King Charles's coronation plans include Windsor concert - BBC

By Sean Coughlan

Royal correspondent

World-famous entertainers will perform at Windsor Castle as part of a weekend of celebrations to mark the King's coronation, it has been announced.

The concert will be broadcast on the BBC on 7 May featuring "global music icons", orchestras and a diverse "coronation choir".

It will come the day after the coronation at Westminster Abbey.

Processions to and from the abbey will take place, ending with a balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace.

These are among the new details just released on plans for the weekend which the King and Queen Consort hope will be an opportunity for friends, families and communities to celebrate together, said Buckingham Palace.

The concert choir will be picked from amateur choirs, including from the NHS, refugees, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf-signing choirs, reflecting the aim to make this a more inclusive coronation, which mixes the ancient and modern aspects.

There will be a laser and drone lightshow, but in an end to another tradition, there are no plans for beacons to be lit around the country.

Coronation weekend:

• Saturday 6 May: Coronation service in Westminster Abbey; coronation procession; Buckingham Palace balcony
• Sunday 7 May: Concert and lightshow at Windsor Castle; Coronation Big Lunch street parties
• Monday 8 May: Extra bank holiday; Big Help Out encouraging people to get involved in local volunteering

Victoria Jones

The line-up for the Windsor concert has still to be announced but organisers are promising "some of the world's biggest entertainers".

The event is expected to be a wide mix of music, dancing and a laser lightshow will be linked to the illumination of famous sites around the UK. For the Shakespeare-loving monarch there will be spoken-word performances from stage and screen stars.

Last year a concert was held outside Buckingham Palace for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee, with music from pop performers such as Diana Ross and Sir Rod Stewart.

• What we know about the coronation so far
• Harry won't confirm attendance at the coronation
• Bank holiday for the coronation weekend

Street parties and local get-togethers will also be held on the Sunday, under the banner of the Coronation Big Lunch.

Supporting the local community will be encouraged on the bank holiday of Monday 8 May, with the Big Help Out, in which people will be urged to get involved in local volunteering projects.

Previous coronations have also included the monarch making a broadcast to the nation and official banquets for guests and visiting dignitaries.

Reuters

The coronation at Westminster Abbey will see the crowning of King Charles and the Queen Consort Camilla, in a service full of religious symbolism and pageantry.

The ceremony is expected to be a shorter, smaller and a more diverse occasion than for Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953.

That previous coronation lasted three hours and the ceremony for King Charles is expected to be considerably shorter.

Elements of the service could be reduced, such as the paying of homage, and a "claims office" is currently looking at which roles should be included.

Previous coronations have had historic roles such as the "rouge dragon pursuivant", "unicorn pursuivant" and carriers of the "golden spur" and the "white wand".

There were more than 8,000 guests for the 1953 coronation, while the ceremony in May is expected to be smaller, with Westminster Abbey usually having a capacity of about 2,200.

Although it remains uncertain whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be part of the congregation - with Prince Harry in a recent TV interview not confirming his attendance if invited.

The coronation procession is expected to be more modest. In 1953, there were 16,000 participants in a procession that took 45 minutes to pass any stationary point on the 7km (4.3 miles) route.

This time round the King and Queen Consort will arrive at the abbey from the palace, in the King's procession and return in a larger Coronation procession, joined by other members of the Royal Family. It is not yet confirmed who will then appear with them on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.

There have been suggestions that the dress code for those attending the coronation is likely to be more modern.

A more inclusive, multi-faith dimension is anticipated for the service, with representatives of a range of religions. There will be scrutiny of whether the coronation oath is updated to reflect a wider range of beliefs.

Attention will be paid to the cost of the state-funded coronation. According to the House of Commons Library, the coronation in 1953 cost the equivalent of £18.8m in 2021 prices.

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2023-01-21 22:30:04Z
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Dartmoor protesters march over right to wild camp - BBC

By Esme Stallard & Claire Marshall

Climate and Science

Thousands of people protested in Dartmoor on Saturday in opposition to the loss of wild camping rights.

