Coronavirus, Brexit and climate change threaten food security for millions in the UK - Sky News

A Minister for Food Security is urgently needed to deal with the threat posed by COVID-19, Brexit and climate change, according to a cross-party group of MPs.

Millions of people have struggled to access food as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with the number of food bank users doubling during lockdown.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee warns that food insecurity is "likely to get worse before it gets better" because of risks including a second wave of coronavirus cases, as well as potential disruption and delays to the food supply system as a result of a "disorderly Brexit".

The committee analysed the government's response to the disruption to food supplies caused by COVID-19.

Although committee chair Neil Parish said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs response was "commendable" once the pandemic hit, the report questions why the government appeared unprepared for disruptions - such as supermarket shortages due to increased demand - which other countries had experienced when they went into lockdown before the UK.

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Increased buying was not a result of "panic", according to the committee, but "a reasonable and predictable response to the expectation that more meals would need to be eaten at home".

Mr Parish said despite the easing of lockdown "problems with food security are far from over".

More from Covid-19

He added: "Food banks and other food redistribution organisations have reacted heroically to a shocking spike in demand for food aid, but this problem is likely to get worse before it gets better.

"It is therefore essential that the government appoints a new minister for food security who will stop this issue falling between the cracks.

"The government's actions to lock down the country and close businesses were necessary, but they had huge impacts on the food sector and on food security."

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The report also highlighted issues with the voucher scheme for free school meals. Initially the vouchers could be used at supermarkets like Waitrose and M&S but not at Aldi or Lidl, which the report said was "out of touch with the reality of where families were likely to shop".

Around 4.9 million adults and 1.7 million children are currently facing food insecurity in the UK, according to the committee, which the UN defines as a lack of physical and economic access to sufficient and nutritious food.

The cross-party group is asking the government to consult on whether a 'right to food' should be put in legislation.

A government spokesperson said: "[we have] invested record levels of funding to help people get the food they need.

"Our COVID-19 task force has also brought together expertise across government to tackle the extraordinary circumstances of this pandemic and ensure those most vulnerable in our society are protected."

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2020-07-30 03:14:15Z
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Rapper Wiley apologises for 'generalising' during his anti-Semitic social media rants - Daily Mail

Rapper Wiley apologises for 'generalising' during his anti-Semitic social media rants – before blaming 'a community of Jewish lawyers' in the music industry for 'using systemic racism' against black artists

• Musician, 41, denied he is racist as he spoke out about anti-Semitic comments 
• He apologised for 'generalising' amid remarks made on Twitter over weekend 
• Twitter today permanently suspended account amid a wave of furious criticism

By Faith Ridler For Mailonline

Published: 21:30 BST, 29 July 2020 | Updated: 02:29 BST, 30 July 2020

Grime star Wiley today apologised for 'generalising' during anti-Semitic social media rants which prompted Twitter to permanently suspend his account amid a wave of furious criticism.    

The musician, 41, appeared to blame 'a community of Jewish lawyers' in the music industry for 'using systemic racism' against black artists during an interview with Sky News. 

The rapper denied he is racist and apologised for 'generalising' with his inflammatory remarks, saying the argument should have stayed between himself and his manager, John Woolf.  

'I just want to apologise for generalising and going outside of the people who I was talking to within the workspace and workplace I work in,' he said.

Grime star Wiley today apologised for 'generalising' during anti-Semitic social media rants which prompted Twitter to permanently suspend his account

'My comments should not have been directed to all Jews or Jewish people. I want to apologise for generalising, and I want to apologise for comments that were looked at as anti-Semitic.' 

Wiley also appeared to try to justify his provocative comments by suggesting 'the Jewish community is powerful within the music business.'   

'The music industry people that I’m talking about, they are the ones who get to benefit from it, that’s what this is all about,' he explained.

'It's systemic racism from their side. The system and that man, and a community of Jewish lawyers have made me feel that way.

'Not anti-Semitic, they’ve made me feel angry and upset because they are showing me the systemic racism that they’re allowed to use on us.'    

