Latest news with #GreaterLondonAuthority
Time Out
36 minutes ago
- Business
- Time Out
Could this east London borough really split from the capital?
It's well known that London is a huge city made up of slightly smaller towns. Each borough brings its own unique identity to the capital, but one is currently trying to break free from the city and instead become part of Essex. The London borough of Havering is the city's easternmost point. It's mostly suburbs, is home to places like Romford, Upminster, and Hornchurch, and, according to Andrew Rosindel, the Tory MP for Romford, is 'geographically Essex'. Andrew Rosindell stated his case for Havering to return to its Essex roots in parliament last month. He said: 'We are historically Essex. We are culturally Essex and our social, sporting and commercial connections have always looked towards the county of Essex'. He continued: 'My constituents and I are proud of our Essex identity, which transcends local government or administrative boundaries that are forever changing—as they are again today'. This comes after Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, announced plans last year to increase devolution to local authorities and streamline local services. Currently, different responsibilities, such as bins and schooling, are often managed by different levels of local government – the current Labour government wants to see all council responsibilities come under a single, centralised form of leadership. For some smaller authorities, this could mean merging to form a larger, unitary council. This is part of what Rosindell is worried about. With only 260,000 residents, Havering would need to combine with another similarly sized borough to form a big enough authority to stay in London. Instead, he argues that the preferable option would be taking the 'once-in-almost-a-century chance to look afresh at the old boundaries of Greater London that were constructed six decades ago.' He added: 'It is also very costly for us to be part of Greater London, as we pay tens of millions of pounds per year to the Greater London Authority. 'That equates to […] an exorbitant amount of money that my constituents simply cannot afford.' The move, dubbed 'Hexit' by some local supporters, is unlikely to happen in the near future, though. Jim McMahon, the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, who Rosindell was addressing in his speech, has stated that; 'It is currently not envisaged that the boundaries of Greater London will be changed.' However, he did also say that the area covered by the Essex local mayor could be expanded in future 'should it be locally desired and should statutory tests be met', so all hope is not lost for you loyal Hexiteers. As it stands, Havering will remain in London, at least for now. However, now that the cat is out of the bag, it is not difficult to envisage a future where it returns to its rural roots and officially embraces the Essex way of life once again.
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Trad-wives are distracting you from the global shrinking of women's rights
What makes a modern woman? This debate has been doing the round since at least the 1950s. There's a myriad of ways to describe modern femininity. Having a freedom fund to escape an abusive relationship, perhaps. Or expecting the same wage for the same work as a male colleague. Safety and security issues too come to mind, not least the ability to walk alone at night without fear of harm. Each of these aspirations face outward, to society's treatment of women and call for the basic rights of living to be met: safety, security, equality. Yet a growing number of women are turning their backs on this. Instead, they are embracing conservative traditional values through TikTok's so-called "trad-wife" trend by prioritising domesticity. Cooking and cleaning are the basic components of caring for yourself and others. Pre-first wave feminism, this was what the patriarchal society envisioned for women: apron on, cooking for the family, mopping up after everybody else. All the while being demure, kind, and placid. The epitome of 'no thoughts, just vibes'. This, to my mind, is nightmare fuel and - horrifyingly - this feeling is not universal. Feminist critic Betty Friedan wrote about the particular loneliness and emptiness of the 1950s era housewife in her 1963 book, The Feminine Mystique. She called it 'the problem which has no name.' She wrote: 'Each suburban housewife struggled with it alone. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries… she was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question - 'is this all'?' Or in other words: there has to be more to life than folding laundry and serving the man of the house's desires. And there is. But the recent trad-wife trend on social media would have you believe otherwise. It would have you salivating over the idea of making a meal totally from scratch - and no cheating with a jar of sauce! In one video by popular trad-wife influencer Nara Smith (@naraazizasmith), she makes her husband a fizzy drink from its base ingredients caramel sugar and zested lemons, limes, and oranges, when he asks for a Coca Cola. The house is spotless and she is decked out in a sequin covered gown. Nara says in the video after taking a sip: 'It tasted exactly like coke.' You may wonder then: what is the point? The point is this: it fills women's time by keeping them busy in fulfilling men's desires. Somehow, this video alone has amassed 4.7million views, while her Tiktok page has 11.7million followers. According to the Greater London Authority, that is more than the population of London. The trad-wife trend keeps women from bubbling over with rage about the erosion of our rights here in the UK and across the Atlantic in the USA. Roe vs Wade was repealed in the States in 2022, while just this year the definition of a woman in the UK was ruled by the Supreme Court to be reductive and restrictive. We are living through a shrinking of women's rights. Buy the fizzy drink from your local independent shop. Concentrate on what matters: equality and liberty. However, there are many different stripes to this trend. While Nara's trad-wife image is glittering, polished, and so very modern, there is another strand which presents a rose-tinted gaze back to the post-war period. Take Alena Kate Pettitt's website The Darling Academy for example. Pettitt's brand of tradwife celebrates 'homemaking, motherhood, and vintage inspired living.' In an article on her website, Alena writes: 'In a world that glorifies career ambition and independence from men above all else, the presence of a contented housewife can challenge the deeply ingrained belief that a woman's worth is measured by her pay check, and ability to survive on her own.' This sentiment is a world away from Friedan's. As a modern feminist, there is cause for concern here. The issue is not with the individual enacting domesticity online. Each to their own. Individual right to choose is a core tenet of feminism after all. But what does it say about our current political moment when trad-wife content gains millions of views? To be clear: the trad-wife trend operates by evoking a subdued kind of womanhood that echoes with an era when women did not have equal rights. In a recent interview with author and cultural critic Sophie Gilbert about her new book Girl on Girl, we discussed this strand of the trad-wife. Gilbert describes this looking back as 'weaponised nostalgia' that 'really work[s] hard to serve men's desires.' This 'weaponised nostalgia' is a huge threat to the modern woman. It warps the realities of the past, when women were contained, silenced, and treated as second-class citizens. In response to Friedan's 'problem that has no name', 2025 calls back that the problem is now not only named, but it is trending, with millions of views under the trad-wife hashtag.
Metro
3 days ago
- Business
- Metro
Could London be the next city to introduce a tourist tax?
In many European cities, paying a tourist tax is nothing new. If anything, it's expected. From Paris to Barcelona to Amsterdam, the majority of our favourite hotspots come with an extra fee, whether we pay it at our accommodation or the airport. Its purpose is simple: to provide the city with money for things like general upkeep, sustainability initiatives, and an increased demand on public services. And as many places grapple with the effects of overtourism, taxes are increasing, and new ones are being introduced. For example, Venice doubled its tax for daytrippers earlier this year, while the Azores implemented one on January 1. Recently, there's been talk of London joining the club. Last month, the Centre for London released a report called Arts for All, urging the Greater London Authority to 'explore the implementation of a tourist tax' to help invest in the capital's arts and cultural scene. Last year, Mayor Sadiq Khan voiced his potential support, too. In October, he told The Standard he'd be 'happy to look into' whether a tax for overnight stays would be feasible. But, while the arts do need funding – the report says that physical engagement with arts and culture in London sits below or close to the national average – what would a potential tourist tax mean for the wider community, including daytrippers from the UK? 'Tourists are going to be more accepting of the tax if they can understand where it is being spent,' explains travel expert, Deepak Shukla, CEO of Pearl Lemon Adventures, a London-based travel and tourism company, to find out. Essentially, if the money tourists pay goes towards upgrading infrastructure and transportation, as well as financing and upgrading major attractions, we might all get on board with it. There's no denying London feels the effects of overtourism. Visitor numbers to the UK are on the up: VisitBritain estimates that there were 41.2 million visits to the UK for the full year 202, 1% up on 2019, with most of them heading to the capital. London has also been described as the 'Wild West' of Airbnbs. In Westminster in particular, councillors said more