UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has spoken out against pessimistic reports over the country’s future prospects. Sunak defended the Conservative government, stating bold action taken to prevent recession and protect small businesses led to one of the biggest upward revisions for the UK economy by the Bank of England and the strongest surge of confidence amongst finance directors since 2020. Sunak also made direct reference to post-Brexit growth rates and said the country’s plans to boost its economy and trade with other nations had led to significant inward investment.
United Conservative Leader Danielle Smith has stated that Jennifer Johnson, who compared transgender students to faeces in food, will not sit with the UCP if elected on May 29. Smith said that Johnson would have “a lot of work to do” if she wanted to become part of the party’s caucus. Johnson apologised for her remarks when audio surfaced from September 2022 of her making several homophobic and transphobic comments, adding that she was “embarrassed” for causing hurt.
Opposition MPs in Canada are calling for a public inquiry into China’s foreign-interference operations. The calls come amid concerns that the Liberal government has failed to take seriously Beijing’s threat to the country’s democracy. Former governor-general David Johnston is set to recommend a public inquiry following mounting evidence of Chinese interference in the country’s election process. Highly classified documents have revealed that as many as 11 candidates in the 2019 election were targeted amidst concerns of a “known or suspected malign actor.” The government has already expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei, following his campaign of intimidation against Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong and his family members. In response, China sent home a Canadian diplomat based in Shanghai. Opposition MP Michael Cooper called for the inquiry, claiming that: “Canadians deserve answers and the only way to get those answers is through an independent public inquiry”.
China’s Ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, has called on Canada to boost diplomatic and economic ties. Cong urged Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to correct past mistakes and not provoke confrontation, adding that Ottawa should return to a more independent foreign policy of its own. Cong suggested relations between Canada and China had deteriorated in recent years, since the arrest in Vancouver of HuaweiChief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou, and China’s subsequent detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. The Chinese Ambassador accused Canada of making further provocative moves, in a dispute that dates back to December 2018. Canada has expelled a Chinese diplomat who was under suspicion of targeting a Conservative legislator and his family in Hong Kong. Cong also criticised moves by the US to settle scores with China on trade.
Guatemala's presidential frontrunner thrown off ballot, promises appeal
Reuters
23-05-20 01:44
A judge in Guatemala has suspended the candidacy of frontrunner Carlos Pineda less than a month before the country's presidential election. Pineda, who pledged to appeal the ruling which he has claimed was undemocratic and follows the suspension of other candidates, accused the court of seeking to kick him off the ballot because he had refused to be "an ally of corruption".
The London Police Service has been granted access to evidence collected during Hockey Canada’s third-party investigation into allegations of group sexual assault against members of its 2018 world junior hockey team. Ontario Court Justice Michael Carnegie ordered that the materials be surrendered, including interviews with coaches and accused players, text messages, videos and social media content. The commanding officer of the London force, Chief Steve Williams, stepped down in March along with his deputy after Canada’s MP said the handling of sexual assault allegations against the team were a “lesson in gross negligence”.
If there's a tug-of-war over conservatism, only one side is really pulling
CBC
23-05-20 08:00
Two former Conservative leadership candidates are vying for greater influence in Canada. Rick Peterson announced that Centre Ice Canadians, the organisation he established last year, intends to launch a new "centrist" political party. Maxime Bernier, who finished second in 2017, will run in a by-election in Portage-Lisgar, hoping to pull voters away from the Conservatives. He criticises the Conservative Party's inability to fight "cultural battles", claiming it is unwilling to address concerns such as the woke movement, transgenderism and mass immigration. While Poilievre may stand to gain from presenting himself as a reasonable alternative to Bernier, he too is inclined to chase the anti-woke vote, such as his recent criticism of Quebec teachers who shifted from Mother's Day to a celebration of all parents. While it is hard to see Bernier winning the Portage-Lisgar by-election, he does not need to win to draw significant support and pull votes away from the Conservatives.
Emissions savings from switching home boilers to hydrogen-powered ones could be up to 10% less than expected due to hydrogen leaks, according to influential think tank Green Alliance. Hydrogen is more susceptible to leaking from pipes and storage than other gases, and once released into the atmosphere, has an indirect warming effect 12 times stronger than carbon dioxide. The British government is backing the production of low-carbon hydrogen in a scheme expected to cost £3.5bn ($4.84bn) per year between 2030 and 2040. Cost increases from the scheme could add an extra £118 a year on dual fuel bills in the UK.
The University of Cambridge Footlights troupe is offering a “sensitivity reading” service to check comedians' jokes do not “punch down,” making fun of people less privileged than the comic. In recent years, most progressives agree that “punching up” -- making fun of authority figures -- is more effective than "punching down," but critics argue that mocking the less fortunate and successful has always been inherent to comedy and remains popular.
Canada's children's and educational publishing world is suffering due to copying. The impact of the 2012 amendment of the Copyright Act has led to educational institutions copying up to 600 million pages of books annually. The Education Sector's practice of copying more than the maximum permitted amount has led to reduced sales and profits affecting smaller publishers who rely on the licensed copyright fees. The failure of the Liberal Government to implement changes suggested eight years ago by the Conservative federal government has resulted in calls for the Heritage Minister to press ahead with changes that must involve paying the schools and university the outstanding bill estimated at CA$200m over a decade.
