Month: December 2024

  • ‘Facebook UK cut 700 staff and reduced tax bill last year’ 

    ‘Facebook UK cut 700 staff and reduced tax bill last year’ 

    Accounts for Facebook UK reveal that the edict resulted in 10% of its workforce being axed last year, reducing employee headcount from 7,053 to 6,338 by the end of 2023…reports Asian lite News

    Facebook cut more than 700 employees in the UK last year at a cost of £79m, after parent company Meta embarked on its first ever round of redundancies as part of a global cost-cutting drive to offset a disastrous collapse in revenues. 

    The company – which is one of the most valuable US tech companies behind Apple, the Google owner Alphabet, and Amazon – also reduced its UK tax bill to just over 12% of its pre-tax profits, half the standard 25% corporation tax rate. 

    Mark Zuckerberg cut 11,000 jobs globally after admitting that Meta had overinvested at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in the belief the increase in online activity would continue and accelerate even after Covid eased. 

    “I got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that,” said Zuckerberg, the founder and chief executive of the owner of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, in a memo to staff at the time. 

    Accounts for Facebook UK reveal that the edict resulted in 10% of its workforce being axed last year, reducing employee headcount from 7,053 to 6,338 by the end of 2023. 

    The brunt of the UK cuts were borne by the sales support, administration and marketing teams, which reduced from 2,307 to 1,734 people. The engineering team, crucial to the development of the platform, missed the worst of the cuts. 

    Last year, Facebook also paid £149m to break its lease on a central London office building as part of what it called a “facilities consolidation strategy” in its latest public accounts. 

    The headwinds facing Facebook meant its UK revenue fell slightly from £2.9bn to £2.8bn between 2022 and the end of 2023. The figures show a major slowdown from the almost £1bn leap in annual revenues it recorded between 2021 and 2022, before the global advertising slowdown. 

    However, the company still managed to increase pre-tax profits from £328m to £355m. Facebook UK, which has been criticised over the amount of tax it pays, paid £43m last year. This is down on the £126m the British arm paid in 2022. 

    Meta has recovered financially from the advertising wobble in some style this year. The company beat high Wall Street expectations in its latest financial report to the end of September, reporting a 19% increase in year-on-year sales to $40.6bn. 

    Meta’s market value has almost doubled in the last year to $1.5tn with the share price up by almost 92%. 

    “I’m pretty amped about the work we’re doing right now,” Zuckerberg said during the earnings call. “This may be the most dynamic moment that I’ve seen in our industry … if we do this well the potential for Meta and everyone building with us is massive.” 

    Meta has been ramping up investment in artificial intelligence, and predicted that capital expenditure could hit $50bn next year. Zuckerberg has said that Meta AI was on track to be the most-used AI assistant in the world with more than 500 million monthly active users. 

    However, Meta has not managed to increase the number of daily users of its social media platforms at as fast a rate as analysts would like. In the quarter to the end of September it notched up 3.29 billion “daily active people”, a 5% increase, but less than the analyst consensus of 3.31 billion. 

    ALSO READ: Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

  • Al Fayed faked dementia, says son   

    Al Fayed faked dementia, says son   

    The billionaire Harrods owner faced allegations from multiple women in the years before his death, but no charges were ever brought…reports Asian Lite News

    Mohamed Al Fayed faked having dementia to avoid being prosecuted for sexual assault, his youngest son has claimed. 

    Omar Fayed, 37, said his father “got off the hook on the grounds he was mentally incapacitated” but “afterwards it was back to business — he was as sharp as a tack”, he told The Mail on Sunday. 

    The billionaire Harrods owner faced allegations from multiple women in the years before his death, but no charges were ever brought. A total of 111 victims have now made claims against him, with the youngest said to have been aged 13. 

    The Metropolitan Police is investigating allegations that Al Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, sexually abused and raped women at properties and businesses across the world over more than three decades. Police have not commented on the dementia claim. 

    Much of the abuse is alleged to have taken place when Al Fayed owned Harrods between 1985 and 2010 and has only come to light following a BBC documentary broadcast in September. 

