Newbury MP calls for better road safety for horses
"It was a powerful display of community action and shared purpose," he said.Mr Dillon's early day motion highlighted the importance of national guidance, better signage and greater awareness among drivers.On Monday 30 September, two-year-old Knockalla was being ridden in Lambourn when the horse was frightened by a vehicle.The animal moved out into the middle of the road as a result and was hit, suffering a leg fracture so severe it needed to be euthanised.
Figures by the British Horse Society found 3,118 road incidents involving horses were logged in 2024. Of those, 58 horses died and 97 were injured.It found riders were victims of road rage and abuse and in some instances drivers drove past either too close to the horses or too fast.
You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Chinese students at UK universities being 'pressured to spy on classmates', think tank report warns
Chinese students are being pressured to 'spy on classmates' by officials back home, a new report claims. The UK-China Transparency (UKCT) think tank suggested the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is monitoring discussions on British campuses via students. It is thought the move is intended to suppress discourse on issues which are sensitive to the Chinese government. UKCT researchers questioned 50 academics working in the Chinese studies field and found many were concerned about the influence of Beijing. One lecturer said their Chinese students had 'confided' that they had been asked to spy on campus events by Chinese police. Another scholar said they were told by Chinese students that 'surveillance is omnipresent' and that they are 'interviewed by officials' when they return to China. The report also claimed Chinese government officials had warned lecturers to avoid discussing certain topics in their classes. It comes days after a new law came into force placing more responsibility on universities to uphold academic freedom and free speech. However, UKCT said some universities are reluctant to address the issue of Chinese interference because of their financial reliance on Chinese student fees. The report alleged that some Chinese academics involved in sensitive research had been denied visas by the Chinese government. Meanwhile others said family members back in China had been harassed or threatened because of their work in the UK. These sensitive topics included the alleged ethnic cleansing in China's Xinjiang region, the outbreak of Covid or the rise of Chinese technology companies, according to the report. Some academics reported intimidation by visiting scholars or other Chinese officials, as well as by staff at Confucius Institutes. These are partnership organisations operating at several UK universities, working with institutions in China. They promote Chinese culture and language on UK campuses, but have been criticised over alleged ties to the CCP. A Chinese Embassy spokesman said the country had always adhered to its policy of not interfering with other countries' internal affairs. They told the BBC the report was 'groundless and absurd', adding that China respects freedom of speech in the UK and elsewhere. A spokesman for Universities UK, which represents 141 institutions, said: 'Anyone working or studying at our universities should know that their rights to personal and academic freedom are protected when they are on British soil.' Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said any attempt by a foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK 'will not be tolerated'. She said academic freedom was 'non-negotiable in our world-leading institutions', adding that the implementation of the new legislation made that 'explicitly clear'.
The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
Migrant hotel protests: Police braced for further violence across country with more demonstrations planned
Police are braced for further protests and disorder across the UK, as anti-migrant demonstrations continue outside hotels housing asylum-seekers. At least four protests have been organised for the upcoming week in locations such as Bournemouth, Southampton and Portsmouth, with tensions rising further after clashes over the weekend. It comes amid warnings that the Metropolitan Police could be 'tested to the limit' on Saturday, when pro-Palestine Action supporters have been urged to turn up en masse in central London, in defiance of anti-terror laws. Protests first began last month outside The Bell Hotel in Epping after an Ethiopian refugee residing there, Hadush Kebatu, was charged with sexual assault for allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl. Since then, far-right demonstrators have clashed with police and counter-protesters in Diss, Manchester, Edinburgh and outside the Barbican in London. On Sunday, a group wearing face masks and carrying smoke bombs made a 'concerted effort' to break into the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf, which is currently housing refugees. Police forces are expected to be stretched at the weekend, as a separate pro-Palestine march is also scheduled for Saturday and anti-immigration protests are scheduled to continue. It is unclear if the Metropolitan Police will call on mutual aid from neighboring forces, with the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) saying