Latest news with #Thorp
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Home Office influencer resigns over Palestine Action proscription
Since the Covid pandemic, Government departments have increasingly used paid and unpaid social media influencers to promote areas of policy to audiences that might not be reached by traditional media. The Telegraph understands that all of Thorp's work with the Home Office was done on a voluntary basis. In 2020, the former Conservative government paid influencers who had appeared on Love Island, the the reality TV show, to promote the launch of the NHS's Test and Trace service. In March this year the Government Communication Service (GCS) published an influencer due diligence policy, setting out how civil servants should vet influencers before asking them to participate in campaigns. The policy said officials should 'check whether the influencer has publicly communicated on political issues recently (last 12 months), at a high volume (monthly or more) and in such a way that is likely to become a story in its own right and undermine the campaign'. Thorp has continued to criticise the Government for its policing of pro-Palestinian protesters in the UK. Recently sharing a video of an armed police officer threatening to arrest a protester holding a Palestinian flag, she wrote 'This is Yvette Cooper's Britain'. She described the incident as 'unbelievable' and asked 'where are all the free speech advocates now?' Thorp has also declined an invitation to appear at the Labour party conference in September as part of a panel on violence against women and girls organised by the NSPCC. She said in response to the request: 'I have ceased my work with the current Labour Government and will no longer be promoting any of the work they're doing to tackle violence against women and girls. 'While I obviously support domestic efforts and policies put in place to reduce violence against women and girls in the UK, their continued supply of arms licences to Israel along with their position as an ally to the IDF is wildly hypocritical.' 'She needs to stop virtue signalling' Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said Thorp should 'stop virtue signalling', adding: 'Palestine Action is a violent group who want to achieve their political aims through coercion and criminal damage. 'They have sabotaged an RAF aircraft, which our country relies on to defend us, they have smashed up property and they have even attacked a police officer with a sledgehammer. This is all totally unacceptable. 'In this country, we decide issues by debate and elections – not violence and intimidation. Palestine Action's methods should be condemned by anyone who believes in democracy and a peaceful political process. This influencer needs to stop virtue signalling on Instagram and call out Palestine Action's violent tactics.'
Euronews
04-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Why is Eurostar allowing passengers to board 30 minutes earlier?
Cross-Channel train service Eurostar is allowing passengers to board trains earlier in an attempt to reduce overcrowding at London's St Pancras station. Travellers can now take their seats 30 minutes prior to departure, instead of waiting in the departure lounge. The move is part of a three-stage plan to increase capacity at the station amid predictions that demand for international rail travel is set to triple. It also comes as part of the transport hub's preparations for the launch of the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES), due to come into force in October this year. Eurostar services are more popular than ever As demand grows for international rail travel, St Pancras station has been feeling the pressure. So far this year, Eurostar has already recorded two of its busiest ever weeks, reaching 136,000 passengers. The operator says passenger numbers from St Pancras are up 4.23 per cent year-on-year - which works out as an additional 101,000 travellers between January and June. While it's a success for the rail company, it has resulted in overcrowding at St Pancras station. The historic building has limited space, resulting in long queues for check-in, security and border checks. The departure lounge is often so crowded that there is often only standing room available. The transport hub and Eurostar say the move to allow passengers earlier boarding will ease the queues. International rail travel from St Pancras projected to triple Earlier boarding is part of a phased plan to double passenger capacity and 'future proof' St Pancras as international rail travel soars in popularity. Both the transport hub and operator Eurostar say they want to offer a service that competes with the high standards of Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5. The aim is to boost international passenger traffic at St Pancras from 1,800 people an hour last year to up to 5,000 an hour over the next few years. 'St Pancras and Eurostar at the highest level are absolutely committed to creating space at St Pancras that is absolutely amazing for the travelling public,' Richard Thorp, chief operating officer of London St Pancras High Speed, told UK newspaper The Standard. Demand for international rail travel is projected to triple at St Pancras by 2040, from 11 million to 35 million passengers per year. 'We are very conscious of what the competition offers. We need to outperform that and promote what is great about the city centre to city centre transport experience – the 'café to café' journey experience,' Thorp added. Eurostar prepares for the EU's EES Border checks between the UK and the EU that came in as a result of Brexit have already caused delays. There are concerns these will be exacerbated by the EU's EES - an electronic system which will replace the physical stamping of passports when you go through passport control. It requires new technology and scanning systems to be implemented at the EU and Schengen Zone borders. At St Pancras, as well as doubling the number of border staff, Eurostar will also double the number of manual booths. There isn't space for all of the new EES kiosks, up to 49 from 24, in their usual location, so they'll be installed at various other places around the station, currently used by both domestic rail operators and the HS1 service, a high-speed railway linking London with the Channel Tunnel. Eurostar has also assured passengers that there will be 'specially-trained staff available at all times' at the new booths. The EES will be followed by the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) in late 2026. This will require British and other non-EU passengers to pre-register more details and pay €7 before crossing the Channel, including on the Eurostar.
