Company who funded First Minister’s leadership campaign granted £400,000 Welsh Gov loan

More questions are being asked over Vaughan Gething’s judgement, as recent Companies House records show that ‘Dauson Environmental Group’ received a £400,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales (DBW).

The loan was acquired whilst Gething served as Welsh Economy Minister and granted on the basis of building a solar farm.

Atlantic Recycling, which is connected to Dauson Environmental Group and controlled by David Neal, donated £200,000 to Gething’s leadership campaign earlier this year.

The DBW is owned and used by the Welsh Government to provide economic support to businesses.

Neal Soil Suppliers, a subsidiary of the Dauson Environmental Group, acquired the £400,000 loan whilst Gething was Economy Minister, a role which has the DBW under its portfolio.

In a letter addressing the current Economy Minister Jeremy Miles, Shadow Minister Samuel Kurtz MS questioned whether "companies run by David Neal needed to borrow £400,000, if they were in a position to donate 200,000 to Vaughan Gething - who was the Minister responsible for the Development Bank of Wales, at the time".

Kurtz added: ‘‘Given that the Welsh Government owns 100 per cent of the shares of DBW, this calls into question the independence of their financing decisions, the use of public funds and the influence of the then-Economy Minister."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• 'How did we come to have this great devotion to a particular Roman saint?'
• 'Why would we trust Starmer on Brexit?!' Carole Malone hits out
• Britons will be able to use NHS algorithm to sign themselves off sick

Miles has not commented on the £400,000 grant yet.

However, Miles was questioned on Sunday regarding the £200,000 donation made to Gething’s leadership campaign, Miles who was Gething’s leadership opponent, admitted he would not have accepted the donation.

Plaid Cymru said the revelations show a serious lack of judgement from Gething and "questions around transparency and proprietary just keep piling up for the First Minister".

“He is seemingly being bankrolled by a man in debt to his own government – an astonishing state of affairs that is undermining Welsh democracy," the nationalist party added.

“The First Minister must make an urgent statement on the floor of the Senedd next week.

GB News has approached the Welsh Government for comment.

from GB News https://ift.tt/atkG0H3

'How did we come to have this great devotion to a particular Roman saint?' Jacob Rees-Mogg

You know, the great Shakespearean shout, Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George. But why Saint George? How did we come to have this great devotion to a particular Roman saint?

Well, the reason is medieval devotion. In the medieval period, people had a personal relationship with their saints.

They felt that they were intervening in their daily life day by day as a regular occurrence.

And if they were let down by their saint if they prayed, they asked for the intercession of a saint, and the saint didn't oblige. They would get quite cross.

So people had treasured relics of saints, and if their prayers weren't answered, there were reports of them throwing them on the floor and stamping on them because they were cross like a toddler with a saint who hadn't obliged.

Saint George becomes the patron of England because he's seen or was seen to have delivered. Some people believe that William the Conqueror had the banner of Saint George when he came over at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but he was certainly thought to be present early in the Crusades.

At the Battle of Antioch in 1098 and in Jerusalem in 1099, Saint George was there urging on and indeed rescuing the English, or indeed the Norman forces.

The inspiration of the saints is crucially important, and the invocation carries on.

Even in the First World War, the troops thought at times, and this is 1914, Saint George was there helping them, aiding them, inspiring them, and boosting morale. But it wasn't always going to be Saint George. Saint George wasn't the first patron saint of England before him.

It was Saint Edmund the Martyr, a ninth-century East Anglian, a saint who was killed by the Vikings, and Saint Edward the Confessor, who competed for this important role, and it was King Edward III who decided that it would be Saint George because he established his chivalric order, the order of the Garter, which even to this day, to this year, makes announcements of new appointments on Saint George's Day, is still dedicated to Saint George.

The King is still head of the Knights of the Garter, and Edward III set that up as his chivalric order. Edward IV, and set up his great chapel at Windsor to Saint George.

Interestingly, when the Protestants came in and they got rid of these saints, they abolished the order of the saints. They kept Saint George. So, Saint George remains this extraordinary figure in our national story and our island story, but very much as an English saint.

So who was he? Well, he's thought to have been martyred in about the 300 under Diocletian. His works were recorded in a very famous book, The Golden Legend.

Legend meaning story rather than fable who was a medieval scholar.

What happened with Saint George? So, a city called Silene in Libya is terrorized by a dragon which infests a vast lake and must be fed if it is to be kept away. Note the connection of the dragon with water.

