Marelle Sturrock - latest: Police find body in search for fiancé of ‘murdered’ pregnant teacher - The Independent

Marelle Sturrock: Fiance wanted for murder of pregnant teacher found dead in flat

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Police searching for the fiancé of pregnant teacher Marelle Sturrock who was found dead in Glasgow have recovered a body.

The body was found following searches of Mugdock Reservoir on Thursday, Police Scotland confirmed this evening.

He is yet to be formally identified but it is believed to be David Yates, 36, the force said. Ms Sturrock, 35, was found dead at a property on Jura Street in Glasgow on Tuesday morning.

She was 29 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. Police confirmed today that her unborn baby did not survive.

The force said earlier on Thursday that David Yates was wanted in connection with Ms Sturrock’s death, adding there was “no information to suggest anyone else has been involved”.

Detective Superintendent Nicola Kilbane said: “Our thoughts are with Marelle’s family and friends, along with everyone affected by this tragedy. “We are providing her family with specialist support at this incredibly difficult time.”

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Body recovered in search for missing fiance of pregnant teacher found dead

Detectives hunting for the partner of pregnant teacher Marelle Sturrock who was found dead in Glasgow have recovered a body.

Police Scotland said the body is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be that of David Yates, 36.

The body was found during searches of Mugdock Reservoir on Thursday, police said.

Katy Clifton has the details.

Joe Middleton27 April 2023 19:44

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Detectives find body in search for fiance of ‘murdered’ teacher

Detectives searching for a man in connection with the death of pregnant woman Marelle Sturrock in Glasgow have found a body, Police Scotland said.

The body was recovered following searches of Mugdock Reservoir on Thursday, 27 April, Police Scotland confirmed on Thursday evening.

He is yet to be formally identified but it is believed to be David Yates, 36, the force said.

David Yates was the partner of Marelle Sturrock, 35, who was found dead at her home address on Jura Street in Glasgow on Tuesday, 25 April

.David Yates was wanted in connection with the murder of Marelle Sturrock.

An investigation remains ongoing but nothing has been established so far to suggest anyone else was involved in her death.Reports will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.

Joe Middleton27 April 2023 19:32

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Headteacher at school where pregnant teacher worked says community is ‘devastated'

The headteacher at Sandwood Primary School in Glasgow where Ms Sturrock worked said the school community is “devastated”.

Fiona Donnelly said: “Marelle has been a much-loved member of our school community since her probationary year more than six years ago and has taught many year groups throughout her time at the school.

“We will all miss her so much.

“She was a lovely, kind, diligent and considerate person who loved and made time for everyone.

“Marelle used her artistic talents across the school and was our music champion who has been a key player in the success of our school choirs, with one of her classes going to see her on stage at The King’s (Theatre) in one of her many acting roles outside of school.

“We are a school community in mourning and are devasted by the tragic news of her death and pass on our deepest condolences to her family and friends as we all come to terms with our loss.”

Joe Middleton27 April 2023 19:20

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Parents express shock at death of 'lovely' teacher Marelle Sturrock

Parents express shock at death of 'lovely' teacher Marelle Sturrock

Joe Middleton27 April 2023 18:19

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Marelle Sturrock: Fiance wanted for murder of pregnant teacher found dead in flat

Marelle Sturrock: Fiance wanted for murder of pregnant teacher found dead in flat

Joe Middleton27 April 2023 18:03

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Police hunt missing fiancé after pregnant teacher ‘murdered’ in own home

Police have launched a murder probe into the death of a pregnant teacher as police search for her missing fiancé.

She was 29 weeks pregnant and her unborn baby did not survive, Police Scotland confirmed this afternoon.

Joe Middleton has more:

Emily Atkinson27 April 2023 17:15

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Watch: Fiance wanted for murder of pregnant teacher found dead in flat

Marelle Sturrock: Fiance wanted for murder of pregnant teacher found dead in flat

Emily Atkinson27 April 2023 16:42

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Fiance’s car found at Mugdock Country Park

David Yates’ car was found at Mugdock Country Park earlier this week, Police Scotland confirmed as its “extensive” search of the area continues.

