Nurse Lucy Letby verdict: Killer nurses’ refusal to attend court prompts calls for law change - The Independent

Police footage shows neonatal unit in hospital where Lucy Letby worked

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The prosecution’s lead medical expert in the Lucy Letby case has said hospital executives who failed to act on concerns about the serial killer nurse should be investigated for corporate manslaughter.

Serial killer, Letby, 33, was convicted of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six newborns at Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016.

Retired consultant paediatrician Dewi Evans says he will write to Cheshire Constabulary to ask it to investigate hospital bosses for corporate manslaughter and criminal negligence, the Observer reported.

Dr Evans was tasked by Cheshire Police to look at a series of collapses on the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016.

He said: “I think this is a matter that demands an investigation into corporate manslaughter. The police should also investigate the [hospital] in relation to criminal negligence.”

It comes as the former chair of the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust claimed that the board was “misled” by hospital executives.

Sir Duncan Nichol said the board was told there was “no criminal activity pointing to any one individual” despite concerns, BBC News reported.

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Police urged to probe Lucy Letby hospital bosses for corporate manslaughter

Hospital executives who failed to act on concerns about serial killer nurse Lucy Letby should be investigated for corporate manslaughter, the prosecution’s lead medical expert has said.

Bosses also blamed other NHS services for a number of the unexplained deaths – and in a review in May 2016 said there was “no evidence whatsoever against [Letby] other than coincidence”, the newspaper reported.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain20 August 2023 09:01

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Police urged to investigate hospital bosses for corporate manslaughter and criminal negligence - part two

Another consultant, Dr Ravi Jayaram, continued to express concerns to management as more sudden and unexpected collapses followed.

Both consultants spoke of hospital executives’ reluctance to involve the police for fear of damaging the trust’s reputation.

Dr Evans was tasked by Cheshire Police to look at a series of collapses on the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016.

He said that bosses could have helped to avert three murders if they acted with greater urgency on concerns.

He told the Observer: “They were grossly negligent.

“I shall write to Cheshire police and ask them, from what I have heard following the end of the trial, that I believe that we should now investigate a number of managerial people in relation to issues of corporate manslaughter.

“I think this is a matter that demands an investigation into corporate manslaughter.”

Dr Evans said the police should also investigate the hospital in “relation to criminal negligence”.

He added: “Failing to act was grossly irresponsible - let’s make it as clear as that.

“We are talking about a serious emergency. It’s grossly irresponsible.”

Maryam Zakir-Hussain20 August 2023 08:40

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Police urged to investigate hospital bosses for corporate manslaughter and criminal negligence- part one

The prosecution’s lead medical expert in the Lucy Letby case has said hospital executives who failed to act on concerns about the serial killer nurse should be investigated for corporate manslaughter.

Retired consultant paediatrician Dewi Evans says he will write to Cheshire Constabulary to ask it to investigate “grossly negligent” bosses for not acting on fears about Letby while she was on a killing spree, the Observer reported.

Bosses also blamed other NHS services for a number of the unexplained deaths - and in a review in May 2016 said there was “no evidence whatsoever against [Letby] other than coincidence”, the newspaper reported.

Letby, 33, was convicted on Friday of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six more during her shifts on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.

Consultants who raised concerns about Letby as far back as 2015 have said babies could have been saved if hospital management had listened and acted sooner.

The Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit head consultant, Dr Stephen Brearey, first raised Letby‘s association with an increase in baby collapses in June 2015.

He told the Guardian that deaths could arguably have been avoided from as early as February 2016 if executives had “responded appropriately” to an urgent meeting request from concerned doctors.

Police were only contacted in 2017.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain20 August 2023 08:06

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Families of Lucy Letby victims complain government-ordered probe ‘inadequate'

Attorneys representing the families of two victims of Lucy Letby have expressed dissatisfaction with the independent inquiry commissioned by the government.

In a joint statement Richard Scorer, head of abuse law and public inquiries, and Yvonne Agnew, head of clinical negligence Cardiff, at law firm Slater and Gordon, said: “The inquiry announced by the Department of Health is inadequate.

“As a non-statutory inquiry, it does not have the power to compel witnesses to provide evidence or production of documents and must rely on the goodwill of those involved to share their testimony. This is not good enough. The failings here are very serious and an inquiry needs to have a statutory basis to have real teeth.

“An inquiry also needs to look at why the NHS’s ‘duty of candour’ seems to have failed in this case, with hospital managers seemingly prioritising the hospital’s reputation above child safety.

“We do not believe that ‘duty of candour’ is an adequate substitute for a proper mandatory reporting regime, and any inquiry needs to examine this issue properly as failings here could be replicated elsewhere in the NHS.”

