Political news

• Sophie Smith's Family 'Fear For The Worst' After Police Reveal Missing Student Left Notes 'Outlining Her Intentions'

  04-01-2018 23:10
  Police searching for missing Sophie Smith, who went missing in the early hours of Boxing Day, have said the 21-year-old left notes for her loved ones “outlining her intentions”.The missing university student, form Gorleston, Norfolk, had been suffering severe anxiety and depression, and was receiving treatment for her mental health, police said.Norfolk Police said her mother and close family and friends had been supporting her through this difficult time.The young woman left her
  
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• Sophie Smith's Family 'Fear For The Worst' After Police Reveal Missing Student Left Notes

  04-01-2018 23:10
  Police searching for missing Sophie Smith, who went missing in the early hours of Boxing Day, have said the 21-year-old left notes for her loved ones.The missing university student, form Gorleston, Norfolk, had been suffering severe anxiety and depression, and was receiving treatment for her mental health, police said.Norfolk Police said her mother and close family and friends had been supporting her through this difficult time.The young woman left her home in Gorleston without her mobile p
  
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• 'The Voice': Jennifer Hudson Dismisses Concerns About Gender Imbalance On Coaching Team

  04-01-2018 22:31
  Paloma Faith may have voiced concerns about the gender imbalance on the panel of ‘The Voice’ during her time as a coach, but it is certainly not something current star Jennifer Hudson is concerned about. The singer has urged bosses to keep the line-up as it stands, and she wants to remain as the only female. When a space on the talent show became available after Gavin Rossdale was axed last year, ITV decided to hand his seat to former ‘X Factor’ star Olly Murs r
  
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• 'The Voice': Emma Willis And Will.i.am Attempt To Defend Why The Show Is Yet To Find A Star

  04-01-2018 22:31
  ‘The Voice UK’ may be about to start its seventh series, but the elephant in the room is still the fact it is yet to find a bona fide star.However, that is something Emma Willis and Will.i.am have attempted to downplay, claiming many forgotten contestants could still go on to have huge music careers.While none of the show’s previous winners have made any significant impact on the charts, the pair think viewers often have an unfair expectation of them to be “an overni
  
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• Emma Willis Reveals 'The Voice' Co-Star Olly Murs Is Desperate To Do 'Celebrity Big Brother'

  04-01-2018 22:31
  Olly Murs would be a surprise addition to this year’s ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ if he had his way, according to the show’s presenter, Emma Willis. ‘CBB’ presenter Emma, who works with Olly on ‘The Voice’, admitted the singer is a “superfan” of the Channel 5 reality series and is desperate to be a housemate. The only thing stopping him is his management, who have put a block on him appearing. Speaking to HuffPost U
  
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• Met Police Request Extra £38 Million To Cover Cost Of Grenfell Tower Fire Investigation

  04-01-2018 22:22
  Scotland Yard has requested £38 million from the government to help cover the costs of the Grenfell Tower fire investigation.The Metropolitan Police Service has said that the demand on police time could leave them facing unreasonable costs as about 200 officers continue to work on the criminal investigation.The force has made a request to the Home Office to fully fund the £27 million cost of the inquiry in the coming financial year, their finance chief said on Thursday.A further &pou
  
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• UK defence review delayed by political counterattack

  04-01-2018 22:21
  Questions on military cuts postponed as ministers battle £20bn funding ‘black hole’
  
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• UK defence review delayed by political backlash

  04-01-2018 22:21
  Questions on military cuts postponed as focus switches to £20bn funding ‘black hole’
  
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• Ben Jennings on Trump v Bannon – cartoon

  04-01-2018 21:55 via theguardian.com
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• Nigel Farage asks Twitter for questions for Michel Barnier - with predictable results

  04-01-2018 21:49 via theguardian.com
  The former Ukip leader wants to pose three questions directly from Leave voters to the EU’s chief negotiator when they meet on Monday. He isn’t short of suggestionsFormer Ukip leader Nigel Farage is due to meet EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday, and has stated that he is keen to involve the 17.4m British people who voted to leave the EU. Accordingly, he has issued a short video, requesting people suggest topics using the hashtag #AskBarnier.
  “A procession of people h
  
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• Windsor's Rough Sleepers Have A Message For The Council Leader Who Wants Them Gone

