Latest news with #LouiseJones
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
MP brands Reform UK's deputy leader 'pathetic' in RAF base security row
The deputy leader of Reform UK has hit back after being branded "pathetic" by an MP over comments he made about the female commanding officer of an RAF Jones - the Labour MP for North East Derbyshire - condemned Richard Tice for comments he posted on X about Group Captain Louise Henton following a security breach at RAF Brize Norton in Boston and Skegness MP posted: "Kept safe & secure by an HR manager……well done folks" with a link to the officer's response to Jones's comments in Parliament on Tuesday, Tice said the "woke weakness from Lib Dem and Labours MPs is a national embarrassment". Jones, who served in Afghanistan with the Army, said: "Certain pathetic little people took this incident and decided to come out of the woodwork and criticise people for doing their job whilst being female."I know as a woman serving in the armed forces, every opportunity that has been given to women, we have earned, through serving on operations, proving time and time again, we are worthy to be there."I was very conscious when I was serving that I had to be perfect, because any fault or flaw that I showed would not be held just against me, but against all the women that I was serving with."Responding, Tice told the BBC: "What is pathetic is allowing a HR manager to be responsible for security at one of our most important UK bases. "The woke weakness from Lib Dem and Labours MPs is a national embarrassment." Members of the Palestine Action group broke into the RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and spray-painted two military planes posted online by the group on Friday showed two people inside the airbase in darkness, with one riding on a scooter up to an Airbus Voyager and spraying paint into its jet East counter-terrorism police later confirmed its specialist officers were investigating the incident alongside Thames Valley Police and the Ministry of Defence (MoD).Group Captain Louise Henton joined the RAF in 2001, and took command of RAF Brize Norton in July MoD would not officially comment on the row but a source told the BBC: "The RAF has utmost confidence in the leadership at RAF Brize Norton. "The current station commander brings expertise and talent to the role that are hugely relevant, she is an excellent example of non-aircrew delivering leadership at the highest level, as also shown by Sir Rich Knighton who is an Engineer and head of the RAF."Group Captain Henton's biography on the RAF's website states that she "has served at RAF Stations in the UK, and completed worldwide deployments and detachments". It reads: "Louise has completed command and staff appointments in personnel, media, recruitment, programmes and plans, and human resources."Promoted to Group Captain in [August 2022], she was recently responsible for delivery of the modernisation of career management practises and protocol."The Liberal Democrat MP for Tewkesbury, Cameron Thomas - who served under Group Captain Henton - also joined the condemnation of said in the Commons: "It was a disgusting attack on a senior officer and my previous squadron commander, who had dedicated her career, to the armed forces service and to bettering the lives, the lived experience of our personnel."
BBC News
17-06-2025
- BBC News
Staffordshire Police appeal after burglars target Swindon church
Police are appealing for information after a church was burgled in near Police were called to to St John's Close in Swindon on 7 June, although it is believed thieves had targeted the Evangelist church between 18 May and 1 silver alter candles, a brass table lectern, a silver cross and brass candles with wooden attachments were stolen. A crowbar was used to open the door while the alter was left community support officer Louise Jones said: "The thieves took religiously significant items which are highly important to the church and its congregation." She added that the burglars had targeted the church in between regular services it holds on the first and third week of the with information is encouraged to contact 101 and quote the incident number 283 of 7 June. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pharmacists across Alabama to participate in walkout for PBM reform
ALABAMA (WHNT) — According to the Alabama Pharmacy Association, pharmacists across the state are staging a walkout on Tuesday. The Patient Access Bill, or SB93, advocates for 'patient access and pharmacy survival,' Alabama Pharmacy Association Chief Executive Officer Louise Jones said. 'We have over 100 pharmacies in all areas of Alabama that are participating in some way,' Jones said. You can read the full bill introduced at the beginning of February below. SB93Download To remain accessible to patients, the association said pharmacies will participate in the walkout in a variety of ways. Jones said those who can close for the afternoon will but that not all will fully shut down. Jones also said some pharmacies will close for one or two hours in the afternoon, a few are turning their lights down and some are closing their front doors but the drive-through windows will still be open. The purpose of this walkout/variety of walkout participation, Jones said, is to start a conversation with patients to address the needed Pharmacy Benefit Manager reform (PBM). Many will gather at the Statehouse in Montgomery that day to advocate for Senate Bill 93 which addresses PBM reform and fair reimbursement, and then will walk over and attend the Alabama Pharmacy Association's Legislative Reception to continue the advocacy efforts. The association said PBMs are 'middlemen that determine what medications patients can receive, how much patients pay out of pocket for their prescriptions, and how pharmacies are reimbursed for dispensing medications.' Pharmacies are struggling to keep their doors open as they are often reimbursed for medication at a price lower than their cost of dispensing the medication to the patient. We continue to lose pharmacies across Alabama every month. Originally designed to help reduce the price of prescription drugs, research shows that PBM practices have contributed significantly to the steep increases in prescription costs. APA To learn more about the association and the walkout, you can visit its website here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