It comes after a decision by the high court to outlaw the long-held custom of camping on the moor without asking the landowner's permission.

Dartmoor National Park Authority has struck a deal with landowners to pay them to let wild camping take place.

Landowners said this would help to protect the land, but environmental groups argue it restricts access.

Environmental activist organisation Right to Roam, which organised the march, estimated 2,000 people took part.

The walk, which stretched for nearly a mile, went from the picturesque village of Cornwood up to the top of Stall Moor, which is owned by Mr and Mrs Darwall, who brought the original case against the park authority.

Many of the protesters were local, coming from Plymouth and other parts of Devon, but some travelled from as far as Essex and the Midlands.

The ongoing disagreement has gathered national interest because Dartmoor was the only area of England and Wales where under a local law there had been an assumed right to wild camp without the landowner's permission.

Protesters - a mixture of families, young people and older couples - have told the BBC wild camping brings them significant mental and physical benefits.

Julian Adams, who came over from the Isle of Wight, said: "All my childhood was spent here wandering around Dartmoor - it seemed a free, wild space and it's been taken away for the future generation. That's why I brought my kids up here to join the protest."

But the landowners - of which there are 15 - have seen the damaging impacts of wild camping.

• Illegal campers 'damaged ancient woodland'

Russell Ashford, a farmer whose land includes Buckfastleigh Moor, told the BBC that dozens of times a year he has to clean up after campers who do not treat the land with respect, including leaving behind human faeces.

"In terms of litter, there's beer cans, bottles, syringes sometimes. And there's a risk to people, a risk to animals grazing and a risk to the environment," he said.

He hopes the new system will allow him to use the funding to put up better signage and monitor any damage.

Rebecca Trebilcock, one of the volunteers at the march, who is an expedition leader for young people on Dartmoor, told the BBC: "I do empathise with the landowners, but it is a very small fraction of campers.

"Three point one million people visited Dartmoor last year, and only 100 people got in trouble".

She thinks that "education over privatisation" is the way forward.

Rebecca Trebilcock

But both the landowners and the protesters agree that funding for Dartmoor National Park Authority, which pays for rangers to manage the land, is tight.

Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, tweeted on Friday: "Dartmoor National Park has already had huge chunks of its budget slashed in Tory cuts since 2010 and now they're having to pay out more."

The government currently provides £49m to National Park Authorities in the UK.

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson did not comment on the funding issue, but said they "welcome the ongoing efforts of the authority and the local landowners to reach a resolution".

Related Internet Links

• Dartmoor National Park

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2023-01-21 18:05:41Z
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Labour calls for Nadhim Zahawi to be sacked over tax claims - BBC

Getty Images

By Phil Kemp & Brian Wheeler

BBC News

Labour is calling for Rishi Sunak to sack Nadhim Zahawi as Conservative Party chairman after reports he paid a penalty to HMRC as part of a multi-million pound tax settlement.

The ex-chancellor has been under pressure over claims he tried to avoid tax and has now had to pay it back.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said Mr Zahawi's position was "untenable" and the prime minister must sack him.

The BBC has approached Mr Zahawi for comment on the latest allegations.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said Mr Zahawi had been "very transparent" about the matter, saying: "He has been clear that all of his tax owed to HMRC are up to date and paid in full.

He added: "If he needs to answer any further questions I'm sure he'll do so".

• Sunak quizzed about Zahawi tax allegations

However, Ms Rayner said: "Nadhim Zahawi's story doesn't add up. The position of the man who was until recently in charge of the UK's tax system and who this prime minister appointed Conservative Party Chair is now untenable.

"It's time for Rishi Sunak to put his money where his mouth is and dismiss Nadhim Zahawi from his cabinet."

Ms Rayner added: "The fact that Nadhim hasn't been out on the airwaves explaining himself to me adds insult to injury."

