ban Archives - Hoang Viet

Uncategorized

Sep 17 2024

UK’s ‘most famous shopping street’ could be pedestrianised under London mayor’s traffic ban plans | Politics News

Traffic could soon be banned from part of London’s most popular shopping area, under new plans by the capital’s mayor.

A scheme announced by Sadiq Khan could see a 0.7-mile stretch of Oxford Street – between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch – pedestrianised with the aim of boosting the experience of shoppers, residents, workers and tourists.

The proposal is part of the Labour mayor’s wider regeneration project with the potential for further changes towards Tottenham Court Road.

The potential ban would build on current restrictions which limits vehicle access – apart from buses and taxis – to parts of Oxford Street from 7am to 7pm, except on Sundays.

“Oxford Street was once the jewel in the crown of Britain’s retail sector, but there’s no doubt that it has suffered hugely over the last decade,” Mr Khan said.

“Urgent action is needed to give the nation’s most famous high street a new lease of life.

“I am excited to be working with the new government, and local retailers and businesses, on these plans that will help to restore this famous part of the capital to its former glory, while creating new jobs and economic prosperity for the capital and the country.”

The mayor’s plan depends on him obtaining permission from housing secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who could establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which would provide planning powers.

Read more from Sky News:
Starmer promises ‘pragmatism’ on small boats
Starmer says it is ‘important rules are followed’ after clothes donation row

A statutory period of consultation and consideration by the London Assembly is also required.

Mr Khan’s previous attempt to implement a traffic ban was blocked by then-Conservative run Westminster City Council in 2018.

If given the green light this time around, the project is expected to cost around £150m, with City Hall officials hoping it could be paid for by a combination of local businesses, new revenue streams and private funders.

Stuart Love, chief executive of Westminster City Council, said it will be important to receive further details about what is planned, including how long it could take and how concerns of locals and businesses will be addressed.

He said for the last two years the authority has worked with businesses and residents’ groups to develop a “shovel ready” plan to improve Oxford Street without pedestrianisation – but the council intends to work constructively with the mayor and the government to ensure the best outcomes for all.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Aug 30 2024

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn says smoking ban plan ‘is a smokescreen to deflect from Labour’s austerity doom and gloom’ | UK News

The SNP’s Westminster leader has described Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to ban smoking in beer gardens and other outdoor venues as a “smokescreen” to deflect from the UK government’s austerity “doom and gloom”.

Mr Flynn noted smoking causes around 9,000 deaths per year in Scotland, putting “significant pressure” on the NHS.

Although agreeing that would make a “fair and reasonable starting point” for any discussion in relation to smoking bans, the MP for Aberdeen South claimed the proposed move by the UK government was an “attempt to deflect”.

He told Sky News Breakfast: “Because they know that the public are very much focused on the fact that the first 100 days or so in office of this Labour Party appears to be doom and gloom, that things are going to get worse.

“And they don’t want people talking about austerity, so what they are doing is suggesting that people in some way shouldn’t be able to smoke outside.

“It appears to be using a hammer to crack a nut when it comes to some of the challenges which face the NHS, and which face those individuals who do indeed smoke.

“But ultimately, this is a smokescreen from the bigger issues of the day, which is the austerity agenda that the Labour Party are pushing.”

Speaking to Sky News on Thursday, First Minister John Swinney said he was “unnerved” by the prime minister’s speech on Tuesday, saying he interprets it as a “continuation of the austerity agenda of the Conservatives”.

Mr Flynn believes there will be “less money to do the things that we want to do”, but elected members and the party must come together to “take a message of optimism that things can and will get better to the public”.

Mr Flynn was speaking ahead of the SNP conference, which is taking place in Edinburgh between Friday and Sunday.

The conference is Mr Swinney’s first as party leader in almost two decades and comes after the SNP lost dozens of MPs in July’s general election, falling to just nine seats.

The party’s drubbing at the polls followed months of internal turmoil and an ongoing police investigation into the SNP’s funding and finances.

Read more:
Beer garden baccy looks set to go up in smoke
How would an outdoor smoking ban work?

