Edwin Poots to consult with the DUP over first minster - BBC News

Pacemaker

The next Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Edwin Poots has indicated he will consult with the party about whether Arlene Foster should stand down as first minister earlier than her intended departure date.

Mrs Foster said she would stay on as first minister until the end of June.

Mr Poots said he was keen to ensure a smooth transition.

In an interview with the Sunday Life newspaper, he confirmed he would not take the first minister post himself.

Mr Poots added that party members could also judge whether he is the "right man to stay" in his current role as agriculture minister, or whether he should take on a different brief or leave ministerial office.

• Edwin Poots: Who is the new leader of the DUP?
• Analysis: Poots facing big questions after landing dream job

"I want our party to be a party that is healing and fit for purpose going forward. Therefore, I will deal with things as gently as I possibly can but also practically going forward," he told the newspaper.

"I will ascertain those views over the next few days."

Among those tipped as possible successors as first minister are DUP MLAs Mervyn Storey, Paul Givan, Paul Frew and the party's new deputy leader Paula Bradley.

On Friday, Mr Poots defeated his Lagan Valley constituency colleague Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP in the DUP's first contested leadership election in its 50-year history.

Mr Poots said advice from colleagues will be "critical" to determining any changes to the DUP's ministerial team.

He explained that by rejecting the role of first minister, which has been held by previous DUP leaders, whoever occupies it instead can focus on "leading the country and dealing with the machinations of government".

• PM leads reaction to election of Edwin Poots
• From firebrands to government - who are the DUP?

"The leader of unionism can focus on reinvigorating unionism," he continued.

"This is absolutely critical now".

Unionist pacts

With an assembly election a year away in 2022, Mr Poots said he planned to speak with the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) about ways to maximise the unionist vote.

He described the possibility of Sinn Féin becoming Stormont's largest party and nominating a first minister as "destabilising" and "something a lot of people would find hard to swallow".

The potential for a Sinn Féin justice minister "would create problems", he added, "given the history of Sinn Féin and where they have come from and the attitude they had during the Troubles towards IRA violence".

Mr Poots said he wants unionist parties to cooperate to find a "solution" to the issues arising from the Northern Ireland Protocol, an element of the UK-EU Brexit deal which has led to disruption and additional checks on goods arriving into Northern Ireland.

• Why are there Brexit checks in Northern Ireland?

The DUP leader designate said he has requested to meet the prime minister and NI Secretary Brandon Lewis to discuss the issues and will "certainly be ramping things" in expressing his opposition to the protocol.

"I have been working with a senior UK lawyer who is advising us on what steps we can take in terms of judicial remedies," he said.

"If there isn't real significant political progress made in the coming weeks, I would imagine we would be launching judicial proceedings in the not too distant future."

Mr Poots re-stated that he would not be attending North-South Ministerial Council meetings until there was a resolution.

He accused the Irish government of having "hugely damaged north-south relations in their conduct over the protocol, the demands they have made and the aggressive nature".

'Not being honest'

DUP MLA Christopher Stalford, who supported Mr Poots' leadership campaign, told Sunday Politics that all unionist parties agree "the protocol has to go".

"The provision in the law says if 45 members of the assembly vote to remove the protocol then it will go and that is where I think that we do need to see, I don't want to talk about pacts, or stuff like that, but we do need to see a degree of cooperation across the broad unionist family in order to ensure that 45 unionists are elected to Stormont in the next assembly election."

However, Doug Beattie, currently the only candidate for the UUP leadership, accused the DUP of "not being honest with the electorate" on efforts to scrap the protocol.

Mr Beattie told Sunday Politics the assembly cannot vote to end the protocol if unionists return with 45 MLAs, rather, only articles five to ten can be replaced.

"We have to start this off by being as honest as we possibly can," he said.

"We want rid of the protocol, but we have worked really hard to try and put in alternatives and mitigations to get rid of that protocol, but what we will not be doing is telling people an untruth to garner support."

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2021-05-16 09:29:43Z
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Covid-19: No 10 defends India travel ban timing amid variant fears - BBC News

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No 10 has defended its decision not to ban travel from India sooner, amid concern that the coronavirus variant first discovered there is now spreading quickly in parts of the UK.

India was reporting more than 100,000 cases a day by 5 April, but was not added to the red list until 23 April.

The government said the UK has "some of the toughest border measures".

It comes after the British Medical Association raised concerns about Monday's relaxation of Covid rules.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that the B.1.617.2 Indian variant could pose "serious disruption" to the final stage of lockdown easing in England on 21 June - but insisted Monday's easing would go ahead as planned.