The musician, whose real name is Richard Cowie, was widely condemned for a series of anti-Semitic posts he made on social media, including a video shared on Friday telling Jews to 'crawl out from under your little rocks.'

Twitter said on Wednesday it has permanently suspended him over posts - including one which called Jewish people 'cowards and snakes' - and is 'continuing to assess the situation internally'. He was initially given a temporary ban.  

The musician, 41, appeared to blame 'a community of Jewish lawyers' in the music industry for 'using systemic racism' against black artists during an interview with Sky News

The rapper also denied he is racist and apologised for 'generalising', saying the argument should have stayed between him and his manager, John Woolf

Wiley has also been banned from Instagram and Facebook after continuing to post inflammatory comments on social media until Tuesday.     

The musician caused further controversy when he claimed his Jewish associates in the music and entertainment industry 'still see us as slaves' in an interview with The Voice newspaper.  

He said: 'Without generalising, there is no point saying all [Jews], it is the people I work with in the music and entertainment industry, the Jewish community that I have experienced.

'The things that need to change is the way that the system was set up, why all of these families are rich, or all of these people have heritage, not just England, like, worldwide. They still see us as slaves.

'Slavery hasn't stopped, it's just dressed-up in a million-pound record deal.' 

Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has called for Wiley to be charged with Incitement to Racial Hatred for his earlier comments, which were shared with his 500,000 Twitter followers. 

John Woolf, pictured above, has said he no longer represents grime artist Wiley

'The alarm and offence he's caused is unimaginable and he’s clearly not sorry whatsoever,' she said.   

'This is a man also with 500,000 Twitter followers. He needs to be charged with Incitement to Racial Hatred, he needs face the full force of the law.'    

Speaking to Sky News on Wednesday, the grime artist claimed his manager is in possession of his MBE, but a spokesperson for Mr Woolf said the honour has been framed for Wiley and is 'ready for his collection'.

Wiley said he 'never felt comfortable' going to get the MBE, making reference to Britain's colonial past. 

The rapper, known as the Godfather of Grime, was made an MBE for services to music in 2018.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism has said it will contact the Cabinet Office to ask for Wiley's MBE to be revoked.

Speaking to Sky News, Wiley said he would be willing to give it up as he 'never wanted it'.

He told the broadcaster: 'I never felt comfortable going to get it. Just look at Britain's colonialism history.' 

The manager, who is Jewish, said he no longer represents Wiley and has cut ties with the rapper.

Wiley added: 'I'm not racist, you know. I'm a businessman. My thing should have stayed between me and my manager, I get that.'

Speaking on what he would tell his fans and whether they would be influenced to carry out violent acts against Jewish people, the rapper said he has never been seen committing such acts against Jewish people or the Jewish community.

He went on to describe fans as 'fickle', saying he is not 'current' and comparing himself to popular rapper Dave, before adding he is 'at the end' of his career rather than at the beginning.

Wiley, pictured, was permanently suspended from Twitter today six days after his series of anti-Semitic posts sparked a 48-hour walkout by users in protest

Wiley's account, above, was permanently suspended today. Twitter apologised for 'not moving faster' and said they are 'continuing to assess the situation internally'

Both Wiley's Facebook and Instagram accounts have also been removed following his tirades

It comes as Twitter issued a statement after finally bowing to public pressure to kick the star off their platform.

A spokesman said: 'Upon further investigation, our teams have permanently suspended the account in question for repeated violations of our hateful conduct policy.

'Let us be clear: hateful conduct has absolutely no place on our service and we strongly condemn anti-Semitism. We are sorry we did not move faster and are continuing to assess the situation internally. '

The company added: 'We deeply respect the concerns shared by the Jewish community and online safety advocates, and we will continue to work closely with government, NGOs, civil society partners and our industry peers to tackle antisemitism on Twitter.'

The Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the news that 'Twitter has finally listened', but said the action was 'too little too late'. 

It said in a statement: 'It is at least a start for this deeply irresponsible social network.