This is the essential water of life and of baptism. The dragon is the enemy of true faith, and at first, the dragon is given sheep. But these run out and the citizens resort to feeding it a man and a sheep.

And then at the King's command, they start feeding it young people, and the lot falls upon the King's daughter. And the King tries to get out of this, but the people won't have it, and his daughter is sent to feed the dragon.

But, behold, Saint George rides by.

He rescues the princess and the maiden, takes the dragon by her girdle into the city, where George slays it, refuses all honour and will not marry the daughter because he is a celibate, a holy man, and the city is saved.

The dragon is slain and they all live happily ever after. That was Saint George, and you'll be glad to know.

As with all good things, it's thought he went to Glastonbury in Somerset.

from GB News https://ift.tt/MpRxdNl

Sunak's defence pledge sets trap for Starmer

On the plane from Warsaw to Berlin, Rishi Sunak was buoyant as he briefly chatted to the travelling pack. 

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/BNSjRWx

'They need it now': Sunak announces largest military package to Ukraine so far

Rishi Sunak is to announce a £500m military aid package to Ukraine in its war against Russia alongside the UK's largest provision of munitions so far.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/aGUOWYc

Lords push back on Rwanda bill again - despite PM declaring 'enough is enough'

The House of Lords has pushed the government's Rwanda Bill back to the Commons again as a row continues over the controversial plan to "stop the boats".

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/BiJa2r3

Sir Keir Starmer vows to protect Premier League's world leading status amid regulator concerns

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to work to protect the Premier League's status as the world's leading football competition, echoing some of its concerns about the introduction of a football regulator.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/Skn5BY1

SNP-led Scottish Government on brink of COLLAPSE as Greens ready to quit

Scotland's coalition government is at risk of collapse after the Scottish Greens announced a vote on their partnership with the SNP following a row over climate targets.

Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, said today that Scotland is "years behind taking action to reduce emissions" after it dropped its 2030 climate change goals, and admitted he did not know whether the coalition would continue.

The Greens have enjoyed a power-sharing agreement with the SNP - the Bute House Agreement - since August 2021, which gives the latter a majority in the Scottish Parliament when its 63 MSPs are combined with seven from the Greens.

Harvie said the vote on ending the coalition deal, slated for next month, would be the "most important" decision in the history of his party - and warned that backing out would strengthen opponents on climate issues like SNP backbencher Fergus Ewing, who has described the Greens as "hard left extremists who should never be anywhere near government".

The upcoming vote heaps even more pressure on Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf in the wake of the imposition of Scotland's controversial hate crime laws and the re-arrest of Peter Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive and Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, who is charged with embezzling funds from the party.

Yousaf has expressed confidence in the Greens voting to carry on in the coalition - but said the SNP would continue as a minority government if they withdrew.

With his party polling at near-decade-long lows, Yousaf faces rumours of senior nationalists weighing up his replacement - one insider, speaking to the Herald on Sunday, said: "It's a question now of when he goes, not if."

Speaking to the BBC, Harvie said focusing on targets is not enough, adding: "It's been clear for a long time now that Scotland is not on track to reach that target."

READ MORE FROM SCOTLAND:

• 'Get Humza OUT!' Pro-Union demonstrators rally against SNP as Scottish nationalists demand new referendum
  
• Scottish primary schools appoint children as young as FOUR as 'LGBT Champions'
  
• Police Scotland 'can't cope' as hate crime complaints set to outnumber total for ALL other offences with 8,000 in first week
  

The co-leader continued: "This is a moment that is critical for the future of climate policy in Scotland, which is, you know, the reason Greens are in politics in the first place.

"It's critical to the future of our party as well, and over the next few weeks we have probably the most important decision to make that we’ve ever had to make about the future of our party.

"My worry is that, if we if we walked away at this point, we would decelerate the climate action, we would see the hand strengthened of the likes of Fergus Ewing, backbencher in the SNP now, who’s constantly popping up and having a go at environmental policy and urging the Government to slow down."

But Scottish Conservatives chairman Craig Hoy took aim at both the SNP and Scottish Greens, saying: "Patrick Harvie takes no accountability for his party’s shameful record in Government.

"Both he and [Greens co-leader] Lorna Slater have spent the last three years pitifully trading environmentalism for nationalism to the fury of their members who now want out of this toxically incompetent coalition.

"Humza Yousaf is so weak that he has lost any authority he had, and even after the disaster they've been in Government, it's still the Greens calling the shots!

"If Humza Yousaf had any backbone, he would be pulling the plug himself on this shambolic deal which is harming Scotland's economy and jeopardising our oil and gas industry.