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The company at the centre of the row is Balshore Investments, which is registered offshore in Gibraltar.

Mr Zahawi has faced questions over whether he used Balshore to hold shares in YouGov, the polling company he co-founded in 2000 - something he has always denied.

Labour have called for an explanation. According to The Guardian, he has had to pay back the tax he owed with a 30% penalty and the total amounts to £4.8m.

The BBC has been unable to verify that figure, but when the Guardian asked repeatedly about the penalty, Mr Zahawi's spokesperson did not deny one had been paid.

When pressed on the total amount, which was thought to include the alleged penalty, the spokesperson said: "Nadhim Zahawi does not recognise this amount … as he has previously stated, his taxes are properly declared and paid in the UK."

The BBC has discovered that Balshore Investments was also registered as a "beneficial owner" of a UK crowdfunding firm called crowd2Fund for three years.

Under transparency rules brought in by the coalition government in the UK, the firm should have made public who was personally in charge.

That is because Balshore owns more than 25% of Crowd2Fund's shares.

Although it is based in Gibraltar where beneficial owners can remain hidden, the UK requires this information to be made public.

Balshore was described as the "family trust of Nadhim Zahawi, an executive director of YouGov", in the polling firm's 2009 annual report.

But the Conservative Party chairman has denied benefiting from or having any involvement with the company.

A spokesperson for Mr Zahawi said it was a matter of public record that Balshore Investments is owned by his father, hence the YouGov reference to his family.

In June 2020, Crowd2Fund told Companies House that its Gibraltar-based shareholder had in fact ceased to be a beneficial owner in April 2016.

Companies are supposed to update these details within 14 days. But Crowd2Fund appears to have taken four years to register the information.

In June last year, Nadhim Zahawi's parents were personally recorded as beneficial owners of Crowd2Fund which indicates they now control the Gibraltar firm.

However, Balshore Investments has owned more than 25% of Crowd2Fund's shares since at least 2015.

That leaves a gap in the register explaining who ultimately benefited from the shareholding prior to June 2022.

BBC News asked both Crowd2Fund and Balshore Investments to explain what happened and if they would now disclose who the beneficial owners of Balshore were for the relevant period.

They were also asked if they accepted they may have broken the law if they failed to file the correct information with Companies House.

Neither Balshore Investments or Crowd2Fund has so far responded to requests for comment.

A spokesman for Mr Zahawi has previously said his taxes are "properly declared and paid in the UK" and the minister "has never had to instruct any lawyers to deal with HMRC on his behalf".

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2023-01-21 08:17:48Z
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Rishi Sunak fined for not wearing seatbelt in back of car - BBC

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been fined for not wearing a seatbelt in a moving car while filming a social media video.

Lancashire Police said it had issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of a fixed penalty.

No 10 said Mr Sunak "fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised", adding that he would pay the fine.

Passengers caught failing to wear a seat belt when one is available can be fined £100.

This can increase to £500 if the case goes to court.

The prime minister was in Lancashire when the video was filmed, during a trip across the north of England.

The video - to promote the government's latest round of "levelling up" spending - was posted on Mr Sunak's Instagram account.

It is the second time Mr Sunak has received a fixed penalty notice while in government.

Last April, he was fined along with Boris Johnson and wife Carrie for breaking Covid lockdown rules - by attending a birthday gathering for the then-prime minister in Downing Street in June 2020.

'Disregard for the rules'

Fixed penalty notices are a sanction for breaking the law, and mean a fine, which needs to be paid within 28 days, or contested.

If someone chooses to contest the fine, the police will then review the case and decide whether to withdraw the fine or take the matter to court.

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said in a tweet that Mr Sunak was a "total liability".

A Labour Party spokesperson added: "Hapless Rishi Sunak's levelling-up photo op has blown up in his face and turned him into a laughing stock."

