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Category: UK News

Govt failing to list use of AI on mandatory register

AI is already being used by government to inform decisions on everything from benefit payments to immigration enforcement…reports Asian Lite News

Not a single Whitehall department has registered the use of artificial intelligence systems since the government said it would become mandatory, prompting warnings that the public sector is “flying blind” about the deployment of algorithmic technology affecting millions of lives.

AI is already being used by government to inform decisions on everything from benefit payments to immigration enforcement, and records show public bodies have awarded dozens of contracts for AI and algorithmic services. A contract for facial recognition software, worth up to £20m, was put up for grabs last week by a police procurement body set up by the Home Office, reigniting concerns about “mass biometric surveillance”.

But details of only nine algorithmic systems have so far been submitted to a public register, with none of a growing number of AI programs used in the welfare system, by the Home Office or by the police among them. The dearth of information comes despite the government announcing in February this year that the use of the AI register would now be “a requirement for all government departments”.

Experts have warned that if adopted uncritically, AI brings potential for harms, with recent prominent examples of IT systems not working as intended including the Post Office’s Horizon software. AI in use within Whitehall ranges from Microsoft’s Copilot system, which is being widely trialled, to automated fraud and error checks in the benefits system. One recent AI contract notice issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) described “a mushrooming of interest within DWP, which mirrors that of wider government and society”.

Peter Kyle, the secretary of state for science and technology, has admitted the public sector “hasn’t taken seriously enough the need to be transparent in the way that the government uses algorithms”.

Asked about the lack of transparency, Kyle said: “I accept that if the government is using algorithms on behalf of the public, the public have a right to know. The public needs to feel that algorithms are there to serve them and not the other way around. The only way to do that is to be transparent about their use.”

Big Brother Watch, a privacy rights campaign group, said the emergence of the police facial recognition contract, despite MPs warning of a lack of legislation to regulate its use, was “yet another example of the lack of transparency from government over the use of AI tech.”

“The secretive use of AI and algorithms to impact people’s lives puts everyones’ data rights at risk. Government departments must be open and honest about how they uses this tech,” said Madeleine Stone, chief advocacy officer.

The Ada Lovelace Institute recently warned that AI systems might appear to reduce administrative burdens, “but can severely damage public trust and reduce public benefit if the predictions or outcomes they produce are discriminatory, harmful or simply ineffective”.

Imogen Parker, an associate director at the data and AI research body, said: “Lack of transparency isn’t just keeping the public in the dark, it also means the public sector is flying blind in its adoption of AI. Failing to publish algorithmic transparency records is limiting the public sector’s ability to determine whether these tools work, learn from what doesn’t, and monitor the different social impacts of these tools.”

Only three algorithms have been recorded on the national register since the end of 2022. They are a system used by the Cabinet Office to identify digital records of long-term historical value, an AI-powered camera being used to analyse pedestrian crossings in Cambridge, and a system to analyse patient reviews of NHS services.

But since February there have been 164 contracts with public bodies that mention AI, according to Tussell, a firm that monitors public contracts. Tech companies including Microsoft and Meta are vigorously promoting their AI systems across government. Google Cloud funded a recent report that claimed greater deployment of generative AI could free up to £38bn across the public sector by 2030. Kyle called it “a powerful reminder of how generative AI can be revolutionary for government services”.

Not all the latest public sector AI involves data about members of the public. One £7m contract with Derby city council is described as “Transforming the Council Using AI Technology” and a £4.5m contract with the department for education is to “improve the performance of AI for education”.

A spokesperson for the department of science and technology confirmed the transparency standard “is now mandatory for all departments” and said “a number of records [are] due to be published shortly”.

The Department for Work and Pensions has been using generative AI to read more than 20,000 documents a day to “understand and summarise correspondence” after which the full information is then shared with officials for decision-making. It has automated systems for detecting fraud and error in universal credit claims, and AI assists agents working on personal independence payment claims by summarising evidence. This autumn, DWP started deploying basic AI tools in jobcentres, allowing work coaches to ask questions about universal credit guidance in an attempt to improve the effectiveness of conversations with jobseekers.

