Tony Blair is set to provoke a furious political row by calling on opponents of Brexit to "rise up" and persuade voters to change their mind about leaving the EU.
In a rallying cry to pro-EU MPs and peers, the former Prime Minister will accuse Theresa May of pursuing Brexit "at any cost" and warn it could lead to Scottish independence.
Mr Blair, who wants a second referendum and has pledged to campaign to keep the UK in the EU, will deliver his latest attack on Brexit in a powerful speech to Remain supporters.
His speech will also be seen as a signal that he would like to create a new pro-Remain political party made up of Blairites, Liberal Democrats and even some pro-EU Conservatives.
But Mr Blair will face a bitter backlash from leading Brexit supporters and puts himself at odds with Jeremy Corbyn, who last week ordered Labour MPs to vote for the Government's Article 50 bill.
Speaking only days before the bill is debated in the House of Lords, Mr Blair will say: "This is not the time for retreat, indifference or despair; but the time to rise up in defence of what we believe."
The Brexit Secretary David Davis admitted this week that the Government is expecting amendments to be passed by peers and predicted "ping pong" between the Commons and the Lords.
Mr Blair is making his speech to the Open Britain group, whose leading figures include LibDems Nick Clegg and Norman Lamb, Labour's Chuka Umunna and Pat McFadden and Tories Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve.
Acknowledging that the will of the people should prevail, he will say: "But the people voted without knowledge of the true terms of Brexit. As these terms become clear, it is their right to change their mind.
:: May says Britain won't cherry-pick as she attempts to woo French
:: Lords 'ping pong' likely to delay triggering Article 50
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Argos to give £2.4m to workers who were underpaid
Thousands of Argos workers will share a £2.4m payout after it emerged they had been paid less than the national living wage.
Around 37,000 past and present employees - including 12,000 current staff - will get an average of £64 each.
The "incorrect" payments were discovered in a review following the retailer's takeover by Sainsbury's.
They relate to workers not being paid for staff briefings that could happen before they clocked on, or for security searches after they had finished their shifts.
John Rogers, the former Sainsbury's executive put in charge of Argos after its £1.4bn takeover by the supermarket chain last year, said the issue was brought to his attention after a routine visit by HM Revenue and Customs.
In a letter to staff, he said: "Sainsbury's prides itself on being a trusted brand where people love to work and I was, therefore, very disappointed to hear this and launched an immediate investigation."
He said new processes had been introduced to ensure there could be no repeat.
Mr Rogers said Argos workers paid below the national minimum wage before December 2016 would receive a payment on 28 February for the amount they are owed.
It comes a day after the Government named and shamed 360 businesses for underpaying workers.
The list included department store chain Debenhams and covered employers across the hairdressing, retail hospitality and car home sector.
In total, more than 15,000 workers lost out on more than £995,000.
Excuses for paying less than the national minimum or living wage included using tips to top up pay, docking wages to pay for Christmas parties and making staff pay for their own uniforms.
Debenhams made the list, released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), for failing to pay almost £135,000 to just under 12,000 workers.
The company said it made a technical error in its payroll calculations, which resulted in an average underpayment of around £10 per person to affected workers in 2015.
It was fined £63,000 by BEIS for the breach.
Around 37,000 past and present employees - including 12,000 current staff - will get an average of £64 each.
The "incorrect" payments were discovered in a review following the retailer's takeover by Sainsbury's.
They relate to workers not being paid for staff briefings that could happen before they clocked on, or for security searches after they had finished their shifts.
John Rogers, the former Sainsbury's executive put in charge of Argos after its £1.4bn takeover by the supermarket chain last year, said the issue was brought to his attention after a routine visit by HM Revenue and Customs.
In a letter to staff, he said: "Sainsbury's prides itself on being a trusted brand where people love to work and I was, therefore, very disappointed to hear this and launched an immediate investigation."
He said new processes had been introduced to ensure there could be no repeat.
Mr Rogers said Argos workers paid below the national minimum wage before December 2016 would receive a payment on 28 February for the amount they are owed.
