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Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Starmer government ‘trying to fix wings of a plane while already in flight', veteran political adviser says
Veteran political adviser John Browne has described Sir Keir Starmer's premiership as 'trying to fix the wings of an airplane while you're already in flight,' after The Independent revealed plans of a plot within Labour to oust the PM. The cross-bench peer and former BP boss was speaking at the 2025 Hay Festival of Literature and Arts, which is partnered with The Independent for the second year running. He was appearing on a panel alongside climate expert Friederike Otto and leading women's rights lawyer Harriet Wistrich, as part of the festival's daily 'News Review' event, chaired by The Independent's chief book critic Martin Chilton. Responding to The Independent's report on disquiet within Labour over Sir Keir's premiership, Lord Browne, who advised five prime ministers including Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, said the government should counteract 'uncertainty' with a plan. 'And I mean a plan, not just a vision,' he said. 'I was surprised that, despite the number of experienced people in government, it wasn't evidently clear that this particular administration came in with a plan. 'It's very difficult when you're trying to fix the wings of an airplane while you're already in flight – and that is a really dangerous thing to do. 'Let's see, maybe it's early days and maybe the learning will take place during the process of government.' The comments come after The Independent revealed that a large number of MPs from the so-called 'soft left' of the party are organising to try to force a change of direction within the party. Sir Keir's turbulent first 10 months as prime minister have prompted growing questions about his leadership, magnified by the party's recent losses at local elections, in which they lost two-thirds of the council seats they had in 2021. He has also sparked controversy over his stance on migration, welfare cuts and the decision to cut winter fuel payments. During Sunday morning's event, the panel discussed a wide range of topics inspired by the day's headlines, including climate policy around the world, the Post Office scandal, and violence against women and girls (VAWG). Ms Wistrich, founder and director of the Centre for Women's Justice, told the audience that the government's progress on VAWG targets had been 'disappointing', while Ms Otto warned Donald Trump's cuts to US meteorologist jobs could cost lives in parts of the country. Spread over 11 days, the 38th spring edition of the annual cultural event is set in Hay-on-Wye, the idyllic and picturesque 'Town of Books'. Among the star-studded lineup are Mary Trump, Michael Sheen and Jameela Jamil. The Independent has partnered with the festival once again to host 'The News Review', a series of panels where our journalists explore current affairs with leading figures from politics, science, the arts and comedy every morning.
Sunday World
23-05-2025
- Sunday World
Ex-cop says fight against female violence is ‘bleak' as 25 killed in the last five years
SHOCKING | 'The battle to end violence against women and girls remains stagnant. The harsh reality for many victims remains bleak' Linzi McLaren, who was elected as a new UUP councillor two years ago, was a serving frontline PSNI officer and often witnessed the scale of the violence meted out to women and girls. She tells the Sunday World why she's so passionate about ending violence against women and girls (VAWG) and that despite progress at Stormont to legislate against it, 'the reality for many women remains bleak'. And the figures are truly shocking – from 2020 up to January this year 25 women had been violently killed – all but one by a man – with 42 confirmed femicides since 2017. Among them are high-profile cases like 21-year-old Katie Simpson who was raped, beaten and murdered by her sister's boyfriend in 2020, and 30-year-old mother-of-four Caoimhe Morgan who was beaten to death by her partner a few days before Christmas 2021. 'In Northern Ireland, the battle to end violence against women and girls remains frustratingly stagnant. Despite legislative progress and commitments from statutory bodies to prioritise this emergency, the reality for many women remains bleak,' Ms McLaran said. Katie Simpson 'As a former police officer and now a councillor in Ards and North Down council, I have encountered many women in dire circumstances, and whilst we are certainly talking about the subject more openly we are yet to make a dent in the harrowing statistics, particularly in the wake of numerous tragic deaths and the increasingly unregulated online hostility toward women,' she says. 'As a police officer, I witnessed first hand the impact of physical, sexual, mental and financial abuse towards women. I attended many cases where women were beaten so badly that they needed hospitalisation and were left with lifelong mental and physical scars. 'Whilst officers receive specific training in dealing with such cases, many women and advocacy groups would suggest that it simply isn't enough, leaving many victims feeling as violated and abused by the justice system as by their perpetrators. 'I'm heartened by the priority that is being given to this by our new Chief Constable who recognises that our police service is woefully underfunded and understaffed. 