Latest news with #SwordofState
Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Portrait of the week: War in the Middle East, drought in Yorkshire and a knighthood for Beckham
Home Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, announced a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs (which he had previously opposed) on the recommendation of Baroness Casey of Blackstock, who had been asked to audit the matter. His announcement came after four men born in Pakistan and three Rochdale-born taxi drivers of Asian descent were convicted of offences against two teenage girls who were repeatedly raped and assaulted in Rochdale from 2001 to 2006. The Casey report said that Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire had 'disproportionate numbers of men from Asian ethnic backgrounds amongst suspects for group-based child sexual exploitation'. At the G7 summit in Canada, Sir Keir managed to sign a limited agreement on tariffs with President Donald Trump, who left early. British Steel secured a five-year, £500 million contract to supply rails for Network Rail. A London Underground driver was sacked after knitting and watching videos while operating a train. Blaise Metreweli is to head MI6. MPs voted 379 to 137 for Tonia Antoniazzi's amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, decriminalising abortion at any stage. Taxpayers discovered that the spending review assumed council tax will rise by the maximum allowed of 5 per cent a year and that police funding assumed a rise in the police precept added to council tax. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, said that a priority of the spending review was 'to grow Britain's economy so that working people are better off'. Gross domestic product fell by 0.3 per cent. Inflation remained at 3.4 per cent. Rioters set fire to a leisure centre in Larne, Co. Antrim, used as a refuge for migrants from previous days' violence – and live-streamed on TikTok the burning of a house in Ballymena. The government said it would phase out the use of hotels for asylum-seekers by building state-owned accommodation and cutting small-boat crossings. In the seven days to 16 June, 1,733 migrants arrived in small boats. Among the 1,215 recipients of the King's birthday honours (48 per cent women), Roger Daltrey of the Who and David Beckham, the ex-footballer, were made knights. Penny Mordaunt, who carried the Sword of State at the Coronation, and the ceramicist Emma Bridgewater became dames. The darts player Luke Littler, 18, was appointed MBE. Alfred Brendel, the pianist, died aged 94. The waiting list for routine hospital treatments in England fell from 7.42 million in March to 7.39 million in April. A drought was declared in Yorkshire. Abroad Israel went to war with Iran, launching dozens of strikes on long-range missile sites and targets related to the nuclear programme. The first attack killed General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran's chief of the military staff, and Hossein Salami, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as leading nuclear scientists. Benjamin Netanyahu urged Iranians to overthrow their rulers. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones, some hitting near Tel Aviv and Haifa, as Israelis took to shelters. In the first three days, 24 people were killed in Israel and 224 in Iran. During a bulletin from the Iranian state broadcaster, debris fell and dust filled the studio. 'This is the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us,' Friedrich Merz, the German Chancellor, said. Mr Trump posted a message on social media: 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran.' Russia carried out a missile and drone attack on Kyiv, killing at least 21 people. Mr Trump made a speech on his 79th birthday at the military parade in Washington, DC, to mark the 250th birthday of the American army; thousands demonstrated against him in several cities. Mr Trump called on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) to carry out 'the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History'. On the way to the G7, President Emmanuel Macron of France visited Greenland. A London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 people, including 53 Britons, crashed shortly after take-off at Ahmedabad, falling on accommodation at the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy medical college; one passenger survived, a man from Leicester. Fire engulfed the 67-storey Marina Pinnacle in Dubai Marina; all 3,820 residents were rescued. A Chinese captain was jailed for three years by a Taiwanese court for damaging an undersea cable to the Penghu islands. Brian Wilson, the songwriter with the Beach Boys, died aged 82. CSH
South Wales Guardian
7 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Former Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt becomes a dame
Penny Mordaunt said it was 'lovely to be appreciated in this way' and she was 'feeling very grateful'. Her profile was boosted by her sword-carrying role as Lord President of the Council during the 2023 coronation ceremony. Dressed in a custom-made teal outfit with matching cape, and headband with gold feather embroidery, as Lord President of the Council she was responsible for bearing the Sword of State and presenting the Jewelled Sword of Offering to the King, the first time the duty had been carried out by a woman. Dame Penny told the PA news agency: 'It is lovely to be appreciated in this way, and I'm very conscious that everything I have ever got done has been with the help and efforts of others. 'So I'm feeling very grateful on many counts today.' The former defence secretary and Commons leader was widely seen as a potential Tory leader until she lost her seat at last year's general election. In Westminster she had twice challenged for the Conservative leadership, losing to Liz Truss and then pulling out of the race against Rishi Sunak, but her hopes of making it third time lucky were dashed when she lost her Portsmouth North seat. But she still harbours hopes of staging a political comeback by returning to the Commons. Sir Mark Tami, who has served as a Labour whip since 2010, has also been awarded a knighthood. The MP for Alyn and Deeside told the PA news agency that it is a 'great, great honour'. 'When I was told I was shocked,' he said. 