Julia James death: Man charged with murder of police community support officer appears in court - Sky News

A 21-year-old man charged with the murder of police community support officer Julia James in Kent has appeared in court.

Callum Wheeler, from Aylesham, appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

He spoke only to confirm name and address and was remanded in custody to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday.

The body of Ms James was discovered in Akholt Wood near her home in Snowdown on 27 April.

Kent Police arrested Wheeler on Friday evening.

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Image: In this image released by police, Ms James was wearing the same clothes as the ones in this picture when she died

Assistant Chief Constable Tom Richards said police are not "actively" seeking any further suspects in connection with her death.

"Today we continue to appeal for witnesses. I am confident that there were people in the area at the time that we want to speak to," he said.

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"I have no information to suggest at this stage that anyone else involved in this offence.

"We are not at this stage looking actively to make any further arrests."

Last week, police issued an image of Ms James in the clothes she was wearing before she was killed.

The picture showed her in a light blue waterproof coat, blue jeans and dark Wellington-style brown boots, as she walked her Jack Russell.

Police said it was the same clothing, apart from the gloves, which she wore on the day she died.

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2021-05-11 09:32:37Z
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Exclusive: Government to ban conversion therapy in Queen's Speech - ITV News

The government will announce a ban on so-called conversion therapy in tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech, ITV News understands.

The long-awaited ban comes three years after the then-prime minister Theresa May first promised to end the practice in an interview with ITV News in 2018.

The exact details of the scope of the ban are still being worked out with further consultation likely, including on how to protect religious freedoms and certain professions such as teachers.

But campaigners are keen to ensure the ban covers spiritual guidance which attempts to change or suppress someone’s sexuality or gender identity. The government is expected to pass the law within the next year.

ITV News understands that Boris Johnson - who banned adverts for conversion therapy on the underground as Mayor of London - had made outlawing the practice a personal priority.

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The news will be welcomed by a broad range of stakeholders from Conservative MPs to the LGBT+ campaign Stonewall, who have been lobbying the government.

There was concern in March that the promised ban would be dropped, with the equalities adviser Jayne Ozanne resigning from her role over the issue, followed by two other members of the government’s LGBT+ advisory panel.

On the planned ban, Ms Ozanne told ITV News: "Whilst I warmly welcome the news that there is finally to be a ban, I am concerned that we are going to have yet more consultation.

"The government simply need to protect the lives of all LGBT people by doing what the UN has advised and banning all forms of conversion therapy, including religious practices.

"They have consulted long enough, now it is time to act and bring forward legislation that protects everyone from this inhumane and degrading abuse."

Since 2018, the government has been promising to ban the practice, with Ms May being the first to pledge action after describing the "therapy" as "abhorrent".

In July 2020, Prime Minister Johnson also promised to ban conversion therapy, but the resignation of equality adviser Ms Ozanne turned up pressure on the government to act.

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She told ITV News the government was creating a "hostile environment for LGBT people", accusing ministers of being "ignorant" about the issues affecting the community.

Mr Johnson has previously said ending conversion therapy is “technically complex” but insisted that ministers will “stamp it out” after three equality advisers quit in total.Some Christians and Conservative MPs have lobbied the government to make allowances for religious freedoms, but campaigners say only a complete ban will ensure the safety of vulnerable people who often consent to conversion therapy without realising the damage it does.

The Evangelical Alliance wrote to Mr Johnson in March warning that in their view, a ban on conversion therapy could "place church leaders at risk of prosecution when they preach on biblical texts relating to marriage and sexuality".

In 2018, ITV News investigated Winners Chapel, which told our undercover reporter that his homosexuality was caused by the devil and prayer could help him to overcome it.

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Watch ITV News' undercover investigation:

According to Stonewall, conversion therapy refers to "any form of treatment or psychotherapy which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or to suppress a person’s gender identity.

"It is based on an assumption that being lesbian, gay, bi or trans is a mental illness that can be ‘cured’. These therapies are both unethical and harmful."

Campaigners want a ban to cover all forms of conversion therapy involving spiritual therapies and religious prayer.

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2021-05-10 21:58:41Z
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London elections 2021: Record number of mayoral votes rejected - BBC News

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A "confusing" ballot paper is being blamed for a record number of rejected votes in the mayor of London election.

About 114,000 first preference votes were rejected in Thursday's election, which saw Sadiq Khan win a second term, double the previous record.

