The Government has revised and revived its plans to make visitors to porn sites in the UK undertake age verification tests, which would require a valid credit card or passport to enable access.

The updated draft now applies to user-generated porn such as OnlyFans and is aimed at protecting youngsters from accessing hardcore pornography.

Digital Minister, Chris Philp, said it is too easy for children to access pornography online:

Quote

“Parents deserve peace of mind that their children are protected online from seeing things no child should see,” he said. “We are now strengthening the online safety bill so it applies to all porn sites to ensure we achieve our aim of making the internet a safer place for children.”

The conservatives first announced the policy back on 2015 but ran into difficulties over concerns for privacy as well as implementing the technology, leading to it being abandoned until now.

The Online Safety Bill will now include people smuggling, hate crimes, fraud and revenge porn as ‘priority’ illegal content.

The worst offenders could receive jail sentences of up to five years for threatening to kill MPs and celebrities. 

Spreading Covid-19 disinformation would also be covered under a crime of sending a false communication.

It's estimated that up to a third of the country watches online pornography in some form, unfortunately this includes minors.

The new Bill will put the onus onto the tech companies to provide a duty of care, failure to comply would see them in breach of UK law and subject to prosecution.

The Government said this would remove the need for them to be set out in secondary legislation later on and allow Ofcom to act faster against firms that fail to remove it.

Digital Secretary, Mrs Dorries said:

Quote

 

‘This government said it would legislate to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online while enshrining free speech, and that’s exactly what we are going to do.

‘We are listening to MPs, charities and campaigners who have wanted us to strengthen the legislation, and today’s changes mean we will be able to bring the full weight of the law against those who use the internet as a weapon to ruin people’s lives and do so quicker and more effectively.’

 ‘we will bring the full weight of the law against those who use the internet as a weapon to ruin people’s lives’.

 

Please note: Wearing gloves whilst using your keyboard will not help.

The Prime Minister has come under damning criticism from both sides of the parliamentary benches, after the publication of a stripped down report on parties held at number 10 Downing Street conducted by civil servant Sue Gray.

Mr Johnson was verbally lashed by respected figures within his own party as he stood to defend himself, some of which took the chance to inform the PM that he no longer received their support.

Theresa May delivered a damning blow to the Prime Minister, saying:

Quote

"Either [he] has not read the rules, or didn't understand them, or didn't think they applied to No10. Which was it?"

Worsley and Eccles South MP, Barbara Keeley said:

Quote

 

"Among those most affected by the Pandemic were those with learning difficulties cut off from their families and disallowed an advocate if they were admitted to hospital. 

"For too many, restrictions to services and the awful isolation without visitors, that the PM's rules expected them to follow, was a matter of life and death.

"The mortality rate of those with learning difficulties from Covid, was eight times that of the general population.

"When he (The PM) thinks about the damage done to all those groups and their families who were so isolated, and the seriousness of the failures of judgement and leadership in Number 10 found by the investigation.

"How can He think his position is tenable?"

 

The PM responded by saying that she was entirely right about those with learning disabilities that had suffered but failed to answer the question regarding if his future of PM could continue.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford was ejected from the chamber after refusing to retract comments claiming that Johnson had 'misled the house'. Leader of the house Sir Lindsay Hoyle repeated asked Mr Blackford to retract his words but he refused and walked before being lead away.

It has been revealed that the Met Police are probing twelve parties held at number 10, including four of which he was in attendance. 

As the nation were separated from loved ones to protect them from the virus, parties were consistently held, one of which was a Birthday Party for the PM himself.

The nice-page update outlined serious failures of leadership and judgement in observing the high standards of office along with his own governments rules on social distancing at the time.

The report was limited in what it could reveal due to the ongoing police investigations and a request from Scotland Yard earlier in the week, allowing Ms Gray to make only minimal reference.

The inquiry found that members of staff felt unable to report behaviour they witnessed at work.

The investigation by the Met Police has confirmed that it has been handed over 300 images and 500 pages of information pertaining to what has become known as 'Partygate'.

A police spokesperson said:

Quote

 

“Having received the documentation from the Cabinet Office on Friday 28 January, we are now reviewing it at pace to confirm which individuals will need to be contacted for their account. This prioritisation will include reviewing all the material from the Cabinet Office, which includes more than 300 images and over 500 pages of information.

“If following an investigation, officers believe it is appropriate, because the Covid regulations have been breached without a reasonable excuse, a fixed penalty notice would normally be issued.

