Latest news with #Fielding
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Households with trees in their home face risk of £20,000 fine this summer
There are strict laws in place surrounding the cutting down or trimming of trees in your garden - and many people could be falling foul of the rules without even realising it UK households with trees in their gardens could be slapped with a hefty £20,000 fine this August. This comes after Martin Fielding from Stockport, who believed he was simply trimming a "regular tree", received a shocking letter from the council. Experts are now warning that many UK households may not realise that trees in residential gardens can be protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). This means that if you cut down, lop, damage or destroy a protected tree without permission, you could face criminal prosecution and a fine of up to £20,000 in a magistrates' court. Mr Fielding, 51, said: "It was blocking the light in the conservatory and leaning over the fence. So I gave it a proper cut. I didn't even know such a thing existed. I thought trees in your own garden were your responsibility," Mr Fielding continued. "I was shocked to learn I could be fined thousands." Sophie Willoughby, a gardening expert who was contacted by My Home Improvements, explained: "The trouble is, most homeowners have no idea their tree is protected. It's easy to think you're just doing routine garden work, but one snip too many and you could face a hefty fine. "Councils take it very seriously and so they should, because mature trees are crucial for wildlife and air quality," she added. So, check with your council - before cutting or trimming any large trees, contact your local authority to find out if there's a TPO in place. Don't take it for granted that it's alright just because it's in your garden and get written permission – if a tree is protected, you must apply for permission to do any work on it, reports Birmingham Mail. A spokesperson from My Home Improvements, advised: "Before you pick up the saw or shears, take a moment to check your tree isn't protected. Councils don't issue TPOs lightly and breaching one can land you in legal trouble." They added: "Whether you're trimming, pruning or removing, always ask first, as it's a simple step that could save you £20,000 and a trip to court." Gardening during the summer months is an important task. If left on the side, the more it accumulates, the more time it will take from your busy schedules to clear up. Still, it's important to double-check with your local council before undertaking any job that may require more than just chopping a few leaves.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Warwickshire fire service in water safety plea over hidden risks
A fire service has warned people to stay out of rivers, lakes and reservoirs which can hold unseen dangers. Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service issued its warning on Friday's World Drowning Prevention day which is run by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and aims to raise people's awareness of water Fielding, station manager for the Rugby District area, told the BBC: "The message we want to give is not to go into the water in the first place. Especially in the hot weather it looks inviting, but the temperature of the water might not be what you think it is."Globally, an estimated 236,000 people drown every year, WHO has warned. Warwickshire firefighters have been called to more than 40 water-related incidents since 2018, some of which have resulted in fatalities. July is consistently the busiest month for call outs to spots including rivers, canals and reservoirs, the service said. Donna Marshall, from the visitor experience team at Severn Trent Water, is also warning the public not to swim in any of their reservoirs. "The reservoirs are really not places we want you to swim. To come and just dip into the water really isn't safe," she said."It goes so deep in the middle of Draycote you can get five double decker buses on top of each other, and we're just asking people to stay out of the water." Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Eyewitness News
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
UK's Starmer suspends several Labour rebels
LONDON - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer purged his ruling Labour party of four lawmakers on Wednesday as tries to reassert his authority following a rebellion over welfare reforms. Starmer was forced to backtrack on plans to slash disability and sickness benefits earlier this month after dozens of his own MPs threatened to vote against the proposals. Brian Leishman, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Rachael Maskell, and Chris Hinchliff were suspended, weeks after voting against a watered-down version of the controversial reforms on 1 July. Another three Labour MPs were stripped Wednesday of their roles as trade envoys over the rebellion, which spotlighted the tensions between the party's left and its more centrist leader. Starmer had made his authority-sapping climbdown to avoid a humiliating defeat in parliament, even though he should be able to force through any legislation he wants to as he still holds a massive majority of about 160 seats. Scottish MP Leishman, who will now sit as an independent, said in a statement he believed that "it is not my duty as an MP to make people poorer". Duncan-Jordan, the representative for Poole in southern England, said he understood that voting against the government "could come at a cost, but I couldn't support making disabled people poorer". Starmer has endured a difficult first year in power and has made several damaging U-turns in recent weeks. Political scientist Steven Fielding said the mini purge was a bid by Starmer to reinforce party discipline. "He wants to send a signal to all the others that rebelled over the welfare bill and have rebelled on other things that, 'Okay, you've got away with this one, but if you keep going, this is going to be your fate'," Fielding told AFP. But the University of Nottingham politics professor added it was a risky strategy considering the large numbers of lawmakers who had opposed the welfare reforms. "I think he's going about it in the wrong way. He needs to talk (to) and understand why the MPs are doing this," Fielding told AFP. Spokespeople for Labour declined to comment. NEW PARTY? Starmer's popularity has plummeted since he won a landslide general election result in July last year, ending 14 consecutive years of Conservative rule. Labour now trails Eurosceptic Nigel Farage's hard-right Reform UK party in many national polls, although the next election is likely four years away. In June, the government reversed a policy to scrap a winter heating benefit for millions of pensioners, following widespread criticism and another rebellion from its own MPs. The same month, Starmer - a former chief state prosecutor in England and Wales - announced a national inquiry focused on a UK child sex exploitation scandal after previously resisting calls. But some in the party complain of a disconnect between Starmer's leadership, which is focused on combatting the rise of Reform, and Labour's traditional centre-left principles. Maskell urged Starmer to engage with his backbenchers, saying she wanted to see "bridges built" and this would "make him a better prime minister". But as Labour loses votes to the right, it is also giving up supporters to the Greens on the left, surveys have shown, highlighting the tricky balancing act Starmer faces. Earlier this month, MP Zarah Sultana resigned her Labour membership and announced she would be founding a new party with Labour's former left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn tempered expectations a little by stressing instead that "discussions are ongoing".