It comes a day after the Government named and shamed 360 businesses for underpaying workers.
The list included department store chain Debenhams and covered employers across the hairdressing, retail hospitality and car home sector.
In total, more than 15,000 workers lost out on more than £995,000.
Excuses for paying less than the national minimum or living wage included using tips to top up pay, docking wages to pay for Christmas parties and making staff pay for their own uniforms.
Debenhams made the list, released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), for failing to pay almost £135,000 to just under 12,000 workers.
The company said it made a technical error in its payroll calculations, which resulted in an average underpayment of around £10 per person to affected workers in 2015.
It was fined £63,000 by BEIS for the breach.
Trump launches unprecedented attack on media
Donald Trump has launched an extensive attack on the US media, saying "the level of dishonesty is out of control".
In a news conference, he said: "The media is trying to attack our administration because they know we are following through on pledges we made and they're not happy about it."
"But a lot of people are happy about it."
"I turn on the TV, open the newspapers, I see stories of chaos. Yet it is the exact opposite. This administration is running like a fine-tuned machine."
Sky's US correspondent Cordelia Lynch described the attack as "unprecedented".
She said: "The White House has criticised media in past plenty of times, but this kind of attack on journalists is unprecedented."
He said: "Many of our nation's reporters will not tell you the truth. And will not treat the wonderful people of this country with the respect they deserve.
"I hope going forward things can be a little bit different and maybe get along a little bit better. Maybe it's not. That's ok too.
"Much of the media in Washington DC, along with New York, Los Angeles in particular speaks not for the people but for those profiting off a obviously very broken system.
"The press has become so dishonest and if we don't talk about it we are doing a tremendous disservice to the American people, because the press is out of control. The level of dishonesty is out of control.
"I am here to change the broken system so it serves their families well. I am talking about this entrenched power structure.
"Too often times the media distort. And some of the media's fantastic but much of it is not.
"But we're not going to let it happen."
Many of his comments focused on the media's stories about the administration's dealings with Russia, singling out the New York Times for a "discredited" front page.
In a news conference, he said: "The media is trying to attack our administration because they know we are following through on pledges we made and they're not happy about it."
"But a lot of people are happy about it."
"I turn on the TV, open the newspapers, I see stories of chaos. Yet it is the exact opposite. This administration is running like a fine-tuned machine."
Sky's US correspondent Cordelia Lynch described the attack as "unprecedented".
She said: "The White House has criticised media in past plenty of times, but this kind of attack on journalists is unprecedented."
He said: "Many of our nation's reporters will not tell you the truth. And will not treat the wonderful people of this country with the respect they deserve.
"I hope going forward things can be a little bit different and maybe get along a little bit better. Maybe it's not. That's ok too.
"Much of the media in Washington DC, along with New York, Los Angeles in particular speaks not for the people but for those profiting off a obviously very broken system.
"The press has become so dishonest and if we don't talk about it we are doing a tremendous disservice to the American people, because the press is out of control. The level of dishonesty is out of control.
"I am here to change the broken system so it serves their families well. I am talking about this entrenched power structure.
"Too often times the media distort. And some of the media's fantastic but much of it is not.
"But we're not going to let it happen."
Many of his comments focused on the media's stories about the administration's dealings with Russia, singling out the New York Times for a "discredited" front page.
Justin Bieber investigated for alleged attack on man in hotel
Justin Bieber is being investigated for allegedly punching a man three times at a hotel.
Rodney Cannon, 34, from Las Vegas, claims he was attacked by the Baby singer and his bodyguards after a basketball game in Cleveland, Ohio, last June.
In a report filed with Cleveland Police on Wednesday, Mr Cannon says the fight broke out when Bieber took his sunglasses and became angry after Mr Cannon started taking pictures of him.
Bieber had previously warned fans he would no longer take pictures with them because they make him "feel like a caged animal".
TMZ published a video appearing to show Bieber and Cannon fighting at the hotel lobby.
According to the website, Mr Cannon asked Bieber for an autograph which was denied angrily by the singer.
