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BRITISH PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson’s government stood accused of failing to take seriously an impending heat emergency as forecasters warned that lives were at risk.
Johnson missed a crisis ministerial meeting in Downing Street yesterday while he took a weekend break at his Chequers country retreat – and is believed hosting a farewell party for friends today before he leaves office in September.
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab then appeared to welcome the likelihood of temperatures topping 40 degrees Celsius in England for the first time.
“Obviously there is some common-sense practical advice we are talking about -– stay hydrated, stay out of the sun at the hottest times, wear sun cream — those sorts of things,” Raab told Sky News today.
“We ought to enjoy the sunshine and actually we ought to be resilient enough through some of the pressures it will place,” he added, insisting there was no reason for schools to close when the mercury peaks on Monday and Tuesday.
The comments raised eyebrows, as did Johnson’s absence from the Downing Street meeting about the government’s response to the heatwave. He was forced to resign partly because of other parties held during Covid lockdowns.
Speaking after Raab on Sky, College of Paramedics chief executive Tracy Nicholls said: “This isn’t like a lovely hot day where we can put a bit of sunscreen on, go out and enjoy a swim and a meal outside.
“This is serious heat that could actually, ultimately, end in people’s deaths because it is so ferocious,” she said.
“We’re just not set up for that sort of heat in this country.”
Contrary to Raab’s sang froid, after Saturday’s meeting, government minister Kit Malthouse warned that transport services face “significant disruption” during the heatwave and said the public should work from home if possible.
The UK capital is expected to see the highest temperatures and mayor Sadiq Khan advised Londoners only to use public transport if “absolutely necessary”.
Ambulance services are on crisis footing, and some schools in southern England have already said they will stay shut.
The Met Office, Britain’s state meteorological agency, has issued a first-ever “red” warning for extreme heat, cautioning there is a “risk to life” and attributing the heatwave to man-made climate change.
Britain’s highest recorded temperature is currently 38.7C set in Cambridge, eastern England, on 25 July, 2019. But that looks set to be surpassed in the Met Office’s projections for this week.
Johnson will remain as prime minister until 5 September, when his successor will be elected by Conservative MPs.
The five candidates remaining will be narrowed down to two for this vote, with Minister of State for Trade Policy, Penny Mordaunt, a favourite to reach the final stage.
Mordaunt has claimed today that she is the victim of “smears” following fresh claims about her views on transgender issues.
She rejected claims she had ever pursued a policy of self-identification for trans people seeking to legally change gender after press reports appeared to cast doubt on her earlier denials.
In the first televised debate on Friday, Mordaunt clashed with Liz Truss and Kemi Badenoch after they claimed they had been responsible for reversing the policy which she championed as an equalities minister.
However The Sunday Times said it had seen government papers which appeared to suggest Mordaunt was in favour of removing at least one element of the medical process required for transgender people to legally transition.
With additional reporting from PA and Jamie Mc Carron
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I drive a taxi and for many reasons I don’t belive it’s a job for a woman. I would hate to see my wife or daughter drive a taxi. And before I’m bashed I am not sexest
You clearly are a sexist if you believe women are too weak to drive a taxi. You didn’t say they were weak but that is clearly what you are inferring
Implying, damn it.
No Philip I’m not ! But keep trying
Ah I see your Twitter has been suspended Philip Hogan bit of a troll are you hiding behind false names !
Just curious, what exactly are you saying?
OK Mr Weddingcar, why shouldn’t women drive taxis?
Because of the Philip Hogans off this world !!
That doesn’t even make sense. You don’t think your wife and daughter are capable of driving a taxi. Is it any wonder that feminism is so aggressive when your misogyny is so engrained
Are you busy tonight, weddingcar?
I dunno. All the other car jackings had male taxi drivers. Is the experience less terrifying as a man? I wouldn’t say so.
I wouldn’t think it would be either. If they take the car and let you go unharmed it’s the only good thing to come out of a car jacking.
Why I wouldn’t like my wife etc driving is because you are dealing with people at their worst late at night drunk or worse on drugs. It’s hard enough without having guys trying it on or been intimidating which would and does happen with female drivers.
Day time work wouldn’t be to bad but nights would be a disaster waiting to happen.
what do you mean it’s not a job for a woman? you didn’t really say why :L
So what you ate saying is that you would rather see women treated like glass, always kept away from danger. Give them a bit more credit. They might surprise you
James and Philip grow up !
but…i was asking a legit question. im not trying to be mean or cheeky
He is concentrating on his new big job in Europe from now on…
I’ve never seen one female taxi driver working at night. It’s common sense really.
Daniel there is many
Would you suggest that women don’t work as police or in A&E then? They’d be facing the exact same people. What I’d suggest is taxis that have a partition between the driver at the front and the passenger at the back. You’d have to have fairly thick skin to be a taxi driver, so why shouldn’t a woman be a taxi driver if they’re as thick skinned as the male taxi drivers?
Guys stop trying to prove Wexford limo a sexiest . what he is saying is very true. After a wild night out, most of the time Drank man make trouble at the street…you wont see many woman making trouble at night while they are drank. an drank man has a common issue to harass women. so in a Saturday night, when lots of drank wild mans are in the street, who will not bother about law and order or maybe not in a state of thinking clearly would probably find a woman taxi driver more easy rather than a Man driver. Its just a fact.
@Danny. Your a&e remark just makes no sense. In relation to female gardai, at night time gardai have to work in pairs. The also carry pepper spray, something which taxi drivers are not allowed have.
If working at night was the same as day they wouldn’t have the pairing system.
That young pup deserves the mother and father of a bating when caught..
Wow must admire her bravery for refusing to hand over the keys. May not always have worked out so well. But she definitely showed that chap there’s no messing with her.
I admire her bravery but it was a silly thing to do
This type of crime is going on a weekly basis in dublin. Noting new here
Women taxmen are not that uncommon now.
Women taximen are not that uncommon now.
Bit of an echo here ;)
Here.
Women taxi men maybe even women taxi drivers
Why make a point of the taxi driver’s gender? Is it relevant?
Yes
How?
Fair play for standing her ground. Little cowardly asswipe.
Wow a female taxi driver. It is so amazing that it must be put in the headline
When i saw the title. I new it was up north
Brendan ere you implying that such acts don’t happen south of the border???
Shouldn’t have made any difference if the driver was a man or woman it shouldn’t be happening , why can’t a judge make a statement and send the next attacker down for at least 5 years and this might stop it ?
but unfortunately it is always the case. weaker taxi driver are the easy target.
have your say