Babak Belurs

Jumat, 26 Februari 2021

Alex Salmond: Scotland's leadership has failed, former first minister tells Holyrood inquiry - Sky News

Scotland's leadership has "failed", Alex Salmond has told a Holyrood inquiry into the SNP government's unlawful investigation of sexual harassment claims made against him.

The former first minister said Nicola Sturgeon's administration had "acted illegally" in its handling of the allegations, "but somehow no one's to blame".

Latest updates as former first minister gives evidence

Mr Salmond told the Scottish Parliament committee "this inquiry is not about me", but about the "unacceptable conduct" around the handling of complaints against him.

He also accused his successor Ms Sturgeon of using a COVID-19 press conference to "effectively question the result of a jury".

And he claimed the committee in its inquiry had been "systematically deprived of the evidence it has legitimately sought" and had been asked to do its job "with both hands tied behind its back and a blindfold on".

Mr Salmond is testifying on the botched government investigation, which was found to be "tainted by apparent bias" after it emerged the investigating officer had prior contact with two of the women who made complaints.

He told MSPs: "I have no incentive or advantage in revisiting the hurt and shock of the last three years. For two years and six months, this has been a nightmare.

"I have every desire to move on, to turn the page, to resist talking yet again about a series of events which have been amongst the most wounding that any person can face.

"But the reason I am here today is because we can't turn that page, nor move on, until the decision-making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed."

He said the failures of leadership surrounding the investigation into his conduct were "many and obvious".

"The government acted illegally but somehow nobody is to blame," he added.

"Scotland hasn't failed, its leadership has failed.

"The importance of this inquiry is for each and every one of us to help put this right."

Hitting out at his former political colleague, Mr Salmond said: "I watched in astonishment on Wednesday when the first minister of Scotland - the first minister of Scotland - used a COVID press conference to effectively question the results of a jury."

Mr Salmond went on: "I note that the first minister asserts I have to prove a case, I don't. That has already been done. There have been two court cases, two judges, one jury.

"In this inquiry it is the Scottish government, a government which has already admitted to behaving unlawfully, who are under examination."

He argued that "some consequences" should follow on from "unlawful conduct".

"I think the leadership of these institutions have serious questions to answer," he told the inquiry.

"When you get to the stage that a government behaves unlawfully - I mean, this is not something that happens very often.

"I'm on the record politically, when governments have behaved unlawfully, of regarding matters a huge and heinous thing to have happened. It's not a slight matter.

"Some consequences should follow from unlawful conduct."

Mr Salmond, who was acquitted of 13 charges of sexual assault in a criminal trial, was awarded a £512,250 payout after he successfully challenged the lawfulness of the government investigation into harassment claims made against him.

Ms Sturgeon has previously insisted there is "not a shred of evidence" that there was a conspiracy against Mr Salmond and she has denied lying to parliament.

The current first minister is scheduled to appear before the committee to give evidence next Wednesday.

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2021-02-26 16:30:00Z
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Alex Salmond: Scotland's leadership has failed, former first minister tells Holyrood inquiry - Sky News

Scotland's leadership has "failed", Alex Salmond has told a Holyrood inquiry into the SNP government's unlawful investigation of sexual harassment claims made against him.

The former first minister said Nicola Sturgeon's administration had "acted illegally" in its handling of the allegations, "but somehow no one's to blame".

Latest updates as former first minister gives evidence

Mr Salmond told the Scottish Parliament committee "this inquiry is not about me", but about the "unacceptable conduct" around the handling of complaints against him.

He also accused his successor Ms Sturgeon of using a COVID-19 press conference to "effectively question the result of a jury".

He told MSPs: "I have no incentive or advantage in revisiting the hurt and shock of the last three years. For two years and six months, this has been a nightmare.

"I have every desire to move on, to turn the page, to resist talking yet again about a series of events which have been amongst the most wounding that any person can face.

"But the reason I am here today is because we can't turn that page, nor move on, until the decision-making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed."

He said the failures of leadership surrounding the investigation into his conduct were "many and obvious".

"The government acted illegally but somehow nobody is to blame," he added.

"Scotland hasn't failed, its leadership has failed.

"The importance of this inquiry is for each and every one of us to help put this right."

Mr Salmond went on: "I note that the first minister asserts I have to prove a case, I don't. That has already been done. There have been two court cases, two judges, one jury.

"In this inquiry it is the Scottish government, a government which has already admitted to behaving unlawfully, who are under examination."

He argued that "some consequences" should follow on from "unlawful conduct".

"I think the leadership of these institutions have serious questions to answer," he told the inquiry.

