Top story: governor removed after ‘dramatic deterioration’
This is Alison Rourke bringing you the top stories to start your week.
The Ministry of Justice has been forced to take immediate control of HMP Birmingham from G4S, ahead of a damning inspection report being published today. The report found that prisoners used drink, drugs and violence with impunity and corridors were littered with cockroaches, blood and vomit. The unprecedented step includes removing the governor and moving hundreds of inmates. G4S was awarded a 15-year contract to run the prison in 2011 but the chief inspector of prisons, Peter Clarke, said there had been “dramatic deterioration” since the last inspection in early 2017. He said the report contained “some of the most disturbing evidence that inspectors ... have seen in any prison”. Inspectors saw prisoners who were evidently under the influence of drink or drugs, which went unchallenged, including widespread use of the psychoactive drug spice. Staff were fearful and experienced widespread bullying, the report said.
‘Lucky to be alive’ – A British woman who fell off a cruise ship 60 miles out from the Croatian coast has thanked her rescuers. “I was sitting on the back of the deck and, yeah ... it was bad,” said the 46-year-old, who has been named as Kay Longstaff in UK reports. She was taken to hospital in the town of Pula and is understood to be out of danger. The Norwegian Star raised the alarm and was joined by coastguard and civilian vessels, plus a PC-9 aircraft at about 6.30am on Sunday. She was spotted at 9.40am and reached by a rescue swimmer from a patrol boat minutes later, Croatian media reported, saying she was about 1.3km away from the spot where she fell in.
Mueller turns up the heat – The president’s former lawyer and former right-hand man, Michael Cohen, is reportedly facing an investigation into possible bank and tax fraud relating to more than $20m in loans. The New York Times (NYT) reported that Manhattan investigators were reaching the end of their inquiries and were “considering filing charges by the end of August”. According to the newspaper, their focus was falling on multimillion-dollar loans Cohen received from two New York banks as well as on income his family gained from the city’s yellow taxi business.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump attacked the NYT over a bombshell report that said White House counsel Don McGahn cooperated extensively with special counsel Robert Mueller in his investigation of Russian election interference, links between Trump aides and Moscow, and potential obstruction of justice. The president both called the Times report “fake” and confirmed its substance: “The failing [New York Times] wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel [sic] Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel [sic], he must be a John Dean type ‘RAT.’” Dean was White House counsel to Nixon during Watergate.
Scottish slump – Jeremy Corbyn will spend four days campaigning in Scotland from today in an attempt to revitalise Scottish Labour’s fortunes after a fall in polling. Labour sources admit the party has failed to capitalise on a surge in support during last year’s general election, when the party defied expectations by winning back six Westminster seats from the Scottish National party. “Scotland is absolutely crucial to Corbyn’s hopes of becoming prime minister,” said elections expert Prof John Curtice at the University of Strathclyde.
As Corbyn attempts to shore up votes north of the border, the prospect of a new UK political party at Westminster is growing, writes political editor Heather Stewart. She says there is a growing feeling that the deep divisions over whether, and how, Britain should break from the EU cannot be contained within the existing party system. With Labour’s turmoil over its handling of antisemitism, and persistent rumblings over Corbyn’s leadership, next spring – after the end of March date set for Brexit – is deemed by centrist MPs to be the most auspicious moment for launching a new party. It comes as the pro-EU Labour peer and former cabinet minister Andrew Adonis said the party was “finished” if it backs Brexit in a snap election before March 2019. A YouGov poll of more than 4,900 people, released to the Guardian on Sunday, put the Conservatives ahead of Labour by four points in a snap election should the latter adopt an anti-Brexit position, and ahead by nine points if Labour were to pledge to follow through with leaving the EU.
Under pressure – Tougher standards demanded by the new style of GCSEs being awarded for the first time this year have put pupils under a great deal of additional stress, school leaders say. Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the “bar has deliberately been set at a higher level” as a result of changes initiated by the former education secretary Michael Gove. “The new exams are harder, contain more content, and involve sitting more papers,” Barton said. “We are worried about the impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people caused by these reforms and it is our view that such a substantial set of changes as this should have been introduced in a more managed and considered manner.” Hundreds of thousands of pupils in England will receive their GSCE results this week.
