The Foreign Office is now a national embarrassment
Only a very clever man like Lord Sumption could be so stupid when it comes to Lucy Connolly
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BBC News
19 minutes ago
- BBC News
Copy of rare bird book collection worth £127k to stay in the UK
A collection of illustrated bird books worth £127,000 will now remain in the UK after the government intervened to stop the "national treasure" being sold original set of Henry Eeles Dresser's A History of the Birds of Europe was to be sold to a private collector in the US, until a "government export bar" allowed time for a group led by Manchester Museum to buy export ban was granted in 2024 after the Arts Council designated the books as national treasures for their "outstanding significance".Many of the drawings are of birds now believed to be extinct. Henry Eeles Dresser was born in Yorkshire, in 1838, and from a young age had an interest in birds, bird skins, and their trips to mainland Europe culminated in the nine-volume A History of the Birds of Europe, published between 1871 and is considered his most important work, and contains pictures of birds such as the Slender-billed curlew, which was the first-known bird to have disappeared from mainland Europe, North Africa and West Asia. Manchester Museum worked with The John Rylands Library to raise the money needed for the Fund, and Friends of the Nations' Libraries also contributed anthology will be reunited with Dresser's own bird specimens at the museum from Saturday 28 June until Sunday 25 January museum said the books highlights "the vital role historical records play in tracking biodiversity loss over time" and understanding the long-term impact of environmental change."Threats to the natural world and biodiversity have never been greater," said Esme Ward, director of Manchester Museum. Ms Ward added: "While this anthology has historical value, it also speaks to the urgent issues of the present."These books are breathtakingly beautiful and, by bringing them together with natural history collections, we believe they will not only provide scientific benefit but also capture the hearts of future ornithologists and conservationists."The volumes will be made accessible to researchers, students and the wider public at The John Rylands Library after they have been on display at the museum. "Henry Eeles Dresser was one of the most significant and influential ornithologists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries," said Christopher Pressler, Manchester University librarian and the director of The John Rylands Library."He was a producer of beautiful books which combined new scientific information with masterpieces of bird illustration, and a leading figure in scientific society." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
20 minutes ago
- BBC News
Housing bill "catastrophic for wildlife"
A new bill which the government says aims to speed up housebuilding has been described as "catastrophic for wildlife" by a nature Wildlife Trust's chief executive Nick Bruce-White has said it will give developers an open door to pay "cash to trash" the environment. Labour says it wants to build 1.5 million homes during this parliament and 150 large infrastructure projects. The government says the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill will deliver a "win-win" for the economy and nature by ensuring builders can meet their environmental obligations faster. Devon Wildlife Trust has said it wants part three of the bill, entitled Nature Restoration Fund, Bruce-White said it would be "catastrophic for wildlife by effectively giving developers licence to trash wildlife habitats". He said it "represents one of the most significant threats to nature that we've faced in decades"."We've worked really hard with government to try and make sure environmental protections are kept within the planning system, so we can both grow the economy and restore nature at the same time. "All our work behind closed doors has been met with platitudes and false reassurances and we feel like we are being completely ignored," he added. 'Environmental improvements' The government says the Nature Restoration Fund "will ensure there is a win-win for both the economy and nature by ensuring builders can meet their environmental obligations faster.""These changes will remove time intensive and costly processes, with payments into the fund allowing building to proceed while wider action is taken to secure the environmental improvements we need."At the bill's third reading, the Minister for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook said: "To those who believe this government might buckle and scrap part three of the bill entirely, I simply say, "You have underestimated the resolve of this government and this minister." "The case for moving to a more strategic approach that will allow us to use funding from development to deliver environmental improvements at a scale that will have the greatest impact in driving the recovery of protected sites and species, is compelling." Devon Wildlife Trust says often great crested newts and bats are blamed for delaying planning developments, but its own research shows they represent just 3% of planning application appeals. The charity says sensitive and protected nature sites could be at high risk of damage or destruction under the new planning framework, with species like curlews, water voles, and the High Brown Fritillary butterfly at risk. Members of the House of Lords will now debate the bill.
BBC News
20 minutes ago
- BBC News
'We lost everything in storage unit blaze'
The co-founder of a charity which supports homeless people has told how the group has lost everything in a fire which broke out at a storage blaze broke out at Storage World in Middleton, Rochdale, at about 17:00 BST on building is now set to be demolished on safety grounds, Greater Manchester Fire 7 Rescue Service Lilley, co-founder of the Cold Hands Warm Hearts charity, said they stored all their equipment there including sleeping bags and warm clothing. "Everything we own was in that storage unit," Mr Lilley told BBC Radio Manchester."It's been a difficult day - the only thing we've got left is our social media." He said equipment that was stored there also included meal replacement drinks, a gazebo and card Lilley, who co-founded the charity with Daniel Goodier about five years ago, said they were not insured for the loss but a supporter had set up a fundraiser which had already reached £1, said they had been "astonished" by the offers of help they had received and they planned to be back out providing hot meals to homeless people on Lilley said: "We will be able to rebuild a lot faster than when we first started because we have got the customers, so to speak, to help us and the community there."We've had quite a lot of people messaging us to say they'll cook food for us or they'll lend us things." On Friday, assistant chief fire officer Barry Moore said: "The decision has now been taken alongside the building owners and partner agencies to gradually demolish the building so firefighters can safely access and extinguish the fire and bring this incident to a safe conclusion."Crews have been working incredibly hard for long hours in tough conditions to contain this complex fire and reduce any risk to the public."He said the fire service wanted to express its sympathies to anyone who had lost valuables to the were no reports of any injuries.A fundraising event which was due to have taken place at nearby Lodge Mill on Saturday had to be cancelled due to the road event, known as Millstock, was to raise money for the upkeep of the building, which was damaged in a fire in 2021. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
