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Sep 3 2024

UK experiences coolest summer since 2015 according to the Met Office | UK News

The UK has experienced its coolest summer since 2015, according to provisional data from the Met Office.

Despite recent years seeing persistently hot and dry summers – edging into extreme weather at times – 2024 has somewhat bucked that trend.

While a handful of days were hot, they were not close to the heat we’ve seen in recent years and many will have felt this summer didn’t quite live up to expectations.

Check the five-day forecast where you are

However, a lot of how this summer will have been experienced depends on where you are in the UK as there was notable variation across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

For parts of England, especially the South, South East, and East of England, it was largely business as usual.

But parts of the North West and Scotland saw much higher rainfall, less sunshine, and cooler temperatures on average, according to the provisional data.

Similarly, August also saw Storm Lilian named – confirming the storm season to be the most prolific since storm naming was introduced almost a decade ago.

However, while this summer might have been cooler than those it followed, when placed in the historical context it still fits within a wider pattern of a general warming trend – due to climate change.

Met Office scientist Emily Carlisle said: “While this summer may have felt cool compared to recent years, it’s important to note where it sits in a historical context, with the changing climate of the UK increasing the frequency of warmer summers, as can be observed through our observations.

“While climate change increases the frequency of warmer weather in the UK, our natural variability means that we’ll still experience cooler than average summers at times.”

Colder, wetter, greyer

The mean temperatures for both June and July were below average, thanks largely to northern winds bringing down cold Arctic air.

August enjoyed slightly above-average temperatures because of a switch to dominant westerly winds bringing slightly warmer Atlantic air to the UK.

While England only experienced weather 0.07C below the average mean daily temperature (the average across 24 hours), in Scotland and Northern Ireland it was down 0.4C and 0.45C respectively.

Parts of Northern Ireland also enjoyed a slightly cooler-than-average summer, according to the provisional data.

This split was also largely true for rainfall, with Scotland having a particularly wet summer, and England particularly dry.

In Scotland, the provisional data says they experienced over one-and-a-half times its average August rainfall with some areas, including Glasgow, Renfrewshire, and Ayrshire and Arran, experiencing double the average rainfall for that month.

Across the same month, England experienced almost a quarter less rainfall than its seasonal average – with Wales similarly seeing less rain than usual.

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The Midlands was said to only have had a third of their expected rainfall.

Wales, Northern Ireland, and large parts of Scotland also saw reduced levels of sunshine this summer.

Only parts of the South and East of England saw increased levels of sunshine.

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Jul 21 2024

Nail bars and car washes to be targeted in summer immigration raids | Politics News

Nail bars and car washes will be targeted by immigration officers as they step up enforcement action over the summer, the home secretary has announced.

Yvette Cooper said 1,000 civil servants working on the now-abandoned Rwanda scheme will staff a new “returns and enforcement programme”.

Writing in the Sun on Sunday, she said the programme will “increase returns of those with no right to be here and to make sure rules are respected and enforced”.

Raids on businesses suspected of employing illegal workers will be ramped up.

Labour made border security one of its top priorities in government and has already taken steps to establish the Border Security Command promised in its manifesto.

Sir Keir Starmer also used this week’s European Political Community summit to discuss migration with European leaders, and signalled he may consider offshore processing of migrants.

He was criticised for scrapping the Rwanda scheme on his first day in office, with opponents arguing it provided a necessary deterrent to those seeking to make the crossing.

Elsewhere in Westminster, pensions are being targeted by the chancellor.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Rachel Reeves said: “Not only is the current system not delivering the retirement savings it should be, but it is not doing what it should to support some of our great British businesses.”

She has launched an “urgent review” of the pensions market so it can “deliver a better return for savers and ensure successful businesses can get the funding they need to grow, invest and spread prosperity across the UK”.

Read more from Sky News:
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As part of its first package of proposed laws, the government announced last week a new Pensions Schemes Bill which would seek to encourage consolidation of smaller pension schemes and broaden investment strategies.

“The review we are announcing is the latest in a ‘big bang’ of reforms to unlock growth, boost investment and deliver savings for pensioners,” Ms Reeves said.