The Home Office deploys an AI-powered immigration enforcement system, which critics call a “robo-caseworker”. An algorithm is involved in shaping decisions, including returning people to their home countries. The government describes it as a “rules-based” rather than AI system, as it does not involve machine-learning from data. It says it brings efficiencies by prioritising work, but that a human remains responsible for each decision. The system is being used amid a rising caseload of asylum seekers who are subject to removal action, now at about 41,000 people.

Several police forces use facial recognition software to track down suspected criminals with the help of artificial intelligence. These have included the Metropolitan police, South Wales police and Essex police. Critics have warned that such software “will transform the streets of Britain into hi-tech police line-ups”, but supporters say it catches criminal suspects and the data of innocent passersby is not stored.

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28 November 2024
Holy bot! Swiss church installs AI-powered Jesus

Peter’s chapel in Lucerne swaps out its priest to set up a computer and cables in confessional booth

The small, unadorned church has long ranked as the oldest in the Swiss city of Lucerne. But Peter’s chapel has become synonymous with all that is new after it installed an artificial intelligence-powered Jesus capable of dialoguing in 100 different languages.

“It was really an experiment,” said Marco Schmid, a theologian with the Peterskapelle church. “We wanted to see and understand how people react to an AI Jesus. What would they talk with him about? Would there be interest in talking to him? We’re probably pioneers in this.”

The installation, known as Deus in Machina, was launched in August as the latest initiative in a years-long collaboration with a local university research lab on immersive reality.

After projects that had experimented with virtual and augmented reality, the church decided that the next step was to install an avatar. Schmid said: “We had a discussion about what kind of avatar it would be – a theologian, a person or a saint? But then we realised the best figure would be Jesus himself.”

Short on space and seeking a place where people could have private conversations with the avatar, the church swapped out its priest to set up a computer and cables in the confessional booth. After training the AI program in theological texts, visitors were then invited to pose questions to a long-haired image of Jesus beamed through a latticework screen. He responded in real time, offering up answers generated through artificial intelligence.

People were advised not to disclose any personal information and confirm that they knew they were engaging with the avatar at their own risk. “It’s not a confession,” said Schmid. “We are not intending to imitate a confession.”

During the two-month period of the experiment, more than 1,000 people – including Muslims and visiting tourists from as far as China and Vietnam – took up the opportunity to interact with the avatar.

While data on the installation will be presented next week, feedback from more than 230 users suggested two-thirds of them had found it to be a “spiritual experience”, said Schmid. “So we can say they had a religiously positive moment with this AI Jesus. For me, that was surprising.”

Others were more negative, with some telling the church they found it impossible to talk to a machine. One local reporter who tried out the device described the answers as, at times, “trite, repetitive and exuding a wisdom reminiscent of calendar cliches”.

The feedback suggested there had been a wide disparity in the avatar’s answers, said Schmid. “I have the impression that sometimes he was really very good and people were incredibly happy and surprised and inspired,” he said. “And then there were also moments where he was somehow not so good, maybe more superficial.”

The experiment also faced criticism from some within the church community, said Schmid, with Catholic colleagues protesting at the use of the confessional while Protestant colleagues seemingly took umbrage at the installation’s use of imagery in this way.

What had most struck Schmid, however, was the risk the church had taken in trusting that the AI would not dole out responses that were illegal, explicit or offer up interpretations or spiritual advice that clashed with church teachings.

In the hope of mitigating this risk, the church had carried out tests with 30 people before the installation of the avatar. After the launch, it ensured that support was always close by for users.

“We never had the impression he was saying strange things,” said Schmid. “But of course we could never guarantee that he wouldn’t say anything strange.”

Ultimately, it was this uncertainty that had led him to decide that the avatar was best left as an experiment. “To put a Jesus like that permanently, I wouldn’t do that. Because the responsibility would be too great.”

