Your morning news briefing, Wednesday May 22 2024: Inflation boost for Rishi, Royal Rift and Rain
22 May 2024, 07:38
Good morning, here's all the UK and world news you're waking up to today on Wednesday, March 22, 2024.
Morning, EJ here and we've made it to the mid-way point of the week but sadly (at least here in London) the skies have turned dark and the rain is in full flow, with flood warnings in place across the country but there is some good news when it comes to inflation...
Inflation
The rate of price rises has dropped to 2.3% in April - the lowest in nearly three years and closer to the Bank of England's target, according to official data.
Inflation is at a low not seen since July 2021, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
News just in from Downing Street, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Today marks a major moment for the economy, with inflation back to normal.
“This is proof that the plan is working and that the difficult decisions we have taken are paying off. “Brighter days are ahead, but only if we stick to the plan to improve economic security and opportunity for everyone.”
Crime and Punishment
In a move which will, no doubt dominate headlines and conversations, police chiefs have been told to arrest fewer people to save space in overcrowded prisons.
Chief constables have reportedly been advised to suspend operations at events that may trigger a “large number of arrests” and to pause “non-priority arrests” in a bid to save space in prisons.
The recommendations were made in an internal document drawn up by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).
The memo to police chiefs, which was seen by The Times, read: “Consideration is to be given to pausing non-priority arrests and any planned operations where large numbers of arrests may take place to ease the pressure within the criminal justice system.
“Notwithstanding public protection remains a priority and a considered threat, harm and risk assessment is to be completed when considering any pause in police operations.”
The document did not specify the type of offences for which arrests should be paused, but sources told the outlet that a more accurate term would be “non-urgent” arrests.
The War In Gaza
An exclusive from our Political Editor Natasha Clark last night sparked much debate.
Sir Alan Duncan has said Britain must arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if the International Criminal Court approves a warrant for him.
The former Tory foreign office minister insisted that Britain cannot dodge such a ruling if judges approve it.
Britain is a signatory of the International Criminal Court, which has sought arrest warrants for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leaders.
It would mean authorities would be under a duty to arrest him if he set foot on British soil.But Communities Secretary Michael Gove and Rishi Sunak have dismissed the calls.
Speaking to LBC's Iain Dale in the Evening former SNP Leader Alex Salmond certainly thought the Israeli Prime Minister should be arrested if he stepped foot in Scotland.
- Watch the full video in the clip below
'They should be arrested if they step foot in Scotland.'
— LBC (@LBC) May 21, 2024
Asked whether the government should stop supporting Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel after the ICC requested arrest warrants, former SNP Leader @AlexSalmond is unanimous in his verdict.
@IainDale pic.twitter.com/80vkwn8Wr7
Gaza Protests In The UK
While the war in Gaza rumbles on, the protests, and counter-protests, across the UK also continue.
In another LBC exclusive from my colleague Freddie Hall, campaigners have now called on Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to apologise for dismissing Michael Gove’s antisemitism warning as ‘flowery rhetoric.’
In response to what the Mayor of London told LBC, the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) described Mr Khan’s comments as “extremely concerning” and accused him of “gaslighting” the Jewish community over the levels of antisemitism seen in London since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
It comes after a speech in north London by the Communities Secretary in which Mr Gove suggested the UK was “descending into darkness”, likening the threats and abuse to Nazi Germany.
“We have seen where the unchecked growth of antisemitism has led in the past,” he said.
“We all know that what starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews. It’s an ironclad law of history that countries which are descending into darkness are those which are becoming progressively more unsafe for Jewish individuals and the Jewish community - the Spain of the Inquisition, the Vienna of the 1900s, Germany in the Thirties, Russia in the last decade.”
When asked if he agreed with the sentiment, Sadiq Khan brushed it off, saying he didn’t want to get involved in “flowery rhetoric”.
'The Bionic MP'
Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay has revealed he had to have both his hands and feet amputated after suffering from sepsis as he said he’s “lucky to be alive".
The Tory MP for South Thanet, 57, was admitted to hospital last September with at-the-time suspected sepsis and was placed in an induced coma.
He suffered multiple organ failure and started to turn blue as the infection began to take hold.
fter 16 days in a coma, he woke up to find his limbs completely blackened due to blood clots and lack of circulation caused by his illness.
