  
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• A Guide To Helping Your Friend With Depression Over Christmas

  20-12-2017 15:32
  When it comes to Christmas, we’re constantly reminded that it’s ‘the most wonderful time of the year’. It’s the time where we’re expected to dance to cheesy songs, and smile as we open presents from loved ones. We’re meant to chuckle at cracker jokes, and happily knock back glasses of bubbly whilst devouring mountains of roast potatoes.Now, don’t get me wrong: for most people, Christmas genuinely is an exciting time of the year, filled with joy and
  
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• Gove: UK would not compromise with US on food standards

  20-12-2017 15:31 via theguardian.com
  Environment secretary sets up possible clash in future US trade talks over retaining EU regulations post-BrexitBritain could block a post-Brexit trade deal with the US if it included the sale of chlorine-washed chickens, currently banned by the EU, Michael Gove has said. While the environment secretary evaded the question of whether he would veto a trade deal in order to protect consumers, he insisted Britain would not waiver on animal welfare standards built up by the EU over decades. Continue
  
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• We’ll All Get A Taste Of Eating Disorders This Christmas

  20-12-2017 15:25
  The most wonderful time of the year is upon us again. In the run-up to Christmas, we are drip-fed the expectation to be joyful, merry and bright. The meaning we derive from sharing time and gifts with family and friends is seized upon by commercial interests to the extent that the festive period becomes at risk of being conducted primarily through the vehicle of consuming.Consuming together - sharing our generosity through gifts, and sitting down to an especially lavish meal - is a human ritual
  
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• Don’t Suffer In Silence - We’ll All Get A Taste Of Eating Disorders This Christmas

  20-12-2017 15:25
  The most wonderful time of the year is upon us again. In the run-up to Christmas, we are drip-fed the expectation to be joyful, merry and bright. The meaning we derive from sharing time and gifts with family and friends is seized upon by commercial interests to the extent that the festive period becomes at risk of being conducted primarily through the vehicle of consuming.Consuming together - sharing our generosity through gifts, and sitting down to an especially lavish meal - is a human ritual
  
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• Work And Pensions Secretary David Gauke And Labour MP Embroiled In Universal Credit Twitter Spat

  20-12-2017 15:20
  Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke faces a backlash after issuing a strongly-worded rebuttal to a report of hardship on crisis-hit Universal Credit.Gauke defended the benefits reform on Twitter by responding to a claim from Labour MP Frank Field that a young mother would not receive any money before Christmas under the scheme.Last Friday, Field wrote: “A mum with two young children has this week received a DWP letter. Her Income Support has stopped and she has to apply
  
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• Diary Of A 'Fake' Cancer Patient

  20-12-2017 14:54
  I was first diagnosed with small lymphocytic lymphoma, a slowly developing and incurable type of blood cancer in 2010. I was put on ‘watch and wait’, meaning that my treatment will only start once the cancer and my symptoms have developed to the point that it is needed. More than 5,000 patients are put on watch and wait each year in the UK.I’d never done a blog before, but I felt that it needed a name that summed up exactly how I feel about my blood cancer. Eventually I decided
  
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• PMQs verdict: I'm still here, May taunts Corbyn as pair clash over NHS

  20-12-2017 14:48 via theguardian.com
  Statistic-slinging over the state of the health service dominates a final session of 2017 both parties will be satisfied withThe final PMQs of 2017 saw Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn brandishing rival statistics about the NHS. The Labour leader quoted Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, saying that the service needs another £4bn, and that it had received less than half that. The prime minister replied that NHS funding was at record levels and that despite Corbyn’s complaints &ldqu
  
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• 'Celebrity Big Brother' 2018: Line-Up, Start Date And Everything Else You Need To Know

  20-12-2017 14:47
  As 2018 pokes its head around the corner, so does a brand new year of reality TV, which kicks off - as always - with a brand new series of ‘Celebrity Big Brother’.Following the head of Channel 5′s admission that he wasn’t exactly thrilled with the way things were going in the world of ‘Big Brother’, bosses have decided to shake things up a bit this time around.Although only time will tell whether producers’ risk will pay off, here’s everything
  
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• Can Coffee Lead To A Longer Life?

