Young man rushed to hospital after daylight stabbing outside Tesco Express

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A young man was rushed to hospital after being stabbed in broad daylight outside a Tesco Express in south-west London.

The victim, aged in his 20s, is thought to have been knifed by another male after an argument broke out on Garratt Lane in Earlsfield.

Police officers and paramedics were called to the scene at 5.40pm on Sunday.

The victim was taken to a south London hospital for treatment but police today revealed that his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The road was cordoned off and pictures from the scene showed police vehicles blocking traffic while officers investigated the crime scene.

Officers from Wandsworth CID are appealing for witnesses and information which could help them track down the alleged knifeman. There have not yet been any arrests.

Terrorism fears hit visitor numbers at London tourist attractions

Pic: London's most tourist attraction London eye. 
Staff reporter(wp/es):

Visitor numbers at some of London’s most popular tourist attractions plummeted last year over fears the city "might be next" for a terror attack.

It comes days after a horrific attack in the capital killed four and injured more than fifty as members of the public were mown by terrorist Khalid Masood on Westminster Bridge. 

Tourists were held inside carriages on the London Eye for three hours amid the attack as swathes of the Westminster was put on lockdown.

One million fewer people visited The British Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2016 compared with the previous year, according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva).

Tourist attractions across the capital saw an overall increase of just 0.1 per cent, whereas the UK average growth across 241 sites was 7.2 per cent, including 15.6 per cent in Scotland.

Bernard Donoghue, director of Alva, said terrorist attacks in Brussels, Paris and Nice had made some people reluctant to visit major cities.

He said: "There were some security fears about central London and city centre attractions, both on the part of overseas visitors and also UK domestic families.

"We did see a displacement out of central London for some people going to visitor attractions.

"Whilst there were some terrorism attacks on mainland continental Europe, there was also some concern among overseas visitors that London might be next."

It is also believed that the results in London were partly down to Southern Rail strikes, with research showing people from the south of England were concerned they wouldn't be able to get to the capital and back.

Mr Donoghue said that the UK referendum had a positive impact on visitor numbers as the fall in the value of sterling helped encourage a surge in visitors from September until the end of the year.

He added that there was “very little indication” that last week's attack in Westminster could lead to a cut in tourism trade in the capital.

Mr Donoghue said: "We've always been well regarded as being a safe destination and one that's always dealt well with security and terrorism concerns.

"All of our historical research indicates that if there's a one-off terrorist incident the market doesn't react at all, it's quite a muted reaction.

"There's much more significant reaction in cancellations if there's a similar sort of incident within a week or two weeks. Then you see a profoundly negative effect on tourism.

"So far we've seen very little indication of any cancellations or a fall in forward bookings to London and the UK."

The British Museum maintained its position as the most popular tourist attraction despite suffering a 5.9 per cent drop in visitors to 6.4 million, ahead of the National Gallery (up 6 per cent to 6.3 million) and the Tate Modern (up 23.9 per cent to 5.8 million).

The Royal Academy credited its 17 per cent increase to 1.3 million visitors to several exhibitions including Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse last spring.

A spokesman for VisitLondon said: “London continues to welcome record numbers of international visitors drawn by the capital’s world-renowned landmarks, culture and heritage.

"London’s visitor attractions recorded almost 67 million visits last year, almost half of the entire UK total, emphasising the importance of the capital to UK tourism.”

The 10 most popular visitor attractions in the UK last year and their percentage change in visitor numbers compared with 2015, according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions:

1. British Museum -5.9%

2. National Gallery +6%

3. Tate Modern +23.9%

4. Natural History Museum -12%

5. Southbank Centre -23% (The decrease was attributed to a partial closure of the venue due to refurbishment work)

6. Somerset House +6.4%

7. Science Museum -3.2%

8. Victoria and Albert Museum -12%

9. Tower of London -2%

10. Royal Museums Greenwich -0.2%

Westminster Bridge postponed after attack

Pic:Westminster Bridge
Staff reporter(wp/es):

Works aimed at making Westminster Bridge safer for pedestrians and cyclists have been postponed after last week's terror attack.

