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Telegraph
26 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Britain is a tinderbox. This crackdown on Union flags could make it explode
Have you ever been injured by a Union flag? Has one, for example, mugged you at knife-point for your iPhone 16? Or perhaps a gang of teenage Union flags, out of their minds on weapons-grade skunk, have ambushed you as you walk home on your own after dark? I'm relieved to say that I for one have never suffered any such misfortune. But then, I don't live in Birmingham. And it would seem that the Union flags up there are an awful lot deadlier than the ones down my way in Kent. Lately, in England's second largest city, patriotically minded residents have taken to hanging Union flags from lamp posts – in order, they say, to 'show Birmingham and the rest of the country how proud we are of our history, freedoms and achievements'. The Labour council, however, is taking the flags down – because, apparently, they're 'dangerous'. According to a spokesman, 'People who attach unauthorised items to lamp posts could be putting their lives and those of motorists and pedestrians at risk.' To me, at least, this seems a puzzling claim. Still, for the sake of argument, let us assume that these councillors mean well, and that they're motivated not by Britain-hating wokery, but by an innocent if slightly excessive desire to protect residents' safety. Even so, can they really not see how their actions could backfire? Put it like this. At the meeting where the decision was made, I'd like to think at least one councillor had the sense to say: 'Hang on a moment, comrades. Isn't there just a tiny risk that people might misinterpret this? Across the country there are protests against asylum seeker hotels, public fury about crimes committed by illegal immigrants, and a growing sense that Britain is a tinderbox that would need just the tiniest spark to go up in flames. Against that backdrop, how do we think people will react if they read that a Labour council has ordered the removal of British flags? 'Do we think they'll all nod, and say, 'Fair enough. British flags are indeed very dangerous, even when gently fluttering 25 feet above one's head'? Or will it reinforce their conviction that a) this country is run by people who despise it, and b) they now live in a two-tier society, because, in the very same week, their council has chosen to light up the Library of Birmingham first in the colours of Pakistan's flag, and then the colours of India's flag, in order to celebrate the anniversary of those two countries gaining independence from this one? 'Obviously we can't say for sure. In the current climate, though, I just think it might be wise to hold off. We may think that hanging Union flags from lamp posts is terribly dangerous. But removing them may be more dangerous still.' In defence of the graveyard 'fat tax' Then again, there are times when I feel councils should resist public pressure. Take, for example, this week's extraordinary row over a graveyard 'fat tax'. Councillors in Wolverhampton were planning to charge hundreds of pounds extra for obese people's graves – on the grounds that their burial plots have to be wider. But, after an outcry from local people, they've backed down. To me, however, the idea seemed perfectly sensible. As the Telegraph reported in November last year, Britain is running out of room for burial plots as it is. So the wider our graves become, the worse this crisis will grow. Something must be done to save space – and charging per inch would surely help. Obese people who don't wish to lumber their families with higher fees will naturally make a greater effort to lose weight. Which, in turn, will make them less likely to need a grave at all. Or at least, less likely to need one so soon. Everyone wins. Baby talk Last week the Mirror website reported that a criminal had been handed a two-year suspended sentence. The headline described the criminal as a woman. Beneath that headline, however, was a photograph, showing that the woman in question had pink hair – and a beard. These days, of course, there's nothing remotely unusual about Left-wing news outlets referring to male criminals as women, if that is how the criminals say they see themselves. The only reason I draw attention to this particular story is that the criminal, who is 46 years old, also happens to be a self-professed 'adult baby diaper-lover'. Apparently, the court was told that such people like to wear nappies not out of any medical necessity, but because they are 'regressing' to childhood, in search of a 'gentler, more carefree time'. This intrigued me. Because, if a man who chooses to dye his hair pink must be described as a woman, shouldn't a man who chooses to wear Pampers be described as a baby? For the sake of consistency, the Mirror should surely have reported that the two-year suspended sentence had been handed to a newborn baby girl. Stating that a crime committed by an adult was committed by a baby is no more absurd than stating that a crime committed by a man was committed by a woman. And anyway, it's important to be inclusive. In due course, I feel sure, our streets will be filled with placard-wielding progressives chanting that adult babies are babies, and calling for the right of every 46 year-old to enrol at his local crèche.