'After Twitter's abysmal response to the blatant ant-Jewish incitement on its platform, last night we decided to literally shine a light on the company and project onto its London headquarters some of the hateful tweets that Twitter permits on its platform. 

Wiley shared a series of anti-Semitic posts on the social media site starting on Friday. The comments made on Twitter and Instagram are being investigated by the Metropolitan Police

'From their pitiful responses to the hate spewed daily on their platform, it is evident that social media companies will stop at nothing to make a profit. It is time for these deeply damaging and irresponsible companies to be held accountable for the hatred they help spread.' 

Yesterday the group protested outside the social media company's London office, projecting on to the building a message that read: 'Twitter, we are all sick of your mess. CLEAN IT UP!' 

Social networks have faced criticism for not acting sooner to take down the content, with Downing Street saying their response 'has not been good enough'.

The Facebook and Instagram accounts of grime star Wiley were finally removed yesterday, after the musician had been suspended from the sites for seven days over the posts.

But Twitter and Instagram's alleged slowness to act prompted politicians, celebrities and other prominent names to carry out a 48-hour walkout from both platforms, using the hashtag #NoSafeSpaceForJewHate.  

Wiley launched a number of attacks on the Jewish community over the weekend, including posting a video on Friday telling Jews to 'crawl out from under your little rocks.' 

Yesterday the Campaign Against Antisemitism protested outside Twitter's London office, projecting a message onto the social media company's building

He also shared a conspiracy theory to Instagram about Jews funding and creating the Klu-Klux Klan.

Metropolitan Police are investigating the comments made on Twitter and Instagram, which prompted Wiley's management company to severe ties with him.  

Wiley also took aim at Priti Patel during his two-day Facebook rant, after the Home Secretary described his anti-Semitic posts as 'abhorrent.'

'They should not have been able to remain on Twitter and Instagram for so long and I have asked them for a full explanation,' she said.

'Social media companies must act much faster to remove such appalling hatred from their platforms.'

Appearing to post in response, Wiley said: 'Priti Patel, you wanna see me?'  

Ahead of his ban, Wiley took to his personal Facebook page to share another stream of provocative comments which appear to be aimed at the Jewish community

Wiley had taken to his personal Facebook page after he was blocked from accessing Instagram and Twitter to share a stream of provocative comments - which again appeared to be aimed at the Jewish community.

In one post, Wiley claimed that 'certain people' viewed black people as 'below them' in society. 

He wrote: 'Black people we have always been below them in their eyes this is what f****d me up in the head... Why do certain people from other races want us below them?'  

In another post, the grime star added: 'This is what they fear, that one day black people will be in control...  So they keep doing everything to make sure that doesn't happen.' 

In one post on his personal Facebook, Wiley claimed that 'certain people' viewed black people as 'below them' in society

Wiley also took aim at Priti Patel during his two-day rant, after the Home Secretary described his anti-Semitic posts as 'abhorrent'

He also mentioned BBC Radio 5 host Emma Barnett and Jewish comedian David Baddiel, demanding they both 'come and talk to my face' after they spoke out about his previous comments.

Barnett, whose Jewish grandmother escaped the Nazis in Austria, yesterday condemned Wiley's string of anti-Semitic posts to social media as 'deeply dispiriting', adding: 'Those words burn'. 

A Facebook spokesperson said: 'There is no place for hate speech on Facebook and Instagram, and we don't want it on our platforms. 

'After initially placing Wiley's accounts in a seven day block, we have now removed both his Facebook and Instagram accounts for repeated violations of our policies.'  

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2020-07-29 23:26:55Z
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Coronavirus: Self-isolation period to be extended to 10 days - BBC News

The length of time people with coronavirus symptoms will have to self-isolate for is expected to be increased to 10 days in England.

It comes as ministers try to avoid a second outbreak of the virus in the UK.

Currently, people showing the main symptoms - a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss of taste or smell - have to self-isolate for seven days.

But Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce later that the isolation period is being extended.