Shweta Sharma20 August 2023 07:00

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Lucy Letby motive: Why did serial killer nurse murder seven babies?

The reasons why Letby, a neonatal nurse, committed the murders may never be fully understood, although prosecutors and other experts told jurors during her trial of several possible motivations.

The Independent takes a look at some of the main theories discussed in court.

Shweta Sharma20 August 2023 06:30

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NHS whistleblowers are ‘treated like the problem’ - doctors’ union

Leading medics have said that NHS whistleblowers are “treated like the problem”, after it emerged that doctors who raised concerns about killer nurse Lucy Letby were forced to apologise to her.

The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) has called for reform of the disciplinary system to ensure that employees who voice concerns about issues are shielded from negative repercussions.

The association emphasised that patients should not be put in harm’s way due to managerial tendencies to suppress issues and safeguard reputations.

These remarks arise in the wake of revelations that a significant number of staff had voiced worries about Letby’s conduct during her year-long spree of killings at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Despite alerts from senior doctors within the neonatal unit, appropriate action was not taken, and the decision to involve the police was delayed by several months.

Shweta Sharma20 August 2023 06:00

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Families of Lucy Letby’s victims demand full public inquiry into serial killer nurse

The families join senior doctors and MPs who want the inquiry upgraded, amid fears it lacks the powers needed to unearth potential evidence of a cover-up at the Countess of Chester Hospital, and prevent a similar horror from ever unfolding in the NHS again.

Health secretary Steve Barclay announced an independent inquiry on Friday after Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and the attempted murder of six others in the hospital where she worked between June 2015 and June 2016.

Shweta Sharma20 August 2023 05:30

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Police urged to probe hospital bosses for ‘corporate manslaughter'

The prosecution’s lead medical expert in the Lucy Letby case has said that hospital executives who disregarded concerns about the nurse, now known as a serial killer, should be subjected to an investigation for corporate manslaughter, as reported by the Observer.

Dewi Evans, a retired consultant paediatrician, said he will write to the Cheshire Constabulary, urging them to investigate the bosses for their “grossly negligent” behaviour in failing to address worries about Letby during her spree of murders.

In addition, the executives attributed a portion of the unexplained deaths to other NHS services. A review conducted in May 2016 asserted that there was no substantial evidence implicating Letby beyond mere coincidence, according to information from the newspaper.

Lucy Letby, aged 33, was recently convicted for the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of six others. These acts took place during her shifts in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.

Several consultants who had expressed concerns about Letby’s actions as early as 2015 have indicated that the lives of the babies could potentially have been saved if the hospital management had taken heed and acted promptly.

Shweta Sharma20 August 2023 05:00

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Doctor suspicious of Lucy Letby shares ‘apology’ hospital bosses made him send killer nurse

One of the doctors who helped unmask Lucy Letby as the nurse behind the deaths of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital has revealed he was told by executives to ‘apologise’ to the nurse for raising concerns about her conduct.

Dr Ravi Jayaram, a consultant paediatrician, claims that the then-Chief Executive Tony Chambers told consultants in 2017 to ‘draw a line’ under their suspicions, and if they didn’t, there would be ‘consequences’.

In the aftermath, Jayaram and other members of staff wrote the apology, which read: “We’re very sorry for the stress and upset you have experienced in the last year.”

Doctor suspicious of Lucy Letby shares ‘apology’ bosses made him send killer nurse

One of the doctors who helped unmask Lucy Letby as the nurse behind the deaths of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital has revealed he was told by executives to ‘apologise’ to the nurse for raising concerns about her conduct. Dr Ravi Jayaram, a consultant paediatrician, claims that the then-Chief Executive Tony Chambers told consultants in 2017 to ‘draw a line’ under their suspicions, and if they didn’t, there would be ‘consequences’. In the aftermath, Jayaram and other members of staff wrote the apology, which read: “We’re very sorry for the stress and upset you have experienced in the last year.”

Matt Drake20 August 2023 04:03

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‘Trust me, I’m a nurse’: How Lucy Letby comforted her victims’ parents as she hid evil secret

For a mother whose newborn was gravely ill in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital, she was a ray of light: a calm, comforting nurse who guided her through her most desperate moments as her child lay listless in his cot.

“Trust me, I’m a nurse,” she smiled at her, and the mother did, completely. But within hours, her baby boy was dead, and the nurse in whom she had placed so much trust, who had been by her side through the darkest time of her life, was responsible.

Read the full report by Holly Evans below.