The Liberal Democrats said, in becoming the second ever serving prime minister to be fined by police, he had "shown the same disregard for the rules as Boris Johnson".

Deputy Lib Dem leader Daisy Cooper said: "From partygate to seatbelt gate, these Conservative politicians are just taking the British people for fools.

"Whilst they continue to behave as though it's one rule for them and another for everyone else, this fine is a reminder that the Conservatives eventually get their comeuppance."

But Conservative MP for Blackpool South Scott Benton defended Mr Sunak, saying "everybody makes mistakes".

Mr Benton said police should focus on "tackling serious crime in our communities", adding: "Let's keep this in proportion here. Every single year millions of Britons receive similar fixed penalty notices."

Passengers aged 14 and over are responsible for ensuring they wear a seat belt in cars, vans and other goods vehicles if one is fitted. Drivers are responsible for passengers under 14.

Exemptions include having a doctor's certificate for a medical reason, or being in a vehicle used for a police, fire or other rescue service.

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2023-01-21 00:53:50Z
1746319939

Live news: Central bankers at Davos warn of economic pain ahead - Financial Times

Crypto lender Nexo Capital has agreed to pay $45mn to settle charges by US states and the Securities and Exchange Commission over failing to properly register a crypto asset lending product as a securities offering.

The SEC on Thursday said that the charges were linked to Nexo’s Earn Interest Product, which allowed US investors to lend cryptocurrency to the company in exchange for promised interest payments.

Nexo agreed to pay two tranches of $22.5mn to settle similar charges brought by the SEC as well as US state regulatory authorities, the agency said. The company also agreed to discontinue the sale of its product to US investors.

“Compliance with our time-tested public policies isn’t a choice,” Gary Gensler, SEC chair, said in a statement. “Where crypto companies do not comply, we will continue to follow the facts and the law to hold them accountable.”

The company is the latest crypto lender targeted by state and federal authorities, who have moved to stamp out interest-bearing crypto accounts targeted at everyday consumers, which some companies have marketed as being akin to bank accounts.

“We are content with this unified resolution which unequivocally puts an end to all speculations around Nexo’s relations to the United States,” said Antoni Trenchev, Co-founder of Nexo.

The agency noted that Nexo voluntarily stopped offering its lending product to new US investors after the SEC charged BlockFi over similar matters in February last year. The lender in December announced that it would halt the programme in certain US states and phase out all of its services in the country, the SEC added.

Bulgarian authorities last week raided the Sofia office of the London-based crypto lender. More than 300 police officers and officials swarmed the office as part of a probe into potential organised crime, money laundering, tax crimes, offences relating to unlicensed banking activity and computer fraud, the Bulgarian prosecutors said. Nexo denies any wrongdoing.

The move is the second SEC crypto enforcement action in a week, with the agency suing digital asset-trading group Genesis and Gemini, the crypto exchange founded by the Winklevoss twins, over similar violations last Thursday.

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2023-01-20 09:26:27Z
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Live news: UK ambulance workers' union announces more strike dates - Financial Times

Crypto lender Nexo Capital has agreed to pay $45mn to settle charges by US states and the Securities and Exchange Commission over failing to properly register a crypto asset lending product as a securities offering.

The SEC on Thursday said that the charges were linked to Nexo’s Earn Interest Product, which allowed US investors to lend cryptocurrency to the company in exchange for promised interest payments.

Nexo agreed to pay two tranches of $22.5mn to settle similar charges brought by the SEC as well as US state regulatory authorities, the agency said. The company also agreed to discontinue the sale of its product to US investors.

“Compliance with our time-tested public policies isn’t a choice,” Gary Gensler, SEC chair, said in a statement. “Where crypto companies do not comply, we will continue to follow the facts and the law to hold them accountable.”

The company is the latest crypto lender targeted by state and federal authorities, who have moved to stamp out interest-bearing crypto accounts targeted at everyday consumers, which some companies have marketed as being akin to bank accounts.