He was swift, however, to cite the broader potential of the idea. “It is a really easy, approachable tool where you can talk about religion, about Christianity, about Christian faith,” he said, musing that it could be refashioned into a sort of multilingual spiritual guide that could answer religious questions.

For him, the experiment – and the keen interest it had generated – had shown him that people were looking to go beyond the Bible, sacraments and rituals.

Schmid said: “I think there is a thirst to talk with Jesus. People want to have an answer: they want words and to listen to what he’s saying. I think that’s one element of it. Then of course there’s the curiosity of it. They want to see what this is.”

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28 November 2024
‘India, UK need to collaborate in AI, tele-medicine, agri tech’

The minister highlighted range of areas where the bilateral partnership can drive not just economic growth and prosperity but also improve the lives of people in the UK…reports Asian Lite News

India and the UK have the potential to further collaborate in fields like artificial intelligence (AI), tele-medicine, climate modelling and agri-tech to improve the lives of millions of people in both countries, Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, said on Wednesday.

Addressing an event by the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) in the national capital, the minister highlighted range of areas where the bilateral partnership can drive not just economic growth and prosperity but also improve the lives of people in the UK, India and across the world.

“AI and virtual reality collaboration can transform education and training. A tele-medicine partnership can bring down the cost of healthcare in the UK and make quality healthcare available to the remotest parts of India,” the commerce minister told the gathering.

The two countries can also work together to develop climate modelling tools to help the world better predict and manage natural disasters, he added.

The minister also highlighted the importance of agri-tech, including the use of precision farming tools and residue-free farming to enhance productivity.

The UKIBC also launched the ‘UK-India Technology Futures Report’ which showcased groundbreaking India-UK technology partnerships that are creating not just jobs and economic growth in both countries but also transforming the way we live and, importantly, addressing global challenges such as climate change and energy transition, food security, financial inclusion, and national security.

“We at the UKIBC believe that the technology partnerships between India and the UK underpin our shared prosperity and are a force for global good,” said Richard McCallum, Chief Operating Officer, UKIBC.

With the recently signed Technology Security Initiative (TSI) and the announcement of the resumption of free trade agreement (FTA) talks, there is a huge amount of positivity and momentum in the economic relationship right now.

“It is good to see the intent from both governments to strengthen the existing India-UK Technology Partnership to tackle global challenges, including through the development and deployment of emerging technologies,” McCallum added.

The UK is a natural partner for India’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the report emphasised, making a series of recommendations to create deeper UK-India cooperation across areas such as financial inclusion, energy transition, advanced technologies and R&D.

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28 November 2024
Storm Conall brings more rain

The number of flood warnings is expected to continue dropping as the flood-hit areas will see drier weather over the next few days…reports Asian Lite News

Storm Conall has brought another day of rain to southern England, causing disruptions including cancellations of train services. There are currently 71 flood warnings in England with flood-hit areas still recovering from the days of downpours during Storm Bert.

The new storm caused fewer issues as it passed over southern England on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, because it was forecast to strengthen as it moved towards the Netherlands. The number of flood warnings is expected to continue dropping as the flood-hit areas will see drier weather over the next few days.

As Storm Conall passed over England, nearly 50mm of rain fell on Dartmoor and 20-30mm in some other parts of southern England. But many of the areas that were flooded during Storm Bert saw less rain with totals at around 3mm-8mm, so further problems were averted.

The upcoming days will see higher pressure, which will bring dry weather across flooded areas, allowing time for the flood water to disappear. In parts of south-east England, trains were cancelled along three routes due to flooded tracks, while five other routes were facing disruption on Wednesday morning.

Gatwick Express trains will continue to see delays and cancellations into the evening, with the service advising commuters who use the service to start return journeys as soon as possible due to disruptions. Thameslink passengers travelling to Welwyn Garden City have been advised to use alternate routes due to some suspended services, while others are still reduced.

