Nine-year-old killed after being 'struck by lightning' named as Jordan Banks - Sky News

A nine-year-old boy who died after apparently being struck by lightning on a football field in Blackpool has been named as Jordan Banks.

Officers from Blackpool police were called shortly after 5pm on Tuesday to fields near to School Road after reports a child had been injured.

Emergency services attended and the boy was taken to hospital but died a short time later.

It is believed the boy was struck by lightning, although inquiries are still ongoing.

The boy's family have been informed and are being supported by officers.

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Tributes have been paid to Jordan and flowers and gifts have been left at the scene of the incident.

Jordan's best friend CJ Campbell told Sky News: "I started crying straight away as soon as I heard [the news] because he is my very best friend in my class at school.

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CJ Campbell described Jordan as his best friend in school

"I was so shocked, you wouldn't expect to hear that news."

He left flowers and a football with a message written on it in memory his friend.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Jordan's team Clifton Rangers Junior Football Club said: "It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart we announce that the tragic incident yesterday involved one of our own players.

"Jordan of our U9 Bees, tragically passed away yesterday evening doing what he loved.

"Jordan was a shining light and an inspiration to everyone that he met. A strong, determined and courageous young man, who will be missed by everyone.

Image: Groups have gathered to mourn the nine-year-old who was struck by lightning while playing football

"The world has truly lost an extraordinary young man, who had done so much good in his community."

The club said they would be working to support those with Jordan at the time of the incident and his family.

The statement finished with: "Fly high young man, sleep tight and god bless."

Before he died Jordan was raising money for mental health services in honour of his uncle who took his own life in 2018.

He raised £2,500 by running 30 miles in ten days.

His efforts attracted the attention of his hero Liverpool footballer James Milner who sent him a video congratulating him on his "incredible" work.

Detective Superintendent Nick Connaughton of Lancashire Police said: "This is a truly devastating incident and our thoughts are wholeheartedly with the family and friends of the young boy, who has passed away, at this very sad and distressing time."

Road closures in place following the incident have now been lifted.

Anybody with information about the incident, or who witnessed it and has not yet spoken to police is asked to get in touch on 101, quoting log 1169 of 11 May.

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2021-05-12 11:48:45Z
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Covid in Scotland: Easing of restrictions not a 'free-for-all', says Leitch - BBC News

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The easing of Covid restrictions from Monday should not be thought of as a "free-for-all", Scotland's national clinical director has warned.

Prof Jason Leitch said people should take advantage of the new easing, but warned against hugging "random strangers".

Most of Scotland is due to move down at least one level from 17 May, with the probable exception of Moray.

Infection rates in the area are more than four times the Scotland-wide rate.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) figures show that Moray recorded a rate of 99.1 cases per 100,000 people on 8 May, with indications this figure may rise still further.

The Scotland-wide rate on the same day was 22.8 cases.

• Hugging and indoor visits to resume in Scotland
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• What's the state of Scotland's Covid outbreak?

Prof Leitch said this coming Monday's relaxation in restrictions was "terrific news" and was thanks to the people of Scotland obeying the rules that have been in place for several months.

But he told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme the country was not "out of the woods", with the virus still spreading rapidly in many parts of the globe.

"People shouldn't think this is a free-for-all 'all bets are off, we're all back to normal'," he said.

"They should absolutely take advantage of managing to see family, of going to the businesses that have been closed for so long, but do that cautiously. Do it within the safety measures that still exist."

He cautioned that the relaxation of rules around physical contact were more about "hugging your parents when they arrive at your house".

"I'm not suggesting you hug for 20 minutes or you hug random strangers in the street at the end of a night out," he said.

Moray decision due

Scotland recorded 238 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, with 1.7% of tests being positive.

No Covid deaths within 28 days of a positive test were registered for the fifth day in a row.

Prof Leitch said a final decision on Moray would be taken later this week, but added it was unlikely the area would move to level two.

The Scottish government's upper threshold for level two is 50 cases per 100,000 and PHS data shows that Glasgow is now also above this bar, with a rate of 51.9.

Public health officials also take other factors into account, such as the pressure on local health services, when deciding what level a local authority should be placed.