Thousands of people protested to demand an end to sewage pollution by water companies across the UK at a national "paddle-out" on Saturday. The protest was held as water companies face the biggest wave of public criticism since the industry was privatised in 1989, with campaigners saying water companies are discharging much more often than they should, including when there has been no rain. On Thursday, Water UK, which represents water companies, apologised and pledged 10 billion pounds ($12.6 billion) to cut waste outflows, but campaigners say it still has to be signed off by regulator Ofwat.
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman is facing calls for an official inquiry after requesting aid from civil servants to arrange a private driving course to avoid attending a court hearing relating to a speeding fine. Braverman took three penalty points for breaking driving limits during 2020. A source close to Braverman denied she had called on officials for guidance, telling reporters she had paid her fine and accepted the penalties. Labour and the Liberal Democrats have demanded an investigation into Braverman’s actions, with one ex-Cabinet minister reportedly claiming that the situation was “not a good look” for the Home Secretary.
The referendum on whether to enshrine an indigenous "Voice" to parliament in Australia's constitution is headed for failure, according to the country's media. Though Yes campaigners believe they may win back support, the opinion of pollsters and conservatives is that it is in a decline that could end in this coming week, when the government may have to choose to compromise or press ahead. Many conservatives believe the only way to salvage the proposal and make constitutional recognition work is to change the wording and trajectory of the referendum before it is too late.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s alleged request for civil servants to aid her avoidance of penalty points for a speeding offence is to be investigated. Labour and the Liberal Democrats, claiming that Braverman has potentially breached the ministerial code, call for the PM’s adviser on ministerial interests, Sir Laurie Magnus, to investigate. The Times reported that civil servants refused Braverman’s request for a bespoke driving awareness course. However, a source close to the Home Secretary said it was reported to the Cabinet Office at the time. Braverman is already under scrutiny from MPs over the sharing of classified documents with a backbench MP.
Plans to cut back on the right for foreign students to stay in the UK after they graduate have gained support from the government’s migration advisory committee chairman, Professor Brian Bell, amid concern that the scheme enables abuse. The government’s commitment to provide a two-year graduate visa did not specify work rights, which Prof Bell claimed have been “pretty much unrestricted”. The increase in graduates’ dependants was the most significant impact of the policy, contributing to a ten-fold increase in foreigners bringing dependants to the UK. The government, including the prime minister and chancellor, is said to be resisting calls to restrict the rights.
New estimates from the UK's Office for National Statistics due on Thursday are expected to reveal a new record high of at least double the previous level for net migration to the country. Some advocates for Brexit and opponents of high migration feel betrayed by the rarity of such preliminary measures by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to slash net migration. Instead, Sunak has shifted towards tackling chaos in the asylum system and reducing the number of people arriving via small boats. Post-Covid immigration will see a surge in international students and those with British National status in Hong Kong. Surgeon inflows from Ukraine have also led to an uptick in migrants.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he has confidence in Home Secretary Suella Braverman, following claims she asked civil servants to help her avoid points on her driving licence for speeding. Braverman is said to have asked for an awareness course rather than points but was refused, before a political adviser was contacted to organise other options. The accusations in The Sunday Times have prompted calls for an ethics investigation, with a breach of the ministerial code often being seen as a resignation issue.
The Conservative Party could win back the London mayoralty from Labour's Sadiq Khan, due to opposition to the expansion of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) in outer London. Labour, the Lib Dems and Greens could support ULEZ, but the Tories oppose this move, with only Reform UK joining them. One poll commissioned by Khan revealed 51% of Londoners are in support, while a Conservative Party poll showed that 51% are against Khan's plans. However, about a third of Labour voters are against ULEZ, pointing to potential support for the Tories among the opposition.
Former Olympic rower James Cracknell is among those emerging as a 'hungry and ambitious' new breed of Conservative MPs, according to the Daily Telegraph. Cracknell, who has his sights set on the watery constituency of Henley-on-Thames, has set his sights on the UK’s obesity crisis. He takes his inspiration from his mother, Jennie who retired after working as a physio in hospitals in Sutton and Chertsey. “My personal motivation has been about public health and preventative healthcare. My mum worked in the NHS. I believe for the benefit of the whole society, the NHS needs to shift focus to actually stop people getting ill and that involves spending to save and it’s going to be a generational change, not within a five-year term.” Cracknell is under no illusions about the difficulty of winning a constituency seat and believes it is a highly competitive field.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is considering extending voting rights to 5 million EU citizens and other non-nationals who permanently reside in the UK. Chancellor Rishi Sunak dismissed the idea, reiterating his belief that "voting is a privilege." He also rejected a Labour proposal to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote. Sunak defended the Conservative government's demand that would-be voters show ID in elections, despite accusations that the requirement has disenfranchised thousands of voters who didn't have or forgot their IDs.