Police divers and officers investigating her death have been searching for Mr Yates near Mugdock Reservoir, just outside the city in East Dunbartonshire.

In an update on Thursday, detective superintendent Nicola Kilbane said: “His vehicle, a white Seat Ateca, was found at Mugdock Country Park on Tuesday and an extensive search has been ongoing in the area since.

“The last confirmed sighting of David was on Sunday evening shortly after 8pm. His subsequent movements are unknown after his vehicle was left at Mugdock Country Park but there is nothing to suggest he has left the area. We will keep an open mind on this as we continue to search the area.

“A visible police presence will remain at both Jura Street and Mugdock Country Park as our investigation continues.”

Emily Atkinson27 April 2023 15:58

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Fiance wanted for murder of pregnant mother found dead in flat

A murder investigation has been launched into the death of a pregnant teacher in Glasgow as officers search for her fiance, Police Scotland has confirmed.

Marelle Sturrock, 35, was found dead at a property on Jura Street in Glasgow on Tuesday morning.

She was 29 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. Police confirmed today that her unborn baby did not survive.

In an update on Thursday, detective superintendent Nicola Kilbane said David Yates was wanted in connection with Marelle Sturrock’s death, adding there was “no information to suggest anyone else has been involved.”

Ms Kilbane said: “A murder investigation is ongoing in relation to the death of Marelle Sturrock, 35, at Jura Street in Glasgow.

“Officers attended her home address shortly after 8.40am on Tuesday 25 April and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Marelle was 29 weeks pregnant and I can confirm that sadly her unborn baby did not survive.

“Our thoughts are with Marelle’s family and friends, along with everyone affected by this tragedy. We are providing her family with specialist support at this incredibly difficult time.”

Emily Atkinson27 April 2023 15:44

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Divers search reservoir in hunt for fiance of pregnant teacher found dead

Police divers have been spotted scouring a reservoir as the search for the fiance of a pregnant teacher who was found dead continues.

Marelle Sturrock, 35, was found dead at a property on Jura Street in Glasgow on Tuesday morning.

Officers investigating her death have been searching for a missing man in the area of Mugdock Country Park near Milngavie, just outside the city in East Dunbartonshire.

It is understood that the man police are searching for is Ms Sturrock’s fiance, David Yates.

Police divers have been involved in the search of Mugdock reservoir, large areas of which are cordoned off with police tape, with officers standing guard.

Emily Atkinson27 April 2023 15:13

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2023-04-27 18:54:59Z
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Ukrainians attending Eurovision 'targeted' by rail strikes - The Telegraph

Downing Street has accused Aslef of targeting “displaced Ukranians” attending the Eurovision Song Contest final in Liverpool with its latest round of strikes.

Number 10 hit out at the train drivers’  union  over its decision to decision to strike the day before Eurovision, claiming it could mean many displaced Ukranians may miss out on being in the audience.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), which represents train guards and ticket office staff, has announced that it will strike on the day of the contest.

Aslef said its members would now strike on May 12,  May 31 and June 3 – the day of the FA Cup final at Wembley and the Epsom Derby – after rejecting the latest pay offer from rail firms.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said: “It’s incredibly disappointing that Aslef has taken this action. By choosing these specific dates, they are looking to disrupt the FA Cup final – thousands of people will be impacted.

“That will also include displaced Ukrainians trying to attend Eurovision, I know there is a distinct possibility.”

The Eurovision final is being staged in Liverpool after Ukraine won it in Turin last year. Earlier this year, the Government announced that 3,000 tickets would be made available to Ukrainian refugees who had secured accommodation through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

Inflatable illuminated Ukrainian Song Birds are placed around Liverpool ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest Credit: Peter Byrne/PA

The walkouts also threaten to cause chaos for tens of thousands of Manchester United and Manchester City fans travelling to the capital for the cup final, while key services between London and Surrey to get people to Epsom are likely to be hit.