“Once the penalty is paid, the matter is considered closed. Alternatively individuals may decide to dispute the notice. In these circumstances officers will consider whether to pursue the matter in a magistrates' court.”

 

The UK's Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has confirmed the delaying in opening up and relaxation of Covid rules, much to the anger of those in the entertainment and hospitality industry as well as those who were looking forward to weddings and family gatherings.

Lockdown has now been extended delaying the roadmap for exit until at least July 19th to prevent up to a predicted 500 deaths per day.

The latest move has come about due to findings that the Indian (Delta) variant is up to 80% more transmissible.

The PM acknowledged that the virus can not be fully eliminated and that the country must learn to live with it to some degree.

The delay will give the NHS a few vital extra weeks to to ensure as many second doses and first doses can be administered.

Single doses offer some degree of protection but the all important second dose decreases the possibility of severe illness, hospitalisation and death by a much more robust amount.

The PM's statement in full:

Quote

When we set out on our roadmap to freedom a few months ago, we were determined to make progress that was cautious but irreversible. And step by step – thanks to the enormous efforts of the British people and the spectacular vaccine roll-out we now have one of the most open economies and societies in this part of the world.

And as we have always known and as the February roadmap explicitly predicted – this opening up has inevitably been accompanied by more infection and more hospitalisation. Because we must be clear that we cannot simply eliminate Covid – we must learn to live with it. And with every day that goes by we are better protected by the vaccines and we are better able to live with the disease.

Vaccination greatly reduces transmission and two doses provide a very high degree of protection against serious illness and death. But there are still millions of younger adults who have not been vaccinated and sadly a proportion of the elderly and vulnerable may still succumb even if they have had two jabs.

And that is why we are so concerned by the Delta variant that is now spreading faster than the third wave predicted in the February roadmap. We’re seeing cases growing by about 64 per cent per week, and in the worst affected areas, it’s doubling every week. And the average number of people being admitted to hospital in England has increased by 50 per cent week on week, and by 61 per cent in the North West, which may be the shape of things to come. Because we know the remorseless logic of exponential growth and even if the link between infection and hospitalisation has been weakened it has not been severed.

And even if the link between hospitalisation and death has also been weakened, I’m afraid numbers in intensive care, in ICU are also rising. And so we have faced a very difficult choice. We can simply keep going with all of step 4 on June 21st even though there is a real possibility that the virus will outrun the vaccines and that thousands more deaths would ensue that could otherwise have been avoided.

Or else we can give our NHS a few more crucial weeks to get those remaining jabs into the arms of those who need them. And since today I cannot say that we have met all four tests for proceeding with step four, I do think it is sensible to wait just a little longer.

By Monday 19th July we will aim to have double jabbed around two thirds of the adult population including everyone over 50, all the vulnerable, all the frontline health and care workers and everyone over 40 who received their first dose by mid-May. And to do this we will now accelerate the 2nd jabs for those over 40 – just as we did for the vulnerable groups – so they get maximum protection as fast as possible.

And we will bring forward our target to give every adult in this country a first dose by 19th July that is including young people over the age of 18 with 23 and 24 year olds invited to book jabs from tomorrow - so we reduce the risk of transmission among groups that mix the most. And to give the NHS that extra time we will hold off step 4 openings until July 19th except for weddings that can still go ahead with more than 30 guests provided social distancing remains in place and the same will apply to wakes. And we will continue the pilot events – such as Euro2020 and some theatrical performances. We will monitor the position every day and if after 2 weeks we have concluded that the risk has diminished then we reserve the possibility of proceeding to Step 4 and full opening sooner.

As things stand – and on the basis of the evidence I can see right now – I am confident we will not need any more than 4 weeks and we won’t need to go beyond July 19th. It is unmistakably clear the vaccines are working and the sheer scale of the vaccine roll-out has made our position incomparably better than in previous waves.

But now is the time to ease off the accelerator because by being cautious now we have the chance – in the next four weeks – to save many thousands of lives by vaccinating millions more people. And once the adults of this country have been overwhelmingly vaccinated, which is what we can achieve in a short space of time, we will be in a far stronger position to keep hospitalisations down, to live with this disease, and to complete our cautious but irreversible roadmap to freedom.

 

Faced with the greatest global pandemic in living memory, Freemasons came together in 2020 and donated a total of £1m as well as their time to help those in need.

