Latest news with #Bridget
Irish Independent
8 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
MPs vote to continue parliamentary ping-pong over AI ‘theft' crackdown
Conservative shadow science minister Dr Ben Spencer, who described himself as a 'Bill Murray fan', called on the Government to 'bring an end to this Groundhog Day'. Peers agreed on Monday to amend the Government's Data (Use and Access) Bill. Their proposal would force the Government to prepare fresh legislation which would open up AI model databases, so that copyright owners could see whether their works have been used as 'data inputs'. But MPs voted 317 to 185, majority 132, on Tuesday to reject the amendment and continue the battle at Westminster, known as parliamentary ping-pong. Rocket Man singer Sir Elton John is among the stars who have urged the Government to strengthen copyright protections, when he said last month that ministers are 'absolute losers' and that he felt 'incredibly betrayed'. Dr Spencer told the Commons: 'Copyright law is a toothless instrument if the lack of transparency about the use of create content in AI models continues. 'The lack of transparency renders rights enforcement elusive, and the Government is apparently happy for this to persist on an open-ended basis.' At the despatch box, he added: 'Creatives continue to lose out when their work is exploited without payment, the AI industry, especially smaller firms, can't get out of the starting blocks let alone play their part in turbocharging our tech economy, and the Government continues to risk the confidence of both key industries with the chilling effect on investment that this entails.' On the stand-off, Dr Spencer told the Commons: 'We're stuck in Groundhog Day in this Bill until the Government realises that the Lords' amendments are not a nuisance but an opportunity, and that they need to listen to the concerns and change course.' There is no time commitment from the Government benches whatsoever on bringing back a Bill to this House to address the current theft of property that is raining down on the UK creative industries Conservative former minister Sir Julian Smith Conservative former minister Sir Julian Smith later said: 'There is no time commitment from the Government benches whatsoever on bringing back a Bill to this House to address the current theft of property that is raining down on the UK creative industries.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Technology minister Sir Chris Bryant had earlier spoken against the amendment, which was put forward by Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason director Baroness Kidron. 'One could argue that introducing a draft Bill which would then be considered in various different places, followed presumably by a Bill, would actually delay things rather than speed things up,' Sir Chris told the Commons. He said that he 'cannot think of any Bill in our history that has included such a clause', to compel the Government to bring forward new draft legislation within three months of the publication of a report into the use of copyrighted works in the development of AI systems. Sir Chris told MPs: 'A central plank of parliamentary sovereignty is no parliament can bind its successor. 'That doesn't just mean from one parliament to another, but it means one session can't bind a future session.' Commons culture, media and sport committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage, the Conservative MP for Gosport, accused Sir Chris of 'dancing on the head of a pin' and added: 'The fact is that all legislation somehow binds those that are coming down the track.' The Bill will now return to the House of Lords.