The Liverpool Combined Authority said it was working with operators to understand what the impact would be on services ahead of the Eurovision final and was examining ways to reduce the impact.

Kevin Parker, the Manchester City Supporters Club general secretary, said the strikes would cause huge disruption to fans, adding: “In terms of my point of view as a supporter – and United supporters – there are some who have already booked train tickets this week, so the first issue is now looking at how they are going to get there.”

The Manchester United Supporters Trust urged the unions and the Government to get around the table and avert the strikes. 

Mick Whelan, the Aslef general secretary, said: “Our executive committee met this morning [Thursday] and rejected a risible proposal we received from the RDG [Rail Delivery Group].

“We do not want to go on strike – we do not want to inconvenience passengers, we have families and friends who use the railway too, and we believe in investing in rail for the future of this country. But the blame for this action lies, fairly and squarely, at the feet of the employers who have forced our hand over this by their intransigence.”

The industrial action is likely to shut down the majority of services across the country. 

Aslef in dispute with 16 train companies

Mick Lynch, the RMT general secretary, said: “The RDG have reneged on their original proposals and torpedoed these negotiations. No doubt their decision is due to pressure exerted on them by the Tory Government.

“Therefore, we have no alternative but to press ahead with more strike action and continue our campaign for a negotiated settlement on pay, conditions and job security.”

A spokesman for the RDG claimed the strike action was unnecessary and would heap more pressure on an industry already facing an acute financial crisis, adding: “After many weeks of negotiations with the Aslef leadership, we made a revised and fair offer including a pay rise of eight per cent over two years. Sadly, this has been rejected.”

Mr Sunak’s spokesman said the Rail Delivery Group offer was “fair and reasonable” and would give a rise to train drivers “whose average salary is already £60,000 a year”.

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2023-04-27 17:45:00Z
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Nurses' strike: RCN union calls off part of 48-hour strike after High Court deems it unlawful - Sky News

A nursing union has called off strike action planned for 2 May after it was deemed unlawful by a High Court judge.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) had called for a 48-hour strike starting at 8pm on Sunday 30 April, continuing all day on Monday 1 May, and ending at 8pm on Tuesday 2 May in a row over pay and conditions.

But Health Secretary Steve Barclay claimed the final day of the walkout was unlawful as it was due to fall outside the union's six-month mandate for industrial action, granted in November.

Judge Thomas Linden agreed with the submission from the government - with no representatives from the RCN's side present in the courtroom.

Government wins court case to stop day of nurses' strike - politics latest

Following the legal defeat, the union's leader attacked the government for taking nurses to court rather than trying to resolve the dispute and said members would be reballoted for a new mandate.

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1:08

'What a day for nursing'

Pat Cullen, the general secretary of the RCN, said: "They [the government] have won their legal battle today. But what this has led to is they have lost nursing, and they've lost the public.

"They've taken the most trusted profession through the courts, by the least trusted people.

"And what a day for nursing. What a day for patients. And what an indictment on this government to do this to the very people that have held this NHS together, not just through the pandemic, but an NHS that has been run into the ground and in crisis, caused by this government."

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Read more:
Train strikes: New dates announced by Aslef - including on FA Cup final
Sunak's strikes nightmare is far from over

Mr Barclay said: "I firmly support the right to take industrial action within the law - but the government could not stand by and let plainly unlawful strike action go ahead.

"Both the NHS and my team tried to resolve this without resorting to legal action, but unfortunately, following a request from NHS Employers, we took this step with regret to protect nurses by ensuring they are not asked to take part in an unlawful strike.

This case was cut and dried, so why did the RCN persist with it?

It should not have come to this. There was no complex legal argument. The law is inflexible and so are calendars.

The RCN mandate began on 2 November and lasted for six months. A simple calculation would have shown that 2 May falls outside this period.

NHS Employers asked the government to take this legal action. They described the nurses' action as regrettable. So to did the Health Secretary Steve Barclay. He might be expected to say that given his role in this dispute.