    Several complaints against Al Fayed were made to police long before he died. Fayed suggests the best opportunity to prosecute his father was missed when allegations emerged in 2017 and 2018, saying he wished the “investigation had been able to take its course when he was still alive”. 

    In 2017 one victim waived her right to anonymity to describe in a Channel 4, “Dispatches” programme how Al Fayed sexually harassed Harrods workers. No action was taken. 

    On Saturday night Tom Porter, the documentary’s executive producer, said he had “suspicions” about the extent of Al Fayed’s illness after an attempt was unsuccessfully made to block the exposé on the grounds that the businessman was mentally incapacitated. 

    Another woman went to the police in 2018 with allegations of sexual assault but was told that Al Fayed had dementia and was too frail to be prosecuted, according to The Mail on Sunday. 

    Al Fayed was in his late eighties at the time, but Fayed said this did not matter. “If a Nazi general is found to have been hiding in the Algarve for the last 50 years then of course he should be tried,” he said. 

    The business tycoon’s son said he got “dirty old man vibes” from his father, and “knew about the call girls”, and that he now felt “a degree of relief” that the allegations were coming to light. Al Fayed was also arrested in 2013 over a rape allegation but never charged. Five years before that, he was interviewed by Scotland Yard regarding an allegation of sexual assault against a 15-year-old girl. 

    The Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was no realistic chance of conviction. 

    Fayed, an entrepreneur who focuses on climate change, is the youngest of four children between Al Fayed and his second wife, the Finnish model Heini Wathen. He served on the Harrods board between 2006 and 2010, when his father sold the business. 

    In September, he said: “The extent and explicit nature of the allegations are shocking and has thrown into question the loving memory I had of him.” 

    Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, who was appointed by Harrods as an independent advocate to address the needs of the late billionaire’s victims, said last month that the scale of abuse could be “the [same] scale of Jimmy Savile”. 

    Fayed attempted to explain his father’s crimes, suggesting his mistreatment of women was rooted in his childhood. “He lost his mother at the age of seven and didn’t have any stable female figure in his life growing up,” he said. “We all know how impactful that can be to a child’s psychological development. That was really one of the most fundamental things.”

    ALSO READ:   Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

  • Muslim leaders urge communities to get winter vaccines 

    Muslim leaders urge communities to get winter vaccines 

    People eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations are advised to book their jab as soon as possible, as the NHS online vaccination National Booking System will end on 20 December…reports Asian Lite News

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) are urging members of the Muslim community to prioritise their flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to help boost their immunity against winter viruses and get winter strong. 

    People eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations are advised to book their jab as soon as possible, as the NHS online vaccination National Booking System will end on 20 December. 

    The latest UKHSA data shows over the past 2 winters (Oct to May 2023-2024 and 2022-2023) at least 18,000 deaths were associated with flu while over 19,500 deaths were associated with COVID-19. Muslim leaders and health experts are keen on ensuring that communities are not vulnerable to serious winter illnesses this year. 

    Everyone aged 65 and over is eligible for a free flu and COVID-19 vaccine. Pregnant women and those with certain long-term health conditions (such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease) are also eligible. Both vaccines are the best defence we have to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death from these viruses. 

    Every winter, thousands of children go into hospital for treatment, including intensive care, with children aged under 5 having one of the highest rates of hospital admissions due to flu. By getting your child vaccinated, you are not only helping to protect them but also others around them, including babies, grandparents and others with health conditions that put them at greater risk. 

    School-aged children (from reception to year 11) are also eligible for a free flu vaccine – given as a quick and painless nose spray – delivered in schools by local immunisation teams. If your child has missed their opportunity for a vaccine in school, there will be local NHS community clinics where they can get the flu vaccine free of charge. 

    Parents should ensure their children’s vaccination consent forms are returned to their school, and that 2 and 3 year-olds are booked for flu vaccine appointments at their GP practice. 

    If parents have any concerns about the vaccine, they should speak to a trusted religious leader or NHS nurse or doctor. Children who can’t have the nasal spray for medical or faith reasons can request an alternative flu vaccine instead, that does not contain any porcine. 

    For the first time this year, pregnant women and older people aged 75-79 are eligible for the new RSV vaccination, with the maternal vaccine providing vital strong protection for newborns in their first few months, when they are most at risk of serious illness from RSV. 