  04-01-2018 21:33
  Rough sleepers in Windsor have rejected claims from a local council leader that beggars are “marching tourists to cash points” to get money, amid calls for police to remove them ahead of the Royal Wedding.Windsor and Maidenhead council leader Simon Dudley has called for action to be taken against “aggressive begging and intimidation” ahead of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding on May 19 at Windsor Castle.The Windsor Homeless Project estimates between 12 and 15
  
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• Theresa May changes tack to apologise for postponed operations

  04-01-2018 21:24 via theguardian.com
  Unprecedented apology from the prime minister came on hospital visit after 24 people died last week of fluTheresa May apologised to the tens of thousands of people affected by NHS England’s decision that hospitals should postpone non-urgent operations and outpatient clinics until the end of January to help hospitals cope with the surge in demand for care.The prime minister’s unprecedented apology came as new figures showed that 16,900 people – the highest number this winter &nd
  
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• Brexit: Nigel Farage to meet Barnier in Brussels

  04-01-2018 20:54 via bbc.co.uk
  The former UKIP leader says he wants to represent Leave voters' wishes when he meets the EU's chief Brexit negotiator.
  
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• Latte result is an early win in cup campaign | Brief letters

  04-01-2018 20:23 via theguardian.com
  Corbyn v Clem | Paper coffee cups | BP share tip | Tabloid Guardian | Football scores | Betty Mundy’s BottomRafael Behr (On second thoughts, 3 January) says “Jeremy Corbyn’s supporters correctly understood that his candidacy represented a total rupture from the party’s past”. From Ramsay MacDonald and Tony Blair, certainly. But from what we can tell thus far (admittedly not very much), his ideas on taxation, housing and public ownership still come now
  
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• The Guardian view on Windsor’s homelessness: a parable of modern Britain | Editorial

  04-01-2018 20:21 via theguardian.com
  Much about Tory Britain is revealed by a council leader’s view that police should clear up evidence of social decayForcibly removing rough sleepers from the streets is one way to maintain an illusion of affluence, but not one that politicians with a conscience should countenance. That such a device looks cruel is obvious even to one who advocates it: Simon Dudley, the Conservative leader of Windsor and Maidenhead borough council, describes homelessness as “completely unacceptable in
  
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• The Guardian view on farming after Brexit: not quite a revolution | Editorial

  04-01-2018 20:21 via theguardian.com
  Environment secretary Michael Gove has a radical plan for the future. Tough luck on the little guyMichael Gove’s plans for farming after Brexit, which he set out at the Oxford Farming Conference on Thursday morning, were greeted with all the excitement that might be expected of groundbreaking innovation. But there was little in his speech that was not in the first he made as environment secretary last July, or his party conference speech in October – or in, say, the Country Land and
  
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• PM urged to leave international students out of migration figures

  04-01-2018 20:08 via theguardian.com
  High-profile Tory rebels see need for U-turn as ‘no-brainer’ if Britain wants to send message that it welcomes studentsTheresa May is being urged to remove international students from the net immigration figures by a number of high-profile Conservative MPs, including a string of select committee chairs.The prime minister remains determined not to change the system but is likely to come under intense pressure this spring when MPs lay down an amendment to the immigration bill. Continue
  
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• Tony Blair’s a flawed messenger – but he’s worth listening to on Brexit | Martin Kettle

  04-01-2018 20:03 via theguardian.com
  The former prime minister still divides Labour, but he is making the best case on the left against Theresa May’s disastrous strategyTony Blair will be 65 this year. In the Britain he grew up in, that used to mean the male retirement age. Bring it on, many will say. But these once-immovable milestones no longer exist. They certainly do not apply to the former prime minister. For Blair has made it crystal clear in his new year intervention on Brexit that he has absolutely no intention of qui
  
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• US urges Britain to press ‘reset button’ on food rules after Brexit

  04-01-2018 19:15
  Trade official seeks action over sanitary standards that ban chlorine-washed chicken
  
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• Teachers' union joins criticism of Toby Young appointment

  04-01-2018 18:28 via theguardian.com
  Leaders of National Education Union write to education secretary saying progress on tackling sexism in schools could be undoneRepresentatives of nearly half a million teachers and lecturers have written to the education secretary, Justine Greening, expressing concern over her decision to appoint Toby Young – whom they accuse of sexist and homophobic behaviour – to a high-profile government position.The move by the National Education Union will add to the pressure on Greening over her
  
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• Lord Owen: Brexit can be a positive story

  04-01-2018 17:47 via bbc.co.uk
  The former British Foreign Secretary argues Britain needs to make a success of Brexit.
  