It is unclear if the devolved nations will follow the UK government's lead, but the current guidance was adopted UK-wide.

• What's the evidence Europe is having a 'second wave'?
• UK signs deal for 60 million virus vaccine doses

The anticipated announcement comes after the prime minister warned of signs of a "second wave" of the pandemic in parts of Europe.

There have also been concerns about several local outbreaks across the UK, including in Oldham, Wrexham and Staffordshire.

Meanwhile, the government is also expected on Thursday to review the restrictions in Leicester again, a month after the city was put into extended lockdown following a spike in cases.

The UK requirement for people who test positive to isolate for seven days was always on the low side - plenty of other countries require 10 days or even longer.

As coronavirus is new, there is a lack of certainty over how long someone remains infectious.

Research shows a person can be infectious two days before symptoms develop and carry on being infectious during the period they have symptoms. For most, that lasts no more than seven days.

Those who have symptoms longer are already advised to carry on self-isolating.

But the decision to insist everyone isolates for 10 days is likely to have been made for a number of reasons.

There is plenty of evidence that people continue to shed the virus after symptoms end - although the degree to which this represents a risk of passing on the infection to another person is not clear.

Another factor that may have played a role in the decision is that widespread testing is beginning to pick up people in the asymptomatic stage.

And, finally, it sends an important signal. By extending the length of isolation, it acts as a warning against complacency.

Under the current rules, people who show signs of having the virus have to stay at home for seven days after showing symptoms, and others in the household are told to self-isolate for 14 days.

Those returning to the UK from certain countries are also being asked to quarantine for 14 days - a move that has sparked complaints from travel firms.

According to the Daily Telegraph, ministers are also looking for a way to reduce the current 14-day quarantine period for arrivals to the UK, meaning that quarantine and self-isolation time periods could be standardised at 10 days.

On Wednesday evening the government held a meeting to discuss which other countries would be joining the list of those not exempt from the quarantine rule, after a spike in cases saw Spain added over the weekend.

A senior government source told the BBC that Luxembourg was likely to be added this week but that - for the moment - the numbers in Belgium would continue to be monitored.

Earlier, leading travel and airline industry figures called for coronavirus testing at airports in the UK but the source said that "any new system had to be workable and at the moment it isn't".

Officials said a further 83 people with coronavirus had died in the UK, taking the total number of deaths to 45,961.

It also reported another 763 confirmed cases, taking the total to 301,455.

What are the current rules on self-isolating?

Self-isolating means staying at home and not leaving it.

People who have symptoms of coronavirus should isolate themselves for seven days and arrange to get tested. Symptoms include:

• a new continuous cough

• a high temperature

• a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell

Other members of their household should isolate for 14 days and not leave their homes.

If you test positive you will be contacted by contact tracers, who will establish who else you might have passed on the infection to.

Anybody they deem to be at risk will have to isolate themselves for 14 days from the point of contact.

ASK MARTIN LEWIS: Answering your questions about travelling to Spain

• HOOKED: How has lockdown affected drinking habits?

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2020-07-29 21:42:14Z
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Coronavirus: National Trust redundancy plan puts 1,200 jobs at risk - BBC News

Some 1,200 National Trust staff have been told they face redundancy as it looks to save £100m.

The heritage charity, which closed its houses, gardens, car parks, shops and cafes during the coronavirus pandemic, said it expected to lose nearly £200m.

Director General Hilary McGrady told staff they had exhausted every other possibility before proposing job cuts.

A union said no trust properties were to close under the plans but there were fears it was "only a matter of time".

The trust, which has 5.6 million members, hopes to save £100m - almost a fifth of its annual spend - through changing the way it operates and reducing its payroll and budgets.

Laying off 1,200 staff would save £60m - about 13% of the 9,500-strong salaried workforce.

The charity said cuts to staff caring for houses, gardens and collections would be limited as it looked to refocus efforts on protecting cultural heritage.

It has already announced it is stopping or deferring £124m of projects, and introduced a recruitment freeze to reduce its staff costs.