The bridge was due to get two protected bike lanes, while Transport for London (TfL) also planned a new pedestrian crossing on Westminster Bridge Road along with other improvements.

Once finished, the changes would see speed on the bridge cut back to 20mph.

Construction had been due to begin on Wednesday as part of a year-long project.

However, TfL revealed on Monday that the work was being placed on hold with no confirmed date yet for when it would start.

The decision was made in light of last week’s attack by extremist Khalid Masood, who mowed down pedestrians in a hire car before stabbing PC Keith Palmer to death outside Parliament.

Leon Daniels, Managing Director of Surface Transport at TfL, said: “Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those affected by the terrorist incident in Westminster.

“Works on and around Westminster Bridge were due to start next week to improve the area for cyclists and pedestrians, but we have temporarily postponed this work while we engage with a range of key stakeholders, including parliamentary estates.”

Once completed, the lanes will link directly into the East-West cycle superhighway. 

Segregated lanes have already been introduced on Southwark, Blackfriars and Vauxhall bridges.

Robots will 'take over third of British jobs in next 15 years'

Pic: A robot at a 'Robots' exhibition at the Science Museum 

IT reporter(wp/es):

Almost a third of UK jobs could be taken over by robots during the next 15 years, a study has claimed.

The report by PwC found that around 10 million workers are at risk of being displaced by automated machines as the robot revolution gathers momentum.

But the research also said that new Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies could boost production and generate more human jobs.

The UK reportedly has fewer jobs at potential risk of automation than in other countries including Germany, the United States and Japan.

Jobs in transport and storage, manufacturing and retail are most likely to be taken by robots, while the lowest risk jobs are teachers, health and social workers, the report said.

John Hawksworth, chief economist at PwC, said: "A key driver of our industry-level estimates is the fact that manual and routine tasks are more susceptible to automation, while social skills are relatively less automatable.

"That said, no industry is entirely immune from future advances in robotics and AI.

"Automating more manual and repetitive tasks will eliminate some existing jobs, but could also enable some workers to focus on higher value, more rewarding and creative work, removing the monotony from our day jobs.”

Employment Minister Damian Hinds said: "We have a resilient and diverse labour market in the UK, demonstrated by the latest record-breaking figures showing more people in work than ever before.

"Whether it's in cyberspace or on the shop floor, advances in technology bring new jobs. It's only right that we embrace these opportunities, support new skills and help more people get into employment to secure a workforce of the future."

EU will collapse if more countries follow UK and quit, says Juncker

Political reporter(wp/es):

The European Union could collapse if more countries decide to follow Britain and leave, the president of the European Commission warned today.

As the Government prepares to formally trigger Article 50 next Wednesday, Jean-Claude Juncker said other nations quitting the bloc would spark “the end”.

He stated that the upcoming talks would be “friendly and firm” but added “we are not naive”. He continued: “Britain is part of Europe so I am everything but in a hostile mood when it comes to Britain.

“But I don’t want others to take the same avenue because just suppose for one second that others would leave … two, three, four, five ... that would be the end.”

Expectations that Mr Juncker will adopt a tough stance towards Britain to deter others from leaving were dismissed. However, he confirmed  the UK would be slapped with a  £50 billion “divorce bill” .

In an interview with the BBC, he said: “There will be no sanctions, no punishment, nothing of that kind but Britain has to go and I suppose that the Government does know it. They have to honour the commitments and former commitments.”

Britain’s eventual payment would be calculated “scientifically” but it would be “around” £50 billion, he suggested. “It will be a bill reflecting former commitments by the British Government and by the British Parliament.”

The payment covers liabilities for projects the UK previously agreed to help fund, as well as pensions for EU officials who served during the period of its membership.

No 10 has described the letter Mrs May will send to start Britain’s two-year process of leaving the EU as one of the most important documents in recent history.

Mr Juncker, the former prime minister of Luxembourg, said that he would feel sad when it arrives. Asked by the BBC if he felt it signalled a failure, he agreed, adding: “It’s a failure and a tragedy”.

