Political news

• With Farage rattled and MPs flexing their muscles, the real Brexit battle is just beginning

  13-01-2018 23:05 via theguardian.com
  This week MPs will again debate the withdrawal bill to take the UK out of the EU. Soft Brexiters are increasingly confident, while the most prominent Leaver is plunged in gloom.When Nigel Farage emerged from a meeting in Brussels with the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier shortly after midday last Monday his increasingly gloomy mood had darkened further. “The message I got was that they will be happy to trade chocolate and cheese and wine freely with us but when it comes to
  
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• Brexit bill leaves a hole in UK human rights

  13-01-2018 23:04 via theguardian.com
  British civil rights groups sound a warning in the Observer over effects of EU withdrawal legislationA human rights deficit will be created by the government’s EU withdrawal bill, leaving many different groups in society without adequate protection, leading civil rights bodies warn in a letter published in the Observer.The organisations spell out profound concerns that a raft of rights will be jettisoned with no adequate replacement once the bill becomes law and the UK leaves the EU. Conti
  
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• Our historic Brexit vote could be reversed, admits Nigel Farage

  13-01-2018 23:01 via theguardian.com
  Remainers ‘are making all the running’ and could swing a vote in parliament, former Ukip leader warnsNigel Farage today makes a dramatic admission that the vote for Brexit could be overturned because Remainers have seized control of the argument over Britain’s future relationship with the EU.The former Ukip leader told the Observer that he was becoming increasingly worried that the Leave camp had stopped fighting their corner, leaving a well-funded and organised Remain operatio
  
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• 'Hard Sun' Episode 2: 8 Questions We Have Following The Latest Instalment

  13-01-2018 23:00
  First things first: We know that the whole of ‘Hard Sun’ series one is currently on iPlayer.It’s just that, sometimes, watching television the traditional way can be pretty fun, so we’re taking it slow and rationing the episodes to one a week. And quite frankly, there’s so much going on that need a lay down as the ‘Hard Sun’ credits roll.Episode two was no different to the series opener, with murders, reveals and secrets aplenty. And with four episo
  
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• South Africa H&M Stores Targeted By Economic Freedom Fighters Protesters Over 'Racist' Ad

  13-01-2018 22:43
  Angry protesters in South Africa targeted H&M stores on Saturday over a “racist” advertisement on the clothing company’s website.Police fired rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators who ransacked several of the Swedish fashion group’s stores in the Gauteng province, where South Africa’s economic hub of Johannesburg is located.The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) protesters targeted six H&M stores, tearing down shop displays and throwing clothes around, polic
  
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• 'Devoted' Mother Chloe Haydock Dies After Car Crashes Into Wall In Wigan

  13-01-2018 21:57
  In a tribute to her daughter, Lynn Haydock said: “I am totally devastated, such a big part of my life has gone.“She was so loved by me and her brother, Craig.“She was a devoted mother to Leo, who is just 18 months old.“We just do not know what else to say. We just ask that we be left alone to grieve.”Sergeant Jon McColl, from Greater Manchester Police’s serious collision investigation unit, said: “My thoughts are with Chloe’s family, particularly h
  
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• Trump row could kill off swift post-Brexit trade deal, says former UK envoy

  13-01-2018 21:30 via theguardian.com
  Quick transatlantic trade deal should be put ‘out of our minds’ says former ambassador, as poll shows 72% of British public think president is a risk to international stabilityDonald Trump’s deteriorating relationship with Britain is likely to kill off any lingering cabinet hopes of a swift post-Brexit trade deal with the United States, a former British ambassador to Washington has warned.Sir Nigel Sheinwald said that a series of controversial interventions by the US president
  
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• Hawaii Residents Accidentally Sent Ballistic Missile Alert

  13-01-2018 21:27
  People in Hawaii have shared harrowing accounts after receiving a false ballistic missile threat alert on Saturday.Residents woke up to an incorrect message sent to their mobile phones this morning warning that an attack on the North Pacific US state was imminent.But about 30 minutes later the US military’s Pacific Command said it “detected no ballistic missile threat to Hawaii” and that the message warning had been sent in error.The incident occurred amid high international te
  
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• Brit Awards 2018 Nominations: The 8 Biggest Snubs

  13-01-2018 20:56
  This year’s Brit Awards nominations have been revealed, and it’s fair to say they contain some surprises. However, it’s not so much who has been nominated that has got everyone talking, rather than who HASN’T. After some of 2017′s biggest artists failed to scoop a single nomination - with others also confusingly absent from some categories, despite releasing material within the eligible period - we take a look at the biggest snubs. Sam SmithBest Male
  
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• Brit Awards 2018 Nominations Revealed With Dua Lipa Leading Nominees

