Latest news with #Britain
Telegraph
33 minutes ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Battle Lines: ‘Prepare for war with Russia by 2030'
General Sir Patrick Sanders has a stark warning: Britain must prepare for war with Russia within five years and start building bunkers and better air defences. Speaking exclusively to our Defence Editor Danielle Sheridan, the former head of the British army points to the Nordic countries and says we need to start taking a leaf out of their book. He also discusses why an Iron Dome couldn't work in the UK, his thoughts on the recent Israel-Iran war, and why he didn't encourage his son to join the army. General Sanders stood down as head of the British army last summer. The former rifleman had been tipped to be the next Chief of the Defence Staff but fell out of favour with the Government for being too outspoken about the extent of troop cuts. Our defence editor Danielle interviewed him in his garden at his home in rural Wiltshire, with his blonde Labrador Fargo by his side.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Bailey warns Reform will make ‘no money' from Bank of England raid
Reform wants to stop this money being paid out and use it instead to help fund an increase in the tax-free personal allowance to £20,000, as well as tax cuts for businesses. But Mr Bailey warned these savings were 'illusory', telling The Times: 'Please don't rely on that as income because it's not gonna be there.' 'Akin to a tax on banks' The Bank's unwinding of its money printing programme has come under increasing scrutiny owing to estimates that it could cost the taxpayer up to £150bn. The Telegraph revealed that Richard Tice, Reform's deputy leader, wrote to the Bank last month, accusing Threadneedle Street of prioritising bank profits over the interests of working people. Mr Tice said the unwinding of this programme, known as quantitative tightening (QT), was pushing up borrowing costs and piling pressure on the public finances. The Bank is reportedly preparing to fight back against accusations that QE did not provide value for money by publishing estimates of how much its bond buying reduced UK borrowing costs. Mr Bailey also published a five-page riposte to Mr Tice in which he warned that Reform's plan would hurt lending to the wider economy. He also warned that removing interest on reserves 'is akin to a tax on banks'. Mr Tice said he was planning to take up an offer by Mr Bailey to meet, although a date has not yet been confirmed He said: 'He is accepting my point on QT it sounds, which is good; and I look forward to discussing the interest payments when we meet. He does accept it is up for debate.' Mr Bailey also suggested last week that recent volatility in the bond market could change the way it sells its huge stockpile of UK debt going forward. The Bank is currently losing much more money on its stockpile of long-term debt because it is selling the bonds through QE evenly, resulting in steeper losses on long-term debt. While Mr Bailey would not be drawn on a looming decision in September, he said policymakers would 'look carefully' at how the rise in long-term borrowing costs 'plays into our decision'.
Times
an hour ago
- Business
- Times
Post Office ownership could be handed to sub-postmasters
Thousands of sub-postmasters across Britain could be handed ownership of the Post Office, ending 365 years of government ownership. Ministers are considering changing the retail business's ownership structure to a mutual model, as they hope to overhaul its culture and avoid future miscarriages of justice in the wake of the Horizon IT scandal. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) launched a new green paper on Monday, alongside a three-month consultation over the organisation's future. 'After 15 years without a proper review, and in the aftermath of the Horizon scandal, it's clear we need a fresh vision for its future,' Gareth Thomas, the Post Office minister, said. Customers and postmasters will have the opportunity to have a say in how it is run, according to the DBT. This includes the Post Office's ownership model, as the government considers mutualisation, which could mean handing ownership of the company to thousands of its sub-postmasters.