"The victim stated he believed he was punched three times during the whole incident by Justin Bieber," the police report says.
"The victim also stated that he believes he was also punched by Justin Bieber's bodyguards a couple of times.
"The victim stated that he took Bieber down to restrain him he believes that Bieber's bodyguard punched him while he was restraining Bieber."
The report says Mr Cannon was taken to Spring Valley Hospital in Nevada with an "acute head injury and a possible concussion".
A Cleveland Police spokesman said no one had been charged.
According to TMZ, Mr Cannon waited eight months to file the report in the hope he would settle the dispute with Bieber.
It is not the first time the singer has been involved in alleged assaults.
In November last year, Bieber was caught on camera punching a fan as he reached inside his limousine.
Rodney Cannon, 34, from Las Vegas, claims he was attacked by the Baby singer and his bodyguards after a basketball game in Cleveland, Ohio, last June.
In a report filed with Cleveland Police on Wednesday, Mr Cannon says the fight broke out when Bieber took his sunglasses and became angry after Mr Cannon started taking pictures of him.
Bieber had previously warned fans he would no longer take pictures with them because they make him "feel like a caged animal".
TMZ published a video appearing to show Bieber and Cannon fighting at the hotel lobby.
According to the website, Mr Cannon asked Bieber for an autograph which was denied angrily by the singer.
"The victim stated he believed he was punched three times during the whole incident by Justin Bieber," the police report says.
"The victim also stated that he believes he was also punched by Justin Bieber's bodyguards a couple of times.
"The victim stated that he took Bieber down to restrain him he believes that Bieber's bodyguard punched him while he was restraining Bieber."
The report says Mr Cannon was taken to Spring Valley Hospital in Nevada with an "acute head injury and a possible concussion".
A Cleveland Police spokesman said no one had been charged.
According to TMZ, Mr Cannon waited eight months to file the report in the hope he would settle the dispute with Bieber.
It is not the first time the singer has been involved in alleged assaults.
In November last year, Bieber was caught on camera punching a fan as he reached inside his limousine.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
New Zealand wildfires see more than 1,000 flee their homes
More than 1,000 people have been forced to flee their homes as wildfires threaten homes in New Zealand's third-largest city.
The fire in the Port Hills district of Christchurch began earlier this week and was thought to have been started by an electrical problem.
It spread rapidly overnight on Wednesday to cover more than 1,800 hectares.
A state of emergency has been declared and Prime Minister Bill English has arrived in the city to monitor the situation.
The Fire Service has 40 crews with 45 pumps and tankers and there are 26 rural fire crews with more than 200 personnel fighting to contain the blaze. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has also offered to send help.
More than a dozen helicopters have been brought in from across the country, along with three fixed-wing aircraft.
The fire in the Port Hills district of Christchurch began earlier this week and was thought to have been started by an electrical problem.
It spread rapidly overnight on Wednesday to cover more than 1,800 hectares.
A state of emergency has been declared and Prime Minister Bill English has arrived in the city to monitor the situation.
The Fire Service has 40 crews with 45 pumps and tankers and there are 26 rural fire crews with more than 200 personnel fighting to contain the blaze. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has also offered to send help.
More than a dozen helicopters have been brought in from across the country, along with three fixed-wing aircraft.
Is Nokia bringing back the 3310 and who would want a retro phone?
Rumours suggest that Nokia is planning to bring back their iconic Nokia 3310 phone.
Mobile users of a certain age have been getting very excited on social media about the return of this sturdy, reliable handset.
If you were in the market for a new phone in the year 2000, then the 3310 may have been on your wish-list.
But when Newsbeat contacted Nokia about the rumours, the company refused to comment.
"Though we're as excited as everyone else to hear their news, as we have often said about such stories, we do not comment on rumour or speculation," a spokesperson tells us.
It may seem unlikely in the world of Android and iPhones that anyone would want a 17-year-old handset that was best known for playing Snake, but the experts believe there is a place in the market.
