Landlord licences to stamp out ‘dangerous’ HMOs
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Landlord licences to stamp out ‘dangerous’ HMOs Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo A council in north London has said it needs to bring back tougher rules to deal with “rogue landlords” of houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs). Brent Council says there is currently a “significant number” of such homes in the borough that are “substandard and potentially dangerous” and which pose a risk to residents. The council plans to restart a licensing scheme which saw 2,500 HMOs licensed and helped the council “improve standards and management practices”. It is now consulting on the plans and hopes to bring them in this autumn. Brent council says HMO licensing makes sure that houses are ‘safe, well-managed, and provide basic facilities for tenants’, and says it gives powers to officers to inspect licensed properties to ensure they meet the required standards. The consultation states: “It is important that the council uses all available tools to improve conditions for tenants in this sector. Licensing is one of the tools and plays a key role in this effort.” Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 A mandatory licence is already needed for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. The additional rules would cover typically smaller HMOs with three or more people from two or more different households. Licensing imposes specific obligations on the landlord to demonstrate that their property is safe while enabling the council to enforce rules. The licence would cost landlords around £1,040 for the application, processing and inspection of up to five habitable rooms – and a further £25 per additional room. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s Opinions wanted Councillor Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, said: “Over the past 20 years, the number of privately rented homes in Brent has grown, and now makes up almost half of all homes in the borough. “We want to make sure these homes are safe and good quality for tenants.” She added: “While we have seen significant improvements, we believe that another additional HMO licensing scheme is necessary to maintain and improve the management of HMOs in Brent. “We want to encourage residents to give their opinions on these new proposals for HMOs.” Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Covid pandemic remembered: ‘Every day was scary’
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Covid pandemic remembered: ‘Every day was scary’ Banzai Japan Music Video The last time I met Laura Blackmore, I could only see her eyes. The rest of her face was hidden behind a mask, her words muffled behind the steamed-up visor. It was five years ago, as the first wave of Covid hit St George’s Hospital in Tooting, south London. She’d just been redeployed to one of the new intensive care units set up to deal with the overwhelming demand. This time around I can see her face and hear her words much more clearly. There’s no mask, no visor – but there are some very tough memories of March 2020 and what followed. “Obviously, I was really scared because we’d had no training at the time, whereas usually there’s a whole programme before you join intensive care. It was really nerve-wracking” – she pauses as she reflects – “I’d never seen so many patient deaths before. I can remember most of the patients, I can remember their faces.” She pauses again. Book Novotel Hotel “I used to come into work one day and it would be one set of patients, then I’d come in the next day and it would be a completely different set of patients… and it wasn’t because they were getting better.” Banzai Japan Music Video Five years on, Laura, who is now 28 and a ward manager on the Rodney Smith Ward at St George’s, has had plenty of time to reflect on her Covid experiences. “So it was scary – every day was scary. I remember having the visor and mask on, and I could just hear my own breath. “It was like when you’re scuba diving and you can just hear your own breath over anything else and that’s what it was like every day when you’d gown up outside the bays.” Laura pauses again. ” But… I mean, yeah… it was… it was one of the hardest times of my life for sure.” The experiences in the first wave of Covid were bad enough but a second wave was to follow. “At the time I did have staff support through the hospital which did help – just someone to vent and cry to – I just remember crying in my first session the whole way through. I didn’t… I didn’t know how to express what I’d been through because it was so difficult.” Laura adds: “You know, everyone had a family member, a friend or someone in their personal life that was going through something to do with Covid. So it was hard to then come home and tell them about all the horrific things you’d been seeing at work.” She says she had a lot of support at home from her parents, and from her friends, but that her colleagues who experienced similar things are the ones who helped her through the most – then and now. Laura did have to take time off work to deal with what she’d been through, but has used her experiences to help staff in her new role as ward manager – telling them it’s “OK not to be OK”, encouraging them to talk, to share. It’s clear though, I say to her, that Covid has never really left her. “Yeah, 100%. I tried to watch a couple of programmes about Covid, and I just can’t watch them at all – it brings all the emotions back – things like the noises, the sounds. “I can’t go over to the wards