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Spectator
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Suspended Labour candidate wins in Lancashire
Some real characters being elected today. Remember Azhar Ali? He was dropped as Labour's candidate in the Rochdale by-election last year after he was recorded claiming that Israel 'allowed' the 7 October massacre, and making dark insinuations about 'Jewish quarters' of the media… Well, Mr Ali (these days an independent) has just been re-elected by the clement people of Lancashire in the ward of Nelson East. He was voted in, too, with a very healthy majority of 874. Result! And then there's Maheen Kamran. She's an 18-year-old aspiring medical student who has just been elected by the good men and women of Burnley Central East with a majority of 268 votes. Who is she? Well, Kamran ran on the interesting platform of wanting the end of 'free mixing' in public spaces… 'Muslim women,' she explained to PoliticsHome, 'aren't really comfortable with being involved with Muslim men. I'm sure we can have segregated areas, segregated gyms, where Muslim women don't have to sacrifice their health.
Spectator
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Houchen mulls anti-Labour pact with Reform
After the 4 July wipeout last year, Ben Houchen became the most senior Conservative left in public office across the UK. So it is intriguing then to hear the Tees Valley mayor make a series of remarks that are not entirely helpful to party leader, Kemi Badenoch. First, there were his comments last month to PoliticsHome in which Houchen warned that: We do not live in a world of academia and think tanks. That's not what modern politics is about. It's a street fight. You've got to get out there. You've got to dig your nails in. You've got to dig your heels, and you've got to make progress one inch at a time. We're not doing enough to earn the respect from others, journalists, political parties or the public, because we're not doing that. Whomever could he mean? Then, he told Politico this week that he wanted to see a 'coming together' of the two rightwing parties – despite Badenoch explicitly ruling out such a pact.
Wales Online
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Wales Online
Seven items households 'should stockpile in case of grey zone attack'
Seven items households 'should stockpile in case of grey zone attack' Former defence minister warns that the UK must 'wake up and start preparing' "They're real-world scenarios we must now seriously consider," says former MP Tobias Ellwood, (Image: (Image: Getty) ) UK households are being advised to stock up on seven essential items incase of an attack on the country, according to a former defence minister. Tobias Ellwood, former defence minister and ex-MP, warned that the UK needs to "wake up and start preparing" for a potential "grey zone attack" that could disrupt the country's infrastructure, energy, or food supplies. On Thursday, Mr Ellwood urged people to be prepared for realistic scenarios, including drone attacks, internet outages, and power cuts. He recommended that households stockpile seven key items, including drinking water, food, radios, and iodine tablets. Article continues below In an article for PoliticsHome, he wrote: "What if your phone buzzed with a national emergency alert warning of a swarm drone attack en route to your city – where would you go? How would you respond?" "These aren't scenes from a dystopian thriller – they're real-world scenarios we must now seriously consider. "Britain is now facing a surge in grey-zone warfare – deniable, covert attacks aimed at weakening our economy, undermining our infrastructure, and sowing confusion and panic. "Russia's so-called shadow fleet is already mapping the UK's undersea cable networks – those vital arteries that deliver our electricity, gas and data. Autonomous underwater vehicles are criss-crossing the seabed, gathering intelligence.", "This isn't speculation – Russia's ambassador to the UK recently acknowledged that sensors had been placed in British waters, after several devices washed ashore. "The Royal Navy is responding, ramping up its ability to detect threats and developing its own unmanned underwater vehicles. But this fight doesn't begin and end with the military." Mr Ellwood urged households to stock up on these seven key items, reports the Express: At least 100 litres of clean water Non-perishable food items, including tinned goods and food that can be consumed cold Candles and a working torch. A battery-powered radio Iodine tablets for protection against nuclear fallout Sufficient cash A basic first-aid kit Continuing his cautionary advice, he declared: "The era of complacency is over. A significant grey-zone attack on the UK is not just possible – it's likely. If we want to protect our lives, our economy and our democracy, we must get ready now." The UK's own emergency website, Prepare UK, echoes the call from the former defence minister. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here It also urges Brits to stock up on essential foods, radios, batteries and spare phone battery packs among other key items. Prepare UK highlights: "Emergencies happen every day in the UK and across the world. They can be caused by severe weather or other natural hazards, by deliberate actions, or as a result of accidents or infrastructure failure. "They can be events that happen quickly and are over in a few hours, or they can develop and continue over the course of several days, months, or sometimes even longer." The guidelines recommend: "Consider what supplies you and your household might need during an emergency lasting a few days, such as a power cut or water outage, or situations where you are advised to stay at home or to leave your home (evacuate) for safety reasons." Additionally, households are advised to consider stockpiling essential items including baby supplies, hand sanitiser, and wet wipes, as well as a portable power bank, bottled water, first aid kits, and non-perishable food. Article continues below
Morocco World
21-03-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Former UK Minister: Morocco Key Player in Britain's Clean Energy Mission