“I am determined to fix the foundations of our economy.”

Watch Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips as he speaks to the Treasury Minister James Murray and Tees Valley Mayor Lord Houchen from 8.30am.

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Jun 28 2024

Just Stop Oil supporters arrested over ‘plan to disrupt airports this summer’ | UK News

A total of 27 Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested on suspicion of planning to disrupt airports this summer, the Metropolitan Police has said.

The arrests were made in London, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Devon, Essex, Manchester, Surrey, Sussex, Norfolk and West Yorkshire.

“Among those held were several high-profile members of Just Stop Oil who we believe to be key organisers,” the force said.

Four people were arrested on Tuesday after being identified at Gatwick Airport and have since been released on bail.

On Thursday, six more people were arrested at an east London community centre “as part of a publicly-advertised event promoting airport disruption”.

Met officers worked with eight other police forces on Friday to arrest 17 further suspects at their homes across the country.

All the individuals were arrested under a section of the Public Order Act.

The act makes it illegal to conspire to disrupt national infrastructure.

Last week, Just Stop Oil targeted a private airport where Taylor Swift had landed hours earlier.

Arrests were also made after Stonehenge was sprayed with “orange powder paint”.

Chief Supt Ian Howells, who led the operation, said: “We know Just Stop Oil are planning to disrupt airports across the country this summer, which is why we have taken swift and robust action now.

“Our stance is very clear that anyone who compromises the safety and security of airports in London can expect a strong response from officers or security staff.

“Airports are complex operating environments which is why we are working closely with them, agencies and other partners on this operation.”

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Those who have been released on bail are subject to conditions.

Those conditions include not to travel within 1km of any UK airport unless passing through by vehicle or public transport.

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Jul 17 2023

No hot summer weather in UK until mid-August, Met Office predicts | UK News

The UK won’t see any hot summer weather until mid-August, according to the Met Office.

While Europe swelters in an unrelenting heatwave, forecasters have predicted that any hot summer weather is not expected for several more weeks.

Showers are being forecast in the week but the heavy winds that have been seen across the country during the weekend are expected to fade on Monday.

Heavy rain is expected on Tuesday across central and northern parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland with temperatures not rising above the low 20Cs.

Meteorologist Simon Partridge said: “The general gist is it will become a little more settled through the week but we are not going to see weather as wet and windy as over the weekend, but at the same time there will not be any particular dry or settled or warm weather either, so things are carrying on for July as they have for the past couple of weeks.

“As we go through Monday, it will be another day of sunshine and showers.

“The good news is that winds will be lighter than over the weekend as that low pressure moves a bit further away and also the showers will be fewer and farther between but still the risk of a thundery shower across eastern parts through the afternoon.

“In terms of temperatures through the week, they are bizarrely similar, they are around average for the time of year, many places in high teens and the further south and east you are, you are looking at low 20s with 22C or 23C.

Read more: See the forecast for your area

“The day with the most significant weather is Tuesday, we have an area of low pressure that moves across the UK which will bring some quite heavy rain at times, particularly across central and northern parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with north and south of that a reasonably dry day.”

Looking ahead, the Met Office forecaster said that the pattern of changeable weather was expected to continue, adding: “It’s fairly disappointing for the middle of July, nothing particularly warm or sunny.

“At the moment, the main signal on our long-range models is there is a signal for things turning drier and warmer but not until mid-August.

Read more:
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“The weather pattern is blocked and not changing which is part of the reason why things got so warm in southern Europe, because that high pressure is just sitting there, keeping that warmth growing, but unfortunately it is keeping us in this more changeable airstream, so nothing too wonderful for the next couple of weeks.”

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Jul 7 2023

Air traffic control strikes could put up to a third of summer flights in Europe at risk | UK News

Hundreds of thousands of flights across Europe this summer are in jeopardy after air traffic controllers vowed to take strike action.

Up to 12,600 flights every day – around a third of the journeys made across the continent during the peak summer holiday period – could be delayed or cancelled as a result of the industrial action.