'It is so desperately disheartening to see a woman be let down by the system that strips them of their dignity and calls into question their story of abuse. 'Women often speak of their loneliness during this process and the subsequent family court process if there are children in the equation. 'In such instances, women are forced to sit around the mediation table with the very man who has previously sexually or physically assaulted her, and many women understandably cannot garner the courage to do so. 'Finally securing a conviction, it is again disheartening to see meagre sentences handed down that does nothing but give weight to the notion that violence against women is not taken as seriously as it should. And so, the cycle of violence with little to no repercussions continues. 'I want to delve into the origins of where I believe women's vulnerabilities lie and why they are so susceptible to harm. Why we as a society, as police and as legislators, must be more proactive in preventing such instances occurring, rather than the current response of firefighting our way through the increasing number of attacks against women.' Caoimhe Morgan. The mother of four, who represents the Holywood and Clandeboye district, says the Troubles gave cover to VAWG. 'Where once the story of the death of a mother, a sister, a daughter at the hands of men would be buried amongst similarly horrific Troubles-related deaths, women's deaths can now be seen in the isolation they deserve. 'Violence against women and girls is now being seen in the stark, cold light of day, but I fear that if we do not make headway in tackling these crimes now, the frequency and normalisation will leave us numb and immune to the horror. Just another headline, another woman, another young girl.' She says social media 'is generating an insidious threat to the minds of an emerging generation who have unrestricted access to harmful content and disturbing pornography. 'Young people, particularly boys, are consuming content that distorts their perception of relationships, consent and respect, forming the notion that intimacy is violent, humiliating, demeaning to women and inflicted on women by dominant men. 'As a police officer, I worked frequently alongside departments responsible for public protection, child abuse and online safety. As a search officer, I assisted in searching the homes of those accused of creating and distributing the most horrific, unimaginably evil, images of the abuse of children. 'These people continue to have the ability to hide on the dark web, despite an Online Safety Act which appears to have no impact on deterrent or punishment.' Linzi McLaren News in 90 Seconds - May 23rd And she slams tech companies for failing to take action against those behind internet threats – something she suffered first hand when she received death threats for expressing public support for the building of Casement Park. 'I have personally reported abusive behaviour, inappropriate sexual messages, intimidation and threats online, only to receive notification that the abusive words directed toward me did not meet the necessary threshold for action. 'I know that a majority of women in public office have experienced the same. I can only assume therefore that social media platforms have granted a free reign to intimidate and silence women, given the total abject nature of enforcing accountability.' She called on lawmakers to do more to hold tech companies to account but laments how US President Donald Trump has brought tech bosses like Elon Musk into his administration and so it is 'understandable why the influence of these men is apparently feared'. In September 2024, the Northern Ireland Executive Office launched The Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategic framework. As part of a wider £3.2 million investment, this first step will see £2 million shared across all 11 councils to enable them to support action in their local areas. Linzi accepts social media is here to stay and that she too grapples with guiding her three daughters and son through its dangers but that she's a 'fierce advocate' for education in schools. Read more 'RSE (relationship and sex education) in schools is, in my opinion, a means of safeguarding our young women against harm in the future by arming them with a sense of self-worth, an understanding of consent, the ability to identify a healthy relationship and autonomy over their bodies,' she says. 'Similarly, young men get the opportunity to do the same and have the chance to gain confidence in mature decisions. They would also be made aware of how to identify toxic male role models who distort young men's attitudes to women. 'Such role models teach misogyny and sexist behaviour, showing wrongly that power and influence can shield men from accountability. 'And yet, RSE has become somewhat of a political ideological debate, detracting from the very essence of what it aims to achieve.' And she says it's important men are brought into the conversation. 'I am very conscious of the fact that when I attend events to highlight concerns, it's often a panel of women talking to an audience of women. It's absolutely essential that we involve our male counterparts in this discussion as their opinions and experience are so crucial to finding solutions. 'The world as we know it is changing. When men who are perpetrators of sexual crime and abuse toward women are catapulted to the most powerful offices in the world, instead of shunned and publicly shamed.'