They were “like plastic…you could almost knock them...they were black, desiccating, clenched,” Mr Mackinlay said of his limbs after he woke up.
He's said he wants to be known as the first “bionic MP” after he was fitted with prosthetic legs and hands.
Royal Rift
Prince Harry turned down an offer from King Charles to stay at a royal residence during his recent visit to the UK because he had ‘security concerns’, sources have claimed.
The Duke of Sussex made a brief trip to the UK earlier this month as he spent three nights in London for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
At the time of his visit, Harry issued a statement confirming he would not be meeting with his father - suggesting the King was too busy.But it has now been claimed that the King did agree to let his son stay at an undisclosed royal residence and that Harry allegedly turned down the offer because it did not come with a taxpayer-funded personal security provision.Staying in a royal residence would have meant he had to stay in a “visible location with public entrance and exit points and no police protection”, The Telegraph reports.
Harry instead chose to stay in a hotel, even though staying at a royal residence may have provided the pair with an opportunity to meet outside of their schedules.
In Other News:
- Post Office Horizon Scandal - Paula Vennells - former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Post Office - is due to give evidence to the Horizon inquiry today (first of three days).
- Iran President - The funeral ceremony for former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi takes place in Tehran, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei due to lead prayers. Today has also been declared a national holiday. Raisi died on Sunday in a helicopter crash alongside other members of his entourage.
- World War 2 - Findings from an independent review into the number of deaths of prisoners on the island of Alderney during the Nazi occupation.
- Grenfell Tower Fire - With the Public Inquiry due to publish its Phase 2 report later this year, there will be an update into the Met’s investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire.
- Health - A new report which suggests there's been a 39% rise in cases of diabetes among the under-40s, with poor diets and obesity largely to blame.
- Romance Fraud - UK Finance says purchase scams and romance frauds pushed up the number of cases where people were tricked into losing money to fraudsters last year.
- Manchester Arena Bombing - Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett – one of 22 people murdered in the Manchester Arena bombing – is due to arrive in Downing Street after walking from the site of that attack. She's demanding promises to improve the safety and security of public spaces across the UK are kept.
Weather
Heavy rain could bring flooding and travel disruption across much of the UK on Wednesday and Thursday with an amber warning issued for part of the country.
The Met Office has issued the amber warning for parts of north Wales and north west England, including Liverpool and Manchester, for 24 hours from noon on Wednesday.
The warning for the region says flooding and disruption are likely, with rain becoming heavy and persistent.
A yellow warning for rain is in place for the north of England, the Midlands and north and mid Wales until 6am on Thursday, with the southern edges of the affected area extended to run roughly from around Norwich to Bath.
Another yellow rain warning comes into place at noon on Wednesday for Scotland, covering the south and east of the country, which runs until 6pm on Thursday.
A further yellow warning for thunderstorms has been added for much of the south coast of England from 8am to 7pm on Wednesday.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: "Some areas are really going to see a lot of heavy, persistent rain through a big chunk of Wednesday. It is going to be a pretty wet picture as we go through the rest of the week for many places.
"There is some uncertainty as to exactly where we are going to see the heaviest rain and where is most likely to be impacted."
The forecast says heavy and, in places, prolonged rainfall is expected from an area of low pressure arriving from the east, which has brought downpours to parts of central Europe.
Many places could see 30-40mm of rain, while a few areas may receive 60-80mm as heavy rain moves northwards throughout Wednesday. The Met Office said there is a small chance a few upland areas could see up to 150mm.
In addition to the thunderstorm warning, which also includes scattered showers and the threat of spray on the roads and sudden flooding, the south of England could see heavy, thundery showers which could bring 30-40mm within three hours.
A Met Office spokeswoman said: "The precise track of the low pressure which would determine where the rainfall comes is still uncertain and is something we are keeping an eye on.
"We would encourage people to keep an eye on the forecast over the next couple of days to see how that evolves."
Chief meteorologist Andy Page said areas exposed to the strengthening northerly winds are most likely to see the highest rainfall.
Northern areas are expected to remain cloudy and wet on Thursday but drier further south with brighter conditions becoming more widespread by the end of the week.
Bank Holiday Monday is expected to be dry and fine for much of the country, feeling warm in the sunshine, although there remains the threat of showers ahead of more settled conditions.
That's it, you're up to date with today, stick with LBC and LBC News for all the latest and breaking news.
