UK news | Westminster World

Dec132022 by Neha Tekawade, Nicholas Dunning.No Comments

Thousands of firefighters and control staff have staged a demonstration, marking the start of the ballot for strikes

Adults, Breaking News, Explainers, London, Media, Politics, Rising cost of living disrupts students’ academic life, UK news, UK Political parties

https://youtu.be/4gruXPxilUk Video Credits: Neha Tekawade, Nicholas Dunning. This afternoon in Westminster, firefighters and control personnel held a protest to signal the beginning of the strike vote. Union members are voting on industrial action to demand a 15% salary increase in response to the rising cost of living crisis. Labour MP Zara Sultana addressed FBU members who descended on London today from up and down the country to mark the start of a strike ballot. The potential strike would be the first on pay since 2003. Rejecting a 5% pay offer, members say they have been underpaid for years and that colleagues are suffering. She said, "The politics don’t just stop at Westminster; it doesn’t just stop at Parliament; it’s in the world, and it sends our community wherever there a

Dec132022 by Nour GhanemNo Comments

Sir Kier Starmer will pledge to abolish the House of Lords if elected as next Prime Minister

Explainers, Politics, UK news

Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer has confirmed plans to abolish House of Lords in his first term if he is elected prime minister, following the next general election. Credit: Alaa Abood The decision is part of his plan to restore the public’s trust in politics, which has been undermined by the Conservative government. The House of Lords are the upper chamber of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is made up of 800 members, appointed by the monarch as suggestion from the Prime Minister. The House of Lords make and shape legislation and have the power to amend or reject bills, they also scrutinise and challenge the government activity. The Labour leader has told the party members that he wants to strip politicians of the power to appoint the Lords as part of the first –

Dec122022 by Vishalakshi Verma No Comments

Beware of “porch pirates” this festive season!

Breaking News, crime, crime, Harrow, UK news

The growing trend of theft of parcels left unattended by delivery drivers raises the question of security in the UK As we get closer to Christmas, postal workers are expected to go on strike. In preparation for Christmas, many people are switching to Amazon and other e-commerce shops due to these impending strikes. If people are not at home, packages can be left on doorsteps to wait for pickup by purchasers, which if left alone for too long, facilitates attempting to steal. From 2021 to 2022, an estimated 10,485 packages were stolen. In the UK, parcel theft is becoming a bigger problem. "porch pirates" are a major issue in the US, where they follow delivery trucks around neighbourhoods and steal packages, as per Ian Caminsky, SVP & MD parcel locker solutions UKI and DACHIT, Q...

NFU issues warning as UK battles with food supply crisis

Breaking News, Explainers, Food, London, News, UK news

With rising prices of fruits, vegetables and dairy products, the situation can worsen in the upcoming months. The National farmers union (NFU) has warned that the UK is facing a major food supply crisis and that immediate action must be taken to control the damage in the next few months. According to the union, energy-intensive crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and pears have been affected the most, with the lowest yields since 1985. Prices of milk and dairy products are also expected to drop below the cost of production, mainly due to rising fuel, feed and fertilizers prices. In the case of eggs, several issues like the avian flu, supply issues and cost of production, have resulted in its scarcity. This shortage could also affect other food products, considering the rise in ener...

Dec122022 by Francesco FioriNo Comments

Drivers complaint: ULEZ expansion will affect us badly.

Bus, economy, Environment, London, London Mayor, News, TFL, Transport, Tube, UK news, UK Political parties

Credit: David Hawgood Since 2019 ULEZ has been a program that is helping London in reduce Car Pollution. But how far can this program push people to change? Car pollution has always been a big problem for prominent cities and their citizen. In 2019 the UK Government decided to start a program for the city's centre named ULEZ. Whoever would transit for central London has to pay around £12 a day to transit. Those who do not pay the daily tax could get a fine of about £160. As reported on the government website, central London has raised £174k yearly from this tax, which is used to help London transport. By August 2023 ULEZ Zone will be expanded in all of Greater London. 80% of the consultation is against the ULEZ Zone and members of the movement No ULEZ is ready to