    Dr Naveed Syed, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control at UKHSA, said, “Vaccination against flu and COVID-19 remains the most effective way to safeguard yourself and your loved ones from these serious infections this winter. We know that the numbers getting the vaccines in many communities is far below what we need it to be to protect vulnerable family and friends, so I urge everyone eligible to book their vaccinations as soon as possible. As well as protecting yourself, it’s important that your children are vaccinated too. Each winter thousands of children require treatment in hospital caused by flu. Many of these cases could be prevented by a simple vaccine. Beyond keeping your child healthy, the flu vaccine also helps stop the spread of flu in the community, protecting more vulnerable members such as elderly relatives.” 

    Dr Salman Waqar, GP and President of the British Islamic Medical Association, said, “Our faith encourages us to consider the implications of our actions on the people around us. That is why we encourage eligible Muslim children, vulnerable adults, and those over the age of 65 not to delay their decision to get vaccinated for free against COVID-19 and seasonal flu. Please take up this offer to reduce your chances of hospitalisation this winter. We know many people in our community have religious concerns about the porcine content of the children’s nasal flu spray, but they should know that the flu injection for both children and adults is free of this and can be requested.” 

    ALSO READ: Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

  • Anglian Water fined £300,000 for sewage pollution   

    Anglian Water fined £300,000 for sewage pollution   

    Investigations found that the pumps being used by Anglian Water were almost 40 years old. The bearings on another pump had failed in 2013 and as a result Anglian Water sought funding to replace these on the other 2 pumps…reports Asian Lite News

    Environment Agency officers were called to Shenfield and Hutton Water Recycling Centre, a sewage treatment works operated by Anglian Water, following an incident. It was found that all 3 pumps in one of the pump stations at the site had failed following a fire. As a result, untreated sewage was flowing out of an emergency overflow. 

    Officers followed the sewage into the River Wid, where they carried out tests and found high levels of ammonia among the cloudy, polluted water. 

    In the following days investigators returned and found dead fish and invertebrates at many different sites along the river. 

    It was later found that the bearing on one of the pumps had failed but continued to operate. The precise cause of the fire is unknown. However, it was accepted that heat built up to cause the fire which spread to other electrical components stopping all 3 pumps from working. This left no way for the sewage to be pumped. 

    Further investigations found that the pumps being used by Anglian Water were almost 40 years old. The bearings on another pump had failed in 2013 and as a result Anglian Water sought funding to replace these on the other 2 pumps. However, only 2 of the 3 pumps were refurbished with those on the pump that failed in June 2016 having not been overhauled. 

    Repairs were carried out to the equipment following the incident. 

    The court found that whilst Anglian Water was on notice about the need for refurbishment, the fire was an unusual event. The chances of them being able to foresee a fire causing all 3 pumps to fail were low. 

    Around 10 kilometres of the River Wid experienced high levels of ammonia for 3 days. In total, at least 5,431 fish were found to have died during this time with invertebrates affected in almost 5 kilometres of the river. 

    Anglian Water appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on 26 May 2022. It pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in September 2021 to causing an unpermitted pollution discharge. This is contrary to regulations 12(1)(b) and 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. 

    Environment manager at the Environment Agency, Andrew Raine, said, “The fine handed to Anglian Water shows polluters are made to pay for damaging the environment. The fish population in this area suffered significantly because of this sewage pollution and it took time for the local ecosystem to recover. The public demand tough action when it comes to water quality and we are delivering. Anyone caught breaching environmental laws faces enforcement action, up to and including prosecution. We will always ensure the courts have all the information they need to impose appropriate sentences. Members of the public with any concerns about pollution should contact us on 0800 807060.” 

    District Judge Williams said: “The effect on wildlife was deadly, with a significant number of fish having died, and a large number seen in a state of distress. There was some impact on local residents and there was also a risk that this could have entered the public water supply.” 

    Graham Verrier, environment agency area director for East Anglia, said: “We take our responsibility to protect the environment very seriously. 

    “Where significant pollution incidents occur, the Environment Agency investigates and takes action to stop the pollution as quickly as possible and then to take enforcement action where necessary.” 