Prof Rowland Kao, the chair of veterinary epidemiology and data science at the University of Edinburgh, also said people should go "slow and steady" when it came to new freedoms around physical contact.

"We need to be aware and keep in mind that while the numbers of infections are low, things can change quite rapidly - especially as we allow more and more forms of contact," he said.

"Those changes mean that transmission rates could be higher if people get infected. They could cause mini-outbreaks and mini-outbreaks could lead to additional restrictions which is what we don't want to have."

• RULES: What are the restrictions in your area?
• LOCKDOWN: Six months that changed our lives
• CASES: Where are the latest cases in Scotland?
• WHO? The people who have died with Covid-19

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2021-05-12 10:08:35Z
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Cats must be microchipped under animal care plan - BBC News

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Microchipping pet cats will become compulsory under a wide-ranging new animal welfare bill.

Environment Secretary George Eustice told the BBC the policy would be monitored by vets and enforced in the same way as it is for dogs, which he said has led to over 90% compliance.

The bill will also formally recognise the sentience of many animals.

But Mr Eustice said this measure was aimed at pets and livestock, rather than wild animals.

The government's Action Plan for Animal Welfare also includes measures to ban exporting live animals for slaughter, the keeping of primates as pets and importing hunting trophies.

In addition, remote-controlled training collars for dogs will be outlawed and the government will look at banning the sale of foie gras - a food made from the livers of force-fed ducks or geese.

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Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Eustice said that compulsory microchipping for cats would resemble the current rules for dogs, where vets advise pet owners whose animals do not have a microchip to get one, and "if they ignore it, there is an enforcement process".

Dog owners can be fined £500 under the existing law.

Lianna Angliss at Hopefield Animal Sanctuary said that as well as helping to reunite lost cats with their owners, compulsory microchipping could help animal sanctuaries trace people who abandon their pets.

The environment secretary also told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the recognition of animal sentience would give the UK an equivalent to a declaration that already applies in the European Union.

It will enshrine in law that animals have the capacity to feel hunger and pain, and are aware of what is happening to them. It will apply to vertebrates, but not to animals such as octopus and squid.

Mr Eustice said there would be an expert animal sentience committee who would advise on policy.

But asked if it would affect hunting, fishing or road-building projects which might disturb habitats, he said the recognition of animal sentience was "much more applicable" to pets and livestock than wildlife.

Harris Hill and Gibbons

Claire Bass, executive director of the Humane Society, said recognising animal sentience was a key part of "probably the biggest new set of commitments on animal welfare for decades".

The plan includes legislation in a number of bills set to be approved in the coming months. These include the Animal Welfare Bill, the Animal Sentience Bill and the Animals Abroad Bill. These will expand on the protections in the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Legislation to restrict the use of glue traps, designed to capture rats and mice, will be supported.

Reacting to the news that owners will have to get their cats microchipped, Jacqui Cuff, head of advocacy and government relations for Cats Protection, said she was "delighted".

"We had the dog microchipping regulation passed in 2016, so we've been waiting a long time. There are around 2.6 million unchipped pet cats in the UK; that's a lot of cats wandering around with no permanent identification," she said.

Cat theft reportedly increased by more than 12% over the last year, and only around 70% of owned cats are chipped at the moment.

REMY GABALDA/AFP via Getty Images

Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the RSPCA, said: "These announcements will make a real and lasting difference to animals' welfare, so we're pleased the government is committed to improving animals' lives in the UK and abroad. We can no longer ignore the inextricable link that exists between the way we treat animals, our own health and that of the planet - but to really achieve a step change, it will take courage from right across government.

"We urge the government to put animal welfare at the heart of policy making and make these announcements just the beginning of an evolving, holistic animal health and welfare strategy."

With regard to farmed animals, live exports for fattening and slaughter will be banned. This is only possible because the UK has left the EU. The caging of poultry and the practice of restricting the movement of pregnant and suckling pigs will also be examined.

Sows can legally be kept in a "farrowing crate" for up to five weeks. These crates are of a size that prevents the sow from turning around and potentially crushing her new-born piglets. However, preventing sows from engaging in normal behaviour can cause them to become stressed.

