…. especially on a wet, bank holiday weekend:



- Wind turbines and solar farms- AI and data centre requirements- Seed and other oils, e.g. olive- State pensions- Whitbread- Inheritance tax- Raped girls and princesses- May 7th and the political spectrum
On Saturday, V&A East will open its doors in Stratford, east London, showcasing stunning fabrics, photos and black British music.
While the V&A complies with all legal minimum-wage requirements, with some workers paid a living wage or above, campaigners say some of the lowest-paid contractors in London are not in receipt of the living wage.
But are they getting the legally enforceable minimum wage? Yes, Reader, of course they are...
The UK minimum wage is £12.71 an hour and the living wage in London is £14.80 an hour.
And the ratchet only turns one way.
According to the Living Wage Foundation, the living wage is the only UK wage rate that meets the real cost of living.
So campaign for ir to be made legally enforceable and see how far you get...
The worker-led platform Organise, which aims to secure better rights in the workplace, and Citizens UK, a campaigning organisation, have coordinated an open letter to the V&A director, Sir Tristram Hunt, and other senior V&A officials, calling for the £14.80 rate for all workers at the museums.
Mush less effort to try to shame people into paying something they don't legally have to pay.
Roxy Khan-Williams, the head of campaigns at Organise said: “The public expects institutions funded by taxpayers to treat all workers fairly. Paying the real living wage is not just a moral issue – it directly affects how people engage with these institutions.”
Really? I think if you were planning a trip, the wages paid to the staff would be the last thing on most peoples's minds.
It seems even this is wasted effort:
A spokesperson said: “All V&A staff are paid the London Living Wage or higher, and have been for many years. The majority of our contractors also pay the Living Wage or higher.”
Still, as long as it get you publicity.
Firstly, a quick summary of what happened:
Faulty Fujitsu IT software caused 700+ subpostmasters to be wrongly convicted of theft, fraud, and false accounting between 1999 and 2015.
More detail:
The Cause: Introduced in 1999, the Horizon system was plagued by bugs, errors, and defects that created fake accounting discrepancies, often totaling thousands of pounds.
The Impact: Subpostmasters were forced to repay the "shortfalls" from their own pockets. Those who couldn't—or who challenged the system—were prosecuted, dismissed, and in some cases, imprisoned.
The Cover-up: The Post Office continued to prosecute staff despite knowing the system had bugs and that it was possible to remotely alter branch accounts.
The Turning Point: A 2019 High Court ruling in a case brought by 555 subpostmasters, led by Alan Bates, finally proved that the Horizon system was flawed.
A public inquiry, chaired by Sir Wyn Williams, continues to examine the scandal's full scope, including the actions of the Post Office, government officials, and Fujitsu.
The sinking feeling is familiar now, says Anna*. It’s Friday, the clock is ticking, and there is a vulnerable child in her care for whom – despite hitting the phones for days – she cannot find a place.
Before you get all dewy eyed at the thought of a poor waif in dire need let me just remind you who the system classes as ‘vulnerable’, Reader.
The children being put in these homes are some of the most at-risk children in England. They are more likely to be involved with gangs, county lines, serious violence, exploitation, or have experienced severe mental health crises, according to the report by policy analysts Public First, for the charity Commonweal Housing.
Hardened street thugs and dangerous nutters - this is why they can’t find placements easily!
The number of looked-after children has risen by nearly 20% over the past decade, with about 83,600 children now looked after by the state. There are now 14,840 more children in care than there were in 2014, but 2,165 fewer fostering households, according to the Institute for Government.
But as this is the ‘Guardian’, the fault must lie with capitalism.
Some experts blamed the shortage of available places for children with complex needs – in foster homes and residential homes – on the dominance of the private sector in child social care.
🙄
Government minister Josh MacAlister, who led an independent review of child social care and is now in charge of overhauling the system, has vowed to crack down on profiteering. The government insists the children’s wellbeing and schools bill will give Ofsted stronger powers to stop unregulated providers, while a £88m recruitment drive aims to generate 10,000 new foster places.
Good luck with that, when they realise they will need to be one part zookeeper, one part prison guard, and two parts Nurse Ratched!
A senior Met Police officer who gave a televised, tear-filled address after a crash at a prep school that killed two eight-year-old girls is being investigated over the handling of the tragedy - including a claim of racial bias.
This is the case. And my question then, 'Were they too swayed by the status of the perpetrator, perhaps? ' looks like its suddenly a topic in the investigation.
Clair Kelland is among 11 officers now under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) following a complaint by the parents of Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau.
Kelland, who was seen as a rising star at the Met, managed the initial investigation into the crash, which failed to interview key witnesses.
Oh, bit of a faux pas for a poster girlboss...
The watchdog said its inquiry will examine allegations that officers 'provided false and misleading information to those affected'.It is also investigating whether 'officers' treatment of those affected was influenced by their race'.
Why would it be?
It is understood the IOPC is probing claims that officers did not follow protocol because Ms Freemantle was a wealthy white woman, who lives in a £4million house, and causally failed to properly challenge her account of events.
Rubbish. The Met Poluce are perfectly capable of doing a poor job for any race or culture.
Xer called Higgy:
Gallipoli was fought between the Allies — Britain, France, Australia, NZ, India and Newfoundland — and the Ottoman Empire/Germany.
If 1901 formalised Aus, 1915 blooded her. Lest any forget or the globopolitical class try to kill off their sacrifices, which the deep state is trying to do.