Latest news with #campaigning
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
MP column: 'For a few pounds per property, builders could incorporate swift bricks'
When determining the best way to achieve a desired outcome, there can occasionally be a tension between compulsion and incentivisation. This was apparent this week in Salisbury, when I met with Jon and Camilla Barlow, who are doing sterling work campaigning for the use of swift bricks in new-build properties. These are bricks, which function perfectly normally from a construction point of view, but which incorporate a nesting cavity, attractive to swifts and a whole variety of our most beloved birds, including house sparrows and house martins. Creating a hospitable environment for birds is such an easy win. The impact of each swift brick installation is minimal, but it costs next to nothing to do and, cumulatively, it has the power to make a real difference. Primary legislation could be one route to mass adoption. But legislation takes time, and its existence does not necessarily ensure compliance. Scrutiny and enforcement would still fall to local planning authorities, and the challenges of instantaneous blanket adoption would create a temptation to pass costs on to buyers. Yet, for a few pounds per property, builders could incorporate swift bricks wherever it is practical and desirable to do so, simply because it has been made clear to them that Wiltshire prefers developers who take the time and trouble to care about our environment. I will be working with fellow MPs in the county to see whether we can engage with the local authority and persuade them to make Wiltshire a county that goes out of its way to welcome and engage with nature conscious developers, who want to use swift bricks. If we make our preferences crystal clear and always remember to ask for small touches that make a big difference to the environment, I think we could be pleasantly surprised by the response. Speaking of developers doing the right thing off their own bat, I was delighted to witness the presentation of Vistry's Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award at Wilton Gate this week. It is an acknowledgement of their commitment to teaching the building trade to veterans, reservists, and military families, via their skills academies. New homes are always going to attract comment and controversy, but we can all agree that builders who choose to go over and above to deliver social benefit deserve recognition for their efforts. I am spending a day in London carrying out my Parliamentary Private Secretary duties and taking meetings on financial regulation, but I will be back home in time to take part in Salisbury's VJ Day commemorations. Article by John Glen MP


The Independent
09-08-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
London protests: Police swoop to make arrests as hundreds rally in support of Palestine Action
News UK Crime Demonstrators are campaigning to lift the terror ban on protest group Palestine Action

RNZ News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Samoa election: Political parties make big promises on health, welfare and economy
FAST's La'auli Leuatea Polataivao, SUP's Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, and HRPP's Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi. Photo: RNZ Pacific / FAST Party / Samoa Uniting Party / HRPP With campaigning well underway for Samoa's general elections, registered political parties have been announcing their policy platforms. Voters are being courted with manifestos that promise free public healthcare, cash payments for families, job creation schemes, and major infrastructure investments. According to Samoa Electoral commissioner Toleafoa Tuiafelolo Alexander Stanley, seven registered political parties will contest this year's election. Among them are the ruling FAST party, its offshoot Samoa Uniting Party (SUP), the long-standing Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), and four others: Samoa Labour Party (SLP), Samoa National Democratic Party (SNDP), Samoa Democratic Republic Party (SDRP), and the recently formed Tumua ma Pule Reform Republican Party (TPRRP). Out of the seven political parties, the three largest contenders are HRPP, FAST and SUP. FAST, under leader La'auli Leuatea Polataivao, launched its manifesto in Savai'i earlier this month. The party says its policies reflect a strong focus on social welfare and economic revitalisation: HRPP lead by Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi was the first to launch its manifesto campaigning on financial support and significant infrastructure proposals. The party has the longest list of policy promises including: As part of the broader Poverty Alleviation Project, complements the Cost of Living Allowance and Pension Ensuring Lasting Empowerment for the Golden Age initiatives, with a total investment of $210m. SUP, a newly formed party led by Fiame Naomi Mata'afa after her ejection from FAST, is promoting itself as a people-first party focused on continuity and reform. Its manifesto includes: The Samoa Labour Party, led by Fa'aolesa Katopau Ainu'u, is targeting employment and trade. The party is proposing: The Tumua ma Pule Reform Republican Party, is led by former public servant Molio'o Pio Molio'o. Its platform promises: Two parties, the Samoa National Democratic Party and the Samoa Democratic Republic Party, had not released formal manifestos at the time this article was published but remain registered to contest the election. The official campaign period which began 14 July concludes 24 August, with advance voting to open 27 August and polling day set down for the 29 August. According to the electoral office, there are 102,000 registered voters who will elect 51 members of parliament. An amendment to Samoa's Electoral Act in 2013 introduced a 10 percent quota for women members of parliament. The so called floating seats - because new seats are created if elected representatives do not meet the quota - became the centre of a constitutional crisis and numerous legal battles over the balance of power at the last election after the results produced a tie. The impasse was broken only after an independent candidate joined the FAST Party camp but even then the transition of power dragged on for months. *All currency is in Samoan Tala. ( WST1 = NZ$0.59 )