    The overflow of sewage was caused by a blockage of unflushable items in the pumping well with Anglian Water aware of issues with the pumping station. Ten sewage discharges have occurred since 2003, but the pumping station does not hold an emergency overflow permit. 

    ALSO READ: Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

  • Primary School of the year 

    Primary School of the year 

    Westminster’s Hampden Gurney CofE Primary School Crowned Primary School of the Year by The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2025 

    The UK’s best-performing schools have been unveiled in The Sunday Times’ Parent Power Guide 2025, and Westminster’s Hampden Gurney CofE Primary School, located in Marylebone, has clinched the prestigious title of Primary School of the Year. 

    Hampden Gurney topped the rankings with an outstanding average score of 115.3 out of 120 across three key areas: reading, mathematics, and grammar, punctuation, and spelling. 

    In its review, The Sunday Times praised Hampden Gurney for its swift return to in-person learning following the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing both the academic progress and the wellbeing of its students. This dual focus on high standards and holistic development stood out among primary schools nationwide. 

    The paper also commended the school’s commitment to fostering a vibrant extracurricular environment. Under the leadership of headteacher Evelyn Chua, Hampden Gurney offers a diverse range of after-school clubs, including coding, drama, chess, and sports, encouraging students to discover and nurture their talents. 

    Headteacher Evelyn Chua expressed gratitude for the collective effort behind the school’s success, saying: 

    “It is a true honour to be receiving this fantastic accolade and be able to lead this amazing and inspirational school. Without the support of the finest team of governors, staff, the local authority, Diocese, community, parents, and pupils, this achievement would not be possible. 

    “My greatest privilege as headteacher is to facilitate positive changes that influence and impact the educational outcomes of all our pupils; to steer and shape the school to achieve its level best; and to model what can be accomplished with commitment, dedication, faith, and resilience.” 

    Chua’s leadership has been instrumental in not only maintaining Hampden Gurney’s academic excellence but also fostering a culture of innovation and inclusivity that has placed the school firmly at the top of the rankings. 

    Hampden Gurney’s triumph highlights the continued dominance of London and Southeast schools in The Sunday Times guide. Across the region, teachers and school leaders are finding ever more innovative and impactful ways to support their pupils and provide them with the best start in life. 

    The Parent Power Guide remains a trusted resource for parents, offering a comprehensive analysis of school performance across the UK. It ranks schools based on their latest academic achievements and celebrates institutions that demonstrate exceptional commitment to their students’ development. 

    Hampden Gurney CofE Primary School’s recognition as Primary School of the Year is a testament to its unwavering dedication to educational excellence and the holistic development of its pupils. As the school continues to thrive, it serves as an inspiration for other institutions across the country striving to achieve similar success. 

    The accolade shines a spotlight on the vital role schools play in shaping the future, and Hampden Gurney has set a benchmark for what can be achieved through innovation, collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to student wellbeing. 

    ALSO READ: Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

  • CBE ISSUE: Lord Ranger to Seek Judicial Review   

    CBE ISSUE: Lord Ranger to Seek Judicial Review   

    Lord Ranger Blames Khalistanis, Anti-Modi Forums for CBE Loss 

    Lord Rami Ranger, who recently had his Commander of the British Empire (CBE) honor revoked following an investigation into social media posts and allegations of bullying and harassment of a journalist, has blamed separatist Khalistani groups and anti-Modi forums for the decision. 

    “Today I lost my CBE for standing up against Khalistanis who wish to break up India and the BBC for producing a two-part documentary with anti-Modi guests, aiming to imply that the Indian Prime Minister was involved in the Gujarat riots 20 years ago—a claim for which Mr. Modi was exonerated by India’s highest court,” Lord Ranger said in a statement. 

    He criticized the actions of the Forfeiture Committee, claiming they undermined British democracy and the rule of law. “The committee’s decision has serious implications for all upstanding citizens, suggesting that they risk losing their honors if they speak their minds or challenge those who wish to harm us and our country.” 

    Lord Ranger has announced his intention to challenge the decision. He plans to seek a judicial review and appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, arguing that the committee’s decision infringed upon his fundamental right to freedom of speech. 