Mr Flynn accepted it’s been a “challenging time” for his party.

He said: “That’s why it’s so important that today we come together, we reflect upon where we’ve been, how we’ve managed to get ourselves into this situation, but more importantly, to discuss how we refocus, reprioritise, and re-engage with the people of Scotland to renew the trust that we’ve lost.

“And ultimately, towards 2026, what their priorities are and deliver an SNP victory.

“Now, that’s going to require some frank and honest debate. But I think that’s a positive thing, I think it’s perhaps overdue.”

👉 Tap here to follow the Sky News Daily podcast – 20 minutes on the biggest stories every day 👈

Mr Flynn would not get drawn on committing to a timeline for delivering a second Scottish independence referendum.

Instead, he said his party must focus on improving people’s lives and aligning that with “some hope and optimism”.

Speaking about Indyref2, Mr Flynn said: “I don’t think it’s fair or reasonable for me to put a timescale upon that, because it’s for the public to determine what they want and when they want it.”

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Aug 22 2024

Concerns over children being smacked and hit triple in a year, says NSPCC as campaigners call for a total ban in England | UK News

Concerns about children being physically punished have more than tripled in a year, according to the NSPCC.

The charity said its helpline had heard about children being slapped, hit and shaken as punishment.

It’s urging the new government to close the legal defence of “reasonable chastisement” in England.

It said contacts where physical punishment was mentioned had increased from 447 in the 12 months to March 2023 to 1,451 in the year to March 2024.

Wales banned any kind of physical punishment, including smacking, in 2022 and Scotland introduced a similar law two years before.

A UK-wide ban on smacking should be brought in due to current “grey” areas in the law, according to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

More than half of the NSPCC’s contacts about physical punishment were from members of the public concerned about a parent’s behaviour. Only one in 10 were from a child.

Some 45% of the 1,451 contacts were serious enough to refer to social services or the police, the charity added.

In 2022, Sir Keir Starmer also called for other UK nations to follow Wales’s lead.

“What it (the ban) does is give children the protection that adults already have, and that is the right thing,” he said at the time.

Studies have linked physical punishment to depression and anxiety and it’s also been known to increase aggression and antisocial behaviour, said the NSPCC.

The charity cited several potential reasons for the increase in contacts.

These include renewed campaigning to ban smacking, more helpline capacity, and a lack of understanding from the public about what’s deemed acceptable when punishing a child.

Read more from Sky News:
Murder probe after woman and three children die in fire
Hero mum ‘slept with baby on deck when storm sank yacht’

Sir Peter Wanless, the NSPCC’s chief executive, said the rise in people contacting them about the issue was “hugely concerning”.

“Mounting evidence shows that physically disciplining children can be damaging and counterproductive,” he said.

“A long overdue change in the law to prevent physical punishment of children must be delivered by our political leaders.

Sir Peter said the new government must act to “end the use of physical punishment across the UK once and for all”.

People opposed to a law change have said previously the status quo still prohibits violence against children while also protecting parents from prosecution for “innocent and harmless parenting decisions”.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Apr 24 2024

Renters’ Reform Bill gets sign off from MPs – but indefinite delay to no-fault evictions ban remains | Politics News

MPs have voted in favour of the government’s Renters’ Reform Bill – despite it including an indefinite delay to the end of no-fault evictions.

A debate on the legislation ran throughout Wednesday afternoon, including around a new clause from the government which would hold off outlawing Section 21s until a review of the courts system had taken place.

But despite outrage from charities, campaigners and opposition parties around the measure, it got the backing of the majority of MPs – and the bill passed its final stage in the Commons shortly after 6.30pm.

Politics live: Rayner labels Sunak ‘pint-sized loser’

A Section 21 notice is the legal mechanism allowing landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason, which creates uncertainty for those who rent their homes.

The government first promised to ban the notices five years ago, back when Theresa May was still in Number 10.

But it has faced numerous delays amid threats of rebellion from Tory backbenchers – some of them landlords – who said they feared ending Section 21s would see the courts overwhelmed with more complex eviction cases.