I was on then. The smells over there and the wards bring everything back and I never thought it would have that effect. Yeah, I definitely still struggle with it and I think about that time all the time.” Dr Nirav Shah, who is now the hospital’s clinical director for adult critical care, was also at St George’s five years ago as the first wave struck. “We changed everything,” he says. The hospital went from about 60 intensive care beds to around 120 at the peak. At one stage there were about 700 patients in the hospital with Covid. “There was a lot more death,” he remembers. “It was also the manner of the deaths. If someone is going to die, we aim to give them a good death. We aim to give them time, we like to make sure family are with them and we can support the family through that period but that was just impossible, particularly in the first wave of Covid – it was so difficult.” But Covid brought lessons, such as new ways to care for patients. Hospitals learned how to work more closely together, to share the overwhelming workload. One example Nirav points to is the new ACCESS system – developed during the pandemic to move critically ill patients between hospitals. It has just completed its 3,000th patient journey in the past three years. When I ask respiratory consultant Dr Jane Evans for her memories, she pauses – like many of the staff BBC London spoke to – because there are mixed memories. Thoughts of the courage shown, the teamwork, the dedication, the exhaustion and the tears. “A lot of us felt lucky,” she says. “We were able to come to work, we were able to feel that we were doing something. But that didn’t detract from how difficult it was to see people get sick.” On one afternoon, she says nine of her patients died. “We saw our colleagues get sick, we saw our friends and family get sick. Some people lost friends and family through this time… and that was really tough. So I think it shows just how the NHS did pull together and did some really amazing things really quickly.” She adds: “There’s a hidden part to it as well – for example, there have been a few television programmes that have highlighted or dramatised the world of Covid, and
A Wall of Hearts: The guardians of the Covid memorial
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel A Wall of Hearts: The guardians of the Covid memorial Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo Every Friday you will find them – down on the path along the River Thames, somewhere between Westminster and Vauxhall Bridges – The Friends of the Wall. Ten volunteers maintain the thousands of hand-painted red hearts and dedications: one for each person who has Covid 19 written on their death certificate, on what has become The National Covid Memorial Wall. Five years after the start of the pandemic, this wall is still unofficial. The group has campaigned to have it made permanent. The wall was started, without permission, on 29 March 2021 and now has almost a quarter of a million hearts, with more being added each week. Walking from the Tube station, over Westminster Bridge, I am struck by the vast scale of this memorial, which stretches for half a kilometre (0.3 miles) along the River Thames, opposite the Houses of Parliament. Members of The Friends of the Wall teeter on stepladders, holding children’s paint pots and carefully swirl bright red hearts onto the faded outlines of ones weathered by the years. Some of these Friends were here at the very beginning. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 Michelle Rumball answered the call to create a memorial for those lost to the Covid pandemic, which includes her mother, Violet, who died on 9 April 2020. “We’d lost so many lives at that point,” she said. “When I came, the wall was quite bare. We didn’t have permission so we were all pre-warned that there was a chance we could get arrested because obviously we were, in effect, committing graffiti on the wall. “So many of us were so determined. We didn’t care if we got arrested. We were here – and we were making sure that our loved ones had a memorial.” Guerrilla memorial It was a kind of guerrilla memorialising, borne from deep grief. The numbers of people dying in early 2021 was staggering, in the UK on 19 January, almost 1,500 people died. But behind the statistics, there were real people. So on 29 March 2021, a small team arrived at the wall beneath St Thomas’ Hospital. It was made to look like an official place of remembrance. There were sandwich boards, signs and people wearing tabard vests bearing the words: The National Covid Memorial Wall. The ruse worked – all 150,000 hearts were added to the wall uninterrupted, no interrogation by authorities – certainly no arrests – over the next 10 days. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s Lorelei King lost her husband, Vincent, on 31 March 2020. “I was just compelled to come and paint a heart for him and then I stayed and painted thousands of hearts,” she said. “It can be overwhelming. It’s so much bigger than you can imagine – our loss was so much bigger than people imagine. “To see a statistic is one thing – to see a visual representation is quite another.” She adds, emotion catching her voice, “to come here is an honour and a privilege – and a comfort – to spend time with people we’ve lost”. Behind the project was the activist group, Led By Donkeys, which had joined forces with Covid Bereaved Families for Justice UK, who had been campaigning for a Covid inquiry. The location was a deliberate political statement, directly facing Parliament, reinforcing the Led By Donkeys mission – to