they are working 'closely' with partners at a national and local level. The Telegraph reports that hundreds of people are set to descend on London to support Palestine Action, after they were proscribed as a terrorist organisation. The group has claimed responsibility for damaging aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in June. Membership or expressing support for the group is now a criminal offence carrying a maximum sentence of up to 14 years in prison. With the possibility that the police may have to arrest hundreds of protesters on Saturday, there are fears that capacity in custody cells could quickly run out. Sir Keir Starmer 's spokesperson said that while the public have a right to protest, they would 'never tolerate unlawful or violent behaviour or intimidatory behavior'. Tensions over migration have further escalated after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and George Finch, the 19-year-old leader of Warwickshire County Council, claimed there had been a 'cover up' of details about an alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton. Two men have been charged in relation to the alleged incident in the Warwickshire town. Warwickshire Police has not released the immigration status of the two suspects. Mr Finch said he would be working to 'fight against' houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) that are housing 'illegal immigrants' and also claimed that Reform UK need to 'change things' and are 'the last line of defence against the blob, the cover-ups'. In his letter to Ms Cooper, published on X on Sunday, Mr Finch claimed that a 'cover-up' of immigration status 'risks public disorder breaking out on the streets of Warwickshire'. 'Having my ear to the ground locally, it is clear that there is much appetite for protests to take place across the County,' the letter adds. When asked if the police should release the ethnicity of people when charged, a No10 spokesperson said that it was important to be as 'transparent as possible', and described the case as 'deeply upsetting and distressing'. Meanwhile, border security minister Dame Angela Eagle said that protests outside hotels must not be used to 'have a pop at the police' and insisted that Labour were working to close asylum hotels. She added that the Government was 'doing the detailed work' to crack down on small boat crossings, after the Home Office unveiled its plan to pump an extra £100 million into tackling people smuggling. With both a protest and a counter-demonstration organised by Stand Up To Racism in Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, Dorset Police said they would seek to ensure people can exercise their right to protest legally, without disruption. 'We will seek to enable peaceful protests, but public order or criminal offences will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly,' a spokesperson said. An NPCC spokesperson said: 'Policing is committed to upholding and facilitating the right to peaceful protest. Where possible, we will work with event organisers and any other affected groups to facilitate protests and minimise serious disruption to communities. 'We are working closely with partners at a national, regional and local level to monitor the latest information and intelligence to ensure we are best placed to respond should we see any incidents that escalate into disorder and criminality. 'We have robust and well-tested proactive plans in place, with the ability to mobilise significant and specialist resources, if necessary. "Public order response officers will be supported by investigation teams who will gather evidence and ensure those responsible for any acts of criminality, should they occur, are identified and held to account.'
BBC News
12 minutes ago
- BBC News
Warwickshire MP drives 1,300 miles to deliver aid to Ukraine
An MP has driven an ambulance full of humanitarian aid 1,300 miles to Taylor, MP for North Warwickshire and Bedworth, completed the three-day trip from her constituency to the Poland-Ukraine border on 31 journey formed part of a long-running charitable initiative formed by LKQ UK & Ireland, a company that distributes automotive Taylor said she had been "honoured" to have been asked by the company to drive the ambulance, adding it was an "extraordinary experience". A convoy of ambulances started their journey at LKQ's headquarters in Birch Coppice Business Park in Tamworth, included overnight stops in Germany and Poland before reaching the Taylor's ambulance was the 50th to be driven in the initiative. Dawid Kozlowski, a demand supply planner at LKQ UK & Ireland, has co-ordinated the delivery of more than 200 tonnes of aid since the war broke out in 2022, including 34 ambulances and more than £6,000 worth of prescription medicine."We have always focused on the most practical and immediate needs – medical supplies, vehicles, and support for children," he Kozlowski, who has also overseen more than a thousand Christmas gifts to Ukrainian children, was honoured with a Volunteer Award in BBC CWR's Make A Difference Awards in 2023."The suffering of those in Ukraine continues to be a big issue at the heart of my community, and the support we've had from the company to help those in need has made an incredible difference," he said. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