The donations were used to help communities in various critical areas, including foodbanks, support for unpaid carers, personal protective equipment (PPE), supplies for hospitals and hospices, support for women’s refuges, and funds for NHS workers, ambulances and equipment.

Freemasons also worked 18 million hours as volunteers in a range of different areas, where there was a need, including driving vulnerable people to hospital, preparing meals, taking care of people at risk, organising care packages, producing scrubs, PPE and hand sanitiser.

At the start of the crisis in April 2020, some Freemasons adapted their businesses’ production lines to produce nearly 5,000 visors for use in healthcare settings. Since then, Freemasons have produced or procured tens of thousands of pieces of additional PPE.

Meanwhile, to help protect women and children from domestic abuse, Freemasons donated more than £165,000 in 2020. The donation helped more than 2,000 women during the lockdown, who received more than 1,000 parcels containing essential items for women fleeing domestic abuse.

Freemasons also focused their efforts on hospitals and care homes, donating nearly 1,000 tablets to provide vital contact between coronavirus patients and their loved ones. The tablets were provided to more than 50 hospitals, care homes and hospices. In London, hospitals including The Royal London, Queen Mary's and St Thomas' received approximately 115 tablets; while in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, some 200 tablets were donated.

Elsewhere, to support thousands of families struggling during the crisis, Freemasons donated 300,000 meals and 38 tonnes of food to homeless people, women’s refuges and vulnerable people, supporting more than 120,000 people in total. Moreover, £560,000 was donated to provide meals and help numerous foodbanks.

Dr David Staples, chief executive of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), said:

Quote

“No one in this day and age should have to worry where their next meal is coming from. We are so glad that we were able to provide thousands of families across the UK with a hot meal or food donations to help get them through this current crisis. Freemasons have achieved all of this in just a few months and have also given their time to produce and deliver food to the vulnerable.”

The UGLE is also encouraging its members to roll up their sleeves and volunteer to help vaccinate the population.

Dr Staples, said:

Quote

“More than 18.5 million hours of volunteer work were undertaken by Freemasons. Now it is crucial that we help in every way we can to protect the population. If the NHS needs volunteers, then we are happy to emphasise the importance of this to our members,”

He continued:

Quote

“Our response to the Pandemic shows what Freemasonry is all about; supporting those in need, giving back to our communities and volunteering where it can make a real difference.  Freemasons have been doing this for over 300 years and I am proud of the time and commitment that our members have given to support the nation in its fight against Covid-19.”

In addition to the £1m donated in 2020, the Freemasons have committed a further fund of £2.1m to support the ongoing Covid-19 crisis response. Of that £2.1m, £850,000 has been allocated to support homeless people through several charities with which UGLE partners. More than 40,000 homeless individuals are being provided with food and essentials, transport, help with accessing services such as counselling and healthcare, as well as employment and training opportunities.

You don't need a DeLorean time machine to go forward in time this weekend as Salfordians are set to lose an hour in bed  when British Summer Time officially starts in the UK at around 1am during the early hours of Sunday morning (28th March).

This means that at 1am, the time will skip forward to 2am to allow for longer periods of daylight, but don't worry you will get to make up that hour in sleep later on in the year as clocks revert to GMT at the end of October.

Let's face it, it has a pretty miserable start to 2021 and the weather certainly hasn't helped.

There are reasons to be optimistic though - spring is finally on the horizon and we can already see the beautiful sight of golden daffodils and cherry blossom trees along our streets and fields.

The clock change was initially rolled out to save energy for the working day.

The extra hour means we will see darker mornings but in the evening, it will remain brighter, meaning less electricity would be needed for workers to continue their toil into the later hours.

The practise of changing the clocks began over 100 years ago, when parliament passed the Summer Time Act in 1916, creating what we now know as British Summer Time.

In 2021, the summer solstice vis set to fall on Monday, June 21, marking the start of summer. The summer solstice will take place at exactly 4.31am in the morning.

After a long and painful Winter, many in Salford will be looking forward to the warmer months ahead with the hope of an end to lockdowns and a bit of normality restored in their lives.

A bonus of longer warmer days is that increasing UV levels help stimulate the production of Vitamin D also known as the Sunshine Vitamin, which some doctors have claimed helps to boost the immune system and protect against viral infections. Something which is extremely important these days.

The year is 2021 which can only mean one thing, a national ten-year census is to be conducted.

Every 10 years the office of national statistics undertakes a nationwide census in order to glean details of population levels and the demographic make-up of the country, which includes the balance of young and old, the jobs which people do, their location they call home and in what type of home that is.

