Sahrawis reject Moroccan rule over Western Sahara
The Church in Wales appointed a new archbishop last week after a delay of only a month. The Roman Catholic Church found a new pope after only two weeks. Justin Welby resigned as archbishop of Canterbury in November 2024, but the Church of England has still not found a successor. How can this be?Dr Patrick HoyteWootton Courtenay, Somerset
Andy Beckett talks of New Labour's 'centrist assumptions' (Opinion, 1 August) and Patrick Cosgrove of Labour's 'centrist drift' (Letters, 31 July). If Blair and Starmer are centrist then Harold Macmillan and Ted Heath were hardline socialists.John ParkinNuneaton, Warwickshire
How could you overlook A Hard Day's Night by Peter Sellers (From Zooey Deschanel to Captain Kirk doing Dylan: the best songs by actors, ranked!, 31 July)? Delivered in the manner of Laurence Olivier performing Shakespeare's Richard III, it's the most original cover of a Beatles song – and the most hilarious.Mike PenderCardiff
A whole article about the actor Ralph Ineson (5 August) without once mentioning his gorgeous deep voice? There's no other quite like it.Ellie WeldTwickenham, London
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Daily Mail
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Palestine Action supporters to defy threat of mass arrests
The UK is bracing for a weekend of protest anarchy with both Palestine Action supporters and anti-migrant demonstrators set to take to the streets. More than 500 people are expected gather outside Parliament at 1pm tomorrow in support of Palestine Action, defying warnings they will be charged with terror offences. Membership of, or support for, the proscribed group is now a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act 2000 and is punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Meanwhile, police up and down the country are also preparing for a series of anti-migrant protests outside hotels and council offices. There is particular concern about a protest planned in Nuneaton which comes amid claims Warwickshire Police held back information over the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl. Restrictions have also been put in place by police in at least 12 towns and cities, including Norwich, on Friday evening. It comes after anti-racism activists clashed with police and anti-migrant protesters outside a hotel last Saturday where asylum seekers are being housed. Last night, Scotland Yard issued a stark warning to people planning to attend the Palestine Action protest, saying they may never be able to visit the US or work in education if they do. Regardless, the group behind the protest Defend Our Juries, has continued to post on its X account, saying counter-terror police had 'irresponsibly taken down their briefing call'. It claimed last night, however, that 'many hundreds' of people had attended the meeting on another Zoom link. The group has said that those taking part in Saturday's protest will hold 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' signs as part of a campaign to end the group's proscription. Defend Our Juries co-founder Tim Crosland previously praised the people who support Palestine action as the 'moral backbone of this country'. Mr Crosland added in an online press conference he had been 'hearing from thousands of people wanting to take part in this action'. 'It feels like there's huge energy behind it,' he said. Meanwhile on Thursday, three people were charged with terror offences for allegedly 'showing support for Palestine Action at a protest'. Jeremy Shippam, 71, Judit Murray, 71, and Fiona Maclean, 53, were arrested following a protest in Parliament Square last Saturday. They will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 16, the Metropolitan Police said. The planned demonstration tomorrow has since fuelled fears of a 'mass arrest' event. And today, commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter-Terrorism Command, sent a clear warning to anyone thinking of joining the rally. He said according to The Telegraph: 'Anyone who displays public support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation, is committing an offence under the Terrorism Act and can expect to be arrested and, as these charges show, will be investigated to the full extent of the law.' 'I would strongly advise anyone planning to come to London this weekend to show support for Palestine Action to think about the potential criminal consequences of their actions.' It comes after Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan last night called on people to consider the consequences of being arrested under the terrorism act. He said such a detention can have 'very real long-term implications – from travel, to employment, to finances'. Last week, Palestine Action won permission to challenge the ban after the High Court ruled it had an arguable case. A judicial review will take place in November. Until then, the ban remains in place. There have already been 200 arrests at protests organised by Defend Our Juries since the ban came into force last month. Days out from the planned protest, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also sought to head off potentially chaotic scenes in the capital. She urged the public to steer clear of support for a 'proscribed terror organisation that wishes harm on the British people'. Speaking to Times Radio, Ms Nandy was asked if those who attend Saturday's protest will be arrested and charged with terror offences. The Culture Secretary stressed this would be 'an operational matter for the police', adding: 'It wouldn't be right for us to say, to try and dictate to them how they police any march. 'But what I would say is, I think some of the reporting around this is conflating legitimate protests. 'Just last week I was coming out of Parliament, there were lots of pro-Palestinian protesters there, peacefully demonstrating. 'At the heart of power, that's absolutely right and proper and important for them to do... I commend them for that. 'There's a difference between that and supporting a proscribed terror organisation that wishes harm on the British people. 'And I would just urge people to stay away from those sorts of events and to exercise their democratic rights in a peaceful and legitimate way.'