hold government accountable. The organisers soon realised they would need more help and so appealed for other bereaved family members to join them. There was an overwhelming response – about 1,500 volunteers signed up. They took time slots, two to three hours’ each, to cover the wall with hearts. Each painter was briefed to think about the people lost so that the installation was “full of respect and dignity.” It quickly became a place where people could grieve – a grief finally expressed collectively, and in public. Kirsten Hackman arrived on day four of the project, to paint a heart for her mother who died from hospital-acquired Covid in May 2020. “The ripples reach so far,” she said. “It’s not just the nearly quarter of a million that have died from Covid that are on this wall, it’s the families that are affected by it.” The original hearts were drawn with pens that are popular with graffiti artists. The group bought every available one in the country – thousands of them – for the task of putting the first 150,000 hearts on to the wall. But over time, the ink has faded. Fran Hall, whose husband, Steve, died from Covid three weeks after their wedding, set up The Friends of the Wall. Every week they diligently restore the hearts with a stronger masonry paint, adding in personal dedications. Terry Sandwell heard of the wall when he attended the Covid Inquiry. His partner, Gina, died on Boxing Day 2020. “The first time I came down here, I just couldn’t believe the size of the wall and the hearts – it was very emotional. “I’ll be coming to the wall until I can’t and hopefully the wall will be there for life and even generations to come.” ‘We don’t move on’ It is down the dedication of this group of 10 volunteers that the wall still remains, as we mark five years since the start of the pandemic. The Friends of the Wall are calling for government recognition and protection, which would ensure the future of the memorial. “It is, what we hope, will be a permanent record of the suffering of this country,” said Ms King. “As the country moves on, as we try to put it in the rearview mirror, we have this very striking visual image of what that loss actually was – a half kilometre of hearts that run from Westminster Bridge to Lambeth Bridge.” While I was with the Friends, a couple from the
Man denies public nuisance over Big Ben climb
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Man denies public nuisance over Big Ben climb Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo A man accused of scaling the clock tower of Big Ben has denied causing a public nuisance and trespassing. Daniel Day, 29, is accused of climbing and remaining on the Elizabeth Tower in Westminster, London, on the morning of 8 March while holding a Palestinian flag. Mr Day, of Palmerston Road in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, pleaded not guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance and to trespassing on a protected site. People in the public gallery called out “stay strong, Dan” and “we love you” as Mr Day left the dock at the end of the hearing. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 Around a dozen pro-Palestine demonstrators protested outside the court on Monday, waving Palestinian flags and beating a drum that could be heard within the building. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing at Southwark Crown Court set for 14 April. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Met calls for Carnival stand closure after assault
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Met calls for Carnival stand closure after assault Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo Police have called for a Notting Hill Carnival stand to be shut down after a party-goer had a glass bottle smashed over his head, documents state. The serious assault, which is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police, left the victim with “deep lacerations” across his neck, head, legs and right hand. Police said the incident took place “within the footprint” of Volcano Sound System’s setup on Faraday Road, west London, on the last day of the carnival in 2024 and has called for the stand’s licence to be revoked. Courtney White, who runs the sound system’s site, said none of his staff were involved in the incident. Kensington and Chelsea Council (RBKC) will review the licence on Thursday. According to documents shared with RBKC the incident took place when a drunken party-goer was refused entry to a VIP area by staff, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 It was claimed that while the man was being removed from the area, he was assaulted by two people who hit him over the head with a glass bottle. A statement from the Met said: “Following the two assaults, there appears to have been no attempt by [Mr White] or any member of staff or security to notify the police or ambulance service/St John’s Ambulance of the incident or injured victim.” Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s The document went on to say the police were called by a member of the public but when they arrived, neither Mr White nor his security or staff approached to explain what happened. Mr White was later interviewed under caution by investigating officers. He claimed the victim was thrown to the floor by someone who purchased a Volcano T-shirt prior to the carnival, and said no staff were involved in the incident. ‘No confidence’ The Met said Mr White’s handling of the incident was “completely unacceptable” and he or his staff should have called police or ambulance crews. Mr White was accused of breaching 13 conditions of his licence, including failure to train staff in the lead up to carnival. “The police have no confidence that Mr White is able to run a safe sound system going forward,” the force said. Mr White said it was “unfortunate” the Met had requested a licence review after what he described as a decade of “safely delivering a sound system experience to thousands of carnival goers”. He pledged to train staff and volunteers “via a reputable training provider”, increase the number of welfare stewards and stop selling Volcano-branded apparel. He said: “Whilst I can accept that the unfortunate incident was not managed well, after reflection and learning I believe that I have the ability to ensure I meet all licensing conditions as well as ensure additional plans are in place in the event of an incident or emergency.” Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Black cabs could vanish from London, report warns
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Black cabs could vanish from London, report warns Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo The black cab will vanish from the capital’s streets by 2045 if something is not done to reverse decline in the trade, according to a report. The study, by think tank Centre for London, said measures including simplifying the Knowledge , external– the memorisation of the roads in the city – would “reflect the reality of modern taxi operations”. TfL said it would soon be publishing a new Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan “to ensure black cabs continue to play a vital role in the capital’s transport system”. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 Steve McNamara, the general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) said the report was a “worst case scenario prediction”, and said he hoped it was preventable by TfL. The Knowledge Introduced in 1865, mastering the Knowledge can take up to four years and involves learning all the streets within a six-mile (9.65km) radius of Charing Cross. Centre for London suggests Transport for London (TfL) should make the exam less complex, simpler to study and easier to complete. “The course duration should reduce as a result of removing outdated and unnecessary aspects of the Knowledge,” the report said. Mr McNamara of the LTDA said: “The knowledge is needed to keep a gold standard, we still need to be the best in the world, but the testing itself needs to be modernised.” He suggested the exam became digitised, and broken down into modules, to make it more manageable. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s He added: “It’s still relevant and important to know where you’re going. There’s no comparison with a sat nav.” But Mr McNamara said the process had not been updated since the second World War, and “in that time the world has changed massively”. The Centre for London report also suggests a number of financial benefits to the trade be introduced, including interest-free loans to help new drivers buy cabs. Mr McNamara said taxis currently cost £75,000, but this increases to £100,000 when bought on finance. He agreed with the report and called for a system similar to Scotland, where taxis can be purchased through interest-free loans. The report also recommends establishing a 10-year strategy to recruit and retain drivers, as well as finding better ways to share information and data. It notes that “London’s Black Cab trade has declined dramatically over the past decade”, with the Covid 19 pandemic “accelerating the rate of decline”. Figures show that more than a quarter of all black cabs on the roads before the pandemic are no longer in operation. A TfL spokesperson said: “We recognise that black cabs play a vital role in the capital’s transport system. “We will soon be publishing a new Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan to ensure they continue to play a role in ensuring Londoners can move around the capital safely, sustainably and efficiently. They added: “TfL has already provided more than £50m in funding to the taxi trade across a range of initiatives to encourage taxi vehicle owners to retire their older, more polluting vehicles and encourage the uptake of clearer, greener vehicles. “As a result, we are very proud that more than 60 per cent of the taxi fleet is now zero-emission capable and the fleet will be part of our transport system for the foreseeable future.” Iconic Mr McNamara said: “What we’re hoping with this report is that the Mayor recognises this is where we’ll be without action, and we’re hoping he’ll take action before any of this happens.” He called on the Mayor to recognise black cabs as part of London’s public transport system, and asked for more freedom to travel around London. “If we can’t access the roads – then it’s not cost affective for our journeys,” he said. He pointed to the exclusion of black cabs from certain roads in London, and the problems caused by Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs). “This report says we are iconic in London, it’s true,” he added. “The phone boxes are gone, the police officers are gone, it’s just us and the buses left. But the Mayor needs to recognise us as more than just an icon. “Driving a cab around London is still a great career – people can earn a lot of money. “Let’s confine this report to the annals of history.” Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
UK must rebuild post-Brexit relations with EU, says Bank boss