Scientists advising the government are confident the Indian variant spreads more easily, with cases of it nearly tripling to 1,313 in the past week in England.

Asked why the borders were not closed sooner, a government spokesman told the BBC: "We took precautionary action to ban travel from India on 23 April, six days before this variant was put under investigation and two weeks before it was labelled as of concern.

"Prior to India being placed on the red list in April anyone coming to the UK had to test negative and quarantine for 10 days."

By the time the travel ban came into force, daily Covid cases in India had risen above 330,000.

• How much faster does the Indian variant spread?
• Plea to get the jab in variant hotspot areas
• Why was India not on the red list sooner?

Surge testing is now taking place in targeted areas across England where virus variants have been found, including postcodes within Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen, several London boroughs, Sefton, Worcestershire, and Nottingham.

Despite concern about the Indian variant, coronavirus restrictions across England, Scotland and Wales are due to be relaxed from Monday.

Curbs lifting across the devolved nations vary, but there will be a greater degree of indoor mixing allowed and more hospitality venues will be able to reopen.

Northern Ireland is due to review its restrictions later this month.

On Saturday, the British Medical Association (BMA) said it had serious concerns about the decision to continue with the easing of lockdown restrictions.

"It is a real worry that when further measures lift on 17 May, the majority of younger people, who are often highly socially mobile and could therefore be most at risk of a more infectious strain, are not yet vaccinated," said the BMA's Dr Richard Jarvis.

Minutes from a meeting of government scientific advisers, held on Thursday, said that "an even faster increase can be expected if measures are relaxed" in areas where the Indian variant is already spreading.

And if the variant was 40-50% more transmissible than the current dominant type, they warned proceeding to step three of England's roadmap on Monday would likely "lead to a substantial resurgence of hospitalisations (similar to, or larger than, previous peaks)".

Speaking on Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there was a "high degree of confidence" that the current vaccines worked against the Indian variant, which meant the government could "stay on course with our strategy of using the vaccine to deal with the pandemic and opening up carefully and cautiously".

He said it was "appropriate" to continue with the major easing of restrictions in England on Monday, adding that a decision on whether all legal retractions could be ended next month would be made on 14 June.

Labour's Yvette Cooper told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that the government should be "much more cautious" about lifting international travel restrictions, saying that the home quarantine system and surveillance system needed to be much stronger than they were.

On Monday in England, and on time, is step three of the government's easing of coronavirus restrictions - the reopening of indoor hospitality and entertainment venues, the reopening of our homes to friends, the lifting of most social contact rules outside, the return of hugs.

But the prospect of all of this collides with huge questions about the so-called Indian variant, and just how easily it is spread.

Some of the government's scientific advisers fret that its potential transmissibility, coupled with a lot more socialising, could have grave consequences, although it's acknowledged much is still unknown; the data is partial.

But ministers are keen to push back on claims they acted too late in restricting travel from India, pointing out that it was six days after the country was put on the red list that the variant now causing alarm was first put under investigation and a week after that before it was labelled a "variant of concern".

A spokesman said the decision to add countries to the red list was based on what they called "extensive consideration of the type of cases that are imported, rather than the amount".

Prof John Edmunds, who sits on the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, told the BBC's Andrew Marr people should be "concerned but not panicking" about the new variant.

"We are in a much, much better position than we were when the Kent variant started spreading," he said, pointing to hospitals having few Covid patients and the vaccine programme being in place.

He said he did not think that the spread of the Indian variant could have been avoided by adding the country to the red list sooner, but said "we could have delayed things a little bit".

Prof Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said even though rules were being eased in most parts of the UK on Monday people should be cautious about mixing.

He added that speeding up the delivery of second doses would help boost the immune response of more vulnerable people.

"We really do need to think carefully about how we use those doses most effectively to avert this problem turning in to a disaster," he said.

In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said initial research suggested an outbreak in the south side of Glasgow was being driven by the Indian variant - as she delayed the easing of restrictions there and in Moray.

Which rules are changing on Monday?

In England, six people or two households can meet indoors, with pubs, restaurants and cafes allowed to serve customers inside. Up to 30 people can meet outdoors. Museums, cinemas, theatres and sports stadiums can reopen, and indoor exercises resume. People can travel abroad to green list countries without needing to quarantine when they return.

Up to six people from a maximum of three households can socialise indoors in Scotland, and entertainment venues such as cinemas, theatres and bingo halls can reopen. Alcohol can be served indoors in hospitality venues until 22:30, and international travel will be allowed in line with England's rules.

In Wales, pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants reopen for indoor service, with groups of up to six from six households permitted to meet. All holiday accommodation can reopen fully, as can indoor visitor attractions, such as galleries and museums. International travel can resume in line with the traffic light system.