Ministers agreed to amend the bill to ensure no ban was enacted until a probe into the courts had been held.

But the clause offers no timeline – leaving no clear date for when Section 21s will actually be scrapped.

Speaking during the debate, Levelling Up minister Jacob Young defended the government’s stance, saying to end no-fault evictions straight away would “cause chaos in the sector”, adding: “It is far better for tenants and landlords alike if we make sure this change happens in an orderly way.”

But Labour’s shadow housing minister Matthew Pennycook accused the government of lacking the “courage” to protect renters as they had promised.

“Instead of ministers having the courage to face down their unruly backbenchers, this weak and divided Conservative government is appeasing them at the expense of private renters who will see the rights and protections they were promised watered down,” he added.

Charities also condemned the continued delay to ending Section 21s, with Shelter’s chief executive Polly Neate saying the government had “led private renters down the garden path and dashed their best chance of a secure home”.

She added: “For every day the government has spent weakening [the bill], at least 500 renters were slapped with a no-fault eviction notice.

“With the spectre of homelessness never far away, renters will remain powerless to challenge dangerous conditions and unfair rent hikes.”

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Feb 22 2024

Officers should be allowed to ban drug and drink-drivers at the roadside, police chiefs say | UK News

Police chiefs are calling for new powers to allow officers to instantly disqualify drink or drug-drivers at the side of the road.

They say the new powers would allow police to take drivers who pose a risk to others off the road “immediately”.

Currently, drivers charged with drug or drink-driving offences are banned following a sentencing hearing at a magistrates’ court.

But these hearings can take weeks to get to the court, and, until then, drivers are allowed to get back behind the wheel.

Chief Constable Jo Shiner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for roads policing, said: “The ability for us to be able to disqualify people either for drink or drug-driving by the roadside would mean that we can immediately take that risk off the road.

“And those people can’t be behind the wheel, particularly if they’ve blown well over the legal limit.”

Under the current system, drivers are checked using a road-side test, which, if positive, is followed by a confirmatory test at a police station.

If that second test comes back positive, they are charged and sent to court.

Force chiefs are currently in early discussions looking at the type of tests that could be used to allow officers to ban people at the roadside.

They are also looking at the legal changes needed to make the move possible.

As well as roadside bans, the NPCC also want tougher punishments for drivers who kill while under the influence, including potential murder charges.

Ms Shiner said: “We should have greater sentencing and far greater sentences, particularly for those people who do kill or seriously injure people on the roads.

“I actually do believe that if someone makes that decision to get behind the wheel, under the influence of drink or drugs, that is a conscious decision they have made to get into a vehicle and therefore to put other people at risk.

“I think we really do need to work hard on making sure that we’re strengthening the sentencing and making sure that we are properly using, where we can, sentencing that is already available to us.”

Read more from Sky News:
Ambulance boss admits ‘much more’ to do after paramedics speak out
King says messages since cancer diagnosis have ‘reduced me to tears’

The idea of instant disqualification is supported by Ceinwen Briddon, who campaigned for tougher sentences for fatal drivers after her 21-year-old daughter Miriam was killed in a head-on collision with a drunk driver.

Gareth Entwhistle, then 34, was jailed after admitting causing death by undue care while over the prescribed drink-drive limit in 2015.

He served half of a five-year jail term and was banned from driving for five years.

Ms Briddon’s campaigning spurred on a change in the law where those found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving can face a life sentence.

Ms Briddon said: “I would challenge anybody to say to me, how would they feel if they’d killed a person? How would they feel if they’d ruined a family’s life? Could they live with the thought of people hating them, and could they survive a lengthy period in jail?

“I do feel strongly that the length of sentence should reflect the crime.”

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Feb 12 2024

Water bosses to face ban on bonuses – but move ‘too weak and feeble’, say Liberal Democrats | UK News

Bosses of water companies responsible for illegal sewage spills are to face a ban on their bonuses after years of campaigns and public outrage.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay announced payouts would be blocked to chiefs who oversee the polluting of rivers, lakes, and seas – starting with bonuses in the financial year starting this April.