But High Court Judges are independent. They are not taking sides but merely enforcing the rule of law. Mr Justice Linden said the union had showed "a high degree of unreasonableness", that the outcome was "inevitable" and "instead of grasping the nettle and conceding", it had forced the case to court.

Pat Cullen did not hear him say this. She was outside the High Court with her supporters. In fact the RCN had no legal representation to make their case inside Court 15 at all. Pat Cullen instead had submitted a witness statement.

The judge said it was probably "written for a different audience" and "although she could not bring herself to say it, she probably thought the secretary of state's legal interpretation of the planned strike dates was correct."

In other words nobody expected the RCN to win in court today. So why did they persist with the court case? The strike dates were announced very quickly after the union rejected the government's pay offer. There is a timeframe for giving notice of intended industrial action so that would have added to the pressure.

Once the dates were announced and after the possibility of illegality was raised maybe the RCN decided it was too late to back down. It certainly helped to play into the RCN's narrative of nurses standing up to a "bullying government".

The RCN has been ordered to pay court costs. Money it could have used to top up its strike funds as there seems no end in sight to this increasingly bitter fight.

"We welcome the decision of the High Court that the Royal College of Nursing's planned strike on 2 May is illegal.

"The government wants to continue working constructively with the Royal College of Nursing, as was the case when we agreed the pay offer that was endorsed by their leadership. We now call on them to do the right thing by patients and agree derogations for their strike action on 30 April and 1 May."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's official spokesman said it was "regrettable" that court action was needed.

He said: "Late yesterday, Steve Barclay wrote to the RCN, to Pat Cullen again, and asked them to call off their final day of the strike given we were confident that it was not legal, they refused again."

Image: Health Secretary Steve Barclay

RCN members rejected a deal earlier this month which would have seen them given a one-off payment of 2% of their salary, plus a COVID recovery bonus of 4% for the current financial year and 5% for the year after.

This was despite a recommendation from the union's leaders that the deal be accepted.

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2023-04-27 15:33:45Z
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Teachers across Derby and Derbyshire picket schools in fifth day of strike action - Derbyshire Live

Teachers were once again taking to the picket lines outside schools across Derby and Derbyshire this morning in pursuit of better pay and conditions. Members of the National Education Union (NEU) have been taking part in their fifth day of strike action and a sixth is due to take place on Tuesday (May 2).

Waving placards and acknowledging the car horns sounding from passing motorists, teachers were gathered outside many of Derby's main secondary schools - Allestree Woodlands, Bemrose School, Chellaston Academy, Lees Brook Academy, Littleover Community School, St Benedict Catholic Academy and Landau Forte College. Schools from the north of the county in Glossop and Chesterfield to the south in the Swadlincote area also took part in the action.

Once again it has meant thousands of pupils, particularly those in the year groups seven to 10 have found themselves at home studying online if lessons have been provided and if they have access to computers. Secondary schools with limited staff numbers have concentrated on trying to hold classes in person for essential year groups 11 and 13, who are about to take their crucial GCSE and A-level results, respectively.

Read more: City school where clever pupils are taking exams in 10 languages

Teachers on the picket line at Bemrose School were in a defiant mood saying they would continue striking as long as it takes to “get an offer from the Government in line with inflation and fully funded”. Mollie Selby, who teaches geography and sociology, said that teachers in England could not understand why they had been offered less money than their counterparts in Scotland and Wales.

She said: “Are we worth less - we came into this profession to teach children and protect them and the way we have been treated is insulting. We want any pay offer to not come from school funds or there is no point.”

RE teacher Hannah Saul added: “Support for this strike is growing. We have more and different teachers on the picket line and also more parents are behind us contrary to what is being said in the media.

"We need the tools to teach and funding needs to improve in schools so we can do our jobs properly. It’s a hard decision to strike but one we feel we have to do.”

The blame for the strike situation is being laid by NEU bosses at the door of Education Secretary Gillian Keegan. They claim the issue is far wider than pay. Nick Raine, NEU senior regional officer, said: "She is failing to address the multiple problems damaging our children's education - around teacher recruitment and retention problems, and inadequate school funding.