The mayor of London is elected using a supplementary vote system, under which each voter can choose a first and second preference.

Officials said the system is known to "result in spoilt ballot papers".

Mary Harpley, who as Greater London Returning Officer was in charge of running the mayoral election, said: "The record number of 20 mayoral candidates in 2021 made it necessary to split the mayoral ballot paper into two sections.

"In order to help London's voters this year, we published clear 'how to vote' information in the booklet sent to every registered voter."

The government is currently looking to change the voting system for the mayor of London to first past the post.

Roughly 5% of this year's first preference votes were rejected.

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Who won in my area?

Enter your postcode, or the name of your English council or Scottish or Welsh constituency to find out. Eg 'W1A 1AA' or 'Westminster'

A really simple guide to the 2021 elections

Note: This lookup covers national elections in Scotland and Wales, the Hartlepool by-election, as well as council and mayoral elections in England and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections in England and Wales. There may be parish council elections or council by-elections where you are. Check your local council website for full details. Last updated: May 10, 2021, 07:25 GMT

The previous record was in the 2004 mayoral election, when 56,874 first preference votes were rejected, roughly 3% of the total votes that year.

Official figures show 87,214 ballots out of the 114,000 were rejected this year because people tried to vote for more than one candidate in the first preference column.

Constituencies with the highest number of rejected ballots were Ealing and Hillingdon, Brent and Harrow and City and East.

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Professor Tony Travers, from the LSE Department of Government, said: "We already knew from previous elections that many people find the two preference opportunity in this election confusing.

"Nobody knows for sure why there's been an increased number of rejected ballots, we need to wait for a review.

"But there is a correlation between the increase in the number of people on the ballot paper and the number of people voting more than once.

"The whole purpose of voting is that everybody knows that their vote counts equally - that's how the system works.

"A large number of rejected ballots could have huge consequences. Imagine if this race had been very, very tight."

Mr Khan was re-elected to the mayor's office with a 228,000-vote majority.

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2021-05-10 05:18:26Z
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Scottish independence referendum: Nicola Sturgeon tells Boris Johnson new vote is 'when, not if' - Sky News

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has told the prime minister it is a "matter of when, not if" there will be another vote on Scottish independence.

Her party narrowly failed to win a majority in this week's Scottish Parliament elections, but with the Greens there is a pro-independence majority in Holyrood.

In a call with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday, she said another referendum on Scotland breaking away from the UK was now inevitable once COVID recovery was on track.

Her spokesman said: "The first minister made clear that her immediate focus was on steering the country through COVID and into recovery, and that a newly elected Scottish government would work with the UK government as far as possible on that aim.

"The first minister also reiterated her intention to ensure that the people of Scotland can choose our own future when the crisis is over, and made clear that the question of a referendum is now a matter of when, not if."

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The SNP has vowed to introduce legislation for another vote, but this could be challenged by the UK government in court.

A Downing Street statement on the call made no reference to the prospect of another referendum.

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Is there an appetite for indyref2?

It said the PM had congratulated Ms Sturgeon on securing "the largest number of seats in the Scottish Parliament" and "concluded by emphasising the importance of focusing on COVID recovery at this time".

Mr Johnson has invited her and the leaders of the devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland to a summit on the recovering from the pandemic.

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove also refused to be drawn on the prospects of a repeat of the 2014 vote during interviews on Sunday.

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People of Scotland 'have right' to another vote

Appearing on Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday, the cabinet minister said the SNP's demand for another vote revealed a "skewed set of priorities" while the UK concentrates on COVID recovery.

Asked if the UK government would seek to block a second border poll in the courts, Mr Gove told Ridge: "No, we're not even going there at the moment."

He added: "To start speculating about this type of legislation or that type of court hearing and all the rest of it, it's just a massive distraction.

"I'm not interested in going down that blind alley."

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Gove refuses to say if govt would back independence vote

Scots voted against independence by 55% to 45% in the 2014 vote, which was meant to be a once in a generation event.

But SNP supporters argue that circumstances have changed dramatically due to the Westminster decision to hold the Brexit vote, which pulled Scotland and the rest of the UK out of the EU.

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2021-05-09 20:25:58Z
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London elections: Sadiq Khan wins second term as mayor - BBC News

Labour's Sadiq Khan has won a second term as London's mayor, beating Conservative rival Shaun Bailey.

He won 55.2% of the popular vote, after entering a run-off with Mr Bailey when neither managed to secure a majority in the first round of voting.

