Latest news with #Dewhirst
Fashion United
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fashion United
Kingston School of Art's 2024 fashion Show: A display of personal narratives and emerging talent
On June 10th, Kingston School of Art's 2024 graduate fashion show in East London showcased the work of 22 emerging designers. Each presented six-look collections that delved into deeply personal experiences and cultural identities, spanning themes of heritage, sustainability, and individual expression in both menswear and womenswear. Among the notable designers was 22-year-old Ashanti Clark from South London, whose collection drew inspiration from her Caribbean family heritage. Her designs incorporated elements from her grandmother's home, such as lace, mahogany, and vibrant textiles, alongside nods to her mother's 1990s fashion. Clark's innovative "luggage dresses," crafted from original 1970s migration luggage, symbolized themes of home, belonging, and the preservation of cultural memory. West London's Bay Paley, 23, found inspiration in Japanese tea culture, creating garments that explored reflection and healing. Influenced by a three-month internship with Issey Miyake in Japan, Paley's collection featured both literal and abstract interpretations of tea, including a pleated tea bag-inspired skirt and a dress referencing the ritual's medicinal properties. Her designs aimed to encourage pause and reconnection in a fast-paced world. Olivia Williams, 23, from Croydon, presented a collection that bridged rural and urban life. Her work referenced Black hiking groups in the UK and the Windrush generation, reimagining furnishings and outdoor materials like tents and umbrellas into modern hiking apparel. With floral prints inspired by Jamaican flora and homages to her grandmother's wardrobe, the collection celebrated community and safe spaces, both in nature and at home. David Frizzell, course leader of the BA (Hons) Fashion programme, emphasized that this year's collections underscored the course's focus on personal storytelling, sustainability, and technical skill. "Our students are reacting in more personal ways than ever before," Frizzell stated. "They're making meaningful statement collections that aren't wasteful or frivolous.' Sponsored by fashion brands Dewhirst and ME+EM, the show continued Kingston University's tradition of fostering the careers of innovative and socially conscious designers.
Ya Biladi
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
UK pressed to explain links between Polisario and Iran
British Conservative Party MP Charlie Dewhirst has challenged the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer with two written questions, seeking clarification on potential links between the Polisario Front and Iran. Dewhirst asked the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Hamish Falconer, whether he had any information regarding the provision of military training and drone technology to the Polisario Front by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah. He also inquired about the potential impact of such alleged collaboration on British interests in North and West Africa. In its written response, the government stated that it «does not have information to confirm the allegation of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or Hezbollah provision of military training and drone technology to the Polisario Front». UK Government: No Confirmed Evidence «We continue to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara», the government added. MP Dewhirst also asked whether the government had recently discussed with regional allies Iran's alleged involvement in training Polisario militias and its broader strategy to destabilize the region. In response, the government said: «The UK has not seen requisite evidence to raise concerns with allies regarding the allegation of Iranian involvement in training of Polisario Front. However, we continue to monitor Iranian activity in the region». Hamish Falconer reiterated the UK's position, stating that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office considers the Polisario Front an independence movement and a party to a conflict under UN review. These questions follow recent calls by former British MP Liam Fox, a member of the Conservative Party, and Irish Senator Gerard Craughwell, an independent, to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization under UK law. In the United States, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson is leading a similar initiative. Both Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon's Hezbollah, which serve the interests of the Iranian regime, are already designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Assisted dying Bill at risk of collapse