The Independent
39 minutes ago
- The Independent
Dozens of hot air balloons take to the skies above Bristol
Dozens of hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes have filled the skies above Bristol for the city's annual fiesta. Around 90 balloons took part in a mass ascent at Ashton Court Estate, where the popular event takes place, on Friday morning. Hundreds of fans were up early to watch the opening ceremony of the free-to-attend Bristol International Balloon Fiesta justafter 6am, with balloon burners lighting up to mark the start of the event. One balloon then took to the sky with a union flag, followed by dozens of other brightly coloured balloons which flew over Bristol towards Bath, Somerset. Commercial balloon pilot Tom Hilditch, 35, from Brighton, was among the pilots to fly in the mass ascent and praised the 'idyllic conditions'. He said: 'It was great to fly with all the other balloons. 'There were idyllic weather conditions, with nice slow winds. 'The winds were a little too variable when trying to find a landing spot but otherwise it was a perfect morning.' Mr Hilditch, who has had his pilot's licence for 13 years, is planning to cycle around England towing a hopper balloon – which does not have a basket – to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust next year. This year's fiesta, running from Friday to Sunday, will celebrate Bristol and its heritage links to the world of hot air ballooning. The activity has been part of Bristol's culture for many years, with the first recorded flight in the city dating back to the 18th century. During the fiesta, balloons are scheduled to take off early morning and evening – though this is weather permitting. Special shape balloons will be present at the event, including the Up balloon, Thomas the Tank Engine, Sonic the Hedgehog, Astro the Alien, Rupert the Bear and Oggy the Friendly Dragon – which comes from America. There is also a Wallace & Gromit Moon Rocket balloon, Buster and Bella the Bulldogs, Slither the Snake, Snow White, an Ordnance Survey Map and BBC Globe. In the evenings, night-glows – where dozens of tethered balloons light up in sync to a special musical soundtrack – will take place.
Telegraph
15 hours ago
- Telegraph
Vinnie Jones: People need to stop sticking their noses into countryside affairs
Vinnie Jones, the footballer turned actor, has struck out at people who 'stick their noses in and try to destroy' the countryside. Jones spoke about the importance of gamekeepers, whom he said 'are an integral part of rural land management'. His comments were reported in the Farmers Guardian after he attended Game Fair at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire in July. A supporter of field sports, Jones said he saw himself as 'a British conservationist' and wanted to 'protect our way of life for future generations, not least of all for my two grandsons'. In 2023, he starred in the series Vinnie Jones in the Country, on the Discovery+ channel, where he took on 2,000 acres of West Sussex countryside and a host of overambitious farmyard build projects. His comments come as the Government tightened rules on shotgun ownership. The changes, announced earlier this year, were brought into force on Tuesday. At the time of the consultation in February, it was reported by The Telegraph that Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, was making the changes in response to a shooting in Plymouth four years ago. Applicants for shotgun certificates now need two referees who have known the applicant for more than two years. Previously they only needed one. The changes by the Home Office bring shotguns into line with other firearms. Police will also be urged to speak to family members before granting firearms licences to ensure the applicant is not a domestic violence risk. The National Gamekeepers Association, a charity Jones serves as patron of, described the changes as risking 'creating further delays and burdens for applicants, particularly those in rural communities where access to referees can be limited'. Livia Brynin, the firearms adviser for the organisation, said: 'Shotguns are vital tools in countryside management, conservation and pest control.' She added: 'We support effective regulation. But regulation must be proportionate, practical, and based on real-world risks, not public relations optics or misunderstood narratives. 'We'll continue to work with government and police to ensure that firearms licencing policy is both safe and fair.' Jones, speaking in 2017 to Shooting UK, revealed that his father had run game shoots in Hertfordshire for 35 years, with Jones involved 'at an early age'. He added: 'My perfect day would be to get up early, get the hide out, shoot pigeons all day, bagging 200, then go lamping all night and get half a dozen foxes.' Jones has previously fallen foul of shotgun laws, when his own shotguns were taken away from him by the police in 2013, following an air rage outburst where he shouted 'I can get you murdered, I can get the whole crew murdered' at passengers. He subsequently had the firearms returned and has run shoots of his own. Speaking to Farmers Guardian, he said 'We have to trust the people that know what they are talking about in the countryside. We do not need one or two people letting us down. That is very important.' Jones is known for his portrayal of tough guys in films and recently appeared in the Guy Ritchie Netflix series The Gentlemen where he played gamekeeper Geoff Seacombe.