The former MP became the first Muslim mayor of an EU capital city when he was first elected to the role in 2016.

Speaking at City Hall, he promised "to strain every sinew to help build a better, brighter future for London".

The Green Party's Sian Berry came third, while the Liberal Democrats' Luisa Porritt was fourth.

The Lib Dems lost their deposit, as Ms Porritt failed to win more than 5% of the vote.

Elsewhere on Saturday evening, Labour lost overall control of Durham county council while the Tories continued to make inroads in its traditional heartlands.

• Sadiq Khan: 'I never wanted to be a culture war poster boy'

Mr Khan was seen as the favourite throughout the campaign, with some pollsters predicting he would win more than half of the first-round votes.

The 51-year-old failed to reach his record-setting vote total of 2016, but won with a 228,000-vote majority.

Mr Khan's closest rival was Mr Bailey, who received 44.8% of the first and second-round votes, and increased the Conservative vote share by 1.6%.

A modern browser with JavaScript and a stable internet connection is required to view this interactive. More information about these elections

Who won in my area?

Enter your postcode, or the name of your English council or Scottish or Welsh constituency to find out. Eg 'W1A 1AA' or 'Westminster'

A really simple guide to the 2021 elections

Note: This lookup covers national elections in Scotland and Wales, the Hartlepool by-election, as well as council and mayoral elections in England and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections in England and Wales. There may be parish council elections or council by-elections where you are. Check your local council website for full details. Last updated: May 7, 2021, 14:22 GMT

Speaking after the results were announced, Mr Khan said: "I will always be a mayor for all Londoners, working to improve the lives of every single person in this city.

"The results of the elections around the UK shows our country, and even our city, remains deeply divided.

"The scars of Brexit have yet to heal. A crude culture war is pushing us further apart."

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Mr Khan continued: "Economic inequality is getting worse both within London and in different parts of our country.

"As we seek to confront the enormity of the challenge ahead, and as we endeavour to rebuild from this pandemic, we must use this moment of national recovery to heal those damaging divisions."

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Mr Bailey said he had been "written off" by pollsters, journalists and other politicians, adding: "But Londoners didn't write me off."

He congratulated Mr Khan but said he hoped the re-elected mayor would not "blame everything on the government".

During his tenure as mayor, Mr Khan has had run-ins with the government over coronavirus restrictions and Transport for London's finances.

Analysis

Tim Donovan, BBC London political editor

In the end he won quite comfortably - but it didn't always feel like that.

Sadiq Khan's team got panicky on polling day when voting was slow. In fact turnout - though not at 2016 levels - was higher than previous elections unhindered by a pandemic.

Then there were jitters on the first day of counting when the margin between Mr Khan and Mr Bailey was narrow on the first constituencies announced.

Mr Khan's winning margin as an incumbent mayor eclipses Boris Johnson's in 2012.

But this was no Khan procession.

In the end Mr Bailey's performance exceeded expectations and utterly defied the grim predictions of numerous polls.

Not bad either, given how little resources he appears to have had from a Tory HQ that was focused elsewhere.

Mr Khan would have liked today to have been about sheer success - a victory to lift Labour hearts beyond the boundaries of the capital. It's not worked out like that.

And compare Mr Khan's result to Andy Burnham in Manchester, Andy Street in the West Midlands and Ben Houchen in Teesside - all of whom increased their victory margins.

That will hurt.

Labour continues its dominance in the capital, remaining the largest party on the London Assembly.

Labour took nine constituency seats, with the Conservatives winning the remaining five.

Membership of the London Assembly is split in two - with those 14 members representing constituencies and the other 11 elected by a party-list system.

• POSTCODE SEARCH: What are the results in your area?
• VOTE: Why full results might take longer
• BBC: How to follow the election results
• ENGLAND: Election results

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2021-05-09 06:06:33Z
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Gove rejects indyref2 as Sturgeon says legal block to vote would be 'absurd and outrageous' - Sky News

Michael Gove has dismissed a second referendum on Scottish independence as a "massive distraction" as he repeatedly refused to say whether the UK government will seek to block a possible vote in court.

Appearing on Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, the cabinet minister said the SNP's demand for another independence vote revealed a "skewed set of priorities" while the UK concentrates on the COVID-19 recovery.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it would be "absurd and completely outrageous" if the UK government went to court to block a second referendum, which the SNP has vowed to introduce legislation for.