Sunday World
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Glamour model Ava Van Rose says ‘McGregor wrong for OnlyFans' after civil rape case
Irish glamour model says ex-MMA fighter is not a good fit for porn stars' platform after civil case Glamour model Ava Van Rose reckons Conor McGregor will not make any money if he succeeds in his ambition to buy OnlyFans — and insists he's the wrong person to front the platform after he was found liable for sexual assault. The fetish events promoter, whose real name is Bridget Byrne, recently left OnlyFans for family reasons but believes she got out in time as she says the site has 'gone downhill'. OnlyFans is an internet subscription service popular with pornography producers and influencers who sell titillating pictures and videos. It also hosts other content creators such as musicians, athletes and comedians. Worth around $8billion, owner Leonid Radvinsky is said to be keen to cash in by selling it on. McGregor recently reshared an Instagram post about the service being up for sale and wrote on his stories: 'I'm in serious talks to buy this.' Bridget with McGregor's Proper Twelve whiskey But the 36-year-old may struggle to raise such funds, despite his estimated net worth of around €200 million. Last December a 12-person jury in Dublin found McGregor liable for sexual assault in a civil case brought by Nikita Hand, who accused him of raping her at a hotel in December 2018. She was awarded nearly €250,000, which McGregor is appealing. The MMA star is also facing a civil lawsuit taken by a Wall Street executive, who accuses him of sexually assaulting her in a bathroom at a basketball game in Miami in June 2023. Dublin woman Samantha Murphy previously dropped a civil action, having alleged she was forced to jump from McGregor's yacht after he beat her at a birthday bash he hosted in 2022. In September 2020, the fighter was detained and questioned by police in Corsica for two days for alleged sexual assault and indecent exposure in a bar on the French island, but charges were dropped due to a lack of sufficient evidence. Nikita Hand And Bridget doesn't think his OnlyFans plan will work. 'I think it's hilarious that somebody like Conor McGregor is looking to buy OnlyFans, considering the amount of recent bad press he's had in regards to his sexual assault,' said Bridget. 'I just think it's funny how somebody would do something like that after that [court case]. 'The likes of him talking about buying OnlyFans is probably the wrong way to go, especially while he's still trying to fight his case because he's only after bringing it back for appeal.' She also believes McGregor, who has increased his fortune by investing in companies selling stout, whiskey, fashion and health products, is barking up the wrong tree businesswise with OnlyFans. Conor and his partner Dee after he was found liable for assaulting Nikita Hand 'In fairness, he has been a good business minded man up until now, but I think it's the wrong industry that he is looking into. 'I know there's a massive market, but I don't think people are using OnlyFans as much. I just don't think he's doing himself any favours. 'I think the market for OnlyFans has really gone downhill. I think OnlyFans has had its day. Maybe he has some sort of idea up his sleeve he wants to turn into something else.' Bridget has been a glamour model for 15 years and rose to fame through her reality TV appearances on shows such as Rise of the Instababes and on MTV's Botched. She has been described as Ireland's most-surgically enhanced woman, with two boob jobs, two bum lifts, a tummy tuck, abdominoplasty, liposuction, rhinoplasty, facelift, lip fillers and a 'designer vagina'. Ava Van Rose, aka Bridget Byrne, with McGregor at his Black Forge bar But she has now cut links with OnlyFans, having previously used its platform and her own sites to create an 'army of slaves' who sent her expensive gifts and money. 'To be honest, I felt it's not something I'm marketing anymore,' she admits. 'OnlyFans is great but at the end of the day I'm not getting younger, and I know a lot of people around my age group are doing it and probably making a fortune, but I'm now off it for family reasons.' She thinks McGregor would draw the line at going naked on OnlyFans himself. 'I couldn't imagine Conor McGregor doing OnlyFans, but then again you never know, stranger things have happened,' she ponders. 'We have celebrity superstars in America on it. 'But I can't imagine too many people would want to buy naked pictures of Conor McGregor, you know what I mean.'