than 10,500 homes were used as holiday lets, and residents claim that one mansion block close to Hyde Park hosts more guests per night than The Ritz. With rent prices in the capital already eye-wateringly high, short-term lets only serve to make living in the city even more expensive. London also has the most congested roads in Europe, with analysis by analytics company Inrix finding drivers in the capital spent 101 hours sitting in traffic in 2024. Though there is some merit to the idea, Shukla adds that a tourist tax is 'not without its problems.' He says that the success of a tax depends on various factors, with the volume of tourism being a big consideration. Currently, around 30 million tourists flock to London every year. Should the same number still come with a tourist tax, it will ensure a steady flow of income. However, if the tax deters tourists, it could lead to fewer visits and less income than expected. Another concern is London's competitiveness compared to other global locations. Currently, Spanish cities like Madrid and Valencia (which boast better weather than the UK) don't have a tourist tax. Neither do up-and-coming European city break destinations like Helsinki or Tallinn. 'If an additional expense like tourist tax is imposed, travellers may opt to visit places that do not have these costs, impacting London's tourism sector,' states Shulka. Similarly, Mayor Sadiq Khan noted that the money raised would need to be strictly monitored. If it were spent elsewhere, with people not seeing the benefits locally or regionally, it wouldn't be fair. He said: 'It's really important to give that reassurance to the [tourism] sector, because they've had a tough few years, particularly post-pandemic. 'If we can reassure the [tourism] sector that we can work on a scheme that benefits inward tourism, it benefits more tourists to come, I think they'd be supportive of it as well.' Officials estimate that a levy could raise significant amounts of cash for local services and the tourism industry. For example, should the UK follow in the footsteps of Paris, which charges visitors up to €16 per night in premium hotels, or Barcelona, which adds up to €4 a night plus a regional fee, an extra £240 million could be generated annually. This is on the basis of adding a 5% tax to overnight stays, according to Euro Weekly. In short, no. English local authorities can't introduce their own tourist taxes,it needs to go through Parliament instead. Legislation to Parliament would have to be introduced for this to happen. However, some UK local authority areas, including Manchester and Liverpool, have established Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) which cover tourism-related businesses. These are legal loopholes, and are operated by local organisations, meaning they can collect levies in their areas. 'If London were to impose a tourist tax, it would probably be similar to the charge on overnight stays currently implemented in places like Manchester,' says Shulka. So even though an overnight fee could be charged, day visitors are unlikely to be affected. Like we mentioned earlier, to prevent overtourism, cities like Venice have imposed fees for day visitors. But in London's case, Shulka says the main motivation would likely be different, specifically generating funds to improve tourism infrastructure upgrades and city services. Shulka adds: 'I think one of the reasons why day-trippers don't typically pay a tourist tax is that they spend only a few hours in the city and therefore use fewer public resources compared to overnight visitors.' Since they don't stay in paid accommodation, they aren't charged through the usual channels. Finally, for day-trippers to be affected, Shulka states that policies targeting them would need to be implemented. This includes things like tourist passes, access fees or visitor registrations. Over on Reddit, there's a huge discussion about the idea of a tourist tax, and as you would expect, the reviews are mixed. More Trending Many Londoners are for a tax, making the point that they have to pay it in other European cities, so why not here? 'Some visitors are surprised when they find out they don't owe tourist tax,' one person adds. 'Yes please. And then ring fence that money to go back into benefiting the local economy. Some new trains for the Bakerloo Line would be nice! Or some new cycle lanes,' another says. A Barcelona resident was also positive about a London tax: 'As a tourist, I wouldn't mind that extra fee.' They continued, saying that their Spanish city has it, and 'regardless of the real use of the money that it generates, it's not a barrier for tourists.' Another tourist agrees: 'I would pay it gladly every time I visit London (and I try to do it a couple of times a year at least). Others were a little more sceptical, saying they would support it if they could guarantee that the money would benefit Londoners. However, some were straight up against it, citing that hotels are 'already overpriced', so 'the answer isn't to drive them further away.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Man unleashes smoke grenades and sledgehammer in raid on Mayfair hotel MORE: Heaven nightclub bouncer cleared of rape charge MORE: British flight attendant 'in tears' in court accused of smuggling 46kg of drugs
