Latest news with #HaroldMacmillan
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Commonwealth Day 2025: When is it celebrated in India? Check date, theme, history & significance
Commonwealth Day 2025: In India, Commonwealth Day 2025 will be observed on May 24. This is different from most Commonwealth countries that celebrate it on March 10, 2025. The date in India marks the birth anniversary of Queen Victoria. She was born on May 24, 1819. This shows India's historical link to the British Empire. What is Commonwealth Day 2025? Commonwealth Day 2025 will be celebrated on May 24 in India. The day brings together 56 member countries of the Commonwealth. They come together to celebrate shared values, history, and cooperation. This year, the events will focus on unity, diversity, and sustainable development. Commonwealth Day 2025 Theme: 'Together We Thrive' The official theme for Commonwealth Day 2025 is 'Together We Thrive.' It highlights unity, resilience, and shared progress. The theme celebrates the collective spirit of the 56 Commonwealth nations. It also shows the power of cooperation among people across the world. History of Commonwealth Day and Its Observance in India Commonwealth Day was originally called Empire Day. It was first celebrated in 1904. The day honoured the British Empire and Queen Victoria's birthday. In 1958, UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan renamed it Commonwealth Day. Most Commonwealth countries now observe it on the second Monday in March. But, India still celebrates it on May 24. This keeps the tradition linked to Queen Victoria's birth. Significance of Commonwealth Day 2025 for India Historical Ties: The day shows India's colonial past. It also tells the story of India's growth as an important Commonwealth member since 1947. Cultural Unity: It helps promote cultural exchange and better understanding among Commonwealth countries. Global Cooperation: India uses the Commonwealth to support diplomacy, trade, and deal with global issues like climate change. Youth and Development: The day highlights youth empowerment and sustainable development, matching the Commonwealth's values. How is Commonwealth Day Celebrated in India? In India, Commonwealth Day is celebrated by: Educational programs that teach about the Commonwealth's values. Cultural events that show India's diverse heritage and its ties to the Commonwealth. Ceremonies honouring Queen Victoria's legacy and the day's historical importance. Commonwealth Day 2025: Key Facts and Dates Below are the important facts and dates for Commonwealth day 2025 listed:
Telegraph
12-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
How Britain's motorway problem let European rivals speed ahead
In 1958, civil engineers in the North West of England pioneered a new form of British infrastructure project, constructing the country's first stretch of motorway known as the Preston bypass. At the time, then-prime minister Harold Macmillan said it was not only a 'fine thing in itself', but 'a token of what was to follow'. But almost 70 years on, Britain's motorway network has lost its way. No longer a global leader, it pales in comparison to its European neighbours, fuelling concerns that a lack of connectivity is holding back UK growth. Motorways span 2,330 miles across the UK, far from the 8,100 miles found in Germany and 7,300 in France. Even the Netherlands, which is five times smaller than the UK in terms of size, has a network spanning 2,193 miles. Currently, there are no plans to build any new motorways across the UK, while calls for a new dual carriageway linking Oxford and Cambridge have fallen by the wayside. Instead, the Government is planning to upgrade a 10-mile stretch of the A428 between Milton Keynes and Cambridge. According to the Department for Transport, the UK built just 65 miles of motorway between 2014 and 2024, epitomising a damning lack of infrastructure investment across the country. Unsurprisingly, many fear this dearth of development is damaging Britain's growth prospects, with cost often cited as a key blocker. Figures from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a consultancy, show that roads in the UK are twice as expensive to build than in Germany. The average cost for a flat road in the UK is £8.45m per km, compared with a European average of £5.77m per km, according to BCG. 'I think a long-running problem in the UK is that we have generally underinvested and I think roads have been caught up in that,' says Raoul Ruparel, the director of BCG's Centre for Growth. 'We have underestimated in this country the broader benefits of connecting up different parts of the country, different regions, different cities, and the ability that brings to spread innovation, move human capital and people around, and access different labour markets.' Compared to other European countries, the UK was also found to be more likely to complete road projects late and over budget, with long planning times leading to significant delays and additional costs. That is unlike in France, where a pipeline of road projects is delivered frequently and on time, according to Ruparel. 'I think what you see in the UK, in motorways and roads, is a bit of a peak and trough,' he says. 'We go on a big investment for a few years and then it drops off, which means that people leave the industry and move into different infrastructure sectors. 