  13-01-2018 20:06
  Dua Lipa has scooped the most Brit Awards nominations, after they were revealed on Saturday (13 January) night.The singer has received five nods - including Best British Solo Female and Best British Breakthrough - ahead of this year’s ceremony, which takes place next month.Dua’s hit ’New Rules’ been nominated for Best Single and Best Video, while her self-titled debut was also honored in the prestigious Best Album category.Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran also received four nom
  
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• TUI Southport Attack: Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Murder After Woman Dies

  13-01-2018 20:03
  A 28-year-old woman has died after being attacked at a travel agents in Merseyside where she worked.A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the attack at the TUI branch in Southport on Saturday.Officers were called to Chapel Street at 1.25pm and the woman was taken to hospital, where she later died from her injuries.A 30-year-old man from the Southport area was detained over the incident, which is believed to be domestic related.The woman’s next of kin have been informed,
  
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• Why Is German Playboy's First Transgender Cover Girl Such A Big Deal?

  13-01-2018 19:32
  ‘Big deal’; is this a momentous and consequential event or am I just being ironic? I’ve heard both in response to Giuliana Farfalla’s cover shot in German Playboy this month. Giuliana is certainly stunning; a lady with 219k of Instagram followers and well liked by her fans. She is the epitome of classical female beauty but also the subject of transphobia. Press articles and published comments are awash with praise but also disgust. The use of male pronouns by some comment
  
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• Audio Of 'Condescending, Sneery' John Humphrys Joking About Gender Pay Gap Leaked

  13-01-2018 19:07
  BBC presenter John Humphrys has been accused of being “condescending”, “sneery” and “arrogant” after the audio of him joking about equal pay for women at the corporation was leaked.Humphrys, the BBC’s highest paid news presenter, was recorded joking with colleague Jon Sopel about the issue off-air, after China editor Carrie Gracie had resigned over it.A transcript of the exchange was leaked earlier this week, but on Saturday Buzzfeed News relea
  
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• More grammar schools and lower tuition fees are not the answer

  13-01-2018 19:00 via ft.com
  The reshuffle at education could mean taking another wrong turn on social mobility
  
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• Carillion crisis looms for government as time runs out for refinancing deal

  13-01-2018 18:35 via theguardian.com
  Opposition parties demand to know why ministers such as Chris Grayling continued to hand contracts to failing contractorThe crisis at Carillion threatens to engulf the government as opposition parties question the decision to continue awarding public sector contracts to the services and construction giant when ministers knew it was in trouble.Whitehall departments are holding emergency meetings this weekend to discuss contingency plans if the Wolverhampton-based firm, which is integral to a raft
  
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• Celia Hammond Animal Trust Invaded By Hunt's Hounds, Sussex Police Investigating After Cats Go Missing

  13-01-2018 17:29
  Police have launched an investigation after a hunt’s hounds chased a fox and deer through the grounds of an animal sanctuary, causing dozens of cats to “flee for their lives”.The Celia Hammond Animal Trust is home to 130 rescued cats at its Greenacres Rehoming Centre and Sanctuary, near Hastings, in East Sussex.Police announced on Friday they would be launching an investigation after a pack of “uncontrolled” dogs ran through its grounds, leading to 60 of its residen
  
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• Liam Neeson Sparks Backlash After Saying Sexual Harassment Allegations Have Started A 'Witch Hunt'

  13-01-2018 17:25
  Liam Neeson has sparked a backlash after claiming women coming forward with stories of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry have started a “witch hunt”.The Hollywood actor also dismissed some of the allegations made against the likes of Dustin Hoffman as “childhood stuff”.Speaking on RTE’s ‘The Late Late Show’, he said: “There is a bit of a witch hunt happening.“There’s some people, famous people, who have been suddenly
  
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• When private meets public sector: the history of a tangled relationship

  13-01-2018 17:00 via theguardian.com
  Outsourcing has become a way of life in British politics: but its list of failures and disappointmentsis lengtheningInteraction between the private and public sectors can be a politically charged process in the UK, not least when the contracts that underpin such a partnership go wrong. Here are some recent examples of cooperation between public bodies and private companies that have caused controversy. Continue reading...
  
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• Far-right group disrupts speech by Sadiq Khan - video

  13-01-2018 15:56 via theguardian.com
  A group of protesters backing Brexit and the US president disrupt a speech by the mayor of London to the Fabian Society in the centre of the capital. The address on gender equality was suspended for several minutes on Saturday while a small number of people from a far-right group made their protest. Audience members began to heckle and slow-clap, and the protesters were escorted from the venue soon afterwards
  • Sadiq Khan speech disrupted by Brexit and Trump supporters Continue reading...
  