'I think most people probably are. It's a great great honour and I'm very very pleased.' Meanwhile, Newcastle MP Chi Onwurah becomes a dame, and told PA she was 'totally overwhelmed and surprised' when she found out. 'I grew up on a council estate in Newcastle in a one-parent family,' Dame Chi said. 'I never thought about being made a dame, as you can imagine.' She said she would be 'really proud' to accept it 'on behalf of my constituents'. Other Westminster figures given honours include Sir Philip Barton, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, who becomes a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. He was heavily criticised for failing to return from holiday while Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021, as MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee said they had lost confidence in him and suggested he should consider his position. But he remained in post as permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office until standing down in January this year. Former Conservative health minister Maria Caulfield becomes a CBE and said she was 'really surprised'. She told the PA news agency that she has returned to work as a nurse since losing her Lewes seat at last year's general election, and 'when I read the letter I couldn't have been more surprised'. She added: 'It's nearly a year since the general election so I'd kind of forgotten really about politics and that side of things.' She said that she was 'really lucky' to have been able to focus on women's health during her time as a minister and was now doing 'gynae cancer research […] doing the hands-on work rather than the policy work'. Among the changes brought in while Ms Caulfield was in office was the introduction of the baby-loss certificate and the HRT prescription prepayment certificate. 'It's really nice to see that's being recognised and the team that helped us achieve all of that are to thank for a lot of that hard work,' she said
North Wales Chronicle
7 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Former Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt becomes a dame
Penny Mordaunt said it was 'lovely to be appreciated in this way' and she was 'feeling very grateful'. Her profile was boosted by her sword-carrying role as Lord President of the Council during the 2023 coronation ceremony. Dressed in a custom-made teal outfit with matching cape, and headband with gold feather embroidery, as Lord President of the Council she was responsible for bearing the Sword of State and presenting the Jewelled Sword of Offering to the King, the first time the duty had been carried out by a woman. Dame Penny told the PA news agency: 'It is lovely to be appreciated in this way, and I'm very conscious that everything I have ever got done has been with the help and efforts of others. 'So I'm feeling very grateful on many counts today.' The former defence secretary and Commons leader was widely seen as a potential Tory leader until she lost her seat at last year's general election. In Westminster she had twice challenged for the Conservative leadership, losing to Liz Truss and then pulling out of the race against Rishi Sunak, but her hopes of making it third time lucky were dashed when she lost her Portsmouth North seat. But she still harbours hopes of staging a political comeback by returning to the Commons. Sir Mark Tami, who has served as a Labour whip since 2010, has also been awarded a knighthood. The MP for Alyn and Deeside told the PA news agency that it is a 'great, great honour'. 'When I was told I was shocked,' he said. 'I think most people probably are. It's a great great honour and I'm very very pleased.' Meanwhile, Newcastle MP Chi Onwurah becomes a dame, and told PA she was 'totally overwhelmed and surprised' when she found out. 'I grew up on a council estate in Newcastle in a one-parent family,' Dame Chi said. 'I never thought about being made a dame, as you can imagine.' She said she would be 'really proud' to accept it 'on behalf of my constituents'. Other Westminster figures given honours include Sir Philip Barton, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, who becomes a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. He was heavily criticised for failing to return from holiday while Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021, as MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee said they had lost confidence in him and suggested he should consider his position. But he remained in post as permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office until standing down in January this year. Former Conservative health minister Maria Caulfield becomes a CBE and said she was 'really surprised'. She told the PA news agency that she has returned to work as a nurse since losing her Lewes seat at last year's general election, and 'when I read the letter I couldn't have been more surprised'. She added: 'It's nearly a year since the general election so I'd kind of forgotten really about politics and that side of things.' She said that she was 'really lucky' to have been able to focus on women's health during her time as a minister and was now doing 'gynae cancer research […] doing the hands-on work rather than the policy work'. Among the changes brought in while Ms Caulfield was in office was the introduction of the baby-loss certificate and the HRT prescription prepayment certificate. 'It's really nice to see that's being recognised and the team that helped us achieve all of that are to thank for a lot of that hard work,' she said
Leader Live
7 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Former Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt becomes a dame
