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STV News
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- STV News
A bitter row erupts in the world of cat shows
ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports on Britain's feline feud Words by ITV News Senior Producer Rachael Allison A growing dispute between rival organisations has shaken the UK cat show scene. There have been cancelled events, refund complaints and calls for calm, in what some are describing as 'catty' drama. Cat shows are becoming increasingly popular, offering owners the chance to exhibit their pets and compete for prizes. But recent cancellations and online rows have raised questions and left some customers feeling frustrated. Steven Meserve runs Loving Cats Worldwide (LCWW), an organisation that hosts cat shows in fourteen countries. But three of LCWW's UK events were recently cancelled, leaving customers asking for refunds, but getting little responses. Dozens of people who were scheduled to attend events in London, Bristol and Belfast contacted ITV News to say they hadn't received their money back. Meserve says the shows were called off due to an online campaign against him, which he claims caused reputational damage and financial strain. Meserve told ITV News, 'We are refunding on a rolling basis and to the best of our ability. 'But we don't have any revenue. There's no revenue. 'I'm doing everything I can to rebuild what I built after I was decapitated.' Earlier this year, Kate Sheppard bought tickets to attend the LCWW show in Bristol, only to find the show had been cancelled, and her refund still hadn't arrived four months later. Kate told us: 'The tickets were £30 each, there's two of us so £60. 'That's not a small amount, especially with the cost of living crisis 'You put your trust in people and for it then to be just taken away and not returned, it's not fair, it's not right.' She's one of more than a dozen people who contacted ITV News to say they were still waiting for refunds following the cancellation of three UK events run by LCWW. Cats at the Loving Cat Worldwide show / Credit: Kelly Makdissy, a former colleague of Meserve's, is now among his critics. She says she too is owed money by LCWW. Makdissy now runs her own cat shows, but denies that her own events are designed to copy the format. She also denies any involvement in an organised campaign against LCWW. 'It depends how you look at it, for me it's not a copy cat because all the show rules are different. 'To be fair I wouldn't want to copycat LCWW, here we have actual members that are cat breeders from all different aspects of life.' 'I think cat shows should really continue,' she said, 'It's an upcoming thing and people are learning about it.' Meserve strongly denied any mismanagement, and says attempts to discredit him are part of a coordinated effort to undermine his work. With around a quarter of UK households owning a cat, the potential audience for cat shows is large. But the sector has yet to reach the profile of dog events like Crufts. 'Dogs get all the money, dogs get all the accolades, Crufts is huge.' Meserve complained. 'There is no Crufts for cats. 'We are the equivalent to that – and that's where we will be. 'We're growing one city at a time.' The charity Cats Protection has warned that while many owners enjoy showing off their pets, the events can sometimes be stressful for animals. For now, though, the tension seems to lie more with organisers than the cats themselves. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- STV News
First British person paid damages by church for exorcism of ‘gay demons'
ITV News UK Editor Paul Brand spoke to Matthew Drapper who was put through conversion therapy and received a five-figure compensation from the church. A man has been paid compensation for an exorcism which attempted to rid him of 'gay demons' in what is believed to be the first legal settlement of its kind in the UK. Speaking on camera for the first time, Matthew Drapper told ITV News he was led to believe demons had left his mouth during the intense prayer session at St Thomas Philadelphia Church in Sheffield in 2014. 'They said that one of the reactions you'll have is that when people are praying for you to get rid of the demonic influence, you'll want to stop. And that's a sign that you should carry on and that you should push through. And they said you might have a physical reaction', he said describing the prayer session. Mr Drapper was told to 'push out' his homosexuality from his body during the intense prayer session at St Thomas Philadelphia Church in Sheffield Following an independent report by Barnardos in 2023 which upheld complaints by Mr Drapper, St Thomas Philadelphia, which is a joint Church of England-Baptist church, has now paid him a five-figure sum in compensation for the harm caused by the exorcism. Since ITV News first investigated conversion practices in 2018, successive governments have promised to ban them. But despite repeated pledges no law has yet been brought forward. ITV News has been told the Labour government still has no timeframe for outlining a bill to ban conversion therapy, after committing to one in both its 2024 manifesto and last year's King's Speech. ITV News also understands the Prime Minister recommitting to a ban at a reception in No10 to celebrate Pride, but no details were given. Campaigners for a ban hope Mr Drapper's case will act as another form of deterrent, with the potential for many more legal cases to be brought