Tag: united kingdom

Government Staff Asked To Check Pronouns Of Co-Workers Before Assuming Gender Identity

People working for the government in the UK have been told that they should check what pronouns their colleagues prefer and not assume they know the gender their co-workers identify as.

The Telegraph reports that civil servants were advised to take the measures in an internal memo that asked staff to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance, one of several calendar days earmarked for LGBTQ+ themed activities.

The report further notes that the director general of trade negotiations in the Department for Business and Trade told staff that the event “encourages us to pause to commemorate those whose lives have been lost due to intolerance”.

The memo also contained a diatribe from a non-binary staff member who expressed a desire for “actions that I’d like to see colleagues take to work towards removing stigma and build [sic] a culture where we are open and inclusive of our trans colleagues.”

The memo continues, “Checking people’s email signatures for their pronouns and not assuming colleagues’ pronouns, are both simple things that I know can make acknowledging gender diversity part of our daily discourse.”

It adds, “Joining DBTs LGBTQ+ Network is also a way to support your LGBTQ+ colleagues and keep up to date with current issues the community is facing.”

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Thousands of students at Warwick University are ‘forced to go vegan’ after a handful of activists voted for a meat and dairy ban in the institution’s canteens

Thousands of students at one of Britain’s top universities will be forced to ‘go vegan’ after activists won a vote banning meat and dairy products. 

Students at the University of Warwick backed a motion forcing union-run catering outlets to adopt plant-based menus, with three now required to do so by 2027. 

But the move, pushed through by campaign group ‘Plant-Based Universities’, has ignited fury after it emerged that just 774 students – about 2.7 per cent of 28,600-stong campus – were behind the plan, while 516 voted against it. 

Vivek Venkatram, Plant-Based Universities Warwick campaigner and president of Warwick’s Vegetarian and Vegan Society championed the vote and said: ‘We want this change to benefit everyone.’

However, the Countryside Alliance condemned the decision backed by a ‘tiny minority’ and said the vote raised questions about whether the sweeping change was ‘made with the interests of the wider student population in mind’.

‘Students shouldn’t let such a small cohort get away with isolating the wider student population. Vegan campaigners are welcome to present their arguments in favour of plant-based diets, but should not impose a diet in university-affiliated buildings,’ said alliance spokeswoman Sabina Roberts.

‘Students should take on their democratic duty and place forward a counter-motion that keeps meat on the menu.’

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Ministers accused of a cover up as it is revealed shadowy army unit DID spy on British critics of Covid lockdown policies

Ministers were accused of a cover-up last night after it was revealed that soldiers did secretly spy on British critics of the Government’s response to Covid.

The release of new documents contradict official assertions that a shadowy Army unit had only been monitoring foreign powers.

The Mail on Sunday revealed earlier this year that military operatives in the UK’s ‘information warfare’ brigade were part of a sinister scheme to keep a close eye on politicians and high-profile journalists who raised doubts about the pandemic response.

They compiled dossiers on public figures – such as ex-Minister David Davis, who questioned the modelling behind alarming death toll predictions, and The Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens – and reported their dissenting views back to No 10.

Documents obtained by the civil liberties group Big Brother Watch revealed the Government cells included the MoD’s 77th Brigade, which deploys ‘non-lethal engagement and legitimate non-military levers as a means to adapt behaviours of adversaries’.

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Vast Anglo-Saxon Pagan Temple Discovered in the Shadow of Sutton Hoo

Last year, archaeologists and community groups in Suffolk, England, unearthed the remains of a 1,400-year-old structure. Now, excavations have determined that the large timber hall was a Pre-Christian cultic temple, associated with Sutton Hoo.

Post holes from the mysterious structure were found last year by researchers from the Rendlesham Revealed community archaeology project, which is an ongoing investigation of the Deben valley. The discovery was made in Rendlesham, near Sutton Hoo, the legendary site where two magnificent Anglo-Saxon cemeteries dating from the 6th to 7th centuries, in Suffolk, England.

Suffolk Councillor Melanie Vigo di Gallidoro, Deputy Cabinet Member for Protected Landscapes and Archaeology, told Suffolk News that “over 200 volunteers from the local community were involved this year, bringing the total number of volunteers to over 600 for the three-year fieldwork program.” The member groups included the Suffolk Family Carers, Suffolk Mind, and also primary school children from Rendlesham, Eyke and Wickham Market.

Professor Christopher Scull, who led Suffolk County Council’s recent dig, said last year’s discovery of the “large timber hall” at Rendlesham, is “remarkable.” He added that previous excavations in this area identified an Anglo-Saxon settlement and royal hall, which were founded by the first Kings of East Anglia in the 6th century AD.

Measuring 10 meters [32.81 feet] long and 5 meters [16.4 feet] wide, the researchers determined that the structure is “unusually high and robustly built for its size” and that it was constructed for “a special purpose.”  Professor Scull said its dimensions are similar to buildings elsewhere in England, “that are seen as temples or cult houses.” Therefore, the site may have been used for “Pre-Christian worship by the early Kings of the East Angles,” concluded Scull.

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Cricket chiefs BAN transgender players born as men from international women’s cricket to ‘protect the safety’ of female players

The ICC has banned transgender players born as men from playing international women’s cricket.