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel UK must rebuild post-Brexit relations with EU, says Bank boss Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo The UK must “rebuild relations” with the EU “while respecting the decision of the British people” who voted to leave in 2016, the Bank of England’s governor has said. Andrew Bailey’s Mansion House speech to investors marked some of his strongest comments yet on Brexit, saying one of its consequences has been weaker trade. He has previously avoided commenting on the topic because of the Bank’s independence from Westminster politics. Mr Bailey said the changed relationship with the EU has “weighed” on the economy. “As a public official, I take no position on Brexit per se,” he said. “But I do have to point out consequences.” He went on: “The impact on trade seems to be more in goods than services… But it underlines why we must be alert to and welcome opportunities to rebuild relations while respecting that very important decision of the British people.” Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 The government remains opposed to rejoining the EU, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves also said in her Mansion House speech there could be a closer relationship. “Our biggest trading partner is the European Union. We will not be reversing Brexit, or re-entering the single market or customs union. But we must reset our relationship,” she said. Mr Bailey said that the UK should not focus “just on the effects of Brexit”, warning about “geopolitical shocks and the broader fragmentation of the global economy”. He made a similar comment last week when asked about US President-elect Donald Trump and his threat to impose tariffs of up to 20% on imports. Vicky Pryce, chief economic adviser to the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said if that were to happen, “it is actually quite questionable whether the UK could have a special relationship with the US when it still trades quite substantially with Europe”.‘A better deal’ Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s Assessing the impact of the UK’s decision to leave the EU on the economy has been tricky given the multiple economic shocks in recent years. The Office for Budget Responsibility and other independent analysts estimate the economy will take a 4% hit over 15 years as a result. Goods trade, especially in food and farm exports, has been especially hit by the imposition of new trade barriers. Trade in services, such as banking, has done better than expected, however. Some politicians have said there could be a better relationship between the UK and the EU. “We need to be positive here and optimistic that a better deal can be actually closed on that front,” Spain’s Finance Minister Carlos Cuerpo told the BBC. Meanwhile, Sir John Gieve, former deputy governor of the Bank of England, said the UK could negotiate “some deals around the edges which reduce the barriers to trade”. He too ruled out rejoining the single market or customs union, but told the BBC’s Today programme: “If we could, in due course, get close to joining the customs union I think that would be a major help.” He added it would mean “people would invest in Britain… in the knowledge they could freely export into Europe, as they did before Brexit”. Reeves also reiterated her plans to shake up the UK pension system in a bid for growth. She wants council pension pots to be merged so they can make bigger investments to generate higher returns, a move criticised as risky by some. “The UK has been regulating for risk, but not regulating for growth,” she said. The annual event took place against a backdrop of businesses criticising the government for holding back growth through tax rises, which Reeves has said are necessary to “properly fund” public services.‘Crown jewel’ In her speech, Reeves said that regulations brought in after the 2008 global financial crisis “resulted in a system which sought to eliminate risk-taking”, adding that has now “gone too far”. She said financial services in the UK were “the crown jewel in our economy” but added “we cannot take the UK’s status as a global financial centre for granted”. The government will publish a financial services strategy in the spring, focusing on fintech, sustainable finance, asset management, insurance and capital markets, “laying the foundations for more private investment”, Reeves said. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Vauxhall’s troubles began with Brexit – former boss
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Vauxhall troubles began with Brexit – former boss Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo The former boss of Vauxhall in Luton said the factory’s “troubles began with Brexit”, after news that the van-making plant would close. Mark Noble said parent company Stellantis had “lost an excellent workforce in Luton” and the closure would affect 1,500-2,000 jobs when taking account of suppliers. Confusion over Brexit tariffs affected operations at Luton and at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, he said, while he also blamed the government for not providing incentives to buy electric vehicles (EVs). Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 A government spokesperson said it was spending £300m to “drive uptake of zero emission vehicles,” while Stellantis said there would be “meaningful dialogue with our union partners to agree the next steps”. Mr Noble said it was “extremely sad” to lose “part of Luton’s history”, since the factory on Kimpton Road first opened in 1905. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s He joined Vauxhall in 1988 and became director of Ellesmere Port and then Luton before retiring in 2022. “The trouble for both the UK plants started with Brexit. It caused a lot of uncertainty within business, and business doesn’t like uncertainty,” he said. “When you’ve got two plants that export 80% of their build, then tariff confusion and no clarity really hurt the two plants. “It became clear that exports would probably be reduced due to the implication of tariffs.” Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