The worst of Conall is being felt in the Netherlands. Stronger winds were felt in eastern England later on Wednesday as the storm developed over the North Sea.

Flood warnings – which mean flooding is expected – remain concentrated along the River Severn, from Shropshire into Gloucestershire, the Bristol Avon, as well as the River Nene in Northamptonshire.

A severe flood warning for the Billing Aquadrome holiday park – where a major incident was declared over the weekend – and nearby businesses along the Nene remained in place until late Wednesday afternoon. Emsworth, in Hampshire, has also recorded a water level in the West Brook area as “high and rising rapidly”, with heavy rain expected to reach nearly 40mm.

Heavy rainfall and strong winds brought by Storm Bert over the weekend led to at least five deaths, while homes, roads and rail networks faced major disruption. Many communities are still cleaning up after homes and businesses were inundated by floodwater. Conall is the third “named” storm of the season, after Ashley and Bert.

The storm was named by the Dutch Weather Service, which along with the Met Office and Met Eireann in Ireland, name storms for ease of communication. The storms list – first launched in 2015 – for each year generally runs from early September until late August the following year, coinciding with the beginning of autumn.

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28 November 2024
Six arrested over links to Kurdish rebel group

Officers are carrying out searches at eight separate addresses across London, including the Kurdish Community Centre in north London’s Borough of Haringey….reports Asian Lite News

Six people have been arrested in the UK as part of a counter-terrorism investigation into suspected activity linked to the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

A 59-year-old woman, a 27-year-old man, a 31-year-old woman, a 62-year-old man, a 56-year-old man and a 23-year-old man were all arrested at separate addresses across London early on Wednesday morning.

“These are targeted arrests of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity linked to the group,” Helen Flanagan of the Metropolitan Police said.

Officers are carrying out searches at eight separate addresses across London, including the Kurdish Community Centre in north London’s Borough of Haringey. The centre will be closed for two weeks as a result of the investigation.

The PKK has spent decades pursuing self-rule for Turkey’s Kurdish minority, and has waged a guerrilla campaign that has often brought it into direct conflict with the Turkish military. It is a listed terrorist organisation in the UK and the EU.

“This investigation and activity is about protecting all of our communities, but particularly those in our Turkish and Kurdish communities,” Flanagan added. In Turkey, politicians and members have frequently been targeted by members of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish movement for suspected links to the PKK.

Protests erupted in October in Istanbul after mayor Ahmet Ozer was detained for alleged links to the militant group.

Officers are carrying out searches at at least eight addresses across the capital, including the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey, as part of the investigation. The search is expected to last up to a fortnight, with the centre and surrounding area closed to the public in the meantime.

Following the arrests large crowds gathered outside the community centre and remained there into the evening. Videos show dozens of police forming a line and pushing protesters back.

Scotland Yard confirmed four protesters were arrested on suspicion of support for a proscribed organisation, assaulting an emergency worker, making threats to kill and a racially aggravated public order offence. Ishak Milani, of the Kurdish People’s Assembly in the UK, described the raids on “community spaces” as “unjust and heavy-handed”.

“This aggressive act is not only an attack on our people but also an affront to the principles of democracy, justice, and human rights that the UK claims to uphold,” he said. In response to the accusations of heavy-handedness, the Met Police said: “These are targeted arrests of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity linked to the group.”

Acting Cdr Helen Flanagan said the force “understand these arrests have caused some concern amongst certain local communities – particularly those in the Kurdish community”. The arrests over the “very serious allegations” followed a “significant” investigation, she added.

“This investigation and activity is about protecting all of our communities, but particularly those in our Turkish and Kurdish communities.” “I would urge anyone who thinks they may have been affected or targeted by those linked to the PKK to get in touch.”

Officers will hold meetings with community leaders as the investigation progresses, police said. Additional officers will also be in the community in the coming days, the Met added.