He also set out that one of his key negotiating priorities will be protecting the rights of the three million EU citizens currently living in Britain. This comes after the Tories voted down plans to include protections for EU citizens in their Brexit Bill. 

“It’s for me a priority,” he said. “It’s about people. I am strongly committed to preserve the rights of Europeans living in Britain and the British people living on the European continent. This is not about bargaining. This is about respecting human dignity.”

Tomorrow leaders of the 27 other EU members will meet in Italy to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which created the European Economic Community, the precursor of the EU. 

Signed by Italy, France, Belgium the Netherlands, West Germany and Luxembourg, the treaty was a major stepping stone towards European integration.

There will also be “March for Europe” rallies in Rome and London.  Organisers say they want to use the anniversary to “relaunch and complete Europe’s economic and political unity”.

NHS boss hails ‘gift’ of donated kidney after less than a year on transplant list

Health reporter(wp/es):

A hospital boss who underwent a kidney transplant after less than a year on the waiting list spoke today of the “amazing gift”.

Matthew Hopkins, 50, chief executive of Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS trust, was selected for a “pre-emptive” operation months before he faced being placed on daily dialysis. A friend had volunteered to donate a kidney but another kidney, for which Mr Hopkins was a good match, became available after the death of a donor.

He had the procedure at St George’s hospital in Tooting this month, hours after receiving an early-morning phone call telling him an organ was available. 

Kidney patients normally wait two and a half years for a transplant due to the shortage of donors. Last year 256 NHS patients died waiting for a kidney. Mr Hopkins said: “It’s an amazing gift. I just feel very, very lucky — and lucky from the point that it came so quickly. The normal waiting time is a minimum of two years. 

“In other communities, such as the black community, where kidney disease is more prevalent, or for South-East Asians, there is an even longer waiting time. I’m going to be very sensible in making sure I look after this kidney.”

Under transplant rules, Mr Hopkins knows nothing of the donor and the donor’s family are not told which patient receives the organ.

He inherited polycystic kidney disease and was facing the prospect of daily peritoneal dialysis, in which fluids are drained from the abdomen. Mr Hopkins said: “I have known I have this since 1993. The team at St George’s have kept a close eye on me. Because I’m fit and healthy, they were keen to do a pre-emptive transplant before I became dependent on dialysis.”

He praised the “excellent” treatment he received and was discharged four days after the hour-long operation. He expects to be off work for eight weeks. 

St George’s performs 130 kidney transplants a year. The process involves “re-plumbing” the third kidney into his body rather than removing one of his own kidneys. Sally Johnson, director of organ donation and transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Organ donation saves lives and we urge people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.”

Vigil to be held in Trafalgar Square tonight in memory of terror attack victims

Staff  reporter(wp/es):

Londoners will gather for a candlelit vigil in Trafalgar Square this evening in memory of the victims of the Westminster terror attack. 

Sadiq Khan invited residents - as well as visitors - to attend the event at 6pm to show the world that London remains united.

He said: “London is the greatest city in the world. We will never be cowed by terrorism. We stand together, in the face of those who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life. We always have, and we always will.”

The Mayor believes the vigil will give people the opportunity to remember those who have lost their lives, show solidarity for those injured, and express sympathy to their families and loved ones.

He added that the event would show the world that Londoners were “more committed than ever” to the capital’s values of openness and freedom. 

The Mayor has invited all Government ministers, MPs and peers, borough leaders, faith leaders and military chiefs to the vigil. 

This morning a book of condolence was laid in Westminster Hall for MPs, staff and the public to write messages to honour those who died in yesterday’s attack.

People on social media have also shown their support by sharing a graphic using the iconic Underground emblem, emblazoned with the slogan “We are not afraid”.

The House of Commons’ deputy speaker Lindsay Hoyle said support was in place for all staff in Westminster affected by the attack. 

He said: “It is another alarm, it is another one we have to take seriously, but the one thing I can be sure of - terrorism will not defeat democracy.”

“It’s a horrible day for members, but we’ve got to get on and show terrorism will not defeat the House of Commons.”