'Once they've left and you've lost those skills, it's not always easy to bring them back.' As part of France's road network, over 70pc of its motorways have tolls operated by private companies. The companies are required to contribute a proportion of their income to France's national road network, which in part allows the country to maintain and further develop its motorways. By contrast, the UK has just two tolls on its motorways along the M6 and the M25 Dartford Crossing. Unlike France's gradual motorway construction, the UK underwent a development boom in the late 1960s and early 1970s. But since then, the construction of new projects has dramatically tailed off. Benjamin Caswell, a senior economist at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, has highlighted the economic benefits that new motorway construction could bring to the UK. 'The impact in the short term is, when you've got spades in the ground, you get a bit of a demand side injection because those workers are put to work,' he says. 'Then once those projects are complete, if you've improved the supply infrastructure in the UK economy, then people, trucks and businesses can get their goods to where they need to go. People can move around more easily to go to work.' As well as a lack of new developments, the UK's motorway network has also been impacted by the failed rollout of smart motorways. They had planned to turn the hard shoulder, which is provided so vehicles at imminent risk of breaking down have a safe place to pull over away from 70mph traffic, into a live running lane. However, after years of planning and vast expenditure, former prime minister Rishi Sunak in 2023 scrapped all smart motorway plans owing to cost and safety fears. This debacle served as yet another setback for road-building across Britain. As well as helping everyday drivers get from A to B, British motorways are also a crucial form of connectivity for cross-country supply chains and time-sensitive deliveries. Yet worsening congestion caused by a lack of road capacity is increasingly frustrating businesses that rely on motorways to transport freight, including Igus, a manufacturer based in Northampton. Matthew Aldridge, the managing director of Igus, said: 'Our customers order from us in good faith that the parts will be received within 24 hours, but congestion and traffic jams, blockages on the motorway network means that those promises are broken, and it's that horrible situation where there's nothing we can do about it, nothing our suppliers can do about it. 'This is a common complaint from the sector. The motorway network has suffered from massive, massive underinvestment over the years.' Such objections are sparking fears that Britain's ailing motorway network is holding back the country's economic growth prospects. 'Now 54pc of manufacturers told us that in the last 10 years, they believe that the quality of road networks has actually gotten worse in the UK,' says Fhaheen Khan, a senior economist at Make UK. 'That has had an impact on their investment decisions, their ability to expand and their ability to access people.' Since coming to power, the Labour Government has pledged to 'get Britain building' through new infrastructure and housing projects. However, when it comes to motorways, the Government's ambitions are already falling flat. In one of her first moves as chancellor, Rachel Reeves scrapped the £1.7bn A303 Stonehenge tunnel scheme. She also delayed publishing a new road investment strategy until next year and cut funding for the Department for Transport, sparking fears that Britain's road network will remain trapped in the slow lane for the foreseeable future. 'These [road] schemes, they're so important for the UK economy, but they're an easy political target,' says Tom Lees, the managing director of Bradshaw Advisory consultancy. 'It's quite easy to pause or slow down a big road scheme or a train scheme, versus saying we're going to have to find cuts in the NHS. 'Whether you agree with it or disagree with it, these sorts of schemes take years of planning and research and development, and then when politicians come and cancel them, it takes years and years to get them back up again.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Britain's failure to build motorways has left it trapped in the slow lane
In 1958, civil engineers in the North West of England pioneered a new form of British infrastructure project, constructing the country's first stretch of motorway known as the Preston bypass. At the time, then-prime minister Harold Macmillan said it was not only a 'fine thing in itself', but 'a token of what was to follow'. But almost 70 years on, Britain's motorway network has lost its way. No longer a global leader, it pales in comparison to its European neighbours, fuelling concerns that a lack of connectivity is holding back UK growth. Motorway spans 2,330 miles across the UK, far from the 8,100 miles found in Germany and 7,300 in France. Even the Netherlands, which is five times smaller than the UK in terms of size, has a network spanning 2,193 miles. Currently, there are no plans to build any new motorways across the UK, while calls for a new dual carriageway linking Oxford and Cambridge have fallen by the wayside. Instead, the Government is planning to upgrade a 10-mile stretch of the A428 between Milton Keynes and Cambridge. According to the Department for Transport, the UK built just 65 miles of motorway between 2014 and 2024, epitomising a damning lack of infrastructure investment across the country. Unsurprisingly, many fear this dearth of development is damaging Britain's growth prospects, with cost often cited as a key blocker. Figures from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a consultancy, show that roads in the UK are twice as expensive to build than in Germany. The average cost for a flat road in the UK is £8.45m per km, compared with a European average of £5.77m per km, according to BCG. 