British parliamentarians began debating prime minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal on Wednesday amid calls for police to improve their response to far-right activists abusing MPs, journalists and Remain-supporting protesters in Westminster.
More than 100 MPs have written to police asking for better protection after Conservative MP Anna Soubry was verbally abused on College Green, an area used by the media for interviewing politicians which has become a place for protesters to gather.
Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray has been peacefully demonstrating outside parliament every day MPs have been sitting since September 5, 2017.
Mr Bray has gained near celebrity status after his “Stop Brexit” cries and anti-Brexit banners became a regular feature of any news footage shot outside parliament.
But the fame has led to Mr Bray becoming a target of far-right activists, inspired by the gilet jaunes protesters in France attempting to hijack the pro-Brexit movement.
“The atmosphere here was pretty easy going originally,” he said. “But we’ve had abuse day in day out from the same group since three weeks before Christmas.”
When The National interviewed Mr Bray near College Green on Tuesday afternoon, a far-right activist, believed to be from the yellow vest movement, attempted to disrupt the filming by shouting abuse.
At one point the man, wearing a union jack hat, moved aggressively towards Mr Bray before being pulled back by members of the public.
“I’m used to it by now,” Mr Bray said as nearby police ensured the man was moved on. “That’s been daily.”
But other protesters are worried about the increasing levels of harassment. Some of the Remain demonstrators The National spoke to asked not to be featured on camera for fear of becoming a target.
Pro-Brexit campaigners are similarly concerned by the influx of far-right to their cause.
“When things turn nasty, that is not a protest,” said Simon who came up to Westminster from Surrey on Tuesday to demonstrate with campaign group Leave Means Leave.
Scotland Yard have said they will “deal robustly” with any instances of criminal harassment.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said The Met would be “enhancing the policing presence” around parliament in the run up to next week’s Brexit deal vote.
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MPs resumed debating the government’s Brexit withdrawal agreement on Wednesday, almost a month after Mrs May postponed a crunch vote on her deal.
The vote, which will be preceded by five days of debate, has been rescheduled for January 15.
The government, fresh from an embarrassing defeat in the Commons on Tuesday evening, is struggling to win support for the deal.
Some Conservative MPs rebelled against Mrs May and joined the Labour Party in supporting an amendment to a finance bill, designed to limit the government’s powers in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
While efforts to convince the DUP, the Northern Irish party which Mrs May is reliant on for a parliamentary majority, of her Brexit deal have so far faltered.
The government is due to release a written statement on Wednesday promising to give Northern Ireland more powers if the controversial backstop agreement comes into force.
But before the statement had been published, it was dismissed by the DUP’s Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson.
Mr Wilson told Sky News the proposals, which he had already seen, were “fairly meaningless” and would fail to allay his party’s concerns about the backstop.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The finalists
Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho
Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson
Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)
Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid
Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Kerala Knights 103-7 (10 ov)
Parnell 59 not out; Tambe 5-15
Sindhis 104-1 (7.4 ov)
Watson 50 not out, Devcich 49