Latest news with #Anglesey
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Veterans railcards could extend to family in new ‘legal duty' for armed forces
Families of veterans could receive cut-price train fares of their own as part of proposals to strengthen the UK's military covenant being considered by ministers, it is understood. Eligibility for the special railcard, which provides a discount of one third on most tickets, could be extended under plans to offer more support to the armed forces community. Under existing rules, spouses of veterans can be offered concessions when travelling as a companion to the cardholder, but cannot use benefits independently. It comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed plans to place a 'legal duty' on all Government departments to consider the needs of military personnel and their families when making policy. Number 10 said more details of the measure would be set out in due course, but could include initiatives such as extending travel benefits to the families of veterans and the bereaved. It is understood that one proposal being considered is the extension of the veterans railcard to family members, though no decisions have been made. Sir Keir earlier met trainee pilots and their families as he visited RAF Valley on Anglesey in North Wales, to mark Armed Forces Day. He said: 'Across the country and around the world, our service personnel and their families make the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and protect our freedom and our way of life. 'When I became Prime Minister, I made a promise to serve those who have served us. 'Through the new Armed Forces Covenant, we are delivering on that promise, ensuring our service personnel, veterans and their families are treated with the respect they deserve, that is our duty. 'Our Armed Forces Covenant will put our armed forces community at the very heart of government decision-making. 'Their courage, duty, and sacrifice are the foundation of our national values, and they deserve nothing less.' Labour pledged in its manifesto to fully implement the Armed Forces Covenant, which supports the military community through a range of initiatives and grants. Under the new legislation all areas of Government will for the first time have to have 'due regard' in decision-making for the unique circumstances and position of the armed forces community, Downing Street said. Currently this is only legally required in areas of housing, healthcare and education at local level, meaning it does not apply to central Government. The extension will cover policy areas including employment, immigration, welfare, transport, pensions, childcare and criminal justice. The Government aims to make the changes in the next Armed Forces Bill, one of which is required every five years. The last Bill was passed in 2021. It comes ahead more than 200 events expected to take place across the UK to mark Armed Forces Day. The town of Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire will host this year's annual national event, and is expected to welcome 200,000 visitors. It will feature a military parade with personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and the RAF's Red Arrows, including music from the British Army Band Catterick and the Band of the Coldstream Guards. A flypast by Chinook helicopters and historic aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will take place above the town's beaches, as well as a fireworks display and a concert by military musicians. Defence Secretary John Healey, who will attend the celebrations, said: 'On Armed Forces Day the nation unites to thank our armed forces: our service personnel, our reservists, our veterans and our cadets. 'This is the day we celebrate all they do, in ordinary and extraordinary ways, to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad. 'We're matching our words with actions, committing an extra £1.5 billion to fix forces' family housing this parliament, the largest pay rise in over 20 years for personnel, and bringing the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law. 'Our government's plan for change is renewing the nation's contract with those who serve.' The Ministry of Defence has also announced that the bidding process for next year's Armed Forces Day national event will open next week on Tuesday. Local authorities can apply for up to £50,000 in funding to host the celebrations.
The Independent
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Cut-price train travel for families planned in armed forces reforms
Families of military veterans could soon benefit from their own cut-price train fares, as ministers consider extending the popular Veterans Railcard to provide travel discounts. Under current rules, the railcard offers a third off most train tickets, but spouses of veterans can only access concessions when travelling alongside the cardholder, not independently. The proposed change would allow family members to use the benefits on their own. This potential expansion forms part of wider government efforts to strengthen the UK's military covenant. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed plans for a "legal duty" on all government departments, compelling them to consider the needs of military personnel and their families when formulating policy. Number 10 indicated that more details of this measure would be set out in due course, but suggested it could include initiatives such as extending travel benefits to the families of veterans and the bereaved. While the extension of the Veterans Railcard to family members is understood to be one proposal under consideration, officials stress that no final decisions have yet been made. Sir Keir earlier met trainee pilots and their families as he visited RAF Valley on Anglesey in North Wales, to mark Armed Forces Day. He said: 'Across the country and around the world, our service personnel and their families make the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and protect our freedom and our way of life. 'When I became Prime Minister, I made a promise to serve those who have served us. 'Through the new Armed Forces Covenant, we are delivering on that promise, ensuring our service personnel, veterans and their families are treated with the respect they deserve, that is our duty. 'Our Armed Forces Covenant will put our armed forces community at the very heart of government decision-making. 