It was revealed bosses received more than £26m in bonuses, benefits, and incentives over the last four years.

Analysis by the Labour Party found nine water chief executives were paid £10m in bonuses, £14m in incentives and £603,580 in benefits since 2019.

Senior executives from five of the 11 water companies that deal with sewage took bonuses last year, while the other six, including heads of Yorkshire Water and Thames Water, declined after public anger.

There has been outrage around the illegal activity and calls by Labour and the Liberal Democrats to enforce the policy sooner, as water firms in England plan to hike customers’ bills by an extra £156 a year to invest in Britain’s Victorian infrastructure.

While Mr Barclay said he was “pleased” regular Ofwat was addressing bonuses following water companies’ poor performances, political opponents said the ban was “too weak and feeble”.

Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson and MP, Tim Farron, said: “Finally ministers have buckled to a campaign led by the Liberal Democrats over two years ago, but even now this attempt to ban bonuses sounds too weak and feeble.”

Mr Farron added the firms got away with “environmental vandalism” and called for the bonuses to be banned “today, regardless of criminal conviction”.

Ofwat will consult on details of the proposed ban later this year, including to define the criteria.

This could include successful prosecution for the two most serious categories of pollution – such as causing significant pollution at a bathing site or conservation area, or where a company has been found guilty of serious management failings – according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

It could apply to chief executives and all executive board members.

On the proposal, Mr Barclay said: “No one should profit from illegal behaviour and it’s time that water company bosses took responsibility for that.

“In cases where companies have committed criminal breaches there is no justification whatsoever for paying out bonuses. It needs to stop now.”

Labour claimed it was the spearhead for this change, with a statement from shadow environment secretary, Steve Reed MP, saying: “Once again Labour leads, the Conservatives follow.”

He called for the Tories to “back Labour’s plan” to clean up the rivers and prosecute executives responsible for illegal sewage dumping.

Read more:
What’s gone wrong at Thames Water?
‘Sewage pumped into sea’ turns idyllic Cornwall cove brown

Labour said that under its plans, Ofwat could have blocked six out of nine water bosses’ bonuses last year.

Last year, Thames Water – which supplies one in four people in Britain – was fined more than £3m after pleading guilty to illegally discharging waste.

This included “millions of litres” of undiluted sewage near Gatwick Airport in 2017, which turned the water “black” and killed more than 1,000 fish.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Feb 1 2024

XL bully ban comes into force as police chief urges owners to comply with authorities | UK News

It is now a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.

Unregistered pets can be seized and owners fined and prosecuted, with a police chief urging owners of the illegal animals to comply with officers if their dog is taken because their behaviour may influence a court’s decision to have it put down.

Around 40,000 of the large bulldog-type American breed are believed to have been registered before the deadline yesterday, but there may be thousands more without certificates.

National Police Chiefs’ Council dangerous dogs lead, Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Mark Hobrough has urged members of the public to report any XL bully owners not following the rules so officers can assess the animals.

Seized dogs will be taken to kennels before a court decides if they should either be destroyed or deemed not a danger to public safety.

ACC Hobrough said: “I would encourage strongly people to be compliant if that were the situation with their own dogs because one of the very tests that is made about a dog or an owner (in court) is that the dog is not aggressive, but also that the owner is fit and responsible and not aggressive also.

“So if either of those things were not complied with, then there would be no option for a court then but to destroy the dog.”

The recent ban may spark higher demand for kennels and cause “logistical challenges” for officers, ACC Hobrough said, with police forces “actively looking to enhance” the numbers they can hold.

There are 137 dog legislation officers across the country, with at least one in every force.

The total number of XL bullies, estimated by animal groups, has ranged between 50,000 and 100,000, the RSPCA has said.

Read more:
How experts predict XL bully ban will change things in 2024

Figures show between 2001 and 2021 there were three fatal dog attacks a year, compared with 23 over the two-year period after that, with XL bullies said to be behind many of them.