"She is refusing to return to the negotiating table. It is this inaction, this silence which has left NEU teacher members in England’s schools and sixth form colleges to reluctantly take two more days of national strike action."

Unions want above-inflation increases, plus extra money to ensure any pay rises do not come from schools' existing budgets. Most state school teachers in England had a 5% pay rise last year. The independent pay review body has recommended a 3% rise from this September.

After the February strike, the Government made a new pay offer for school teachers, which included a £1,000 one-off payment and a 4.3% pay rise for most staff in September. The starting salary for teachers in England is also due to rise to £30,000 a year by September.

The Department for Education described it as a "fair and reasonable offer" and said that schools would receive an extra £2.3bn over the next two years.

But all four unions involved in the dispute rejected the offer, including the NEU, said it was still not fully funded, meaning schools would have had to make cuts elsewhere to afford it. Ms Keegan has said that the offer is no longer on the table, so the decision will now be made by the independent pay review body.

Once the picket line duty was over, teachers were heading for a regional rally starting at The Spot in Derby and marching to Cathedral Green for speakers, stalls, music and food.

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2023-04-27 07:35:07Z
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Sudan: Now is the time for British nationals to move, urges foreign secretary - BBC

PA Media

By Andre Rhoden-Paul & James Gregory

BBC News

British nationals who want to leave Sudan have been told "now is the time to move" by the foreign secretary.

James Cleverly said the UK government cannot know what will happen when the ceasefire ends on Thursday at midnight local time (22:00 GMT).

He said people have been able to reach the airfield north of capital Khartoum "in good order" for evacuation, with help from the Sudanese army.

The UK has airlifted 536 people from the east African country.

However, that is a fraction of the thousands of British nationals thought to be in the country.

Mr Cleverly told the BBC he was not able to give an exact number on how many British citizens were currently in Sudan, but urged those who wanted to leave to do so before the ceasefire ends.

"Now is the time to move. We have the aircraft, we have the capacity," he told BBC Breakfast.

"But none of us know what will happen after the ceasefire ends tonight."

• Sudan evacuation remains a race against time

The evacuation route from Khartoum to the airfield is being facilitated by the Sudanese army, he added.

"People are successfully getting to the airbase," he said. "It's distressing of course, but they are getting there in good order."

Mr Cleverly said it was not helpful to compare the UK's evacuation response with that of other nations, adding that many British nationals living in Khartoum were widely distributed around the city.

"Where a country has a community which is tightly located - an ex-pat bubble - it is much easier to evacuate en masse," he said.

He said that attempts by some countries to provide support on the route from Khartoum to the airfield had been "prohibitively difficult".

Mr Cleverly has warned there are no guarantees further evacuation flights will leave Sudan once the ceasefire has ended.

"What we do know is it will be much, much harder - potentially impossible," he said.

The 72-hour truce, agreed by Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), began on Tuesday and is due to end on Thursday night.

The US said it was in direct contact with the two warring generals to see if the ceasefire could be extended. The Sudanese army said it was willing to send a representative to talks about extending the truce, but there has been no response from the RSF.

Since fighting erupted on 15 April, the country has been gripped by a power struggle that has seen at least 512 people killed, according to the Sudanese health ministry.

• What is going on in Sudan? A simple guide
• UK accused of delaying Germany's evacuation efforts
• Fighting flares up in Sudan despite ceasefire

Meanwhile in the UK, the first flight from Larnaca airport in Cyprus - where evacuees were flown from Sudan - landed at Stansted Airport on Wednesday. There were 250 people on board.

Emotions ran high as among arrivals, following a treacherous journey which started when they left their homes and made their own way to an airstrip north of Khartoum under the control of British troops.

"The British government has been marvellous - I feel very proud that I have made it here," Nemar, from west London, told reporters.

"We're safe. We're in no danger - I'm back and no longer scared," said Shama.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called the UK's response too slow, accusing the government of "being asleep at the wheel".

