New Zealanders Vote To Keep Union Jack
New Zealanders have voted to keep the Union Jack in their flag, with preliminary results showing 57 per cent of voters want to keep the Union flag-centred emblem. Only 43 per cent voted in favour of the new proposed design by Kyle Lockwood featuring a silver fern. Deputy prime minister Bill English said: “I acknowledge there will be those who are disappointed with the outcome, but the majority of New Zealanders have spoken and we should all embrace that decision. “This process has...
Vegetarian Corbyn Presents Award at Kebab Ceremony
Life-long vegetarian Jeremy Corbyn turned up to the fourth annual British Kebab Awards last night to present the award for Outstanding Contribution to the British kebab industry. Corby, who also doesn't drink, took to the podium to jokingly promote his takeaway of choice - "a good falafel". He said: “Vegetarian aficionado of kebab shops, I hope I’m still welcome. I’m always very pleased whenever I get to any kebab shop to enjoy a good falafel." Constituency with huge number of kebab...
Rise in homeless families raises doubts of compassionate Conservatism
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor A sharp increase in figures for homeless families has meant that David Cameron’s compassionate Conservatism is “dead on arrival.” There has been a 103 per cent rise in people who have been forced into emergency B&B and hostel accommodation, since the Conservatives came to power in 2010. The number in December was 69,140 over 100 per cent higher than 2010. Additionally, the number of homeless households went up from 41,780 in 2009 to 56,500 last...
VIDEO – BBC banned from filming disability protest in Parliament
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor BBC's Norman Smith was told live on air that he had to stop filming during a protest by disability groups today. Smith, assistant politics editor, was talking live from the central lobby as the crowd chanted in the background. Then a robed member of Parliamentary staff ordered him to stop filming while the protest took place. Disability campaigners were staging a noisy protest after the PM refused to apologise for trying to slash benefits to disabled people. Police blocked the...
First full Junior Doctors’ walkout in history of NHS will happen
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The BMA (British Medical Association) said that strike action next month will be an “all out strike” for the first time in the history of the National Health Service. This escalation in industrial action will mean junior doctors will not be providing any form of emergency care, for two days in a row. The move will anger the Conservative Party and worry patient safety groups. It is also a huge gamble for the junior doctors,...
Beer of the Week – Five Points Brewing Co. Pale
By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Strength: 4.4% Brewed: Hackney, London Based in the heart of East London’s Hackney, Five Points Brewing Co. first started to become established in 2013, following the success of their brilliant pale ale. With five beers now making up their core range, it’s no surprise that Five Points have become one of London’s most popular independent breweries. Brewed using a blend of three different American hops – Citra, Centennial, and Amarillo, Five Points’ Pale is a particularly...
PMQs Sketch 23rd March – Labour Party upgraded to “Mostly Hostile”
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The old saying is keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I guess it is easier just to make everyone your enemy, then you don’t have to worry where anybody is; takes the pressure off, I suppose. It wasn’t supposed to be this way for Labour today; the Conservative party is crawling from disaster to disaster. The Tories are almost literally taking wheelchairs away from disabled people. Then coming back the next day to...
YMCA in London Manifesto launches today
By Richard James, Chair of the YMCA in London CEO Network and Chief Executive of YMCA London South West, ahead of the YMCA in London Manifesto launch at City Hall As we approach the London Mayoral elections we are learning more about the individual candidates and what priorities they see for the capital. However, many of the issues candidates have announced they will tackle so far have been in existence for some time. Most notably the inequality that exists across...
Labour MP John Woodcock’s X-rated tweet against own party
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor It should have been David Cameron's worst PMQs since he became PM, but it wasn't to be. A spreadsheet of Labour MPs and their level of hostility to their own Leader emerged, and was used by Cameron throughout the session. Labour MP John Woodcock was labelled on the list as "hostile" to Corbyn, and from this tweet (he has since deleted) you can see why. Parental advisory explicit lyrics. Here's the deleted tweet for those...