eNCA
16-07-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
UK's Starmer suspends several Labour rebels
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer suspended several lawmakers on Wednesday as he tried to reassert his authority over his ruling Labour party following a rebellion over welfare reforms. Starmer was forced to backtrack on plans to slash disability and sickness benefits earlier this month after dozens of his own MPs threatened to vote against the proposals. MPs Brian Leishman, Neil Duncan-Jordan, and Rachael Maskell said they had been suspended while the Times newspaper reported that Chris Hinchliff had suffered the same fate. All four voted against the welfare reforms on July 1 after Starmer made his authority-sapping climbdown to avoid a humiliating defeat in parliament. Leishman's office confirmed to AFP that the Scottish MP had been temporarily suspended from the party. Duncan-Jordan, the representative for Poole in southern England, said he understood that voting against the government "could come at a cost, but I couldn't support making disabled people poorer". Starmer has endured a difficult first year in power and has made several damaging U-turns in recent weeks. Political scientist Steven Fielding said the purge was a bid by Starmer to reinforce party discipline. "He wants to send a signal to all the others that rebelled over the welfare bill and have rebelled on other things that, 'Okay, you've got away with this one, but if you keep going, this is going to be your fate,'" Fielding told AFP. But the University of Nottingham politics professor added it was a risky strategy considering the large numbers of lawmakers who had opposed the welfare reforms. "I think he's going about it in the wrong way. He needs to talk (to) and understand why the MPs are doing this," Fielding told AFP. Labour did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Starmer's popularity has plummeted since he won a landslide general election result in July last year, ending 14 consecutive years of Conservative rule. Labour now trails Eurosceptic Nigel Farage's hard-right Reform UK party in many national polls, although the next election is likely four years away. In June, the government reversed a policy to scrap a winter heating benefit for millions of pensioners, following widespread criticism and another rebellion from its own MPs. The same month, Starmer -- a former chief state prosecutor in England and Wales -- announced a national inquiry focused on a UK child sex exploitation scandal after previously resisting calls. The prime minister has a massive majority of about 160 MPs, meaning he should be able to force whatever legislation he wants through parliament. But some in the party complain of a disconnect between Starmer's leadership, which is focused on combatting the rise of Reform, and Labour's traditional centre-left principles. Confirming she had been suspended, Maskell urged Starmer to engage with his backbenchers, saying she wanted to see "bridges built" and this would "make him a better prime minister".
Express Tribune
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
UK's Starmer expels four Labour lawmakers after welfare reforms rebellion
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer purged his ruling Labour party of four lawmakers on Wednesday as tries to reassert his authority following a rebellion over welfare reforms. Starmer was forced to backtrack on plans to slash disability and sickness benefits earlier this month after dozens of his own MPs threatened to vote against the proposals. Brian Leishman, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Rachael Maskell, and Chris Hinchliff were suspended, weeks after voting against a watered-down version of the controversial reforms on July 1. Another three Labour MPs were stripped Wednesday of their roles as trade envoys over the rebellion, which spotlighted the tensions between the party's left and its more centrist leader. Starmer had made his authority-sapping climbdown to avoid a humiliating defeat in parliament, even though he should be able to force through any legislation he wants to as he still holds a massive majority of about 160 seats. Scottish MP Leishman, who will now sit as an independent, said in a statement he believed that "it is not my duty as an MP to make people poorer". Duncan-Jordan, the representative for Poole in southern England, said he understood that voting against the government "could come at a cost, but I couldn't support making disabled people poorer". Starmer has endured a difficult first year in power and has made several damaging U-turns in recent weeks. Political scientist Steven Fielding said the mini purge was a bid by Starmer to reinforce party discipline. "He wants to send a signal to all the others that rebelled over the welfare bill and have rebelled on other things that, 'Okay, you've got away with this one, but if you keep going, this is going to be your fate'," Fielding told AFP. But the University of Nottingham politics professor added it was a risky strategy considering the large numbers of lawmakers who had opposed the welfare reforms. "I think he's going about it in the wrong way. He needs to talk (to) and understand why the MPs are doing this," Fielding told AFP. Spokespeople for Labour declined to comment. Starmer's popularity has plummeted since he won a landslide general election result in July last year, ending 14 consecutive years of Conservative rule. Labour now trails Eurosceptic Nigel Farage's hard-right Reform UK party in many national polls, although the next election is likely four years away. In June, the government reversed a policy to scrap a winter heating benefit for millions of pensioners, following widespread criticism and another rebellion from its own MPs. The same month, Starmer -- a former chief state prosecutor in England and Wales -- announced a national inquiry focused on a UK child sex exploitation scandal after previously resisting calls. But some in the party complain of a disconnect between Starmer's leadership, which is focused on combatting the rise of Reform, and Labour's traditional centre-left principles. Maskell urged Starmer to engage with his backbenchers, saying she wanted to see "bridges built" and this would "make him a better prime minister". But as Labour loses votes to the right, it is also giving up supporters to the Greens on the left, surveys have shown, highlighting the tricky balancing act Starmer faces. Earlier this month, MP Zarah Sultana resigned her Labour membership and announced she would be founding a new party with Labour's former left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn tempered expectations a little by stressing instead that "discussions are ongoing".