Penny Mordaunt said it was 'lovely to be appreciated in this way' and she was 'feeling very grateful'. Her profile was boosted by her sword-carrying role as Lord President of the Council during the 2023 coronation ceremony. Dressed in a custom-made teal outfit with matching cape, and headband with gold feather embroidery, as Lord President of the Council she was responsible for bearing the Sword of State and presenting the Jewelled Sword of Offering to the King, the first time the duty had been carried out by a woman. Dame Penny told the PA news agency: 'It is lovely to be appreciated in this way, and I'm very conscious that everything I have ever got done has been with the help and efforts of others. 'So I'm feeling very grateful on many counts today.' The former defence secretary and Commons leader was widely seen as a potential Tory leader until she lost her seat at last year's general election. In Westminster she had twice challenged for the Conservative leadership, losing to Liz Truss and then pulling out of the race against Rishi Sunak, but her hopes of making it third time lucky were dashed when she lost her Portsmouth North seat. But she still harbours hopes of staging a political comeback by returning to the Commons. Sir Mark Tami, who has served as a Labour whip since 2010, has also been awarded a knighthood. The MP for Alyn and Deeside told the PA news agency that it is a 'great, great honour'. 'When I was told I was shocked,' he said. 'I think most people probably are. It's a great great honour and I'm very very pleased.' Meanwhile, Newcastle MP Chi Onwurah becomes a dame, and told PA she was 'totally overwhelmed and surprised' when she found out. 'I grew up on a council estate in Newcastle in a one-parent family,' Dame Chi said. 'I never thought about being made a dame, as you can imagine.' She said she would be 'really proud' to accept it 'on behalf of my constituents'. Other Westminster figures given honours include Sir Philip Barton, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, who becomes a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. He was heavily criticised for failing to return from holiday while Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021, as MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee said they had lost confidence in him and suggested he should consider his position. But he remained in post as permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office until standing down in January this year. Former Conservative health minister Maria Caulfield becomes a CBE and said she was 'really surprised'. She told the PA news agency that she has returned to work as a nurse since losing her Lewes seat at last year's general election, and 'when I read the letter I couldn't have been more surprised'. She added: 'It's nearly a year since the general election so I'd kind of forgotten really about politics and that side of things.' She said that she was 'really lucky' to have been able to focus on women's health during her time as a minister and was now doing 'gynae cancer research […] doing the hands-on work rather than the policy work'. Among the changes brought in while Ms Caulfield was in office was the introduction of the baby-loss certificate and the HRT prescription prepayment certificate. 'It's really nice to see that's being recognised and the team that helped us achieve all of that are to thank for a lot of that hard work,' she said
Rhyl Journal
7 days ago
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Former Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt becomes a dame
Penny Mordaunt said it was 'lovely to be appreciated in this way' and she was 'feeling very grateful'. Her profile was boosted by her sword-carrying role as Lord President of the Council during the 2023 coronation ceremony. Dressed in a custom-made teal outfit with matching cape, and headband with gold feather embroidery, as Lord President of the Council she was responsible for bearing the Sword of State and presenting the Jewelled Sword of Offering to the King, the first time the duty had been carried out by a woman. Dame Penny told the PA news agency: 'It is lovely to be appreciated in this way, and I'm very conscious that everything I have ever got done has been with the help and efforts of others. 'So I'm feeling very grateful on many counts today.' The former defence secretary and Commons leader was widely seen as a potential Tory leader until she lost her seat at last year's general election. In Westminster she had twice challenged for the Conservative leadership, losing to Liz Truss and then pulling out of the race against Rishi Sunak, but her hopes of making it third time lucky were dashed when she lost her Portsmouth North seat. But she still harbours hopes of staging a political comeback by returning to the Commons. Sir Mark Tami, who has served as a Labour whip since 2010, has also been awarded a knighthood. The MP for Alyn and Deeside told the PA news agency that it is a 'great, great honour'. 'When I was told I was shocked,' he said. 'I think most people probably are. It's a great great honour and I'm very very pleased.' Meanwhile, Newcastle MP Chi Onwurah becomes a dame, and told PA she was 'totally overwhelmed and surprised' when she found out. 'I grew up on a council estate in Newcastle in a one-parent family,' Dame Chi said. 'I never thought about being made a dame, as you can imagine.' She said she would be 'really proud' to accept it 'on behalf of my constituents'. Other Westminster figures given honours include Sir Philip Barton, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, who becomes a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. He was heavily criticised for failing to return from holiday while Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021, as MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee said they had lost confidence in him and suggested he should consider his position. But he remained in post as permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office until standing down in January this year. Former Conservative health minister Maria Caulfield becomes a CBE and said she was 'really surprised'. She told the PA news agency that she has returned to work as a nurse since losing her Lewes seat at last year's general election, and 'when I read the letter I couldn't have been more surprised'. She added: 'It's nearly a year since the general election so I'd kind of forgotten really about politics and that side of things.' She said that she was 'really lucky' to have been able to focus on women's health during her time as a minister and was now doing 'gynae cancer research […] doing the hands-on work rather than the policy work'. Among the changes brought in while Ms Caulfield was in office was the introduction of the baby-loss certificate and the HRT prescription prepayment certificate. 'It's really nice to see that's being recognised and the team that helped us achieve all of that are to thank for a lot of that hard work,' she said