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• ‘Celebrity Big Brother’: Dapper Laughs’ Potential Arrival Has Already Caused A Stir Among Fans

  04-01-2018 17:38
  ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ kicked off earlier this week and, as fans will know, this series is apparently all about celebrating women.As it marks 100 years since (some) women in Britain won the right to vote for the first time, the series started with an all-female line-up and on Friday (5 December), they’ll be joined by a some male housemates.So who’s going in, you ask? Channel 5 have confirmed that John Barnes will be among them and while the rest of names are yet to offic
  
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• Theresa May apologises to NHS patients for delays caused by winter crisis - as it happened

  04-01-2018 17:33 via theguardian.com
  Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happenTony Blair’s Brexit article and Today interview - SummaryAfternoon summary 4.33pm GMT4.30pm GMT Tony Blair has dismissed the suggestion that Jeremy Corbyn’s performance in the 2017 general election showed Corbyn was in a strong position. Responding to a claim in an ITV interview that Corbyn did better than Blair, Blair said:On that basis Theresa May would be a more successful prime minister than Margaret Thatche
  
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• ‘Black Cab Rapist’ John Worboys To Be Released From Jail

  04-01-2018 17:11
  A notorious “black-cab” rapist who carried out more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults is to be released from prison.John Worboys used alcohol and drugs to incapacitate his victims between 2002 and 2008. The licensed London black cab driver told some women he had won money at a casino or lottery and offered them spiked champagne in an invitation to celebrate with him.In 2009 the former stripper was convicted of 19 offences of drugging and sexually assaulting women at Croydon Cro
  
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• Irn Bru Devotees In Crisis Ahead Of 50% Less Sugar Recipe Change

  04-01-2018 17:10
  Fans of Scotland’s national soft drink Irn Bru are in crisis ahead of a reduced sugar recipe change.The vibrant orange-coloured drink will be produced with 50% less of its regular sugar content from later this month.Devotees have claimed they are stockpiling the drink in its current form ahead of the change and one has begun a petition urging the manufacturer to continue selling the full sugar mixture as well as the reduced one.Ryan Allen, who started a Hands Off Our Irn Bru campaign, said
  
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• As Prince Harry Shines, Meghan Markle Sinks Into His Shadow

  04-01-2018 17:04
  While Prince Harry guest edited BBC Radio 4′s Today programme and spoke about issues close to his heart, the voice of his fiancée Meghan Markle has gradually fallen silent.“Part of my job is to shine a spotlight on issues that need that spotlight,” Harry told the BBC, after using the programme to touch on youth crime, the armed forces and mental health. Harry also interviewed his “Pa” the Prince of Wales about climate change, and Barack Obama about his t
  
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• One Day Without Us: Let's Have A Different Conversation About Migration

  04-01-2018 17:02
  The One Day Without Us campaign came into existence in the autumn of 2016, out of a conversation on Facebook. We were migrants, EU citizens and UK nationals, all of whom were appalled by the shocking increase in anti-migrant hate crime on the streets, by the scapegoating of migrants in the media and on social media, by the cynical disregard for the EU citizens whose lives have been plunged into turmoil as a result of Brexit, and by the ‘hostile environment’ polices enacted by the UK
  
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• ‘Black Cab Rapist’ John Worboys To Be Released From Jail, Women's Rights Groups Slam Decision

  04-01-2018 16:59
  Campaigners and charity workers who support victims of sexual abuse have slammed the decision to release notorious “black-cab” rapist John Worboys who carried out more than 100 rapes and sex attacks.Worboys used alcohol and drugs to incapacitate his victims between 2002 and 2008. The licensed London black cab driver told some women he had won money at a casino or lottery and offered them spiked champagne in an invitation to celebrate with him. In 2009 the former stripper wa
  
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• Every Computer Made In The Last 20 Years Could Contain A Major Flaw

  04-01-2018 16:58
  The last few days rumours have circulated that two potentially catastrophic chip flaws, which allow hackers to steal private and sensitive data, may be present in more than 90% of the world’s computers.The security experts who discovered the issue, which they say affects an entire generation of computers, mobile devices and cloud networks, released a proof of concept code to confirm their reported findings.Developers signing non-disclosure agreements meant there had bee
  
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• Why Being Autistic Doesn't Mean You Can't Achieve

  04-01-2018 16:56
  Even before my son was born, I had made a handful of plans as to what he would be. He would be funny, smart, almost certainly be athletic and he would no doubt have a successful job.The day we were delivered an autism diagnosis when he was aged three, those plans were wrenched away from me with just the mention of the one word.Autistic.
  He was non-verbal and still not toilet trained. How would he ever achieve anything? He was autistic. I plunged into a depression where I couldn’t see the t
  
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• Will 2018 Be A Year Of Less Hate?