against churches which practice conversion therapy. Richard Scorer, who represented Mr Drapper, told ITV News that the win would 'lay down a marker that if people are harmed as a result of practises like this, then there is the potential to take action and seek accountability for that'. ITV News spoke to Richard Scorer who believes there will be many more legal cases ITV News understands that a bill drafted by civil servants and the Equalities Minister Dame Nia Griffith has reached No10 for consideration, but hasn't progressed any further. It is understood that sticking points remain around religious freedoms, the question of whether someone can 'consent' to conversion therapy, as well as what role parents should be allowed to play in the case of children who may be questioning their sexuality or gender identity. It is also understood the government is carefully considering the recent Supreme Court judgement on the definition of a woman before proceeding with a ban, as well as requesting more evidence of current conversion practices. Speaking on Thursday, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds insisted the Government would sill deliver a ban. He said. 'It's still something the government's committed to. I'm not aware of the schedule around that. 'But it's something we've been absolutely clear on and we'll take the action we promised them.' A Government spokesperson from the Cabinet office told ITV News: 'Conversion practices are abuse – such acts have no place in society and must be stopped. 'We committed to bringing forward legislation to finally ban conversion practices, as one of our legislative priorities set out in the King's Speech.' Much of this frustrates campaigners, who argue these points have already been considered at length by previous governments, causing unnecessary delay. But those who oppose a full-scale ban on a variety of grounds believe a ban could have unintended consequences, such as stifling freedom of religion or preventing constructive conversations about gender identity with parents and teachers. The Church of St Thomas Philadelphia responded to ITV News several days after publication of our report to claim that compensation was paid only in response to the way Matthew Drapper's case was handled and not in response to any reported harm from the prayer session. Mr Drapper's lawyer disputes this. The Church says that it does not practice or support conversion therapy. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Independent
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Lowering voting age could deepen class divide in schools due to lack of political literacy among teenagers
The decision to lower the voting age to 16 could widen the inequality divide among teenagers in the UK due to the lack of political education in school. Academics have warned that the move to extend the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds risks only benefitting those from wealthier backgrounds, unless all students are given equal access to citizenship education. Recent research from the University of Roehampton found specific classes on politics and democracy have been provided unevenly across the country, with more affluent schools likely to receive dedicated lessons. It also found that pupils with university-educated parents are more likely to discuss politics at home, and feel more confident engaging in political debates. This results in teenagers from low income households often being at a disadvantage in terms of understanding parties and voting systems, which the research concluded 'compounded class-based disparities'. 'Votes at 16 is an important milestone, but without proper political education in every school, we risk widening the democratic gap between privileged and disadvantaged teenagers', said Dr Bryony Hoskins, Professor of Political Comparative Social Science at the University of Roehampton. 'The students most likely to benefit are those already surrounded by political knowledge and encouragement, leaving disadvantaged young people behind again. 'The result is a political system that feels unrepresentative and irrelevant to many young people. If we ignore this, votes at 16 could actually entrench inequality.' Labour's manifesto committed the party to lowering the voting age to 16 in line with Scottish and Welsh elections. Sir Keir Starmer said it was 'important' to lower the voting age, as 16-year-olds were old enough to work and 'pay in' through tax, so should 'have the opportunity' to say how they wanted their money spent. But a poll of 500 16 and 17-year-olds conducted for ITV News by Merlin Strategy found only half said they thought they should be allowed to vote, and only 18 per cent would definitely vote. Labour stood to gain the most, with 33 per cent saying they would back the party, while 20 per cent said they would choose Reform UK and 18 per cent the Greens. A EU and UK Research and Innovation project was trialled on 900 pupils earlier this ear, and found that a five-lesson political literacy programme improved students' belief in their own ability to engage with politics. 'We now have clear evidence that short, structured lessons that use inclusive education methods can make a real difference,' said Professor Hoskins. 'This should be part of every young person's education and not a postcode lottery.' Ahead of the next general election, researchers are calling on the Department of Education to ensure political literacy becomes a compulsory part of the national curriculum.
