Bulgaria’s EU presidency overshadowed by corruption and crime
By Robert Seiler Influential Bulgarian businessman Petar Hristov, who had assisted with the dismantling of a kidnapping ring and who was closely tied to senior members of Bulgaria’s ruling GERB party, was shot in broad daylight on the 8th of January in an upmarket area of Sofia, the Bulgarian capital. This fatal shooting, coming six days after Bulgarian President Rumen Radev vetoed anti-graft legislation and seven days after Bulgaria assumed the rotating EU presidency, puts the spotlight back on Bulgaria’s unresolved problems with corruption and a difficult investment...
The Trainline advertise 3-day Kiev to Didcot Parkway trip in new marketing push
The Trainline has taken the unusual approach of advertising a three day train journey from Didcot in Oxfordshire to Kiev in its latest marketing push. The campaign is filmed in Kiev Central Station by up-and-coming director Pedro Martin-Calero and features a British woman in a yellow cagoule directing a flustered detective on how to get to Oxfordshire. Its cinematic spy chase is aimed at highlighting how the tech company makes journeys easier and more straightforward, but train fanatics have been quick to highlight the...
The winners of the Carillion scandal – making £300m from the Government contractor’s collapse
Unbelievably, a decade after the global banking collapse the British taxpayer has been asked to bail out one of Britain’s largest contractors for public projects as it owes the banks - including those we bailed out - hundreds of millions. Carillion had asked the Government to bail it out with uncertainty hanging over thousands of jobs and public projects contracted out to the failing giant all over Britain from hospitals to HS2. Yet again while the risks are borne by...
Momentum hails victory for “21st Century socialism” as group secures landslide victory in elections
Momentum has secured a landslide victory in elections to the National Executive Committee, with the group's founder hailing the result as a victory for "21st century socialism". Jon Lansman, the founder of Momentum, was among three new members elected in the vote, with Yasmine Dar and Rachel Garnham joining Lansman. Comedian Eddie Izzard lost out. As Labour's supreme decision-making committee, the NEC plays a key role in the overall direction of the party as well as helping set the rules for...
Top cop to appear before misconduct panel over allegations he injured a fellow officer by hurling a stress ball at his throat
A top police boss is to be hauled before a misconduct panel over allegations he injured a fellow officer by hurling a stress ball at his throat. Essex Police's Deputy Chief Constable Matthew Horne is accused of throwing he rubber stress ball 'for no apparent reason' while in his office with two colleagues. The ball hit a junior officer in the throat and allegedly left him with a 'red mark' following the incident on an unknown date between October 2015...
England Cricketer Ben Stokes charged with affray
England cricketer Ben Stokes has been charged with affray, police said today (Mon). The 26-year-old all rounder has been charged along with two other men. A spokesman for the CPS said: "The CPS was passed a file of evidence by Avon & Somerset Police on November 29 2017 in relation to an incident of disorder in Bristol city centre. "Further material was subsequently received in late December. "Following a review of all the available evidence, the CPS has today (Mon...
Social worker suspended for saying vulnerable woman should be ‘hit with sledgehammer’
A social worker has been suspended for telling colleagues the best way to manage a woman with learning difficulties was to "hit her with a sledgehammer". Gawain Minney was banned from his profession after making the "cruel and discriminatory" jibe during a meeting with the woman's carer. A disciplinary panel heard he also suggested one way to manage the vulnerable woman, who is in her early 20s, was to "chuck her in a padded room." A Health and Care Professions...
Primark slammed for selling hotpants for babies
A shopper says she was left disgusted after she spotted Primark selling ''hotpants'' - for BABIES. The 23-year-old saw the £3.50 cut-off denim shorts aimed at children up to three months. The horrified customer said the "sick" denim shorts serve only to "sexualise" babies, and ought to be removed from sale immediately. "I just think they are sick. What on earth were Primark thinking?" said the unnamed woman, from St George in Bristol. She was so horrified by the garment...
Economists claim Britain will gain £651bn from “no deal” – whereas EU will LOSE £500bn
A pro-Brexit group of economists has claimed Britain will gain £651 billion from a "no deal", whereas the European Union will lose more than £500 billion. The Economists for Free Trade group - formerly known as Economists for Brexit - used a classic trade model to predict that GDP will spike by nine per cent, amounting to a one-off gain of £180 billion, if Britain leaves on March 29, 2019, without a deal. They predict the UK would make an additional...