  04-01-2018 16:54
  Most people seem to agree on one thing. 2017 was a horrible year.The leftists are declaring that it was a terrible as President Trump took office. The Far Right were claiming it was a horrible as there was an ‘attack on their values’.Whether I disagree with either side, partially or not, I agree that it was a year of hate.I believe that 2017 was the year that social media politics really came of age. Political organisations have been tinkering at the edges of the medium for a few yea
  
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• Is It Too Late For Theresa May To Get The Next Generation Of Voters On Side?

  04-01-2018 16:53
  For many years young people have been ignored, left behind and branded ignorant or uninterested in politics. This myth is finally being blown out of the water. Ever since the 2015 general election, young people have been the ‘sleeping giant’, slowing waking to broken dreams, uncaring policies, and seemingly insurmountable societal odds.They are angry.Young people have been, for many years, the easy cut for politicians. They did not vote or engage, so naturally politicians have ignore
  
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• Windsor Council's Homeless Plea To Police Dismissed By Prime Minister

  04-01-2018 16:48
  The Prime Minister has said she disagrees with a Tory council leader who called on police to clear rough sleepers from Windsor before the royal wedding.Theresa May distanced herself from the remarks on Thursday when asked to comment during a visit to a hospital in nearby Camberley: “I don’t agree with the comments that the leader of the council has made.“I think it is important that councils work hard to ensure that they are providing accommodation for those people who are home
  
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• How Will North Korea Respond To Resolution 2397?

  04-01-2018 16:47
  On December 22 2017 the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed Resolution 2397 unanimously (15-0), which imposed new, harsher economic sanctions on North Korea. The Resolution was led and drafted by the US, and the vote by the UNSC came four days after the US publicly declared that it believed North Korea was responsible for the Wannacry cyberattack in May.What do the new sanctions entail?The primary outcome of these new sanctions are a strangling of North Korea’s energy supplies, t
  
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• 'Dancing On Ice' Pro Matt Evers Says Political Climate Inspired Him To Come Out As Gay

  04-01-2018 16:46
  ‘Dancing On Ice’ professional Matt Evers has explained his motivation to come out as gay, following the rise of President Donald Trump.Matt, who was born and raised in Minnesota, appeared on all nine series of the original run of ‘Dancing On Ice’, during which time he was partnered with contestants including Pamela Anderson, Jorgie Porter and Denise Welch.In an interview in the new issue of Attitude magazine, Matt has revealed that he is gay, explaining that the curr
  
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• Why We Need To Keep Battling The Far-Right

  04-01-2018 16:42
  My grandparents, like the relatives of many readers, fought Nazism. However, as with other infectious diseases, the battle must continue until the pathogen is eradicated.Just as viruses mutate and spread into naïve populations, pathological human cultures like far-right movements, adapt and infect new hosts. Therefore, destroying them completely is a long and challenging mission for societies.Nevertheless, we owe it to our grandparents, great grandparents and those brave souls still alive w
  
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• Post-Brexit farming funding set out by Michael Gove

  04-01-2018 16:35 via bbc.co.uk
  Farmers are to receive payments for "public goods", such as planting meadows, instead of subsidies.
  
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• Windsor Council Homeless Claims Slammed As Support Group Shame Authorities Over 'Rat-Infested' Shelter

  04-01-2018 16:27
  A homelessness group has countered claims by a Tory council that beggars and rough sleepers in Windsor are refusing help, claiming its shelters were “rat-infested” and had bed bugs.Murphy James, who works for the Windsor Homeless Project, hit out after Windsor and Maidenhead council leader Simon Dudley urged police to clear beggars and rough sleepers from the streets before the Royal wedding on May 19.Theresa May also distanced herself from the remarks on Thursday when aske
  
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• UK Waste Mountains 'Highly Likely' Within Weeks As China Stops Importing 'Foreign Garbage'

  04-01-2018 16:20
  Waste mountains are “highly likely” to build up around the UK in a matter of weeks following China’s ban on importing plastic waste, industry experts have warned.British companies are said to be in “turmoil” over the “garbage ban” - announced on January 1 - given they have shipped more than 2.7 million tonnes of plastic scrap to mainland China and Hong Kong since 2012.The waste accounts for almost two-thirds of the UK’s total plastic waste exports,
  
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• Brexit will make Jeremy Corbyn's job harder - Tony Blair

  04-01-2018 16:17 via bbc.co.uk
  The former prime minister urges Labour's leader not to follow the Conservatives' course on Brexit.
  