Mike Pett

There is, however, no legal guarantee that food from animals reared abroad will have been produced to high animal-welfare standards.

Last year, ministers controversially voted against a House of Lords amendment which would have blocked imports that didn't meet welfare and food safety standards in the UK. It will now depend on post-Brexit trade deals with countries such as the US, where cows are routinely treated with hormones and chickens are washed with chlorine - which is illegal here.

The deputy president of the National Farmers' Union (NFU), Stuart Roberts, said it was "ridiculous" if high standards weren't applied to imports as well.

"We have some of highest standards for animal welfare in the world. It's good that the government have that same ambition," he said.

"But at the moment we are negotiating a trade deal with Australia, where you can have journey times for animals in excess of 24 hours without access to food or water. We cannot increase standards here, and at the same time not apply the same criteria to imports, it's just hypocrisy."

Mr Eustice said the UK could use tariffs on imported produce to uphold its standards and could also impose ban the sale of imported food which relied on practices banned domestically - such as foie gras.

Other measures in the plan include banning the advertisement of "unacceptable low-welfare animal practices abroad" such as elephant rides, along with prohibiting the export of "detached shark fins". The Ivory Act, banning the sale of ivory, will also be implemented.

There will also be new laws to "crack down on illegal hare coursing," and police will be given more powers to protect farm animals from dangerous or out-of-control dogs.

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2021-05-12 08:48:17Z
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Blackpool lightning strike: Tributes paid to killed boy - BBC News

Tributes have been paid to a nine-year-old boy who died after apparently being struck by lightning during a football coaching session.

The child was injured when a thunderstorm hit as he was on a playing field in Blackpool on Tuesday evening.

Flowers have been laid and messages of condolence have been written on football shirts placed at the site.

Blackpool South's MP Scott Benton said he was "incredibly sorry to hear this tragic and heartbreaking news".

"I'm sure I speak for the whole community when I say that everybody in Blackpool will be thinking of the boy's family and friends at this sad time," he said.

Spirit of Youth Junior FC, which uses the field at the end of School Road in South Shore, said the boy was understood to have been taking part in a private coaching session.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the club said the youngster did not play for Spirit of Youth.

"We are entrenched in the local community, and we will give whatever support is required to both the family and to those that were with him at the time," it added.

Dave Nelson

Lancashire Police said officers were called at about 17:00 BST and the boy was taken to hospital but did not survive.

They said that although inquiries were still ongoing it was believed he was struck by lightning.

The head teacher of a nearby school paid his respects on Twitter, saying: "The thoughts of everyone @UnityBlackpool are with the family of the young boy who sadly lost his life after being struck by lightning in Blackpool last night.

"Such sad news for the whole Blackpool community."

Local church Parish of Christ the King and St Kentigern said it would be holding two masses for the boy later today.

"Today we especially remember the young boy who was tragically struck by lightning," a spokesman said.

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2021-05-12 07:31:39Z
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Tech firms could face fines over harmful content in government's new online safety bill - Sky News

The government says its new internet laws will help keep children safe and combat racism and other abuse.

The draft Online Safety Bill includes:

• Ofcom, the new online regulator, being able to fine companies up to £18m or 10% of their annual global turnover (whichever is higher) if they fail to take down harmful content
• Ofcom having the power to block access to sites
• New duty of care rules requiring tech companies to take action not only against dangerous content but also against content that is lawful but harmful, such as information about suicide and self-harm
• The threat of criminal action against senior managers if tech companies fail to live up to their responsibilities, with the new rules being reviewed every two years
• Tech firms will have to take responsibility for fraudulent user-generated content, including financial fraud such as romance scams or fake investment opportunities
• The protection of "democratic content", meaning platforms will not be able to discriminate against political viewpoints and otherwise banned content will be allowed if it is "democratically important"

The pressure has been growing on the government for years to act against online abuse.

The issue was brought into focus after a large group of sports, athletes and organisations recently took part in a social media boycott, protesting against the lack of action taken against online abuse.

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said the "ground-breaking laws" would "usher in a new age of accountability for tech and bring fairness and accountability to the online world".