'I think a long-running problem in the UK is that we have generally underinvested and I think roads have been caught up in that,' says Raoul Ruparel, the director of BCG's Centre for Growth. 'We have underestimated in this country the broader benefits of connecting up different parts of the country, different regions, different cities, and the ability that brings to spread innovation, move human capital and people around, and access different labour markets.' Compared to other European countries, the UK was also found to be more likely to complete road projects late and over budget, with long planning times leading to significant delays and additional costs. That is unlike in France, where a pipeline of road projects is delivered frequently and on time, according to Ruparel. 'I think what you see in the UK, in motorways and roads, is a bit of a peak and trough,' he says. 'We go on a big investment for a few years and then it drops off, which means that people leave the industry and move into different infrastructure sectors. 'Once they've left and you've lost those skills, it's not always easy to bring them back.' As part of France's road network, over 70pc of its motorways have tolls operated by private companies. The companies are required to contribute a proportion of their income to France's national road network, which in part allows the country to maintain and further develop its motorways. By contrast, the UK has just two tolls on its motorways along the M6 and the M25 Dartford Crossing. Unlike France's gradual motorway construction, the UK underwent a development boom in the late 1960s and early 1970s. But since then, the construction of new projects has dramatically tailed off. Benjamin Caswell, a senior economist at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, has highlighted the economic benefits that new motorway construction could bring to the UK. 'The impact in the short term is, when you've got spades in the ground, you get a bit of a demand side injection because those workers are put to work,' he says. 'Then once those projects are complete, if you've improved the supply infrastructure in the UK economy, then people, trucks and businesses can get their goods to where they need to go. People can move around more easily to go to work.' As well as a lack of new developments, the UK's motorway network has also been impacted by the failed rollout of smart motorways. They had planned to turn the hard shoulder, which is provided so vehicles at imminent risk of breaking down have a safe place to pull over away from 70mph traffic, into a live running lane. However, after years of planning and vast expenditure, former prime minister Rishi Sunak in 2023 scrapped all smart motorway plans owing to cost and safety fears. This debacle served as yet another setback for road-building across Britain. As well as helping everyday drivers get from A to B, British motorways are also a crucial form of connectivity for cross-country supply chains and time-sensitive deliveries. Yet worsening congestion caused by a lack of road capacity is increasingly frustrating businesses that rely on motorways to transport freight, including Igus, a manufacturer based in Northampton. Matthew Aldridge, the managing director of Igus, said: 'Our customers order from us in good faith that the parts will be received within 24 hours, but congestion and traffic jams, blockages on the motorway network means that those promises are broken, and it's that horrible situation where there's nothing we can do about it, nothing our suppliers can do about it. 'This is a common complaint from the sector. The motorway network has suffered from massive, massive underinvestment over the years.' Such objections are sparking fears that Britain's ailing motorway network is holding back the country's economic growth prospects. 'Now 54pc of manufacturers told us that in the last 10 years, they believe that the quality of road networks has actually gotten worse in the UK,' says Fhaheen Khan, a senior economist at Make UK. 'That has had an impact on their investment decisions, their ability to expand and their ability to access people.' Since coming to power, the Labour Government has pledged to 'get Britain building' through new infrastructure and housing projects. However, when it comes to motorways, the Government's ambitions are already falling flat. In one of her first moves as chancellor, Rachel Reeves scrapped the £1.7bn A303 Stonehenge tunnel scheme. She also delayed publishing a new road investment strategy until next year and cut funding for the Department for Transport, sparking fears that Britain's road network will remain trapped in the slow lane for the foreseeable future. 'These [road] schemes, they're so important for the UK economy, but they're an easy political target,' says Tom Lees, the managing director of Bradshaw Advisory consultancy. 'It's quite easy to pause or slow down a big road scheme or a train scheme, versus saying we're going to have to find cuts in the NHS. 'Whether you agree with it or disagree with it, these sorts of schemes take years of planning and research and development, and then when politicians come and cancel them, it takes years and years to get them back up again.' 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.