Ms McGrady said there would be a shift from a "one-size-fits-all" approach to properties, with reviewed opening hours at some and, in some cases, a pre-booked guided tour system for visits.

'Devastating blow'

Mike Clancy, from the Prospect union, said the "big programme of layoffs" would leave staff worried about their futures.

"At the moment there are no plans for National Trust to close whole properties but they are shutting 'unprofitable' shops and cafes and the worry is that it's only a matter of time," he said.

"Once jobs are lost and assets are closed it is very hard to recover them."

Jo Stevens MP, Labour's Shadow Culture Secretary, said the move was "a devastating blow" to its workers.

"This announcement from the National Trust highlights how vital it is for the money to make it to where it's needed as quickly as possible to prevent further job cuts - we know that once these jobs are lost it will be hard to get them back."

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2020-07-29 19:00:34Z
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Mystery of origin of Stonehenge megaliths solved - BBC News

The origin of the giant sarsen stones at Stonehenge has finally been discovered with the help of a missing piece of the site which was returned after 60 years.

A test of the metre-long core was matched with a geochemical study of the standing megaliths.

Archaeologists pinpointed the source of the stones to an area 15 miles (25km) north of the site near Marlborough.

English Heritage's Susan Greaney said the discovery was "a real thrill".

The seven-metre tall sarsens, which weigh about 20 tonnes, form all fifteen stones of Stonehenge's central horseshoe, the uprights and lintels of the outer circle, as well as outlying stones.

The monument's smaller bluestones have been traced to the Preseli Hills in Wales, but the sarsens had been impossible to identify until now.

The return of the core, which was removed during archaeological excavations in 1958, enabled archaeologists to analyse its chemical composition.

No-one knew where it was until Robert Phillips, 89, who was involved in those works, decided to return part of it last year.

Researchers first carried out x-ray fluorescence testing of all the remaining sarsens at Stonehenge which revealed most shared a similar chemistry and came from the same area.

They then analysed sarsen outcrops from Norfolk to Devon and compared their chemical composition with the chemistry of a piece of the returned core.

English Heritage said the opportunity to do a destructive test on the core proved "decisive", as it showed its composition matched the chemistry of sarsens at West Woods, just south of Marlborough.

Prof David Nash from Brighton University, who led the study, said: "It has been really exciting to harness 21st century science to understand the Neolithic past, and finally answer a question that archaeologists have been debating for centuries.

'Substantial stones'

"Each outcrop was found to have a different geochemical signature, but it was the chance to test the returned core that enabled us to determine the source area for the Stonehenge sarsens."

Ms Greaney said: "To be able to pinpoint the area that Stonehenge's builders used to source their materials around 2,500 BC is a real thrill.

"While we had our suspicions that Stonehenge's sarsens came from the Marlborough Downs, we didn't know for sure, and with areas of sarsens across Wiltshire, the stones could have come from anywhere.

"They wanted the biggest, most substantial stones they could find and it made sense to get them from as nearby as possible."

Ms Greaney added the evidence highlights "just how carefully considered and deliberate the building of this phase of Stonehenge was".

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2020-07-29 18:03:24Z
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Coronavirus cluster in Greater Glasgow confirmed as probe launched into outbreak - Daily Record

A probe has been launched after an outbreak of coronavirus was confirmed in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

The cluster of eight positive cases was recorded in the last 24 hours and is linked to a number of businesses in the region, including a pharmacy in Inverclyde.

Nicola Sturgeon earlier revealed 14 out of 22 people who tested positive for the virus on Tuesday are from the country's largest health board area - which covers the city, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, parts of North Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire.

The Scottish Government is currently working with a NHSGGC-led Incident Management Team and Health Protection Scotland (HPS) to provide support.

The new cases were found in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area (Image: Daily Record)

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The NHS board say those infected with the deadly bug are showing mild symptoms.

Those contacted are being advised to self-isolate and other identified contacts are being followed up and given appropriate advice.

The latest figures showed  there were 260 people in hospital a decrease of four and the number of people in intensive care remained at two.

