Bank of England spent £100K on summer party as country grappled with Brexit vote

Pic:The Governor of the Bank of England 
Business reporter(wp/es):

The Bank of England spent almost £100,000 of public money on its annual summer party at a time when the country was reeling from the Brexit vote, it has been revealed. 

A fortnight after the UK voted to leave the European Union,governor Mark Carney and around 2,500 Bank staff and their families partied at the annual summer sports day, spending £99,035 of tax payers' money. 

The Bank said it "carefully budgeted" for the Governors' Day party on July 10 which was held at its sports grounds in Roehampton, south west London. 

But details of its party spending come at an already difficult time for the Bank, with Mr Carney under political fire amid complaints he went too far in warning of the economic dangers of Brexit in order to bolster Remain during the referendum campaign.

Mr Carney has faced calls to resign after the Bank controversially warned Brexit could tip the UK into recession ahead of the vote, only to have rowed back on its gloomy predictions - most recently upgrading its forecasts for growth this year and next.

Costs of the Bank's summer party can be revealed following a Freedom of Information request by the Press Association.

The Bank said it spent more than £94,500 excluding VAT on food, entertainment and the venue for the summer event, with nearly another £4,500 on "other" costs.

The TaxPayers' Alliance branded revelations over the Bank's summer party as a "huge slap in the face to all those who have struggled under the Bank of England's policies".

Chief executive John O'Connell said: "Not only have savers had very little to celebrate over the last eight years because of rock bottom interest rates, but many will rightly be angry that staff are then spending huge sums of money on lavish parties for themselves.

"It would be right to consider these sensitivities when planning any future function."

The Bank said the Governors' Day is a "long-held tradition that is open to all employees - including members of the Monetary Policy Committee - including their families, with the aim of recognising their hard work and dedication".

It added: "The annual event is an important one for all Bank employees and the Bank strongly believes that this carefully budgeted event is worthwhile."

Woman dies after being hit by black cab in east London

Staff reporter(wp/es):

A 95-year-old woman has died after she was hit by a black cab in east London. 

The woman, a pedestrian, was rushed to hospital where she died on Sunday. 

Police were called to Longwood Gardens in Ilford at around 3.40pm on Friday.

Paramedics rushed to the scene after the woman was hit. 

The taxi driver stopped at the scene. 

Police say no arrests have been made.

Man and woman charged with attempted murder of police officer

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A man and a woman have been charged with attempted murder after the stabbing of a police officer in Bow. 

Andrew Beadie, 20, of Claremont Road, Basildon, and Janine Morris, 34, of Rainhill Way, Bow, were charged on Saturday with attempted murder and two counts of affray.  

Morris was also charged with assisting an offender. 

Police said the officer remained in hospital on Sunday with non life-threatening injuries.

The pair will appear in custody at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

A 17-year-old man who was also arrested on suspicion of attempted murder remains on bail until late January next year. 

The plain clothes policeman, aged in his 40s, was allegedly stabbed repeatedly in the stomach last week. 

He was knifed at least three times while on a covert operation targeting gangs in Bow.

The officer underwent major surgery but is said to be recovering well.

Zac Goldsmith refuses to rule out rejoining the Conservative Party

Pic:Zac Goldsmith
Political reporter(wp/es):

Zac Goldsmith has refused to rule out a return to the Conservative party. 

In an interview with Sky News the former mayoral candidate said he was “not thinking ahead that far.” 

Mr Goldsmith quit as a Tory MP in protest at the Government’sdecision to back a third runway at Heathrow. 

He tendered his resignation in October triggering a by-election in the south-west London seat. 

The Conservative Party said it would not contest the seat, amid claims it did not want to divide the Tory vote, risking a Liberal Democrat victory. 

The Liberal Democrats have fielded Sarah Olney in the by-election, which will take place on December 1. 

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday Mr Goldsmith refused to be drawn on whether he would consider re-joining the Conservative party, saying his sole focus was winning the by-election. 

He said: "Who knows if I will even stand in the next election. It would be the height of arrogance to start putting this one in the bag."

"I could join the Monster Raving Loony Party in five year's time.

"I am not thinking ahead that far.”

Mrs Olney has tried to shift the focus of the debate away from Heathrow and onto Brexit pledging to vote against triggering Article 50, the formal process for leaving the EU, if she is elected. 