    “I am now pursuing a judicial review and will take my case to the European Court of Human Rights, as the Forfeiture Committee has violated my basic rights to freedom of expression,” he asserted. 

    ALSO READ: Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

  • A Startup Mindset for Govt 

    A Startup Mindset for Govt 

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden Pledges to Make Government More Agile with £100 Million Innovation Fund..reports Asian Lite News

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden has vowed to transform the UK government into a more agile, startup-like entity through a bold new initiative. Launching a £100 million Innovation Fund, McFadden announced plans to deploy “test-and-learn” reform teams across the country, aiming to tackle some of the public sector’s most pressing challenges. 

    Speaking at University College London’s East Campus in Stratford, McFadden outlined a vision of government adopting the iterative, experimental culture of Silicon Valley.  

    “If we keep governing as usual, we are not going to achieve what we want to achieve,” he warned. 

    The initiative is part of the government’s Plan for Change, a program unveiled by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to improve public services, boost the economy, and rebuild Britain. 

    McFadden emphasized that the public sector could learn from the best practices of digital companies, adopting a “test-and-learn culture.” He described the approach as iterative, where “the most important question isn’t, ‘How do we get this right the first time?’ It’s ‘How do we make this better by next Friday?’” 

    The Innovation Fund will enable small, flexible teams to experiment with new ways to improve public services. Instead of relying on lengthy policy documents and rigid strategies, these teams will be given specific problems to solve and the freedom to innovate. 

    The initiative will begin with two pilot projects in Manchester, Sheffield, Essex, and Liverpool starting in January 2025. 

    The first project focuses on reducing the costs of temporary accommodation, while the second aims to increase the reach of family hubs for disadvantaged families. These hubs are intended to provide comprehensive support to struggling households, from education to health and social services. 

    “We’re not going to dictate how they do that,” McFadden said. “The central point of these test-and-learns is that we set them a problem and then leave them to get on with it. They’ll be empowered to experiment and find new and innovative ways to fix problems.” 

    If successful, the program will expand to tackle more complex issues, such as reducing the need for temporary accommodation altogether and finding innovative paths into employment for vulnerable populations. 

    In a bid to modernize the civil service, McFadden announced a push to simplify the “mind-bogglingly bureaucratic” recruitment processes. He acknowledged that the current system is overly complex and often deters highly skilled candidates from outside government. 

    “To attract the best people, we need to fundamentally overhaul how recruitment is carried out across the civil service,” McFadden said. “Applications can take days to fill in, and if you don’t understand the civil service process, good external candidates can find it near impossible to jump through the hoops.” 

    The government will also encourage workers from startups and tech companies to join the civil service for six-to-twelve-month “Tours of Duty.” These temporary assignments, part of the No 10 Innovation Fellows Programme, will allow private sector experts to apply their skills to critical national missions, such as reforming healthcare and criminal justice. 

    McFadden emphasized the need to incorporate insights from frontline public service workers, including prison governors, social work heads, and directors of children’s services. These professionals will be encouraged to take up secondments in central government to help shape the Plan for Change. 

    “They are the ones on the ground who can see how things are working, where the obstacles are, and where a policy won’t survive contact with reality,” McFadden said. “Now we want them to be part of the solution.” 

    McFadden contrasted this new, innovative approach with what he described as the “headline-grabbing gimmicks” of the previous government. He argued that while each individual project may seem small, collectively, they have the potential to “rewire the state one test at a time.” 

    The first wave of test-and-learn teams will work in collaboration with local councils, businesses, and organizations, forging partnerships to find practical solutions to long-standing problems. 

    “These are initiatives that seek to restore our crumbling public services, and they will demonstrate a new way of doing government,” McFadden said. 

    The launch of the £100 million Innovation Fund is a clear signal of the government’s commitment to addressing systemic issues in the public sector. By fostering innovation, simplifying recruitment, and leveraging frontline expertise, McFadden hopes to create a state that is not only more efficient but also more responsive to the needs of its citizens. 

    “If we want to rebuild Britain, we need to embrace change,” McFadden concluded. “This is just the beginning, but I am confident that with the right mindset and the right people, we can transform the way we govern.” 