Daily Mirror
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Jaw-dropping earnings of Strictly spoiler website exposed as owner hits back
Fans of Strictly Come Dancing know where to turn if they want to learn the outcome of the results show hours in advance every year - and now the earnings of the man behind the spoiler website have been revealed The earnings the man behind the notorious Strictly Spoiler website makes when the show is on the air have allegedly been revealed - and he is certainly making an impressive amount. Fans of the BBC's long-running reality competition Strictly Come Dancing had been delighted and frustrated by the spoiler website unofficially linked to the show. As fans of Strictly know, the live show and results show are both filmed on Saturday nights when the series airs in the Autumn and Winter. However, the results show does not air until almost a full 24 hours after the live show has ended. Through a series of contacts, photographer Dave Throp has been able to learn who is voted off the show after the judges vote on the results show - and publishes the spoiler online hours before the public are supposed to learn about the result in the recorded episode. Now it has been alleged that this is quite a lucrative project for Thorp - with a report suggesting he earns as much as £5,000 a month by simply revealing who loses the dance off ahead of time via his Strictly Spoiler website. It is suggested even on a bad month he can make around £3,000. Thorp himself has previously hinted his spoiler enterprise is not cheap to run but has managed to monetise his website through advertising. He has also previously flagged that he holds competitions for Strictly fans that take a bite out of his earnings and also insists that he re-invests his earnings into his website. A source told the MailOnline:"The money Thorp is making from giving away the Strictly results is ridiculous. He can sometimes earn up to £5,000 a month when the show is airing. On a bad month it's around £3,000, but that's not bad money for simply revealing a result and writing a bit of text around it." The source continued: "He has someone involved on the show leaking him the results and Strictly have no clue who it is. They used to think it was audience members but Thorp still found out which celebrities had been voted out during the lockdown series, which was filmed at Elstree Studios without an audience." The source went on to claim the BBC has made no attempt to try to stop him leaking the details of the judges vote every week when the show airs - and claims he has never received any legal demand to cease and desist. Thorp has since responded to reports, suggesting that the claims of his earnings are exaggerated as he does not regularly receive that income on a monthly basis, nor throughout the year. He said in a lengthy statement on his site: "Have there been months when I've hit the £5k or £3k being quoted. Yes, however these figures are also before operating expenses. My hosting during Strictly can easily hit £1k a month and then there are the regular competitions I run and many other operating expenses that go through the accounts I submit to HMRC and many of these expenses are incurred all year round including in the quiet season. "However the headlines from the article suggest I'm making this kind of money all year round to which my response would be 'I wish'. I'd love to be making £60k a year but I'm not. My last tax return was made for the 23/24 tax year and reported a net profit of approximately £12k." The photographer does also have a detailed Q&A section on his website where he addresses how much money he earns by spoiling the Strictly results. He explains that he makes his money via advertisements that appear on the basic website - and insists that making money out of spoilers was not his motive. He writes: "Initially no this wasn't being done for the money. For the first few years I did this traded at a loss and most of the revenue made from the various monetisation methods I have on the site was reinvested straight back into the site to pay for things like hosting costs which had spiralled from £3 a month to well over £1000 a month as well as marketing and competition prizes. "In 2017 my personal circumstances changed and as a result I now have to take an income out of any revenue I receive and this is now like a full time job to me. Just not as well paid, highly stressful at times and with highly seasonal income that is only received over the course of 3 months." He continues: "When I first started doing this it was not my intention to build a commercially successful site. That happened by accident! As far as the monetisation goes any revenue I make, where possible, is put back into the site and my competitions have gotten bigger and better each year with the largest prize I have ever given away paid out in 2021." He adds: "I am registered self employed too and all earnings are appropriately declared to HMRC with Tax and National Insurance paid on them as appropriate and NI was also paid voluntarily by me many years even when I traded at a loss Site donations go directly towards my web hosting costs which have sky rocketed as I've had to deploy increasingly complicated and costly hosting solutions in order to keep the site up due to the demands placed on it at peak times when the spoiler comes in." Thorp has also vowed to issue a full response to the MailOnline's claims via his website very soon.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Time of India
Ex-NFL player Greg Hardy addresses arrest, says everything's "perfectly fine" despite serious allegations