"When you get to the stage that a government behaves unlawfully - I mean, this is not something that happens very often.

"I'm on the record politically, when governments have behaved unlawfully, of regarding matters a huge and heinous thing to have happened. It's not a slight matter.

"Some consequences should follow from unlawful conduct."

Ms Sturgeon has previously insisted there is "not a shred of evidence" that there was a conspiracy against Mr Salmond and she has denied lying to parliament.

The current first minister is scheduled to appear before the committee to give evidence next Wednesday.

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Alex Salmond: Scotland's leadership has failed, former first minister tells Holyrood inquiry - Sky News

Scotland's leadership has "failed", Alex Salmond has told a Holyrood inquiry into the SNP government's unlawful investigation of sexual harassment claims made against him.

The former first minister said Nicola Sturgeon's administration had "acted illegally" in its handling of the allegations, "but somehow no one's to blame".

Mr Salmond told the Scottish Parliament committee "this inquiry is not about me", but about the "unacceptable conduct" around the handling of complaints against him.

Latest updates as former first minister gives evidence

He also claimed the committee in its inquiry had been "systematically deprived of the evidence it has legitimately sought" and had been asked to do its job "with both hands tied behind its back and a blindfold on".

He told MSPs: "I have no incentive or advantage in revisiting the hurt and shock of the last three years. For two years and six months, this has been a nightmare.

"I have every desire to move on, to turn the page, to resist talking yet again about a series of events which have been amongst the most wounding that any person can face.

"But the reason I am here today is because we can't turn that page, nor move on, until the decision-making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed."

He said the failures of leadership surrounding the investigation into his conduct were "many and obvious".

"The government acted illegally but somehow nobody is to blame," he added.

"Scotland hasn't failed, its leadership has failed.

"The importance of this inquiry is for each and every one of us to help put this right."

Mr Salmond went on: "I note that the first minister asserts I have to prove a case, I don't. That has already been done. There have been two court cases, two judges, one jury.

"In this inquiry it is the Scottish government, a government which has already admitted to behaving unlawfully, who are under examination."

He argued that "some consequences" should follow on from "unlawful conduct".

"I think the leadership of these institutions have serious questions to answer," he told the inquiry.

"When you get to the stage that a government behaves unlawfully - I mean, this is not something that happens very often.

"I'm on the record politically, when governments have behaved unlawfully, of regarding matters a huge and heinous thing to have happened. It's not a slight matter.

"Some consequences should follow from unlawful conduct."

Ms Sturgeon has previously insisted there is "not a shred of evidence" that there was a conspiracy against Mr Salmond and she has denied lying to parliament.

The current first minister is scheduled to appear before the committee to give evidence next Wednesday.

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COVID-19: People in their 40s first for phase two of vaccine rollout - no priority for teachers and police - Sky News

The next phase of COVID vaccinations will continue to prioritise people by age and not their occupation to avoid slowing down the rollout.

People aged 40-49 will be the next in line to get a vaccine after all vulnerable groups and the over-50s are covered, the government said.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said this would provide "the greatest benefit in the shortest time".

It added that prioritising occupational groups such as teachers and police could make the rollout more complex and could potentially slow the programme overall, leaving some vulnerable people at higher risk for longer.

Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world

In a statement, a government spokesperson confirmed all four nations of the UK would follow the recommendations "subject to the final advice given by the independent expert committee".

The spokesperson added that age had been assessed to be "the strongest factor linked to mortality, morbidity and hospitalisations, and because the speed of delivery is crucial as we provide more people with protection from COVID-19".

Therefore, the priority ordering for phase two will be:

Everyone aged between 40 and 49
Everyone aged between 30 and 39
Everyone aged between 18 and 29

It will begin after all nine priority groups and the over-50s have been offered the jab.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, the COVID-19 chair for JCVI, said age "remains a dominant factor" and that making this a priority would also make the programme more "simple".

He added: "Simplicity has been a cornerstone in terms of speed and success.

"An occupation-based vaccination programme has never been tested; trying to switch will be more complex and potentially introduce more delays into the programme.

"The vaccination programme is a huge success and continuing the age-based rollout will provide the greatest benefit in the shortest time, including to those in occupations at a higher risk of exposure."

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Earlier this week, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said she felt "extremely disappointed" that police officers hadn't been prioritised in the programme.

She pointed out that 147 of her colleagues in London alone had been coughed at, while another 51 had been spat at by people claiming to have COVID-19.

Speaking for her colleagues, she added: "They are at a particular risk because of the way in which they are so often going from house to house, in people's personal space, dealing with people who are spitting... this is a many times a day occurrence for my people.

