6:47 am, March 21, 2023
‘No question more men’ like Wayne Couzens and David Carrick still at Met Police
The co-founder of social justice organisation Reclaim These Streets has said ‘there is no question there are more men’ in the Metropolitan Police ‘capable of the violence’ carried out by killer Wayne Couzens and serial rapist David Carrick.
And while Jamie Klingler believes a damning review by Baroness Louise Casey, conducted in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder by Couzens in 2021, provides the ‘route map’ to a total overhaul of the force, she is not convinced the necessary measures will be carried out.
The Casey report found the force to be institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic. And it suggested the force may contain more officers like Couzens and Carrick.
Eurosceptic Tory group to reveal legal advice on Sunak’s Brexit deal
A group of Brexit-backing Conservative MPs are set to announce their expert panel’s legal view on the prime minister’s deal with the European Union ahead of a Commons vote.
The European Research Group (ERG) of Tory Brexiteers commissioned a so-called ‘star chamber’ of lawyers to consider the Windsor Framework before it decides how to vote on Wednesday. The counsel of lawyers is expected to unveil its findings on Tuesday.
It comes a day ahead of a vote in the House of Commons on the so-called ‘Stormont brake’ element of the accord negotiated by Rishi Sunak with the European Commission.
Government stands by Windsor Framework deal on Brexit
The government has insisted it has no plans to renegotiate the Windsor Framework Brexit deal despite the DUP vowing to vote against it in Parliament.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said DUP officers met on Monday morning and unanimously agreed to vote against the first aspect of the framework to be considered by Parliament, the Stormont brake.
While the vote only concerns one aspect of the accord, the government itself has suggested the vote will be indicative of support for the overall agreement.
Inflation remains public’s priority but concern about immigration rises – poll
Concern about immigration has risen sharply in the past month but the cost of living remains the public’s overwhelming priority, according to a monthly poll.
One in five people told pollster Ipsos that they thought immigration was one of the biggest issues facing the country in a survey carried out in the first week of March, as the government was preparing to introduce its Illegal Migration Bill.
That total represents a 75 per cent increase since February, with concern highest among older voters, southerners and the least deprived. But despite the increase in concern about immigration, inflation remains the public’s number one priority with 39 per cent of people telling Ipsos it was one of their biggest issues.
Broadband firms asked to ‘urgently’ cancel price hikes for vulnerable customers
Broadband firms have been urged to cancel ‘exorbitant; mid-contract price rises for vulnerable customers less than two weeks before they are due to take effect.
Millions of broadband and mobile phone customers can expect to face monthly bill increases of at least 14 per cent from April. Providers often link their annual price rises to January’s consumer price index (CPI) or the retail price index (RPI), which were 10.5 per cent and 13.4 per cent respectively.
Which? is calling on telecoms firms to ‘urgently’ cancel the hikes for their most financially vulnerable customers and allow all customers to leave without penalty if they face mid-contract price rises.
Monday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Toyota and Lexus has ‘no plans’ to sell cars directly to consumers with agency sales
- Used car prices rose again in March, but overall rise ‘held back’ by plummeting used EV values – Auto Trader
- Car dealer jailed for 20 years after leaked messages revealed him as criminal mastermind behind £30,000 a week drug operation
- Mazda board looking to make Masahiro Moro its new president and CEO
- Motom’s Julian Humphreys criticises Cazoo for ‘casting aside loyal people’ as part of brutal cost-cutting mission
Shortfall in pothole repair budgets hits new high, research shows
Shortfalls in pothole repair budgets among local authorities have reached a record high, according to research.
Councils in England and Wales said they only received two-thirds of what they needed during the current financial year to stop local roads further deteriorating, the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (Alarm) survey found. This resulted in a total carriageway maintenance budget shortfall of £1.3bn.
That is a jump of more than a fifth on the previous 12 months, and represents the highest figure in 28 years of Alarm reports. The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), which commissioned the research, said this is because budgets have not kept pace with cost increases caused by inflation.
Rolls-Royce commemorates end of Wraith production with limited-edition model
Rolls-Royce’s Wraith production is drawing to a close with a special release of just 12 ‘Black Arrow’ models.
In fact, this limited-edition ‘Black Arrow Collection’ takes inspiration from the world land speed record-beating ‘Thunderbolt’ from 1938, which used a pair of Rolls-Royce V12 ‘R’ Series aero engines. Piloted by Captain George Eyston, it managed a top speed of 357.497mph.
The special Wraith’s yellow bumper inserts hark back to the Thunderbolt’s appearance. It also features a glass-infused ‘crystal’ paint which enhances the transition between the two exterior paint colours – Celebration Silver and Black Diamond. Inside, the dashboard depicts an engraving of the car’s V12 engine.
Weather outlook
Rain for most this morning, clearing later to leave variable cloud and bright spells, reports BBC Weather. It’ll be a breezy day. Highs of 15 degrees Celsius in London and 13 in Edinburgh.
Tonight will be unsettled thanks to a heavy band of rain pushing from the west across the country. Clear spells will follow.