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• How Donald Trump's 'Extraordinary' 24 Hours 'Dragged The Presidency Into The Gutter'

  13-01-2018 15:49
  Friday was Martin Luther King Jr Day in the United States, so it was sadly ironic the country’s leader marked it by facing accusations he is a racist who is dragging the presidency and America’s moral standing “into the gutter”.Donald Trump’s day so far:- Yep he said “shithole”
  - Sen. Dick Durbin confirms it
  - “Trump is a racist” is trending
  - U.S. Ambassador to Panama quits
  - Trump doesn’t have a U.S. Ambassador to Haiti
  - Vows to reco
  
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• DUP leader moves to heal wounds over UK's Brexit deal on Ireland

  13-01-2018 15:33 via theguardian.com
  Arlene Foster strikes conciliatory tone in speech weeks after her party pulled plug on deal London had secured with BrusselsThe head of the Democratic Unionist party has moved to heal the wounds over Brexit, declaring that it is not in Northern Ireland’s interests if Ireland does not prosper when the UK leaves the European Union. In a rare speech south of the border, Arlene Foster told delegates at an economic summit in Killarney that while she did not agree with the concerns of the Irish
  
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• Cable warns taxpayers must not bear brunt of Carillion bailout

  13-01-2018 14:34 via ft.com
  Lib Dem leader says shareholders and creditors should take biggest hit as rescue talks continue
  
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• Sadiq Khan speech disrupted by Brexit and Trump supporters

  13-01-2018 14:27 via theguardian.com
  London mayor brushes off interruption by White Pendragons, describing them as ‘what some would call very stable geniuses’A group of protesters backing Brexit and Donald Trump have disrupted a speech by the London mayor, Sadiq Khan.Khan’s address on gender equality to the Fabian Society in central London was suspended for several minutes on Saturday morning while a small number of demonstrators from a recently formed far-right group called the White Pendragons made their protest
  
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• Fears of Brexit drain as more EU27 ambulance staff quit the NHS

  13-01-2018 14:14 via theguardian.com
  Departures could exacerbate vacancy rates in already understaffed serviceIncreasing numbers of European Union-trained ambulance staff are quitting the NHS, raising fears of a Brexit drain from the 999 service just as concern over slow response times grows.There are fears the departures could exacerbate high vacancy rates in ambulance services in England, which are already one of the most understaffed areas of NHS care. Continue reading...
  
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• Donald Trump Supporters Disrupt Sadiq Khan Speech At Fabian Society Conference

  13-01-2018 13:15
  Donald Trump supporters have disrupted a speech by Sadiq Khan, after the London Mayor said the president wasn’t welcome in London.Trump said he was cancelling a visit because he did not want to open the new US embassy but Khan said it because the president feared mass protests and had “got the message”.As he was due to give a speech to the Fabian Society Conference in London about gender equality on Saturday morning, a group of protestors suddenly began disrupting the event.Kha
  
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• Maisie Williams Adds Tom Hanks To Arya Stark’s Kill List On 'The Graham Norton Show'

  13-01-2018 12:45
  Tom Hanks had better watch his back, as he has been added to Arya Stark’s Kill List. While the Oscar-winning actor may not be in ‘Game Of Thrones’, he became a surprise addition to the fatal list after appearing on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ alongside ‘GOT’ star Maisie Williams. During the interview, Graham revealed that Maisie often gets requests from fans of the fantasy series for her to recite the list with their names added to the end - somet
  
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• Police Issue Shocking Video Of Attack On Officer To Highlight Dangers Of The Job

  13-01-2018 11:32
  Police have released footage of a thug ripping out a clump of an officer’s hair to raise awareness about the violence they often face.In the clip captured on her body-worn camera, Pc Emma Agyei can be heard screaming in pain as she is pinned to the floor by her attacker and he tears at her hair.Pc Agyei and a colleague had been called to a domestic disturbance in Bradley, Wolverhampton, in May last year when she was assaulted, The Press Association reports.Both officers were placing the 50
  
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• 'Celebrity Big Brother': India Willoughby Claims She's Done Herself An 'Injustice' As She's First To Be Evicted

  13-01-2018 10:57
  India Willoughby claims she has not “done herself justice” after becoming the first person to be evicted from the ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ house.The journalist was shown the door from the Channel 5 reality show on Friday (12 January) night after facing the boot against ‘Love Island’ star Johnny Mitchell.During her exit interview with host Emma Willis, India revealed her regrets at not “keeping her gob shut” on many subjects, having spoken at length
  
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• This Is The Best Time Of Day To Work Out According To The Experts

  13-01-2018 10:53
  What is the best time of day to exercise?For most people, deciding when to go to the gym isn’t a case of weighing up the best health benefits, but a case of fitting it in around all our other schedule commitments - work, socialising, sleeping. But is this the best way to do it?Banafsheh Hassanzadeh, personal trainer and instructor at Ride Republic, tells HuffPost UK: “The best time to work out is the time you can stick to. The time you know you can make it to the gym withou
  
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• Trafalgar Square Attack: Police Investigate Murder Of Man Who Died Six Months After 'Mindless' Assault