The breed was added to the Dangerous Dogs Act on 31 October last year when restrictions came into force dictating the dogs must be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.

Breeding, selling or abandoning the dogs also became illegal as of 31 December 2023.

Owners of XL bully dogs in Scotland will also be subject at a later date to the safeguards after the Scottish government replicated legislation in place south of the border.

A decision on whether to add to the list of banned breeds in Northern Ireland would be for locally elected ministers.

People with dangerously out of control dogs can be jailed for up to 14 years and banned from owning animals, and their pets can be put down.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Jan 25 2024

Home Secretary James Cleverly defends delay in plan to toughen up zombie knives ban | Politics News

Home Secretary James Cleverly has defended the government’s delay in announcing legislation to toughen up a ban on zombie knives.

The government is introducing new legislation on Thursday to “close the loophole” on the weapons, which were first banned in 2016.

However, it is still common for them to appear in knife crime cases, with actor Idris Elba one of the latest to lend his voice to the campaign to get them banned further.

Politics latest: Putin will think UK ‘not serious’ about defence

Ministers are aiming to make it harder for the weapons to be sold legally, aiming for it to be against the law to possess, sell, manufacture or transport the blades.

Zombie knives are defined in law as blades with a cutting edge, a serrated edge and “images or words that suggest that it is to be used for the purpose of violence”.

The government announced five months ago that they planned to introduce tougher regulations.

Asked why it had taken so long, Mr Cleverly said: “We have already taken action to make the carrying of zombie knives illegal.

“When I became home secretary, I made the immediate decision to go further to put forward this secondary legislation to support what we’ve already done to make the possession of zombie knives illegal and to close that loophole.

“So I’m very pleased we’re taking action now, and we’ll be determined to get these knives off the streets.”

A surrender scheme will be introduced ahead of the new regulations coming into force in September.

The government also wants tougher penalties for those who possess the knives – increasing the maximum sentence from six months to two years.

Read more:
Govt considering longer sentences
Teenagers jailed after 16-year-old killed with ninja sword

Labour promises ‘no more weak warnings’

As Mr Cleverly made the announcement, the Labour Party said it would launch a £100m plan to tackle knife crime if it were to enter government.

The party also promised “real consequences” for knife crime – and an end to the “empty warnings and apology letters” for those guilty of knife possession

“Too many young people are being drawn into squandering their life chances by getting involved in crime. A government that I lead won’t think we can press release away soaring youth crime,” Sir Keir Starmer said.

Reacting to the announcement from Mr Cleverly, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper added: “Six Tory home secretaries have promised these changes, and still they don’t go anywhere near far enough and don’t match Labour’s plans for a comprehensive ban.

“Dangerous weapons like ninja swords, which have been used to kill teenagers, will still be available on Britain’s streets.

“Still, law-breaking online platforms who profit from these illegal sales are being let off with a slap on the wrist instead of facing criminal sanctions. Labour would close these glaring loopholes in the government’s plans.”

Home Office minister Chris Philp branded the Labour plans as “just another reheated pledge from the Labour Party using money they have already spent seven times”.

He added: “They cannot say what their plan actually is. Because just like their reckless £28 billion-a-year spending spree they don’t have a plan – meaning higher taxes for the British people.”

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Jan 10 2024

Scots warned not to buy XL bully dogs as ban announcement in Scotland edges closer | UK News

Scots are being warned not to buy XL bully dogs as a ban north of the border edges closer to being announced.

New regulations have come into force in England and Wales following a spate of attacks in which people have died or been injured by the breed.

It will be illegal to own this type of dog south of the border from 1 February without an exemption certificate.

At Holyrood on Tuesday, community safety minister Siobhian Brown told MSPs the government was “urgently reviewing” the policy following reports of widespread rehoming of the dogs from England to Scotland.

“It would be preferable not to acquire any such dog at the present time in Scotland,” she warned.

Ms Brown said officials are considering evidence on the situation, and she had met many different groups including the Scottish SPCA and the Dog’s Trust.

She said no breed had been banned for 30 years and it was important to listen to expert views.