RNZ News
13-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Amanda Masono eyes Atolls seat in Bougainville's election
Amanda Masono Photo: Facebook / Amanda Masono The Bougainville elections, which happen once every five years, are underway. The [ writs were issued last week, candidate nominations have now finished, and campaigning will be getting underway for voting over the first week of September. It will be an interesting poll for Amanda Masono, who came into parliament in 2020, winning one of the three seats reserved for women, North Bougainville. But this time around she is contesting the Atolls seat, campaigning alongside men, in a seat that her late father once held. RNZ spoke to Masono and began by asking how the previous five years had gone for her. (This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.) AMANDA MASONO: I think, yes, there's been some challenges, but more of them, which is, getting to know the people and trying to deliver to their expectations. Overall, generally try to support my government in ensuring that we prepare for independence for Bougainville. So yes, I've decided to recontest this election to get in for a 2025 to 2030 government. DON WISEMAN: When you say you've got your sights set on independence for Bougainville, what do you think you have achieved in the past five years, down that road? AM: Personally, I've been involved with negotiations between the national government and ABG (Autonomous Bougainville Government) in terms of the consultations after the referendum has been conducted. And now with the moderation talks with the PNG government, I've been personally involved with that team. For me, it's being in the process and getting to contribute to ensuring that Bougainville gets its independence. On the ground, internally, as member for North Bougainville, we've worked really hard in terms of implementing the independent strategy motion that was passed by our House when we came into parliament. We, as North Bougainville women, I went on to support our community governments and North Bougainville women to develop a strategic plan, which we recently launched. It's called North Bougainville Women and North Bougainville Community Government Strategic Plan 2025 to 2030, where it is a blueprint that guides all community governments to make sure that they are assisted in mobilising resources to continue developing their community governments as we prepare for independence. DW: Let's say we're talking in five years. Where do you think Bougainville will be by 2030. where would you like Bougainville to be by 2030? AM: I believe I'd like to see Bougainville independent by then and exercising some of the sovereign powers and functions that are still with PNG, particularly in terms of the fisheries, because under the Bougainville Peace Agreement there is this arrangement for the benefits from the fisheries to be shared. But Bougainville has not really received what is supposed to be given to it. Read more: I'll say that this election is very critical to ensuring we have a government that is elected to make sure it realises the independence for Bougainville because how we're going, the leaders on the ground have already made a bold statement that by 1 September 2027, we should be independent. So everyone is working towards that, and I believe by 2030 we should already be exercising some of those powers and functions to enable us to really contribute meaningfully and head to independence. DW: Yes, but to a large extent, it's not Bougainville's decision, is it? These plans could be stymied by Port Moresby. AM: Yes, yes, that's That's right, but Bougainville gan really is also working on its independent constitution. It's already established the Bougainville Constituent Assembly to, you know, debate its constitution, and from what we've passed last house, our preparation should not be - what should I say? When we established the Bougainville Constituent Assembly, there was this work done to ensure that, like while we are working, we also organised that, you know, ratification will come from PNG government. But with that unnecessary delay from the other side, our leaders are pretty determined on ensuring that we prepare ourselves internally, and whether the results are ratified or not, it is not PNG's decision to make, as long as we are prepared for that internally. For me, that's what I'd like to say about the ratification process. DW: You have been holding one of the three seats reserved for women, but you're not going to be doing that in this coming election. You're throwing your hat in one of the open seats. It's a fairly fraught thing, isn't it? So how do you think you'll go? AM: For Bougainville, in the current House, there's two women who came from the single constituencies. For us, I came into the reserve seat, so this time, I intend to contest the Atolls seat. I know it will be a bit challenging for me because it's not as straightforward as a woman's reserve seat I will have. I am going up against - most of them are male candidates - but I believe that at such a time as this, I am more than capable to be that voice, that adults' conscience, it needs right now.


BBC News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Rape advisor Emily Hunt's abuser jailed after 10-year fight for justice
The government's former rape adviser has said she is "incredibly relieved" her abuser has been imprisoned after a decade of campaigning for justice. Christopher Killick, 45, was sentenced to three years imprisonment at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday after being convicted of harassing Emily had previously pleaded guilty to voyeurism after filming Ms Hunt naked in a hotel room in 2015 while she was Hunt said "it only took 3,706 days of me fighting" for Killick to "finally get a jail sentence"."It's remarkable, I'm really pleased that somebody listened," she continued."For the time that he is in prison, I will know that I am safe. And for that, I am incredibly grateful." Case dropped Killick was initially arrested on suspicion of rape in London in 2015 after Ms Hunt woke up naked in a hotel room with no recollection of how she had got there. She said she'd been drugged and raped but police dropped the case due to a lack of evidence. Killick has always denied Hunt waived her right to anonymity in order to pursue a case against Killick. Her persistence led to a change in the law, allowing police to charge him with voyeurism after they discovered he had taken a 62-second video of her in the hotel room. Hunt was awarded an OBE for her campaign work. Killick pleaded guilty in 2020 and was given a 30-month community order and fined £2,000, and was also given a restraining order banning him from contacting Ms Hunt directly or the sentence, Killick – who stood as an Independent parliamentary candidate in a by-election in Hartlepool in 2021 – continued to July 2021 and February 2023, he breached the restraining order by repeatedly tweeting about Ms Hunt. In March 2023, he received a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. The restraining order was also July 2024, he breached the order again, by tweeting about Ms April 2025, while waiting to be sentenced for that offence, he breached the order was finally imprisoned this week, swearing at the judge shortly before he was sentenced. Judge Michael Maher, speaking to Killick, said that "each breach, looked at individually and collectively, represents an unwavering persistence on your part"."The blunt point is this, Mr Killick, you just won't give up. But Ms Hunt won't give in. My God, she has demonstrated great courage in relation to you. Your obsession speaks for itself."Emily Hunt, who now lives in the US, told the BBC that Killick's behaviour was the consequence of a "failure of the criminal justice system, where there are no consequences to breaching court orders". "He was arrested then released, more than than once."Ms Hunt served for two years as an independent adviser to a rape review conducted by the Ministry of Justice but resigned in 2023 citing a lack of will to improve the experience of rape victims by the last Conservative government. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.