Express Tribune
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Sindoor, sexism and symbolism
Our world is not only unequal and unjust but also filled with ironies. One particular irony that has resurfaced recently is that militaries, despite their evolving policies and public relations campaigns, are still hypermasculine and, at times, envision thriving in hegemonic masculinity spaces. In many parts of the world, women are now being "allowed" to serve in armed forces, to wear the same medals, and to march to the same beat. They are even being promoted. But women must not confuse these optics of token visibility with equality. The equality stance often turns out to be nothing more than a rehearsed political script. A woman might wear a uniform, but can she rewrite or even slightly edit the doctrine? Can she rename the war? I find it ironic too that as an advocate of peace with dignity, I have to accept the idea of UN peacekeeping forces, where many enemy countries work together for global peace and better salaries. This piece is not about why peace does not make money in business studies or media headlines unless associated with economy and trade, nor about the billions that war does. It is, however, a painful nod to the fact that sexism is now an established constituency of war and conflicts. As a student of peace advocacy and GBV dynamics, I had to study the anatomy and pathology of war with a feminist lens. There used to be a subtle, yet deeply rooted sexism it perpetuates. Now with changed times, it has become more obvious. So much so that our old enemy and neighbour could not resist naming its most recent aggression against us as 'Sindoor'. A lot has been written about it around the globe, and feminists did raise concerns about the war and rape jokes as well. Operation Sindoor by India on May 7, 2025 was imposed on Pakistan. According to India, it was their military response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. The name, derived from sindoor, the red vermilion traditionally applied by Hindu married women in the parting of their hair, perhaps was thought to carry powerful emotional and gendered connotations. Is it not ironic that women, the vast majority of whom are otherwise marginalised in their cultures and cults and also face structural patriarchy, suddenly become a vehicle for sending strategic messages? It is obvious that in a country where VAWG is too prevalent and where sindoor symbolises domestic holiness, the Indian military suddenly thought that naming a military operation after this intimate symbol is meticulous enough to send more than just a strategic message. Hence, "they" decided that women's honour should be and could be garrisoned not by agency, but by artillery. And this may not be the first time militaries have commissioned femininity in the naming of conflict. A quick review of military history reveals at least five operations that have drawn upon women's names, symbols, or cultural metaphors. These include: Operation Artemis (the EU's intervention in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003), invoking the Greek goddess of the hunt, moon, archery, childbirth, and chastity. Operation Juno (Canadian D-Day landing in 1944). Juno was an ancient Roman goddess, the protector and special counsellor of the state, said to also watch over the women of Rome, named after the Roman goddess of state protection and marriage. Operation Minerva (Italian military operation in East Timor), named after the Roman goddess of handicrafts, the professions, the arts, and later wisdom and strategic warfare. Operation Rosario (Argentina's 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands). In Spanish, it is considered a unisex name, though often used for girls, derived from the "rosary", a string of beads used in Roman Catholic prayers. And, Operation Iskra (Soviet military operation in 1943 during World War II), meaning "spark" in Russian, a feminine noun symbolising hope and ignition, also quoted as primarily a female name of Slavic origin that means spark. Sexism has many masks. So here comes the Indianised militarised sexism, one that wears the mask of faith and cultural pride and emotional resonance but ensures to keep women at the margins of meaningful military discourse. Such symbols are invoked not to empower women, to include her choices or her intellect, but to display her as a showpiece, to represent her ceremonially, and ultimately to benefit a patriarchal narrative. Naming a military operation after a woman or a feminine symbol often apparently exalts their image while absolutely ignoring their absence in decision-making, in peace dialogues, and in post-conflict phases. Women must remain vigilant. Women must advocate not just for women in barracks, but women at the war tables. Women must get a seat at the table where wars are named and negotiated. Currently, the popular mindset is misogynistic and glorifies sexism. It will take many centuries for any attitudinal shift or dismantling of the patriarchal consensus. Till then the military operations would likely continue to be named matrimonial markers, and marketing by propagandists and frenzy media. In this bleak scenario, I see one silver lining, and that is the value system of Islam that clearly says to protect unarmed people and even trees in times of war. Thankfully, our proud forces do not romanticise any manipulative symbolism of feminism, and as professional, ethical armies do not target any innocent civilians, let alone innocent children and women. I also want to quote these recent words of former Indian army chief General Manoj Naravane: "War is not romantic. It is not your Bollywood movie. It is a very serious business. Violence is not the answer." Look forward to the day when India finally internalises that war between two nuclear countries, as rightly framed by our DG ISPR, is "absurd, inconceivable, and sheer stupidity" and acknowledges that all people and countries are equal. It is only through empathetic conversations and sincere diplomacy that we can pave the way for a future where people-centric and gender-sensitive cooperation prevails over hostility.