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Britain's anti-terror strategy is completely unfit for purpose
Following the horrific Southport atrocity last year, the Government will be asked to consider a new scheme to detect people who are obsessed with violence before they potentially kill. The recommendation comes at a time when various organs of the British state are concerned by younger men consuming a diverse diet of horrific content online and displaying worrying levels of interest in acts of violence. Axel Rudakubana, who murdered three little girls at a dance class in the Merseyside coastal town, was referred to the UK's anti-terror Prevent scheme on three separate occasions – once at the end of 2019 and twice in 2021. Each time, his case was rejected because officials had concluded that he was not motivated by a clear terrorist ideology. But it was evident that Rudakubana had a morbid fascination with violence – which included genocides, terrorist attacks, and school shootings. As well as possessing an academic study of an al-Qaeda training manual, he owned material on Nazi Germany and anti-colonial literature. While Rudakubana did not have a clearly-defined belief system, he clearly represented a significant violent threat to the public and Prevent failed to address it – with devastating consequences. Introducing a new 'anti-violence scheme' for individuals who do not necessarily have a clear ideological background, a proposal floated by the interim reviewer of Prevent, David Anderson KC, could have its benefits. It could free up time and resources for Prevent to focus more on traditional forms of ideological risk, such as Islamist extremism, which continues to be the primary terror threat in the UK. Of course, this also depends on Prevent itself being reformed to an extent so there is less reliance on public bodies with a progressive-liberal bias which are paralysed by political correctness. It means this part of the UK's anti-terror infrastructure is freed up to focus more on the growing threat of far-Right extremism and the emergent problem of far-Left revolutionary activity. There are other minor religio-political ideologies of concern which can be clearly identified, such as Hindu fundamentalism (Hindutva ideology) and Khalistani extremism. A separate scheme which focuses on high-risk violent individuals with a complicated background which involves a ghoulish obsession with violence, however, would have to be c omprehensively funded and well-resourced. But it could reduce the load on Prevent, which has witnessed a surge in referrals which fall into the 'mixed, unstable, or unclear' (MUU) category of ideologies – in simpler terms, 'conflicted' cases which do not fall neatly into a specific and coherent ideological type, but where the individual has demonstrated a concerning level of interest in violence and is at-risk of being drawn into terrorism-related activity. In the context of these MUU cases, a more joined-up approach with mental-health services would alleviate pressures on the UK's anti-terror services. The Southport atrocity was a dark moment in our history – and it was one that could have been avoided. A new anti-violence scheme may be costly, but there should be no price on matters of security – especially when it comes to the safety of the most exposed, vulnerable, and defenceless members of our society.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Constance Marten and Mark Gordon guilty of gross negligence manslaughter over baby's death
Update: Date: 14:48 BST Title: 'Reckless actions driven by selfish desire to keep baby no matter the cost' Content: We can now bring you a statement from Samantha Yelland, London's senior crown prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service. "It is shocking that parents could subject their newborn baby to such obvious risks and today a jury has convicted Constance Marten and Mark Gordon for their crimes – after the prosecution brought fresh evidence to prove their guilt," she says. Yelland adds that their "reckless actions were driven by a selfish desire to keep their baby no matter the cost – resulting in her tragic death". These defendants did everything they could to evade the authorities – from avoiding the use of their bank cards to the point that they were starving, ditching their phones to avoid being traced and travelling hundreds of miles daily from place to place to dodge the police." Update: Date: 14:45 BST Title: Marten and Gordon 'have shown little remorse' Content: The head of the Crown Prosecution Service has issued a statement accusing Marten and Gordon of seeking to disrupt their own trial. Chief prosecutor Jaswant Narwal said they "have shown little remorse for their actions, using different antics to frustrate and delay court proceedings". She continues: "These were challenging trials. No child should have had its life cut short in this preventable way. "I hope these convictions provide a sense of justice and comfort to all those affected by this tragic case." Update: Date: 14:40 BST Title: What did jurors learn about Marten during the retrial? Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court The jury heard that Constance Marten comes from a wealthy family. But she said she "never really had a strong connection with them". Asked if she would describe her background as privileged, Marten said "financially yes, emotionally not at all". She was privately educated and went to boarding school at the age of around 8. At Leeds University she said she did a degree in Arabic and Middle Eastern history. She told jurors that "ironically" one of things she wanted to do was journalism. She worked at Al Jazeera for a time. She also worked in coffee shops and as a nanny in Switzerland. She said since she was little she had always wanted to have big family and would have loved to live on farm. "At least seven children would be my dream." Update: Date: 14:34 BST Title: Guilty of gross negligence manslaughter - what does this mean? Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court For the jury to have found the pair guilty of gross negligence manslaughter, it means that the couple's behaviour was so exceptionally bad and fell below the standard of reasonably competent parents of a new born baby. Before jurors began deliberations they were told by the judge that to find them guilty of gross negligence manslaughter is a "very high bar which the prosecution must cross". Prosecutors said that Marten and Gordon exposed Victoria to the cold, damp and windy conditions with wholly inadequate clothing. And that a child who became hypothermic in such circumstances must have done so through a breach of the duty of care. Or that Victoria died by smothering or suffocation, a reason for that was the cold and damp conditions in a small, thin tent or being zipped up in Marten's jacket. Update: Date: 14:30 BST Title: Marten speaks from the dock Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court Constance Marten has just said "it's a scam" from the dock. Update: Date: 14:29 BST Title: Child cruelty conviction from first trial now reportable Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court We can now report that Marten and Gordon were convicted of child cruelty at their first trial in 2024. Until now there had been an order preventing the media from reporting that verdict. The jury in the first trial found that the couple had wilfully neglected baby Victoria in a manner likely to cause her unnecessary suffering or injury to health. The prosecution's case on that was that Marten and Gordon had made a conscious decision not to protect Victoria or keep her safe and it was clear their actions were deliberate. Update: Date: 14:26 BST Title: An extraordinary case Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court Marten and Gordon's case was highly unusual. From the couple's disruptive and unpredictable behaviour, to Marten's accusations in the witness box about her aristocratic family, private detectives, and social services. The judge accused them of trying to "sabotage" and "derail" their retrial. "I have sat as a full time Judge now for thirteen years and I have never had that sort of attitude shown to me by anybody," His Honour Judge Mark Lucraft KC said about Marten one day. The couple dominated and deflected, demanded and distracted. They caused endless delays by not turning up. Barristers were sacked. Others withdrew. Marten got through an extraordinary number - 14 since their first hearing at the Old Bailey. They disrespected the judge, were rude to some of the dock officers and would often chat during proceedings. But there were poignant moments during their case too. CCTV footage played on screens around the courtroom of baby Victoria - tiny and delicate in a teddy bear onesie – being placed in a pram by her parents, was a reminder of why we were all there. Update: Date: 14:23 BST Title: Judge to schedule sentencing for future date Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court Judge tells jury he won't set a date for sentence today, but will do at a future date. He tells the jury they are welcome to come back for that if they wish. As the jury leaves the courtroom, Marten looks ahead, showing no reaction. Update: Date: 14:22 BST Title: Marten and Gordon react as guilty verdicts read Content: Levi JouavelReporting from court Constance Marten sighs and shakes her head whilst verdicts are read out. Mark Gordon had little reaction but is sitting with his eyes closed and his head resting back against the wall. Update: Date: 14:19 BST Title: Marten and Gordon both guilty Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court Mark Gordon and Constance Marten are both guilty of gross negligence manslaughter. Update: Date: 14:19 BST Title: Marten and Gordon asked to stand Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court The defendants are asked to stand. Constance Marten remains seated, as does Gordon. Update: Date: 14:18 BST Title: Jury entering the courtroom Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court The jury are being brought into the court now. Stay with us for updates. Update: Date: 14:15 BST Title: Marten and Gordon in dock Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from court The judge has entered court. Constance Marten and Mark Gordon are in the dock. Update: Date: 14:15 BST Title: What are Marten and Gordon accused of? Content: Helena WilkinsonReporting from the Old Bailey While we wait for the verdicts, a reminder that Constance Marten and Mark Gordon face two counts which they both deny. They relate to their newborn baby, Victoria, and are: Update: Date: 14:15 BST Title: What this case is about Content: Constance Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 51, both deny manslaughter by gross negligence over the death of their child, Victoria. Victoria's decomposed body was found in a shopping bag in a Brighton allotment shed in March 2023, two months after they went on the run. She had died in a tent in the South Downs in January 2023. They also deny causing or allowing the death of a child. At a previous trial, Marten and Gordon were found guilty of concealing Victoria's birth and perverting the course of justice by not reporting her death. But the jury could not come to a verdict on the outstanding charges and this retrial began in March. Update: Date: 14:12 BST Title: Verdict expected in retrial over death of newborn baby Content: The jury in the case of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon are returning to the courtroom at the Old Bailey, as we await a verdict. The two defendants are accused of manslaughter by gross negligence, and causing or allowing the death of a child. They deny both charges. The couple's baby girl was found dead in a shopping bag covered in rubbish, in a shed on a Brighton allotment in 2023. Our correspondents are in court and we'll bring you the latest as it happens.
