Private education is one of Britain's best exports – now it's being destroyed
'The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.'
It is hard to think of a more fitting description of our government. With the parliamentary omnipotence of a huge majority, the moral busybodies wasted no time in attacking the one British institution which can quite legitimately claim to be the envy of the world: our independent schools.
An impressive 35 British public schools were featured in Spear's Schools Index of the top 100 institutions in the world this year.
The list, which was overwhelmingly dominated by the United Kingdom, far ahead of rivals such as the United States and Switzerland, is compiled on the basis of the institutions' 'academic prowess, their range of social, cultural, and pastoral offerings and their international reputation'.
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The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
Water regulation should be overhauled, review recommends
The system for regulating water companies should be overhauled and Ofwat replaced, a landmark review of the sector has advised. The much-anticipated final report from the Independent Water Commission, led by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe, outlined 88 recommendations to the UK and Welsh governments to turn around the ailing industry. The Government-commissioned team was tasked to carry out the largest review of the sector since privatisation in the face of widespread public anger over pollution, bills and bosses' bonuses, although ministers ruled out nationalising water companies. Water minister Emma Hardy told broadcasters on Monday that the system is 'broken', but did not commit to how many of the 88 suggestions would be accepted by Whitehall. The report, published on Monday morning, recommended far-reaching changes to the way the water system is regulated as it called the current landscape 'fragmented and overlapping'. For England, proposals include abolishing Ofwat, which oversees how much water companies in England and Wales can charge for services, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate, which ensures that public water supplies are safe. The report also advises removing the regulatory roles of the Environment Agency and Natural England, which monitor the sector's impact on nature, such as companies illegally dumping sewage into waterways. Instead, a 'joined-up' and 'powerful' single integrated water regulator should be established, according to the recommendations. In Wales, Ofwat's economic responsibilities would be integrated into Natural Resources Wales, the review said. Ms Hardy told BBC Breakfast that ministers would be taking 'a proper look' at the paper 'all the way through the summer'. Asked if all the recommendations would be made law, she told the programme: 'What we'll do is we'll have a proper look at it all the way through the summer and the intention is that we're going to introduce a White Paper to spell out exactly what we're going to do on water reform.' Ms Hardy said that the Government would 'introduce a water Bill next year, which will change the law', but added: 'Exactly how many out of the 88 we're going to do or not going to do, then we'll work that out in the next few months.' The current system has faced intense criticism for overseeing water companies during the years they paid out shareholders and accrued large debts while ageing infrastructure crumbled and sewage spills skyrocketed. Author Sir Jon said the review has 'tried to attack the problem from all sides' but warned that bills are going to rise by 30% over the next five years. 'There are some inescapable facts here,' he said. 'The cost of producing water and dealing with our wastewater is going up.' Sir Jon later told Times Radio that regulators have failed to work together to make the sector deliver and blamed the Government for not giving clear direction. 'It's the failure of Government to balance out all the different pressures on water,' he said, adding that firms 'need to perform better' and 'be funded to invest'. The Government backed the commission's findings, with Ms Hardy saying consumers have been 'failed time and time again'. Speaking on Times Radio, she said 'root-and-branch reform' is needed to fix the crisis and told listeners the Government is considering a piece of primary legislation to deliver many of the proposed changes. Ms Hardy also described trust in the water industry as at 'the lowest ever level' and criticised executives for handing out pay rises and bonuses. 'Everyone knows the system is broken,' she said. 'And they give themselves huge pay rises.' However, the minister also ruled out supporting Government intervention to cap pay in the private sector. Ms Hardy said: 'I don't think as Government we should say what private companies should pay. 'But I will say – read the room. Look how angry and furious people are.' Other key recommendations in the review include: – Expanding the role of the voluntary Consumer Council for Water into an ombudsman to give stronger protection to customers and a clearer route to resolving complaints. – Significant improvements to environmental regulation, including the process where companies collect and analyse wastewater discharges they make into waterways, by introducing more digitalisation, automation, third-party assurance and inspections. – Tightening oversight of water company ownership and governance through measures such as new regulatory powers to block changes to water company ownership and 'minimum capital' requirements so that companies are less reliant on debt. – Introducing legislative reforms to better manage public health risks in water, recognising the many people who swim, surf and enjoy other water-based activities. – Fundamentally resetting economic regulation, including a new 'supervisory' approach that supports tailored decisions and earlier interventions in water company oversight.