Workers at Eurocontrol, which manages European airspace, have said they will walk out in a dispute over pay, working hours and staffing issues, according to The Times.

An industry source told the newspaper: “In a full-blown strike, 20 to 30% of flights would be at least delayed.”

The source added: “They are big numbers”.

The first round of strikes is expected to be announced as soon as Monday unless last-minute crisis talks can reach an agreement.

But officials at the European air traffic management body are said to have described the walkouts as “inevitable”, with no contingency plan believed to be in place.

It is more bad news for holidaymakers who were warned earlier this week to brace themselves for a “challenging” summer of travel involving delays and longer flight times, in particular to and from London, Barcelona, Brussels, Athens, Marseille and Budapest.

Eurocontrol is expecting around 33,000 flights for the next eight weeks – with the number set to rise to 34,000 on Fridays in July and August.

Impact ‘massive and extremely disruptive’

The impact of the strikes is predicted to be “massive and extremely disruptive”, a senior airline source claimed.

In a letter to managers, the transport workers union Union Syndicale Bruxelles (USB), called for more controllers to be hired immediately.

Eurocontrol – which handles tens of thousands of messages from pilots and staff every day – is believed to be operating with a 25% shortfall, equating to 40 workers.

The Times reports the letter says: “As difficult as industrial action is on everyone, we see no other path forward than to inform you of our decision to progress [with strikes].”

The union said its demands are “lawful, strong and fair” and “in the interest of the agency, the network manager, our stakeholders (operational and member states), the flying public at large and ourselves as loyal employees of the agency”.

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Summer of strike action looms

Eurocontrol director-general, Raul Medina, earlier said the war in Ukraine meant there was less airspace available for travel.

“To be successful over the summer, we need everyone to play their part,” he said.

“Airports need to be well-staffed, it is vital (air traffic services) provide enough capacity and airlines stick to their schedules.”

A Eurocontrol spokesperson told Sky News that a trade union “announced a period of six months during which industrial action could take place” in its network manager operations centre.

“No specific dates for industrial action have been announced; this was a pre-warning,” they said.

The company is “actively engaging with all social partners” and is “committed to finding solutions through social dialogue”, the spokesperson added.

“Eurocontrol is making every effort to keep negotiations open and to find a constructive way forward.”

The threat of action comes as budget airline Ryanair this week announced more than 900 journeys were cancelled in June as a result of air traffic control strikes across France – with around 160,000 people affected by the grounded flights.

French air traffic controllers took part in a series of strikes last month – marking their 60th day of action this year – with a 34-hour walk-out, which ended on 30 June.

Strikes are continuing in other industries, too.

In the UK, schools in England are facing further disruption as teachers stage their second strike this week on Friday.

Junior doctors in England will strike for five consecutive days this month – from 7am on 13 July until 7am on 18 July – in what will be the longest NHS walkout in history.

Disruption to rail journeys is also set to intensify as an overtime ban was extended, as ASLEF general secretary Mick Wheelan vowed to take action for 20 years until an agreement was reached.

The union boss told Sky News: “It is still our intention to find the resolution… we’re going to keep taking action until someone listens to us.”

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Jun 7 2023

Heathrow strikes on almost every weekend over summer | Business News

Security staff at Heathrow Airport have announced an escalation of strike action, with walkouts to take place nearly every weekend from mid-June to the end of August.

Members of Unite are embroiled in a long-running dispute over pay which led to industrial action last month and Easter.

From 24 June, 31 days of strikes will take place by more than 2,000 security staff. Officers from Heathrow terminal 3 are joining the industrial action for the first time in the coming dates.

The workers will be on strike on:

• June 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30

• July 14-16, 21-24, and 28-31

• August 4-7, 11-14, 18-20 and 24-27

Heathrow said similar strikes in recent weeks, by campus security and staff in terminal five, have not been disruptive.

“Unite has already tried and failed to disrupt the airport with unnecessary strikes on some of our busiest days and we continue to build our plans to protect journeys during any future action,” a spokesperson for the airport said.