    As the test-and-learn teams prepare to launch their first projects in early 2025, the success of this initiative could serve as a blueprint for a more adaptive and innovative government in the years to come. 

    ALSO READ: Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

  • Govt to tackle NHS workforce crisis with new plan 

    Govt to tackle NHS workforce crisis with new plan 

    Recent data shows that there are almost 16% fewer fully qualified GPs in the UK than in other high-income countries relative to our population…reports Asian Lite News

    The Government and NHS will unveil a refreshed Workforce Plan in the summer with a laser-focus on shifting care from hospitals and into the community, as we work to get the NHS back on its feet and fit for the future. 

    Lord Darzi’s shocking report laid bare the systemic issues which have gripped the NHS for years and led to poorer experiences for patients and staff. Too much care is being delivered in hospitals because of historic underinvestment in the community. 

    Recent data shows that there are almost 16% fewer fully qualified GPs in the UK than in other high-income countries relative to our population. The number of nurses working in the community fell by at least 5%, between 2009 and 2023. A reduction of nearly 20% in the number of health visitors – who can be crucial to development in the first five years of a child’s life – between 2019 and 2023.  The number of mental health nurses has just returned to its 2010 level. 

    The original workforce plan would increase hospital consultants by 49%, but the equivalent rise in fully qualified GPs would have been just 4% between 2021/22 and 2036/37.  

    Through a refreshed workforce plan, alongside reform and investment, the Government is taking the decisive action needed to ensure it has the right workforce in the right place at the right time to deliver its 10 Year Health Plan and get the NHS back on its feet to deliver world-class care. 

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said, “Lord Darzi diagnosed the dire state of the NHS, including that too many people end up in hospital, because there aren’t the resources in the community to reach patients earlier. Our 10 Year Health Plan will deliver three big shifts in the focus of healthcare from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. We will refresh the NHS workforce plan to fit the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, so the NHS has the staff it needs to treat patients on time again.” 

    Through the Government’s Plan for Change, an unrelenting approach is being taken to deliver an NHS fit for the future as part of a decade of national renewal. The Chancellor’s first Budget invested almost £26 billion of funding this year and next for the health system to address critical shortages and cut waiting lists, including delivering an extra 40,000 appointments. 

    Since July, significant progress has already been made by the Government on its Mission to deliver an NHS fit for the future and to support the workforce, putting funding in place to employ more GPs, ending devastating resident doctor strikes within its first few months, and sending crack teams of top clinicians into hospitals with high waiting lists. 

    Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, said, “The NHS is nothing without our incredible staff and having a sustainable workforce is a key building block for an NHS fit for the future – that’s why we committed to update the plan regularly so that it reflects the changing and growing needs of patients. While the NHS is delivering more care to patients in the community, with the expansion of virtual wards, community diagnostic centres and neighbourhood hubs, part of our longer term goal is delivering even more care out of hospitals, and we’ll work closely with the government to refresh the workforce plan, alongside the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan.” 

    Delivering three big shifts in health care will be at the core of the government’s wider 10 Year Health Plan, from hospital to the community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. The workforce will form a central part of this plan. 

    Lord Darzi’s report made clear the NHS has suffered from years of underinvestment and a lack of effective reform, with far too many patients ending up in hospital. As part of our 10 Year Health Plan, care will be shifted from hospital to the community to support the NHS to free up hospital appointments, tackling waiting lists and easing the strain on the health service.  

    The expansion of the hospital workforce has come at the expense of other care settings and the proportion of the total NHS budget dedicated to acute hospitals has continued to rise, while the proportion of the NHS budget going to primary care has fallen by a quarter in just over a decade – from 24% in 2009 to just 18% by 2021. Despite this significant flow of resources into hospitals, output has not risen at nearly the same rate and NHS productivity has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. 

    Because patients can’t get the care they need in the community, like GP appointments, they end up in A&E, which is worse for them and more expensive for taxpayers. At a typical A&E on a typical evening in 2009, there would have been just under 40 people waiting in the queue. By 2024, that had swelled to more than 100 people. 

    The ten-year plan is due out next Spring. Following that, the workforce plan, which is due to be revised every two years, will be refreshed next summer. 