Matt Drake20 August 2023 03:00

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2023-08-20 08:01:16Z
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Hospital chief claims he acted ‘promptly’ to move Letby off ward - The Guardian

The former chief executive of the hospital where Lucy Letby murdered seven babies said he first heard “serious concerns” about the nurse in June 2016 – a year after she was linked to a series of unusual infant deaths.

However, Tony Chambers, who left the Countess of Chester hospital shortly after Letby’s arrest, said he was told at the time that she was an “enthusiastic, capable and committed nurse”, despite the fears of senior doctors.

Letby, 33, had by that time murdered seven babies and attempted to murder six others on the neonatal unit where she had worked since 2012. She was moved off the unit in July 2016 when senior doctors demanded action following the deaths of two triplet brothers.

Consultant paediatricians had been raising concerns about Letby’s connection to suspicious incidents for months but she was not reported to the police until May 2017. She was arrested a year later.

Hospital executives have been criticised for failing to take action sooner that would have stopped Letby’s attacks months before she was taken off the unit. The health secretary, Steve Barclay, has ordered an independent inquiry into why Letby was not stopped sooner.

Chambers, the then-chief executive, said on Saturday that his leadership team had always been “prepared to go where the information and clinical reviews took us”.

Speaking in detail for the first time about his involvement in the case, Chambers told the Observer that the concerns were escalated to him for the first time in June 2016 following the deaths of the triplet brothers – taking Letby’s killing spree to seven in a year. This was more than double the average number of deaths in a year on the neonatal unit.

He said he took “prompt action” including to move Letby off the neonatal unit – which he described as a “non-prejudicial action to ensure safety” – and initiated three reviews.

However, none of these reviews were tasked with investigating whether Letby had harmed the babiesin her care.

The subsequent subsequent trial found she had murdered babies by injecting them with air and tried to kill two babies by poisoning them with insulin in the year to June 2016.

Detectives have now asked experts to examine the medical records of more than 4,000 babies at both Liverpool Women’s hospital and the Countess of Chester, spanning back to 2010 when she did shifts as a traineenurse.

Chambers said: “The board and I were told [in June 2016] that Lucy Letby was an enthusiastic, capable and committed nurse who had worked on the unit for four years. We understood there was nothing about Letby’s background that was suspicious; there were no apparent issues of competency.

“Her nursing colleagues on the unit thought highly of her; the neonatal unit manager described her as ‘an exceptionally good nurse’.”

Dr John Gibbs, one of the consultant paediatricians on the unit, told the Observer that the executives could have taken “more definitive action” by February 2016 at the latest. By this time, Letby had murdered five babies and attempted to kill another three.

However, Chambers appeared to blame senior doctors for failing to spot that two newborn boys had been poisoned with insulin in attacks on 5 August 2015 and eight months later on 9 April 2016.

In both cases, the results of blood tests were reported back to the neonatal unit but their significance appears to have been missed at the time.

The results were uncovered nearly two years later when Dr Stephen Brearey, the lead consultant paediatricianon the unit, was asked by police to examine the records of twins and triplets as part of the police investigation.

Chambers said: “These blood test results were the only strong evidence of potential harm and would have materially altered the focus of subsequent inquiries and actions if they had been raised with me or any other senior manager in August 2015.”

Brearey, who was the first to alert an executive to Letby’s connection to unusual deaths and collapses, told the Observer that there was an “anti-doctor agenda” among the hospital’s executive team which, he said, explained partly why Chambers and his senior team treated the consultants’ concerns as “a case of doctors picking on a nurse”.

But Chambers said: “I do not accept there was an ‘anti-doctor agenda’. I never saw the consultants’ concerns in the way you describe; we were prepared to go where the information and clinical reviews took us.”

Chambers has been interim chief executive of a number of NHS trusts since quitting his £160,000-a-year post at the Countess of Chester within weeks of Letby’s arrest in July 2018. He stood down as interim chief executive of the Queen Victoria Hospital, in west Sussex, on 2 June this year.

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2023-08-20 05:00:00Z
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William Gladstone: family of former British PM to apologise for links to slavery - The Guardian

The family of one of Britain’s most famous prime ministers will travel to the Caribbean this week to apologise for its historical role in slavery.

Six of William Gladstone’s descendants will arrive in Guyana on Thursday as the country commemorates the 200th anniversary of a rebellion by enslaved people that historians say paved the way for abolition.

The education and career of William Gladstone, the 19th-century politician known for his liberal and reforming governments, were funded by enslaved Africans working on his father’s sugar plantations in the Caribbean.

As well as making an official apology for John Gladstone’s ownership of Africans, the 21st-century Gladstones have agreed to pay reparations to fund further research into the impact of slavery.

