Man killed in 'BMW' hit-and-run in Aldgate

Staff reporter(wp/es):
A man has died after being knocked down by a car in a hit-and-run in east London.

The 59-year-old was struck by a vehicle while walking along Mansell Street in Aldgate on Tuesday night.

Emergency services were scrambled to the scene just before 11.30pm and paramedics rushed him to hospital, police said.

Despite the efforts of the medics, he died in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The driver of the car, thought to be a silver or grey BMW 1-series, did not stop at the scene.

In statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “Officers are appealing for anyone who has seen, or has information about, a car like this with extensive damage to its bonnet and windscreen, to contact them.

“They are also keen to hear from anyone who witnesses the collision, or who has any information about it.”

Teenager died near London Eye from allergic reaction to street food

Pic:Owen Carey, 18, with father Paul
Staff reporter(wp/es):

A schoolboy died from a suspected allergic reaction after eating a piece of grilled chicken during a trip to London to celebrate his 18th birthday.

Owen Carey, 18, fell ill as he walked by the London Eye with his girlfriend and was rushed to nearby St Thomas’s Hospital after being given first aid by members of the public.

He was on his way to the Sea Life Aquarium after visiting the Star Wars exhibition at the O2 earlier in the day as a surprise gift from her for his birthday. 

The popular pupil, a prefect at The Skinner’s School in Tunbridge Wells, was pronounced dead 45 minutes later at 4pm on Saturday at St Thomas’s Hospital.

His father Paul Carey today revealed his youngest son was believed to have suffered an anaphylactic shock from a “bit of plain grilled chicken” he had eaten from a restaurant while out during the day.

He paid tribute to his “truly wonderful, lovely son” and vowed to raise awareness of the risk of allergies and anaphylaxis that he believes robbed him of his son.

“Owen was full of life and full of fun and he is going to be sorely missed by many people,” he said.  

“He was just a wonderful, bright boy who was going to do so much with his life and now he is gone. I don’t know how we will go on. He had suffered throughout his life with allergies and there was always a risk that something might happen and unfortunately it did.

as careful about what he ate, and if it was just plain-grilled chicken it should have been ok. We are still waiting for the result of tests to find out more.”

Owen, a keen guitarist, cyclist, climber and skier who lived with his mother in Crowborough, Sussex, has suffered from multiple allergies all his life, including to spices, peanuts, milk and wheat. 

He normally carried an EpiPen to be used in the case of a severe reaction but had forgotten to bring it out with him that day. He had never suffered a severe reaction before.  

The teenager had been offered a place at Swansea University to read computer science, where he planned to go in September after taking his A-levels this summer.

In a heartbreaking Facebook post Mr Carey wrote: “This time last week I was saying goodbye to my younger son, Owen, as he went off from Plymouth on the coach back home to Sussex. Today, a week later, I have to start preparing myself to say goodbye to him for ever.

“On Saturday just gone, shortly before 4pm, Owen died, in front of the big wheel that is the London Eye, of an anaphylactic reaction to something he had eaten at lunchtime.

"He died with his girlfriend beside him. Paramedics and others tried to help, but it was all in vain.”

Mr Carey said that he had recently celebrated Easter with his son at his new home in Cornwall, just weeks after the teenager had turned 18 and he turned 60.

He said: “I felt so full of life then, but just now, I really, really do feel so empty, and it is going to be a struggle in these next few days, weeks and months, to come to terms with what has happened.

“A stupid bit of ‘plain grilled’ chicken cooked the wrong way has robbed me of my son, and I will never, ever, be able to replace him. He has gone forever.” 

Claire Gilbert, a mother who works on the London Eye, wrote: “I was working at the eye on Saturday and saw what happened. I saw my team members attending to him along with the paramedics.

“I can’t imagine what you’re feeling being a mum myself. After my shift I gave my oldest son a huge cuddle. My thoughts are with you and his loved ones and this very sad time.”