    ALSO READ: Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

  • Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

    Starmer to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia 

    UAE and Saudi Arabia are among Britain’s “most vital modern-day partners”, No 10 says. It comes as human rights group Reprieve called on Starmer to raise what it described as an “execution crisis” with Saudi leaders, with 300 killed this year..reports Asian Lite News

    Keir Starmer will travel to the Gulf today as he tries to build stronger trade ties with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In his first visit to the region as prime minister, he will aim to boost investment in the UK and deepen defence and security partnerships, said Number 10. 

    The two Middle Eastern countries are among Britain’s “most vital modern-day partners”, it said in a statement. After flying to the Gulf on Sunday night, Starmer will meet UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on Monday. Later that day, he will fly to Saudi Arabia where he will have talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 

    Starmer is facing calls from human rights groups to raise with Saudi leaders the rising number of executions. The PM said: “Driving long-term growth at home requires us to strengthen partnerships abroad.” North of England will benefit from closer ties to Saudi says, Starmer, as he visits Middle East 

    He added that his trip will “build a network of partners” focused on “driving high-quality growth”. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are both major investors in the UK. Trade with the Emirates is worth £23bn, while trade with Saudi Arabia is worth £17bn. 

    More than 7,000 UK businesses export goods to Saudi Arabia, with such goods and services supporting almost 90,000 jobs across the country, while 14,000 UK businesses sent goods to UAE last year. Saudi Arabia is also the UK’s largest defence exports market, worth £3.8bn a year to British industry. 

    Stability in the Middle East is set to be “high up the agenda” during the visit, including the need for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, and the urgent acceleration of aid into Gaza, the No 10 statement added. 

    Human rights legal group Reprieve has called on Sir Keir to raise what it described as an “execution crisis” with Saudi leaders. Saudi Arabia has reportedly executed 300 people in 2024, its highest-ever total in one year. 

    Reprieve’s deputy executive director Dan Dolan said: “When Boris Johnson visited Mohammed bin Salman in 2022, three days after the mass execution of 81 people, Sir Keir Starmer was rightly scathing of Johnson’s unconditional embrace of one of the world’s most prolific executioners of protesters. 

    “Now he is the prime minister, he has the opportunity to address the escalating execution crisis in Saudi Arabia.” 

    The trip comes after the state visit earlier this week by the Qatari emir who agreed a new long-term green energy partnership, deepened defence and security ties and discussed the importance of regional stability. 

    Following his Gulf trip, Starmer is expected to travel to Cyprus on Monday night. He will have talks with President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday before meeting British troops deployed over Christmas. 

    Request from Khashoggi’s wife 

    Jamal Khashoggi’s widow has urged Starmer to raise her husband’s murder at his meeting with the Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. 

    Hanan Elatr Khashoggi said it was incumbent on the UK to raise the case of her husband, who was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Khashoggi was a Saudi journalist who was critical of the Saudi government and wrote a column for the Washington Post. US intelligence believes Prince Mohammed directly ordered his murder, which the kingdom strenuously denies. 

    Hanan Elatr Khashoggi said that during his visit to Saudi Arabia, Starmer should ask: “What happened? Where is the justice for Jamal Khashoggi?” 

    She added: “We look here to your country, to the UK and to the US and most western countries, with respect because you have justice and you care for democratic and human rights. Forgetting Jamal’s case does not align with the values of justice and democratic and human rights in your country.” 

    Khashoggi’s widow, who lives in the US after being granted political asylum, said that despite the trial and sentencing of eight people accused of involvement in her husband’s murder, she had received no apology or compensation from the kingdom. 

    “I hope my husband’s case has not been forgotten, and I will always maintain to make sure it is not forgotten,” she said. “There is unfinished business here. There has to be justice for Jamal Khashoggi.” 

    She also urged Starmer to call for the release of political prisoners who have waited for years without trial, including the blogger Essam al-Zamil, an economist friend of Khashoggi’s detained since September 2017 on charges including “seeking to stir up sedition via Twitter”. 

    Starmer is due to travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday after meetings in the UAE. Before his trip, Downing Street made a flurry of Saudi investment announcements and said closer ties between the UK and Saudi Arabia would create more than 4,000 British jobs, many of them in the north of England. 