Doha – 'Morocco can play a key role in the UK's clean energy mission,' former UK Defence Minister Nick Harvey asserted, as he reflected on the North African country's crucial position in Britain's renewable energy future. In an article published on Thursday in PoliticsHome, the former Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon (1992-2015) outlined how sourcing energy from a country with guaranteed sunshine and wind would support the British government's efforts to reduce energy bills, particularly as British families face rising energy costs. Harvey pointed out that the average British family's dual fuel bill will reach £1,849 per year starting April, following Ofgem's latest price cap announcement, Britain's energy regulator that sets the maximum rate that suppliers can charge consumers. 'Without government action, many frightened families would have been simply unable to afford their monthly bills,' he declared, referring to the impact of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine on wholesale gas costs. The former minister expounded on the significance of the Morocco-UK Power Project, which is currently being examined by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. He remarked that by building on a 300-year-old trading relationship with Morocco, the project, led by Xlinks and chaired by former Tesco boss Sir Dave Lewis, would supply enough wind and solar energy to power seven million British homes – representing eight percent of Britain's electricity needs. 'The Morocco-UK Power Project could provide an average of 3.6GW for more than 19 hours a day, backed up by battery storage,' Harvey explained. He detailed how the electricity would be transmitted to British soil via four armored HVDC cables extending 2,485 miles (4,000km), buried at least a meter under the seabed, making landfall on Devon's north coast. 'The scheme uses technology the world has been utilizing for 214 years, when the first submarine cable to carry electricity was laid across the Isar River in Bavaria,' he pointed out. The former minister added that these cables would travel through the territorial waters and exclusive economic zones of NATO allies, providing an extra layer of security. Speaking from his experience as a former defense minister in the 2010-2015 coalition government, Harvey emphasized the importance of increasing Britain's ability to withstand geopolitical turmoil. 'Increasing the amount of power generated by renewables will make us less dependent on – and less at the mercy of – foreign dictators,' he argued. The former armed forces minister noted that Morocco's renewable resources could help address the challenge of 'Dunkelflaute' – a German term describing gloomy, still days when neither sun shines nor wind blows. 'Britain's existing renewable power systems are inherently vulnerable to the vagaries of British weather – as the most recent winter demonstrated. In contrast, Morocco's green, desert power can tackle the intermittency of the UK's weather-dependent turbines and solar panels,' he stated. Harvey observed that the project would generate more than £20 billion in socio-economic benefits for the United Kingdom. He mentioned that XLCC, the project's strategic partner, is establishing the world's largest HVDC facility in Scotland to support Xlinks and similar initiatives, creating hundreds of jobs and enhancing workforce skills. Considering the growing energy demands, particularly driven by power-intensive AI technology, Harvey concluded that 'we will need all the tools and innovation at our disposal to meet that demand.' Tags: clean energyMorocco UK relationsXlinks project
The Independent
14-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Tech secretary asks ChatGPT for policy advice
The minister responsible for artificial intelligence (AI) turned to ChatGPT for policy advice, it has emerged. Science and tech secretary Peter Kyle asked the AI chatbot why small businesses in the UK were slow to adopt the technology, records show. Mr Kyle also asked the software which podcasts he could appear on to reach the widest audience possible, and for definitions of terms such as 'quantum' and 'digital inclusion'. Records obtained under freedom of information laws by the New Scientist magazine show Mr Kyle asked ChatGPT: 'I'm secretary of state for science, innovation and technology in the United Kingdom. What would be the best podcasts for me to appear on to reach a wide audience that's appropriate for my ministerial responsibilities?' The chatbot suggested The Infinite Monkey Cage and The Naked Scientists based on their number of listeners. It comes after a January interview with Mr Kyle in which he said he often uses ChatGPT 'to try and understand the broader context where an innovation came from, the people who developed it, the organisations behind them'. He told PoliticsHome: 'ChatGPT is fantastically good, and where there are things that you really struggle to understand in depth, ChatGPT can be a very good tutor for it.' Sir Keir Starmer recently set out plans to 'mainline AI into the veins' of the British state, saying it offers a 'unique chance' to boost growth and raise living standards. On Thursday the PM said it could help the government unlock £45 billion in efficiency savings, replacing or streamlining the work of civil servants. He said: 'AI is a golden opportunity. You will already be thinking about how you use it in your work. 'That's an opportunity we are determined to seize. So we are going to get the best of best on AI working across government. I'm going to send teams into every government department with a clear mission from me to make the state more innovative and efficient.' Responding to Mr Kyle's question about why businesses have been slow to adopt the technology, ChatGPT cited factors such as 'limited awareness and understanding', 'regulatory and ethical concerns' and 'lack of government or institutional support'. 'While the UK government has launched initiatives to encourage AI adoption, many [small and medium businesses] are unaware of these programs or find them difficult to navigate,' it said. 'Limited access to funding or incentives to de-risk AI investment can also deter adoption.'