"And inevitably they are concerned that they may take that home, or that they may be spreading as well."

Currently, people in group five of the priority groups - anyone aged 65 and over - are being vaccinated.

Some areas have also moved on to group six - adults aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions.

A further 600,000 people who were identified last week as being at additional risk from COVID-19 were on Thursday invited to book a slot at a vaccination centre or pharmacy.

While the number jabs administered has slowed recently, Boris Johnson has said all adults in the UK should be offered their first vaccination by 31 July.

He said everyone over 50 should get their offer by 15 April.

On Friday, the government spokesperson said the the UK "remained on course" to meet these targets.

Analysis: Too risky to start mass immunisation by profession in the middle of a pandemic

By Joshi Ashish, health correspondent

Keep it simple. Keep it quick. That's the government's vaccination strategy. It's worked so far and there is, as far as the JCVI is concerned, no reason to change it now.

They want as many people vaccinated as soon as possible and the easiest way to do that is to target sections of the population according to age.

By trying to break it down into occupations risks slowing down this monumental effort and undoing all the good work so far.

The mission, right from the very start, is to stop people dying, to stop people becoming very sick and to stop people needed hospital treatment.

The data, say the government's scientists, tells us that is happening. They argue that to move from target age groups to high-risk occupations is too complicated.

And we know that age and underlying health conditions are the two most important factors. The older the patient then the higher the risk from COVID-19. That's why phase one of the rollout targeted the over-50s and the most clinically vulnerable. The next phase will be those aged 40-49.

Another argument is that by hitting this age group you also take in public workers like teachers and police officers who are most at risk by age.

The next phase will start as soon as the first one is over. But significant concerns remain about low vaccine take-up in certain communities like black and Asian; travellers; and Eastern European. The reasons are varied and complex but that is the challenge for public health workers to engage more with these groups and ensure access and counter the misinformation that exists.

This country has never undertaken a mass immunisation programme according to profession. It is too risky to start one in the middle of a deadly pandemic.

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2021-02-26 11:42:32Z
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Prince Harry: UK press were 'destroying my mental health' - BBC News

The Duke of Sussex has said he had to step back from royal duties to protect himself and his family from the "toxic" situation created by the UK press.

Prince Harry told TV chat show host James Corden it was "destroying my mental health" and he "did what any husband [or] father would do".

Buckingham Palace confirmed last week that the prince and his wife Meghan would not resume royal duties.

The duke insisted they were "stepping back rather than stepping down".

The couple, who are expecting their second child, moved to California with their one-year-old son Archie after announcing their plan to step back as senior working royals last January.

They said at the time that they wanted to work to become financially independent.

Last week, Buckingham Palace said the duke and duchess would not return to royal duties, following a planned review of the arrangements.

As a result, they will have to return their honorary military appointments and royal patronages.

In a segment for Corden's US TV programme The Late Late Show, the duke joined the British presenter on a double-decker bus tour of Los Angeles.

Asked by Corden about the couple's decision to walk away from royal duties, Prince Harry insisted it "was never walking away, it was stepping back rather than stepping down".

"It was a really difficult environment as a lot of people saw. We all know what the British press can be like. And it was destroying my mental health. I was like, this is toxic."

He said he "did what any husband [or] father would do", and moved his family away, but insisted: "I will never walk away, I will always be contributing. My life is public service."

Asked by Corden how he sees his future after lockdown restrictions are lifted, the duke said: "My life is always going to be about public service and Meghan signed up to that."

The interview was recorded before it was confirmed Harry and Meghan would not resume royal duties.

Analysis

By Sarah Campbell, BBC News royal correspondent

British chat show host James Corden (left) pictured on a double-decker bus with Prince Harry (right)

Much has been said and written about Harry and Meghan over the past year, but this is Harry in his own words - the first interview since the family moved to California.

There's enough fluff to delight their fans - like details about Archie's first word and his love of waffles. Meghan makes an appearance via FaceTime and Harry gets muddy on an assault course.

The tone is informal - two mates chatting on a bus (James Corden was at their wedding) but he does ask the question people want answered, about why they are no longer working royals.

Harry is perhaps a little defensive in his response, saying it "was never walking away", and although this was recorded before the official "decree absolute" from Buckingham Palace last week, the sentiment about continued public service is the same.

Commentators will point to the name check for Netflix (the couple have signed a multi-million dollar deal with the streaming service).

And then there's the apparent conflict that in between revealing personal family details, Harry argues the reason they left the UK was because of press intrusion.