The assisted dying Bill is at risk of failing because MPs are considering pulling their support, The Telegraph can disclose. MPs voted 330 to 275 to legalise assisted dying last year in a historic vote. However, just 28 need to switch sides for the Bill to fail when it returns to the House of Commons. The Telegraph understands that at least 15 MPs from Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats who either abstained or supported the Bill previously are now considering voting against it. The shift has emerged as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is due to return to the Commons on Friday, when MPs will debate and vote on amendments. While a final vote is possible, MPs have put forward so many amendments to discuss that they are unlikely to get through them and progress to the next stage. Kim Leadbeater, the sponsor of the Bill, who has been fighting a mounting backlash over the policy, has tabled 44 amendments in an attempt to keep backers onside. Charlie Dewhirst, the Conservative MP for Bridlington and the Wolds, previously abstained from voting but has since decided to vote against assisted dying. Mr Dewhirst told The Telegraph: 'I am concerned now that the scope is very wide. There seems to be a lack of protections, for example, for people with autism. And it really feels to me that it's far wider than we were assured it was going to be to start with. 'So for that reason, I can't support it in all good conscience.' Mr Dewhirst's Conservative colleague Sir David Davis, who previously voted for the Bill, said he was reconsidering his position, citing concerns that GPs would be allowed to 'initiate' the assisted dying process. The Tory grandee, who remains undecided, said: 'If you think back to what happened during Covid, we had loads of do not resuscitate (DNR) notices, and there was a strong feeling this was being done for managerial reasons, rather than humanitarian ones. So I don't trust that process.' He also said that there needed to be 'full palliative care' available to all patients alongside assisted dying. Bobby Dean, the Liberal Democrat MP for Casterton and Wallington, backed the Bill previously but told The Telegraph he was now 'deliberating'. 'I supported the Bill at the second reading and I feel broadly assured by how it has been strengthened in recent weeks. 'However, there have been some significant late interventions, from the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) and others, and I am going to take time to reflect before the next vote.' The Bill proposes allowing terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to receive medical assistance to die, following the approval of two doctors and a multi-disciplinary panel. However, interventions from medical bodies, including RCPsych and the Royal College of Physicians, have prompted more MPs to come forward with concerns. Until now, only Lee Anderson and his former Reform UK colleague Rupert Lowe had publicly said they would switch sides. Dr Lade Smith, the president of the RCPsych, said the organisation remained neutral on the principle but had a number of concerns about the legislation in its current form. It found 'a number of issues', including the possibility a terminally ill patient could be suffering from a 'very treatable' mental disorder, and the fact that there was no requirement for someone who wanted to end their life to inform family members. Melanie Ward, the Labour MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, who has voted against the Bill, said the RCPsych's intervention was a 'blow to its foundations'. She said: 'The expertise of psychiatrists is central to this new law and an essential part of the process and protections in the new panel system. If their Royal College feels as though the Bill does not provide the safety it should, we must take heed.' Opponents raised further concerns after a government impact assessment published earlier this month said more than 4,500 people a year were expected to end their lives by assisted dying within a decade of the legislation being passed. The assessment also found that the law would save the taxpayer up to £90 million in healthcare costs, as well as benefits and pensions payments. It caused alarm among campaigners, who warned that the true death toll may climb higher if the lives of vulnerable patients were seen as 'expendable'. One Labour MP warned that the assisted dying policy was politically toxic, telling The Telegraph: 'One of the things that the Labour Party need to be aware of is that Farage will be first to say, 'First they took your winter fuel payments. Then they took your pensions. Now they're taking your lives.'' Ms Leadbeater, the MP for Spen Valley, has been fighting to allay concerns by tabling a swathe of amendments to the Bill, with eight put forward on Tuesday night bringing her total to 44. These include commissioning a new assessment of the state of palliative care and enabling more healthcare professionals who object to assisted dying to opt out. She has also proposed that advertising assisted dying services should be banned. However, the flurry of amendments has provoked further criticism from opponents, who are worried that MPs will not have time to assess the changes before the debate on Friday. James Frith, a Labour MP, said: 'It's disappointing but not surprising that yet again the Bill sponsor has tabled new amendments at the last possible moment to the assisted dying Bill, a Bill which MPs are due to debate in just two days. 'For a change to the law of such profound significance, this is unacceptable and flies in the face of assurances given to MPs that they would have adequate time to scrutinise the Bill.' The next stage of the Bill after Friday's debate – the third reading, where it could be killed off – is now expected next month, either on June 13 or, if more time is needed for amendments, June 20. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
