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Watch live as NORAD follows Father Christmas as he delivers presents all over the world
Commons leader Lucy Powell decided to finish 2024's Parliamentary term by taking a not-so-subtle dig at the Conservative party. During Business Questions to the Leader of the House, the MP for Manchester Central launched into her own version of the 12 Days of Christmas.
#ukpolitics #uknews #labour #conservative #conservatives #tory #12daysofchristmas
Puberty blockers banned in UK
Health secretary Wes Streeting announced today that a ban on puberty blockers for children with gender dysphoria in the UK is to be made indefinite.
Speaking in the Commons Mr Streeting said: “We do not yet know the risks of stopping pubertal hormones at this critical life stage. That is the basis upon which I am making decisions. I am treading cautiously in this area, because the safety of children must come first."
He went on to address trans people directly in his statement, admitting that "it’s not easy being a trans kid in our country today, the trans community is at the wrong end of all of the statistics for mental ill health, self-harm and suicide."
He added: “I know it won’t feel like it based on the decisions I’m taking today, but I really do care about this and so does this Government. I am determined to improve the quality of care and access to healthcare for all trans people."
Today's announcement that the ban on sale and supply of puberty blockers through private prescriptions is to be indefinite “closes a loophole that posed a risk to the safety of children and young people”, NHS England said.
#ukpolitics #uknews #trans #pubertyblockers #transhealthcare #wesstreeting #labour #lgbt #lgbtqi #transgender #nhs
Former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace is facing further allegations of inappropriately touching women, following a number of claims he made sexually inappropriate comments towards contestants and production staff on TV shows dating back several years.
The latest claims, published by BBC News on Tuesday, from three women who've come forward, days after the broadcaster reported 13 people across a range of shows said he acted inappropriately over a 17-year period.
The 60-year-old broadcaster earlier claimed in a video posted to Instagram that accusations about him had come from a "handful of middle-class women of a certain age", although a day later he apologised for "any offence that I caused" with the comment.
However the BBC announced that they had axed MasterChef's Christmas specials following the allegations.
MP for Scarborough and Whitby, Alison Hume, asked Sir Keir Starmer during PMQs if he agreed "that when a ‘woman of a certain age’, or indeed any woman of any age, from any background, says they have experienced sexual harassment or inappropriate behaviour, they should be listened to, supported, and the perpetrator dealt with".
#uknews #ukpolitics #greggwallace #keirstarmer #labour #masterchef
MPs have voted in favour of an historic assisted dying bill that will let terminally ill people with a life expectancy of less than six months to end their lives.
In the House of Commons on Friday, 330 MPs voted in favour of the proposed legislation, while 275 voted against.
Those who backed assisted dying have said terminally ill people who are suffering should be allowed to choose when they die.
Critics of the bill have expressed concerns that ill or elderly people will be pressured into ending their lives.
MPs had a free vote on the bill, which meant they will vote with their conscience. Prior to the vote many had remained tight-lipped on whether they have reached a decision on the subject.
The bill will now go to committee stage where MPs can make amendments, before facing further scrutiny and votes in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, meaning any change in the law would not be agreed until next year at the earliest.
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Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in London
King Charles to lay wreath and lead nation in Remembrance Sunday silence
Lee Anderson has apologised to the Commons for breaking bullying and harassment rules after a standards watchdog found he twice swore at a security guard when his parliamentary pass did not work.
The Reform UK MP said he had “learned significant lessons” following the incident, where he allegedly told the officer “f*** off, everyone opens the door to me, you are the only one” when he was told he needed to have his card checked at the gates to the Westminster estate.
When the guard repeated that the pass had to be examined, Mr Anderson approached them before saying “f*** you, I have a train to catch” and walking out of the search post.
Mr Anderson initially appealed against the finding to the Independent Expert Panel, but his case was dismissed on the basis that it “failed to raise any substantive grounds”, he has now accepted the findings “in full and without reservation”.
#ukpolitics #uknews #leeanderson #reform #reformuk #nigelfarage
Kemi Badenoch confronts Labour over Trump win
Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch have congratulated US president-elect Donald Trump on his victory.
During her first PMQs as leader of the opposition, Mrs Badenoch pressed the prime minister on foreign secretary's David Lammy's past comments; describing Trump as a “woman-hating Neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath".