Next weekend, it will be Meghan who takes centre stage with Oprah.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have both taken legal action against media outlets in the past.

The duchess recently won a High Court privacy battle against the Mail on Sunday over the publication of extracts from a letter to her father.

When his wife first began her legal action against the Mail on Sunday, the duke described the "painful" impact of the "ruthless" press campaign against her.

"I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces," he said in a statement at the time.

Referring to his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, Harry said his "deepest fear is history repeating itself".

Earlier this month, Harry also successfully sued the publisher of the Mail on Sunday for libel, over false claims he "turned his back" on the Royal Marines after stepping down as a senior royal.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their son

In a wide-ranging interview, the duke also defended Netflix drama The Crown, amid criticism from some quarters about its portrayal of the Royal Family's history.

"Of course it's not strictly accurate, but, loosely, it gives you a rough idea about what that lifestyle, what the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else, what can come from that," he said.

"I am way more comfortable with The Crown than I am seeing the stories written about my family, or my wife or myself."

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and the Duchess of Sussex in the Ascot Landau carriage during the procession after getting married

Last September, it emerged the duke and duchess had agreed a deal with Netflix to make a range of programmes, some of which they may appear in.

Harry also revealed that Archie's first word was "crocodile" and the Queen sent him a waffle maker for Christmas.

He added that the monarch, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, who is currently being treated in hospital for an infection, have used Zoom to video call the family, and have seen Archie "running around".

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2021-02-26 11:33:07Z
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Prince Harry: Why he stepped down from Royal duties and what the Queen bought Archie for Christmas - Sky News

Prince Harry has revealed he stepped back from his royal duties because the British press was "toxic" and was "destroying" his mental health.

The royal gave a candid interview to British talk show host James Corden's The Late Late Show - with the pair touring Los Angeles on an open air bus with afternoon tea.

Harry opened up about why he withdrew from Royal duties, insisting "I did not walk away", but had to leave due to the British press affecting his mental health.

He said it was a "really difficult environment, as I think a lot of people saw".

"We all know what the British press can be like. And it was destroying my mental health. I was like... 'this is toxic'."

He added: "So I did what any husband and father would do - I need to get my family out of here.

"But we never walked away - and as far as I'm concerned, what decisions are made on that side - I will never walk away.

"I will always be contributing - my life is public service - so wherever I am in the world it is going to be the same thing.

He said that he and Meghan are "trying to bring some compassion and try to make people happy and change the world in any small way we can".

In a wide-ranging interview he also revealed:

• He prefers The Crown's portrayal of his family's history because it "does not pretend to be news"

• He would like to be played in the series by Damian Lewis

• The Queen bought Archie a waffle-maker for Christmas

• He knew wife Meghan was "the one" on second date

• He has seen little of LA because of lockdown

Speaking about the Netflix hit series The Crown, which is based on his family, he said: "They don't pretend to be news - it's fictional. But it's loosely based on the truth.

"Of course it's not strictly accurate, but it gives you a rough idea about what that lifestyle - the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else - what can come from that."

He continued: "I'm way more comfortable with The Crown than I am seeing the stories written about my family, or my wife or myself.

"Because it's the difference between fiction - take it how you will - but this [news reports] is being reported on as fact because you're supposedly news. I have a real issue with that."

When Corden asked Harry who he would like to see play him on the show, he revealed without hesitation: "Damian Lewis".

The red-headed actor, 50, is best known for his roles in Band of Brothers and Homeland.

Harry also opened up about wife Meghan and how he knew she was the one on their second date.

"It wasn't so much where we went but the fact we hit it off with each other, and we were just so comfortable in each other's company," he said.

"Dating me or any member of the Royal Family is kind of flipped upside down. All the dates become dinners or watching the TV or chatting at home."

He said the pair got to spend "an enormous time" getting to know each other without other distractions, saying it was "an amazing thing".

"We went from zero to 60 in the first two months."

Former Suits actress Meghan, who is pregnant with the couple's second child, made a cameo in the interview via FaceTime when Harry and Corden paid a trip to the house from 90s TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

When Corden suggested the couple should buy the house, Meghan said: "I think we've done enough moving".

During the visit to the house, Corden and Harry spoke to the owner and jokingly made an offer to buy it, before Harry asked if he could use the toilet.

"I'm actually dying for a pee. Can I use your bathroom?," he said, before heading for a toilet break.

Later on, Harry made the surprise remark that his grandmother the Queen bought his son Archie a waffle-maker for Christmas.

"My grandmother asked us what Archie wanted for Christmas, and Meg said a waffle-maker. So she sent a waffle-maker for Archie!"