  13-01-2018 10:36
  A murder investigation has been launched after a man assaulted in a “mindless” attack in London’s Trafalgar Square more than six months ago died in hospital.Desmond O’Beirne never recovered after suffering a devastating head injury when he was kicked and punched by two men outside the National Gallery in the early hours of June 3, The Press Association reports.The 51-year-old, from Westminster, was taken to hospital and died from his injuries on December 20.Detectives hav
  
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• Police Launch Murder Investigation Into Death Of Man Six Months After 'Mindless' Trafalgar Square Attack

  13-01-2018 10:33
  A murder investigation has been launched after a man assaulted in a “mindless” attack in London’s Trafalgar Square more than six months ago died in hospital.Desmond O’Beirne never recovered after suffering a devastating head injury when he was kicked and punched by two men outside the National Gallery in the early hours of June 3, The Press Association reports. The 51-year-old, from Westminster, was taken to hospital and died from his injuries on December 20.Murder i
  
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• My 2018 resolution? No more self-doubt

  13-01-2018 09:59 via theguardian.com
  I’ve been working on a book for over a decade, but like Jack in the Shining I’ve found myself recording the same things again and again. What am I waiting for?I don’t believe in New Year resolutions, but I do believe in becoming so fed up with doing – or not doing – something that you realise something has to give, whatever the date. It just so happened that this came to me on 2 January, when I realised I’d been researching a long-planned book for (the dates o
  
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• John Humphrys Condemns 'Nasty Person' Who Leaked His Off-Air Conversation Joking About BBC Pay Gap

  13-01-2018 09:37
  John Humphrys has hit out at the “nasty person” who leaked an off-air conversation he had joking about equal pay for women at the BBC, as he insisted it did not reflect his views.Humphrys, the broadcaster’s highest paid news presenter, was recorded joking with colleague Jon Sopel about the issue off-air, after China editor Carrie Gracie had resigned over it.The leaked transcript of the issue caused outrage, particularly as Humphrys was allowed to continue to broadcast when wome
  
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• John Humphrys Insists He Believes In Equal Pay After Leaked Comments

  13-01-2018 09:16
  John Humphrys has insisted he believes in equal pay at the BBC, after he was doorstepped at his home over a leaked tape of him appearing to mock the issue.Humphrys, the broadcaster’s highest paid news presenter, was recorded joking with colleague Jon Sopel about the issue off-air, after China editor Carrie Gracie had resigned over it.The leaked transcript of the issue caused outrage, particularly as Humphrys was allowed to continue to broadcast when women who work at the BBC were barred fr
  
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• 12 Thoughts That Went Through My Head During 'The Post' Press Conference

  13-01-2018 08:00
  When it comes to Hollywood power trios, there are few that shine as brightly as Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. So naturally, when HuffPost UK got an invitation to attend a press conference to promote their new film ‘The Post’, I jumped at the chance to go and sit for an afternoon basking in the glow of cinema royalty.Here’s everything that went through my head on that fateful Thursday…1. “The absolute state of me.”Yeah, it wasn’t the
  
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• Corbyn's Brexit policy biggest barrier to staying in single market, says Labour MP

  13-01-2018 07:00 via theguardian.com
  Wes Streeting urges Jeremy Corbyn to back continued membership of EU’s single market and customs unionLabour’s Brexit policy is now the single biggest barrier to Britain remaining in the EU single market, the Ilford North MP, Wes Streeting, will claim on Saturday.Streeting is one of a well-coordinated group of vocal backbench rebels campaigning for leader Jeremy Corbyn to harden Labour policy by saying he would back continued membership of the single market and the customs union. Con
  
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• Culture wars cross the Atlantic to coarsen British politics

  13-01-2018 06:04 via ft.com
  Values replace economics as the driving force of the national debate
  
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• Schism in UK Brexit team as new talks loom

  13-01-2018 05:00 via ft.com
  Rival power bases leave role of Brexit ministry unclear
  
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• Benefits decisions

  13-01-2018 01:58 via bbc.co.uk
  What are the key issues she will need to address?
  
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• Hammond: EU leaders 'paranoid' that other nations will leave after Brexit

  13-01-2018 01:01 via theguardian.com
  Chancellor tells Die Welt newspaper that EU leaders are fixated on punishing Britain, rather than looking ahead to building post-Brexit tradeEuropean leaders’ lack of enthusiasm for the future trade relationship between Britain and the European Union has been described as “backward-looking” and marked by “paranoia” by the UK chancellor, Philip Hammond.In an interview with the German newspaper Die Welt that was supposed to round off a three-day charm offensive aimed
  
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• Theresa May’s botched reshuffle, and why the Tories are going green again

  13-01-2018 00:49 via ft.com
  The prime minister tried to make some decisive moves in her government this week - and failed. Where does this leave her now?
  
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