Latest news with #NorthernEngland
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘I face the haters full-on!' Rosie Jones on ramping up the laughs in her new drug-dealing sitcom
'No,' says Rosie Jones with a laugh. 'I have never done any drug-related illegal activity, believe it or not. But I respect your attempt to try to get me to reveal I am an underground drug-dealer. Sorry – not the world I live in!' We're having this conversation because Pushers, the comedian and actor's new series about a disabled woman who turns to drug-dealing when her benefits are stopped, kicks off this week on Channel 4. Jones wrote the script and stars as the main character, Emily. How much of it is influenced by her own life? There are, undoubtedly, similarities. 'From the very beginning,' Jones says, referring to when she originally came up with the idea, back in 2018, 'we knew my character would be northern, working class and disabled.' That was important for two reasons: firstly, Jones's favourite sitcoms growing up all featured 'gritty' northern characters; and secondly, those sitcoms lacked any representation of disability. That's where the similarities end, though. 'Not to get too political too quickly,' she says with a grin, 'but we wanted to show what it's like to be working class and disabled right now – because, well, basically it's shit for a lot of people. I think Emily is very different from me because, unlike me, she's not had opportunities. She's not really had supportive family. She's gone under the radar. When we meet her, she's almost invisible.' Invisible is definitely not a word you would use to describe Jones, but that's the point: she wants to highlight the reality of life for the disabled people who aren't on national TV. 'Obviously I want the sitcom to be entertaining,' says the 34-year-old as we chat over Zoom. 'But in my opinion, the best comedy engages with reality and says something about the state of affairs in the country. When we came up with the concept, there was a Conservative government and I had just had my benefits cut, so it's rooted in that reality. We wanted to say something about how the Tories were treating disabled people.' She pauses. 'It won't surprise any reader that I am on the left. I am liberal. I'm a Labour-voter, so when Labour came in last year, personally I was like, 'Yes! Come on!' But in terms of the sitcom, I knew it wouldn't be out until nearly a year into a Labour government. I thought we would be living in a utopia where every disabled person gets the funding and services they need, and there wouldn't be a need for a sitcom about benefits.' She's joking, but her disappointment with the direction the government has taken is evident. 'Sadly,' she says, 'now I think we need it more than ever. I'm incredibly angry.' Consequently, she is quite happy for Pushers to be seen as a commentary on what's happening politically. Since March, when Labour announced sweeping cuts to the main disability benefit, personal independence payment (Pip), as well as the health-related top-up for people on universal credit, Jones has been at the forefront of opposition. Last month, she was one of more than 100 celebrities and prominent disabled people who signed an open letter to the prime minister, calling the cuts 'inhumane'. She doesn't see any tension between being famous for comedy and taking a political stand. In fact, she thinks they go hand in hand. 'My hero is Billy Connolly. And I think the most intelligent people in the world aren't politicians – they're comedians, because we have the power to say something true and real and political and topical, but still make people laugh. It's disarming. It gets people's guard down. A lot of people say to me, 'You should be a politician.' And I say no, because I have too much fun making people laugh, but also because I fundamentally believe I can make more change and have more influence being a comedian – because people listen to me. And when they watch the sitcom or come to one of my gigs, they can say they had a great night but also, 'I've never thought before about what it's like to be a disabled person, or what it's like to be disabled under this government.' So I'm slowly chipping away. It's not hard to have politics in comedy. It's actually a no-brainer.' That's certainly true of her forthcoming standup tour, called I Can't Tell What She's Saying – a refrain Jones, who has a speech impediment, hears all the time. 