Latest news with #Hug
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I got kicked out of Parliament for my brutal takedown of Boris Johnson'
Dawn Butler has said there's no point in being an MP if it's not to 'speak truth to power' as she recounted being kicked out of Parliament for insulting Boris Johnson A Labour MP who was kicked out of Parliament for calling Boris Johnson a one-word insult has doubled down with a more brutal attack. Appearing on The Mirror 's new show Party Games, Dawn Butler said the former Tory PM was "gaslighting the whole country" looked back on being thrown out of the Commons in 2021. The moment came up as the Labour MP for Brent East played 'Never Have I Ever?' with The Mirror's Sophie Huskisson - and was asked 'Never Have I Ever been told off by the Speaker'. The Mirror's new YouTube show Party Games, which launched on Saturday, sees MPs play a series of games, which tease out funny stories, emotional moments and political jabs from MPs. You can watch the first episode with Ms Butler on YouTube by clicking here. 'I played Hug, Marry, Avoid with Labour MP Dawn Butler and couldn't stop laughing' Asked if she'd ever been told off by the Speaker in the House of Commons, Ms Butler responded: 'Well obviously I got thrown out of Parliament for calling Boris Johnson a liar.' Pressed why she called him that, she continued: 'Because he was a liar! He lied over and over and over again. 'I was just like, come on, he's gaslighting the whole country. And I'd had enough. I'm that kind of conviction politician, so what is the point in me being here if I'm not going to sort of speak truth to power? The doorkeepers came up to me and said, I had to leave Parliament - the whole estate - straight away, or do I need to be escorted off? And I was like, good job I had my keys on me.' The row happened in 2021 during a discussion in the Commons on the prospect of a public inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic. Under the Commons rules, it is forbidden to call another MP a liar and considered unparliamentary language. But Ms Butler had had enough of Mr Johnson's behaviour during the pandemic and told the Commons: "Poor people in our country have paid with their lives because the Prime Minister has spent the last 18 months misleading this House and the country over and over again." She highlighted disputed claims made by the PM about the Covid vaccination programme, adding: "It's dangerous to lie in a pandemic. I am disappointed the Prime Minister has not come to the House to correct the record and correct the fact that he has lied to the House and the country over and over again." Ms Butler refused and said: "It's funny that we get in trouble in this place for calling out the lie rather than the person lying." After being asked to reflect on her words, she added: "I've reflected on my words and somebody needs to tell the truth in this House that the Prime Minister has lied." Here's a look at some of the other best moments from the episode Would you rather be London mayor or Prime Minister? 'London mayor. To represent London - and I'm a Londoner through, born in East London - just having London the way I have experienced it and see it, and just making London wonderful for everyone, and everyone being sort of proud of London and being a Londoner, yeah, I'd love to be Mayor of London.' Asked if she'd be running in the next mayoral election, she added: 'Once there's a vacancy, I will put my hat in the ring.' What was your greatest moment in politics? 'I was the first black female MP to ever stand at that despatch box as a government minister. And when I think back, I think, God, I made history. And a few weeks before, we were talking about the abolition of slavery, and I thought, God, they'd all be spinning in their graves knowing that there's a black woman at the dispatch box representing Her Majesty's Government. And so that's one of my proudest moments.' Watch the Mirror's YouTube show Party Games IT is not often you get to play games with elected Members of Parliament. But it is exactly what I am doing on The Mirror's show, Party Games, which was launched last night. In the programme on the Mirror's YouTube channel, I host familiar faces from across the political spectrum for a party like no other. Wearing an obligatory party hat, I spin a wheel of fortune to decide which games to play - with each one having its own special ability to tease out funny stories, emotional moments and, of course, some political points from MPs. They include 'Would You Rather?' where MPs have to make a painful choice out of two options, and 'Never Have I Ever?', There is also the 'Ask Me Anything' round and 'Hug, Marry, Avoid', where MPs have to choose who'd they'd hug, marry or avoid out of a given list of three people. The '30-Second Pitch' round is where the guest gets to talk for 30 seconds about an issue, cause or campaign they are passionate about. In an age where MPs face increasingly vicious intimidation, hate and violence, The Mirror's show hopes to allow viewers to get to know the humans behind the pomp of Westminster. You can watch Party Games on YouTube now. Would you rather stand out or follow the crowd? 'You have to stand out from the crowd, especially if you're a Black woman, what's the point? You're always going to stand out, right? And I remember somebody saying to me that if I want to be taken seriously as a politician, I need to tone down my dress. And that was it: I was like, illuminate! You're going to need sunglasses when I walk in a room.' What is an issue you are passionate about? 'My summer campaign 2025 is about cleaning up our high streets. At the moment, councils are not allowed to say no to betting shops and adult gaming centres. That's why we have so many in poorer areas. So what I want to do is make sure we change the law - the 2005 Gambling Act - so that councils can have more of a say, so that people can have more of a say, because our high streets deserve to be better, we deserve high streets that are full of beautiful complexity and not so many betting shops.'
