Latest news with #SkyNewsBreakfast
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Body found in wooded area in search for missing teenager Cole Cooper
A body has been found in the search for a teenager who went missing in early May. Cole Cooper, 19, was last seen by a school friend on Wednesday 7 May, in the village of Longcroft near Falkirk, in central Scotland. Mr Cooper was reported missing by his family on Friday 9 May. Police Scotland said the body was discovered in a wooded area near Kilsyth Road in Banknock on Friday afternoon. "Formal identification has yet to take place however the family of missing man Cole Cooper, 19, has been informed," the force said in a statement. "Enquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances." Read more from Sky News Speaking to Sky News Breakfast earlier this week, his brother Connor said their family felt "lost" and described his sibling's disappearance as "hell... for all of us". He described him going missing as "very much out of character" and that "even if his brother wanted some space or alone time" he would have notified family or friends beforehand - and would never "put his younger siblings through this". His mother Wendy Stewart described the situation as "total heartache" and was afraid he may have been "picked up by a car" and come to harm. "Is it actually happening?" she said. "I have been wanting to wake up and it's just been a big nightmare." After police got involved in the search, they visited more than 220 properties and trawled through around 1,000 hours of CCTV footage in a bid to find Mr Cooper. Specialist resources from across the country were mobilised, including a helicopter and drones from the air support unit, as well as officers from the dive and marine unit. The force previously indicated there was no suggestion of any criminality. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the latest version. You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ministers considering scrapping two-child benefit cap, education secretary says
Ministers are considering scrapping the two-child benefit cap, the education secretary told Sky News. Bridget Phillipson, asked by Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast if the cap should be lifted, said: "It's not off the table. "It's certainly something that we're considering." Politics latest: The policy means most families cannot claim means-tested benefits for more than their first two children born after April 2017. Ms Phillipson's comments are the strongest a minister has made about the policy potentially being scrapped. Analysis by The Resolution Foundation thinktank over the weekend found 470,000 children would be lifted out of poverty if parents could claim benefits for more than two children. However, Ms Phillipson said the government inherited a "really difficult situation" with public finances from the Conservative government. "These are not easy or straightforward choices in terms of how we stack it up, but we know the damage child poverty causes," she added. The education secretary, who is also head of the government's child poverty taskforce, said ministers are trying to help in other ways, such as expanding funded childcare hours and opening free breakfast clubs. She said it is "the moral purpose of Labour governments to ensure that everyone, no matter their background, can get on in life". Her "personal mission" is to tackle child poverty, she said. Read more:UK to open talks with Kosovo about hosting 'return hub' - report Sir Keir Starmer is said to have privately backed abolishing the two-child limit and requested the Treasury find the £3.5bn to do so, The Observer reported on Sunday. The government's child poverty strategy, which the taskforce is working on, has been delayed from its original publication date in the spring. Whether to scrap the two-child benefit cap is one of the main issues it is looking at.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Robert Jenrick claims UK 'already island of strangers' - and names locations with 'segregated society'
Robert Jenrick has claimed the UK is "already an island of strangers" after the prime minister faced criticism for using that phrase in a speech on migration. The shadow justice secretary told Sky News Breakfast with that the UK was not at risk of becoming an "island of strangers", as Sir Keir claimed, but that this already the reality. Politics latest: Asked if he agreed with the PM's language he said: "I think we already are. I think there are certain places in this country where people are not living side by side, where we are a very divided and segregated society. "If you look at the centre of Bradford, for example, 50% of people were not born in the UK. If you look at the centre of Luton, almost 50% of people only arrived in the UK in the last 10 years. If you look at parts of Dagenham, the white British population has reduced by 50% in the last 25 years." In 2021, 80.1% of Bradford residents reported their country of birth as England according to the ONS, while in Luton the figure is 60.3% of the local population and in Barking and Dagenham it was 58.2%. In Barking and Dagenham, about 85% of the population identified as white in 2001, which fell to 58.3% in 2011 and 44.9% in 2021. In his speech on Monday announcing , Sir Keir pledged a new system that is "controlled, selective and fair". He said without the fair rules, "we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together". The comment has attracted criticism from within his own party, including Labour MP Sarah Owen, who said it could put the UK on "a very dark path". The chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee said "fair and sensible" checks on immigration "should not equal blaming all the woes of our country on immigrants". "The best way to avoid becoming an 'island of strangers' is investing in communities to thrive - not pitting people against each other," she added. "I've said it before and will say it again, chasing the tail of the right risks taking our country down a very dark path." Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, also said the phrase mimicked the "scaremongering of the far-right", while former shadow chancellor John McDonnell argued it was reminiscent of the