'It's a reference to a lot of the haters I get online, who say they can't tell what I'm saying, quickly followed by, 'She's not funny.' I'm like, 'How do you know I'm not funny if you can't bloody tell what I'm saying?' So, like everything I do in life, it's me facing the haters full-on and saying, 'This is me. You can't hurt me. Stop your silly comments because I'm just going to keep doing a job that I adore.'' Politics also features in the show's content, which marries jokes about being single with jokes about being treated as a spokesperson for vast swathes of the population. ('Oh,' the press release cheerfully adds, 'and boobs.') 'It's about the struggles of trying to find love while navigating the weird world of TV and fame and success and power. It's also about the pressure of feeling the need to represent disabled people, even though I am a bit of an idiot. First and foremost, I want to make people laugh. There's so much bad stuff happening, if people give me their evening, I want to give them a giggle. But I do touch on politics and how disabled people are being affected right now. Being a disabled person with a platform means I have to talk about the bloody government. Of course I do.' It's not all politics though. 'As a good Yorkshire lady, my new show is about gravy!' she adds, speaking more seriously than at any other point in our interview. 'Because I love gravy. Cut me open and I'd bleed gravy.' These days, it's not only comedy keeping Jones busy. 'Sometimes,' she says, 'I feel a little bit overwhelmed by the fact that I'm a writer who writes books but who also writes sitcoms. I'm also a standup comedian, and an actor, and also a presenter. I'm also a founder and trustee of my own foundation.' The Rosie Jones Foundation was launched in April to 'empower lives and change minds so that no person living with cerebral palsy (CP) ever feels alone or unheard'. It aims to tackle the high prevalence of mental health issues among teenagers and adults with CP. A 2019 study found that 'the risk of depression was 44% higher and the risk of anxiety 55% higher' in adults with the condition than among their non-disabled peers. The foundation takes a multi-pronged approach. Firstly, it matches people seeking support with therapists who share and understand their experience of disability. For Jones, that 'common ground' between therapist and patient is key. Secondly, it provides spaces for disabled people and their families, who are often at risk from loneliness and isolation, to meet and share experiences (Jones will be holding meet-ups in her tour locations). Lastly, it curates workshops for young people with CP to learn skills and confidence, helping them access the social and financial benefits that come from work or volunteering. For Jones, it's all linked. 'Naturally, the cuts and the lack of funding for support right now take a toll on disabled people's mental health. That's what the foundation was set up to work on. Even though there isn't a direct connection between the sitcom, my standup and the foundation, it all plays into the same cause, of me just trying to make the world better and more welcoming for disabled people.' Jones emanates a sense of drive. It shines from her. Just before we say goodbye, she tells me something that seems to characterise everything she does. 'I'm a proud, passionate disabled woman,' she says. Her work makes sure we know it. Pushers begins on Channel 4 on 19 June. Rosie Jones's I Can't Tell What She's Saying tour begins in Taunton on 9 September.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Visa schemes in UK leave Ukraine's war refugees in limbo
Lidiia, a 36-year-old Ukrainian refugee, is facing the daunting prospect of returning to her war-torn homeland after rebuilding her life in Britain. Fleeing Ukraine in 2022 with her newborn and toddler, she now fears that the lack of a clear path to permanent residency will force her back next year. "Even if they say there's a ceasefire ... I will have in my mind that in five, six years, (the Russians) are going to be back," she said. "And then my son will have to be a soldier. My daughter might be killed or raped." Lidiia, who requested anonymity to protect her privacy, is among the 218,000 Ukrainians who sought refuge in Britain under special visas since 2022. As her initial visa nears