Briefing Friday: Leveling Up ‘Suture’ Favors Conservative Areas

Main article: ‘They are spending money for their own political gain’

Good morning and welcome to our Friday recap of the top stories, with me, Alison Rourke.

Accusations of “pork barrel policy” have been leveled at the government, after a fund aimed at boosting the UK’s most disadvantaged spots appeared to be overwhelmingly skewed towards conservative seats, despite its relative influx. The Guardian’s analysis showed that 93 English regions were ranked in the top priority group to receive money from the £ 4.8bn equalization fund, but 31 of them didn’t seem to justify being there based on their average deprivation score. Of those 31, 26 were represented entirely by Conservative MPs, and the rest had at least one Conservative MP. Richmondshire in North Yorkshire, where the local MP is Rishi Sunak, is at the highest level of funding. The Labor Party described the way the fund was allocated as “divide and rule” and one MP whose area was excluded from the top tier called the decision “a seam.” Shadow Communities Secretary Steve Reed said it appears conservatives were “trying to use taxpayer money to shore up their own votes at the local level, rather than address the deep-seated inequalities that exist in our country. as a result of what they have done. ” done with 10 years of austerity “, adding:” They are spending money for their own political gain. “

Brexi – The EU has warned that it will take legal action “very soon” following a UK move to unilaterally delay the implementation of part of the Brexit deal related to Northern Ireland. European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič said the government’s announcement on Wednesday had been a “very negative surprise.” Britain has extended a series of “grace periods” designed to facilitate trade between Northern Ireland – which remains in the EU’s single market for goods – and the UK while permanent agreements are drawn up. Šefčovič told the FT that the European Commission was now working on an “infringement procedure”.

‘Give our Covid heroes a pay raise’ – Labor leader Keir Starmer has asked NHS staff to get more money after the government’s proposed 1% pay increase was described as “regrettable”. Starmer tweeted: “You can’t rebuild a country by cutting nurses’ salaries. Give away our Covid heroes a raise. “Royal College of Nursing Executive Director Dame Donna Kinnair said the government was” dangerously out of touch with nurses, NHS workers and the public “and could expect a” million-dollar backlash. NHS workers. “Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the board of the British Medical Association, said the proposed salary increase was” a complete abandonment of the government’s moral duty and obligation towards a workforce that keeps the NHS on its feet. and the patients alive. “

Net zero – Boris Johnson has failed to establish a plan for the UK to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions despite the government’s green rhetoric, a committee of parliamentarians found. Ministers fail to instruct their departments to take the net zero goal into account when setting policy, there has been little coordination between central and local government to achieve emissions reductions, and the public has not engaged, the public accounts committee said. in a report. published today.

Vulnerable victims – Up to 10,000 people facing long trial delays should be allowed to provide video evidence in an attempt to prevent them from being pulled out of the system, according to the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales. Dame Vera Baird warned of a collapse of confidence in the criminal justice system and an exodus of whistleblowers if unprecedented delays in trials are not urgently addressed. He accused the government of not being ambitious enough in its efforts to tackle a backlog of more than 50,000 criminal cases in the crown courts in England and Wales.

Meteorite in a haystack – Amateur astronomers in France have been urged to search for a meteorite that fell to Earth on Saturday night about 100 km from Bordeaux. The capture? It is only estimated to be the size of an apricot and weighs around 150 grams. Scientists say that because it fell so recently, it contains “very valuable information.” Mickael Wilmart of the astronomical education association A Ciel Ouvert (Open Sky) says that “you really count on people looking in your gardens, or on the side of the road, they might trip over this rock.”

Podcast Today in Focus: The Lawyer Who Fought to Free Guantanamo’s Most Valuable Detainee

Nancy Hollander has faced many difficult cases throughout her career, but none quite like that of Guantanamo detainee Mohamedou Ould Salahi. Brought from his home in Mauritania to the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba in 2002, he had already experienced a series of harsh interrogations in Jordan and Afghanistan. Now that he was in the hands of the Americans, he thought his experience could improve, but he quickly discovered that he was wrong.

Lunchtime Reading: A Forest for the City

One of the most famous stone courtyards in Europe will be dramatically transformed this summer when Somerset House in London is taken over by a forest of 400 trees. Set designer Es Devlin will channel enchanted forest ideas for the 2021 London Design Biennale. The installation, Forest for Change, will be the centerpiece of the biennial and part of a program that will highlight the role of design in addressing global challenges and crises. The forest will have trees of 23 types that are typically found in the UK and Northern Europe. There will also be a clearing where visitors can learn about the United Nations global goals for sustainable development, a plan to eradicate poverty, combat inequality and address the climate crisis.

Sport

Jurgen Klopp has told Liverpool players to “fight harder” and downplayed Mohamed Salah’s reaction to being substituted during the loss to Chelsea on Thursday. Ben Stokes described batting conditions during England’s Test series in India as the toughest he has faced in his career, but admitted his first-inning total of 205 in the fourth and final Test in Ahmedabad, which continues today. , felt somewhat below average. More than two-thirds of UK parents believe their children have become less active during the pandemic, new research has found, putting more pressure on schools before they reopen next week. Three members of the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board referral committee will meet today to impose punishment on trainer Gordon Elliott, who was photographed straddling a dead horse in his gallop. Tiger Woods told officers who responded to his accident last week that he did not know how the accident happened and did not recall driving. Warren Gatland has assured potential British and Irish Lions contenders for the Saracens that their selection prospects will not be hurt by the lack of recent high-level club rugby. Pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw has missed five events this season, which could cost her thousands of dollars in prize money, but now she’s looking to medals instead of money. Russian Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin, who will make his Haas debut this season, has said he made a big mistake by inappropriately touching a woman. And world football has widely rejected the opportunity to introduce concussion substitutes into the game, with only five countries, including England, testing the measure.

Deal

Beleaguered global financier Greensill Capital has come close to collapse after a court in Australia released documents casting doubt on its insurance of $ 10bn (£ 5.55bn) of loans issued to its clients. Greensill, which employs thousands of people in the UK, Europe and Australia with David Cameron as an advisor, could lose coverage on the loans after it was alleged that the contracts were issued by an employee who “overreached his authority. ” The FTSE100 is expected to open lower by more than 1% this morning after an overnight selloff in Asia amid alarm that a surge in US bond yields could lead to higher interest rates. high. The pound is buying $ 1,388 and € 1,154.

The papers

The chancellor is the target of several of today’s covers. the guardian sprinkles with “Sunak under fire as NHS staff offered a 1% pay raise,” saying the chancellor is under increasing pressure to provide more money for the NHS and distressed households. the IThe clue is: “The fury of the NHS when the heroes of the pandemic get a 1% pay increase.” the Mirror he echoes that sentiment, with “Insult to NHS heroes.” the Times puts a different spin on the budget with: “The tax raid budget bounces Johnson in the polls,” saying the Conservatives have opened a 13-point lead over Labor.

the Telegraph it leads what it calls “Europe’s sea change on the Oxford vaccine,” highlighting Germany’s “latest twist” on the AstraZeneca jab, while Italy blocks a shipment of doses to Australia. the Fast He says, and the health secretary is confident that the launch of the vaccine will pave the way for UK holidays, “UK holidays are on … but at a price.” the FOOT gives weight to “Deliveroo seeks a valuation of 10 billion dollars.” the Mail splashed with “PM fears Carrie’s No10 decor could cost £ 200,000.”

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