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• The House Of Lords Is At Risk Of Becoming A Private Members' Club For Lobbyists

  04-01-2018 16:16
  As if the House of Lords did not already look like a private members’ club, an investigation by The Times has revealed that peers can continue to use the House of Lords’ subsidised dining rooms even after they retire.That means former politicians, who were not elected but selected for the role – are enjoying cheap food and drink thanks to taxpayers’ hard-earned cash.In all, £1.2million per year is used to subsidise food and drink in the House of Lords.A menu from th
  
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• Labour MP Sarah Jones: Government Must Treat Knife Crime As Public Health Issue

  04-01-2018 16:11
  The government must treat knife crime as a public health issue if it wants to reduce the number of deaths and injuries, according to a Labour MP.Sarah Jones, who chairs an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the issue, says stabbing incidents have reached epidemic proportions following the deaths of four young men in London at the turn of the year.The new Croydon Central MP, who defeated former housing minister Gavin Barwell in last year’s snap general election, has called on the gover
  
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• Royal Ramblings Meets Bea Priestly

  04-01-2018 16:09
  Ask anyone to list the top talents on the UK wrestling scene and it won’t be long before Bea Priestly’s name is mentioned. Dynamic, versatile, intimidating, hart-hitting, exciting, talented and always entertaining, Bea has proven herself time and again. Be it on these shores at Progress, Defiant, RevPro, Eve and many other promotions besides or overseas, most recently in Japan, where together with Kelly Klein she won the Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, Bea is one to watch. We caught
  
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• NHS: Why Didn't The Government Listen?

  04-01-2018 16:06
  People are dying as a result of the current government’s political choices. One of two things has to change: the government’s policies, or the government.Diagnosis: Acute exacerbation of chronic deliberate neglect of healthCauses include:The launch and maintenance of a damaging internal market in health services.
  Abdication of public ownership and responsibility.
  Disregard for workers’ conditions, training and pay leading to worsening morale and difficulty recruiting and retain
  
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• PM Dismisses Windsor Council Leader's Plea For Police To Move Homeless Ahead Of Royal Wedding

  04-01-2018 15:56
  The Prime Minister has said she disagrees with a Tory council leader who called on police to clear rough sleepers from Windsor before the royal wedding.Theresa May distanced herself from the remarks on Thursday when asked to comment during a visit to a hospital in nearby Camberley: “I don’t agree with the comments that the leader of the council has made.“I think it is important that councils work hard to ensure that they are providing accommodation for those people who are home
  
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• A Strain Of Flu Not Included In This Year's Jab Is Spreading - Here's How To Prevent It

  04-01-2018 15:53
  A strain of flu that isn’t included in this year’s main flu vaccine is spreading, according to Public Health England (PHE).There are many different strains of the influenza virus and, each year, vaccines are designed to target those believed to be the most of risk to the population.This year, the main vaccine is designed to protect against three strains of flu (including the Australian flu, which has already caused fatalities in Ireland) however it does not protect aga
  
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• A Strain Of Flu Not Included In This Year's Jab Is Spreading

  04-01-2018 15:53
  The standard (trivalent, meaning three strain) vaccine given to most people in the UK protects against the following strains of influenza::: A/H1N1 – the strain of flu that caused the swine flu pandemic in 2009.:: A/H3N2 – a strain of flu that mainly affects the elderly and people with risk factors like a long term health condition (also known as Australian flu).:: Influenza B – a strain of flu that particularly affects children. In 2017/18 the vaccine will contain B/Brisbane/6
  
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• May's hypocrisy over Windsor homeless comments

  04-01-2018 15:50
  
  The government recently made a very similar argument to that of the Windsor councillor
  
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• UKIP leader Henry Bolton in relationship with 25-year-old model

  04-01-2018 15:42 via bbc.co.uk
  Henry Bolton, who has split with his wife, says he had not hidden his new relationship.
  
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• Royal wedding: Theresa May joins Windsor begging row debate

  04-01-2018 15:26 via bbc.co.uk
  A call to crack down on begging in Windsor ahead of the royal wedding has been widely criticised.
  
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