"I'm fairly confident my grandmother could use a 3310, but she wouldn't know where to start with an iPhone or Android," Alistair Charlton, deputy technology editor at the IB Times, tells Newsbeat.
"You can take a £20 phone to a festival and leave your expensive, glass-fronted iPhone at home.
"Backpackers and the like probably appreciate them too, given their tough build, cheap price and long battery life."
Many smartphone users complain about their handset's battery and this could prove the main selling point for users.
"What an interest in the 3310 does show us though is that battery life is still a major concern for consumers, and one that's not being well-addressed by some smart phones, namely the iPhone," Elizabeth Varley, founder and CEO of tech community TechHub, tells Newsbeat.
And let's not forget, when Adele revealed the video for Hello back in 2015, she was seen in it making a call on a retro flip phone - not a smart device.
Around that time, the media reported a rise in people seeking old phones, as the 1990s were firmly back in fashion and people like Rihanna were walking round chatting on a chunky mobile.
So it's not just a phone for drug dealers, as many Twitter users seem to think.
Alistair also backs the author of the original source of the 3310 rumours, VentureBeat writer Evan Blass, as a credible source for technology leaks.
He describes the journalist as "a renowned tech leaker who is often accurate with his predictions."
But Alistair also says that to succeed in the current market, Nokia will need to update the 3310's basic features to be relevant in 2017.
"We don't communicate through calls and SMS as much as we did in the days of the 3310," he says.
"If it had an internet connection and access to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, then maybe it has a place."
But Elizabeth Varley doesn't believe Nokia's future can be built on models from the past.
"The best way forward is rarely backwards," she says.
"To really compete, innovation is the key."
Mobile users of a certain age have been getting very excited on social media about the return of this sturdy, reliable handset.
If you were in the market for a new phone in the year 2000, then the 3310 may have been on your wish-list.
But when Newsbeat contacted Nokia about the rumours, the company refused to comment.
"Though we're as excited as everyone else to hear their news, as we have often said about such stories, we do not comment on rumour or speculation," a spokesperson tells us.
It may seem unlikely in the world of Android and iPhones that anyone would want a 17-year-old handset that was best known for playing Snake, but the experts believe there is a place in the market.
"I'm fairly confident my grandmother could use a 3310, but she wouldn't know where to start with an iPhone or Android," Alistair Charlton, deputy technology editor at the IB Times, tells Newsbeat.
"You can take a £20 phone to a festival and leave your expensive, glass-fronted iPhone at home.
"Backpackers and the like probably appreciate them too, given their tough build, cheap price and long battery life."
Many smartphone users complain about their handset's battery and this could prove the main selling point for users.
"What an interest in the 3310 does show us though is that battery life is still a major concern for consumers, and one that's not being well-addressed by some smart phones, namely the iPhone," Elizabeth Varley, founder and CEO of tech community TechHub, tells Newsbeat.
And let's not forget, when Adele revealed the video for Hello back in 2015, she was seen in it making a call on a retro flip phone - not a smart device.
Around that time, the media reported a rise in people seeking old phones, as the 1990s were firmly back in fashion and people like Rihanna were walking round chatting on a chunky mobile.
So it's not just a phone for drug dealers, as many Twitter users seem to think.
Alistair also backs the author of the original source of the 3310 rumours, VentureBeat writer Evan Blass, as a credible source for technology leaks.
He describes the journalist as "a renowned tech leaker who is often accurate with his predictions."
But Alistair also says that to succeed in the current market, Nokia will need to update the 3310's basic features to be relevant in 2017.
"We don't communicate through calls and SMS as much as we did in the days of the 3310," he says.
"If it had an internet connection and access to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, then maybe it has a place."
But Elizabeth Varley doesn't believe Nokia's future can be built on models from the past.
"The best way forward is rarely backwards," she says.
"To really compete, innovation is the key."
Vitamin D tablets 'can help beat colds and flu' for millions
Taking vitamin D supplements could help more than three million people a year stave off colds and flu, according to new research.
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London claim that taking the so-called "sunshine vitamin" may have benefits beyond bone and muscle health and could protect against acute respiratory infections.