Irish Independent
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Tinahely Show 2025: All you need to know about Wicklow's agricultural show
Celebrating the richness and diversity of Wicklow, the show promises a spectacular day out for the entire family, blending time-honoured agricultural traditions with exciting modern attractions. Drawing over 15,000 visitors annually and featuring more than 400 trade stands, this year's show will be the biggest yet. Where and when? The show will take place at Fairwood Park in Tinahely (Y14 KR88) on Monday, August 4, from 8.30am to 6pm. Is there an entry fee? Admission to the show is €20 for adults, €15 for students and OAP's or €55 for a family (two adults and two children under 18), with free entry for children under 12. Parking is free. What's on? A stalwart through the ages, the livestock and equestrian exhibitions never fail to deliver. From the Connolly's Red Mills Two-year-old Finals, the FBD Belgian Blue finals, the Tirlan Best of Dairy, and all those amazing cattle breeds in between, it's a feast for the eye. As one of the fastest growing sections of the show, the sheep classes showcase the huge variety of sheep in the Garden County and beyond. Returning for its fourth year, the 'Best of Wicklow' exhibition will showcase more of what makes Wicklow exceptional, with Wicklow Naturally hosting several cookery demonstrations, including celebrity chefs Deusa de Assis of 'Hug in a Bowl, Deirdre Doyle of The Cool Food School, Wicklow Chef Paul Smith and Lorraine Aspill of Daisy Cottage Farm. The show will feature the usual attractions that blend agricultural competitions, entertainment, crafts, novelty events, and amusements. Country music star Jack Keogh and his band will headline a fantastic musical lineup along with Stuart Moyles, Theresa and The Stars and Paddy Treacy. The all-new Jiving Competition with a prize fund of €2,000 is sure to see many shine their dance shoes to compete. The show's 'Business Marquee' will be building on its great success from its inaugural presence in 2024. Dedicated to local startups and innovative rural businesses, it is one of the star attractions at our show. Other key attractions include local, national, and championship livestock competitions, a trade stand display with over 400 businesses showcasing their services and products, and the FBD Belgian Blue Finals. There will be arts and crafts competitions and a showcase, the IFA Food Marquee, pony games and show jumping, a pet's corner and the Zurich Crossbred Finals, along with a dog show, vintage display, 'The World of Wool', the Quilt Marquee, dog agility, junior arts and crafts, a carnival fair and novelty events and competitions. The show's sense of always doing 'the right thing' comes to the fore with its innovative recycling and sustainability, with practical onsite solutions to recycling, waste and water management.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wealthy homeowners accused of exploiting loophole to dodge 300pc tax raid
A Labour council has launched a crackdown on wealthy homeowners after accusing them of using a loophole to evade a 300pc tax raid on empty properties. Westminster council as much as quadrupled council tax in April in a bid to stop residents leaving houses unoccupied. It also rolled out double taxes for second home owners. But the move has been met with a 'significant increase' in the number of people using loopholes to avoid paying the higher taxes, according to the local authority. It is planning a crackdown by using the Government's anti-fraud database to reveal whether or not residents are falsely claiming key exemptions. Adam Hug, the council's leader, said: 'We have found a significant increase in owners trying to evade the additional costs by reporting the property as either not empty, not a second home, or, most commonly, claiming a single-person discount. 'It is challenging for officers to evidence that the property is indeed being used as a second home, especially if that person's primary residence is outside the borough. For both these issues, we are meeting with the Government's National Fraud Initiative.' The National Fraud Initiative is an electronic database designed to share information for use by private and public sector bodies that can identify potentially fraudulent claims, payments and inconsistencies. The council estimates that there are 34,000 homes in Westminster that are not being used as a primary residence, representing a quarter of its housing stock. This includes some 4,000 registered second homes and 1,300 long-term empty properties, as well as short-term lets used by tourists and private hospital patients. The borough has some of the highest house prices in the country, with properties selling for an average £1.5m last year, according to property website Rightmove. Speaking at a conference held last month by the Empty Homes Network, a pressure group for policy to tackle vacant properties, Mr Hug said Westminster was 'highly attractive to overseas investors' who are 'extremely wealthy' and 'significantly more challenging' to contact. From April, it imposed a 100pc council tax premium on homes that have been empty for up to five years, 200pc for up to 10 years and 300pc for more than a decade. Meanwhile, second home owners are liable for a 100pc council tax premium. Westminster is not the first council to have seen a double council tax raid on second home owners backfire. Analysis reported by The Telegraph shows local authorities will lose £334m to the policy because of a raft of exemptions available to residents. Other boroughs in the capital to have implemented double council tax for second home owners include Hackney, Wandsworth and Kensington and Chelsea. Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor, has even suggested that London second home owners should pay 'much more' than the 100pc premium. Westminster council has previously called for greater powers to take control of empty properties after just six months of being vacant to tackle homelessness in the borough. 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.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wealthy homeowners accused of exploiting loophole to dodge 300pc tax raid