Telegraph
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Ignore the do-gooders, we need more criminals in prison
The next crisis is already looming. Our prisons are almost full again, and it is a near certainty that there will soon be another mass early release of violent criminals from their prison cells onto our streets. Harold Macmillan once said that 'when all the establishment are united, they are always wrong'. Yet when it comes to prisons and sentencing – amongst the relevant portion of the establishment – there is a cosy consensus at play. Sentencing policy is dominated by those who might be termed the 'prison reform industrial complex' – a small group of charities and individuals who operate in and around prisons. When the Prisons Minister, Lord Timpson, made his maiden speech in the Lords last July, for instance, peer after peer declared an interest in one prison charity or another – rarely straying from the line that we should be incarcerating fewer criminals. This should not come as a shock. These reform organisations want to improve prison conditions. But in practice, what these groups would like to see is for fewer criminals to be sent to prison. Before he became a minister, in an interview last February, Lord Timpson said Britain is 'addicted to punishment' and 'a lot' of people in prison 'shouldn't be there'. Such claims are not supported by the facts – and are at odds with the public mood on crime and how criminals should be dealt with. Astonishingly, the most prolific offenders are sent to prison on less than half (46.2 per cent) the occasions after conviction for a further indictable or either-way offence. Given that last year an estimated 9.6 million crimes were committed in England and Wales – up 14 per cent from the previous year – that is deeply alarming. The current limit on the number of prison places has led to police officers being told to 'pause arrests' and for the judiciary to consider prison capacity limits when sentencing those convicted of criminal offences. One of the Government's key challenges is to show that they understand that people are fundamentally far more threatened by the loss of law and order than arguments around prison reform. Some ministers appear to be wise to this. In her fight with the Sentencing Council over its plans to consider offenders' background when imposing sentences, Shabana Mahmood has shown herself to be willing to face down the 'blob' that permeates so many of our institutions. The Government's current plan – to increase the size of our prison estate by 14,000 places – is welcome too. But the Government must go much further – an extra 43,000 prison places will be needed over the coming decade. It should also rebuild the prison regime so inmates can work and develop meaningful skills while in custody, activities that we know reduce the chances of reoffending on release. A new consensus of decision makers, chosen by voters and doing what the public wants, is emerging. Large rewards lie in store for whoever turns it into a reality.