This information is vital both on a national level but also on a local level as it allows for a better understanding of what Salfords needs are as we move into the future. Armed with this information, planners can make informed decisions on things like schooling, hospitals and other public services.

This year, for the first time, there will be additional questions such as asking if you have served in the armed forces, as well as voluntary questions on the sexual orientation and gender identity of those over the ages of 16.

This will mark the first time in history that the LGBT+ community will be able to record their sexual orientation and gender in a national census, which is a huge step forward.

In another first due to the ongoing covid crisis, people will be able to complete the census securely online by entering a unique 16-character access code which will be provided to them via a letter. It is said to be quick and easy and will take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.

If you are unable to get online then you can also contact the Census Support Centre (subject to Covid restrictions) who will be able to assist in filling in the form or alternatively you can call the census phone service who will send you out a paper version.

You can contact them via - 0800 141 2021.

As usual, failure to complete the census could result in a fine of up to £1,000.

Letters will start to arrive in the post in the coming weeks.

Popular chicken products which were sold in Tesco, Sainsbury's and B&M have been urgently recalled amid salmonella poisoning concerns.

The popular frozen meals can be found in many supermarkets including Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. As a result, Salfordians are being urged to check their freezers to ensure none of the effected meals are contained within.

According to the Food Standards Agency, SFC Chicken Poppets and SFC Take Home Boneless Bucket products may contain Salmonella after the bacteria was recently identified in some meals.

SFC Products Under Recall

• SFC Chicken Poppets – 190G
Batch Codes and expiry dates: L15520 (24th Sept 2021); L13720 (31st Oct 2021); PKW008A (28th Feb 2022) and PKW011A (28th Feb 2022)

• SFC Take Home Boneless Bucket – 650G
Batch Code and expiry date: L19720 (28th Nov 2021)

Alerts sent out by the Food Standards Agency yesterday warn customers not to eat Vestey Foods' Chick Inn product if the best before date is for the end of January 2022.

The same alert applies to SFC products mentioned above, where the best before dates are September 2021, October 2021, February 2022 and November 2021. 

Following the concerns, point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling the listed products product. 

Customers will be able to get a refund for the products by either returning them to the store or contacting the relevant company.

The FSA warned eating any of the products could result in salmonella poisoning, which can leave a person suffering from a fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.

The Prime Minister has outlined plans to loosen lockdown for what he hopes will be the final time., starting with socially distanced reopening of all schools and colleges from March 8th.

Pupils will be able to return to school, much to the relief of parents who have been struggling to balance home schooling with work, although secondary schools will still be required to wear a mask in classrooms for the foreseeable future unless the 2 metre social distancing rules can be applied. They will still be required to wear them in all communal areas.

With infections rates continuing to fall over the past month thanks partly to both the third national lockdown and the effects of vaccinations starting to have an impact, the PM is hopeful that schools can safely return to face to face teaching.

Face coverings will still be a requirement in all higher educational environments such as colleges and universities.

Scotland has adopted a different approach with a staged return to the classroom over a number of weeks.

There are still no plans at present to vaccinate teaching staff but it is thought that could change as more vaccines are administered to at risk groups. This comes despite leading teaching unions calling for the government to take a more cautions approach with a phased return to class in line with the rest of the UK.

Some Welsh pupils in the three to seven age group have already returned to class this morning, with the country taking a similar staged approach as Scotland.

It is with great irony that Mr Johnson made this announcement on the same day that infection rates have slightly risen by 9% on last Monday for the first time in six weeks but at the same time the death rate has dropped to it's lowest figures since mid December with a figure of 178 more succumbing to the virus.

In the nations darkest hour, amidst the constant doom and gloom portrayed by the mainstream media and at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, one man put his foot forward in a bid to raise a little cash for the NHS. By the end of his walk he had smashed his original target of a thousand pounds having raised a staggering £32m+ during his 100 lap trek of this garden.

That man was 99 year old retired veteran, Captain Tom Moore and as a result he was quite rightly bestowed with a knighthood on July 17th at Windsor Castle by none other than his biggest supporter, Her Majesty The Queen, for his heroic efforts.

It was with great sadness that the nation heard the tragic news of his passing, aged 100-years, after contracting the virus he had so gallantly stood in the face of with his mammoth fundraising efforts. He had been admitted to hospital earlier that week after suffering from Pneumonia brought on as a result of contracting the virus.

