Latest news with #38Degrees
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
PM's constituency lit up with messages over DWP cuts - 'Tax super rich instead'
One of the messages on the clocktower at St Pancras Station in Keir Starmer's constituency said 'Tax The Super Rich Instead' while another added 'Being Sick Or Disabled Isn't A Choice' Campaigners against planned disability cuts have projected messages on a key landmark in Keir Starmer's London constituency. One of them on the clocktower at St Pancras Station said "Tax The Super Rich Instead" while another added "Being Sick Or Disabled Isn't A Choice". The campaign group 38 Degrees, who organised the stunt on Wednesday evening, said it was sending the Prime Minister a message he cannot ignore. It comes after the government unveiled around £5billion in cuts to disability benefits in March - largely by restricting eligibility to Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Charities have expressed alarm at the changes which could lose to hundreds of thousands of people losing eligibility to the key disability benefit. CEO of the campaign group 38 Degrees, Matthew McGregor, described the cuts as "heartless" and said sick and disabled people across the country "are terrified". "None of us know when we might need a safety net, so it's no wonder that hundreds of thousands of people have spoken out against these plans, and thousands more have chipped in to bring a message to Holborn and St Pancras that Keir Starmer can't ignore: stop these cruel cuts, protect the sick and vulnerable, and tax the super rich instead," he said. The PM is also facing the biggest revolt of his premiership so far when the reforms to PIP are voted on in the Commons in June. Over 100 Labour MPs have written to the Chief Whip saying they cannot support the measures and have urged the government to pause. They have expressed concern over an official government analysis suggesting the reforms could result in extra 250,000 - including 50,000 kids - falling into poverty. And just last week the cross-party Work and Pensions Committee - led by the senior Labour MP Debbie Abrahams - also wrote to the Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall urging her to delay the reforms. They said MPs are being asked to vote on the changes "without the benefit of a full impact assessment" and costing from the economic watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility. But speaking to The Mirror, Ms Kendall said: "I understand people's concern and I understand people are anxious. But we are consulting with disabled people and the organisations that represent them on our PIP review, to look at the assessment process. I believe the task of helping people who can work, get work, is urgent." She added: "I am listening. I have great respect for Debbie Abrahams and members of the Committee. I am talking in detail with MPs... we want to get this right. I think the task of overhauling the system that has written off and denied people support for too long - there has been failure of the last government to deal with these problems - and I want to make a start."
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Brits' fears of Trump trade deal unveiled in poll ahead of major announcement
US President Donald Trump is with the UK in a press conference at around 3pm today - while Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also set to give an update to the British public Almost two in three (64%) Brits fear that a UK-US trade deal would give Donald Trump greater influence over the UK government, polling shows. The US President is expected to reveal a trade agreement with the UK in a press conference at around 3pm today. He teased the announcement of a "major trade deal" with a "big, highly respected country" in a post on his Truth Social platform overnight. Keir Starmer is also due to give an update to the British public later today. Referring to the announcement in his VE Day speech this morning, the PM told voters "make no mistake, I will always act in our national interest, for workers, businesses and families, to deliver security and renewal for our country". But polling shows Brits are distrustful of Mr Trump, with more than two thirds of Brits (68%) saying they do not trust the US to agree to a fair deal. In a clear message to the PM, the public overwhelmingly (78%) wants the government to stand up to the US Republican politician in trade negotiations, according to the survey for campaign group 38 Degrees by pollsters JL Partners. The research, carried out Tuesday and Wednesday this week, showed the public want the UK to prioritise the EU as a trading partner, not the US. Some 67% prefer the EU, with just 14% opting for the US. After it emerged a trade agreement would be announced today the Liberal Democrats demanded a vote to be held in Parliament on any deal with the US. Polling shows two thirds (66%) of Brits agree that any trade deal should be put to a vote in Parliament. US tech billionaires are expected to get a tax cut as part of the deal, with the digital services tax said to be part of the trade agreement. Elsewhere ministers have ruled out lowering food standards to allow more US agricultural products into the country, or watering down the Online Safety Act, which some in the US regard as placing restrictions on freedom of speech. Some 73% say they would be worried if the government agreed to reduce current standards, while 57% also say they would be worried if the Government agreed to reduce tax for US tech giants, including 62% of those who voted Labour in 2024. Voters also raised concerns about the NHS in the poll, with 35% of people saying they don't trust the government to prevent the NHS being opened up to US healthcare. More than 301,828 people have now backed 38 Degrees campaigns related to the US trade deal, including through petitions calling on the Government to commit to not including the health service in any trade deal, to keep the ban on chlorinated chicken and other food standards, and to oppose a tax cut for US tax giants. Nations across the world have been scrambling to get a deal to ease levies slapped on any imports going into the US. It comes after Mr Trump unleashed a wave of tariffs on so-called "Liberation Day". The Government has been pursuing a deal with the US to reduce the impact of sweeping tariffs imposed by Mr Trump last month, which placed a 10% levy on all UK exports and a 25% charge on steel, aluminium and cars. Matthew McGregor, chief executive of 38 Degrees, said: 'As Keir Starmer prepares to sign a US-UK trade deal, it's clear that the public have strong fears about the potential for Donald Trump to wield increased influence over the UK as a result - and the impact that could have on everything from our food standards to the taxes paid by tech giants.' Tom Lubbock, JL Partners co-founder, said: 'It's clear the British Public want the Prime Minister to stand up to Trump. There is also just a profound fear with the British public that the US will not do a fair deal and at the very least most of the public want Parliament to have a vote on the final terms of the deal.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Coast restaurant appears closed months after switch away from popular steakhouse
He had such high hopes for the family-style restaurant he opened at Ocean Springs in January, in the building where he owned and operated Kenny Ward's Steakhouse for many years. Now the building at 224 Bienville Blvd. has 'for lease' on the sign, his Facebook page was taken down and Kenny Ward's dream seems to have faded. His 38 Degrees restaurant appears closed five months after opening. Ward wasn't available for comment Tuesday afternoon, but he talked a lot about his dream restaurant in late 2024. 'I always wanted to do this concept,' he said after he closed the steakhouse and prepared to open 38 Degrees. The new restaurant was named for a process he uses to brine meat to make it more flavorful. Prime beef prices were part of his decision, he said, but Ward had been refining recipes and 'practicing' for eight years for his new place. It was now or never, he said. Pictured is one of the dining areas at 38 Degrees Family Style Dining in Ocean Springs on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. Ocean Springs has more than 100 restaurants and competition is tough. His restaurant was something different, kind of old fashioned and what people claimed they wanted, he said. It was all-you-can-eat, but more like grandma's table than a buffet. Pick from among seven varieties of meat or seafood, such as his fried catfish and chicken fried ribeye. Your choice of sides were brought to the table in refillable bowls. The southern fried chicken and grilled shrimp spread is pictured at 38 Degrees Family Dining in Ocean Springs. On opening day in January, the crowd was very large, he said, and most people posted positive comments on social media. Before they tried 38 Degrees, many people who saw the new name posted outside Kenny Ward's fine-dining restaurant declared him crazy for switching his successful steakhouse to family-style dining, he said. He had envisioned a brisk take-out service, with meals packaged to stack and take home for the nights 'Mama's not cooking and neither is Daddy,' was his concept. A screenshot of the 38 Degrees listing on Google says the Ocean Springs restaurant is permanently closed. Ward had years of experience in the restaurant and food industry, learning to cook at White Pillars in Biloxi while he was in high school. He was the chief operating officer of Dairy Queen, he said, a vice president of Pepsi and opened Taco Bells across the area. He operated his steakhouse for about 20 years in Ocean Springs, first on Government Street and later on Bienville Boulevard.