  20-12-2017 14:47
  Coffee is one of the world’s most commonly consumed beverages. The coffee culture is an undeniable feature of modern living, but over the years science has presented mixed messages regarding its benefits.Recent research published in the British Medical Journal suggests that three to four cups of coffee a day is linked to longer life expectancy (except during pregnancy and for women at risk of fracture).The study examined existing evidence for associations between coffee consumption and mul
  
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• Lady Gaga Says Las Vegas Residency Is A 'Dream Come True'

  20-12-2017 14:36
  Lady Gaga has expressed her excitement after signing a two-year residency in Las Vegas.Currently touring the world in support of her latest album, ‘Joanne’, Gaga will begin her residency at MGM’s Park Theatre in Las Vegas at the tail-end of next year.She has signed up to perform 74 shows over the next two years, describing the deal as a “dream come true”.Announcing the news on her Twitter page, Gaga wrote: “The rumors are true! I will have my own residency at
  
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• Royal Pastry Chefs Reveal Recipe For Mince Pies

  20-12-2017 14:29
  If you’re looking to impress guests on Christmas Day, this mince pie recipe might just do the trick.Pastry chefs at Buckingham Palace have revealed how they make mince pies for The Royal Family and their guests, with an important message: ‘Give yourself plenty of time.’Royal Pastry chef Kathryn Cuthbertson and Chef de Partie Victoria Scupham recommend having cold hands when working with the pastry, to help keep it at the right consistency.They also make their own mincemeat - wi
  
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• Theresa May Could Stuff Her Christmas Goose And Call It Boris, Says Labour MP In PMQs Joke

  20-12-2017 14:26
  Theresa May leaned on her Chancellor for a PMQs retort today after an MP suggested she stuff her Christmas goose and call it “Michael or Boris”.Labour MP Clive Efford raised a laugh with the festive jibe during PMQs in the House of Commons, telling the Prime Minister that to “get the maximum pleasure” from preparing her Christmas bird for roasting she could name it after Michael Gove or Boris Johnson. As she got to her feet to say she will “resist the temptatio
  
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• MP Robert Halfon says staff found someone asleep under desk

  20-12-2017 14:23 via bbc.co.uk
  Conservative MP Robert Halfon says his staff found someone asleep under the desks in their office in Parliament's basement.
  
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• Top Tips For A Happy And Healthy Christmas

  20-12-2017 14:16
  While Christmas should be a time of happy celebration, research by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) have shown it is one of the most dangerous times of the year. More than 6,000 people will end up in hospital on Christmas Day and more than 80,000 will visit A&E over the Christmas period, involving falls from ladders while decorating houses with fairy lights and cuts from broken glass ornaments. Christmas trees alone account for more than 1,000 injuries each year.Alco
  
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• Christmas Delivery Chaos As Shoppers Report Items Are Being Delayed, Damaged And Dumped In Bins

  20-12-2017 14:16
  Only one third of shoppers are receiving their Christmas deliveries as promised, according to a survey of more than 2,000 people.Lengthy delays, damaged packages and parcels being opened by neighbours were just some of the complaints found by consumer group Which?The survey, conducted earlier in December, found that more than half reported a delivery didn’t come on time, though a quarter claimed they had received parcels early. One in five (21%) told Which? at least one delivery did not ar
  
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• Theresa May Says Just Because Children Are Homeless It Does Not Mean They Live On The Street

  20-12-2017 14:15
  In Wandsworth, 2,500 children will wake up homeless on Christmas Day, yet Theresa May is turning a blind eye.Demand the Government end this tragedy - spread the word! #PMQspic.twitter.com/KsNUPDcIBa— Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (@DrRosena) December 20, 2017Theresa May has defended the government’s record on homelessness by arguing that just because there are thousands of homeless children it does not necessarily mean they have to sleep on the streets.Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan said 2,500 c
  
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• How To Make 2018 Your Best Year Yet

  20-12-2017 14:11
  It’s that time of the year when many of us are thinking about all the things that we didn’t achieve, more than giving ourselves credit for the things we did. So I want to give you my tips on how to make sure 2018 is your best year yet.Keep it simpleDon’t try to change everything at once. If you decide to lose half your body weight, run your first marathon and marry Mr Right in 2018, you are likely to fall at the first hurdle.Swap motivation for inspiration. Motivation itself im
  
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• Oxfordshire Fishery Faces Legal Action Over Sign Banning 'Polish And Eastern Bloc Fishermen'

  20-12-2017 13:45
  A fishery in Oxfordshire which put up a sign saying “No Polish or eastern bloc fishermen allowed” could face legal action.Polish fisherman Rado Papiewski, who said he was left “very upset and angry” by the notice displayed at Field Farm fisheries near Bicester, has raised more than £9,000 in the hopes of paying for the proceedings.“We want the sign removed and to show that discriminatory signs like this one have no place in the angling community of Great Brita
  
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