Police wrong to march in Pride parade, court rules
The case was brought by Linzi Smith, who argued that Northumbria Police breached impartiality by appearing under a banner supporting transgender rights.
Mr Justice Linden agreed, stating the Chief Constable's participation was likely seen as the force's endorsement of the march's cause, indicating a political stance.
The ruling is expected to lead to new national guidance for police forces on maintaining impartiality while engaging with communities, as confirmed by the National Police Chiefs' Council.
The judgment has sparked debate regarding the balance between police visibility and community trust, and the need to avoid perceived political alignment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
21 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Donald Trump says he 'wants to see Scotland thrive' during visit
The US President – whose mother was born in the Outer Hebrides – spoke of his 'love' for the country during a visit to his golf course in Ayrshire. Donald Trump has said he wants to see Scotland 'thrive' during his visit to the country. The US President – whose mother was born in the Outer Hebrides – spoke of his 'love' for the country during a visit to his golf course in Ayrshire. Flanked by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the 79-year-old was asked if changes could be made to the UK-US trade deal, which would benefit Scotland. He said: 'I have great love for Scotland.' Speaking of his mother, the President said she would 'religiously' return home every year. He jokingly added: 'When we do our trade deal, a lot of it comes to Scotland, maybe all of it should go to Scotland.' He continued: 'We deal with the UK, but a lot of it comes to Scotland. I was very particular, because this is a part of the world I want to see thrive.' Despite the trade deal agreed between the two countries, a 10% tariff remains on Scotch whisky, one of the country's biggest exports. Asked earlier if that tariff could be dropped or eliminated as a result of the meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr Trump said: 'We'll talk about that, I didn't know whisky was a problem. I'm not a big whisky drinker, but maybe I should be.' Scottish First Minister John Swinney is expected to raise the issue when he meets the President during his visit to his second course in Aberdeenshire before he returns to the US. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 'Tariffs are very important for the Scottish economy and obviously Scotch whisky is a unique product,' he told BBC Breakfast on Monday. 'It can only be produced in Scotland. It's not a product that can be produced in any other part of the world. So there's a uniqueness about that, which I think means there is a case for it to be taken out of the tariffs arrangement that is now in place. 'Obviously, the trade deal with the United States provides a degree of stability for economic connections with the United States, but the application of tariffs is increasing the costs for the Scotch whisky industry. 'So one of my objectives will be to make the case to President Trump that Scotch whisky should be exempted from those tariffs.
Telegraph
22 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Millions to lose up to £18,000 in savings from pension reforms
Millions of workers in their 50s face losing up to £18,000 if the Government accelerates a rise in the state pension age, a leading wealth manager has warned. Rathbones, which manages the savings of older people, said introducing a state retirement age of 68 earlier than planned threatened to hit people aged 51 the hardest, while people aged 52 and 53 would also lose out. The Government is exploring whether to raise the state pension age to 68 more quickly. It is currently set to be phased in from 2044, but Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is considering bringing this forward five years to 2039 as part of the Government's pensions review. According to Rathbones, those aged 51 would lose an entire year's worth of state pension payments if the timetable is accelerated. That would be worth £17,774, assuming today's state pension of £12,000 increases by the so-called triple lock each year. Under the triple lock, the state pension rises by the highest of inflation, average wages or 2.5pc per year. Meanwhile, people aged 52 would miss out on £17,340 and those aged 53 would lose £16,918. Each of those age cohorts – 51, 52 and 53-year-olds – comprise some 800,000 people, meaning around 2.4 million risk missing out on significant five-figure sums. Rebecca Williams, from Rathbones, said Britain's ageing population would put a growing strain on the public finances. She said: 'With longevity increasing and population pressures mounting, future generations appear set to face a less generous state pension regime than that enjoyed by many of today's retirees. 'The situation appears particularly precarious for those in their early 50s who face the real prospect of missing out.' The state pension age is currently 66 and will rise to 67 by 2028. Spending increasing Raising the state pension age is likely to prove politically challenging. Previous pension reviews recommended increasing the pension age in the late 2030s, but the move was not put into legislation. However, financial pressure is growing, and Ms Kendall acknowledged when launching her review that she was 'under no illusions' about the scale of the challenge. Estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) show that state pension payments will amount to 5.1pc of GDP this year, up from 3.6pc two decades ago. That bill will keep on mounting, rising to almost 8pc by the 2070s. Overall spending on pensioners, including the state pension, housing benefit and winter fuel payments but not counting healthcare costs, came to £150.7bn last year and will rise to £181.8bn by the end of the decade, according to the OBR. The Government has sought to limit the increase by restricting the share of pensioners who receive winter fuel payments. However, it was forced into a partial about-turn after a backlash from voters and Labour's own backbench MPs, showing the difficulties of reining in benefits spending. It means there is increasing pressure from the public finances to find ways to save money for the long term, potentially including further increases in the pension age. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that raising the pension age by one year saves the Government around £6bn per year. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, last week said the state of the public purse means the pension age should be increased more rapidly, in line with life expectancy. 'I don't think we can really afford to [wait to the 2040s], to be frank,' Mr Farage said. 'If there is a sudden economic miracle, then it might change that. But it does not look to be happening any time soon.' The International Monetary Fund last week said that if the Government stuck to its promise not to raise taxes on 'working people', then it would have to consider reining in spending, 'to align better the scope of public services with available resources'. 'In particular, the triple lock could be replaced with a policy of indexing the state pension to the cost of living,' the global economic watchdog said.
Telegraph
43 minutes ago
- Telegraph
The Daily T: Inside the room as Starmer Trumped at Turnberry
Donald Trump certainly didn't hold back in his advice for Keir Starmer in Scotland today: cut taxes, slash illegal migration, and lose the wind turbines. The men were expected to discuss the situation in Gaza and the US-UK trade deal after a lengthy press conference that became something of a one-man show. The Telegraph's chief US correspondent Rob Crilly was there. Meanwhile there is one story Trump can't seem to shake, even with a trip across the Atlantic: the so-called Epstein files. Maga watcher Curt Mills tells The Daily T that the controversial decision to not release documents about the convicted paedophile could bring down the president.
