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BBC News
09-08-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Liverpool fans' anger over Labour conference Iain Dale event
A Liverpool FC supporters' group has written to the prime minister to complain about the planned appearance of political commentator Iain Dale at the Labour Party's conference in the city. Spirit of Shankly (SOS) said it felt his appearance was inappropriate because a company he co-owned published books by former South Yorkshire Police chief inspector Norman Bettison and the ex-editor of The Sun, Kelvin McKenzie. The Sun has been the subject of a long-running boycott in Merseyside over its coverage of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, while Mr Bettison has faced accusations he tried to blame Liverpool fans for the tragedy, which claimed 97 Dale told the BBC he had been to "virtually every Labour Party conference since 1998, including all the ones in Liverpool" and described SOS's intervention as "ridiculous". The Labour Party has been approached for comment. In its letter to Sir Keir Starmer, SOS said: "That the Labour Party should now offer him a platform in this city is an insult, compounded by the current fear of those Hillsborough families, survivors and campaigners - as voiced by Liverpool MP Ian Byrne - that the Hillsborough Law will not be delivered in full as promised."This decision, coming after the recent appointment of David Dinsmore as the government's director of communications, merely adds to a growing sense of betrayal."SOS said it had also written to every Merseyside Labour MP over Mr Dale's planned appearance. It is the second time an appearance in Liverpool by Mr Dale has sparked controversy in relation to Hillsborough. In 2024, the Philharmonic Hall cancelled a tour date for the stage show spin-off of his LBC podcast For The Many, citing "local sensitivities".Mr Dale said at the time the theatre had been "cowed by a couple of Twitter trolls". SOS also raised that in 2011, during an appearance in Liverpool for the Labour Party conference, Mr Dale had described the city as "ghastly", saying it "made Gaza look welcoming".Mr Dale told the BBC: "Both Keir Starmer and Merseyside Labour MPs are very happy to appear on my LBC radio show, so I can't imagine they will have any truck with this ridiculous attempt to get me banned from the conference." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Daily Record
27-05-2025
- Daily Record
Real reason snipers were seen during parade crash in Liverpool revealed
Title celebrations were cut short in the city after the vehicle was seen driving through crowds on Water Street. Police snipers spotted in Liverpool were not there because of the car crash that left a number of people injured, it has been confirmed. Title celebrations were cut short in the city after the vehicle was seen driving through crowds on Water Street. More than 50 people were taken to hospital and officers said in a press conference this afternoon that a 53-year-old white British suspect has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drugs. The incident is not being treated as terror related - however, as reported by the Echo, questions were raised as to why a sniper presence was spotted at the scene following the incident. Footage of the incident quickly circulated on social media and eyewitness accounts said people "were flying into the air" as they were hit by the car. A video of what appeared to be a police sniper team on the Queensway Tunnel Ventilation Tower has circulated on social media, with people questioning "did the police expect an incident?" The decision to deploy rooftop sniper teams in the city centre was, however, "purely planning for a major event", our sister title understands from sources. Merseyside Police had an armed presence in the city centre due to the scale and magnitude of Liverpool's title-winning parade. This included the Project Servator team, which contains high-visibility armed officers. The decision to deploy sniper teams is reportedly taken at any event of this significance and size. Previously armed police have been deployed to events in the city including the Labour Party Conference at the ACC Liverpool, last year, the Grand National, and even at Liverpool's Christmas Markets. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The parade celebrating Liverpool's Premier League title win saw crowds gather along the 15km bus route to catch a glimpse of the stars. However, the scenes of joy quickly turned to horror when a car was driven into the crowd. Merseyside Police is carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the circumstances leading up to the incident, with questions being asked about how the car was able to access a key city centre road that had been closed to traffic because of the parade. At this afternoon's press conference, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: "I want to take the opportunity to pay tribute to the brave members of the emergency services who were on the scene of yesterday's incident within a matter of seconds. "Following such a shocking incident, they immediately ran towards an extremely uncertain and potentially dangerous situation in an effort to protect members of the public and fellow emergency responders from harm. "Merseyside Police continues to work with other emergency services, Liverpool City Council, Liverpool City Combined Regional Authority, local hospitals and health providers and Liverpool Football Club collectively in response to this incident. "An extensive investigation into the precise circumstances of the incident is ongoing, and we continue to ask people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the incident and refrain from sharing distressing content online."