Northern Ireland is reviewing its restrictions on 20 May, with the hope more restrictions will be lifted on 24 May.

You can read more about the changes across the UK here.

Meanwhile, there has been a "surge" in vaccination bookings in England ahead of the rule changes, according to the NHS, with more than 600,000 people booking appointments in the past two days.

The rise in bookings comes after it was announced that those in their late 30s with no underlying health conditions can now book their jabs in England.

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2021-05-16 07:02:21Z
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Croydon tram crash: 'He was on his way to work and then he was gone' - BBC News

On a cold, wet morning in November 2016, Mark Smith boarded a tram bound for Wimbledon via Croydon. Just minutes later it over-turned and he was killed.

Along with six other south Londoners, the 35-year-old he died in one of the worst tragedies in Transport for London's history.

Sixty-one other passengers onboard were injured, 19 of those seriously.

Mark's mother, Jean says she will never be whole again.

Family Handout

After four-and-a-half years of waiting, the inquests into their deaths will begin on Monday.

Jean says the last four years have been awful and difficult and at times she has felt forgotten.

"Mark drove up to the tram stop and we really wish he'd missed that tram," she said.

"But Mark being Mark and always being punctual, he was on that tram and within two minutes he was gone. It's as simple as that.

"Sorry but that's the reality of it. He was just on his way to work like most of them that morning especially that early."

British Transport Police

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) reported the tram was going too fast on the corner at Sandilands Junction.

The route's speed limit was 20kmph but the tram was doing more than triple that at 73kmph when it derailed.

RAIB found it was probable the driver temporarily lost awareness.

Families want to know why that happened and why the tram network was not safe.

The RAIB report found management was not aware of previous incidents involving late braking on the same corner.

Drivers did not report such incidents as they were afraid they would be disciplined, the report also found.

Investigators found inadequate signage and no mechanisms to monitor driver alertness or to automatically apply the brakes when the tram was travelling too fast.

Both have since been introduced, but, that is too late for Jean and the other families. They want to know why safeguards were not in place.

There are also questions around how the industry managed fatigue and safety.

Getty Images

Getty Images

"We just want a sense of peace," Jean said.

"Maybe the outcome from the inquest is going to answer everything that needs to be answered, that addresses everything that needs to be addressed.

"Those of us that are left to pick up the pieces can get on with the rest of our lives in the best way we know how without our loved ones and that's the best I can hope for."

The inquests at south London Coroner's Court are expected to last 13 weeks.

Related Internet Links

• Transport for London

• Rail Accident Investigation Branch

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

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2021-05-16 03:11:19Z
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Major incident declared after suspected gas explosion in Lancashire - Sky News

A major incident has been declared after a suspected gas explosion which reportedly destroyed up to three terraced houses in Heysham, Lancashire.

Lancashire Fire said on Twitter that 10 units were called to a row of homes on Mallowdale Avenue around 2.30am and that firefighters were searching the scene.

"A major incident has been declared after we (were) called to terraced houses on Mallowdale Avenue. It has been reported that there has been an explosion at a property and firefighters are searching the collapsed property," Lancashire Fire said.

Lancashire Police tweeted that they had put up a safety cordon and evacuated residents from nearby properties in the town some 25 miles northeast of Blackpool.

"We are asking people to please avoid the entire area while we deal with this ongoing incident," the force added.

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The North West Ambulance Service tweeted that it had sent units to the scene, with a priority to "ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible".

Electricity North West said it had paused electricity supplies to the area for safety reasons while the blast was being investigated.

More from UK

No information on injuries was immediately available, but several residents in the area said that up to three houses had collapsed and that emergency services sirens had been heard near the scene for a prolonged time.

Twitter user @murphy30220538 posted a picture of the scene, saying three houses had collapsed after a "terrible explosion" that "sounds disastrous".

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2021-05-16 03:55:29Z
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Student investigated after saying women must have vaginas and men are stronger - Metro.co.uk

Lisa Keogh said she was astonished to receive an email about alleged transphobic and offensive comments

A student who said women have vaginas and that it ‘was a fact’ that men are physically stronger is being investigated by her university. 

Lisa Keogh, 29, who studies law at Abertay University in Dundee, is facing disciplinary action after classmates reported the ‘offensive’ and ‘discriminatory’ remarks to staff. 

The mature student had been taking part in a video seminar on gender feminism and the law when she raised concerns about a trans woman taking part in a mixed martial arts bout. 

She said she suggested that a woman with 32 years’ worth of testosterone in her system ‘would be genetically stronger than your average woman’, and was abused by classmates who called her a ‘typical white, cis girl’ and accused her of calling women the ‘weaker sex’. 