The funeral of the now Captain Sir Tom Moore is to be held in a small private service by his family this coming Saturday (27th Feb) and they have urged the public to stay at home and continue to adhere to the current lockdown measures.

His body is set for cremation and his ashes will be interred within a family plot in his beloved Yorkshire.

At a time when our country needed a hero, he stepped forward, again and again. His light shall never diminish and despite his frailties in his final years, in the hearts of a nation he will always be revered as a giant of a man who never gave up fighting for the country he loved.

The latest message from the governments coronavirus campaign is... drum roll...

HANDS - FACE - SPACE

The message is meant to be simple and decisive in a similar tone to the 'Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives' slogan which was used at the start of the national lockdown in March to great effect.

The new slogan is said to have polled highly with testing groups for its simplicity in contrast to the far more confusing 'Stay alert, control the virus, save lives' message that is currently in use, especially now, as the infection rates are clearly spiralling out of control in some areas of the country.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said:

Quote

 

"As we approach winter and inevitably spend more time indoors, we need the public to keep following this important advice to control the spread of the virus.

"Hands. Face. Space' emphasises important elements of the guidance we want everybody to remember: wash your hands regularly, use a face covering when social distancing is not possible and try to keep your distance from those not in your household.

"Following these simple steps could make a significant difference in reducing the transmission of Covid-19 and help protect you and your friends, colleagues and family from the virus."

 

Covid cases are currently on the rise but as yet there has not been a visible corresponding spike in mortality rates, although this could change at any time as things develop.

The new message which is to be launched today (Wednesday 9th September) will be used as the country heads into the colder months which are commonly known to see large spikes in seasons flu.

With infection rates increasing in some parts of the country, new sweeping laws are expected to be announced on Wednesday (9th September) which will see public gatherings restricted to no more than six people come into force on the following Monday (14th September).

However, there will be some exceptions made for Weddings, Funerals & some organised Team Sports.

Exceptions will also be made for where the gathering is for work or educational purposes.

A further exception will be permitted in cases where a large household bubble exceeds the six person limit.

The new laws will be enforced with £100 fines which will double with each infraction, with a maximum charge of £3,200.

The changes are being made to make it easier for the police to clamp down on illegal gatherings.

The Government is also expected to launch its latest public info campaign which will urge the message of 'Hands, Face, Space' in order to encourage people to maintain personal hygiene and hand washing.

These latest measures are in a direct response to the increasing infection rates which have affected the North of the country particularly badly.

It should be noted thought that as yet there has not been a corresponding change to the mortality rate, although this can change rapidly as more infections occur, bringing more and more vulnerable people into contact with the virus.

Despite low death rates it is still the responsible action to remain cautious and maintain social distancing measures until the data can be fully interpreted to understand what we are seeing.

Neighbouring Bolton has recently seen tighter measures put into place with bars and restaurants closed unless they provide a take-away service. The Greater Manchester borough has the highest infection rate in the country which its local council is blaming on younger generations failing to adhere to the social distancing guidelines.

A closure of businesses like this can have a huge detrimental affect on the Salford economy, which is why it is important to bring numbers down by continuing to maintain social distancing in order to stave off the threat of closures which would impact on businesses, no doubt causing closures and jobs losses.

In order to help advertise local jobs we have recently added a local database to our website in order to try and help get Salford back on its feet.

https://salford.media/jobs/thisweek/

A-Level & GCSE results are to be based upon teacher estimates rather than a controversial algorithm which saw many students given far lower grades than they would have gotten had they sat examinations.

The new grades will be awarded based upon teacher estimates based upon progress and expected grades.

This brings England inline with the rest of the UK after examinations were cancelled in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic.

This follows outrage after up to 40% of exam results were unfairly downgraded by regulatory body Ofqual which used a formula based upon the prior grades of schools. This did not take into count the forwards progress that some schools had made on the previous year.

The system previously used was widely condemned as it unfairly penalised some hard working students from lower achieving schools whilst benefitted those from higher achieving schools who did not do as well.

Chair of Ofqual and Education Secretary Gavin Williams has apologised for the stress which has been caused to students.

Meanwhile there have been calls for Mr Williams to quit.

Upon hearing the news, Salford Mayor - Paul Dennett, said via Twitter:

Quote

"Great that common sense has at last prevailed as government u-turns again, confirming A-Level & GCSE grades will be based on teacher assessments.