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Police snipers spotted during Liverpool parade crash
Police have arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder after a car crash left dozens of people injured during Liverpool's title celebrations in the city centre Police snipers spotted in Liverpool city centre were not there because of the car crash that left a number of people injured, it has been confirmed. Liverpool's title celebrations were cut short after the vehicle was seen driving through crowds on Water Street. More than 50 people were taken to hospital. Officers said in a press conference this afternoon that a white British suspect, 53, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drugs. The incident is not being treated as terror related. Following the incident, questions were raised as to why a sniper presence was spotted at the scene, reports the ECHO. Footage of the incident quickly circulated on social media and eyewitness accounts said people "were flying into the air" as they were hit by the car. A video of what appeared to be a police sniper team on the Queensway Tunnel Ventilation Tower has circulated on social media, with people questioning "did the police expect an incident?" However, the decision to deploy rooftop sniper teams in the city centre was "purely planning for a major event", the ECHO understands from sources. Merseyside Police had an armed presence in the city centre due to the scale and magnitude of Liverpool's title-winning parade. This included the Project Servator team, which contains high-visibility armed officers. The decision to deploy sniper teams is reportedly taken at any event of this significance and size. Previously armed police have been deployed to events in the city including the Labour Party Conference at the ACC Liverpool, last year, the Grand National, and even at Liverpool's Christmas Markets. The parade celebrating Liverpool's Premier League title win saw crowds gather along the 15km bus route to catch a glimpse of the stars. However, the scenes of joy quickly turned to horror when a car was driven into the crowd. Merseyside Police is carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the circumstances leading up to the incident, with questions being asked about how the car was able to access a key city centre road that had been closed to traffic because of the parade. At this afternoon's press conference, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: "I want to take the opportunity to pay tribute to the brave members of the emergency services who were on the scene of yesterday's incident within a matter of seconds. "Following such a shocking incident, they immediately ran towards an extremely uncertain and potentially dangerous situation in an effort to protect members of the public and fellow emergency responders from harm. "Merseyside Police continues to work with other emergency services, Liverpool City Council, Liverpool City Combined Regional Authority, local hospitals and health providers and Liverpool Football Club collectively in response to this incident. "An extensive investigation into the precise circumstances of the incident is ongoing, and we continue to ask people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the incident and refrain from sharing distressing content online."
Glasgow Times
15-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
DWP should have legal duty to look after vulnerable benefits claimants, say MPs
Ministers should introduce the statutory duty to prevent people from dying or coming to harm as a result of mistakes in the welfare system, the Commons Work and Pensions Committee said in its latest report. The committee's latest recommendations come after several high-profile deaths of vulnerable people following their interaction with the benefits system. Among those named in the report is Errol Graham, who starved to death in 2018, months after his disability benefit payments were stopped. Meanwhile, Debbie Abrahams, the committee's Labour chairwoman, suggested an 'unhelpful media narrative' about benefits claimants and 'cost-cutting drives' continues to sow distrust in the DWP. The report comes at a time when the Government is pushing for reforms aimed at reducing the number of welfare claimants by getting more people currently on benefits into work. 'Cost-effectiveness and efforts to move people into work had been prioritised, or been perceived to be prioritised, over providing genuine care and support to vulnerable people,' the report said. At the same time, claimants have reported 'feeling undeserving of support, or fearful of the DWP'. A 'deep-rooted cultural change' is needed, according to the report, which recommended a change in the law so that the DWP has to help claimants who are vulnerable get help from other branches of Government, like the health service. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall should make a statement in the House of Commons setting out a new approach to safeguarding once the ongoing benefits review is finished, the MPs said. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall makes a statement on welfare reform in the House of Commons in March (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA) A statutory duty of care would be a 'significant undertaking for the DWP', the report acknowledged, but it claimed the current approach is not working, and there are a 'stubbornly high' number of cases where vulnerable clients have come to harm. Some 240 internal reviews have been started by the DWP since the 2020-21 year, into cases where there has been serious harm, or where there are allegations that the department's actions have led to death or harm. However, the committee suggested the 'true scale of deaths and serious harms of vulnerable claimants is currently unknown'. Ms Abrahams said: 'That people continue to face harm after dealing with the DWP is a self-evident failure of safeguarding in the system. 'Until recently, getting people back into work to cut costs had been prioritised over providing support and care for vulnerable people. 'We heard evidence that the process itself of engaging with the DWP itself too often led to mental distress. Where this led to not being able to get financial support, many had paid the ultimate price.' Debbie Abrahams speaking at the Labour Party Conference in 2016 (Danny Lawson/PA) While the committee members had been 'heartened' by evidence they heard from the Work and Pensions Secretary on moves to improve safeguarding, Ms Abrahams added: 'We've heard that, whilst some have been lifted by the system when it works well, this can depend on claimants' confidence that the system will help them. 'Too often, we heard their trust has been smashed by continual cost-cutting drives and an unhelpful media narrative. 'Many fear coming forward and expressing that they need additional support due to their circumstances and they fall deeper into vulnerability and despair as a result.' The report also contains a warning for ministers about moves to cut costs in the benefits system. 'Incorrectly applied, policies intended to drive claimant behaviour and deliver value for money, such as sanctions and deductions, can create and exacerbate vulnerabilities,' it said. Mark Winstanley, chief executive of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, gave his support to the committee's recommendations. 'For too long, vulnerable people living with mental illness have suffered devastating harm and lost their lives due to failures in the benefits system,' he said. 'If implemented, a statutory duty for the DWP to safeguard vulnerable claimants would be a crucial step towards real accountability, something we and other committed campaigners have advocated for. 'Like our NHS, the benefits system was set up to support those in need, yet without legal safeguards a punitive and harmful approach has gone unchecked, with little transparency on whether lessons have been learned from past tragedies. 'The Government has pledged to renew its focus on safeguarding – this must include a statutory duty for the DWP to safeguard vulnerable claimants that prioritises the wellbeing of people affected by mental illness in every policy and decision.' A DWP spokesperson said: 'This Government is committed to protecting the people who use our services and fixing the broken welfare system we inherited so it works for those who need it. 'That's why we are currently consulting on a new safeguarding approach, and our reforms will improve people's lives and rebuild trust, by establishing an approach that genuinely supports vulnerable people. 'As we deliver our Plan for Change, we encourage people to have their voices heard through our consultation so we can build a safeguarding approach that works better for all.'