Mrs Olney also said she would fight for another referendum on the terms of Brexit. 

She said: “It’s a second referendum but it’s not re-running the first referendum, it’s very much the next step.” 

Other contendents in the Richmond by-election are Howling Laud Hope, Monster Raving Loony Party; Maharaja Jammu and Kashmir, One Love Party; David Powell, independent; Dominic Stockford, Christian Peoples Alliance; Fiona Syms, independent; Christian Wolmar, Labour. 

Brexit Britons could pay fee to keep EU membership rights

Political reporter(wp/es):

Individual Britons could pay a fee to retain the benefits of EU citizenship after Brexit under plans being considered by MEPs.

The European Parliament's lead Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt said he supported the idea in principle, which would see UK citizens sending an annual fee to Brussels.

The former Belgian prime minister said Britons who voted Remain did not want to sever their links to the EU.

"Many say 'we don't want to cut our links'," he told The Times. 

"I like the idea that people who are European citizens and saying they want to keep it have the possibility of doing so. As a principle I like it."

Under the proposal, people who paid would still benefit from free movement, be able to live in other EU countries under existing rules and vote in the union’s elections.

MEPs will vote on the proposals by the end of the year, but any Brexit deal with the UK would have to have the agreement of the leaders of the other 27 EU nations as well as the parliament.

Brexit-backing Tory MP Andrew Bridgen warned that Brussels would attempt anything to prevent the UK leaving the the EU.

He told the newspaper: "It's an attempt to create two classes of UK citizen and to subvert the referendum vote. 

"The truth is that Brussels will try every trick in the book to stop us leaving."

Meanwhile, the Scottish and Welsh governments have set out their legal objections to Mrs May triggering Article 50 - the formal mechanism for leaving the EU - without seeking parliamentary approval.

The UK Government has appealed to the Supreme Court after judges ruled that MPs must be given a say before she can fire the Brexit starting gun.

But Scotland's Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC will argue that the consent of Holyrood should also be required before Mrs May can notify fellow EU leaders of the formal start of the process.

In a written submission to the Supreme Court, he said triggering Article 50 "cannot lawfully be made by an exercise of the prerogative alone" would require an Act of Parliament and would also require the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament. 

Counsel General for Wales Mick Antoniw echoed those views in a written statement, stressing that he was "not seeking to reverse the referendum result" but a new law would need to be passed at Westminster and Mrs May could not "short circuit" the requirement for the devolved institutions to give their consent.

The Supreme Court has also given permission for pro-Brexit group Lawyers for Britain to file written submissions on the case.

Teenage girl and boy knifed in west London

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A teenage girl and boy have been knifed in a double stabbing in west London.

Police were called to Greenway, Hayes, at 2.15am on Saturday after reports of a fight near the junction with Welbeck Avenue.

When they arrived, officers found a 17-year-old girl suffering from stab wounds.

She was rushed to hospital by ambulance and remains there in a stable condition. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, police say.

At the same time, an 18-year-old boy arrived at a central London hospital also suffering from stab wounds. He later discharged himself.

Police have arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of GBH with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.

He is currently being quizzed by detectives at a west London police station.

Greenway remained cordoned off by police for several hours on Saturday morning as officers investigated the stabbing.

Celebrity dog walker Lucy Kennedy, who appeared on The Apprentice, found dead

Pic:Lucy Kennedy was found dead 
Staff reporter(wp/es):

The director of a London dog walking company, who appeared on The Apprentice, has been found dead.

Lucy Kennedy, 56, owned Happy Dogs which trained, walked and groomed dogs in areas of the capital popular with celebrities including Bayswater, Belgravia and Chelsea.

The trained animal psychologist also appeared on TV shows including The Apprentice, It’s Me Or The Dog and The Wright Stuff.

She was found dead at an address in the village of Tetsworth near Thame, Oxfordshire, on October 31, The Sun reported.

The death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious, Thames Valley Police confirmed.

A former neighbour of Ms Kennedy, who lives in Bayswater, told the Sun she was a “lovely woman” and described her as a “local celebrity”.

An inquest into the death was opened and adjourned at Oxfordshire Coroners' Court earlier this month.