John Gladstone was the fifth-largest beneficiary of the £20m fund (about £16bn today) set aside by the British government to compensate planters when the Slavery Abolition Act was passed in 1833.

Early in his career, William spoke in parliament in defence of his father’s involvement in slavery and also helped calculate how much his father would be compensated.

John Gladstone owned or held mortgages over 2,508 enslaved Africans in Guyana and Jamaica. After emancipation he was paid nearly £106,000, a huge sum at the time.

The Demerara rebellion in August 1823 began on one of his plantations. It was led by Jack Gladstone, an enslaved man forced to take his owner’s name, and his father, Quamina, who had been transported from Africa as a child.

About 13,000 Africans rose up in Demerara, a British colony that later became part of Guyana. Conditions for the enslaved were particularly brutal there. The plantations were the most profitable in the British empire, with an enslaved person in Demerara worth twice that of one in Jamaica.

More than 250 enslaved Africans were killed and a further 51 sentenced to death when the uprising was crushed. Many of the convicted were tortured, decapitated and had their heads impaled on poles as a warning to others. Quamina’s body was hung in chains outside one of John Gladstone’s plantations.

Charlie Gladstone, 59, who lives in Hawarden Castle, the north Wales home of his great-great grandfather William, said: “John Gladstone committed crimes against humanity. That is absolutely clear. The best that we can do is try to make the world a better place and one of the first things is to make that apology for him.

“He was a vile man. He was greedy and domineering. We have no excuses for him. But it’s fairly clear to me that however you address it, a lot of my family’s privilege has stemmed from John Gladstone.”

The Gladstone family plans to apologise at the launch of the University of Guyana’s International Institute for Migration and Diaspora Studies, which they are helping to fund with a grant of £100,000.

They are members of the Heirs of Slavery, a group of families who can trace their ancestors back to the enslavement of Africans. Others include the Trevelyans, whose ancestors owned more than 1,000 enslaved people, and the Lascelles, who built Harewood House in Yorkshire with proceeds from slavery. In February, the aristocratic Trevelyan family made reparation history by travelling to the Caribbean and publicly apologising. The former BBC journalist Laura Trevelyan said: “If anyone had ‘white privilege’, it was surely me, a descendant of Caribbean slave owners.” She made a £100,000 reparation payment.

Eric Phillips, chair of the Guyana reparations committee and vice-chair of the Caricom Reparations Commission, said he was very happy that the Gladstones were visiting to apologise: “It is an example to others and means a great deal on the anniversary of such an important event.

“Because Britain was so central to life in the Caribbean, it has a premier role to play in terms of reconciliation and acknowledgement. The British prime minister’s indifference is quite a worry, especially given what the Heirs of Slavery are doing.”

The Church of England, the Dutch and Belgian royal families and the Dutch prime minister are among those who have apologised for their countries’ role in slavery. Rishi Sunak has refused to apologise.

Phillips said: “Sunak knows what has happened with social justice throughout the world and with Black Lives Matter. To be that indifferent is frightening. It shows that he’s not fit to lead a multi-ethnic society like the UK.”

Charlie’s brother, Rob Gladstone, 54, said: “Reparative justice starts with an apology. It would be a more positive thing if more people did it and help build for the future. I think the British government could do something. It’s not massively controversial and it makes sense. Why not?”

The government denies that the prime minister is indifferent. David Rutley, a Foreign Office minister, has said that No 10 believes “the most effective way for the UK to respond to the cruelty of the past is to ensure that current and future generations do not forget what happened, that we address racism, and that we continue to work together to tackle today’s challenges, such as climate change”.

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Sara Sharif murder inquiry: Father of girl, 10, sought over her death - BBC

Handout

By Helena Wilkinson

BBC News

Police have named the father, step mother and uncle of a 10-year-old girl found dead in a house in Woking as the three people they want to talk to in connection with their murder inquiry.

A global search is under way for Urfan Sharif, his partner Beinash Batool, 29, and his brother Faisal Malik, 28.

They left the UK for Pakistan on Wednesday 9 August, the day before Sara Sharif's body was discovered.

Surrey Police also revealed Mr Sharif, 41, made a 999 call from Pakistan.

It was that call which led officers to the house in Woking where they found Sara's body with "multiple and extensive injuries", which were likely to have been caused over a sustained period of time.

The 10-year-old has now been formally identified.

A post-mortem examination carried out on Tuesday concluded the cause of death was "still to be established" and further tests were needed.

Handout

Police previously said they were called to the address in Hammond Road at about 02:50 BST on Thursday 10 August "following a concern for safety".

There was no-one else in the house when the 10-year-old's body was discovered.

