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News18
11-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
UK MP Flags Threats To Hindus, Other Minorities In Bangladesh, Urges PM Starmer To Act
Last Updated: UK MP also criticised Bangladesh's interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, for failing to announce the dates of its general election British Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman on Friday raised concern in the UK Parliament over rising threats to religious minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and members of the Ahmadiyya community. In his speech, he urged the Keir Starmer-led government to act and press Bangladesh to uphold democratic values and protect minority communities. Sharing a video of his remarks on social media platform X, Blackman said he had again brought the issue of minority rights in Bangladesh to Parliament's attention. I raised my concerns in about the rising threats on Hindu, Christian, Buddhist & Ahmadiyya minorities in Rath Yatra celebrations were recently attacked. The Govt must press Bangladesh to protect minorities and uphold democracy. — Bob Blackman (@BobBlackman) July 11, 2025 He recalled hosting a recent seminar where representatives from the Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and Ahmadi communities spoke about the growing attacks and hostility they face in Bangladesh. Blackman said these groups are 'under direct attack" and called for stronger international pressure to ensure their safety. Referring to recent incidents, Blackman highlighted how the peaceful celebration of rath yatra in Bangladesh was targeted by Islamist groups. 'The were attacked by Islamist thugs, and I absolutely disgracefully destroyed that wonderful, peaceful procession." Raising a formal request, the MP urged the Leader of the House to arrange for a statement from UK Foreign Office Ministers next week. 'Could the Leader arrange for a statement from Foreign Office Ministers next week on what action the UK will take to press Bangladesh to safeguard its minority communities?," he asked. Blackman's comments came just a day after a prominent Bangladeshi rights group accused Dhaka's government of ignoring more than 2,000 crimes against religious minorities and excluding them from its planned reforms. The Hindu–Buddhist–Christian Unity Council reported it had recorded 2,442 incidents between 4 August last year and 30 June this year. These included murders, rapes, gang rapes, and vandalism of temples, homes, and businesses. Speaking to the media, Monindra Kumar Nath, the council's general secretary, said the government had dismissed their concerns as 'false, fabricated, and exaggerated," while alleging that those responsible for the attacks were 'enjoying impunity." The council also criticised the government for excluding religious minorities from its reform commissions, which are tasked with ending discrimination in society. (With inputs from agencies) view comments First Published: July 11, 2025, 22:18 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
RTÉ News
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
British Conservative Party leader says BBC 'should not show' Kneecap at Glastonbury
British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said she thinks the BBC "should not be showing" Kneecap's performance at Glastonbury Festival next week. In a social media post on X, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group, Ms Badenoch wrote: "The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. "One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. "As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism." On Wednesday, Mr Ó hAnnaidh was accompanied to Westminster Magistrates' Court by his two other band members, JJ Ó Dochartaigh, whose stage name is DJ Próvaí, and Naoise Ó Cairealláin, whose stage name is Móglaí Bap. Mr Ó hAnnaidh is alleged to have displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town in north London on 21 November last year. He was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on 20 August. Following the hearing, the rapper said: "For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on the Saturday. "If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September." In November, Kneecap won its discrimination case over a decision made by Ms Badenoch to refuse them funding. A BBC spokesperson said: "As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. "Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead up to the festival." During their sold-out gig at Fairview Park in Dublin on Thursday, DJ Próvaí thanked fans who turned out to support them during their bandmate's court case. Formed in 2017, the Belfast trio are known for their provocative lyrics in both Irish and English. Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag.
National Business Review
14-06-2025
- Politics
- National Business Review
Boris: Is Britain ready for his comeback?
