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Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
'Bank of Wokeness' to ditch historical figures from banknotes in push to reflect modern diversity
The Bank of England has been accused of 'wrongheaded wokery' after revealing it could drop historical figures from banknotes to reflect modern diversity. It has launched a consultation seeking suggestions from the public that could mean the end of using images of significant characters – Sir Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, artist JMW Turner and code-breaker Alan Turing currently appear. The Bank suggests that modern issues such as gender, ethnicity and disability could be taken into account when planning the designs, with chief cashier Victoria Cleland saying: 'It may be that we can get that real diversity through a different theme than historic figures.' But the plans to change the traditional appearance of banknotes – which started in 1970 with William Shakespeare – drew an immediate backlash. Former business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said: 'The Bank of Wokeness wants to ignore our history and heroes to model itself on the unutterable banality of euro notes. It shows a lack of confidence in the nation and a supine kowtowing to the gods of political correctness.' Kevin Hollinrake, a former business minister, said: 'This is wrongheaded wokery. We should be proud of our history, not sideline it. 'Replacing historical figures with abstract themes risks erasing the rich, complex story of how our country has evolved. Diversity is incredibly important, but we should achieve it by widening the range of historic figures we honour, not by abandoning them altogether.' The month-long consultation, the Bank said, will give the public 'the opportunity to express their views on what theme they would like us to feature on the next series of our banknotes'. The month-long consultation, the Bank said, will give the public 'the opportunity to express their views on what theme they would like us to feature on the next series of our banknotes' The Bank has not said when the new set of notes will be issued, but it identified six 'potential themes', although people who are still alive – other than the monarch – would be excluded. A mock-up series of designs published alongside the consultation launch feature images of the Angel of the North, windfarms and the DNA double helix. The final decision will be for the governor, to rule out mischievous ideas such as 'Boaty McBoatface' which was chosen by the public as the name of a new UK polar research ship, which eventually became the Sir David Attenborough. Ms Cleland said ideas for the designs needed to be 'representative of the UK' but also 'not to be divisive' or 'upset people'. Campaigners had complained of a lack of women on notes prior to Jane Austen's addition in 2017.
Reuters
14 minutes ago
- Reuters
John Cena and Idris Elba team up for buddy movie 'Heads of State'
LONDON, July 1 (Reuters) - Actors John Cena and Idris Elba embark on a wild friendship journey in the comedy action adventure "Heads of State." Cena plays Hollywood action hero turned U.S. President Will Derringer, while Elba stars as the experienced and cranky British Prime Minister Sam Clarke, an army veteran. When a tense meeting between the two disparate leaders is followed by an attack that threatens to blow up the world order, they must come together to save the day. Cena and Elba, who also executive produced the movie, previously worked together on the 2021 superhero film "The Suicide Squad." "Honestly, our time on screen is effortless. He brings the best out of me and, in his words, I try to do my best to provide an environment where he can shine," Cena said at the movie's London premiere on Tuesday. "I love the friendship nature of this film," he added. The movie is directed by Russian filmmaker and musician Ilya Naishuller, who said Cena and Elba brought a realness to their roles. "They feed off each other as any good couple would, and they know how to argue together in such a way where this is the perfect combination of the American happy-go-lucky, optimistic president and the prime minister who is real about the job and how difficult it is," Naishuller said, adding he set out to make a summer blockbuster in the vein of the buddy action comedies of the 1980s and 90s. "The goal was, I want to do an hour and 45 of the highest quality entertainment I can do and just do a crowd-pleaser and make sure that the people sitting at home on July the 4th are going to be united and having a great time," he said. "Heads of State" also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas in the role of the pun-loving top MI6 agent Noel Bisset. "It was really different, because it was a comedy. Most of the action I've done has been in drama and thrillers," Chopra Jonas said. "I love my puns," she added. "I mean, listen, I love a good pun. You've got to be smart to be punny." "Heads of State" starts streaming on Prime Video on July 2.
Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Humiliation as Keir Starmer wins vote on welfare only after farcical climbdown on welfare reform plans
Sir Keir Starmer was forced to abandon his welfare reform plans last night to avoid a humiliating Commons defeat by his own MPs. On a shambolic day for Labour, the Prime Minister dropped his flagship plan to cut disability benefits just hours after ministers had insisted they were going ahead. The decision to abandon the reforms blows a £5 billion hole in the public finances and increases the risk that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will raise taxes again this autumn. It also deals a shattering blow to Sir Keir's authority as he prepares to mark his first anniversary in No 10 this weekend. Kemi Badenoch said the 'utter capitulation' showed that 'Starmer cannot govern' even with a landslide majority. The Tory leader warned that failure to tackle welfare reform would 'bury the next generation under a mountain of borrowing and debt'. Sir Keir had offered huge concessions to rebel MPs last week to head off a revolt. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall yesterday said there would be no further concessions, insisting Labour would not 'duck the big challenges facing this country'. But, as Labour MPs lined up to condemn the 'Dickensian' cuts, Government whips began to panic that the legislation was heading for defeat. Just 90 minutes before the vote, the Government abandoned plans to tighten eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which was at the heart of Sir Keir's 'reforms'. The capitulation was enough to allow the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill to pass its first Commons stage by 335 votes to 260. But it will now save no money – and leaves Sir Keir's plans for welfare reform in tatters. Dozens of Labour MPs were incensed by the Government's 'disrespectful' handling of the issue and voted against the Bill despite Sir Keir's near-total climbdown. The rebellion by 49 Labour MPs was by far the biggest revolt of his premiership. Last night, even some MPs who sided with the Government said they could switch sides when the legislation returns to the Commons next week – unless they get further concessions. Benefits reform has now been kicked into the long grass pending a review by welfare minister Sir Stephen Timms next year, which will be 'co-produced' by disability campaigners. Sir Stephen last night said his review was 'not designed to save money'. The humiliation will raise further questions about Sir Keir's political judgment and the operation of his top team. Ms Reeves has been singled out for criticism by rebel MPs for demanding the £5 billion savings to balance the books, while the PM's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney has been accused of ignoring the strength of feeling on the issue. Shadow welfare minister Helen Whately said the debacle suggested the PM 'can't even deliver a U-turn'. Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said: 'This farcical climbdown is the most humiliating moment of Labour's first year in office. Their flagship welfare Bill has disintegrated – stripped bare at the last minute in a desperate attempt to avoid both a defeat, and a confidence vote in Keir Starmer. This isn't serious government – it's chaos. 'Labour has bottled welfare reform, left a multi-billion pound hole in the nation's finances, and set the country on course for higher taxes or a debt spiral.' Rebel ringleader Rachael Maskell said the Government's plans were now 'a complete farce' and urged ministers to start again. Ms Kendall last night acknowledged there were 'certainly lessons to learn', adding: 'I wish we had got to this point in a different way.' She said welfare reform was 'never easy, especially perhaps for Labour governments'. But she insisted the Government would continue trying to put the benefits bill on a 'more sustainable footing'. Ms Kendall said Labour MPs remained '100 per cent behind the Prime Minister' despite the insurrection. Sir Keir's original plan would have ended eligibility for PIP payment for 800,000 disabled people, who would each have lost around £4,500 each. The Government's own assessment suggested this would drive 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children. In a climbdown last week, the Government agreed not to apply the cuts to existing claimants. But official estimates said this would still have pushed 150,000 people into poverty in future. Ms Maskell said the 'Dickensian cuts belong to a different era and a different party'. And former frontbencher Richard Burgon told fellow MPs it would 'hang like an albatross around their necks' if they voted for the Government's cuts. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the entire package should be scrapped, adding: 'If it does cost more money, so be it.' Speaking before the climbdown, Ms Kendall said reform was essential – warning that new PIP claims are rising at a rate of 1,000 a day. 'I do not believe that this is sustainable if we want a welfare state that protects people who most need our help for generations to come,' she said. She added: 'There is no responsibility in leaving our system of social security to continue as it is, and risk support for it becoming so frayed that it is no longer there to provide a safety net for those who can never work, and who most need our help and support.' Who are the Labour rebels who voted against the welfare bill? Here is a full list of the Labour rebels who voted against the Bill at second reading: Rosena Allin-Khan (Tooting) Paula Barker (Liverpool Wavertree) Lee Barron (Corby and East Northamptonshire) Lorraine Beavers (Blackpool North and Fleetwood) Olivia Blake (Sheffield Hallam) Richard Burgon (Leeds East) Ian Byrne (Liverpool West Derby) Irene Campbell (North Ayrshire and Arran) Lizzi Collinge (Morecambe and Lunesdale) Stella Creasy (Walthamstow) Peter Dowd (Bootle) Neil Duncan-Jordan (Poole) Cat Eccles (Stourbridge) Clive Efford (Eltham and Chislehurst) Mary Kelly Foy (City of Durham) Tracy Gilbert (Edinburgh North and Leith) Mary Glindon (Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend) Chris Hinchliff (North East Hertfordshire) Imran Hussain (Bradford East) Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington) Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth) Emma Lewell (South Shields) Clive Lewis (Norwich South) Rebecca Long Bailey (Salford) Rachael Maskell (York Central) Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough and Thornaby East) Navendu Mishra (Stockport) Abtisam Mohamed (Sheffield Central) Grahame Morris (Easington) Margaret Mullane (Dagenham and Rainham) Simon Opher (Stroud) Kate Osamor (Edmonton and Winchmore Hill) Kate Osborne (Jarrow and Gateshead East) Richard Quigley (Isle of Wight West) Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Clapham and Brixton Hill) Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) Cat Smith (Lancaster and Wyre) Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) Graham Stringer (Blackley and Middleton South) Marie Tidball (Penistone and Stocksbridge) Jon Trickett (Normanton and Hemsworth) Derek Twigg (Widnes and Halewood) Chris Webb (Blackpool South) Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East) Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr) Marsha De Cordova (Battersea)