They analysed data from 11,000 people across 25 trials in 14 countries, including the UK, and concluded that vitamin D can help prevent infections.
"Assuming a UK population of 65 million and that 70% have at least one acute respiratory infection each year, then daily or weekly vitamin D supplements will mean 3.25 million fewer people would get at least one acute respiratory infection a year," said report author Professor Adrian Martineau.
Experts said that the study had implications for public health policy, including the possibility of fortification of foods with vitamin D to tackle high levels of deficiency in the UK.
Mr Martineau added: "The bottom line is that the protective effects of vitamin D supplementation are strongest in those who have the lowest vitamin D levels and when supplementation is given daily or weekly rather than in more widely spaced doses.
"Vitamin D fortification of foods provides a steady, low-level intake of vitamin D that has virtually eliminated profound vitamin D deficiency in several countries."
But baker John Townshend said he believes that vitamin D should not be added to bread, regardless of any purported health benefits.
"Bread should be made from flour, water and salt and nothing else, that's my view," he told Sky News from his Kennington bakery in central London.
"I don't agree with adding in vitamins. It's the wrong approach and it's really not necessary. We need to get back to taking ingredients out, not adding more in."
The supplements have been a hot topic in medical circles in recent years with some experts arguing their usefulness remains uncertain.
Last year, Public Health England said people were generally not getting the recommended 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day from sunlight in winter.
Professor Louis Levy, head of nutrition science at PHE, said: "The evidence on vitamin D and infection is inconsistent and this study does not provide sufficient evidence to support recommending vitamin D for reducing the risk of respiratory tract infections."
The study's results fit with the observation that colds and flu are most common during winter and spring, when levels of vitamin D are at their lowest.
Respiratory tract infections affect the sinuses, throat, airways or lungs and can last up to 30 days.
At least 70% of the population gets at least one acute respiratory infection every year. And about a quarter of the UK population will visit the GP each year to get treatment.
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London claim that taking the so-called "sunshine vitamin" may have benefits beyond bone and muscle health and could protect against acute respiratory infections.
They analysed data from 11,000 people across 25 trials in 14 countries, including the UK, and concluded that vitamin D can help prevent infections.
"Assuming a UK population of 65 million and that 70% have at least one acute respiratory infection each year, then daily or weekly vitamin D supplements will mean 3.25 million fewer people would get at least one acute respiratory infection a year," said report author Professor Adrian Martineau.
Experts said that the study had implications for public health policy, including the possibility of fortification of foods with vitamin D to tackle high levels of deficiency in the UK.
Mr Martineau added: "The bottom line is that the protective effects of vitamin D supplementation are strongest in those who have the lowest vitamin D levels and when supplementation is given daily or weekly rather than in more widely spaced doses.
"Vitamin D fortification of foods provides a steady, low-level intake of vitamin D that has virtually eliminated profound vitamin D deficiency in several countries."
But baker John Townshend said he believes that vitamin D should not be added to bread, regardless of any purported health benefits.
"Bread should be made from flour, water and salt and nothing else, that's my view," he told Sky News from his Kennington bakery in central London.
"I don't agree with adding in vitamins. It's the wrong approach and it's really not necessary. We need to get back to taking ingredients out, not adding more in."
The supplements have been a hot topic in medical circles in recent years with some experts arguing their usefulness remains uncertain.
Last year, Public Health England said people were generally not getting the recommended 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day from sunlight in winter.
Professor Louis Levy, head of nutrition science at PHE, said: "The evidence on vitamin D and infection is inconsistent and this study does not provide sufficient evidence to support recommending vitamin D for reducing the risk of respiratory tract infections."
The study's results fit with the observation that colds and flu are most common during winter and spring, when levels of vitamin D are at their lowest.
Respiratory tract infections affect the sinuses, throat, airways or lungs and can last up to 30 days.
At least 70% of the population gets at least one acute respiratory infection every year. And about a quarter of the UK population will visit the GP each year to get treatment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)