Political popularity can be as fickle as voters' knowledge of their own best interests. For prime ministers, the rise and fall can be even faster if politicians on their own side have the say. The case of Boris Johnson is instructive. He was overwhelmingly selected leader of the British Conservative Party in a poll of its membership, rather than just its elected members of parliament, to succeed the hapless Theresa May. She had resigned after leading the party to an electoral loss of its majority in the wake of the Brexit referendum. She and most of the party's MPs had backed Remain, putting them out of step with public opinion outside of London; places such as Wales and northern England. Johnson – the country's most popular politician and mononymously known as Boris – had steered the 'Leave' campaign and was the obvious choice to 'get Brexit done' against the forces of parliament, the bureaucracy, the courts, and the business establishment. Against the odds, he succeeded in giving the public what they wanted. He led the Conservatives to a landslide victory in the December 2019 general election, scooping up more votes than any party leader since Margaret Thatcher in 1979. The party gained 80 seats in the House of Commons, and the post-Brexit government could look forward to a full five-year term. It had breached the so-called Red Wall, winning previously safe Labour seats in the de-industrialising north, which had embraced the Brexit rhetoric. Boris Johnson announces his resignation on July 7, 2022. Many enemies But, 20 months after that victory, Johnson's dream of 'levelling up' Britain outside of London and its prosperous environs was over. Faced with resignations from his senior ministers, and fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, he surrendered to his many enemies. Typically, the Eton and Oxford-educated Johnson quotes William Shakespeare's version of Julius Caesar's dying words in Greek – kai su teknon ('you too, child'). 'If Caesar has 23 stab wounds, I ended up with 62,' was a reference to ministers Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak, plus 60 other MPs. As in Rome, the new regime didn't last, losing to a Labour landslide that produced a 174-seat majority, though it was the smallest vote share of any majority government since record-keeping began in 1830. So far, Labour under Sir Keir Starmer looks set for a full term to 2029 and has already demonstrated an ability to govern without attracting the scandals and leadership changes that marred 14 years of Conservative rule. However, the party remains in dire straits, with Nigel Farage's anti-immigrant Reform Party wooing many of those former Labour voters who switched to Johnson but failed to endorse Sunak and his fellow usurpers. It has prompted talk, even in serious establishment media such as the Financial Times and The Economist, of a political comeback. Of course, no commentator thinks this would be a good idea, unless you wish the worst for the Tories. One suggested that approaching 61 on June 19, and with four children under six, Johnson has more than a handful for someone of his age. As an accomplished author, journalist, and public speaker, he would also earn more staying out of politics. Boris Johnson was a cycling advocate as mayor of London. Speaking tour He turned out his memoir, Unleashed, in double-quick time for a retired politician and, late last year, added a speaking tour Down Under. At nearly 800 pages, it is gargantuan but highly readable. It covers all his political life from age 40, when – as editor of The Spectator and an MP – he decided to run for the mayoralty of London. He was fired from The Spectator in 2005 and, three years later, in 2008, was elected mayor, defeating incumbent 'Red' Ken Livingstone. It meant resigning from the House of Commons. Johnson was triumphantly re-elected for a second four-year term but decided against a third. Instead, he returned to parliament in 2015 and was soon fronting the Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum. He had his first taste of betrayal when his close Brexit campaigner, Michael Gove, also decided to run for the party leadership. (Ironically, Gove was the Brutus to Johnson's Caesar, and is now editor of The Spectator.) His leadership hopes dashed, Johnson had to settle for foreign secretary under May, a post where he excelled at being, in his words, a 'prize gaffe-merchant'. Though he might lack a reputation for competence, Johnson has sound instincts for summing up people and policies. He describes May as 'old grumpyknickers' and accuses her of 'school marmy self-righteousness'. He quit her Cabinet because of her 'surrender' to the devilish forces of the Europeans, who did everything they could to make Brexit as punishing as possible to the British public who voted for it. These are some of the best chapters, with Johnson riding high from defying a Supreme Court ruling against proroguing parliament and forcing a snap election to gain public approval for the agonisingly drawn-out Brexit agreement. Boris Johnson at a media conference during the Covid-19 pandemic. Captured vaccines He reveals how, during the Covid-19 pandemic, he planned a mission to seize five million doses held captive in a Dutch warehouse of the vaccine that he, more than any other European leader, had pushed through its approval stages. The mission did not go ahead, but it confirmed Johnson's strongest suspicions toward the European leaders, particularly France's Emmanuel Macron, whom he admired personally, though this was not reciprocated. They were wrong about Brexit and Covid, and about Russia and Ukraine. As the author of a bestselling biography about Winston Churchill, Johnson was knowledgeable about history. France and Germany were soft on President Vladimir Putin, doubting his intentions. Johnson last spoke with Putin in January 2022, describing the conversation as 'peculiar and ambiguous'. Johnson couldn't tell what Putin would do and was none the wiser after going to Kyiv a week before the invasion. But Johnson was convinced an invasion would happen after meeting the Five Eyes partners, including New Zealand, at the annual Munich Security Council on February 18, just days before Putin proceeded. Johnson's immediate pledge of military support to President Volodymyr