Earlier, Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) neutralised a senior member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in an operation in Iraq. Sadiye Muhammed Ahmed, codenamed ‘Hevi,’ was reportedly ‘neutralised’ in a pinpoint strike in Iraq’s Sinjar region.

She had allegedly been active in PKK’s activities in Syria and Iraq since 2001, according to the report. Also Read – 45 punished over China mine gas explosion that killed 11 In a separate operation by the Turkish military in Iraq targeting the PKK, eight other PKK members were killed in the Gara and Metina regions, the Turkish Defence Ministry said Wednesday.

Turkish authorities often use the term ‘neutralise’ to imply the alleged terrorists have either surrendered, been killed, or been captured.

The PKK, designated as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades. Turkey regularly conducts military operations in Iraq, where the group’s headquarters and hideouts are located.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to continue eliminating terrorist threats at their source. “Whether it is within our borders or beyond, no one can prevent us from eliminating any threat we detect against our country,” Erdogan said on Tuesday at a ceremony for the delivery of the T625 Gokbey helicopter to the gendarmerie.

The handover ceremony was held at the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) in the Kahramankazan district of Ankara, where two assailants carried out a terror attack last week, leaving five people dead and 22 others wounded.

Turkish authorities have blamed the attack on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and further intensified both domestic and cross-border security operations against the group.

TUSAS is a major defence and aviation company in Turkey. It produces KAAN, the country’s first national combat aircraft, among other defense equipment.

At the ceremony, Erdogan reiterated that terrorism has no place in the future of Turkey and the region, saying attacks like the one against TUSAS can never break the country’s determination to fight terrorism.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades.

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28 November 2024
RMT claims ‘substantial victory’ after tube pay dispute

The RMT said the average pay increase for all tube workers would be 4.6%, while lower-paid workers would receive increases of up to 6.6%. …reports Asian Lite News

A rail union has claimed a “substantial victory” for its members at London Underground after resolving a pay dispute with Transport for London (TfL).

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said it had accepted a pay offer that provided notable improvements in terms and conditions.

The RMT said the average pay increase for all tube workers would be 4.6%, while lower-paid workers would receive increases of up to 6.6%.

Other improvements include extended paternity leave, three years’ protection of earnings for medically displaced staff, and expanded travel benefits, it said.

Earlier this month, the RMT said it had suspended a week of planned strike action after receiving a significantly improved pay offer from tube bosses.

The RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, said: “This agreement is a landmark victory for our members and a vindication of RMT’s determination to fight for fair pay and conditions.

“By standing together and using the power of collective bargaining, we have not only secured a strong deal but also protected key safeguards that underpin our members’ work-life balance and dignity in the workplace.

“This success highlights the importance of RMT’s resolute industrial approach, and we will continue to build on this momentum to deliver further improvements in 2025.”

Aslef, the train drivers’ union, also called off plans earlier this month for two 24-hour strikes after receiving its own improved offer.

Aslef had said it was not optimistic of a resolution being found after a fortnight passed without talks.

A spokesperson for Aslef said on Wednesday: “We called off planned industrial action on London Underground in November after we reached an agreement on moving towards a four-day week, with a reduction in working hours for train drivers.

“Our executive committee will consider the full pay and conditions offer from London Underground when they meet in December.”

The dispute arose during negotiations over the delayed 2024 pay deal, although union officials insisted pay was not the primary concern.

Tube drivers were understood to be seeking the same conditions as counterparts on the Elizabeth line, while unions have continued to seek guarantees over TfL pensions.

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28 November 2024
Hague elected chancellor of Oxford University

Hague was elected in an online vote by staff and alumni of the 800-year-old university….reports Asian Lite News

Former U.K. Conservative Party leader William Hague has been elected chancellor of Oxford University, one of the most prestigious positions in British academia, the university said Wednesday.

Hague was elected in an online vote by staff and alumni of the 800-year-old university. He will replace Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, who has held the post since 2003. Hague beat contenders including former Labour Cabinet minister Peter Mandelson and Elish Angiolini, the former top law officer in Scotland.