Mrs Badenoch asked the PM to invite the president-elect to speak in Parliament next time he visits the UK, and pointed to the row over Labour activists campaigning for Kamala Harris.
She added: “Given that most of his Cabinet signed a motion to ban president Trump from addressing Parliament, will the prime minister show that he and his Government can be more than student politicians by asking you, Mr Speaker, to extend an invitation to President Trump to address Parliament on his next visit?”
In response, the prime minister thanked his opposite number for “a masterclass on student politics”.
#ukpolitics #uknews #keirstarmer #kemibadenoch #labour #tory #donaldtrump #pmqs
Just Stop Oil supporters have painted the US embassy building in London orange, as Donald Trump claimed victory in the presidential election.
Just Stop Oil released pictures of two men being spoken to by police officers.
The Metropolitan Police said two men, aged 25 and 72, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and held in custody.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said: “Officers from the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit arrested these two men within minutes, ensuring that they could not cause any further damage to the embassy.
“This activity is vandalism purporting as protest and we will continue to have a zero tolerance attitude to actions such as this.”
A spokesman for Just Stop Oil said: “The only real winner of today’s election is the corporate power that controls the major parties in both the US and UK.
“Regardless of who sits in the White House, corporations and billionaires will ensure that the interests of the fossil fuel industry will continue to be prioritised over the wellbeing of ordinary people.
“It is only through people coming together to disrupt ‘business as usual’ that humanity will stand any chance of minimising the effects of climate breakdown, and the resulting social collapse that is already under way.”
#JustStopOil #donaldtrump #uselection #election #usa #us #america #americanembassy #uknews #worldnews #usnews #protest #london
University tuition fees in England will rise to £9,535 next year
University tuition fees in England will rise to £9,535 next year to “secure the future of higher education”, the Education Secretary has said.
The increase will affect A-level students who are currently applying to universities.
Bridget Phillipson told MPs that "from April 2025 we will be increasing the maximum cap for tuition fees, in line with inflation, to £9,535, an increase of £285 per academic year.”
She added: “Increasing the fee cap has not been an easy decision, but I want to be crystal clear that this will not cost graduates more each month as they start to repay their loans."
Maintenance loans available to graduates will also increase by £414 per year for the 2025/2026 academic year to help students cope with living costs.
Tuition fees are charged by universities to cover the costs of a range of services including tutoring, assessment, exams, facilities, and personal support.
They were introduced in England in 1998 under Tony Blair's Labour government – originally at £1,000 a year under a means-tested system – to help plug a funding gap faced by universities.
The price of wine and spirits is to rise, but pints in pubs will cost a penny less under changes to duty on alcoholic drinks, Rachel Reeves has announced.
During today's Budget, the chancellor announced that alcohol duty rates on non-draught products will increase in line with RPI from February next year.
However, duty on draught products – or pints pulled in pubs – will be cut by 1.7%, meaning “a penny off a pint in the pub”, she said.
Rachel Reeves also announced a flat rate of duty will be applied on all vaping liquid from October 2026 alongside an additional one-off increase in tobacco duty to encourage people to give up smoking.
The soft drinks industry levy will be increased to account for inflation.
#ukpolitics #uknews #labour #tory #budget #budget2024 #rachelreeves #keirstarmer #autumnbudget #2024budget #pub #pubs #alcohol #tobacco #tax #vaping #vape
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced today that air passenger duty (APD) will rise, adding up to £2 to the cost of an economy ticket for a short-haul flight.
Private jet users, however, will be hit by a 50% hike in APD.
Speaking to the Commons during Labour's first budget for 14 years, the chancellor said: “Air passenger duty has not kept up with inflation in recent years so we are introducing an adjustment, meaning an increase of no more than £2 for an economy class short-haul flight.
“But I am taking a different approach when it comes to private jets, increasing the rate of air passenger duty by a further 50%.
“That is equivalent to £450 per passenger for a private jet to, say, California.”
#ukpolitics #uknews #labour #tory #privatejets #privatejet #tax #flightcosts #budget #budget2024 #flying #holiday #rachelreeves #keirstarmer #rishisunak #california