"Our young people shouldn’t have been put through this shambles, they deserve much better at this important juncture in their lives!"

Ministers have been put under pressure since grades were announced, the system had been described as shambolic with thousands of students marching upon London in protest.

In the midst of the dilemma, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has headed off to Scotland for a summer holiday, leaving Mr Williams to face the public.

Bernard Mathews has confirmed the triumphant return of one of its most famous and much beloved products: The famous Turkey Twizzler.

The twisted meat product was dropped from the company line after a campaign by rampant school dinner wrecker, Jamie Oliver.

The celebrity chef who once owned a string of failed restaurants which went into administration with the loss of over 1000 jobs, was the driving force in removing the much loved product from the super market shelves and school dinner menu after he claimed they were bad for children's health. To be honest they kind of were and he did have a point, we still don't like him though.

But now Bernard Mathews is relaunching the revamped product with double the turkey content of the original, lower salt, fat and sugar to make them much more healthier than before.

The eventual goal is to see the product returned to the school canteens up and down the land.

David Leigh, marketing director at Bernard Matthews, said:

Quote

 

“We have been discussing the return of the Twizzler for some time,”

“Obviously we'd like the product to go into schools, but for the minute, we've focused on going into what I guess you'd call mass market retail.

"The old Turkey Twizzler had 137 kcal, while the new version contains 87 kcal.

“If you look at our product now and let's say you compared, say, two pork sausages to two Twizzlers, there's 83 per cent more saturated fat in two average pork sausages compared to two Twizzlers,” he said.

“So we have spent a lot of time making sure that we are delivering a healthy, a significantly healthier, product than it was before. It is very much a different product.”

 

The Twizzlers will be available via supermarkets from the 20th of August, starting with Iceland.

They will be priced at £3 for a pack of eight.

However, food experts have raised doubts over the relaunched products nutritional claims.

Barbara Crowther of the Children’s Food Campaign said:

Quote

 

"The fact it’s taken Bernard Matthews 15 years to reformulate the Turkey Twizzler shows what a truly terrible product it used to be.

"Doubling the turkey content still only takes it to 67-70 per cent meat content, and while it’s a healthier version of its former self, it remains an ultra-processed product.

"We recommend sticking to fresh, whole, free-range and/or organic turkey, low-fat, high in protein and with no added sugars at all.”

 

Pensioners in Salford will have already started to receive notification letters from TV Licencing that they will need to provide proof that they qualify for Pension Credit in order to maintain eligibility for a free over 75's licence.

The deadline was postponed from the end of May until the end August as a result of the coronavirus pandemic impacting on staffing levels. Letters should already have started to drop through letter boxes of pensioners in Salford and with the current licences due to expire at the end of this month, time is of the essence if you are lucky enough to be able to apply to continue receiving the concessionary licence.

Those who do not qualify for pension credit will now be faced with paying the cost of an annual licence which currently stands at £157.50, a hefty price for some who have increasingly had to rely on their televisions for news and updates as they shielded during lockdown.

Age UK has drawn criticism as it was revealed that in order to provide proof of the benefit, elderly people would have to venture out to the post office to photocopy their entitlement letters and post a return them in an envelope, with no option available to do so online.

The charity says that this will force pensioners who remain shielded to venture out, putting themselves at unnecessary risk of exposure to the virus at a time when infection rates are increasing again across the UK. 

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said:

Quote

 

“The last thing anyone in the BBC or Government wants, I am sure, is to add to the risks of any older person contracting this deadly virus and yet, as it stands, the BBC’s replacement scheme looks like doing precisely this. 

“That’s because the new process it envisages will force some older people out and about to get their pension credit documents photocopied, or lead to them hosting a visit from staff whose job it is to help them to complete the new forms. 

“Both these activities go against the current guidance for older people who are shielding and that’s because they increase the risk of infection. The more these activities can be avoided the better, for as long as coronavirus continues to circulate in our society. 

“For both moral and public health reasons free TV licences for our over-75s should be retained.”

 

Meanwhile it has emerged that scammers have been targeting the elderly. Trading standards across the whole UK have warned elderly people to be on guard for fake emails purportedly from TV Licencing which demand immediate payment or ask that people update their personal financial details.

If you receive and email asking for this then it is fraudulent as TV licencing will never ask customers to do this.

These emails are easily spotted as they often omit any personal details and usually start with the words Dear Customer rather than the customers actual name.

You should never provide any financial details to anyone who you do not know.