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
More than 2,000 people in Greater Manchester asked to be able to vote for London's mayor - now the Government has responded
The Government has responded after more than 2,200 people in Greater Manchester signed a petition calling for the right to be able to vote for the Mayor of London. A petition to Parliament, signed by more than 49,000 people across the UK, called for the right for people across the country to vote for the capital's mayor. This included more than two thousand people in Greater Manchester, you can see how many people signed the petition in your constituency in our list below. READ MORE: Man, 25, rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries after stabbing READ MORE: It's a bank holiday weekend in Greater Manchester - and there have been three stabbings in three days The petition said: "Only people who live in Greater London are allowed to vote for candidates in the Mayoral elections. We think London carries so much influence across the globe and the majority of UK residents have no say as to who 'heads up' and manages our great city, and we should. London belongs to us all. "We believe London, our Capital City, is different to every other city in the country and belongs to every man, woman and child throughout the UK. It is our largest city and is one of the most influential cities across the globe. As such, we think all UK residents should have a say as to who holds the position of Chief Executive of the Greater London Authority. When it comes to voting for our London Mayor I would like Parliament to allow all eligible UK residents to be able to vote, not just Londoners." Since the petition received more than 10,000 signatures, the Government was obliged to respond. In its response it said it had no plans to change the rules. It stated: "The Government has no plans to extend voting rights for the London Mayor elections to all UK residents. "Elected officials in the UK represent a specific area. For example: Members of Parliament (MPs) represent their constituencies, Mayors represent their city, town, or local authority (council) or combined authorities, Local councillors represent their wards, Police and Crime Commissioners represent their police areas. "People living in those areas are the ones who vote for their representatives. There are a few exceptions, like Crown servants, British Council staff, and military personnel posted overseas, who vote in the area in the UK where they would be living were it not for their overseas service. British citizens resident overseas and registered as overseas electors vote in the area, they were last resident in the UK."The UK Government does not plan to change these rules or allow all UK residents to vote in London Mayor elections. The Mayor of London represents the people who live in London. As far as the Government is aware, no major city in the world allows people outside the local area to vote for their mayor." Altrincham and Sale West: 70 Ashton-under-Lyne: 98 Blackley and Middleton South: 77 Bolton North East: 84 Bolton South and Walkden: 93 Bolton West:91 Bury North: 96 Bury South: 79 Cheadle: 67 Gorton and Denton: 85 Hazel Grove: 94 Heywood and Middleton North: 102 Leigh and Atherton: 138 Makerfield: 107 Manchester Central: 71 Manchester Rusholme: 25 Manchester Withington: 28 Oldham East and Saddleworth: 104 Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton: 77 Rochdale: 78 Salford: 92 Stalybridge and Hyde: 94 Stockport: 63 Stretford and Urmston: 61 Wigan: 101 Worsley and Eccles: 90 Wythenshawe and Sale East: 79
The Guardian
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
London councils yet to spend £130m in local climate funds
London councils are sitting on more than £130m that should be funding local climate action, the Guardian can reveal. More than £170m has been collected through the mayor of London's carbon offset fund, which developers are required to pay into to mitigate emissions from new projects, since it was introduced in 2016. However, the capital's 33 local authorities have spent less than £40m between them. Some have said they do not have the resources, expertise or time to decide how to spend it. The money gathered from this fund must be spent on carbon reduction measures in local areas. These include energy efficiency improvements to council housing and other buildings that would lower energy bills for tenants, as well as renewable energy projects and district heating schemes. The cash can also be given out as community grants, and some councils have used it to fund education projects, tree planting and community food-growing schemes. The data, obtained through freedom of information requests, shows a wide variation in spending by councils up to the end of last year. Some authorities have spent all of the funding they have collected from developers while others have spent none. The vast majority have spent less than 20% of the cash. The Guardian was told by a number of councils that some of their unspent cash – about £15m in total – had been allocated for projects but not yet spent. Meanwhile, Greater London Authority figures show councils have at least another £150m on the way from developers. Zack Polanski, the deputy leader of the Green party and chair of the London assembly's environment committee, said progress had been 'unacceptably slow and inconsistent'. 