Fergie fashion – The Alice band – the classic accessory of the 80s Sloane Ranger – is back and we have Fergie to thank for it. According to Lauren Cochrane, the Duchess of York has become an unlikely style inspiration this year. Fergie wore her headbands as big as they go, perched on top of those ginger locks. Glamour magazine has declared 2018 the “year of the headband”, with the likes of Rita Ora and Alexa Chung big fans. And there’s more to it than just hair accessories: look out for 80s Fergie-like skirtsuits, including puffed shoulders, sweetheart necklines and even gloves. And finally, dust off your polka dots and extreme sleeves to get the full look.
Lunchtime read: Ralf Little: from The Royle Family to rightwing Twitter slayer
From the sweet, slobbish working-class Antony in The Royle Family, Ralf Little is now better known now for his spats on Twitter, taking on Nigel Farage and other extreme voices. Last month, after the former Ukip leader tweeted, “I’ll have no choice but to return to frontline politics if Brexit is delayed”, Little replied: “And I will have no choice but to return to the International Space Station, where I also have never been.” Last year, he took on the then health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, with data, logic and humour. After Hunt boasted that the NHS had overseen “the biggest expansion of mental health provision in Europe”, Little said: “This is what it looks like when a man goes on TV and knowingly lies to the public. If I’m wrong @jeremy_hunt, sue me. I double dare you.”
After The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager, Little found himself typecast by the media and casting directors as a “thick, drunk, slobby loser”. The tabloids feasted on his excesses, which surprised him because they were few and far between. “About once a week there would be a story, ‘It looks like our Anthony was seen chatting up some girl, but of course she wasn’t interested and why would she be?’ and that was off a voicemail.” He is convinced his depiction by the press affected the roles he was offered. “I was perceived in the industry as a bit lightweight; frivolous.” Nowadays, he’s spending more time in the United States. It means starting again to some extent, but at least casting directors won’t see him as Antony.
Sport
Jos Buttler admitted England do not know why they continue to endure catastrophic collapses that are costing them Tests, following a chastening second day in Nottingham on which Hardik Pandya took 5-28 off six overs.
José Mourinho said he could not give an honest assessment of his team’s performance after Manchester United slumped to a shambolic 3-2 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion, but there was better news for United’s women’s side in their first competitive game which they won 1-0 against Liverpool in the FA Continental Tyres Cup.
Meanwhile, a display of near perfection by Manchester City was crowned by Sergio Agüero’s ninth Premier League hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of Huddersfield.
Novak Djokovic finally won the tournament that had been eluding him, beating Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 for his first Cincinnati Masters title.
And Lazio’s notorious ultras have caused outrage by telling women to avoid their “sacred space” in the stands of the Stadio Olimpico.
Business
Britain’s manufacturing output has fallen behind that of France, according to figures out today, leaving us ninth in the world just ahead of Brazil and Indonesia. In that context, an essay by Cambridge academic Chris Bickerton on how the economy’s reliance on retail spending is doomed to end in disaster makes for quite scary reading. Latest data shows that for the first time ever we borrowed more money than we deposited (£80bn v £37bn). Nine out of 10 cars are bought using hire purchase or a similar method. All the while, wages are declining. To fix what he calls Thatcher’s broken model, he calls for nothing less than a new social settlement.
Amid all this the FTSE100 is expected to open flat, as is the pound at $1.275 and €1.115.
The papers
Several of the papers carry pictures of the British woman who survived 10 hours in the water after falling off a cruise ship in the Adriatic: “I’m lucky to be alive” is her quote on the front of the Guardian. The Sun headline writers have: “Cruise a lucky girl”. “How did she survive?” asks the Daily Mail.
Several of the papers also have the story of G4S being stripped of its right to run Birmingham prison. “G4S stripped of the right to run ‘squalid’ jail” is the Guardian’s headline. The Times has: “Emergency takeover of the chaotic Birmingham jail”. The Daily Mail goes with: “Jail taken over by the inmates”.
The Telegraph’s leads on “MPs lobby for expenses increase to cover Brexit”, while the Financial Times’s splash is: “Beijing banks to back exporters as trade fears rise”.
The Express and the Mirror both have stories about Meghan Markle on their front page: “Meghan off to USA ... to see mum” is the Mirror’s story, while the Express has: “Meghan: How I cannot risk speaking to Dad”.
For more news: www.theguardian.com
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