Mr Cleverly defended the pace of the UK's evacuation response, telling BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, "we wanted to ensure we didn't put British nationals into increased danger".

"There is a risk to staying put; there is also a risk to moving around in the middle of a conflict," he said.

Reuters

More than 2,000 British nationals in Sudan have registered with the Foreign Office under evacuation plans.

Only British passport holders and immediate family members with existing UK entry clearance are eligible for evacuation.

But Alicia Kearns, the Conservative chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said elderly people who are dependent on their children - who themselves have British status - should also be admitted to the UK.

She told the BBC: "In the same way we treat children who are dependent on their parents, we should respect that some elderly people are dependent on their children.

"I think it is important that we are bringing people out who would otherwise be left destitute and really vulnerable."

The foreign secretary said Sudanese nationals without travel documents were being blocked at checkpoints by the Sudanese army.

"Where we have families where a British national has a Sudanese national as a spouse or extended family, it makes the extraction more complicated," said Mr Cleverly.

Addressing MPs on Thursday, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy urged "swift action" to allow British nationals to travel with their close Sudanese family members - with reports some are being excluded from safe passage.

Downing Street has said that eligibility requirements had been set out "very clearly" and had not changed, but that there was "an element of discretion" for those working on the ground in Sudan.

"We obviously empower people on the ground to make decisions," the prime minister's official spokesman said.

Other evacuation routes out of Sudan are also being worked on. According to tracking websites, HMS Lancaster has arrived at Port Sudan, nearly 500 miles from Khartoum on the Red Sea. But with UK nationals being told to make their own way to departure points, any potential evacuations from there would be complicated by fuel shortages and the volume of people on the roads.

On Thursday, Downing Street said there were no current plans to create a specific resettlement scheme for those fleeing the country.

MOD

Meanwhile, the UK has been accused of delaying Germany's efforts to evacuate its citizens from Sudan with its own mission to rescue British embassy staff at the weekend.

The UK Ministry of Defence has denied it was responsible for any delay. The foreign secretary said he would look into Germany's claims.

• BOARDROOM BATTLES: It's Australia's toughest job interview!
• BOWELBABE IN HER OWN WORDS: The extraordinary life of Deborah James

Related Topics

• Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• Sudan

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2023-04-27 13:50:38Z
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Met chief clashes with senior Tory amid furious scenes in Commons - The Guardian

A senior Conservative attacked the honesty and competence of the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, in furious scenes at a Commons committee, while the police chief denounced the “pillorying” of his force.

Lee Anderson MP, the deputy chair of the Tory party, accused Rowley of not being “very honest” and claimed he was bungling his job. Rowley denounced the “personally offensive” attacks and accused Anderson of not knowing the law.

The clashes came during a session of the home affairs committee and a month after a damning report by Louise Casey that found Britain’s biggest force to be riddled with prejudice and incompetence.

Another Tory MP, James Daly, accused Rowley of previously being part of the senior leadership that had turned a “blind eye” to the “negligence” and “incompetence” that plunged the Met into its current deep crisis and left it a “national disgrace”.

The critical comments are a warning sign that the patience Rowley says he needs to turn the Met around may have run out among some lawmakers.

Rowley became commissioner in September 2022, having retired in 2018 after a career in several forces. He first joined the Met in 2011 as an assistant commissioner.

Anderson, who under Rishi Sunak became deputy chair of the Tory party, asked Rowley whether he had seen instances of racism, homophobia and misogyny during his career.

The commissioner said he “had always been tough” on standards and when pressed for an example, said he could not recall a specific one, leading Anderson to say: “You must have walked around with your eyes closed.” Things deteriorated from there.

“It would appear you are in denial,” Anderson said.

Rowley pleaded for support from politicians for his reform efforts, but Anderson said: “You’ve got to be honest. To sit there and say you can’t remember when you’ve witnessed these incidents, I don’t think that is very honest at all.” Rowley replied: “People don’t misbehave in front of senior officers in that way.”

