Your morning news briefing, Monday 9 December

9 December 2019, 06:21

By EJ Ward

Good morning, here's all the UK and world news you're waking up to as the week starts on Monday.

EJ here, back from a long weekend away and raring to go with the news.

General Election

As campaigning moves into the final stages, with the nation going to the polls in just a few days, party leaders have stepped up their attacks on the opposition with both sides engaged in tit-for-tat word wars in the media.

Boris Johnson has been accused of “misleading” the public over his promises to reduce immigration.

The Prime Minister has long supported an “Australian-style points-based immigration system”, which would put no limits on highly educated workers coming to Britain after Brexit.

It would also fast-track and offer reduced fees to doctors, nurses or social care workers who want to come to work in the NHS.

Mr Johnson said on Sunday in an interview with Sky News’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme that he could guarantee “numbers will come down” as part of the “controlled” measures.

But shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth told the show Mr Johnson was “misleading” voters about the effectiveness of the proposed new system.

Meanwhile, when asked what was the naughtiest thing he's ever done, Mr Johnson admitted he had ridden his bike on the pavement.

Today's Election Campaigning

Boris Johnson will target Labour heartlands to appeal to Leave voters, while Labour will again hope to drive home their messages on the NHS and the economy.

Conservatives

Boris Johnson will make campaign visits to the east of England, the North East and South West.

In Scotland, Tory leader Jackson Carlaw will launch an ad van in Newton Mearns.

Labour

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will also be campaigning in the South West, while shadow chancellor John McDonnell will give a speech on the economy in London.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard will be at Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children where he will outline party plans to “invest in and revive” the health service.

Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Sir Ed Davey will be canvassing for votes in Guildford.

Scottish Lib Dem Leader Willie Rennie and Ross, Skye & Lochaber candidate Craig Harrow will visit the Wester Ross salmon fisheries processing centre.

Elsewhere

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon will take part in a photocall in Coatbridge, then join her party’s candidate for Lanark and Hamilton East, on a visit to the Wallace tea rooms where they will help bake a cake.

And Deputy First Minister John Swinney will join SNP candidate Laura Mitchell on a visit to Walkers Shortbread in Aberlour.

New Zealand Volcano

As I was writing the briefing this morning news came in there had been a huge eruption on White Island. One tourist on a boat shot some amazing footage of the aftermath.

The country's Prime Minister has confirmed at least one person has been killed, and a number of others injured.

It's a developing story so please check back for the latest.

Read the full story here.

Storm Atiyah

The first storm of the season Storm Atiyah has hit Wales, southwest England and Ireland forcing flight cancellations and diversions, and causing power outages in several areas.

County Cork saw winds of 79 miles per hour with flights there either cancelled or disrupted and some properties experiencing power cuts.

Around 5,500 Western Power customers in south-west England and wales were also left without power when the storm made landfall.

Yellow warnings for wind are in place until 9 am and lunchtime for the northeast of England.

This is the first "named" storm of the season, this means weather officials give it a code name. As it's the first storm it begins with "A," the next major storm will be called Storm "Brendan," and they will continue alphabetically.

A little bit of trivia there.

They're A Celebrity, Now They're Out Of There

Jacqueline Jossa has been crowned Queen of the Jungle in this year’s series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!.

The former Eastenders star beat fellow soap star Andy Whyment and Capital presenter Roman Kemp to win the crown, presented by hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.

After winning, a tearful Jossa said "I have no words" and reeled off a list of special people in her life including her parents, children and husband Dan Osborne.

Speaking on spin-off show I'm A Celebrity: Extra Camp following her win, Jossa said: "I have no words, I can't believe this has actually just happened."

The actress said she had "met some incredible people" in the jungle and had "made lifelong friends".

Rocket Man

President Donald Trump has said Kim Jong Un “is too smart and has far too much to lose” after North Korea allegedly carried out a "very important test" at its rocket launch site.

The North said it was a "successful test of great significance" at its long-range launch site, which it reportedly rebuilt after having partially dismantled it when it entered denuclearisation talks with the US last year.

The state did not specify what had been tested on Sunday, but it is not thought to have launched any missiles.

Speaking after the tests, Mr Trump said the North Korean leader had signed a “strong denuclearisation agreement” with him which he “does not want to void.”

Read more here.

Election Live

In other election news, LBC will be broadcasting its most extensive election night programme to date next Thursday, simulcasting a fully-integrated results show both on radio and in HD video.

So, if you want to know what some of your favourite radio hosts, newsreaders and journalists look like, make sure you tune in.

You can find out all the details here.

And Finally...

In cute dog news, Aa plea has been issued for a litter of stolen puppies to be returned to their mum to stop them from becoming seriously ill.

The three-week-old American bulldog puppies were taken from a property in King Street, Rochester, Kent, at 10.15pm on December 6.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "The American bulldog puppies are only three-weeks old and are at risk of harm coming to them if they are not cared for appropriately."

Detective Sergeant Sam Stuart said: "We are keen to get these puppies returned home as quickly as possible.

"They are far too young to have been taken from their mother at only three weeks old.

"In the run up to Christmas, puppies become an attractive commodity and we would ask people who are thinking of buying one to be 'Puppy Smart' and follow RSPCA guidance."