Ms Keogh told The Times she was astonished to receive an email about alleged transphobic and offensive comments. 

She said: ‘I wasn’t being mean, transphobic or offensive. I was stating a basic biological fact.’ 

The law student added: ‘I thought it was a joke. I thought there was no way that the university would pursue me for utilising my legal right to freedom of speech.’ 

Ms Keogh fears any sanction might wreck her dream of becoming a human rights lawyer

An Abertay University spokesperson ‘freedom of speech within the law’ is not only permitted but ‘strongly encouraged’ (Picture: Flickr/Mo Lunat)

Ms Keogh told the newspaper she fears that any sanction could wreck her dream of becoming a human rights lawyer. 

She is being supported by Joanna Cherry QC, the SNP MP for Edinburgh South West, and deputy chairwoman of the Lords and Commons joint committee on human rights. 

Metro.co.uk has contacted Abertay University for comment. 

A university spokesperson told MailOnline that ‘freedom of speech within the law’ is not only permitted but ‘strongly encouraged’. 

They added: ‘Universities should be places where controversial, challenging or even upsetting issues can be debated in a constructive and collegial way.’ 

The spokesperson said the university does not comment on disciplinary matters. 

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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2021-05-15 22:26:00Z
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Sir Keir Starmer slumps 17 points behind PM in new poll - and a third of Labour voters want him to quit - Sky News

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is trailing Boris Johnson as the British public's preferred prime minister by 17 percentage points, according to a new poll.

Sir Keir had started to close the gap in April, pollsters Opimium said, but in a survey held on 13 and 14 May, he garnered just 23% support as preferred prime minister.

This was a fall of six points, while Mr Johnson saw his popularity climb by eight points to 40%.

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Starmer 'up to it' as Labour leader - Miliband

Only 29% of voters think Sir Keir looks like a prime minister in waiting, including 48% of people who voted Labour in 2019's general election.

But a third of those 2019 Labour voters now want Sir Keir to resign as party leader after mixed results in last week's elections - including a previously unthinkable by-election defeat in the traditionally safe seat of Hartlepool.

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Adam Drummond, Opinium's head of political polling, said: "Keir Starmer's ratings have taken a tumble as Labour voters begin to fear that he isn't the one to lead the party back to power.

"The Labour leader has taken a significant fall across all metrics in the last two weeks, particularly being a strong leader, looking like a prime minister in waiting, and being able to get things done.

More on Labour

"Any opposition would be struggling against a government riding the success of the vaccine rollout and the last time the government's approval figures for the pandemic were this positive the Conservatives held a 17 point lead.

"However, at least then Labour could console itself that their leader was new and making a positive impression.

"Labour's poor position today is the result of factors both out of their control and things they should be deeply concerned with."

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Starmer 'trying to move party forward' - Brown

Sir Keir took over his party's leadership from Jeremy Corbyn in April last year, and by September the party was ahead of the Conservatives in some polls for the first time since Mr Johnson became prime minister.

But that was before the UK's tremendously successful COVID-19 vaccination programme got under way in December, something that seems to have been among the reasons for Mr Johnson's popularity.

Approval for the government's handling of the pandemic is at its highest since mid-April last year, with 47% of adults happy and 33% disapproving.

Some 75% approve of the government's handling of the vaccine rollout.

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'Labour Party has to do some soul searching'

The poll, based on the responses of 2,004 adults in the UK, also showed:

• 33% of Labour voters want Sir Keir to resign as party leader
• 49% do not want him to go
• Two-thirds think Labour did badly in the local elections earlier this month but just 31% blame Sir Keir
• 57% said Sir Keir has been a better party leader than his predecessor Mr Corbyn
• The top choice for Sir Keir's replacement as Labour Party leader was Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, with approval from 47% and disapproval from 19%
• The Conservatives are up two points to 44%, whilst Labour has dropped six points to 31%

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2021-05-15 21:08:41Z
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Is Scottish Independence economically viable? | Scotland | The Sunday Times - The Times

There are many independent countries of similar size and geography to Scotland throughout the world. The most obvious comparisons are with Norway, Denmark and Finland in Scandinavia while some independence supporters suggest Singapore as a model. There can be no doubt that an independent Scotland could be economically viable. A crucial question, however, is how would the new economy compare with the current situation as part of the United Kingdom?

It would have been useful to refer to the actual UK Brexit experience of leaving the European Union (EU). Unfortunately, it is impossible to assess that at the present time because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The key impacts will include the currency, international trade and economic growth. Other important ones which have

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2021-05-15 17:00:00Z
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