Pressed more, he did admit to seeing incidents that “weren’t fit for today’s standards”, but declined to give detail.

Worse was to come as Anderson accused the commissioner of being too lax on protesters outside parliament, with each accusing the other of not understanding the law.

Anderson said Britain’s top officer – originally from inner-city Birmingham – should leave his “ivory tower”, and went on to say: “You might want to believe, commissioner, that you’re doing your job correctly, but I don’t think you are. I feel like I’m wasting my time with you.

“Five years out of the force … There’s probably people listening to this today [who] wish it was a lot longer, and I’m one of them.”

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Rowley interrupted: “I’m not going to sit here, if you want to be personally offensive then write it in newspapers … but I’m not going to answer these questions.”

Rowley also said: “We have made much progress over the last few decades … but it is not enough. And we are doubling down on standards, more ferociously than has been done for five decades.

“But the vast majority of our people are good people and the debate which turns this into pillory of the police root and branch is not something I’m going to accept.”

Some will see the clashes as a symptom of a more brutish Conservative party, others as forceful attempts to stop Rowley dodging fair questions.

A series of disastrous scandals becoming public this year have not menaced Rowley’s grip on the commissionership so far, since he argued he was in post to lead the clean-up.

But the personal nature of the criticism suggests some in the Conservative party are not buying it, raising the prospect that the committee’s report may be troubling for Rowley.

These were some of the most bitter scenes a Met chief has faced at the hands of MPs in recent memory. A Met chief’s evidence about phone hacking was derided by MPs in 2011, some of whom laughed openly.

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2023-04-26 16:07:00Z
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Andrew Bridgen kicked out of Conservative party after Holocaust vaccines tweet - Evening Standard

The North West Leicestershire MP lost the Tory whip earlier this year for making the controversial comments.

But he has now been thrown out as an ordinary member of the party.

A Tory spokesman said: “Mr Bridgen was expelled from the Conservative Party on April 12 following the recommendation of a disciplinary panel."

He has until May 12 to appeal the decision.

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Mr Bridgen claimed his expulsion was “under false pretences”.

He said he would still be standing as a candidate at the next election, fuelling speculation that he could join Laurence Fox's Reclaim Party.

“Above all else this is an issue of freedom of speech,” Mr Bridgen said.

“No elected Member of Parliament should ever be penalised for speaking on behalf of their constituents and those who have no such voice or platform.  

“As a vocal critic of the vaccine rollout amongst other issues such as net zero, illegal immigration, and political corruption the Party has been sure to make an example of me.  

“I am grateful for my newfound freedom and will continue to fight for justice, speech, and liberty.  I will continue to serve my constituents as I was elected to do and intend to stand again at the next election."

Earlier this year, Mr Bridgen tweeted: “We know the ‘vaccines’ are causing serious harms and now it’s becoming increasingly clear how they are doing it. No wonder so many people are ill since vaccination.

“As one consultant cardiologist said to me this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."

Sharing a news article about the rise in excess deaths Britain is seeing as the NHS battles staffing shortages and strikes, he wrote: "Is the failure of the NHS also responsible for the current excess deaths in all other countries that administered the gene therapy mRNA ‘vaccines’?"

More than 650,000 deaths were registered in the UK last year- 9 per cent more than 2019.

NHS delays, an increase in flu cases and the aftermaths of the pandemic have been blamed for the rise.

Mr Bridgen's comments were condemned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock

He was also suspended from the House of Commons earlier this year over his “careless and cavalier attitude” to lobbying rules and suggesting the woman investigating him could be bribed with a peerage.

He made multiple approaches to ministers and public officials on behalf of Mere Plantations, a UK-based reforestation company with forests in Ghana, for which he was initially paid £12,000 a year as an adviser, a report by the Standards Committee found.

It stated that Mr Bridgen then attempted to influence Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone during her investigation by claiming he heard a “rumour” she would only receive a peerage if she ruled against him because he was an outspoken critic of then Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

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2023-04-26 13:06:07Z
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