“Passengers can rest assured that we will do everything we can to minimise strike disruption so they can enjoy their hard-earned summer holidays.”

During the periods of industrial action – by roughly 1,400 security staff – passengers were only able to bring two carry-on items through security.

The union said the dispute could escalate further in the coming weeks.

It said Heathrow security officers are paid less than others at major airports in London and the south east. The officers, Unite said, were the highest paid before the COVID-19 pandemic but are now paid between £5,000 and £6,000 less a year than counterparts at Stansted and Gatwick airports.

Heathrow says this is untrue and that Unite is not using like for like comparisons with airports that require anti-social work hours and to be on shift seven days a week.

The airport also says it was one of the only organisations during the pandemic not to make any frontline redundancies and a very small number of contracts were “aligned with current market rates”.

But Unite’s general secretary says Heathrow has “its priorities all wrong”.

“This is an incredibly wealthy company, which this summer is anticipating bumper profits and an executive pay bonanza,” Sharon Graham said.

“It’s also expected to pay out huge dividends to shareholders, yet its workers can barely make ends meet and are paid far less than workers at other airports.”

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Feb 1 2023

Rishi Sunak told of Dominic Raab’s ‘unacceptable behaviour’ over summer before appointing him to cabinet, source says | Politics News

Rishi Sunak was told about Dominic Raab’s “unacceptable behaviour” over the summer before he became prime minister and appointed the deputy PM to his cabinet role, a source has alleged to Sky News.

The source told Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby that Mr Sunak was made aware of Mr Raab’s conduct but the PM was never “directly told” about specific issues.

Downing Street has said Number 10 officials never advised the PM against appointing Mr Raab.

Asked whether Mr Sunak was made aware of Mr Raab’s “unacceptable behaviour” last summer before he started appointing his top team, the PM’s press secretary said: “The PM was not aware of any formal complaints at the time of appointing Dominic Raab.”

Sunak attacked for how he handled two Tory controversies – politics latest

The press secretary added that she “can’t comment on any private investigations that may or may not have happened” involving Mr Sunak.

Pressed further, she said: “I don’t know what your definition of informal complaints is. The PET (propriety and ethics team) processes are very clear.

“The appointments and usual processes were followed and we were not aware of any formal complaints.”

Mr Sunak has been urged to suspend the deputy prime minister while an investigation into bullying allegations is carried out.

The three permanent secretaries who led officials working under Mr Raab are thought to have given evidence to an inquiry into the deputy PM which is being led by senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC.

A total of eight formal complaints are believed to have been made.

Mr Raab has previously insisted he has “behaved professionally at all times” amid the allegations of bullying and intimidating behaviour.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer branded Mr Sunak “weak” for keeping Mr Raab in his role.

The deputy PM was sat next to Mr Sunak in the Commons.

Read more: What has led to the deputy prime minister being investigated?

Sir Keir asked the PM if he was “completely unaware of serious allegations of bullying” against the deputy PM before he appointed him.

Mr Sunak replied: “The honourable gentleman ask these questions about what was known and I followed due process, I appointed an independent adviser as soon as I was made aware of new information.”

Probing further, the Labour leader continued: “According to recent reports, some of the complainants were physically sick. One says they were left suicidal.

“How would he feel if one of his friends or relatives was being forced to work for a bully, simply because the man at the top was too weak to do anything about it?”

The PM replied: “When I was made aware of formal complaints I instructed a leading independent KC to conduct an investigation because I take action when these things happen.”

Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby said the latest source allegation regarding what Mr Sunak knew about Mr Raab’s behaviour “will be worrying for those in Number 10”.

She said recent scandals – including the one involving former Tory chairman Nadhim Zahawi’s taxes – have cut through with the public and by focusing on these, “Sir Keir Starmer is hoping to keep up the appearance that Rishi Sunak’s government is mired in sleaze”.

Yesterday, Jacob Rees-Mogg warned that people are getting “a bit snowflaky” about bullying allegations levelled at government ministers.

The former cabinet minister told Sky News individuals should be “careful” when talking about accusations involving those including Mr Raab.