Scottish Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Love Island star drops HUGE clue she's secretly engaged after going public with boyfriend
The star has all but confirmed that a wedding is looming WEDDING BELLS Love Island star drops HUGE clue she's secretly engaged after going public with boyfriend Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LOVE Island fans have been sent into a spin after convincing themselves one star from the show is set to announce her engagement. Eagle-eyed fans have spotted that the villa alumni is wearing a ring on her wedding finger after recently going public with her boyfriend. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Sharon Gaffka has been spotted wearing a ring on her engagement finger Credit: instagram/@sharongaffka 5 It comes after she unveiled her relationship with fellow activist Matthew Torbitt Credit: TikTok Sharon Gaffka only unveiled her romance with Matthew Torbitt in March, having previously kept quiet about her private life since her Love Island days. But now, alongside a series of telling new photos, the 29-year-old is already talking about having a baby with her fella. Sharon now works as a VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) activist and is an ambassador for domestic violence charity Refuge. Matthew, meanwhile, is a Homelessness & Prison Reform Advocate. Together, they have addressed the Oxford Union after being invited there to tell Oxford University students about their work. Sharon has since shared several black and white photos that were taken backstage at the talk, which show her in a stunning long-sleeved dress and Matthew in a tux. But after the law graduate posted the pictures on Instagram, fans couldn't help but spot the ring on Sharon's left hand. Sharon told her followers: "I can't wait to tell our future child that mum and dad were once guest speakers at the union they'll one day be members of 👀." Replying, one follower wrote: "It's giving engagement announcement pics tbh." Much to everyone's delight, Sharon and Matthew both confirmed that an engagement is very much on the cards. "It's coming," Sharon replied. Matthew added: "Trust me, it's coming." Sharon even went one stage further in response to a follower who had written: "This is so gorgeous. I'm seeing the not too distant future here." The former reality star replied: "Everyone get ready for the wedding content 😂." Sharon Gaffka's love life What we know about Sharon's private life since she left Love Island... Sharon appeared on Love Island in 2021 because she had grown tired of "being the only single one" in her group of friends. The former beauty queen and law graduate said she was on the look out for someone intelligent. Sharon was paired with Hugo Hammond on the show but later accused him of 'touching her inappropriately' outside of the villa. Hugo flatly denied her allegations. Although it appeared Sharon was heterosexual, she also accused Love Island bosses of editing out a bisexual confession. Sharon went off the radar in terms of her private life following her villa stint. But in 2023, she made a rare admission about her love life – revealing she had enjoyed a celebrity romance. Sharon confessed: "I have only ever dated one person in the public eye in the past two years, it lasted for the best part of five minutes, so it's no even known about outside my inner circle. "I'd want a relationship that was known of, not known about." In the same year, Sharon also opened up about suffering a tragic miscarriage. Sharon, who did not reveal who the baby's father was, cried as she told fans about her emotional and heartbreaking experience in a video. In March 2025, Sharon revealed she had found her happy-ever-after with fellow activist Matthew Torbitt. The pair declared their love for each other on Instagram alongside a series of photos taken during a trip to Spain. Sharon had hoped to find a boyfriend in the seventh series of Love Island in 2021. She was was briefly coupled up with Hugo Hammond during her time in the villa, but later accused him of "inappropriately touching" her - which he denied. She alleged her friendship with Hugo ended because of his behaviour following Love Island, however he described her claims as "completely false" on social media. Sharon has since remained tight-lipped about romantic liaisons but revealed two years ago that she had suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage. Opening up as she marked what would have been her baby's first birthday, the women's rights campaigner said: "Grief is not a linear process. "I'm tired of being told that time is healer and this truth is especially evident in the aftermath of miscarriage for those who never planned to have children. Feelings of loss, confusion, guilt, and even relief can surface unexpectedly, and these emotions are all valid." Sharon told her fans she wasn't sharing her story for sympathy, but as part of her healing process. 5 Sharon appeared in Love Island in 2021 Credit: PA 5 She was coupled up with Hugo Hammond but it did not end well Credit: Rex