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The Independent
23-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
‘I spent five days in hospital': Surge in swimmers falling ill from polluted UK waters
A UK woman was forced to spend five days in hospital with severe gastroenteritis after swimming in the sea as hospitalisations from water-borne diseases increased by 60 per cent since 2010. East Lothian -based carer Shelley Sim had enjoyed a swim near her home east of Edinburgh to celebrate a friend's birthday last year when she woke up with stomach pains and fatigue. After speaking to her GP, she was told to urgently attend hospital and underwent several weeks of appointments which led to a final diagnosis of cryptosporidium – a disease contracted by swimming in contaminated water. Diseases such as dysentery and Weil's disease have led to swimmers becoming critically unwell after swimming in open water, with hospitalisations increasing from 2,085 people in 2010-11 to 3,286 in 2022-23. Following her experience, Ms Sim said: 'I'm no longer swimming every day, and I'm more cautious about getting into the water. The sea is where I go for my mental health, to get away from stress of being a carer. The swimmer said that while she used to just check the tide, she was now forced to check sewage outfalls, especially after heavy rain, to avoid a repeat of the nightmare experience. 'It impacted my son's mental health. He has OCD, ADHD and autism and I'm his carer. My illness caused a lot of anxieties and stress,' she said. A recent survey conducted by Surfers Against Sewage and the organisation 38 Degrees found that out of 28,458 participants, 78 per cent were angry with the state of the UK's waterways, and less than five per cent trusted their water company to end sewage pollution. Cases of Weil's disease, which can cause kidney failure and liver damage, had risen in 2023 with 122 people diagnosed, double the number in 2010. The disease is spread through water contaminated with the urine of infected animals, while cases of typhoid had also increased. Miriam, a surfer from Cornwall, suffered two episodes of sickness in 2024 after contracting a stomach bug twice while out surfing. 'Sickness from the water affected me mentally, as I found myself feeling anxious in the weeks after the sickness episode about entering the water, a place where I usually spend a lot of time,' she said. 'I spend most of my weekends surfing. It just made me angry, as the water is somewhere I go to relax and unwind, and this shouldn't be somewhere where I feel nervous about getting ill. Physically, the illness wiped me out. Picking up a stomach bug meant I lost a lot of weight, and I felt pretty weak and fatigued. I had to take six days off work. 'I think sewage pollution has massively impacted the surfing community. I know a lot of mates who have been sick from the water. It's just not a nice thought knowing that a hobby you love so much can also put you at risk of becoming unwell. It doesn't sit comfortably.' As part of their evidence submitted to the Independent Water Commission on Wednesday, Surfers Against Sewage conducted a second survey among their supporters, where 98 per cent of 3,000 participants said they had lost trust in the system. Meanwhile, over a quarter reported becoming unwell after entering a river, lake or sea over the last two years, and over 80 per cent agreed that the actions of their water company have negatively impacted their local community. Speaking to The Independent, Surfers Against Sewage CEO Giles Bristow, said: 'It shows just how frustrated and overwhelmingly angry the British public are and how much radical transformation is required. 'The public are furious. We were all cooped up in our bedrooms during the Covid-19 pandemic and after the lockdown was lifted, people wanted to go out and enjoy our rivers and lakes and to reconnect with nature. However, people have seen that the natural environment is changing before their eyes.' This evidence has now been submitted to Sir Jon Cunliffe, the former deputy Bank of England governor who is chairing over the Independent Water Commission, which is set to release its interim report in May. Meanwhile, Surfers Against Sewage are organising a Paddle Out protest on 17 May in seaside communities across the UK, to raise awareness of water pollution.
The Independent
01-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Parliament lights up in Elon Musk protest
Campaign group 38 Degrees has projected a stark message onto the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge: "Democracy is not for sale." The message, aimed at Donald Trump adviser Elon Musk and British politicians, comes as Mr Musk distributed US$1 million (£780,000) to voters in the state of Wisconsin. The light projection included green and pink lettering and animations of American bills with Mr Musk's face on them. The demonstration highlights 38 Degrees' campaign urging the government to close legal loopholes that it says could allow foreign billionaires to exert undue influence on British politics.