“It’s a very difficult line to judge. It’s not a straightforward issue in most cases. It’s how did somebody react, what did somebody say, is it reasonable to demand from senior and well-paid professionals a level of good service?” he said.

“And then you have to judge whether that line has been overstepped. But I do worry we are getting a bit snowflaky about this.”

Read more: From Zahawi and Raab to seatbelt gaffe – the U-turns and scandals of Sunak’s first months as PM

Mr Rees-Mogg added that it is “completely sensible” for Mr Raab to remain in his position while the investigation into his conduct continues.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan told Sky News she disagreed with Mr Rees-Mogg’s comments.

Speaking to Kay Burley this morning, she said: “Well, I mean, I don’t agree with that. Bullying is very serious.”

His remarks were also condemned by a civil service union chief.

Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, said: “Even by Rees-Mogg’s standards this is outrageous.

“A former leader of the House, trivialising bullying that we know has ruined lives and careers.”

Sky News understands Mr Raab has spoken to Mr Tolley once about the allegations but will need to again as they proceed to go through things department by department.

The cut off date for new allegations is understood to have not yet been decided.

The Liberal Democrats have called on the PM to suspend Mr Raab while the investigation into his conduct takes place.

The party’s chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said: “The reported scale of the allegations against Dominic Raab raises real questions for Rishi Sunak. Why hasn’t the prime minister suspended Raab yet, for the duration of this inquiry?”

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Jul 30 2022

Rail strikes and traffic warnings deal double blow to summer getaways and weekend plans | UK News

Summer getaways and weekend plans could be severely disrupted today during a fresh round of rail strikes – with an “amber traffic warning” also in force on the roads.

The Aslef union says train drivers at seven rail companies are staging a 24-hour walkout in a dispute over pay, and there are fears millions of passengers could be disrupted.

Elsewhere, the AA is warning motorists there could be severe congestion on major routes between 11am and 3pm today – with the South of England set to be particularly vulnerable.

A number of factors are to blame – including the rail strikes, the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and the start of the Football League season in England.

Drivers are being told to prepare for stop-start traffic as the weekend gets underway, and the AA’s head of road policy Jack Cousens says the congestion will be a frustration for many.

He added: “As well as taking food and water, some form of entertainment for younger passengers might just hold off a sigh and mutterings of ‘I’m bored!’ for a while.”

Roads into the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone weren’t affected by the traffic yesterday, but National Highways says this weekend is “likely to be extremely busy”.

The UK and France have now put plans in place to prevent border chaos and “maximise passenger flows”, and weekly meetings will aim to avoid additional disruption on both sides of the Channel.

Some 140,000 passengers are expected to pass through the Port of Dover between Thursday and Sunday this week, as well as 45,000 cars and 18,000 freight vehicles.

‘More uncertainty and disruption’

The Rail Delivery Group has accused the Aslef union of timing its industrial action to coincide with major sporting events.

Today’s strike is affecting Arriva Rail London, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains.

Rail Delivery Group chairman Steve Montgomery said: “We’re really disappointed that the Aslef leadership has decided to impose yet more uncertainty and disruption for passengers and businesses in a week which has already seen a strike by the RMT.”

Passengers on affected routes are urged to plan ahead and check before they travel – and if trains are cancelled, travellers can change their ticket, get a refund, or use their ticket until Tuesday.

Further strikes are planned next month in the deadlocked row over pay, jobs and conditions – with Aslef’s general secretary Mick Whelan insisting industrial action is “always the last resort”.

He added: “We don’t want to inconvenience passengers, our friends and families use public transport too, and we don’t want to lose money by going on strike – but we’ve been forced into this position by the companies, who say they have been driven to this by the Tory government.”

Mr Whelan claimed that many Aslef members have not had a pay rise in three years – and with inflation “running at north of 10%”, these drivers have seen their pay fall in real terms.

“It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for three years in a row,” he said. “Especially as the train companies are doing very nicely, thank you, out of Britain’s railways, with handsome profits, dividends for shareholders, and big salaries for managers, and train drivers don’t want to work longer for less.”

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