Edward Wessen, head teacher of the Skinner’s School, said: “It is with huge sadness that we note Owen’s passing. Our first thoughts are with his family who will be numb with grief at losing someone so young and with so much potential. 

“He was hoping to go to Swansea University to read computer science and would have made a fine undergraduate. 

“He was a quiet but popular individual with an excellent sense of humour. He had a close knit group of friends and was much valued here as a prefect in our coding club.”

Mr Carey said he wanted to share the news of his son’s death to raise awareness of charities supporting people with allergies, such as anaphylaxis.org.uk

Theresa May 'a more popular leader than Thatcher or Blair

Pic:Sixty one per cent of people said Mrs May would be the most capable Prime Minister
Political reporter(wp/es):

Theresa May’s leadership score has soared higher than either Margaret Thatcher or Tony Blair enjoyed in their best years, an exclusive poll reveals today.

The Ipsos MORI survey shows the Conservatives on 49 per cent, with an extraordinary 23 per cent lead over Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour who are on 26.

And it reveals that support for Labour and the Liberal Democrats is “softer” than Tory support, with more of their potential voters saying they may change their minds by June 8.

But the most striking evidence that voters could deliver Mrs May an overwhelming victory is the revelation that she has the best score yet recorded by Ipsos MORI since the 1970s when the veteran pollsters began asking who would make “the most capable Prime Minister” among party leaders of the day.

Some 61 per cent chose Mrs May, with 23 per cent picking Mr Corbyn.

Three-times election winner Baroness Thatcher never came close - her best score was 48 per cent which she first hit in May 1983 on the eve of a landslide triumph against Michael Foot.

Labour’s most successful election winner Tony Blair touched 52 per cent in May 2001, just before he crushed William Hague in the general election.  

Mr Corbyn can take some comfort from not having the worst score recorded. Mr Hague slipped as low as 12 per cent before his defeat.

However, the research also found that the personality of the leader is seen as more important by the public at this election compared with in 2015. 

Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, this morning became the latest Cabinet minister to urge Tory backers not to be complacent in the face of forecasts of a landslide. 

According to the poll, the parties currently stand at Conservative 49 (+6); Labour 26 (-4); Liberal Democrats 13 (no change), Ukip 4 (-2). 

It is the biggest Conservative lead recorded since September 2008, and matches the lead they enjoyed in May 1983 when Mrs Thatcher won a 144 majority.

Overall, 63 per cent are “definitely decided” how they will vote, but over a third say they could still switch parties.  

Crucially, the Tory vote looks more solid, with 78 per cent of its supporters saying they are firmly decided.  

Only 56 per cent of Labour are as firm.Alarmingly for Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, 60 per cent of his supporters say they may in the end back a different party.

Brexit is the number one issue of the election, cited as very important by 42 per cent. The NHS is second on 31 per cent, but comes first in the minds of Labour supporters. 

All the party leaders have had a boost in the monthly satisfaction ratings, but Mrs May is the only leader with a positive score. 

Over half of all voters are satisfied with her performance, including a remarkable 95 per cent of Tories.

Only 27 per cent of the public are happy with Mr Corbyn. Among Labour supporters, 53 per cent are satisfied and 36 per cent dissatisfied.

Just 30 per cent of the public are satisfied with Mr Farron, rising to two-thirds of Lib Dems.  But three in 10 people say they still don’t know enough about him to form a view.

Britons are less pessimistic about the economy this month. Four in 10 think things will get worse, while 28 per cent think they will improve.

Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI, said: “The Conservatives’ focus on leadership seems to be working for them – it was a key strength of theirs in 2015, and now their lead has increased even further. Voters also say leadership is a more important issue.

“The commitment of their supporters is also striking, compared with other parties.  This has all helped them to match their biggest lead we’ve ever recorded in an election campaign, back in 1983.”

Cash-strapped schools could buy cheaper photocopiers, says minister

Educational reporter(wp):

Labour MPs have criticised a Department for Education letter that suggests schools could make up their budget shortfalls by purchasing cheaper photocopiers or switching energy suppliers.