He revealed Meghan now makes waffles with a "beautiful organic mix" and they eat them for breakfast with toppings including berries and syrup.

He also said both his grandparents, the Queen and Prince Philip, know how to use Zoom, joking that his grandfather shuts the laptop physically when he finishes one of their calls instead of clicking off it.

Harry appeared to be enjoying fatherhood, saying his son Archie, aged one and a half year, is "hysterical".

"He has the most amazing personality and is already putting three or four words together, he's already singing songs," he said.

The royal also revealed Archie's first word was "crocodile".

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2021-02-26 11:26:15Z
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Shamima Begum cannot return to UK, Supreme Court rules - BBC News

Shamima Begum during her interview with BBC's Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville, at al-Hawl refugee camp in north-eastern Syria in February 2019

Shamima Begum, who left the UK for Syria to join the Islamic State group as a teenager, will not be allowed to return and fight her citizenship case, the Supreme Court has ruled.

The court said in a unanimous ruling that her rights were not breached when she was refused permission to return.

Ms Begum, 21, wants to come back to challenge the home secretary's decision to remove her British nationality.

She is in a camp controlled by armed guards in northern Syria.

Ms Begum was 15 when she and two other east London schoolgirls left the UK in February 2015 and travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State group.

In 2019, the then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid stripped Ms Begum of her citizenship on national security grounds.

Last July, the Court of Appeal ruled that the only fair way forward was to allow her into the UK because she could not effectively appeal against the decision from the camp in northern Syria.

The Home Office subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court to reconsider the Court of Appeal's judgement, arguing that allowing her to return to the UK "would create significant national security risks".

On Friday, Lord Reed, president of the Supreme Court, said the government had been entitled to prevent Ms Begum from returning to the UK.

Announcing the ruling, Lord Reed said: "The Supreme Court unanimously allows all of the home secretary's appeals and dismisses Ms Begum's cross-appeal."

He said the Court of Appeal's judgment had been wrong and failed to take proper account of the home secretary's case.

"It did not give the home secretary's assessment the respect which it should have received, given that it is the home secretary who has been charged by Parliament with responsibility for making such assessments, and who is democratically accountable to Parliament for the discharge of that responsibility," Lord Reed said.

"The Court of Appeal mistakenly believed that, when an individual's right to have a fair hearing... came into conflict with the requirements of national security, her right to a fair hearing must prevail."

He added: "But the right to a fair hearing does not trump all other considerations, such as the safety of the public."

Lord Reed said the appropriate answer was not to force the government to bring Ms Begum back to the UK - but to pause her legal fight over citizenship until she is in a safer position to take part in her appeal.

He added: "That is not a perfect solution, as it is not known how long it may be before that is possible. But there is no perfect solution to a dilemma of the present kind."

Mr Javid welcomed the ruling, saying any "restrictions of rights and freedoms" faced by Ms Begum were a "direct" result of her "extreme" actions.

He said: "The home secretary is responsible for the security of our citizens and borders, and therefore should have the power to decide whether anyone posing a serious threat to that security can enter our country.

"There are no simple solutions to this situation but any restrictions of rights and freedoms faced by this individual are a direct consequence of the extreme actions that she and others have taken, in violation of government guidance and common morality."

Liberty, the human rights group which intervened in Ms Begum's case, said the latest ruling sets "an extremely dangerous precedent".

Rosie Brighouse, a lawyer with Liberty, said: "The right to a fair trial is not something democratic governments should take away on a whim, and nor is someone's British citizenship.

"If a government is allowed to wield extreme powers like banishment without the basic safeguards of a fair trial it sets an extremely dangerous precedent.

"The security services have safely managed the returns of hundreds of people from Syria but the government has chosen to target Shamima Begum.

"This approach does not serve justice, it's a cynical distraction from a failed counter-terror strategy and another example of this government's disregard for access to justice and the rule of law."

'I'M NOT A MONSTER': How did an American family end up in the heart of the ISIS caliphate? Journalist Josh Baker unravels a dangerous story where nothing is as it seems

Maya Foa, director of the human rights group Reprieve said preventing Ms Begum from entering the UK remained "a cynical ploy to make her someone else's responsibility".

"Like many of its European counterparts, the UK is more than capable of bringing home British detainees in Syria, many of whom left as teenagers after being trafficked or groomed online.

"Abandoning them in a legal black hole - in Guantanamo-like conditions - is out of step with British values and the interests of justice and security."

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2021-02-26 10:56:22Z
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Jumat, 26 Februari 2021

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