'Their courage, duty, and sacrifice are the foundation of our national values, and they deserve nothing less.' Labour pledged in its manifesto to fully implement the Armed Forces Covenant, which supports the military community through a range of initiatives and grants. Under the new legislation all areas of Government will for the first time have to have 'due regard' in decision-making for the unique circumstances and position of the armed forces community, Downing Street said. Currently, this is only legally required in areas of housing, healthcare and education at local level, meaning it does not apply to central Government. The extension will cover policy areas including employment, immigration, welfare, transport, pensions, childcare and criminal justice. The Government aims to make the changes in the next Armed Forces Bill, one of which is required every five years. The last Bill was passed in 2021. It comes ahead more than 200 events expected to take place across the UK to mark Armed Forces Day. The town of Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire will host this year's annual national event, and is expected to welcome 200,000 visitors. It will feature a military parade with personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and the RAF's Red Arrows, including music from the British Army Band Catterick and the Band of the Coldstream Guards. A flypast by Chinook helicopters and historic aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will take place above the town's beaches, as well as a fireworks display and a concert by military musicians. Defence Secretary John Healey, who will attend the celebrations, said: 'On Armed Forces Day the nation unites to thank our armed forces: our service personnel, our reservists, our veterans and our cadets. 'This is the day we celebrate all they do, in ordinary and extraordinary ways, to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad. 'We're matching our words with actions, committing an extra £1.5 billion to fix forces' family housing this parliament, the largest pay rise in over 20 years for personnel, and bringing the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law. 'Our government's plan for change is renewing the nation's contract with those who serve.' The Ministry of Defence has also announced that the bidding process for next year's Armed Forces Day national event will open next week on Tuesday. Show less
The Guardian
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
How to Win Against History review – forgotten toff's stage dreams recovered
'Regrettably,' sings Henry Cecil Paget, 'very little is known about my life.' There's a reason for that: the fifth Marquess of Anglesey died at 29 having bankrupted his estate through his extravagance, including mounting plays that no one came to. His family subsequently attempted to destroy all evidence of the man who had shamed their proud line of landowners and empire builders. Seiriol Davies first discovered hints of the forgotten, cross-dressing Edwardian aristocrat on childhood trips to a local National Trust property, and debuted this chamber musical about him on the Edinburgh fringe nine years ago. This new production, directed by Lisa Spirling, adds zhuzh to the songs, with an onstage four-piece band – directed by Dylan Townley's Maestro – augmenting its original cast. As Paget, Davies sparkles in a series of fabulous outfits beneath designer Hayley Grindle's studded-collar proscenium arch (there are also shades of Faringdon House, the home of Paget's fellow aesthete Lord Berners, who makes an appearance in the story). Both script and songs are crammed with wit as we pinball between classical harmonies, dance breaks and interactive gags with prompt cards. A colonial-nod of a patter song, extolling 'boots and feathers', races us through Paget's typically brutal boarding school upbringing and propels us towards his marriage of convenience with his cousin Lilian. She is played – along with all the other people in Paget's life – by the indefatigable Matthew Blake, exhibiting great comic range as the ultimate 'supporting actor' here. We see him most as Mr Alexander Keith, a Victorian impresario in an enormous peach smoking jacket and the closest thing Paget has to a friend as they tour their terrible shows together. Supposedly Paget's bad art is his way of trying to find human connection. The problem is that, beyond the wide-eyed delusions and the metaphors about diamonds living in his head, we never get enough of a sense of him to know what that means. His loneliness may be touchingly real but the sentimental moments arrive like a demand for sympathy rather than something earned. Providing restitution from historical erasure is undoubtedly a worthy goal of art – but this show feels more like a message than an encounter. At Bristol Old Vic until 12 July. Then at Underbelly, George Square, Edinburgh, 30 July to 24 August
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Revealed: 'Terror' group Palestine Action is 'plotting attacks on three more air bases' after causing millions in damage during RAF Brize Norton raid
Palestine Action is preparing to launch fresh attacks on military sites across Britain just days before it is expected to be officially labelled a terrorist organisation. During secret recruitment calls, attended by around 50 new 'comrades', the extremist group identified RAF Cranwell and RAF Barkston Heath in Lincolnshire, and RAF Valley in Anglesey as top targets. The group, which has already triggered a major security review of UK military bases, is understood to be targeting sites it claims are linked to Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. It comes as the Government moves to proscribe Palestine Action as a terror organisation, a decision Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called 'vital' after the 'disgraceful' Brize Norton raid. In a disturbing presentation during the meeting, slides detailed how members should 'hit everything you can find with a sledgehammer' and form autonomous cells capable of operating undetected. Activists were also instructed to download the encrypted messaging app Signal to receive secret instructions. It comes just one week after the group broke into RAF Brize Norton and allegedly causing millions of pounds worth of damage to military aircraft. The meeting's organiser, appearing in front of a flag linked to the YPJ – a Kurdish female militia involved in the Syrian civil war – told potential recruits they must be willing to make 'sacrifices', including arrest and prison. 