Urfan Sharif rang the emergency services in the UK shortly after landing in Islamabad with his partner, his brother and five children.

Det Supt Mark Chapman, from Surrey Police and Sussex Police Major Crime Team, said the five children were aged between one and 13.

He added: "We are working with the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service), Interpol, the National Crime Agency, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to progress our inquiries with the Pakistan authorities."

BBC News has spoken to a travel agent in Woking who said he was contacted by Sara Sharif's father, Urfan Sharif, at about 22:00 BST on Tuesday 8 August who said he wanted to book tickets to Pakistan as soon as possible.

"After that I ask him what is the reason, why you booking as soon as possible, so he said my cousin has died so that why we going Pakistan," Nadeem Riaz told BBC News.

The travel agent said Urfan Sharif booked eight one-way tickets for himself, his brother, his wife and five children.

The flights booked were from the UK on Wednesday 9 August, via Bahrain, and arriving in Islamabad at 05:35 local time on Thursday 10 August.

Mr Riaz confirmed the tickets were used.

Surrey County Council leader Tim Oliver said a "rapid review" would be carried out to determine whether a local child safeguarding practice review should be held, which would bring together police, social care and education to review the practice of the agencies involved in the case.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk.

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• Pakistan
• Woking
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2023-08-18 17:34:55Z
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TV star says tourist tax will leave Welsh beaches 'completely deserted' - North Wales Live

A proposed tourist tax in Wales is part of a “wave of punitive legislation” that will hamstring the county’s visitor economy, believes TV presenter and comedian Griff Rhys Jones. In a scathing critique of Welsh Government policies, he wrote of his fears that holidaymakers will stay away and jobs will dry up as the tourism squeeze continues.

As the owner of a holiday let business in Pembrokeshire, he worries the area’s beaches, walks and hills will be left “completely deserted” in the years to come. The final straw could be the planned Visitor Levy (tourist tax) in Wales, he suggested.

“If the tourist tax goes to five quid a day and it costs a family of four an extra £140-a-week, punters might well think ‘let’s try Scotland’ or Yorkshire or anywhere this will not apply,” he said. “They don’t have to come to Wales. You think a fiver is unlikely? Well, parking once cost sixpence.

“Entrepreneurs across the county may be beginning to worry about this tourist tax. Inventive people like those who have pioneered coasteering.... those who have opened great restaurants..... even people like me who have developed holiday cottages there.”

READ MORE: Met Office issues 18-hour yellow weather warning for North Wales

Griff laid out his concerns for the sector in a non-holds-barred article in the Daily Mail. Born in Cardiff, with a heritage spanning the Rhondda and Penmachno in Eryri National Park, Conwy, he wrote about the difficulties he encountered when renovating a rundown 70-acre farm near Strumble Head – a “very rural and very beautiful part of Wales”.

As it was located in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, planning was tough and the restoration process laborious. On a farmstead littered with old buildings, the cost was eye-watering too. But the cottages were popular: only once in 15 years has Griff and his family been able to book a stay there in August.

“I didn’t really buy a second home in Wales. I bought a second village,” he quipped. “I wasn’t after a second home in Wales. I wanted lovely, historic, authentically restored cottages for others to enjoy as holiday lets.”

Visitors walk along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path - 'a very rural and very beautiful part of Wales', says Griff (Image: National Trust Images/Chris Lacey)

The TV presenter acknowledged the housing crisis in Wales and revealed he has often been held to account for running a lettings business. “Sometimes people tell me, unbidden, online and often quite forcefully, that the cottages I have restored and now let are depriving the young people of Pembrokeshire of places to live,” he wrote.

“I get their point. But I do have to explain that we were only given permission to rebuild as long as they remained holiday lets forever.

“They cannot easily enter the housing stock. Nor, to be honest, are they wholly suitable. Like quite a lot of rentable holiday cottages, they are developed near the coastal path and a long way from the amenities of Haverfordwest or Pembroke or Milford Haven.”

Faced with a surge of people buying up houses in Wales to run as second homes and holiday lets, sending property prices soaring beyond the reach of local people, the Welsh Government has launched a suite of countermeasures. Highest profile of these was a decision to allow local authorities to charge extra council taxes for owners of second homes.

Is tourism pain worth the housing gain? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Potentially, the “premium” could be as much as 300%, effectively quadrupling council tax payments for affected owners. No council has yet gone this far: Gwynedd is charging a 150% premium while in Pembrokeshire it’s 100%.

To close a council tax loophole, another policy upped the threshold for which second homes could be considered as holiday lets instead. This created an earthquake in the holiday home sector in Wales, with owners now having to let their buildings out for half the year – 182 days.

“This is a high bar,” wrote Griff. “Quite a sales record for any holiday home. It is more than all the available school holidays, Bank Holidays, annual holidays and weekends in the year put together.

“You have to be a very popular cosy nook to meet that level of demand. I suspect not many of those second homes to let, or little businesses to earn pensioners a bit extra, will meet 182 days. Which was the idea, of course.”

Without tourism to underpin rural Wales, he argues jobs and livelihoods will be hit. Across the country, one person in 10 works in the industry, he said. In places like Pembrokeshire, it’s one in five. “Wales needs prosperity too,” he said.

The family of Griff's father are buried in Penmachno, a former slate community now suffering property inflation and a raft of new Airbnbs (Image: FUW)

To further his argument, Griff cited a survey by the Welsh Association of Visitor Attractions. This showed that 47% of its members had fewer visitors last year than in the 2019 season. Moreover, 60% were pessimistic about the coming season.

Cardiff has pledged to introduce a tourist tax within the current government term, which ends in 2026. It envisages proceeds being used to improve facilities in tourism hotspots, where local people often underwrite visitor infrastructure through local taxation. No rate has yet been set.

For those residents caught up in the peak season melee, living in these areas is nearly always a nuisance and often much worse. Honeypot victims have applauded the measures – especially the need to address a housing crisis which shows no sign of easing and in many places is getting worse. But tourism operators fear the worst and say a tourist tax will cripple their businesses.

Among the policy's harshest critics is Ashford Price, chairman of the National Showcaves Centre for Wales at Dan-Yr-Ogof in Bannau Brycheiniog. Griff noted: “He has banned Welsh ministers from entering the attraction, saying tourism policies are based on an ‘anti-English. . . loony, Left-wing fantasy world’.”

Ashford Price, chairman of the National Showcaves Centre for Wales, is a long-time critic of the proposed tourist tax in Wales

Already the country is missing out on international tourism, Griff observed. Despite recent successes with domestic visitors, Wales still lacks the profile to attract well-heeled holidaymakers from overseas.

Citing a report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, he noted that, of the 41m foreign visitors to Britain before Covid, just over one million ventured into Wales. Moreover, of the £28bn spent in the UK by international tourists in 2019, only £515m was spent in Wales.

“It lags behind Scotland, Northern Ireland and even that part of the Cotswolds where Jeremy Clarkson lives,” wrote Griff. “It’s extraordinary and sad. The most glorious part of the UK missed out in favour of places like the Cheddar Gorge.”

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Tourism in Wales “needs incentives, not punishments”, said Griff. Places like Pembrokeshire suffers from “global lovely-place competition” and are hampered by poor communications and underinvestment. First Minister Mark Drakeford needs to recognise this and give a helping hand.

Despite pressures on housing, well-paid jobs and cluttered roads, Welsh tourism hotspots have the consolation of being in “one of the most glorious places in the world”, said Griff. “Mr Drakeford knows of these glories, of course,” he wrote.

“He has a ‘chalet’ in Pembrokeshire. It’s his personal holiday home, though he piously informs us it is not a second home at all.

“Mind you, why should I worry? If his plans work, then the beaches, walks and hills of Pembrokeshire will be exactly as I like them. Completely deserted.”

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2023-08-18 04:00:00Z
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Sacked British Museum curator denies stealing historic artefacts - Evening Standard

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senior curator who worked at the British Museum for 30 years has been sacked after jewellery and gems vanished from the museum, his son said on Thursday.

The son of Peter John Higgs, 56, said he was dismissed this summer after gems worth tens of millions of pounds went missing from the museum.

Mr Higgs, who worked as the museum’s curator of Greek collections, Greek culture and the Hellenistic period, has not been arrested.

He is an expert on ancient Greece who had worked at the museum for 35 years before this summer.

An antiquities expert is said to have tipped off staff at the museum in 2020 after noticing a piece of Roman jewellery being offered for sale on eBay, according to the Daily Telegraph.

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Mr Higgs’ son Greg on Thursday claimed that his father was innocent, and told The Times that his dismissal had come as a shock.

“He’s not done anything,” he said. “He’s not happy about it at all. He’s lost his job and his reputation and I don’t think it was fair. It couldn’t have been [him]. I don’t think there is even anything missing as far as I’m aware.

“He worked there for what, 35 years without any incidents. They relied on him for so much stuff. And then, yeah, I don’t know what changed.

“He’s devastated about it, because it’s his life’s work, basically. I’ve never known somebody who’s so passionate about what he did. I mean, he’s a world expert in his field.”

The British Museum declined to comment.