In a statement released on Tuesday morning, the governing body concluded that they had made the decision following a nine-month consultation process to protect the safety of female players.

The statement read: ‘The new policy is based on the following principles (in order of priority), protection of the integrity of the women’s game, safety, fairness and inclusion, and this means any Male to Female participants who have been through any form of male puberty will not be eligible to participate in the international women’s game regardless of any surgery or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken.

‘The review, which was led by the ICC Medical Advisory Committee chaired by Dr Peter Harcourt, relates solely to gender eligibility for international women’s cricket, whilst gender eligibility at domestic level is a matter for each individual Member Board, which may be impacted by local legislation.

‘The regulations will be reviewed within two years.’

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Cops swamped with 1,805 UFO reports in 3 years – but won’t publish ‘sightings’

A police force has been swamped with 1,805 reports of UFOs and aliens in the last three years, but won’t make the details public after deeming collating them for publication is too costly.

Since 2020, West Yorkshire Police had the staggering number of cases where ‘UFO’, ‘alien’, ‘UAP’ or ‘spaceship’ has appeared on their logs. It works out at 56 a month or more 13 per week, or nearly two per day. The county – which includes Leeds and Bradford – has always been a hotbed for alleged extraterrestrial sightings.

A Freedom of Information request was submitted for details of the reports from January 2020 to August 2023 to be released. But the force said it would cost too much money to do so. It did give one example, which read: “Male caller reports seeing four flashing lights hovering above his property in the street before a female was beamed into the sky.”

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Britain’s new two-way ‘ultra’ speed cameras are already under attack as vigilante chops one down in Cornwall

The latest in speed camera technology to hit British roads is already under attack as one has been pictured having been chopped down by a vigilante.

A Jenoptik VECTOR-SR unit – dubbed the new ‘ultra’ speed camera – has been photographed with its pole sliced almost in two on New Row in Longdowns, Cornwall, with the incident reportedly taking place overnight.

It is the fourth in a string of recent attacks that have seen speed cameras hacked down across this part of Cornwall.

The incident comes after it was announced earlier this week that Greater Manchester Police has installed over 100 of the devices across the city in its crackdown on speeding and other motoring offences. 

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Drunks WON’T be able to get into driverless cars after a boozy evening: Ministers dash hopes of the futuristic vehicles acting as chauffeurs following a heavy night

Driverless cars promise motorists hands-off journeys, which many have hoped might allow for a couple more pints at the pub before travelling home.

But those planning to use their autonomous vehicle as a personal taxi service should beware, with the government announcing legislation to make sure it is treated like drink driving.

Being over the limit, going on your phone or having a nap behind the wheel of the futuristic cars will be illegal, according to documents published alongside the Automated Vehicles Bill which was announced in this week’s King’s Speech.

The Law Commission has already drawn up a draft proposal for legislation around the legal use of driverless cars and vehicles on Britain’s roads. 

Motorists must ‘remain in a fit state to drive’ while their car is on the road, and there must be a ‘user in charge’ who is able to take control if the self-driving system requests for them to do so.

Drivers will still need to be sat in the front seat and have a driving licence to operate their vehicles, and failing to do so could open them up to prosecution.

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Laughing gas becomes illegal from TODAY with repeat offenders facing up to two years in jail – but campaigners say ban is ‘completely disproportionate’ and will place more pressure on justice system

Nitrous oxide is illegal from today with repeat offenders risking prison – raising the ire of campaigners who call the ban ‘completely disproportionate’. 

The substance, also known as NOS or hippy crack, is now a controlled Class C drug, meaning that dealers could face up to 14 years in jail.

Users face an unlimited fine, community service, a caution – which would appear on their criminal record – or a possible two-year sentence for serious habitual users. 

Nitrous oxide is the second most commonly used drug among 16 to 24-year-olds in England after cannabis, and has been blamed for fuelling littering and anti-social behaviour. 

This summer it was reported that there were 13 tonnes canisters of the drug collected after the Notting Hill carnival. 

Inhaling the gas brings about short-term feelings of lightheadedness, fits of giggles and hallucinations.  

Heavy, regular abuse risks significant health risks including anaemia and in more severe cases, nerve damage or paralysis. 

It has been identified as having potentially fatal consequences on the UK’s roads from incidents of drug driving. 

Nitrous oxide has legitimate uses and it will remain lawful for catering purposes and in maternity wards when used as pain relief during labour.

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Covid inquiry hears Matt Hancock wanted to decide who lived and died

Former health secretary Matt Hancock wanted to decide “who should live and die” if the NHS was overwhelmed, the Covid inquiry has heard.

The revelation came to light in evidence presented by Sir Simon Stevens, the former NHS England chief.

In his witness statement, he said Mr Hancock thought he, not doctors or the public, should decide who to prioritise if hospitals became overwhelmed.

Sir Simon said: “Fortunately this horrible dilemma never crystallised.”

He told the inquiry: “The secretary of state for health and social care took the position that in this situation he – rather than, say, the medical profession or the public – should ultimately decide who should live and who should die.”

He added: “I certainly wanted to discourage the idea that an individual secretary of state, other than in the most exceptional circumstances, should be deciding how care would be provided.

“I felt we were well-served by the medical profession, in consultation with patients to the greatest extent possible, in making those decisions.”

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