expiration, and with only an 18-month extension on offer, her future remains uncertain. According to a 2024 Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey, nearly 70 per cent of Ukrainians in Britain wish to remain, but without a clear legal status, many may be compelled to seek refuge elsewhere or return to their homeland. With Ukraine urging citizens to come back - it created the Ministry of National Unity last December to facilitate the return of nearly 7 million citizens - and Britain offering no permanent resettlement process, Lidiia feels trapped. She says her children feel more British than Ukrainian and have close bonds with their community in northern England. "I want to stay in the UK, 100 per cent. If the UK doesn't want us to stay, I will go back to Ukraine and just hope that we'll survive. There is no other choice," said the charity worker. 'Give people a choice' Britain has two visa schemes for Ukrainian refugees: one for those with family already in the UK - a route that has now closed - and the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme that allowed Britons to offer accommodation to those fleeing the war. In February this year, the government opened an 18-month Ukrainian Protection Extension visa to those whose initial three-year visas were due to expire this year. But none of these schemes offer the option of staying permanently and the Home Office, or interior ministry, has yet to propose further visa extensions. "Our offer of temporary sanctuary is in line with the Ukrainian government's strong desire for the future return of its citizens, and does not lead to settlement," a Home Office spokesperson said in emailed comments. Ukrainian support charity Opora said Ukrainians should have the choice to resettle in Britain and could help rebuild Ukraine from afar by, for example, sending back remittances. "Ukraine will need people going back to rebuild, of course, but closing off options and thereby forcing people to go back will not build a happy cohort of returnees. So give people a choice," said managing director Stan Beneš. Route to resettlement? In early June, the European Commission proposed extending temporary protection for around 4.26 million Ukrainian refugees in the European Union until March 2027. It also recommended member states start transitioning those who want to stay to other legal statuses, for instance by offering work permits and student visas. Settled, a charity that supports EU citizens and Ukrainians in Britain, urged London to follow suit and increase the duration of the extension visa to 36 months from 18, and also offer resettlement possibilities, as is the case for Afghans and Hong Kongers. "Ukrainians should be given a path to settlement. We have children who have been born and are growing up in the UK. English is their first language," said Yuliia Ismail, an immigration adviser at Settled. She said she had seen an increase in Ukrainians wanting to apply for asylum, despite a record backlog, because if they were successful they would be able to stay indefinitely. In the first quarter of 2025, there were nearly 380 asylum claims by Ukrainians, compared to 570 in all of 2024 and around 100 the year before, according to official data. "This uncertainty pushes people to the asylum system," Ismail said. Stuck in limbo Even with an 18-month visa extension, many Ukrainians are unable secure rental accommodation or work contracts because of uncertainty over their ultimate status, charities say. More than a third of Ukrainians surveyed by the ONS in 2024 said they were looking for work, and only a third said they were working in the same sector as they did in Ukraine. A February report by the British Red Cross said without jobs, many Ukrainians were unable to rent properties and were more than twice as likely to be homeless than the general population. Maria, a 40-year-old single mother from Kyiv living in Scotland, said she could not find teaching work despite retraining to get local qualifications and applying for around 100 jobs. Maria, who also used a pseudonym for privacy, said employers were not interested in hiring Ukrainians for longer-term jobs. "It really distresses me. We cannot buy anything new for our home like a wardrobe, even an extra spoon. What will we do if we need to leave? Everyday life is just unstable. I cannot think about what tomorrow will be," she said.