Mr Higgs, who has a doctorate in archaeology, was a senior member of staff and had worked at the museum since 1993.

He had recently served as the museum’s acting keeper of Greek collections and was co-editor of a book on Sicily and its heritage.

Greg told the Telegraph that his father had been dismissed in July, but had been under investigation for “a while”.

“He's with family currently for a bit of support because it's been very hard, losing half of our income pretty suddenly.

“At this point he doesn't even really care what people think of him, he just wants a chance to live a normal life.

“It gets to that point sometimes where even if you're innocent you'd just rather not have everyone speak to you all the time about it, at least from the museum. He's lost all faith in the museum.

“The one thing he said was that he was really hurt by the fact that even if his colleagues could have supported him they probably wouldn't be allowed to - that's what he said to me.”

The items allegedly taken from the museum include gold jewellery and gems of semi-precious stones, and glass dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD, which were not recently on public display and were mainly used for research and academic work.

It is understood that the items were taken before 2023 and over a “significant” period of time.

Items have gone missing from the museum in previous years including a number of coins and medals in the 1970s and a 1993 break-in when Roman coins were taken.

In 2002, the museum reviewed security following a 2,500-year-old Greek statue being stolen by a member of the public.

The institution said at the time that the Greek Archaic Gallery had been open to the public but there was no permanent guard on duty when the 12cm-high marble head was taken.

Two years later, Chinese gems also went missing.

The matter is also under investigation by the economic crime command of the Metropolitan Police.

A spokesperson for Met Police said: “We have been working alongside the British Museum.

“There is currently an ongoing investigation – there is no arrest and inquiries continue. We will not be providing any further information at this time.”

Hartwig Fischer, director of the British Museum, said that security had been ramped up following the disappearance of the items.

He said: “The museum apologises for what has happened, but we have now brought an end to this - and we are determined to put things right. We have already tightened our security arrangements and we are working alongside outside experts to complete a definitive account of what is missing, damaged and stolen. This will allow us to throw our efforts into the recovery of objects.”

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2023-08-17 21:47:53Z
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Sir Michael Parkinson: Sir David Attenborough and David Beckham lead tributes - BBC

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By Steven McIntosh

Entertainment reporter

Stars who were interviewed by Sir Michael Parkinson over the years - from Sir David Attenborough to David Beckham - have paid tribute to the "TV legend" following his death at the age of 88.

Sir Michael interviewed many of the world's biggest stars on his long-running self-titled chat show.

Sir Elton John said he was "a TV legend who was one of the greats", and Beckham wrote: "We say goodbye to the best."

Dame Judi Dench told BBC Radio 4's PM programme Sir Michael was "a one-off".

"I don't remember being frightened of being interviewed by Michael, because it was just like talking to a really good friend," she said.

"His enjoyment and love of doing it, it was a complete joy to watch. He never shunned asking a direct question."

In his tribute, Sir Elton added: "I loved his company and his incredible knowledge of cricket and Barnsley Football Club. A real icon who brought out the very best in his guests."

'Irreplaceable'

Beckham appeared on Parkinson with wife Victoria in 2001, when she famously revealed his Goldenballs nickname.

The former footballer wrote: "I was so lucky to not just be interviewed by Michael but to be able to spend precious time talking about football and family, our 2 passions. Plus the GoldenBalls moment…"

Actor Sir Michael Caine said: "Michael Parkinson was irreplaceable, he was charming, always wanted to have a good laugh. He brought the best of everyone he met. Always looked forward to be interviewed by him."

A statement from the chat show host's family on Thursday said: "After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family.

"The family request that they are given privacy and time to grieve."

Sir David Attenborough on Sir Michael Parkinson

As told to BBC Radio 4's The World At One

As a viewer, you knew if Michael was asking the questions, there were going to be good questions, and they would elicit good answers.

As a network controller, I thought he was the best freelance interviewer in the business. He was always knowledgeable, he was absolutely classless. You knew he was not a southerner, you knew he was a northerner, and that was a very refreshing voice in those days.

You knew that he would do his homework, and that he would ask questions that didn't occur to you, as well as those that did. I thought he was the best interviewer in the business at that time.

He was extremely generous. He wanted you to shine, and not particularly himself. He would always laugh at your jokes, and give you an opportunity to make them sound funnier than in fact they were. When you were told that he was going to be the interviewer, it was like meeting a friend. Though in fact we didn't meet very often, but you knew that he was on your side as much as on his own.

He was Saturday night television, and there's nobody like him doing the sort of things that he did when his career was at its height. Television doesn't give that kind of space to interviews these days, to its loss, and of course Michael did it better than anybody.