Elections 2021: Follow the latest results and reaction

She told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "For this to end up in court, which is not something I ever want to see, it would mean a Conservative government had refused to respect the democratic wishes of the Scottish people and the outcome of a democratic election and tried to go to the Supreme Court to overturn Scottish democracy."

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Ms Sturgeon said the SNP has not yet taken legal advice about holding another referendum but "wouldn't rule out" legislation landing in the Scottish parliament at the start of next year.

Although the party fell one seat short of an overall majority in the Scottish parliament election, pro-independence parties will hold a majority of seats at Holyrood.

More on Elections 2021

Following the results, Ms Sturgeon said a second vote on independence "is the will of the country".

Asked if the UK government would seek to block a second border poll in the courts, Mr Gove told Ridge: "No, we're not even going there at the moment."

He added: "To start speculating about this type of legislation or that type of court hearing and all the rest of it, it's just a massive distraction.

"I'm not interested in going down that blind alley."

Asked whether there were any circumstances when the prime minister would agree to a second vote on Scottish independence, Mr Gove replied: "It's not an issue for the moment.

"Of course, the people of Scotland, as we saw in the referendum in 2014, they have that right, but it is absolutely important that we concentrate now on the issues in front of us."

Scots voted against independence by 55% to 45% when a referendum was held in 2014.

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Is there an appetite for Indyref2?

Mr Gove said the UK and Scottish governments should "concentrate on the things that unite us" rather than "constitutional wrangling" over a second vote.

"If we get sucked into a conversation about referenda, constitutions and all the rest of it, then we are diverting attention from the issues that are most important to the people in Scotland and across the United Kingdom," he added.

"Instead of concentrating on the things that divide, let's concentrate on the things that unite and let's concentrate on all of us to work together to serve the people that just voted for us."

Addressing the SNP's desire for a second referendum, Mr Gove said it was "a slightly skewed set of priorities to imagine that that is the most important issue" in the light of the pandemic recovery.

Mr Johnson has called a summit with the leaders of the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, saying the UK is "best served when we work together".

The prime minister has written to Ms Sturgeon and Wales's First Minister Mark Drakeford to invite them to talks to "discuss our shared challenges" in a bid to work together in what he called "Team UK".

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Indyref2 is the 'will of the country' - Sturgeon

The PM will be sending a similar letter to Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers.

Ms Sturgeon said the people of Scotland "must have the right to decide our own future when the COVID crisis has passed", describing it as a "matter of fundamental democratic principle".

She added that the timing of another independence referendum "should be a matter for the Scottish parliament" and is "not a decision for Boris Johnson or any Westminster politician".

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2021-05-09 10:07:30Z
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Election results: Alex Salmond admits he may not lead Alba much longer after disappointment at polls - Sky News

Alex Salmond has admitted he may not lead Alba much longer after the new independence party failed to make a breakthrough in the Scottish elections.

He told Sky News he is an "interim leader" and the party will make decisions on its future at a conference next month.

The former first minister claimed Alba's future is "a very good one indeed", pointing out that it has "5,000 members and we'll have the best part of 50,000 votes across Scotland".

"We've got two members of parliament and 20 councillors," he added.

Image: Alex Salmond says he is 'interim leader' of the Alba Party

Asked by Sky's Adam Boulton if he is "finished as a political force", Mr Salmond ducked the question and said he was more concerned about the party than his own future.

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Who leads Alba will "depend on" the June conference, he said.

Mr Salmond added: "I'm the interim leader through this election. I was invited to do that and I accepted that charge."

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He is "certain" he will be "a member of Alba going forward".

Mr Salmond admitted the party's performance with voters had not been good enough to achieve any real influence.

It had more than 10% of votes in a couple of ballot boxes in Aberdeenshire, he said, but that was rare.

"In some of the big ballot boxes, I think we ended up over 3% in Aberdeenshire East, and the same in Banff and Buchan - a bit more actually."

Image: Alba failed to win any seats in the Holyrood election

Those were the party's "best results in Scotland", he conceded, adding: "That doesn't get you a seat. You need 4.5%, maybe 5%, to get a seat."

But he said it was a "creditable performance for a party which has just celebrated its sixth birthday - in other words, we are six weeks old".

"I don't think we're going to make it this time round," he added.

His former party, the SNP, won 64 seats - one short of a majority.

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2021-05-08 20:43:36Z
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