The Guardian
24-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
The battle for Glasgow's Wyndford estate
For nearly four years, a fierce debate raged over the future of the Wyndford estate in Glasgow, dividing residents and sparking wider national controversy. Was the demolition of its high-rises an environmental travesty or the first step toward much-needed regeneration? The dispute began in November 2021, days after the city hosted Cop26, where politicians and businesses promised to curb wasteful building destruction. Yet, residents of Wyndford soon found leaflets on their doorsteps heralding a 'bright new future' – one that involved the demolition of all four high-rise blocks on the estate. The decision set off years of protests, legal challenges and community divisions. The fight came to a head on 23 March 2025, when three of the four 1960s tower blocks were finally reduced to rubble in a controlled demolition. Wyndford estate was built between 1961 and 1969 on the site of a former military barracks. Commissioned by the Harold Macmillan government, it was intended as an exemplar of high-quality public housing, a rebuttal to Glasgow's legacy of cheap and poorly planned social accommodation. The four high-rise blocks of the Wyndford estate one week before demolition. Three blocks were demolished by controlled explosion on 23 March – – the block on the left will be brought down floor by floor owing to its proximity to other homes on the estate. But 60 years later, part of that vision had faded. Its one-bedroom high-rise flats had become synonymous with short-term tenancies, and labelled a hotspot of neglect and social deprivation. Wheatley Group, Scotland's largest landlord, argued that the blocks were no longer fit for purpose and should be replaced with modern family homes. A determined coalition of residents, activists, and conservationists, led by the Wyndford Residents Union (WRU), fiercely opposed the demolitions. At the heart of their campaign was a belief that the destruction of social housing during a housing crisis was not only irresponsible but unnecessary. Henry Mclaren, a Wyndford resident and focus group member . Despite the protests, occupations, and legal challenges, Wheatley Group remained steadfast. Aisling Mylrea, the director of Wheatley Homes Glasgow, emphasised that legal challenges had been shut down every time and that all the permissions had been in place for the demolition to go ahead. She said: 'Over 85% of the tenants of the scheme support the demolition and the £100 million investment that will follow for the area.' Henry McLaren, a Wyndford resident and member of the Future Focus Group set up by Wheatley, said: ' This will be all good for the community. The words 'focus' and 'future' are important – everyone needs to stay focused on the end goal.' Laura Jones, 38, Wyndford resident. From the outset, Wheatley Group insisted retrofitting the high-rise flats – and making them into larger homes was impossible and continually pointed to the declining popularity of high-rise social housing. However, many campaigners disputed the claim that retrofitting was unviable. A coalition of architects, conservationists and engineers conducted studies suggesting the buildings could have been modernised and repurposed. Malcolm Fraser, a leading architect and campaigner, also called into question the 85% support figure cited for demolition, arguing that no alternative to demolition was ever seriously presented. 'That number reflects only the few hundred tenants who responded, and they were never given the option of retrofitting,' he said. Caz, a resident and member of Wyndford Residents Union As the demolition date approached, tensions mounted. For many residents, the stark reality of the controlled explosions in their neighbourhood took centre stage. Fears of further protests and block occupations prompted demolition contractors to station 24-hour security at the entrance to each tower. Residents living near the demolition site expressed concerns for their homes, and were angered after being offered a £100 Tesco voucher as compensation for vacating their properties for up to 10 hours on the day of the blast. Angie Thompson, a Wyndford resident. Wheatley Group assured the residents that all safety measures had been met, stating: 'Safedem are world-leading demolition contractors. They have carried out similar demolitions worldwide, ensuring all asbestos and hazardous materials were removed in advance.' Nick Durie, an Alba party politician and member of the Wyndford Residents Union. Wheatley Group says it wants to replace the 600 one-bedroom and bedsit flats with 400 new family homes, citing an urgent need for larger modern housing in Glasgow. Yet campaigners remain unconvinced that this will truly benefit the community, given the overall reduction in social housing units. As the dust settled on demolition day, Nick Durie, an Alba politician and WRU member, made it clear that the battle was far from over. 'This isn't the end – it's just the beginning. Our fight will continue long after the demolition. We will protest and challenge every stage of the new development until they commit to replacing all 600 social homes they've torn down. Beyond the loss of homes, the demolition has drawn criticism from climate activists and architects alarmed by the environmental toll. With an estimated 47,000 tonnes of embodied carbon wasted in the demolition process, some argue that the destruction contradicts the climate commitments made at the UN climate conference Cop26. William Doolan, a Wyndford resident. Fraser summed up the frustration: 'I know that every building we put up today will last about 40 years. These flats, if properly retrofitted, could have lasted for centuries. We need to stop this cycle of waste and destruction.' A UK-wide policy that exempts new-builds and demolitions from VAT has only reinforced the preference for demolition over retrofitting. Critics warn that without policy changes, the cycle will continue: 'Big business thrives on knocking down old buildings, landfilling them and starting again. And so it goes on and on.' The four high-rise blocks of the Wyndford estate one week before demolition Three of Wyndford's towers have now been reduced to rubble, joining the many high-rise schemes that have vanished from Glasgow's skyline. Yet the battle over their legacy – debates on the environmental cost of demolition and the future of social housing – remains far from settled. The lost view over the city from one of the blocks demolished on the 23 March.