"Instead, he is at the mercy of the Green vote, and the coalition of chaos he inherited from Nicola Sturgeon is now hanging by a thread."

from GB News https://ift.tt/qKk8dG0

The Week... Rishi tries to save his skin

Two of Westminster's best-connected journalists, Sky News's Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard, guide you through their top predictions for the next seven days in British politics.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/mByQNaC

Ulez: Man says 'dog ATE two letters' informing him of fines

A driver has slammed TfL after a run-in with London's controversial Ulez scheme left him stressed and in thousands of pounds of debt - just for riding his motorbike.

Del Hudson, 54, from Richmond, West London, said he had ridden a 2000-plate Honda Fireblade for years, but didn't consider its lack of Ulez compliance when the zone was expanded in August last year.

When the 54-year-old had been fined the first time, he paid up, but said he assumed that future fines would be collected automatically after receiving an email from TfL informing him he had registered for a London Road User Charging account.

When he was fined four more times, Hudson - who was already in debt - had to watch as the overdue penalties skyrocketed, with one soaring to £2,000.

The motorcyclist said TfL had even issued a warrant which could have seen bailiffs come for his car, while the stress of the looming fines meant he "just didn't deal with it", and only added to the depression and anxiety from which he had suffered "since Covid".

Hudson even claimed that his dog "ate two of the letters", adding that if all seven of his fines had risen to £2,000, they would have totalled half of his annual wage.

But when TfL was contacted by a media outlet about the fines, the organisation made the shock decision to waive the penalties entirely in a "goodwill gesture".

Though Hudson said he believed the waiving of the fines was in an effort to make TfL "look good" and had "something to do with the election".

MORE ON ULEZ:

• Ulez revolt: The county bordering London where 75 PER CENT of fines remain unpaid
  
• Ulez leaves dad with £30,000 of fines just from 'taking children to school'
  
• Ulez: Drivers plot extreme ways to avoid being caught on Sadiq Khan’s enforcement cameras
  

The 54-year-old said even the lifting of the financial burden wouldn't be enough to convince him to vote for Sadiq Khan on May 2, and claimed average people "just can't survive at the moment" and the mayor was "not helping matters in any form or fashion".

A TfL statement read: "We are sorry for any distress caused to Mr Hudson. Following a review of his case, it is apparent that the fines issued to him were correct and followed our standard procedures in the absence of an Auto Pay account.

"As a gesture of goodwill, we have cancelled the outstanding fines and have advised him on how to set up Auto Pay."

Despite Hudson switching to driving his Ulez-compliant car, he said he thought he was now producing more carbon emissions due to his daily commute taking twice as long off the motorbike.

The 54-year-old dad claimed driving on four wheels was far more expensive than on two - but said public transport was not an option thanks to a lung condition which made walking difficult.

Since its rollout across the entirety of Greater London in August 2023 by Mayor Sadiq Khan, Ulez has seen significant backlash both inside the capital and on its borders.

The scheme penalises owners of vehicles which don't meet certain environmental standards with a £12.50 daily charge - which has been criticised as unaffordable and unsustainable.

GB News has approached the Mayor of London for comment.

from GB News https://ift.tt/rmeGH3O

Rishi Sunak pledges to keep child benefit cap if Tories win next election

Rishi Sunak has revealed he will keep the two-child benefit cap if the Conservatives win the next election.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/tRfJHXP

What Liz Truss and Donald Trump have in common | Adam Boulton

Liz Truss has much more in common with Donald Trump than just the first three letters of his surname.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/XW6a2vs

Ulez: Drivers may have to 'pay-per-mile' in order to meet net zero targets

Motorists could face pay-per-mile driving charges under London Mayor Sadiq Khan's plans to hit Net Zero targets, Tories have claimed, despite Khan having "ruled out" the option being enforced during his tenure.

The Mayor has spoken positively about a pay-per-mile system in the past - which could see the end of the Ulez scheme altogether - and though he has shut down suggestions of actually implementing it, Khan has locked horns with Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall ahead of London's elections on May 2.

Conservatives have highlighted how the mayor's official transport strategy includes a commitment to "investigate proposals for the next generation of road-user charging", and have said that Khan's 2030 Net Zero targets in the capital are reliant on such measures.

The Mayor proposed the 2030 target in 2020, before enshrining it in his 2021 re-election manifesto.

This year's manifesto, published on Thursday, says: "We have an ambitious target of making London a net zero-carbon city by 2030 - faster than any comparable city".