Coronavirus in Scotland

The SNP leader added there had been no new admissions to ICU units since July 9.

Sturgeon said: “The clusters we have seen demonstrates how quickly the virus will spread if we give it the opportunity to do so.”

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2020-07-29 17:56:00Z
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Wiley apology for tweets 'that looked anti-Semitic' after Twitter ban - BBC News

Grime artist Wiley has apologised for "generalising" Jewish people after being banned from social media.

In an interview with Sky News, the artist insisted: "I'm not racist."

"My comments should not have been directed to all Jews or Jewish people. I want to apologise for generalising, and I want to apologise for comments that were looked at as anti-Semitic."

Twitter had earlier banned his account permanently after a public backlash over a perceived lack of action.

"We are sorry we did not move faster," Twitter said in a statement.

Sky published excerpts of an interview with the rapper, which it plans to broadcast later.

It reported that the offensive tweets were sparked by a falling-out between the rapper and his former manager, who is Jewish. The pair cut ties in recent days.

"I just want to apologise for generalising and going outside of the people who I was talking to within the workspace and workplace I work in," Wiley said.

"I'm not racist, you know. I'm a businessman. My thing should have stayed between me and my manager, I get that."

However, Sky News said the artist "refused to distance himself from most of the anti-Semitic comments he posted on social media" during the interview.

Wiley's series of anti-Semitic tweets appeared on Friday night.

One tweet read: "I don't care about Hitler, I care about black people", and compared the Jewish community to the Ku Klux Klan.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Twitter did not immediately respond, prompting a public outcry and a 48-hour boycott of Twitter by many users over what they said had been an unacceptable delay.

The social network eventually banned Wiley for violating its "hateful conduct" policy - a day after Facebook and Instagram had deleted the music star's accounts for "repeated violations" of their rules.

Twitter said it had decided to make an earlier temporary ban permanent, and wipe all his past posts from its platform, "upon further consideration".

"We deeply respect the concerns shared by the Jewish community and online safety advocates," the statement said, promising to continue to tackle anti-Semitism.

The star, known as the "godfather of grime", was awarded an MBE for services to music in 2018.

He told Sky News that he "never wanted it" and would be willing to forfeit the honour.

"I never felt comfortable going to get it. Just look at Britain's colonialism history," he said.

Analysis

By Marianna Spring, specialist disinformation and social media reporter

The permanent suspension of the rapper's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter profiles has been widely welcomed.

However, it is emblematic of a slowness to act on hateful abuse from social media sites. And many are asking why this took so long.

Time and time again, decisive action from social media sites over racist abuse, misinformation or hate speech has come only once comments have reached thousands of users.

What does it take for Twitter to act decisively on anti-Semitic abuse?

In this case it appears to be external pressure - the move comes after a boycott by users.

And it also seems to be dependent on what the other social media sites choose to do: Facebook moved to suspend Wiley's accounts on Tuesday, and then Twitter appeared to follow suit.

With the Stop Hate for Profit campaign ramping up pressure, and increased focus on the way social media sites tackle hate speech and misinformation, the spotlight will intensify on the actions of Twitter, Facebook and Google in these scenarios.

The delay in Twitter taking action prompted the 48-hour boycott of Twitter by many users - including celebrities and MPs - beginning on Monday morning. Organisers said the time reflected the "48 hours of pure race hate" they accuse Twitter of giving to Wiley.

On Tuesday, Facebook issued a ban after Wiley was discovered posting abusive material on his personal page using his real name, Richard Cowie.

Twitter followed suit on Wednesday, after what it said was a thorough investigation.

Despite the move, the Board of Deputies of British Jews said both Twitter and Facebook had been slow to act, adding "it is just not good enough".

"Social media companies have not been strong or fast enough about tackling racism, misogyny or homophobia," it said in a statement.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism echoed that sentiment, writing that Twitter "has finally listened".

"The closure of Wiley's account is too little too late, but it is at least a start for this deeply irresponsible social network," it said.

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2020-07-29 17:15:00Z
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