Western Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Health
- Western Telegraph
DWP should have legal duty to look after vulnerable benefits claimants, say MPs
Ministers should introduce the statutory duty to prevent people from dying or coming to harm as a result of mistakes in the welfare system, the Commons Work and Pensions Committee said in its latest report. The committee's latest recommendations come after several high-profile deaths of vulnerable people following their interaction with the benefits system. Among those named in the report is Errol Graham, who starved to death in 2018, months after his disability benefit payments were stopped. Meanwhile, Debbie Abrahams, the committee's Labour chairwoman, suggested an 'unhelpful media narrative' about benefits claimants and 'cost-cutting drives' continues to sow distrust in the DWP. The report comes at a time when the Government is pushing for reforms aimed at reducing the number of welfare claimants by getting more people currently on benefits into work. 'Cost-effectiveness and efforts to move people into work had been prioritised, or been perceived to be prioritised, over providing genuine care and support to vulnerable people,' the report said. At the same time, claimants have reported 'feeling undeserving of support, or fearful of the DWP'. A 'deep-rooted cultural change' is needed, according to the report, which recommended a change in the law so that the DWP has to help claimants who are vulnerable get help from other branches of Government, like the health service. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall should make a statement in the House of Commons setting out a new approach to safeguarding once the ongoing benefits review is finished, the MPs said. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall makes a statement on welfare reform in the House of Commons in March (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA) A statutory duty of care would be a 'significant undertaking for the DWP', the report acknowledged, but it claimed the current approach is not working, and there are a 'stubbornly high' number of cases where vulnerable clients have come to harm. Some 240 internal reviews have been started by the DWP since the 2020-21 year, into cases where there has been serious harm, or where there are allegations that the department's actions have led to death or harm. However, the committee suggested the 'true scale of deaths and serious harms of vulnerable claimants is currently unknown'. Ms Abrahams said: 'That people continue to face harm after dealing with the DWP is a self-evident failure of safeguarding in the system. 'Until recently, getting people back into work to cut costs had been prioritised over providing support and care for vulnerable people. 'We heard evidence that the process itself of engaging with the DWP itself too often led to mental distress. Where this led to not being able to get financial support, many had paid the ultimate price.' Debbie Abrahams speaking at the Labour Party Conference in 2016 (Danny Lawson/PA) While the committee members had been 'heartened' by evidence they heard from the Work and Pensions Secretary on moves to improve safeguarding, Ms Abrahams added: 'We've heard that, whilst some have been lifted by the system when it works well, this can depend on claimants' confidence that the system will help them. 'Too often, we heard their trust has been smashed by continual cost-cutting drives and an unhelpful media narrative. 'Many fear coming forward and expressing that they need additional support due to their circumstances and they fall deeper into vulnerability and despair as a result.' The report also contains a warning for ministers about moves to cut costs in the benefits system. 'Incorrectly applied, policies intended to drive claimant behaviour and deliver value for money, such as sanctions and deductions, can create and exacerbate vulnerabilities,' it said. Mark Winstanley, chief executive of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, gave his support to the committee's recommendations. 'For too long, vulnerable people living with mental illness have suffered devastating harm and lost their lives due to failures in the benefits system,' he said. 'If implemented, a statutory duty for the DWP to safeguard vulnerable claimants would be a crucial step towards real accountability, something we and other committed campaigners have advocated for. 'Like our NHS, the benefits system was set up to support those in need, yet without legal safeguards a punitive and harmful approach has gone unchecked, with little transparency on whether lessons have been learned from past tragedies. 'The Government has pledged to renew its focus on safeguarding – this must include a statutory duty for the DWP to safeguard vulnerable claimants that prioritises the wellbeing of people affected by mental illness in every policy and decision.' A DWP spokesperson said: 'This Government is committed to protecting the people who use our services and fixing the broken welfare system we inherited so it works for those who need it. 'That's why we are currently consulting on a new safeguarding approach, and our reforms will improve people's lives and rebuild trust, by establishing an approach that genuinely supports vulnerable people. 'As we deliver our Plan for Change, we encourage people to have their voices heard through our consultation so we can build a safeguarding approach that works better for all.'