Her Majesty the Queen has upgraded former Captain Tom Moore to a Colonel in celebration of not only his 100th Birthday but also in honour of his phenomenal fundraising for the NHS.

The veteran set out to raise a thousand pounds for the NHS by a sponsored walk around his garden using his Zimmer Frame 100 times, he far surpassed that amount as floods of donations came rolling in. He was informed of the promotion in a letter presented by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Miller, of the 1st Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment, which also awarded him the prestigious annual Regimental Medal.

With the nation struggling during the coronavirus pandemic, it needed a hero to shine a light and guide us through and a hero is exactly what we got. Colonel Tom not only captured the hearts and minds of the nation with his plucky resilience but he inspired generations of people with his fundraising efforts which have so far raised a staggering £29m for the NHS, and that number keeps rising.

To mark his special occasion, there will be two flypasts of his home in his honour, the first from the Army Air Corps helicopters and the second by two symbols which stir pride and emotion in our nation, a Spitfire and a Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith who holds the position of Chief of the General Staff, said that Tom would be an inspirational role model to generations young and old as he made the appointment official, making Tom the first Honorary Colonel of the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.

Speaking of turning 100, Colonel Tom said,

Quote

 

'It's strange - one day I am 99 and then the next I am 100. To be honest, I don't feel any different, and there is plenty of life in the old dog yet I am sure.

'If it wasn't for my leg I would be outside in the garden, but I know I am extremely lucky.'

 

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of well wishers sent birthday cards from all across the globe to help the Colonel celebrate his special day. The local post office was inundated with cards and packages from adoring members of the public and there were so many they had to be displayed in a local church hall.

After advice given on Thursday by the electoral commission, the UK Government has announced that May's local and mayoral elections in England will be postponed for a year in order to mitigate the impact of Corona Virus.

This will now mean that the 'All Out' Salford Council Elections will not take place on May 7th as planned.

The watchdog has deemed it to be too risky to hold the elections at that time and the Government now seemingly agrees as it is thought that the virus will hit its peak in the month of May. 

This is not the first time that polls have been called off, in 2001 the elections were cancelled in some areas due to foot and mouth disease. 

Elections will now take place in 2021.

The BBC has announced it is to increase the annual cost of its colour TV licences from £154.50 to £157.50, a rise of £3.

For those still watching the world in glorious monochrome, they will see a £1 rise which will take the cost from £52 to £53.

The new changes will come into force on the 1st of April with some claiming the corporation is treating the public as fools after just last year announcing it was to means test FREE licences for those over 75-years-old.

Campaigners for the over 75 groups affected by the changes have slammed the increase, although the level of the corporations fee is set by the government who told them that it must only rise win inflation from 2017, the BBC can not raise it higher than the cap allows.

In recent weeks the BBC has announced it is to scrap up to 450 jobs in its news department in order to make £80m in savings over the coming five years. It has also scrapped headliners such as the popular Victoria Derbyshire show from its roster.

The BBC says it needs to make the cuts in order to save £800m per year from its annual takings of £3.7bn.

The company affectionately known as Auntie has come under heavy criticism over the past few years as spiralling pay packets for its stars have been publicly revealed and the quality of some of its shows reportedly lacklustre.

Campaign groups say that the fee should be scrapped and the company be made to live in the 'Real World' like other broadcasters have to, one petition which has gained almost 400,000 signatures has called the fee 'Daylight Robbery' and an 'Enforced Tax' which puts an ever increasing burden on the poor.

The fee was introduced back in 1923 but in this day and age many think it is no longer relevant and that the company should be forced to compete fairly with the rest of the broadcasters in the country.

MP's have recently called for an end of prosecutions in courts for those who do not pay the fee, they state that by decriminalising it the courts would be freed up to deal with other cases.

A loophole in the law means that many have cancelled their licence as they don't legally need to have one.

If you do not watch Live TV either over the air or online at time of broadcast or any of the BBC's own catch-up services iPlayer, then you do not legally require to hold a licence. 

So long as you are not watching or recording Live TV then you are perfectly legal to watch content from online streaming providers such as Netflix, Amazon and others.

It would seem that major supermarkets have been caught short due to a main supplier of cat litter going into administration leaving feline friends with empty shelves. Some stores have not had supplies since before Christmas.

Popular brand Bob Martin, who produce Felight cat litter, as well as the Clear and Clear Plus flea, tick and worming treatments,  went into administration last November after running into financial difficulties earlier in the year.