The university said Hague will be inaugurated early next year and will serve a 10-year term. The chancellor is the university’s titular head and presides over key ceremonies, as well as overseeing the election of the vice-chancellor, the university’s day-to-day leader.

Hague is an Oxford graduate who began his political career at the Oxford University Conservative Association. Elected Conservative leader at the age of 36 after the party lost power to Labour in 1997, he resigned after the party’s thumping election defeat in 2001.

Hague said being elected chancellor, a post that stretches back to the 13th century, was “the greatest honor of my life.” “What happens at Oxford in the next decade is critical to the success of the U.K.,” he said in a statement.

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28 November 2024
3 ex-Tory PM’s against assisted dying bill

Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss express opposition to change in law as MPs prepare to vote…reports Asian Lite News

Three former Conservative prime ministers are against the assisted dying bill, it has been revealed. Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss have expressed their opposition to a change in the law, days before MPs vote on assisted dying proposals affecting patients in England and Wales for the first time in almost a decade.

May was expected to vote against Friday’s bill, the Daily Telegraph reported, noting her position had not changed since she voted against the legislation in 2015.

Johnson cannot vote because he is not a member of parliament, but he said he would not support the legislation as it stands. Rishi Sunak previously said he would back a change in the law over assisted dying, but it has been reported that it does not necessarily mean he will support the bill.

Truss said she was “completely opposed” to the bill saying: “It is wrong in principle: organs of the state like the NHS and the judicial system should be protecting lives, not ending them. No doubt, as we have seen in Canada, vulnerable people would be put under appalling pressure to end their lives early. The law would be ripe for being exploited by the unscrupulous. MPs should vote this terrible bill down and instead focus on improving health services.”

The former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown last week declared his opposition, saying the death of his newborn daughter in January 2002 convinced him of the “value and imperative of good end-of-life care”.

Brown said the assisted dying debate was moving too fast given the “profound ethical and practical issues” involved and called for a commission to devise a “fully funded 10-year strategy for improved and comprehensive palliative care”.

Tony Blair is yet to express his view on the issue, while Keir Starmer said he favoured a change in the law but also has not revealed his position. However, the former Labour leader Neil Kinnock privately told colleagues he would support a change in the legislation and would vote for it in the Lords.

On Tuesday night, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said he opposed the bill because of his fears around coercion and a feeling of guilt among terminally ill people. Khan told the London Standard: “If I was a member of parliament, I’d be voting against the assisted dying bill. That’s not to say that those who feel strongly in favour of it are wrong.

“I think it’s right that the government has made this a free vote so MPs aren’t being whipped. I think it’s right that it’s a matter of conscience. But I’ve got real concerns in relation to the lack of palliative care available to those who are terminally unwell. I’ve got concerns about the state of the NHS. I’ve got concerns about the state of social care provision. I am concerned not just about coercive control, I am concerned about some of the guilt those who are terminally ill may well have. For those reasons, if I had a vote, I’d be voting against.”

Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrat MP who is part of a cross-party group of parliamentarians who backed an amendment that would “decline” to give a second reading to the bill if it is selected by the speaker on Friday, expressed her concern about the process of how the bill is to go through parliament.

The amendment, which could be considered on Friday, has also been backed by new Labour MPs Anna Dixon, Polly Billington, Josh Fenton-Glynn and Uma Kumaran, as well as the Conservative Ben Spencer.

Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who proposed the private member’s bill, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme MPs had “absolutely” been given enough time to digest the details of the bill.

She added: “If this bill does pass the second reading, the government mechanisms will then start to kick in, basically, and we’ll start to look at what the implementation would look like. The debate will continue … and the advantage we’ve got … is that there are other countries around the world which have got a version of assisted dying, and we can learn from those.”