MLAs to vote on post-Brexit trading rules
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel MLAs to vote on post-Brexit trading rules Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo The Northern Ireland Assembly will vote on controversial post-Brexit trading arrangements next week. It comes after several parties at Stormont tabled a motion to the assembly as part of the process that guarantees MLAs a say on whether to maintain some of the arrangements. Known as the democratic consent motion, it was first agreed between the UK and EU in the 2020 Withdrawal Agreement to give Northern Ireland politicians a say in the new post-Brexit trading rules. The vote is required to take place before the end of this year.No cross-community support needed Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 The motion could be submitted by the first and deputy first ministers but as they did not do so by the end of November, it was tabled jointly by Sinn Fein, Alliance and the SDLP. The vote is expected to take place on Tuesday 10 December. But controversially, unlike other votes at Stormont, there is no requirement for cross-community support for the motion. A simple majority will suffice. The DUP and other unionist parties have argued the vote creates a democratic deficit as the concerns of unionists who are in the minority at Stormont can be ignored. In a statement last week, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said it had been “deliberately designed to drive a coach and horse through the cross-community consent principle which has been at the very heart of all political progress in Northern Ireland”. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s If the vote is carried without cross-community support the government has committed to ordering an independent review of the post-Brexit arrangements and their implications.Windsor FrameworkA man wearing a yellow yellow high-viz jacket is checking documents being handed to him by the driver of a lorry. There is a cabin in the backgound and signs giving information about prohibited items.Image source, EPA In 2023 the Northern Ireland Protocol became the Windsor Framework and was agreed between the UK and EU in 2023. It gave some long-desired legal certainty to businesses, but the Irish Sea border will always be evolving so long as UK and EU rules continue to diverge. For the EU, the new framework left the basic architecture of 2019’s protocol intact, creating a trade border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland to prevent a hard land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.Green and red lanes Under the Windsor Framework, two “lanes” were created for goods arriving in Northern Ireland from Great Britain, a green lane for goods remaining in Northern Ireland and a red lane for goods which may be sent on to the EU, Products going through the green lane do not need checks or additional paperwork. Red lane goods are still subject to checks. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
TFL confirms charges for Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnel
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel TFL confirms charges for Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnel Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo TFL confirms charges for Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnel At a meeting yesterday (December 4), the government agency’s board agreed on the charges, which will affect Kent motorists travelling in and out of the capital. If paying via TfL AutoPay, it will cost £2.50 for motorcycles and mopeds, £4 for cars and small vans, £6.50 for large vans and £10 for HGVs during peak times – weekdays between 6am and 10am Londonbound and between 4pm and 7pm coastbound. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 Users will be charged £1.50 for motorcycles, mopeds, cars and small vans, £2.50 for large vans and £5 for HGVs during off-peak times if using AutoPay. However, if paying by any other means, drivers will be charged the peak rates regardless of the time of day. Failure to pay the fee will result in a penalty charge notice (PCN) worth £180, reduced to £90 if paid within a fortnight. The number of PCNs for each vehicle will be limited to one per day. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s Certain cross-river bus and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) journeys will also be free of charge for at least a year and discounts will apply to some London residents and vehicles registered with TfL. TfL’s director of strategy, Christina Calderato, said: “These measures will manage traffic demand as well as the environmental impacts, and ensure the new tunnel delivers on its objectives of reducing congestion and providing resilience at the Blackwall Tunnel while ensuring we support local residents on low income, small businesses, sole traders and local charities. “If we did not introduce these, there would likely be high levels of traffic and congestion, which would lead to detrimental air quality impacts, as well as longer journey times. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol