UK Will Launch Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, Starmer Says
The UK will launch a national inquiry into child grooming gangs, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, in an about-turn that comes five months after rebuffing calls from the opposition Conservative Party and the billionaire Elon Musk to conduct a full probe.
Starmer said it was 'the right thing' to accept the recommendation of a statutory inquiry by Louise Casey, a member of the House of Lords he'd asked to carry out an audit to fill an evidence gap that hampered previous inquiries into child sexual exploitation, including looking into the ethnicity of gangs and victims.
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Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
G7 leaders gather in Canada for summit overshadowed by Middle East crisis and Trump's tariffs
BANFF, Alberta (AP) — Leaders of some of the world's biggest economic powers will arrive in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday for a Group of Seven summit overshadowed by a widening war across the Middle East and U.S. President Donald Trump's unresolved trade war with allies and rivals alike. Israel's strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation, which appeared to catch many world leaders unawares, is the latest sign of a more volatile world as Trump seeks to withdraw the U.S. from its role as world policeman. Speaking on a flight to Canada to attend the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had discussed efforts to de-escalate the situation with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as other world leaders. Britain is sending Royal Air Force jets and other military reinforcements to the Middle East. 'We do have longstanding concerns about the nuclear program Iran has. We do recognize Israel's right to self-defense, but I'm absolutely clear that this needs to de-escalate. There is a huge risk of escalation for the region and more widely,' Starmer said, adding he expected 'intense discussions' would continue at the summit. Trump is summit's wild card As summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to abandon the annual practice of issuing a joint statement, or communique, at the end of the meeting. With other leaders wanting to talk to Trump in an effort to talk him out of imposing tariffs, the summit risks being a series of bilateral conversations rather than a show of unity. Trump is the summit wild card. Looming over the meeting are Trump's inflammatory threats to make Canada the 51st state and take over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron is making a highly symbolic stop in Greenland on his way to Canada, meeting the Arctic territory's leader and Denmark's prime minister aboard a Danish helicopter carrier. Macron, who is one of the very few leaders to have known Trump during his first term, was the first European leader to visit the White House after Trump took office, emerging unscathed from the Oval Office encounter. But despite the two leaders' sporadic bromance, Macron's approach to Trump has failed to bear major results, with France caught up in the president's planned tariffs on the European Union. Nor did it bring any U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine despite Macron's efforts, together with Starmer, to build a coalition of nations that could deploy forces after any ceasefire with Russia, with the hope it would convince the Trump administration to provide backup. Trump is scheduled to arrive late Sunday in Kananaskis, Alberta. Bilateral meetings between other leaders are possible Sunday, but the summit program does not get underway until Monday. Peter Boehm, Canada's sherpa of the 2018 G7 summit in Quebec and veteran of six G7 summits, expects the heads of state to pivot discussion to devote more time to the war. 'Leaders can accommodate a discussion, perhaps even a statement,' Boehm said. 'The foreign policy agenda has become much larger with this.' 'He tends to be a bully' Leaders who are not part of the G7 but have been invited to the summit by Carney include the heads of state of India, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Mexico and the UAE. Avoiding tariffs will continue to be top of mind. 'Leaders, and there are some new ones coming, will want to meet Donald Trump,' Boehm said. 'Trump doesn't like the big round table as much he likes the one-on-one.' Bilateral meetings with the American president can be fraught as Trump has used them to try to intimidate the leaders of Ukraine and South Africa. Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told a panel this week that if Trump does act out, leaders should ignore him and remain calm like Carney did in his recent Oval Office meeting. 'He tends to be a bully,' Chrétien said. 'If Trump has decided to make a show to be in the news, he will do something crazy. Let him do it and keep talking normally.' Starmer had a warm Oval Office meeting with the president in February, wooing Trump with an invitation for a state visit from King Charles III. Trump has praised the British prime minister, despite their political differences. Zelenskyy expected to meet Trump Last month Britain and the U.S. announced they had struck a trade deal that will slash American tariffs on U.K. autos, steel and aluminum. It has yet to take effect, however, though British officials say they are not concerned the Trump administration might go back on its word. Starmer's attempts to woo Trump have left him in an awkward position with Canada, the U.K.'s former colony, close ally and fellow Commonwealth member. Starmer has also drawn criticism — especially from Canadians — for failing to address Trump's stated desire to make Canada the 51st state. Asked if he has told Trump to stop the 51st state threats, Starmer told The Associated Press: 'I'm not going to get into the precise conversations I've had, but let me be absolutely clear: Canada is an independent, sovereign country and a much-valued member of the Commonwealth.' The war in Ukraine will be on the agenda. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to attend the summit and is expected to meet with Trump, a reunion coming just months after their bruising Oval Office encounter which laid bare the risks of having a meeting with the U.S. president. Starmer met with Carney in Ottawa before the summit for talks focused on security and trade, in the first visit to Canada by a British prime minister for eight years. German officials were keen to counter the suggestion that the summit would be a 'six against one' event, noting that the G7 countries have plenty of differences of emphasis among themselves on various issues. 'The only the problem you cannot forecast is what the president of the United States will do depending on the mood, the need to be in the news,' said Chrétien. ____ Lawless contributed to this report from Ottawa, Ontario. AP reporters Josh Boak in Calgary, Alberta, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo, Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Geir Moulson in Berlin and Nicole Winfield in Rome also contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Carney welcomes U.K.'s Starmer ahead of G7 summit
World leaders are arriving in Kananaskis ahead of the start of the G7 summit in Alberta on Sunday. But before the summit, Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to his home for a private dinner on Saturday. Carney hopes to have one-on-one meetings with all G7 leaders, but as David Akin reports, the first order of business for Carney and Starmer is reinforcing Canada's and the United Kingdom's close ties.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Unionist Irish language fears can be addressed - former Welsh first minister
Unionists in Northern Ireland have "legitimate concerns" over the Irish language but they "can be addressed", the former first minister of Wales has said. Mark Drakeford, the Welsh government's language secretary, said political agreement on Irish would be "healing rather than divisive". It comes amid continuing disputes at Stormont over the Irish language, including rows about bilingual signage and its cost. Drakeford, a Welsh speaker who encourages bilingualism in Wales, said unionists have nothing to fear if Irish "is done in a way that is sensitive to their concerns". Speaking to BBC News NI's Sunday Politics programme, he said language should not be used "as a political football". "I think, done the right way, concerns can be addressed," he said. "That's not to say that concerns aren't legitimate." The development of policies in Northern Ireland to promote the Irish language has long been a point of dispute between unionists and Irish nationalists. In Wales, the Welsh language is more widely accepted and is commonly displayed alongside English in public spaces, such as on road markings and street signs. Drakeford, former leader of the Welsh Labour Party, said he was "perfectly comfortable" with having a Welsh and British identity. Asked about unionist concerns over Irish, he said that being "undoubtedly Welsh doesn't diminish your sense of being part of the United Kingdom". But Drakeford said unionists have "legitimate concerns" and are "entirely entitled to make sure that's part of the public debate". Northern Ireland's devolved government is currently recruiting an Irish language commissioner and a commissioner for the Ulster-Scots and Ulster British tradition. The roles were key parts of language legislation introduced in 2022 by Westminster, which stepped in following a political stalemate at Stormont over the laws. Interviews for the posts are due to take place this month, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly told the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday. She added that she and First Minister Michelle O'Neill were committed to making the appointments "as soon as possible". Wales has had a Welsh language commissioner since 2012. Their powers include investigating complaints against public bodies. Efa Gruffudd Jones, who has held the role for more than two years, said that "languages don't need to divide us". "Languages are special things, and people can express themselves differently in different languages," she said. "So I would hope that people can respect other people's languages and ensure that they can enjoy using it." Irish signage has been a key point of contention at Stormont, with parties clashing over proposals to spend £150,000 on bilingual displays at Belfast's Grand Central Station. The plan by the infrastructure minister is being challenged in the courts. At local council level, there have also been disputes over the introduction of dual-language street signs in some neighbourhoods. They have been vandalised more than 300 times in five years. Northern Ireland's 11 local authorities have varying policies on installing dual-language street signs. In Belfast, proposals for a street are considered by a council committee if 15% or more of all occupants surveyed express support. More than 200 have been approved since the policy was introduced a few years ago. Of those approved, the average survey received about 34% of replies in favour, 4% against, 1% no preference, and 61% no response. The figures were obtained by BBC News NI through a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. Belfast councillor Ron McDowell, deputy leader of Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), said many unionists felt Irish was being "thrust upon them". "People are vehemently opposed to the Irish dual-language street signs because they see it as a weapon - it's a cultural warfare," he said. "It's being used by nationalist politics for identity politics - to mark territory." Ian Malcolm, from Lurgan in County Armagh, is a Protestant, a unionist and an Irish language teacher. He said that Irish "does not in any way diminish a person's Britishness", but should also not be "forced down anyone's throat". Describing it as a "beautiful, wonderful language", he added: "It tells us so much about who we are, about our history. "I think that everyone can embrace that, without surrendering one inch of your unionism." Irish street sign vandalism cost councils £60,000 NI language law could spell significant change