Less than six months after its general election the U.K. has been tipped headfirst into a fraught debate on a matter of life and death. The landmark piece of legislation currently dominating the nation’s attention does not concern the state of the economy, the NHS, the courts system, housing or welfare.

Instead, MPs will vote Friday on a bill that would for the first time give terminally ill adults in England and Wales the right to die at the time of their choosing.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill is being treated as a matter of conscience, meaning MPs will be given a free vote and do not have to make their choices along party lines.

The bill was introduced by a backbench Labour MP, Kim Leadbeater, rather than by the government, after Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised ahead of the summer general election to allow the issue to come before parliament.

The question has engendered deep divisions among those with responsibility for deciding and carrying out the potential change in the law.

Starmer’s Cabinet is split in two, while MPs from all the major parties find themselves in disagreement with close colleagues. Medical specialists have also made interventions both for and against the bill.

A recent YouGov study showed that 73 percent of Britons think assisted dying should be legal. However, 19 percent said that while they support assisted dying in principle, they oppose it in practice because they don’t believe adequate laws can be created to regulate it. As Leadbeater attempted to drum up support for the bill in the final days of campaigning, she told the BBC she thought the vote would be “very close.”

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28 November 2024
Al Fayed may have raped, abused over 111 women

Scale of the criminality would make Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, one of Britain’s most notorious sex offenders…reports Asian Lite News

Police believe Mohamed Al Fayed may have raped and abused more than 111 women over nearly four decades, with his youngest victim said to have been just 13 years old.

The scale of the criminality would make Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, one of Britain’s most notorious sex offenders, and raises urgent questions about how he got away with his crimes.

Five unnamed individuals suspected of facilitating Fayed, the former owner of the luxury Knightsbridge store Harrods, are being investigated as potential “facilitators”, Scotland Yard said.

A huge review is also being undertaken into whether opportunities were missed in past police investigations and whether there are grounds to pursue past or current officers over historical corruption claims.

Last month, it was reported that corrupt police officers had helped Fayed in persecuting members of his staff, including a young woman who allegedly rebuffed the Harrods owner’s sexual advances.

The 111 alleged cases of abuse involving Fayed include 21 alleged victims who reported crimes to the police between 2005 and his death, and 90 women who have come forward since the BBC aired a documentary on Fayed in September.

It is understood that as soon as next week, the Met will find out if it faces an independent investigation into whether it bungled the claims of sexual violence against the Harrods boss. The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, is considering whether its own investigators should investigate Britain’s biggest force.

A Met spokesperson said: “Following complaints from two women about the quality of investigations conducted in 2008, the Met has voluntarily referred these cases to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

“While these cases date back over a decade and we cannot change what happened in the past, we are committed to understanding, being open about any shortcomings and improving our response to survivors moving forward.”

Cmdr Stephen Clayman, of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said he recognised that trust in the police may have been eroded by its past conduct but called for any other survivors to come forward.

He said: “I recognise the bravery of every victim-survivor who has come forward to share their experiences, often after years of silence. This investigation is about giving survivors a voice, despite the fact that Mohamed Al Fayed is no longer alive to face prosecution. However, we are now pursuing any individuals suspected to have been complicit in his offending, and we are committed to seeking justice. We are aware that past events may have impacted the public’s trust and confidence in our approach, and we are determined to rebuild that trust by addressing these allegations with integrity and thoroughness. We encourage anyone who has information or was affected by Al Fayed’s actions to reach out to us. Your voice matters, and we are here to listen and to help.”

The crimes of which Fayed is accused span between 1977 and 2014. The Met said they had already reviewed more than 50,000 pages of evidence, including victim and impact statements, and retrieved “significant amounts of material from these investigations” stored in their archives.

As part of the inquiry, detectives from the Directorate of Professional Standards are seeking to establish if any serving or former officers at the Met were involved in any misconduct.

Detectives have been examining a witness statement from a former security director at the Knightsbridge store, Bob Loftus, who had claimed that one ex-Met commander received luxury hampers “whenever he had been a particularly great help to Harrods”.