Dec122022 by Nour Ghanem No Comments

Travel chaos as North West London is coated with snow and ice

Breaking News, Transport, UK news

Overnight snow weather has led to severe disruption for travel on Monday’s morning rush hour, with delayed or cancelled trains. London’s transport network is experiencing severe disruption. A number of London Underground lines have faced severe delays or have been part suspended, including the Bakerloo line and Overground line. Snow causing disruption to London's train network Credit: Nour Ghanem Transport for London (TfL) are advising travellers to check their journeys before leaving their homes, to avoid facing disruption. Snow has disrupted London tube lines on Monday. Bakerloo line , London Overground and Metropolitan line are some of the lines in North West London, that have been severely impacted by the heavy snow and ice on the tracks. On the roads, TfL has said tha

Dec122022 by Neha TekawadeNo Comments

Camel Flu warning for England fans returning from the World Cup

Animals, Breaking News, Explainers, Health, Medical, Sport, Sports, Travel, UK news, Worldnews

Picture credit: Unplash Football fans returning from Qatar are being told by WHO and UKSHA to look out for the symptoms of camel flu which is 10 times deadlier than covid and has the potential to spread and cause a pandemic in the future. Camel flu is MERS-CoV, usually referred to as MERS, and is a rare but serious respiratory disease. It can be diagnosed with similar symptoms to covid 19 but it can cause more risk to health symptoms are fever and cough, and it can progress to pneumonia and cause breathing problems. Picture Credits: Neha Tekawade and Rishab Shaju Camel flu is a zoonotic virus and can be spread from humans to animals. There is proof that the virus is mostly spread by camels in the Middle East. Droplets from a cough can also transmit MERS from one person to anot...

Trolling is the new normal – How will the Online Safety Bill regulate it?

Breaking News, Politics, UK news

©Paul-Hudson Erwin The use of social media has become heavily ingrained in our society, often without much consideration for online safety and privacy. The Online Safety Bill, which originated in the House of Commons, aims at regulating online communication offences more effectively. “I use it for everything,” said Emily, a student at University College London. From daily news to connecting with friends and posting personal photos; billions of users access Instagram and TikTok everyday. The Internet has claimed its place in today’s society, bringing countless concerns and worries about its safety. “I am always conscious that whatever I post can be seen by anyone,” said Julia, 22, expressing her fears about the lack of privacy. “Everyone is being surveilled in one way or another,”

Dec122022 by Mellina ShahromNo Comments

The next three weeks to the new year resemble an advent calendar of disruption

Breaking News, Bus, Explainers, News, Politics, protest, TFL, train strike, Transport, Travel, Tube, UK news

The next three weeks to the new year seem like an advent calendar of disruption, as nurses, transport workers, postal workers, baggage handlers, and others have scheduled strikes. Credit: Mellina Shahrom These are all kinds of strike disruptions that we can expect. This is largely about pay. As prices rise, wages are not, on the whole, keeping up and statistically, that gap is greater for the public sector. Credit: Mellina Shahrom This is what is happening this week. There will be four days of rail disruption as 40,000 workers walk out. And more than 100,000 Royal Mail workers will participate in two days of strike action this week. As we are edging closer to Christmas, expect disruption to deliveries. Learner drivers are being urged to check if their practical driving test...

Dec92022 by Cinzia AppetecchiaNo Comments

Harry and Meghan risk their titles with new controversial documentary

Breaking News, Film, Royal Family, UK news

While the public binge-watched the story of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, claims to strip them of their royal titles began to spring. Image credit: Daily Express The love story that has had the world watching for the past six years is now on Netflix. Britain was glued to the screen on the 8th of December, as the first three episodes of the Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary came out. Meanwhile, A Conservative MP proposed legislation to take their titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex away. Whilst the members of the royal family, including the King and the Prince of Wales, have denied giving any comments on the documentary, an MP was not so determined to ignore it. Bob Seely said he is intended to bring forward legislation that would have them stripped of their royal title...