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- General
- South Wales Argus
Mum's rent petition signed by more than 40000 people
Bridget, from Darlington, is campaigning to limit rent rises for tenants. She says: "My landlord recently hiked my rent by £100. I've been renting privately all my adult life, but getting a sudden rent hike still comes as a shock and has been very stressful, especially as the landlord gave us just one month's notice. "This is nearly a 20% increase. As a single parent living with my two children, with one income to live on, the impact will ripple through my life. I feel broken down by this system." The petition, which can be signed here, is still growing. This isn't the first issue Bridget has had with rented homes, after extreme damp in a previous home led to a hospital trip after she developed pneumonia. "I hoped this new home would be better, but once again, I've suffered a huge blow to my security," she says. "Rents in my local area in County Durham are high, and I cannot simply jump to another more affordable option." She - like many others - is also facing increased bills and food costs. "I was already struggling to cover my essentials; this shock rent rise will put even more of a strain on me," she says. "My mental health has been badly affected, and I worry about the long-term impact this will have on myself and my family." Important reforms in the Renters' Rights Bill are currently passing through Parliament. These will help to make renting fairer in England, including ending Section 21 evictions, which currently allow landlords to evict tenants without needing a reason. "But they do nothing to stop shock rent rises like the one my family has faced," says Bridget. "While the government says tenants will be able to challenge 'unreasonable' rent rises at tribunal, decisions will be based on what the rent would be if your home was re-let – not what you can afford. "As long as landlords can price their tenants out of their own homes with unaffordable rent rises, renters will still effectively face unfair evictions and be threatened with homelessness." Private renters are being HIT with relentless rent hikes. The impact? Thousands are being pushed into debt and homelessness. It's time for change. Sign our petition and demand better⤵️ — Generation Rent (@genrentuk) May 12, 2025 Research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation showing more than a third of private renters are living in poverty after housing costs. Meanwhile, Generation Rent's research has shown 9/10 renters say the experience of renting has negatively impacted their mental health. Generation Rent's winter 2024 survey found that the majority of renters (61%) reported that their landlord had asked them to pay a higher rent in the past 12 months with almost a quarter (24%) reported an increase over £100. This compares to just 9% reporting hikes of this size in July 2022, almost a threefold increase. Meanwhile, the 2024 English Private Landlord survey found one in five landlords hiked the rent by 15% or more the last time they renewed or extended a tenancy. The most common reason that renters reported they had been given for their rent increases, was not because their landlord faced increased costs, or was struggling more, it was simply because of the rising rewards of the market. Recommended reading: Almost a third (31%) of landlords had blamed higher market rents, while a further 7% stated that the increase was because of letting agent advice. The petition adds: "This is indefensible. If renters are to finally feel secure in our own homes, we need protections from shock rent rises. "Private landlords should not be able to raise the rent higher than inflation or wages. The Government can and must act to change this." Sign my petition, which has the full backing of Generation Rent, to demand the government introduces a cap on how much landlords can raise the rent.
Tatler Asia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
6 times a luxury bag stole the show in a TV series
2. Bridget's Burberry Tote in 'Succession' When Tom Wambsgans derides Bridget's enormous Burberry tote as a 'ludicrously capacious bag' in Succession Season 4, it becomes one of the show's most quotable lines—and a cutting example of how fashion choices function as social litmus tests. The checkered Burberry design, once a hallmark of early-2000s aspirational style, is read here as dated and outsized. The bag's size and branding mark Bridget as someone new to wealth, unfamiliar with the codes of quiet luxury. In a show obsessed with class signals and status missteps, the bag becomes an efficient symbol of exclusion, its scale mocked not for utility but for its lack of subtlety. 3. Emily Cooper's Peter & James Atelier Butterfly Bag 'Emily in Paris' In Season 3 of Emily in Paris , Emily Cooper is seen carrying a sculptural Butterfly bag by Peter & James Atelier, a Paris-based brand known for its unconventional shapes and architectural designs. The bag, with its exaggerated curves and matte finish, stands out even among her often eccentric outfits. Unlike legacy fashion houses featured throughout the series, this piece reflects Emily's embrace of bold, visually arresting accessories over heritage classics. The bag serves less as a status symbol than a conversation starter—fitting for a character who thrives on visibility and disruption. 4. Rory Gilmore's Hermès Birkin in 'Gilmore Girls' In Season 6, Logan gives Rory a Hermès Birkin, a gesture that's both lavish and telling. At the time, the Birkin was already established as one of the most recognisable luxury bags in popular culture, known for its scarcity, high price tag and long waitlists. Rory's initial unfamiliarity with the bag highlights the social gap between her and Logan's world. Her acceptance of it marks a shift—from someone navigating privilege from the outside to someone beginning to benefit from it. The moment underscores the tension between her middle-class background and the elite circles she's starting to move in. 5. Blair Waldorf's Lady Dior in 'Gossip Girl' Blair's wardrobe in Gossip Girl was curated with precision, and her Lady Dior bag was no exception. The quilted cannage stitching and top-handle silhouette suited her preference for polished, traditional luxury. Unlike Serena's more bohemian, label-mixed looks, Blair's accessories were anchored in old-guard fashion houses, reinforcing her aspiration to uphold legacy, status and control. The Lady Dior became synonymous with her version of femininity—calculated, elevated and always aligned with the rules of the Upper East Side. Off-screen, its reappearance helped cement the bag's revival for a new generation of viewers. 6. Issa Dee's Telfar Shopping Bag in 'Insecure' In Season 4 of Insecure , Issa Dee carries a white Telfar Shopping Bag—a detail that didn't go unnoticed. At the time, the bag was surging in popularity for its accessibility, genderless design and status as a product of a Black-owned brand challenging traditional luxury norms. For a character navigating career pivots and self-reinvention, the choice felt intentional. Issa's use of the 'Bushwick Birkin' reflected her connection to a broader cultural shift: one that prioritised authenticity and community over gatekeeping. The bag's appearance contributed to its already viral momentum and solidified its relevance beyond fashion circles, including a prime spot on Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour.