Loftus had further claimed that a detective constable, who was accused of regularly taking cash bribes to carry out Fayed’s wishes, was secretly given a mobile phone from Harrods to facilitate his illicit work.

“It’s amazing what they will do for just a few readies,” John Macnamara, Fayed’s longtime security chief and an ex-detective, was said to have remarked about the police.

Loftus, 83, who worked for Fayed as the director of security at Harrods between 1987 and 1996, was unable to comment due to ill health, but Eamon Coyle, 70, who was Loftus’s deputy, said he recognised the allegations contained in the statement to be true.

Coyle said: “I knew that there was a tame policeman. He was under the direct control of Macnamara. He was on tap. He was on the payroll.”

It is understood that detectives have interviewed a number of potential witnesses as part of the investigation into potential misconduct.

A Met spokesperson said: “The Metropolitan police is committed to thoroughly reviewing all information relating to historical allegations in the case of Mohamed Al Fayed, which includes our Directorate of Professional Standards assessing any indication of police misconduct. In line with this, we always look to acquire relevant documents, including witness statements, and other materials which we will actively review.”

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28 November 2024
Kishan Devani Appointed to Hertfordshire University Advisory Board

Professor Kishan Devani, BEM, FRSA, called it as a tremendous opportunity for the University to engage further with the large number of Businesses, Companies that exist in Hertfordshire and beyond and link them further the British Indian Diaspora

Hertfordshire University Business School has appointed Professor Kishan Devani BEM, FRSA to their Advisory Board. This is yet another accolade that Professor Devani has achieved amongst his vast array of appointments.

An immensely profound moment for University as they attract some of the largest numbers of Indian Students within the UK. Having Professor Devani involved in the University Community given his standing in the wider British Indian Diaspora is something that will aid Hertfordshire University and also the students that arrive from the Indian Subcontinent.

Kishan’s success within business & his public profile in the political sphere and International Trade circuit, makes this appointment a fitting one by the University.

Hertfordshire University is one of the largest, most progressive business schools in the UK, which is at the front line of business education, providing a local and global experience for our students. It excels in contemporary, practice-led, opportunity-rich education, delivered hand-in-hand with regional, national and international businesses.

Hertfordshire Business School offers 8 different subject areas – Accounting, Business Analytics & Systems, Economics, Human Resources, Marketing, Online, Strategy, and Tourism, Hospitality & Events Management – which cover all areas of teaching, research and consultancy within the School.

Teaching is also enriched by the impact of the world-class research, for which the Business School is ranked in the top 20 Business Schools in the UK. Research on digital, big data and tourism provides their highly-trained staff with insights into the changing business world, informing both their teaching and the transformational educational experience.

Professor Kishan Devani BEM expressed his thanks and warm acceptance of the appointment to the Business School Advisory Board. “I am profoundly humbled at the University of Hertfordshire appointing me to the Advisory Board of the University of Hertfordshire Business School. It is a tremendous opportunity for the University to engage further with the large number of Businesses, Companies that exist in Hertfordshire and beyond and link them further the British Indian Diaspora and the Indian Diaspora that come to study and set up a life at the University of Hertfordshire and then beyond in the UK.”

“I look forward to working with Associate Dean Lynne Stevens and Dean of the School Professor Damian Ward to further the fine work they are doing as a Business School at the University of Hertfordshire,” he added.

Associate Dean for Employability, Entrepresnuship & Enterprise at Hertfordshire University Business School – Lynne Stevens said: “Hertfordshire University Business School is pleased to welcome Professor Kevani on to Hertfordshire University Business School Advisory Board for 24/25. He joins a prestigious group of employers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and regional stakeholders to advise and contribute to the Business school’s teaching and learning, employability, research impact and knowledge exchange agendas. He brings considerable entrepreneurship experience and international business expertise to the Board, and we welcome his contribution and support in the forthcoming year.”

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27 November 2024