A Labour council has launched a crackdown on wealthy homeowners after accusing them of using a loophole to evade a 300pc tax raid on empty properties. Westminster council as much as quadrupled council tax in April in a bid to stop residents leaving houses unoccupied. It also rolled out double taxes for second home owners. But the move has been met with a 'significant increase' in the number of people using loopholes to avoid paying the higher taxes, according to the local authority. It is planning a crackdown by using the Government's anti-fraud database to reveal whether or not residents are falsely claiming key exemptions. Adam Hug, the council's leader, said: 'We have found a significant increase in owners trying to evade the additional costs by reporting the property as either not empty, not a second home, or, most commonly, claiming a single-person discount. 'It is challenging for officers to evidence that the property is indeed being used as a second home, especially if that person's primary residence is outside the borough. For both these issues, we are meeting with the Government's National Fraud Initiative.' The National Fraud Initiative is an electronic database designed to share information for use by private and public sector bodies that can identify potentially fraudulent claims, payments and inconsistencies. The council estimates that there are 34,000 homes in Westminster that are not being used as a primary residence, representing a quarter of its housing stock. This includes some 4,000 registered second homes and 1,300 long-term empty properties, as well as short-term lets used by tourists and private hospital patients. The borough has some of the highest house prices in the country, with properties selling for an average £1.5m last year, according to property website Rightmove. Speaking at a conference held last month by the Empty Homes Network, a pressure group for policy to tackle vacant properties, Mr Hug said Westminster was 'highly attractive to overseas investors' who are 'extremely wealthy' and 'significantly more challenging' to contact. From April, it imposed a 100pc council tax premium on homes that have been empty for up to five years, 200pc for up to 10 years and 300pc for more than a decade. Meanwhile, second home owners are liable for a 100pc council tax premium. Westminster is not the first council to have seen a double council tax raid on second home owners backfire. Analysis reported by The Telegraph shows local authorities will lose £334m to the policy because of a raft of exemptions available to residents. Other boroughs in the capital to have implemented double council tax for second home owners include Hackney, Wandsworth and Kensington and Chelsea. Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor, has even suggested that London second home owners should pay 'much more' than the 100pc premium. Westminster council has previously called for greater powers to take control of empty properties after just six months of being vacant to tackle homelessness in the borough.
Glasgow Times
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Core festival 2025: Lineup for Glasgow festival announced
Core. festival will bring a three-day celebration of noise to the West End from September 12 to 14 The festival, described as a 'celebration of noise', will take place across Woodside Halls and The Hug and Pint. Read more: Kneecap announce Glasgow gig after being dropped from TRNSMT lineup This year's line-up features an impressive array of headliners. Florida's Torche, known for their unique blend of sludge and stoner metal, will take over the main stage on Friday night. The recently reformed band and are expected to deliver a performance that pays homage to their distinguished career. On Saturday Defeater, Boston's melodic-hardcore heavyweights, play their first Scottish show in nearly a decade, promising a long-awaited performance for die-hard fans. Meanwhile, the final night of the festival will close with Cave In, who will mark the 25th anniversary of their seminal album Jupiter by performing it in full Core. has cemented its place as a haven for noise, metal, hardcore, and experimental music fans, with this year's line-up boasting international and local names. This includes Pest Control, Agriculture, Oversize, The Chisel, Frontierer, and And So I Watch You From Afar, who head up an 'intimate' performance with Waldo's Gift. Read more: ScotRail issue travel warning ahead of Robbie Williams gig Scotland's own scene is well represented with OMO, Moni Jitchell, Shutter, No Kilter, Gout, Test of Patience, BLDSPRT, No Known Weakness, and Lights Out among many others. The festival has quickly become a staple event for underground music lovers, offering a shared space for noise, community, and unique catharsis. With an eclectic line-up and passionate ethos, attendees can expect a weekend of intensity and unforgettable moments. All those interested in attending can purchase tickets at the Core festival website.