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
Premier League opener halted after Antoine Semenyo reports racist abuse
A man was ejected from Anfield after reports of racial abuse directed at Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo during the season's opening Premier League game against Liverpool. Match referee Anthony Taylor paused play in the 29th minute after Semenyo accused a spectator of racist abuse. An anti-discrimination message was read out to the Anfield crowd, and it is understood that police officers went into the referee's room at half-time. Merseyside Police said an investigation is under way after the 47-year-old man's identity was confirmed and he was removed from the ground. Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton, the match commander for the Liverpool v Bournemouth game, said: "Merseyside Police will not tolerate hate crime of any form. "We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible." He added: "There is no place for racism and it is vital that anyone who witnesses such an offence reports it to stewards, or the police immediately, so we can take the necessary action like we did this evening. "As with all matches, we work very closely with both Liverpool and Everton FC to ensure the safety of the public, and the players." A spokesperson for Liverpool said the club was "aware of an allegation of racist abuse made during our Premier League game against Bournemouth". The Liverpool spokesperson said: "We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society, or football. "The club is unable to comment further as tonight's alleged is incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which we will support fully." After the incident, Semenyo scored twice in the second half to help bring Bournemouth back from two goals down at Anfield before Liverpool went on to eventually win the contest 4-2. Bournemouth captain Adam Smith told Sky Sports News afterwards: "It shouldn't be happening. I don't know how Ant's played on to be honest and come up with those goals. It's totally unacceptable. "Something needs to be done. Taking the knee isn't having an effect. We're supporting him and hopefully he'll be OK. "I wanted him to react because that's what I would have done, but this shows what type of man he come up with those goals showed the type of guy he is. "To be fair the Liverpool players were very supportive as well towards Antoine and the rest of the team. It was handled in the right way but... so angry. "I don't know what else we can do. No one's getting it. I don't know what to say anymore. I just feel for Ant... shocking." The Premier League said in a statement that its "on-field anti-discrimination protocol" had been followed and the incident "will now be fully investigated". "We offer our full support to the player and both clubs," it added. "Racism has no place in our game, or anywhere in society. We will continue to work with stakeholders and authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for all." The Football Association said it was "concerned" about the allegation of racism towards Semenyo and that it would ensure "appropriate action" would be taken. The incident comes two days after Tottenham Hotspur player Mathys Tel faced racist abuse online following a missed penalty in his team's UEFA Super Cup victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Shady past of Virgin Atlantic passenger who threatened to 'gang rape' stewardess
Salman Iftikhar launched a prolonged and vile verbal assault on a Virgin Atlantic flight attendant on a plane for Lahore, Pakistan, and the dad was jailed last week A yob who threatened to gang rape a Virgin Atlantic stewardess has had several brushes with the law, it has today emerged. Salman Iftikhar was sentenced to 15 months in jail last week after admitting making threats to kill and racially aggravated harassment. The judge took into account Iftikhar's six previous convictions, including a common assault, a record she described as "lengthy and appalling". These six previous convictions have arisen from 15 offences over the years. And now further details of these offences have come to light - days after Iftikhar, 37, began his time at HM Prison Brixton in south London. It is his first time behind bars despite his two counts of common assault in 2004, drink driving in 2008 and driving with excess alcohol that same year among other crimes. In 2021, father-of-three Iftikhar was fined £3,000 after he was caught drunk behind the wheel. When pulled over, police also found him in possession of cannabis. Iftikhar, who was two times over the legal limit, subsequently pleaded guilty to drink driving, cannabis possession and failing to stop a vehicle when required to by a constable. Neighbours in Iver, Buckinghamshire, this week said police had also been called to his six-bedroom home dozens of times in recent years. Iftikhar had lived there with one of his two wives - Erum Salman, who is the mother to his three children. She was described as a "nice lady" by neighbours, who branded Iftikhar "not very friendly" this week. "There's been so many rowdy late night parties that have ended up in fights in the early hours of the morning. At one point it felt like the police were here almost every day," said one neighbour who also described Iftikhar as "often spaced out". The father of three kept a range of expensive cars - from a Range Rover, Bentley and Rolls-Royce - on his driveway at the time of his arrest. He and his UK-based wife together the pair run a London-based staffing company which provides training to businesses working in customer service and manufacturing. Yet, according to those known to the Buckinghamshire couple, the pair had a "rocky marriage and would argue quite a bit". Daily Mail reports Iftikhar diversified his skillset in recent years into "exposure to cryptocurrencies," a project likely to prove tricky to manage from his cell in jail. When he was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court, a judge described the episode as "a sustained incident" and felt she could only impose a custodial term. Ben Walker-Nolan, defending, had said his client "had a long-standing drug and alcohol problem which he has not addressed for many years".