I remember he was interviewing me and Billy Connolly together, and of course Billy Connolly made both of us laugh a lot but he laughed even at my jokes, and my stories, and, as it were, looked after me to make sure I wasn't swamped by Billy Connolly, who is after all a very big character.

With Michael, it was always friendly, always thorough, always intelligent, always a pleasure to do it, and I think that came over no matter who his interviewee was.

He always knew what the interesting bits were, and he steered you through that sort of thing. He was always generous in the way he framed his questions. He wanted you, his interviewee, to shine.

I didn't ever see him uncomfortable, he was unflappable. It didn't matter what you did, whether it was a puppet that tried to consume him, or if he was interviewing a great intellect, he was always in charge, but not dominantly so.

Comedian and travel presenter Sir Michael Palin described the broadcaster as "incisive and very sharp".

Sir Michael told The World At One: "He wanted to get people on his show who entertained him and therefore who he thought would entertain the audience. He was not picky. He was not trying to diss anybody. He was an enthusiast and he was very positive.

"It didn't always work," he noted. "In some cases, [interviewees] suspected what they saw as the difficult questions he might ask in among all the fun and the enjoyment.

"Because he was a very good journalist, and a very proud journalist, and it was very important for him not to give people an easy ride. But he did basically choose people he liked, because he liked to be entertained himself."

• Follow updates: Tributes to 'greatest interviewer of our age'
• Michael Parkinson: The chat show king who set the standard
• In pictures: Michael Parkinson and his star guests

On social media, TV presenter Davina McCall described Sir Michael as "unique and always so well researched".

"[He was] loved by all the biggest stars in the world and they were all desperate to be interviewed by him," she continued. "Funny, self deprecating, sharp, charming, strong, honest and a fantastic listener. His legacy is enormous."

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Former prime minister Theresa May said Sir Michael was "a remarkable man and an outstanding broadcaster".

"We knew each other well through his charitable work in my constituency and our mutual passion for cricket. My thoughts and prayers are with his family," she added.

Match of the Day host Gary Lineker described Sir Michael a "a truly brilliant broadcaster and wonderful interviewer", while presenter Dermot O'Leary said he was "one of the greats".

"But above all else he listened… in a world full of noise," O'Leary added. "RIP Michael, thanks for the education."

Boxer Frank Bruno praised Sir Michael's ability "to frame and gift wrap the guest to deliver to the TV viewer".

TV presenter Piers Morgan said Sir Michael was the greatest of TV interviewers. "Wonderful character, great writer, sublimely talented broadcaster, and hilarious lunch partner. Loved him," he said.

Sir Michael was described as a "giant" by comic and impressionist Rory Bremner.

Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid said Sir Michael "was the King of Interviewers".

"He also enjoyed being interviewed. [I'm] lucky to have had that pleasure. He was authentic, funny and charming. Thank you for being the best."

Ofcom chairman and former TV executive Sir Michael Grade described the chat show host as "a master of his craft".

"He was charming, not aggressive, not looking for a cheap soundbite," he told BBC News. "He prodded and probed, but he wanted to give the stars the opportunity to express themselves, tell us who they were.

"The show was about who was on, it wasn't about Michael, he saw his role really as a journalist, to get the best out of his subject. His library of interviews is like a popular history of the 20th Century."

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Former cricket umpire Dickie Bird has paid tribute in an emotional interview to his "dearest friend".

The pair became friends when they opened the batting together for Barnsley Cricket Club as youngsters, and Bird said they remained "so, so close".

"I only spoke to him yesterday morning,".

"His voice sounded weak to me and he said 'you know Dickie, I've got a feeling I'm getting towards the end'.

"And I said 'no, come on, keep going, you've got to keep your chin up, keep going'.

"And we shed a few tears, and we said our goodbyes."

He added: "He always had a smile on his face. And every time we met, of course, we always talked about cricket."

Sir Michael introduced the first Parkinson show in 1971 on BBC television. The series ran initially for 11 years and spanned hundreds of episodes in which Sir Michael combined an avuncular style with a journalistic background.

He returned to the BBC in 1998 for another run of the show. Sir Michael estimated he had interviewed more than 2,000 guests in total. Of the many celebrities he interviewed, Sir Michael said Ali was his favourite.

His TV career also included ITV's TV-am breakfast show, Give Us a Clue and BBC One's Going For a Song, while he had a three-year stint hosting Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 in the 1980s.

He was made a CBE in 2000 and was knighted in 2008.

The presenter revealed he was receiving radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer in 2013, and said he got the all-clear from doctors two years later.

Related Topics

• Television
• BBC

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2023-08-17 21:49:16Z
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