'The conviction and courage it takes to take this action in the first place is accepting that level of sacrifice,' she said. She added: 'As much as we can stand by our morals and our ethics, we have to know for a fact we have to be well informed that there are risks that we are taking – that is both legal consequences... but also psychologically and financially.' Those present at the online gathering were told they would be divided into individual cells to carry out attacks independently – a tactic designed to avoid leaders being arrested, similar to the structure of groups like Extinction Rebellion. Among the participants were university lecturers, a clergyman, and others described as ranging 'from nursery teachers to surgeons', aged from 18 to 80. The organiser confirmed: 'There are 19 members of the group currently in prison.' Palestine Action's list of future targets also includes UAV Tactical Systems, a drone firm based in Leicester and owned by Elbit. RAF Cranwell, home to the RAF's prestigious officer training college, is said to be of particular interest to the group. RAF Barkston Heath is used for pilot training, while RAF Valley trains the UK's next generation of fighter pilots. Last Friday, the group posted footage online showing two people inside the base at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The clip shows one person riding an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker and appearing to spray paint into its jet engine. They managed to infiltrate the base and escape without being caught. The group has staged a series of demonstrations in recent months, including spraying the London offices of Allianz Insurance with red paint over its alleged links to Israeli defence company Elbit, and vandalising US President Donald Trump's Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. The seriousness of these attacks includes the extent and nature of damage caused, including to targets affecting UK national security, and the impact on innocent members of the public fleeing for safety and subjected to violence. The extent of damage across these three attacks alone, spreading the length and breadth of the UK, runs into the millions of pounds. Attendees were given detailed legal advice, including how to qualify for legal aid. Members were told not to rely on duty solicitors, but instead to use pre-arranged lawyers. The group insisted it would not pay legal costs but would provide moral and logistical support through an 'arrest support group'. New members were warned that 'locking on' to equipment or buildings could lead to six months in prison, while criminal damage over £5,000 or burglary could land them up to 10 years behind bars. Yet despite the looming terror designation – which could result in up to 14 years in jail for anyone supporting or joining the organisation – the group appears undeterred. One speaker declared the proposed ban 'draconian and dangerous' and insisted: 'Palestine Action will continue to operate.' The movement is led by Huda Ammori, 31, a British-born activist from Bolton. The daughter of a Palestinian surgeon and an Iraqi mother, she co-founded Palestine Action in 2020 alongside Richard Barnard, a former Extinction Rebellion member. Writing in April, Ammori explained the group's structure was deliberately designed to outwit the authorities. 'By being security-conscious and working in small groups, we can make it difficult for the authorities to respond to individual actions,' she said. She claims the group has flourished despite arrests, and insists they are prepared for further government crackdowns. At the end of the call, recruits were asked to accept an 'actions agreement', which stated: 'Each individual takes part in the movement from their own free will. We encourage all to join but we do not pressure people into doing things that make them uncomfortable.' A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'The UK's defence estate is vital to our national security and this government will not tolerate those who put that security at risk. 'This Government is taking the strong step of proscribing Palestine Action due to its activities, which are a threat to our national security.'
Sky News
3 days ago
- Business
- Sky News
Post-Brexit border control post in Wales to sit empty
A £51m border control post built to handle post-Brexit checks on imports will sit empty for now, Wales's deputy first minister said. Huw Irranca-Davies said the facility at Parc Cybi near the port of Holyhead in Anglesey was commissioned last year to follow the post- Brexit requirements of border controls on imports, including live animals and goods such as food, from the EU. The facility received £44m in funding from the UK government, and the border control post (BCP) is now nearing completion. It is set to be handed over to the Welsh government in the autumn. But the post will sit empty for now following an announcement by the UK government that it was set to negotiate with the EU to exempt many imports of live animals and goods from sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks at the border, according to Mr Irranca-Davies. He said the Welsh government was committed to "ensuring an acceptable level of biosecurity protection over the interim period whilst the agreement is negotiated and implemented". Although physical and identity checks on imports from the EU began in April 2024, Mr Irranca-Davies highlighted that no start date for SPS checks on imports from Ireland has been announced. "I have decided not to proceed with the final commissioning and staffing of the Holyhead BCP, and not to take forward construction of BCPs at Fishguard and Pembroke Dock," Wales's deputy first minister said in a statement. Mr Irranca-Davies added that he will "keep that decision under review until the final details of the agreement with the EU are known", at which point longer-term plans for the site would be made. "In the meantime, it is crucial that it remains ready and available as a potential BCP facility," he said. Holyhead is the busiest ferry port on the Irish Sea, with over three-quarters of imports to Great Britain from Ireland. Mr Irranca-Davies said the Welsh government remains committed to providing sufficient notice for traders and delivery partners "should any new border checks need to be introduced".