In a letter to the Labour MP John Cryer, who wrote to raise concerns about the funding shortfall for schools in his constituency, the schools minister, Nick Gibb, said the government recognised schools “are facing increasing cost pressures” and was advising schools about how to save money.

“Schools could save, on average, up to 10% by making use of our national energy deal and over 40% by using the national deal for printers and photocopiers,” the minister wrote. Other suggestions included following advice on better staff deployment from the Education Endowment Fund and the government’s school buying strategy.

Cryer said the comments showed the department was “living in a fantasy world, utterly divorced from the reality in our schools” and said one school in his constituency was due to lose £960,055 in real terms over the next four years.

Schools in Waltham Forest, part of Cryer’s east London constituency, face real-terms budget cuts of £21m between 2016 and 2020 – based on increased costs of £17m from unfunded new cost pressures, such as the government’s apprenticeship levy in addition to about £4.3m from changes to the national funding formula for schools, according to the local authority’s calculation.

“The government is clearly in complete denial about the impact its policies are having on schools,” Cryer said.

In the letter, Gibb said the government had protected the core budget in real terms overall and that it was the largest on record, totalling more than £40bn and due to increase to £42bn within two years as pupil numbers rose.

He defended the overhaul of the schools funding formula, which MPs across the house have claimed will mean their schools lose out. “The current funding system is based on data that is a decade or more out of date and does not support our ambition for all children to be able to fulfil their potential,” he said.

Gibb wrote that the DfE recognised the increasing cost pressures of staffing, including the “national living wage” increase and apprenticeship levy, and said recommendations on costs such as printing would help with savings.

Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, which borders Cryer’s Leytonstone and Wanstead constituency, said many of her local schools were facing real-terms cuts of up to 20%. “It is insulting that government ministers just dismiss these concerns by suggesting they could get cheaper photocopying,” she said.

“Investing in education is vital to our future success as a nation and these cuts will leave many of our schools here struggling. When they are wasting money on free schools and grammars at the same time as slashing the support for existing schools, the government must urgently think again about its education spending priorities.”

On Wednesday, the public accounts committee accused the DfE of an “incoherent and too often poor value for money” free schools programme while the existing school estate – much of which is more than 40 years old – is falling into disrepair. The report found that an estimated £7bn was needed to restore it to a satisfactory condition.

During its inquiry, the committee heard evidence from headteachers about the state of their buildings, with one describing how on windy days, dust from asbestos ceiling tiles would fall and students had to go to an emergency van to be decontaminated. The school has since moved into a new building.

24-year-old becomes fourth stabbing death in London in as many days

Crime reporter(wp):

A 24-year-old man has become the fourth person to be stabbed to death in London in as many days.

Police and paramedics found the victim at 7pm on Tuesday evening in Melody Road, a residential street in Wandsworth, south-west London, after reports of a stabbing. Despite the arrival of an air ambulance doctor, he was pronounced dead at the scene half an hour later.

A 30-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of murder several hours later and both remain in custody at a south London police station.

Witnesses told the Weastar Times the victim was stabbed in the throat after an argument between two groups outside a private school. One said his children’s au pair had tried to give first aid, but returned shaking and covered in blood.

“She saw the argument break out. There was lots of shouting and fronting up between the groups,” he said. “She didn’t see the knife, it was so quick, but the man collapsed in a pool of blood.”

Detectives from the Metropolitan police’s homicide and major crime command are investigating. They said they believed they knew the identity of the victim and next of kin had been informed.

The killing comes after a weekend of knife violence claimed the lives of three people, including a 17-year-old boy. Mohammed Hasan was chased down and hacked to death by a masked gang in Battersea in the early hours of Sunday morning, witnesses have said. There have been no arrests.

On Saturday afternoon, Damien McLaughlin, 42, of Cheshunt, was stabbed to death in Enfield. Omar Warner, 18, and an 17-year-old who can’t be named for legal reasons have been charged with murder.

Just after midnight on Monday a murder investigation was launched in Bow after a 60-year-old man was found dead with stab wounds.