The problem is that the manufacturer was also a major supplier of super market chains with their own-brand products which many stores are now running short of, with some already out of stock leaving customers reaching for the old newspapers.

The problem is soon to be rectified though so there is no need to rush out and panic buy, Bob Martin was bought out by Pet Choice who have attributed the shortages to problems to clerical and admin issues in transferring listings. Bob Martins own-brand products should once more be returning to the shelves with normal supplies resuming at the end of the month, until then Mr Biggles-worth always has next doors lawn.

There are also alternatives like sawdust, sand, ashes (Not Grannies) and if you get real desperate, plain old common garden dirt.

The controversial scheme to introduce age checks in order to protect minors from accessing pornography on the internet were shelved indefinitely after heavy criticisms were made over their effectiveness as well as the implications it would have on users privacy.

This has now been quietly dropped by Nicky Morgan, the secretary of state for digital after years of technical troubles and concerns from privacy campaigners.

https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-10-16/HCWS13/

Freedom campaigners feared it would mean that personal information could be breached and used for fraud and blackmail. They cited that there was a real posibility that information could be misused as it would mean that viewing habits would be linked to the ID.

Under the proposed new laws it would have meant that websites with a third of their content deemed to be adult, would have to make users prove they are over 18 in order to access them.

Failure to do so would have led to some sites being blocked in the UK as well as de-listed and de-monitised.

One option was to use a credit card to show proof of age but not everyone has one and so an alternative way suggested of providing the proof needed was to obtain a 'porn pass' costing £5 from a local newsagents, this was heavily critisised as it would have caused huge embarrassment. The pass would offer anonymity online but would have still meant that the person purchasing it would have had to show proof of identity to the shop keeper.

Additionally it would have meant that age verification websites would have held personal information on those purchasing the passes which could have implications for their security.

Not everyone was happy with the decision though as Tony Stower, head of child safety online and innovation for the NSPCC, said,

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"The delay in implementing curbs on porn viewing was disappointing.

"It is also imperative that the vehicle used to achieve protection for children from pornography is robust and effective.

"The Government cannot drag its feet on this."

 

The 178 year old beleaguered travel firm Thomas Cook has 'ceased trading with immediate effect' after eleventh hour talks broke down prompting Britain's oldest travel operator to fold.

The collapse has left an estimated 100,000 Britons stranded abroad and across the nation up to a million more face holiday cancellations.

Manchester Airport has warned those set to fly out today to stay at home as flights as the tour operators flights are now grounded.

The task of repatriating those stranded abroad has been dubbed 'Project Matterhorn' and the government has chartered 45 planes in order to start bringing up to 150,000 holiday makers back home.

To make matters worse, the companies 21,000 staff now face an uncertain future, facing losing their jobs, 9,000 of those within the UK.

Holiday makers set to travel have been told to stay away from Airports as their flights and bookings are now cancelled.

Meanwhile those who have been left stranded face a lengthy wait for details about how they will eventually return home.

The closure of the tour operator was announced early this morning by the federal aviation authority (FAA), prompting Prime Minister Boris Johnson to announce that the Government had been asked to bail out the company with up to £150m of tax payers cash, which was refused, saying.

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"Clearly that's a lot of taxpayers' money and sets up, as people will appreciate, a moral hazard in the case of future such commercial difficulties that companies face.

 "It's a very difficult situation and obviously our thoughts are very much with the customers with Thomas Cook, the holiday makers, who may now face difficulties getting home. One way or the other the state will have to step in quite rightly to help stranded holidaymakers."

Manchester Airport has confirmed that 20 flights have been cancelled today with the final ever flight of a Thomas Cook plane landing earlier this morning.

As for getting back home, UK customers will be brought home "as close as possible" to their booked return date, the Department for Transport (DfT) has said, adding that a "small number" of passengers may need to book their own flight home and reclaim the costs.

The CAA has also been contacting hotels accommodating Thomas Cook customers, who have booked as part of a package, telling them that the cost of their accommodation will be covered by the government, through the Air Travel Trust Fund and Atol scheme.

If you are on a package holiday then you will be covered by the Atol scheme  which will pay for your accommodation abroad, although you may have to move to a different hotel or apartment during your extended stay. Atol will also pay to have you brought home if the airline is no longer operating.

If you have a future holiday booked then you will also be refunded by the scheme. If you have booked a flight-only deal you will need to apply to your travel insurance company or credit card and debit card provider to apply for a refund.