'Thousands of Londoners are stuck in cold, damp and mouldy homes while their bills keep climbing,' he said. 'It's unbelievable that despite having the funds available to fix this, councils are sitting on the money year after year, leaving the most vulnerable to suffer.' Polanski said the situation 'reeks of complacency' and he blamed the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, for a failure to deliver a clear net zero plan. Tower Hamlets (£20m), Islington (£18.5m) and Westminster (£16.1m) councils have received the most offsetting cash from developers. Tower Hamlets has spent just over a quarter at £5.3m and Westminster has spent £2.4m – about 15%. Both say they have significantly more cash allocated for projects. Islington has spent £12.1m, the most of any London borough by some distance and about 65% of its pot. Isaac Beevor, a partnerships director at Climate Emergency UK, which monitors the climate action of councils across the country, said Khan needed to 'get a grip' on his policy to achieve his target of a net zero London by 2030. 'This money could have been spent on retrofitting council homes, planting trees and greening our boroughs, or supporting community energy,' he said. 'Some councils have utilised the fund, so there is no valid excuse for those who have spent the last decade refusing to spend a huge pile of cash destined for climate action. We would expect all London boroughs to be ramping up their climate action by spending this money.' He added: 'This situation highlights flaws in these schemes: if funds aren't spent, emissions from new developments have not been offset.' A City Hall spokesperson told the Guardian 'urgent talks' were taking place with councils about speeding up the delivery of projects. They said the amount of money collected and spent by councils had been increasing year on year, but added: 'A key challenge is the pipeline of deliverable projects available for funding.' London Councils, an umbrella group representing the capital's boroughs, said there were 'undoubtedly challenges to overcome' and pointed out that Khan's recommended price of £95 for each tonne of carbon dioxide emitted had been devalued since it was set in 2021. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion 'Boroughs find that carbon offset funds often fail to cover the cost of the projects needed to mitigate operational emissions generated by new development,' a spokesperson said. Councils told the Greater London Authority last year that as well as lacking the required funding, they did not have the time, expertise or resources needed to get projects off the ground. London Councils has now launched a series of workshops to advise boroughs on how to spend the money. The majority of London councils charge developers the recommended £95/tonne CO2, but this is only a guide. As of last year, three Labour-run councils have started charging developers more – not with the aim of raising more cash, but to discourage offsetting, which the Climate Change Committee says 'should not be relied on' to decarbonise buildings. Another 15 councils are said to be looking into raising offsetting costs. Beevor has urged all councils to do this, saying it will encourage developers to hit net zero emissions on-site and remove the need for mitigation projects altogether. Merton council, which in 2003 introduced the pioneering 'Merton rule' requiring new developments to generate 10% of their energy from renewables, now charges developers £300 per tonne of CO2. Lewisham has set a new price of £104, while Westminster now charges £330 for electric-based schemes and £880 for gas-based schemes. Haringey council in February allocated all of its outstanding carbon offset funding to projects including the Haringey Community Carbon Fund, which awards grants to community-led decarbonisation projects such as solar panel schemes, upcycling wood workshops, school uniform swaps and football boot recycling. Of London's 33 local authorities, 28 declared a climate emergency in 2019 or 2020, announcing bold net zero targets and sweeping commitments to cut private vehicle use, divest pension funds from fossil fuel companies and improve energy efficiency of council housing. Last year, the Local Government Association found two-thirds of councils were not confident of hitting the net zero targets, saying climate action was being 'strangled' by a complex web of hard-to-reach Whitehall funding pots.