Scottish Sun
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Kay Burley shares snap with rarely seen son Wolfie as they move out of family home after her exit from Sky News
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PROUD mum Kay Burley today shared a snap of her rarely seen son Wolfie as they moved out of the family home, following her exit from Sky News. The broadcaster's hosted her final programme in February, and is now marking another new chapter in her life. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 7 Kay Burley shared a sweet picture with her son Wolfie, as they moved home Credit: Instagram 7 The broadcaster revealed they were leaving their home that has so many 'memories' Credit: Instagram 7 It comes as Kay retired from Sky News after 36 years this year Credit: Matt Frost 7 The broadcaster's last show on Sky News Breakfast was in February Credit: Sky News After adjusting to life in retirement, Kay, 64, has now taken the plunge and is moving out of the family home. To celebrate an "end of an era" the former journalist posted a slew of pics of her with her son Wolfie, 32. Kay shares her only child - who's real name is Alexander - with her ex-husband, Steve Kutner. Captioning the heartwarming snaps, she wrote: "End of an era. Moving day from Harrow on the Hill. "I have spent half my life in this street and my son @wolfiekutner has spent his whole life here. "He went to school a stone's throw away from the front door and we often had a house full of his schoolmates playing cricket in the garden. I" spent most of my working life at Sky based in this street. I remember being woken by my head of news and driving up the road in the dark on 31st August, 1997 not knowing what the day would bring - it was the morning Diana died. "We will leave many memories behind. LEAVING SKY NEWS Kay announced she was leaving Sky News on her final show in February. Addressing viewers at the end of the show, she said: "From a standing start to one of the most recognised and valued brands in global news, it's been an honour and privilege to work with some of the best and hardest working teams in the business. Sky News in major hosting shake up as multiple stars are replaced while another is forced to present alone "News by its very nature is often devastating and together we've covered so many life-changing events - from the tragic death of Diana, the shocking terror attack of 9/11; the Asian Tsunami; the Concorde air disaster. "But we've also enjoyed some wonderful high notes too, haven't we - the thrill of London winning the chance to host the 2012 Olympics; a plethora of royal weddings; jubilees and who can forget days and days and DAYS waiting for royal babies to arrive at the Lindo Wing. "But after over a million minutes of live TV news - more than anyone else in the world - its time for me to indulge in some of my other passions - including my love for travel. "So, after covering 12 separate general elections - including Sir Keir Starmer's victory last year - I am retiring from Sky News - let politicians of every party just rejoice at that news! 7 Kay said leaving the house was an 'end of an era' Credit: Instagram 7 Kay was the face of Sky News for major world events Credit: Sky "Thank you for waking up and tuning in every morning. I can't tell you how much I have appreciated your support over the last three and a half decades: You're awesome. "I will post more on my social media and hope to see you around. Please keep in touch." CAREER IN THE SPOTLIGHT Before leaving in February, Kay had hosted the 24-hour rolling news channel's breakfast programme for the last five years, moving from her afternoon slot in 2019. She first joined Sky when it launched in 1988 and claims to have hosted more live television than any other broadcaster. 7 The broadcaster was part of the team which launched Sky News in 1989. Pictured in 2005 Credit: Sky Kay soon became the face of Sky News for major world events, such as the death of Princess Diana, the births of the Royal babies and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Sky bosses took Kay off air for six months in 2020 after her birthday bash flouted Coronavirus lockdown rules at the time with the anchor apologising for the "error of judgement". As well as hosting live TV, Burley published her debut novel, First Ladies in 2011, which was followed by her second book Betrayal in 2012. The anchor's career first started in BBC local radio and Tyne Tees Television. She then joined ITV's TV-am in 1985 as a reporter and occasional newsreader. From 1987, she presented TV-am's first hour, filling in for Caroline Righton and covering for Anne Diamond during their maternity leave.