    In a statement, Starmer said he was “in the Gulf forging closer ties and strengthening relationships that support our growth mission in every corner of the country. 

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  • PM welcomes Fall of Assad 

    PM welcomes Fall of Assad 

    In a statement hours before his first trip to the Middle East, the prime minister said the developments in Syria were “unprecedented” and called for a political solution to the vacuum in power…reports Asian Lite News

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer has welcomed the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s “barbaric regime” in Syria and called for civilians to be protected after rebel forces took control of Damascus. 

    The prime minister said the developments in Syria were “unprecedented” and called for a political solution to the vacuum in power. 

    “The Syrian people have suffered under Assad’s barbaric regime for too long and we welcome his departure,” Starmer said. “Our focus is now on ensuring a political solution prevails and peace and stability is restored.” 

    He called on all sides to protect civilians and minorities and to ensure aid can reach the most vulnerable, and said the UK government was speaking to its partners in the region. 

    Starmer has arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday night. He will meet the UAE president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, on Monday before travelling to Saudi Arabia for talks with its Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. 

    The meetings are sure to touch on the political situation in Syria after Assad, who has waged a bloody war against his people since a rebellion against him 13 years ago, was unexpectedly ousted by a lightning rebel offensive. 

    “If Assad’s regime has fallen I welcome that news,” Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, told Sky News’s Trevor Phillips earlier on Sunday. “What we need to see is a political resolution in line with the UN resolutions. We need to see civilians and infrastructure protected. Far too many people have lost their lives; we need stability in that region.” 

    Rayner said the government had been working to evacuate British citizens from Syria over the weekend and would continue to support them. Russia, a staunch ally of Assad, issued a statement confirming that he had left office and the country. 

    The leading insurgent group in Syria is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK on the basis that it was an alternative name for al-Qaida. It is also designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN. 

    The developments prompted fresh scrutiny of Labour’s decision under Ed Miliband to oppose British military intervention against Assad’s regime in 2013. A stunned David Cameron ruled out British involvement in Syria after losing a Commons vote by 13 votes. 

    David Taylor, the Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead and a former charity worker, said on X that “from 2013 this has been a truly shameful chapter in our party’s history and should never be allowed to happen again”. 

    Taylor told Guardian, “For many years I supported Syrian activists in the UK in calling for a no-fly zone to protect Syrians from Assad and Putin, as Jo Cox did, and I’m convinced that if we’d done that half a million people would still be alive. It’s well documented that [Jeremy] Corbyn and co spent more energy casting doubt on whether chemical weapons were being used than on ways to protect civilians. I’m glad our party has moved on from this period.” 

    Asked about Miliband’s decision in 2013, Rayner told Times Radio: “Parliament decided and that’s the right way. We have a democratic process in the UK … I think what we’ve got to do is focus on how we take stability forward in the region.” 

    In 2015, Jeremy Corbyn opposed Cameron’s proposed airstrikes against Daesh in Syria but gave Labour MPs a free vote to prevent a mass revolt. The Commons overwhelmingly backed the action after 66 Labour MPs sided with Cameron’s government. 

    Ben Bradshaw, a former Labour foreign minister who stepped down as an MP this year, said on X that Labour “opposing Cameron’s motion in August 2015 was a shameful moment in our party’s history and one [we] must never repeat”. 

    Starmer and Rayner both voted against the strikes, despite Labour MPs having a free vote. A total of 11 members of the shadow cabinet voted in favour, including the then shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn.   

    John Sawers, a former head of MI6, said the government should review its proscription of HTS because it had cut ties with al-Qaida over the past decade. 

    Sawers argued it would be “rather ridiculous” not to be able to engage with the rebels who had taken control of Syria because of the group’s proscription. “I think Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader, has made great efforts over the last 10 years to distance himself from those terrorist groups and certainly the actions we’ve seen of Tahrir al-Sham over the last two weeks has been those of a liberation movement, not of a terrorist organisation,” Sawers told Sky News. 

    “So, I think the home secretary will be asking MI5 and the joint terrorism assessment centre for a review of the situation about Tahrir al-Sham and whether it should remain on the proscribed entity list.” 

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