Lockdown: Tougher Covid restrictions on horizon, ministers warn January 11, 2021 England may face tighter lockdown restrictions amid scientists’ warnings that current measures are not doing enough to reduce Covid rates, the UK’s vaccine tsar has suggested. Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccine deployment minister, today said current restrictions may be scaled up as he admitted he was “worried” at the current picture. “We’ve got to review everything [...]
Sir Keir Starmer: Don’t hit UK families with tax hikes January 10, 2021 Sir Keir Starmer has called for the government to reverse its decision last year to effectively raise council taxes, while casting Labour under his leadership as the “party of the family”. Starmer said the “importance of family hasn’t been talked about enough during this crisis” and that the country’s households deserve “far more from a [...]
Sadiq Khan to boost share of London council tax by nearly 10 per cent January 8, 2021 Sadiq Khan today announced that his share of council tax will increase by nearly 10 per cent from April in order to keep funding public transport services. Under the proposals, the average bill for Band D will increase by £2.63 a month – £31.59 over the whole year. Of the increase, £15 will go towards [...]
Met Police to crack down on Covid rulebreakers with fines for mask flouters January 6, 2021 Londoners breaching lockdown rules will face hefty police fines from today as part of a tougher crackdown Covid rulebreakers. The Metropolitan Police announced it will no longer “reason with” those not wearing masks in indoor public spaces, and will instead hand out fines more quickly. In a new hardline approach, the Met warned that people [...]
Warm hookah pipes give away breach of lockdown rules in London January 1, 2021 Police in London burst in on about 50 people smoking water pipes and playing loud music inside a cafe, a major breach of strict Covid-19 regulations banning any kind of socialising between people from different households. The group fled when the police arrived, according to Reuters, but officers who searched the venue in Wembley found [...]
City of London Police look to reunite stolen bikes with owners December 14, 2020 City of London Police have launched a stolen bike gallery to reunite stolen bicycles with their owners.
Three arrested in Germany over $1bn jewel heist November 17, 2020 Police have arrested three people in Germany on suspicion of carrying out an audacious $1bn (£757m) jewel heist at a museum containing Europe’s largest treasure collection. Thieves broke into the Gruenes Gewoelbe — or Green Vault — museum in Dresden last November, escaping with at least three sets of 18th century jewellery, including diamonds and [...]
Sadiq Khan forced to cut budget by £38m after Covid leaves black hole November 16, 2020 Sadiq Khan has revised the Greater London Authority’s budget downward by £38m after a drop in revenue due to the Covid crisis. A statement from City Hall said the drop in spending is “because of a forecast unprecedented loss of business rates and council tax income, caused by Covid-19, and the government’s refusal to adequately fund local and [...]
Khan: By 2022 40% of new Met recruits should come from BAME background November 13, 2020 London mayor Sadiq Khan is launching an action plan to address the low level of trust and confidence that many Black Londoners feel towards the Metropolitan Police Service. Writing in today’s Independent, Khan said as part of his action plan he would like to see as many as two in five new recruits to the [...]
TfL launches new scheme to curb London bike theft November 10, 2020 TfL will today launch a partnership with British cycling retailer Halfords to encourage Londoners to safely and securely lock up their bikes and reduce the risk of theft.