Ms Brown said: “The unintended consequences of the UK government’s policy is that we’re now seeing an influx of XL bully dogs coming to Scotland.

“It is important to ensure Scotland does not become a safe haven or a dumping ground for the XL bully dogs from England and Wales.”

Sammy Wilkinson, 29, told Sky News how he had transported around 12 XL bully dogs from England to Scotland ahead of the ban coming into force.

He said “no dog is ever born bad” and believes a blanket ban is the wrong approach.

The Scottish SPCA agrees and believes both the UK and Scottish governments should instead target irresponsible ownership and low-welfare breeding practices.

The animal welfare charity told Sky News it had not seen an increase in the number of XL bully dogs being brought to its centres since the restrictions started.

Read more:
New rules come into force
How experts predict ban will change things

What are the rules in England and Wales?

XL bullies were added to the Dangerous Dogs Act on 31 October 2023, giving owners two months to prepare for the restrictions.

The dogs must be kept on a lead and muzzled when out in public.

Selling, breeding, abandoning or giving them away is also now illegal.

People have until 31 January to apply for an exemption certificate to keep their dog – and must have it neutered, microchipped and insured.

Owners in England and Wales who fail to obtain an exemption by then will have to euthanise their dog or face a possible criminal record and fine.

‘Place the blame on the breeder and owner, not the dog’

Responding to Ms Brown at Holyrood, Conservative MSP Jamie Greene stated: “The unintended consequences we’re seeing are not a result of UK legislation, but as a result of this Scottish government failing to take action.”

He highlighted a Facebook group with 20,000 members that has been discussing rehoming XL bullies in Scotland.

Mr Greene was dismissive of the government’s review, saying it had been going on for months.

He also referred to a report that an XL bully had been cruelly beaten to death after an unsuccessful attempt to sell it in Scotland.

He said: “I would not want to be the minister in charge of any policy who dithered and delayed a day longer than is necessary on this issue and another tragedy occurs.”

However, SNP backbencher Christine Grahame urged the government to take a different approach, saying the regulations are “hasty and simplistic”.

She suggested amending the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act, explaining: “It places blame and responsibility where it lies – on the breeder and the owner, not the dog.”

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Nov 17 2023

Bradley Lowery: Dale Houghton given suspended sentence and football ban for mocking death of child mascot at match | UK News

A man has been given a suspended sentence and a five-year football ban after mocking the death of child mascot Bradley Lowery at a football match.

Dale Houghton, from Rotherham, pleaded guilty to a public order offence at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court in October and received a 12 week sentence suspended for 18 months.

He is also required to carry out 200 hours of unpaid voluntary work in the community.

Bradley was diagnosed with rare cancer neuroblastoma when he was just 18 months old and died aged six in 2017.

Houghton was seen holding up a picture of Bradley and laughing in the stands at Sheffield Wednesday’s match against Sunderland at Hillsborough Stadium on Friday 29 September.

An image of the incident was met with outrage on social media and sparked an apology from Sheffield Wednesday.

In his sentencing remarks, the judge called the actions of Houghton, 32, “appalling and disgraceful” and said that he “inflicted trauma on an already bereaved family”.

District Judge Marcus Waite said to Houghton: “You showed callous disrespect to a brave young man who was rightly held in the highest esteem by football fans everywhere.”

He was a mascot for both Sunderland and England, and formed a close bond with his beloved team’s striker Jermain Defoe, who called Bradley his “best mate”.

At the time, Defoe said he was “appalled and saddened” by Houghton’s actions.

He added: “My thoughts at this time go out to Gemma and Carl, Bradley’s parents, who shouldn’t have to deal with incidents like this, but rather be praised for the amazing work they are doing with the Bradley Lowery Foundation in their son’s memory.”

Bradley’s mother previously told the court that she saw the picture on Facebook.

Mrs Lowery said it “wasn’t just disrespectful to Bradley, but also to other people as well”, and it risked causing “so much emotional trauma to other children with cancer”.

Following the incident, more than £11,000 was raised for The Bradley Lowery Foundation.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

admin 0 Comments