Zelensky was genuine and, in three years' hindsight, is more deserving of praise than the reluctance of the Europeans to give Ukraine a better chance of resistance at a stage when the Russians could have been turned back. Revenge of a sort was achieved against Macron when at the G7 Summit at Calis Bay, Cornwall, in June 2021, Britain jointly formed the Aukus defence alliance on condition Australia dump its diesel submarine contract with France and opt for nuclear ones from the US. French President Emmanuel Macron resisted Boris Johnson's Brexit campaign. Words of advice Johnson has words of advice for all embattled democratic leaders who face constant criticism at home: go on a state visit to India, which he describes as 'balm for the soul'. Like Christopher Luxon, who has followed this advice, a British prime minister has the disadvantage of a fully state-paid health service that is a perennial political liability. While other countries have resolved this insatiable beast by opting for private schemes, Britain has continued with its National Health Service, thus providing easy grievance pickings for a hostile media. As Johnson says: 'Big international trips are great, but all politics is local.' Indeed, it was 'local politics' that brought his downfall – Covid-19 scandals of partying during lockdowns. His departure from office, over the appointment of a deputy chief whip, ended his vision of a reinvigorated Global Britain. This promised a country where all parts were linked by an infrastructure that 'levelled up' its major cities to the capital in a way France and Germany have done. It also depicted a Britain on the global stage that would encourage the Commonwealth, particularly its African members, to side with Western freedom rather than fall victim to the bribes of Russia and China. It's an unfinished agenda, and not likely to be followed by a Labour government. But, despite the likely public appeal of a Boris comeback, for all his weaknesses, this book may be his best legacy. It's a rewarding read for anyone interested in politics. Unleashed, by Boris Johnson (William Collins). Nevil Gibson is a former editor at large for NBR. He has contributed film and book reviews to various publications. This is supplied content and not paid for by NBR.
Canada Standard
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Canada Standard
Israel and Ukraine fighting proxy wars for the West UK Tory leader
Kemi Badenoch has said Kiev is fighting Russia on behalf of Western Europe, and Israels war against Hamas serves Londons interests Israel's military operation against Hamas is a "proxy war" being waged on behalf of the UK, British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has claimed. In an interview with Sky News on Sunday, Badenoch commented on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent claim that the UK, France, and Canada are on "the wrong side of humanity" for trying to pressure his country to end its campaign in the Palestinian enclave. She dismissed the widely held belief that Israel's actions in Gaza amount to genocide, arguing that the brutal military campaign, initially against Hamas, that has killed at least 60,000 Palestinians, is both justified and serves the interests of the UK. "Who funds Hamas? Iran - an enemy of this country. Israel is fighting a proxy war on behalf of the UK," Badenoch claimed. The Ukraine conflict is similarly a proxy war against Russia, being waged on behalf of Western Europe, she added. The Russian Embassy in London later reposted a clip of Badenoch's interview, saying the Conservative leader has "finally called a spade a spade." "Ukraine is indeed fighting a proxy-war against Russia on behalf of Western interests. The illegitimate Kiev regime, created, financed and armed by the West, has been at it since 2014," the embassy wrote on Facebook. Badenoch's own party was responsible for telling the Ukrainians to "keep fighting" when a potential peace settlement was on the verge of being signed in 2022, the statement noted. "The result has been an unmitigated disaster for Ukraine and its people, as well as an unprecedented security crisis in Europe." READ MORE: Ukraine will have to pay for new Patriots WaPo In March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a similar admission when he said the Ukraine conflict is in fact a "proxy war between nuclear powers - the United States, helping Ukraine - and Russia." Moscow has repeatedly described the hostilities as a Western-led proxy war against Russia in which Ukrainians are being used as "cannon fodder." Russian officials have argued that the US and other Western powers intentionally escalated tensions in the region by disregarding Russia's national security concerns over NATO expansion in Eastern Europe and Ukraine's potential admission into the military bloc. Earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin said Russia is currently standing alone against the Collective West and is locked in an "existential war." (
Bloomberg
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
The British Right Is in Oddly Fine Fettle
The British Conservative Party is in an odd state. A conference on Monday on 'remaking Conservatism,' put on by Margaret Thatcher's favorite think tank, the Centre for Policy Studies, attracted more than 300 people, filling London's Guildhall. The speakers, who included the leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch, and the president of the Madrid region, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, were often upbeat. The room even united in joy when a couple of protestors who tried to disrupt Badenoch's speech were thrown out. It all had the feeling of a party waiting for power rather than one that just received the worst drubbing in its electoral history. The Conservative Party's fortunes have only deteriorated since that defeat. The Tories are in danger of being squeezed between a Labour Party that is moving sharply to the right, particularly on immigration and welfare reform, and a Reform Party that offers red meat to right-of-center voters. A recent poll asking who would make the best prime minister put the leader of Reform, Nigel Farage, ahead in 335 seats, the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, ahead in 291 seats, and Badenoch ahead in just six.