Khan had previously commissioned research by sustainability consultancy firm Element Energy, which published a report on potential "pathways" to carbon neutrality in January 2022 - which said that "all scenarios would benefit from London-wide road user charging being introduced as early as possible", and described charging as "one of the key early building blocks of any package".

The pathway the Mayor chose - an "accelerated green" pathway - requires "London-wide road-user charging" from the "mid-late 2020s" in order to reach Net Zero.

In a formal response to the report, Khan said: "The scale of reductions required - a 27 per cent reduction in vehicle kilometres according to the 'accelerated green' scenario - is only possible with some form of road user charging.

MORE ULEZ MADNESS:

• Ulez revolt: The county bordering London where 75 PER CENT of fines remain unpaid
  
• Ulez: Drivers plot extreme ways to avoid being caught on Sadiq Khan’s enforcement cameras
  
• Ulez leaves dad with £30,000 of fines just from 'taking children to school'
  

"Such a system could abolish all existing road user charges - such as the Congestion Charge and Ulez (Ultra Low Emission Zone) - and replace them with a simple and fair scheme where drivers pay per mile, with different rates depending on how polluting vehicles are, the level of congestion in the area and access to public transport."

But when questioned by Conservative London Assembly Member Emma Best on pay-per-mile last year, Khan was bullish in shutting down claims he would implement such a system, stating: "I want to be crystal clear. A pay-per-mile scheme is not on the table and not on my agenda. I will not move the goalposts on Ulez emission standards."

Tories have also flagged that Khan’s 2023 book, Breathe, states: "we have plans to introduce a new, more comprehensive, road user charging system."

In response to those claims, Hackney Labour councillor Mete Coban said Breathe was a "personal book... Not the manifesto for London", addiing that "Sadiq has ruled out pay-per-mile for now".

But Susan Hall told the Telegraph there was "no doubt that he will put [pay-per-mile] in", adding: "We've seen all the evidence."

A spokesman for the Mayor said: "Sadiq has repeatedly and categorically ruled out pay-per-mile for as long as he is mayor.

"It will not be introduced in London, despite misleading statements from the Tories saying otherwise.

"The road-user charging scheme was originally proposed by Boris Johnson as Mayor and by Rishi Sunak as Chancellor... Sadiq has repeatedly ruled out any such scheme while he is Mayor."

from GB News https://ift.tt/QePGMOX

US agrees multi-billion-dollar aid package for Ukraine after MONTHS of pleading from Zelensky for help

The US House of Representatives has voted in favour of a multi-billion-dollar military aid package for Ukraine after months of delays.

Lawmakers passed the bill by 311 votes to 112, with the Senate expected to approve the measures over the next few days - while President Joe Biden has already pledged to enshrine it in law.

Despite all 210 House Democrats voting in favour of the $61billion (£49billion) aid package, more Republicans voted against the legislation than for of it, at a split of 112 to 101.

The aid marks a significant boost for the embattled Ukrainian military and their country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has seen his armed forces struggle increasingly against Russian aggression over the last few months.

But commentators have warned that if Republicans gain more power in Congress - or take back the White House - in November's presidential election, Ukraine may face a withdrawal of US support.

Reacting to the news, President Zelensky said: "I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track.

"Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it.

"The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger.

MORE ON UKRAINE AND THE US:

• Trump's hand-picked RNC chair includes Ukraine alongside China and Iran as US adversaries
  
• 'Putin would have never invaded Ukraine with me': Donald Trump on Russia's war - 'Putin made a fortune on oil'
  
• Putin's oil depots hit by Ukraine kamikaze drones sparking huge explosions
  

"Just peace and security can only be attained through strength. We hope that bills will be supported in the Senate and sent to President Biden’s desk. Thank you, America!"

When it became apparent that the aid package had been passed, supporters in the chamber - who had been pushing for the bill to be passed for months - stood to clap, cheer and wave Ukrainian flags.

Alongside the aid promised to Ukraine, Congress also passed a funding package for Israel which would see the key US ally strengthened by $26billion (£21billion) worth of military and humanitarian assistance.

Taiwan, also under mounting threats from China, is also set to receive further US assistance after the House voted through a $8.2billion (£6.6billion)-valued security package.

Ahead of the measures' passing, a White House statement said: "The world is watching what the Congress does. Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment."

In total, the bills provide $95billion ($77billion) of aid: $60.84billion (£49billion) to address the conflict in Ukraine, including $23billion (£18.5billion) to replenish US weapons, stocks and facilities; $26billion (£21billion) for Israel, including $9.1billion for humanitarian needs, and $8.12billion (£6.6billion) for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

Republican speaker Johnson, who has seen scathing opposition from within his party to any further assistance to Ukraine, said: "It's not the perfect legislation, it's not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House, the Senate, and the White House.