The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
Six arrested after ‘thuggery' outside Essex hotel ‘housing asylum seekers'
Six people have been arrested after another protest escalated 'into mindless thuggery', police said, outside an Essex hotel believed to house asylum seekers. More than 100 demonstrators assembled outside the Bell Hotel in Epping on Sunday evening, with some chanting 'save our kids'. Essex Police said six people were arrested that evening and remain in custody, including a 17-year-old male on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a police car. Four were arrested on Sunday for alleged offences during Thursday's protest, police said. A 16-year-old male from south London was arrested on suspicion of going equipped to cause criminal damage, it added At 10.15pm, Essex Police said: 'There were angry and violent scenes when a woman walked through the crowds. 'Missiles were thrown at her and a number of individuals were shouting abuse and trying to reach the woman. 'Our officers walked alongside her until she left the scene in order to keep everyone on all sides safe and ensure no-one was hurt.' It added: 'An officer from Norfolk was struck in the face by a bottle and taken to hospital.' A Section 35 dispersal order was put in place 'to prevent further crime or anti-social behaviour', and a Section 60AA was activated to give officers the power to make 'any individuals' remove their 'face coverings and balaclavas'. Epping High Road was closed for 'a number of hours' after people gathered there. Police said 'all protesters have now been dispersed' at 11.15pm. Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said: 'Disappointingly we have seen yet another protest, which begun peacefully, escalate into mindless thuggery with individuals again hurting one of our officers and damaging a police vehicle. 'For anyone who thinks we will tolerate their thuggery – think again.' Some set off flares in blue and red, while others held signs which read 'deport foreign criminals', 'we go home when they go back' and 'defend our girls'. Bottles and smoke flares were later thrown towards police vans blocking the entrance to the hotel on the High Road. This came as a man was charged with violent disorder and criminal damage on Sunday afternoon following previous clashes outside the hotel. Eight police officers were injured after what started as a peaceful protest on Thursday evening. Keith Silk, 33, of Torrington Drive, Loughton, was arrested on Saturday, Essex Police said. The force said on Sunday that the CPS had authorised police to charge Silk with one count of violent disorder and one count of criminal damage. He was remanded into custody and will appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Monday. Thursday's demonstration was one of a series of protests outside the hotel since 38-year-old asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was charged with sexual assault after an incident where he is alleged to have attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl. He denied the charge when he appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Thursday. Chief Superintendent Anslow said: 'Individuals who thought that after last Thursday, turned up this evening only to find themselves getting arrested (sic) and we have continued to arrest others throughout the evening.' He added: 'I would also like to set the record straight around misinformation that Essex Police is anything other than impartial. 'We don't take sides, we arrest criminals and we have a duty to ensure no-one is hurt – plain and simple. 'I know the people of Essex know what we're about so I know they won't believe the rubbish circulating online that is designed to do nothing more than inflame tensions and trouble. 'I think I speak for all of us – including the people of Epping – when I say we've had enough of your criminality. 'But our cells, which have been filling up throughout the evening, are ready for you, so don't be in any doubt that this is where you will be sleeping.'
Reuters
20 minutes ago
- Reuters
UK water regulation overhaul offers hope for stricken Thames Water
LONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - Britain should overhaul water regulation to better protect the environment, investors and consumers, while giving companies breathing space on sewage fines, according to an official report which also set a path to prevent the collapse of Thames Water. The privatised water industry in England and Wales has provoked public fury by releasing record levels of sewage into rivers and lakes, prompting the Labour government to promise major reforms when it was elected last year. At the centre of a sector the government describes as "broken" is Thames Water, the country's biggest water supplier with 16 million customers, whose debt pile has left it teetering on the brink of nationalisation. Former Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe, who led a review of the sector published on Monday, said the current separate financial and environmental regulation of the industry had failed, and financial regulator Ofwat should be replaced. He also suggested that a formal turnaround regime should be established, giving struggling companies space to recover under so-called "regulatory forbearance". Thames Water has warned that under the current regime, it is facing 1.4 billion pounds in pollution fines and penalties over the next five years, pushing it towards financial collapse. While Cunliffe called his proposals "significant", critics said they did not go far enough. Environmental campaigners blame water companies for prioritising profits over sewage, and want more radical change such as nationalisation. "Abolishing Ofwat and replacing it with a shinier regulator won't stop sewage dumping or profiteering if the finance and ownership structures stay the same," said Giles Bristow, the CEO of campaign group Surfers Against Sewage. Cunliffe's remit was set by the government and did not allow him to consider nationalising the water sector, which has been privately owned by regional water companies since 1989. Under plans already set out by Ofwat, British water companies will get more than 100 billion pounds ($134 billion) of investment in the next five years to respond to population growth and climate change, funded by an average 36% increase in customer bills. Cunliffe told the BBC that the major leap in bills would not have been needed if the industry and regulator had steadily increased investment over the years. Environment Minister Steve Reed, who on Sunday promised to halve sewage pollution by 2030, will respond later on Monday. The government wants to avoid Thames Water from entering special administration, a form of temporary nationalisation, because it does not want its 17 billion pounds of debt on the national balance sheet. In a last ditch attempt to avoid administration, a group of Thames Water senior creditors are trying to take over the company. It welcomed Cunliffe's report. "It is in the public interest to recognise that regulatory support is needed to reset struggling companies and return them back to compliance and performance while retaining long-term investor confidence," a source close to a Thames bondholder said. Under Cunliffe's recommendations, the government would direct the new regulator to set out returns, improving investor confidence, while also protecting consumers and the environment, and setting up regional water planning authorities. ($1 = 0.7460 pounds)