Greg Hardy breaks silence after alleged assault arrest (Getty Images) Former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy has broken his silence following his arrest last week in Texas, where he was charged with 'assault causes bodily injury family.' Despite the serious allegations, the 36-year-old insists that he and his family are doing well and urges the public to give them privacy. Hardy addressed the reports in an emotional Instagram post, lashing out at what he called misleading narratives. 'Please stop spreading what these chaos machines post, they don't know any facts then fuel the fire that effects my kids and my wife,' Hardy wrote. He added, 'Things get emotional but has never and will never be what you clowns are trying to spread. I ask with all my heart please, My family and I are all perfectly fine. Please stop spreading lies and rumors and give our family the time and space to work through it all in private.' Arrested for alleged assault, Greg Hardy insists there's 'nothing wrong' in the family The statement was shared alongside images and videos that portrayed a seemingly peaceful home life—Hardy was seen kissing a woman believed to be his girlfriend, with children playing joyfully in a bounce house. According to police in Richardson, Texas, Hardy allegedly assaulted his partner, Miranda Thorp, following an argument triggered by suspicions of infidelity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Thorp reportedly confronted Hardy after checking his phone and accused him of cheating. This confrontation allegedly escalated into physical violence, with Thorp telling officers Hardy shoved her, pinned her down, and placed his hands around her neck. Law enforcement noted visible injuries on Thorp that were 'consistent with a physical altercation,' including scratches and abrasions. However, Hardy told authorities that he had only moved Thorp out of his way after she poked him in the forehead. He claimed to have grabbed her arms and placed her on the bed during the dispute. This incident draws uncomfortable parallels to Hardy's troubled past. In 2014, he was arrested for domestic violence while playing for the Carolina Panthers. Although the charges were eventually dropped when the accuser failed to appear in court, the NFL suspended Hardy for violating the league's personal conduct policy. That suspension, initially for 10 games, was later reduced to four after an appeal. Following a single season with the Dallas Cowboys, Hardy's NFL journey came to an abrupt end. He transitioned into combat sports, competing in both the UFC and boxing. However, his fighting career has been rocky, culminating in a knockout loss during an exhibition boxing match in late 2024. Once regarded as a dominant defensive force in the NFL, Hardy's legacy now continues to be overshadowed by off-field controversies. With the recent arrest and serious accusations, questions again arise about the former star's conduct—and whether his plea for privacy will be respected amidst public scrutiny. Also Read: "Attempted manslaughter": Gisele Bündchen slammed for risking baby's life on reckless dog walk, as fans blame her for Tom Brady's divorce decision
New York Post
12-06-2025
- New York Post
Greg Hardy blames ‘chaos machines' after domestic violence arrest
Former NFL star Greg Hardy claimed he and his family are 'perfectly fine' after his arrest last week for allegedly assaulting a family member. Hardy, 36, was arrested in Texas last Wednesday on a charge of 'assault causes bodily injury family,' according to TMZ. 'Please stop spreading what these chaos machines post, they don't know any facts then fuel the fire that effects my kids and my wife,' Hardy wrote in an Instagram post Monday. Advertisement 'Things get emotional but has never and will never be what you clowns are trying to spread. I ask with all my heart please, My family and I are all perfectly fine. Please stop spreading lies and rumors and give our family the time and space to work through it all in private.' 4 Greg Hardy posted this message to Instagram. @greghardyjr/Instagram Hardy's post included a photo of him, a woman and two children, along with two videos that showed him and the woman exchanging kisses and the children enjoying a bouncy gym. The former Panthers and Cowboys star said in 2020 that he had a son and daughter. Advertisement The arrest affidavit stated that Miranda Thorp, described as Hardy's girlfriend, called the police after he attacked her, leaving visible marks, and he also took her car, per Police noticed scratches and redness on Thorp that were 'consistent with a physical altercation,' according to the Daily Mail. 4 Hardy kisses an unidentified woman. @greghardyjr/Instagram Advertisement Thorp allegedly told Hardy she had viewed messages on his phone and believed he had been unfaithful, which led to Hardy telling her to get out of his face, per the report. Hardy allegedly shoved Thorp to the ground, straddled her and put his hands on her throat. 4 The woman kissing Hardy. @greghardyjr/Instagram The former pass rusher told police, though, that Thorp had poked him in the forehead with her index finger before he moved her out of his way by grabbing her arms and placing her on a bed, per Advertisement Hardy's NFL career ended in 2015 following a 2014 domestic violence arrest that led to the NFL suspending him for violating the league's domestic violence policy. He was found guilty of assaulting a woman and communicating threats. 4 Hardy in 2015 with the Cowboys. The NFL initially suspended him for 10 games before it would be reduced to four games. He appeared in 75 career games, spending five seasons with the Panthers and one with Dallas, and tallied 40 sacks. Hardy later transitioned to mixed martial arts and boxing, having last boxed in 2024 in a losing effort.