"This is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances to take care of these really important obligations."

from GB News https://ift.tt/KUOtTGe

Mel Stride reacts to Israel's act of aggression in Iran: 'Has a right'

Tory MP Mel Stride speaks out after Israel's act of aggression in Iran, saying the country has a right to defend itself.

WATCH THE CLIP ABOVE

from GB News https://ift.tt/5vTdkNe

Police 'reviewing information' about ex-Tory MP Mark Menzies after alleged misuse of funds

Police say they are reviewing "information" about former Conservative MP Mark Menzies after Labour asked for an investigation into claims he misused party funds.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/JhamknH

Man sets himself on FIRE outside Trump trial in New York leaving onlookers terrified

A person has set themselves on fire outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's hush-money trial has been taking place.

The man was engulfed in flames for more than three minutes before a police officer sprayed a fire extinguisher on the ground.

The person received medical attention and was taken from the area on a stretcher.

Police quickly taped off the scene of the incident as smoke lingered in the air.

One witness said: "I see a totally charred human being."

The courthouse in New York City is already under heightened security given the former President's presence in the courtroom each day.

Police say the man is in a critical condition.

A witness said he first heard the man throwing pamphlets into the air, then saw him douse himself from a can and light himself on fire.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Biden staff 'refer to Trump as 'Hitler pig sleepy' sparking huge backlash
• Donald Trump takes PHONE CALL from inside court as trial begins
• Trump arrives at court - 'This is an ASSAULT on America, I'm proud to be here!'

Other people at the scene said the man appeared to be calm before he doused himself with liquid.

The reason for the incident is currently unknown.

A pamphlet which was thrown by the man referred to "evil billionaires" and called on people to "expose this corruption."

The development came shortly after jury selection for the trial was completed, clearing the way for prosecutors and defence attorneys to make opening statements next week.

The 12 jurors, along with six alternates, will consider evidence in a first-ever trial to determine whether a former US President is guilty of breaking the law.

Trump is accused of covering up a $130,000 payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to keep quiet about a sexual encounter she says they had a decade earlier.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and denies any such encounter with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

from GB News https://ift.tt/PLSxlGg

Former senior civil servant accused officials behind small boats policy of 'harbouring racist views'

A former senior civil servant criticised some of the policymakers behind the illegal migration bill, accusing them of "harbouring racist views" about immigrants, it has emerged.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/rDZ73GF

Home Office worker arrested after 'trying to sell UK residency for £2,000 to asylum seeker'

A Home Office case worker allegedly tried to sell UK residency for £2,000 to an asylum seeker living in Northern Ireland.

The employee was arrested after being suspended by the Home Office.

It is alleged that the worker contacted a vulnerable man and asked for £2,000 in return for approving his refugee application.

Officers are now investigating the claims after being called in by the Home Office, which said that it expected "the highest standards" from its staff.

The victim, identified as Renas, said that he was contacted by a staff member employed as an asylum "decision maker" in the north of England.

In early March, Renas said he received a call where the person claimed that "95 per cent of people like you" have their applications rejected.

The employee reportedly suggested a direct payment would warrant success.

“He said I could be sure he would refuse my application,” Renas told the BBC. But if I could help him, he could help me and he asked for some money. He asked for £2,000.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Patel BLASTS Home Office for 'failed' asylum project as 70 migrants moved from ex-RAF base
• HMRC civil servants are gardening and playing video games while 'at work'
• Khan vows to end rough sleeping as homeless charities slam London 'DISASTER'

"He basically offered me a positive decision."

The former journalist initially thought it was "a total scam", but soon realised that the man worked at the Home Office.

Video footage has also been passed onto police which appears to show a person using a laptop which features the official Home Office software.

In a statement, Lancashire police said: "We can confirm we have arrested a man on suspicion of misconduct in public office, suspicion of money laundering, bribery, and computer misuse offences.

"Officers from Lancashire Constabulary alongside partners from the Home Office arrested the man, in his 30s, in the Ramsgreave area of Blackburn. An investigation remains in its early stages and enquiries are ongoing."

A Home Office spokesman said: "We expect the highest standards from our staff to ensure asylum claims are properly considered, decisions are sound and that protection is granted to those who genuinely need it.

"The member of staff was arrested and suspended. It would be inappropriate to comment further as the matter is subject to a live police investigation."

from GB News https://ift.tt/YUZxpmj