6:47 am, March 27, 2024
Khan pledges 1,300 more police officers, PCSOs and special constables on streets
Sadiq Khan has unveiled a new election pledge to put around 1,300 extra neighbourhood police officers, PCSOs and special constables on the streets of London.
The Mayor of London made the pledge alongside shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper while out on patrol with officers from the Metropolitan Police in Earlsfield, south-west London.
Khan said that the additional officers would reduce crime and make sure victims of crime are properly supported.
Public satisfaction with the NHS at lowest level on record
Poor access to GPs and long waits for hospital treatment have led to public satisfaction with the NHS hitting the lowest level on record.
Fewer than one in four (24%) people were satisfied with the health service in 2023, down five percentage points on the previous year and the lowest level since records began in 1983, according to findings from the British Social Attitudes poll.
The study, of 3,374 people in England, Wales and Scotland, is seen as the gold-standard test of how people feel about the NHS.
Grocery price inflation drops to new two-year low
Grocery price inflation has dropped to a new two-year low but almost a quarter of British households say they are still struggling financially, according to latest figures.
Supermarket prices were 4.5% higher than a year ago in March, the lowest inflation rate since February 2022 and a significant drop from last month’s 5.3%, according to analysts Kantar.
Despite the continued slowdown, 23% of British households identify themselves as struggling financially – the same proportion as in November last year, according to a survey by Kantar Worldpanel of more than 10,700 people at the end of January.
Six presumed dead after cargo ship rammed Baltimore bridge triggering collapse
All six people missing after a major bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed are presumed dead, authorities said.
The search for their bodies is now suspended until Wednesday morning local time.
The six disappeared when a container ship lost power and crashed into the bridge early on Tuesday, causing it to snap in several places and plunge into the river below.
BBC boss Tim Davie says he is open to a ‘more progressive’ licence fee
BBC director-general Tim Davie has said he is open to a ‘more progressive’ licence fee and revealed the corporation will launch its ‘biggest-ever consultation process’ next year so the public can drive the debate on its future.
The licence fee has been frozen for two years at £159 but in 2023 the government announced it would use a lower rate of inflation to increase the household charge from April to £169.50 a year.
The freeze and rising inflation has driven the broadcaster to reassess its priorities as it seeks to make £500m of savings, with Davie announcing on Tuesday that a further £20m of savings will need to be made.
Trump is selling ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles as he faces mounting legal bills
Former president Donald Trump is now selling Bibles as he runs to return to the White House.
Trump, who became the presumptive Republican nominee earlier this month, released a video on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday urging his supporters to buy the ‘God Bless the USA Bible’, which is inspired by country singer Lee Greenwood’s patriotic ballad.
The effort comes as Trump has faced a serious money crunch amid mounting legal bills while he fights four criminal indictments along with a series of civil charges.
Ministers urged to regulate e-scooters as Pedicabs Bill clears Commons
Ministers have been urged to set out road rules for e-scooters and e-bikes, as measures to regulate London’s pedicabs moved towards becoming law.
Labour claimed the government had continued to ‘duck’ its responsibility to regulate electric-powered bikes and scooters, but transport minister Guy Opperman told MPs he was keen to see them regulated in the long term.
It came as the Pedicabs (London) Bill cleared the Commons, paving way for the first attempt at regulating the vehicles to become law. The Bill faced criticism from Conservative grandee Sir Christopher Chope, who claimed the cycle rickshaws are to London what gondolas are to Venice.
Tuesday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Video: Used car prices fall 0.1% in March – but the market is ‘stable’
- JLR says ‘nothing wrong’ with Jaguar E-Pace that smashed into Porsche and Tesla
- Family-owned car dealer group Holden launches care hub for customer service
- Used car dealer jailed for multiple cases of fraud including selling ‘death-trap’ Citroen
- Eden Motor Group shines spotlight on best staff with Excellence Awards
UK population climbs to new estimate of 67.6 million
The UK population stood at an estimated 67.6 million people in mid-2022, up by 4.3 million since mid-2011, new figures show.
England saw the biggest percentage increase across the period, with its population jumping by 7.5% – the equivalent of 4.0 million.
The figures have been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and are the first UK-wide estimates for mid-2022, making them the most up-to-date snapshot of the country’s population.
Genesis reveals high performance Magma concepts
Genesis has hinted at how high performance models could look in the future.
The Magma performance series will consist of four models, starting off with a hotter version of the firm’s GV60 electric SUV.
The GV60 Magma will come with improved battery performance and technology over the regular model alongside a wider width and lowered suspension – giving a lower centre of gravity. There’s also new bodywork and 21-inch wheels.
Weather
A band of rain will move in from the south-west, leaving blustery showers and sunny spells in its wake, reports BBC Weather. A windy day with temperatures between seven and 11 degrees.
More rain is expected for the south of the country tonight. Elsewhere it’ll be drier with variable cloud and maybe the odd shower.