Sky News
17-04-2025
- Health
- Sky News
NHS must change policy on allowing trans people on single-sex wards, head of equalities watchdog says
The NHS must change its policy of allowing transgender people to be on single-sex wards aligned with their gender identity following the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a "woman", the head of Britain's equalities watchdog said. On Wednesday, judges at the UK's highest court unanimously ruled that the definition of a "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 refers to "a biological woman and biological sex". Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chair of the UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), said the ruling was "enormously consequential" and ensured clarity. She vowed to pursue organisations that do not update their policies, saying they should be "taking care" to look at the "very readable judgment". On single-sex hospital wards, Baroness Falkner told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the NHS will "have to change" their 2019 policy, which says transgender patients are entitled to be accommodated on single-sex wards matching how they identify. She said the court ruling means there is now "no confusion" and the NHS "can start to implement the new legal reasoning and produce their exceptions forthwith". 2:10 Women's sport and changing rooms The baroness also said trans women can no longer take part in women's sport, while single-sex places, such as changing rooms, "must be based on biological sex". However, she said there is no law against organisations providing a "third space", such as unisex toilets, and suggested trans rights organisations "should be using their powers of advocacy to ask for those third spaces". In 2021, Baroness Falkner came under criticism from trans and other LGBTIQ+ organisations after she said women had the right to question transgender identity without fear of abuse, stigmatisation or loss of employment. Some EHRC staff resigned in protest of the body's "descent into transphobia", while others defended her, saying she was depoliticising the organisation. Her four-year term was extended for a further 12 months in November by the Labour government. Public bodies must look at equality laws Health minister Karin Smyth said public bodies have been told to look at how equality laws are implemented following the ruling. She told Anna Jones on Sky News Breakfast: "Obviously, public bodies have been asked to look at their own guidance. "And we will do that very, very carefully." She said the court's ruling was "very clear" about women's rights being defined by sex, which she said "will give clarity to companies". But she warned against public bodies making statements "that may alarm people", telling them to take their time to look at their guidance. The ruling marked the culmination of a long battle between campaign group For Women Scotland and the Scottish government after the group brought a case arguing sex-based protections should only apply to people born female. 1:48 Not a triumph of one group over another Judge Lord Hodge said the ruling should not be read as "a triumph of one or more groups in our society at the expense of another". He said the Equality Act 2010 "gives transgender people protection, not only against discrimination through the protected characteristic of gender reassignment, but also against direct discrimination, indirect discrimination and harassment in substance in their acquired gender". Ms Smyth said those who identify as transgender "will feel concerned" after the ruling but said the Gender Recognition Act still stands and gives people who identify differently to the sex they were born in "the dignity and privacy of presenting differently". She said NHS policy of having same sex wards remains, but did not mention the 2019 transgender policy, and said the NHS has been looking at how to support both transgender men and women. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said the Scottish government "accepts" the judgment and said the ruling "gives clarity". 2:12 Trina Budge, director of For Women Scotland, said it was a "victory for women's rights" and said the case was "never about trans rights" as transgender people are "fully protected in law". "It means there's absolute clarity in law regarding what a woman is. We know for sure now that we are referring to the biological sex class of women," she told Sky News. "And that when we see a women-only space, it means exactly that. Just women. No men. Not even if they have a gender recognition certificate." Transgender woman and Scottish Greens activist Ellie Gomersall said the ruling "represents yet another attack on the rights of trans people to live our lives in peace". Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman added: "This is a deeply concerning ruling for human rights and a huge blow to some of the most marginalised people in our society."