“We are content with this unified resolution which unequivocally puts an end to all speculations around Nexo’s relations to the United States,” said Antoni Trenchev, Co-founder of Nexo.

The agency noted that Nexo voluntarily stopped offering its lending product to new US investors after the SEC charged BlockFi over similar matters in February last year. The lender in December announced that it would halt the programme in certain US states and phase out all of its services in the country, the SEC added.

Bulgarian authorities last week raided the Sofia office of the London-based crypto lender. More than 300 police officers and officials swarmed the office as part of a probe into potential organised crime, money laundering, tax crimes, offences relating to unlicensed banking activity and computer fraud, the Bulgarian prosecutors said. Nexo denies any wrongdoing.

The move is the second SEC crypto enforcement action in a week, with the agency suing digital asset-trading group Genesis and Gemini, the crypto exchange founded by the Winklevoss twins, over similar violations last Thursday.

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2023-01-20 08:14:47Z
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Elle Edwards' dad says Christmas will 'never be the same' as he vows to set up anti-gun foundation in her name - Sky News

The father of Elle Edwards, who was shot dead at a pub last month, has said "Christmas will never be the same" for him and his family. 

In his first interview since her death, Tim Edwards spoke of how his "beautiful and caring" daughter "with a heart of gold" will never leave him - as he reminded people of the impact gun violence has had on his family.

Paying tribute to the 26-year-old beautician and dental nurse, Mr Edwards told Sky News: "She's the type of person that would walk into the room and everyone would gravitate towards her because she was always smiling.

"She was beautiful looking and she was a great hugger. She was just a fantastic human being with a heart of gold."

In an emotional interview ahead of her funeral next week, Mr Edwards spoke of the devastation the family felt on Christmas Eve when they found out she had been killed and the "struggle" of the last month.

"Time moves so quick," he said.

"In our situation with the developments, Christmas Day didn't mean anything, that had gone. It didn't feel real and Christmas will never be the same. Christmas will never be a point of celebration for me, ever."

More on Elle Edwards

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'Christmas will never be the same'

Mr Edwards said Elle remained "the glue that keeps us all together" and that her death should not be in vain.

Elle was shot while celebrating with friends at the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, shortly before midnight on 24 December.

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Connor Chapman, 22, has been charged with her murder and a trial date has been set for 7 June.

Image: Elle's dad hopes a foundation in her name 'will be used for good' and help reduce gun violence

Elle's killing was the fifth shooting in Merseyside since August 2022 and Mr Edwards is hoping a foundation in her name will bring systemic change around gun violence.

"There's no winners with gun crime," he said.

"If you pick up a gun, your future is over and everybody else's future around you is over. It's dead simple. It's absolutely pointless and it solves nothing.

"I want to see a positive that comes out of this. Elle's name will be used for good in the future. She can't be forgotten," he added.

Image: Mr Edwards says his daughter was 'a fantastic human being with a heart of gold'

'Good memories spur you on'

Mr Edwards and his daughter spent time walking in the Lake District, as well as climbing mountains, and he said those memories are helping him grieve.

"They just keep you going, they keep your mind flowing. The good memories spur you on, I can even hear her laugh. It's emotional and it's horrible, it really is horrible, but hopefully those memories will never fade."

Read more:
Man appears in court charged with Elle Edwards' murder

Mr Edwards said the fact Elle's life which was cut brutally short at 26 is the "hardest part" because she had so much ahead of her.

"She was just getting going," he told Sky News.

"She had her focus, she had her own ambitions, and she was achieving them and everything was set in place for her and it was just taken away, and that's sad."

Elle's funeral will take place on 25 January in the town where she grew up, many hundreds are expected to line the streets to pay tribute.

"It's going to be terrible isn't it? It's not going to be nice," he said.

"But it's part of the process and it's something that has to be done. And then we move on to the next thing and keep going. But she will always be here. She'll never leave me. She'll live on forever."

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2023-01-20 03:29:46Z
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