ITV News
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- ITV News
A bitter row erupts in the world of cat shows, leaving customers demanding refunds
A growing dispute between rival organisations has shaken the UK cat show scene. There have been cancelled events, refund complaints and calls for calm, in what some are describing as 'catty' drama. Cat shows are becoming increasingly popular, offering owners the chance to exhibit their pets and compete for prizes. But recent cancellations and online rows have raised questions and left some customers feeling frustrated. Steven Meserve runs Loving Cats Worldwide (LCWW), an organisation that hosts cat shows in fourteen countries. But three of LCWW's UK events were recently cancelled, leaving customers asking for refunds, but getting little responses. Dozens of people who were scheduled to attend events in London, Bristol and Belfast contacted ITV News to say they hadn't received their money back. Meserve says the shows were called off due to an online campaign against him, which he claims caused reputational damage and financial strain. Meserve told ITV News, 'We are refunding on a rolling basis and to the best of our ability. 'But we don't have any revenue. There's no revenue. 'I'm doing everything I can to rebuild what I built after I was decapitated.' Earlier this year, Kate Sheppard bought tickets to attend the LCWW show in Bristol, only to find the show had been cancelled, and her refund still hadn't arrived four months later. Kate told us: 'The tickets were £30 each, there's two of us so £60. 'That's not a small amount, especially with the cost of living crisis 'You put your trust in people and for it then to be just taken away and not returned, it's not fair, it's not right.' She's one of more than a dozen people who contacted ITV News to say they were still waiting for refunds following the cancellation of three UK events run by LCWW. Kelly Makdissy, a former colleague of Meserve's, is now among his critics. She says she too is owed money by LCWW. Makdissy now runs her own cat shows, but denies that her own events are designed to copy the format. She also denies any involvement in an organised campaign against LCWW. 'It depends how you look at it, for me it's not a copy cat because all the show rules are different. 'To be fair I wouldn't want to copycat LCWW, here we have actual members that are cat breeders from all different aspects of life.' 'I think cat shows should really continue,' she said, 'It's an upcoming thing and people are learning about it.' Meserve strongly denied any mismanagement, and says attempts to discredit him are part of a coordinated effort to undermine his work. With around a quarter of UK households owning a cat, the potential audience for cat shows is large. But the sector has yet to reach the profile of dog events like Crufts. 'Dogs get all the money, dogs get all the accolades, Crufts is huge.' Meserve complained. 'There is no Crufts for cats. 'We are the equivalent to that - and that's where we will be. 'We're growing one city at a time.' The charity Cats Protection has warned that while many owners enjoy showing off their pets, the events can sometimes be stressful for animals. For now, though, the tension seems to lie more with organisers than the cats themselves.
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Sturgeon agrees to TV interview ahead of memoir release
The former First Minister will be grilled by ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham for a special programme that will be broadcast at 7pm on August 11. Ms Sturgeon's book, Frankly, hits the shops on August 14. The interview will focus on the memoir's most striking revelations, delving into the ex-SNP leader's successes and controversies, personal insights and political flashpoints. It is being produced by the ITV News team responsible for previous key political interviews with former Prime Ministers David Cameron in 2019 and Boris Johnson last year. READ NEXT: Glasgow restaurant announces 'closure' - here's exactly why READ NEXT: 'First-ever' market event to be held in busy area in August Etchingham said: "Nicola Sturgeon is quite simply one of the stand-out politicians of a generation. From her rise as a working class girl to the pinnacle of Scottish politics as first female First Minister, she has charted dizzying political heights to being hailed the most dangerous woman in Britain. In what I hope will be a revealing encounter, I can't wait to see how Nicola Sturgeon lifts the lid on her politics, life and legacy - and to find out where she heads next.' Sturgeon has declared nearly £200,000 in outside earnings since standing down from the top job in Scottish politics. Her book, Frankly, is expected to lift the lid on her nine years as Scotland's leader and the breakdown of her friendship with the late Alex Salmond. According to her Holyrood register of interest, she received £75,000 in 2023 from publishers Pan Macmillan for the first of four instalments of a book advance. Nicola Sturgeon's book will detail the breakdown of her friendship with Alex Salmond (Image: PA) Other income, including a recent £76,500 second book payment made via her literary agent and fees for book reviews, was paid to her personal company. Nicola Sturgeon Ltd also received £25,000 from broadcaster ITN after the former SNP leader appeared on a general election night results show. To coincide with publication of her book, fans of Ms Sturgeon are being charged £75 to attend a 'meet and greet' with her later this year ahead of an interview in Edinburgh. The fee is on top of ticket prices for the event at the 2200 capacity Usher Hall which stretch to £73.95 including the booking fee. In an Instagram post, she plugged an 'evening with Nicola Sturgeon' in the Capital in which she would reflect on her career in politics. Sturgeon, who is standing down from Holyrood next year, has been accused of being a part-time MSP since resigning as FM, with critics hitting out at her attendance record.