The Irish Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Love Island star drops HUGE clue she's secretly engaged after going public with boyfriend
LOVE Island fans have been sent into a spin after convincing themselves one star from the show is set to announce her engagement. Eagle-eyed fans have spotted that the villa alumni is wearing a ring on her wedding finger after recently going public with her boyfriend. Advertisement 5 Sharon Gaffka has been spotted wearing a ring on her engagement finger Credit: instagram/@sharongaffka 5 It comes after she unveiled her relationship with fellow activist Matthew Torbitt Credit: TikTok But now, alongside a series of telling new photos, the 29-year-old is already talking about having a baby with her fella. Sharon now works as a VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) activist and is an ambassador for domestic violence charity Refuge. Matthew, meanwhile, is a Homelessness & Prison Reform Advocate. Advertisement READ MORE ON LOVE ISLAND Together, they have addressed the Oxford Union after being invited there to tell Oxford University students about their work. Sharon has since shared several black and white photos that were taken backstage at the talk , which show her in a stunning long-sleeved dress and Matthew in a tux. But after the law graduate posted the pictures on Instagram, fans couldn't help but spot the ring on Sharon's left hand. Sharon told her followers: "I can't wait to tell our future child that mum and dad were once guest speakers at the union they'll one day be members of 👀." Advertisement Most read in Love Island Replying, one follower wrote: "It's giving engagement announcement pics tbh." Much to everyone's delight, Sharon and Matthew both confirmed that an engagement is very much on the cards. "It's coming," Sharon replied. Matthew added: "Trust me, it's coming." Advertisement Sharon even went one stage further in response to a follower who had written: "This is so gorgeous. I'm seeing the not too distant future here." The former reality star replied: "Everyone get ready for the wedding content 😂." Sharon Gaffka's love life What we know about Sharon's private life since she left Love Island... Sharon appeared on Love Island in 2021 because she had grown tired of "being the only single one" in her group of friends. The former beauty queen and law graduate said she was on the look out for someone intelligent. Sharon was paired with Hugo Hammond on the show but later accused him of 'touching her inappropriately' outside of the villa. Hugo flatly denied her allegations. Although it appeared Sharon was heterosexual, she also Sharon went off the radar in terms of her private life following her villa stint. But in 2023, she made a rare admission about her love life – revealing she had enjoyed a celebrity romance. Sharon confessed: "I have only ever dated one person in the public eye in the past two years, it lasted for the best part of five minutes, so it's no even known about outside my inner circle. "I'd want a relationship that was known of, not known about." In the same year, Sharon also opened up about Sharon, who did not reveal who the baby's father was, cried as she told fans about her emotional and heartbreaking experience in a video. In March 2025, Sharon revealed she had found her happy-ever-after with fellow activist Matthew Torbitt. The pair declared their love for each other on Instagram alongside a series of photos taken during a trip to Spain. Sharon had hoped to find a boyfriend in the seventh series of Love Island in 2021. She was was briefly coupled up with during her time in the villa , but later - which he denied. Advertisement She alleged her friendship with ended because of his behaviour following Love Island, however he described her claims as "completely false" on social media. Sharon has since remained tight-lipped about romantic liaisons but revealed two years ago that she had suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage. Opening up as she marked what would have been her baby's first birthday, the women's rights campaigner said: "Grief is not a linear process. "I'm tired of being told that time is healer and this truth is especially evident in the aftermath of miscarriage for those who never planned to have children. Feelings of loss, confusion, guilt, and even relief can surface unexpectedly, and these emotions are all valid." Advertisement Sharon told her fans she wasn't sharing her story for sympathy, but as part of her healing process. 5 Sharon appeared in Love Island in 2021 Credit: PA 5 She was coupled up with Hugo Hammond but it did not end well Credit: Rex 5 Sharon has now told fans to 'get ready' for wedding content Credit: TikTok Advertisement