Reuters
07-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Britain to allocate $116 billion to R&D in spending plan
LONDON, June 8 (Reuters) - British finance minister Rachel Reeves will allocate 86 billion pounds ($116 billion) in this week's spending review to fund research and development, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said on Sunday. It said the package, funding everything from new drug treatments and longer-lasting batteries to artificial intelligence breakthroughs, would be worth over 22.5 billion pounds a year by 2029/30, driving new jobs and economic growth. Reeves will divide more than 2 trillion pounds ($2.7 trillion) of public money between her ministerial colleagues on Wednesday, making choices that will define what the year-old Labour government can achieve in the next four years. The DSIT said the announcement on R&D follows Reeves' commitment last week to 15.6 billion pounds of government investment in local transport in city regions in the Northern England, Midlands and the South West. ($1 = 0.7398 pounds)
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Britain to allocate $116 billion to R&D in spending plan
LONDON (Reuters) -British finance minister Rachel Reeves will allocate 86 billion pounds ($116 billion) in this week's spending review to fund research and development, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said on Sunday. It said the package, funding everything from new drug treatments and longer-lasting batteries to artificial intelligence breakthroughs, would be worth over 22.5 billion pounds a year by 2029/30, driving new jobs and economic growth. Reeves will divide more than 2 trillion pounds ($2.7 trillion) of public money between her ministerial colleagues on Wednesday, making choices that will define what the year-old Labour government can achieve in the next four years. The DSIT said the announcement on R&D follows Reeves' commitment last week to 15.6 billion pounds of government investment in local transport in city regions in the Northern England, Midlands and the South West. ($1 = 0.7398 pounds)
CTV News
04-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
‘The city is great to us every time:' U.K. Oilers fans return to Edmonton for Stanley Cup Final
Oilers fans Nicola (left) and Brian (right) Shotton have visited Edmonton multiple times from Northern England to cheer on the Oilers. (Supplied) Diehard Oilers fans all the way from Northern England are gearing up to watch the team at Rogers Place in games one and two of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. Brian Shotton said he became a fan of the Edmonton Oilers in the late 90s when hockey was considered a minority sport in the U.K.. 'At the time, they weren't a top team, but they were real battlers on the ice,' said Shotton. 'They would fight and they were tough to play. I think I resonated with that.' Shotton's favourite Oiler is left winger Ryan Smyth. 'He typified the Oilers at that time,' said Shotton. 'Heart, soul and effort and that bit of fight and battle you need to win hockey games.' Today, Shotton and his wife's favourite players are Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. 'But I think the whole team's chipping in together in this run and it's been a real solid team effort so far,' said Shotton. Not their first rodeo This isn't the first time the couple has crossed the pond to see the Oilers tear up the ice. Oilers fans Oilers fans Nicola (left) and Brian (right) Shotton travelled to Edmonton from England for their honeymoon in 2007. (Supplied) Being big hockey fans, the two newlyweds took their honeymoon to three major Canadian cities in 2007: Vancouver, Toronto and of course, Edmonton. They spent 10 days—the longest stretch of their trip—in the city of champions. Shotton's wife Nicola said they met at an ice rink in their hometown of Ashington. 'I was a hockey fan, but not of the Oilers. I didn't really know much about them,' said Nicola. 'We got married and the Oilers sort of came with Brian.' Because of the time difference, Nicola and Shotton will often watch Oilers games at 2 or 3 in the morning. The couple travelled to Edmonton in 2024 to watch their favourite team, but that's not the only reason they continue to come back. 'Obviously the team's really important, but the city is really important to us as well,' said Shotton, saying they've made friends here who are like family. Oilers fans Oilers superfans Brian (left) and Nicola (right) Shotton have travelled to Edmonton from the U.K. multiple times to cheer on their favourite team. (Supplied) 'The city is great to us every time. People are so welcoming and the team is just a massive part of that.' The couple also saw the Oilers play in Europe during a 2018 exhibition where they went up against the Cologne Sharks in Germany and the New Jersey Devils in Sweden for a regular season game. Wednesday morning the Shotton's were surprised with a visit from former Oilers head coach and general manager Kevin Lowe while they were doing interviews with media. Oilers fans Former Oilers head coach and general manager Kevin Lowe surprised team superfans from the U.K. in the Ice District ahead of game one of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. (Supplied) 'It was really special,' said Shotton. 'He typified what the Oilers were in the 80s so it's nice to have that kind of link to that time and to have met (him) today of all days.' Despite the 24-hour travel day the couple had, Shotton said it's all worth it. 'I think the adrenaline carries you through when you know what's waiting on the other side,' said Shotton, adding it was like travelling toward the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 'That's kept us going.' Although the Shotton's have seen nearly 40 professional hockey games, Wednesday night will be their first playoff game. 'It's going to be something special and I'm sure the guys will go out there and give everything after last year,' said Shotton. 'They know what the reward is.' His Stanley Cup Final prediction?: 'Oilers in six. They're not gonna let this one slip.' With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nahreman Issa and Nicole Lampa