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"We will protect children on the internet, crack down on racist abuse on social media and through new measures to safeguard our liberties, create a truly democratic digital age," he said.

Home Secretary Priti Patel added: "It's time for tech companies to be held to account and to protect the British people from harm. If they fail to do so, they will face penalties."

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Not everyone thinks the new rules are enough, however, with the NSPCC warning that they fail to offer the comprehensive protection that children need on social media.

Sir Peter Wanless, chief executive of the children's charity, said: "Government has the opportunity to deliver a transformative online safety bill if they choose to make it work for children and families, not just what's palatable to tech firms.

"The ambition to achieve safety by design is the right one. But this landmark piece of legislation risks falling short if Oliver Dowden does not tackle the complexities of online abuse and fails to learn the lessons from other regulated sectors."

Labour's shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens said: "There is little to incentivise companies to prevent their platforms from being used for harmful practices.

"The bill, which will have taken the government more than five years from its first promise to act to be published, is a wasted opportunity to put into place future proofed legislation to provide an effective and all-encompassing regulatory framework to keep people safe online."

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2021-05-12 03:20:31Z
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Boris Johnson sets out 'levelling up' agenda - BBC Newsnight - BBC News

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2021-05-11 23:24:08Z
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Queen's Speech: PM's plans familiar but confirm Tories’ changed priorities - BBC News

UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor

After a year when usual politics has been frozen, this Queen's Speech is a sign of it coming back to life.

Ministers hope they can start making progress beyond the pandemic, and the opposition parties are only now perhaps starting to confront the reality of a government with the brute force of a huge majority behind them.

Given how so much of the last 12 months has been spent coping with an emergency, you won't be surprised that the speech didn't yield many surprises - rather laws that ministers ran out of time to push through, laws to make manifesto promises real.

Many areas where action was promised are extremely familiar - planning reforms, action to make further education as much of a priority as university education, commitments to help the NHS and school kids catch up with the after-effects of lockdown.

But if you were looking for a huge radical programme, this was not it.

• PM sets out plans to take UK forward after Covid
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• Starmer: Lack of social care plan 'unforgivable'

Despite raising lawyers' eyebrows over the intention to look at the scope of the courts and constitution, even the plans for voter ID to be compulsory - which have been branded by some as evidence of Boris Johnson's government's particular political brand - originate from a review of voter fraud which David Cameron requested back in 2015.

And, what's also familiar by now, is that there was no specific plan for solving the problems of the social care system, just a repetition of the commitments to sort it that have previously been made.

Just because the speech was not full of shocks, however, it is not to say that the speech was not significant.

As Westminster, alongside the country, starts to emerge from the bizarre stress of the pandemic, the speech contents confirm that Boris Johnson is leading a Conservative government that is - at least for now - intent on big spending, at ease with a big state, but in line with traditional values.

It's what some pundits identify as leaning leftwards on economics, but towards the right when it comes to culture.

There is of course a vigorous political argument about the realities of the government's actions.

'Conjuring trick'

The Tories may now be big spenders, but that doesn't remove the impact of the very real squeeze on some parts of the public purse in recent years.

Yet when David Cameron's coalition set out, they'd have been more likely to be described the other way round - leaning right on economics, and left when it came to values and how we live our lives.

So love them or loathe them, what the Conservative Party has done is something of a conjuring trick - changed its priorities, and changed the geography of its support while in office.

In more than a decade in charge, it's changed its leader twice, survived a near-death experience over Brexit and ended up at the tail end of a mammoth national emergency consolidating its grip on power.

But after every other of those 10 Queen's Speeches, Tory leaders perhaps had convenient justifications for not being able to keep their commitments - having to mollify the Lib Dems in coalition, having only a scrap of a majority, having the daily drama of Brexit to contend with, or then the pandemic.

Now the Covid risk is fading, the prime minister will be all too aware that he has no such excuse.

The opportunity is vast, the ambition of the rhetoric is huge too, but to use a phrase the prime minister himself has been known to employ on the odd occasion, that's not the same as "getting it done".

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2021-05-11 20:13:12Z
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