Western Telegraph
17-05-2025
- General
- Western Telegraph
Mum's rent petition signed by more than 40,000 people
Bridget, from Darlington, is campaigning to limit rent rises for tenants. She says: "My landlord recently hiked my rent by £100. I've been renting privately all my adult life, but getting a sudden rent hike still comes as a shock and has been very stressful, especially as the landlord gave us just one month's notice. "This is nearly a 20% increase. As a single parent living with my two children, with one income to live on, the impact will ripple through my life. I feel broken down by this system." The petition, which can be signed here, is still growing. This isn't the first issue Bridget has had with rented homes, after extreme damp in a previous home led to a hospital trip after she developed pneumonia. "I hoped this new home would be better, but once again, I've suffered a huge blow to my security," she says. "Rents in my local area in County Durham are high, and I cannot simply jump to another more affordable option." She - like many others - is also facing increased bills and food costs. "I was already struggling to cover my essentials; this shock rent rise will put even more of a strain on me," she says. "My mental health has been badly affected, and I worry about the long-term impact this will have on myself and my family." Important reforms in the Renters' Rights Bill are currently passing through Parliament. These will help to make renting fairer in England, including ending Section 21 evictions, which currently allow landlords to evict tenants without needing a reason. "But they do nothing to stop shock rent rises like the one my family has faced," says Bridget. "While the government says tenants will be able to challenge 'unreasonable' rent rises at tribunal, decisions will be based on what the rent would be if your home was re-let – not what you can afford. "As long as landlords can price their tenants out of their own homes with unaffordable rent rises, renters will still effectively face unfair evictions and be threatened with homelessness." Private renters are being HIT with relentless rent hikes. The impact? Thousands are being pushed into debt and homelessness. It's time for change. Sign our petition and demand better⤵️ — Generation Rent (@genrentuk) May 12, 2025 Research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation showing more than a third of private renters are living in poverty after housing costs. Meanwhile, Generation Rent's research has shown 9/10 renters say the experience of renting has negatively impacted their mental health. Generation Rent's winter 2024 survey found that the majority of renters (61%) reported that their landlord had asked them to pay a higher rent in the past 12 months with almost a quarter (24%) reported an increase over £100. This compares to just 9% reporting hikes of this size in July 2022, almost a threefold increase. Meanwhile, the 2024 English Private Landlord survey found one in five landlords hiked the rent by 15% or more the last time they renewed or extended a tenancy. The most common reason that renters reported they had been given for their rent increases, was not because their landlord faced increased costs, or was struggling more, it was simply because of the rising rewards of the market. Recommended reading: Almost a third (31%) of landlords had blamed higher market rents, while a further 7% stated that the increase was because of letting agent advice. The petition adds: "This is indefensible. If renters are to finally feel secure in our own homes, we need protections from shock rent rises. "Private landlords should not be able to raise the rent higher than inflation or wages. The Government can and must act to change this." Sign my petition, which has the full backing of Generation Rent, to demand the government introduces a cap on how much landlords can raise the rent.
