Latest news with #SadiqKhan
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Joan Collins is right, e-bikes are wrecking our cities
I am to the e-biker what the black taxi driver is to the cyclist. Full of contempt, that is. As I bomb around the capital on my bicycle, I occasionally catch the eye of a cabbie. Invariably it's a look of 'Right, you and me outside. Now.' I scarper off down an alley before the situation develops. Except that now, surely, their objects of ire should be the same as mine and we should come together in union against the wretched e-bikes. Because they are now everywhere and they travel like the clappers. And this week has to be a turning point for their fate because they've annoyed Joan Collins. 'I've recently been almost run over twice by Lime bikes,' she records in The Spectator. She also writes of 'the proliferation of rental bikes and powered scooters that litter our pavements'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joan Collins (@joancollinsdbe) She has London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan firmly in her sights, saying that the capital is being 'destroyed by [his] insidious antics' and he'd better be afraid. Collins, a national treasure, born in 1933 and carved into our national conscience as the title of her 1979 film The Bitch, won't let this lie. Neither will I, and neither will her fellow actor Robert Powell, who famously played Christ in a 1970s TV mini-series. So incensed is he at rental e-bikes cluttering his doorstep that he has, so far, sent 570 images to Camden Council. He once counted 100 bikes scattered around and obstructing access to his front door. This is by no means just a London problem. E-bike rentals are a disease spreading to towns and cities across the country. From Belfast to Liverpool, Cardiff to Stirling, Cheltenham to Leicester. And they are spread with the similarly deluded green and zealous mantra of wind turbines. The promise is of freedom, of earnest fuel-free travel and of convenience. Needless to say, most of them are made in China and such is their mass production that they have a short life-span, of some two years. They are often cheaper to repurchase than repair, have toxic lithium batteries and pollute the landscape. It astonished me when I first came across them in Paris a few years ago. It was bad enough seeing them lined up at their official stations, hogging pavements and destroying the line of the French capital's handsome boulevards and buildings. As technology improved, they were then – deliberately – left scattered across the city. But rather than learn from this horrific pioneering catastrophe, London willed them in. And the joy of the Lime bike being that you find the closest-dumped one on your app and then discard it where it pleases you, our capital has similarly begun to fester with these ugly, hideously coloured eyesores. Morning in our towns and cities is the worst time for these beasts. Before vans can arrive to pick them up from centralised locations to take them off to be recharged, a fleet of wretched souls gather them. They are then deposited en masse, for example outside Robert Powell's house, or clustering around traditional bicycle racks that I use. And when they're not polluting the view, left on their sides like garbage, their users, often seemingly enslaved delivery folk forced to speed to meet the demands of their greedy gangmasters, clog up and pelt along cycle lanes. Those are my lanes, my safe routes for my manual, old-school, fitness-inducing bike. E-bikes are motorbikes and should stay on the main roads with the rest of the motorised traffic. Every time one passes me, I swear under my breath at the rider, who's wearing no helmet and whizzing along looking at their phone. Well, e-bikers had best be afraid, because there's a gruesome threesome on their case now. Me, The Bitch and Jesus.
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First Post
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
Watch: Man consumes KFC chicken at London Iskcon restaurant, offers it to staff to mock them
Many have called for the restaurant to file a police complaint against the Black man, while others criticised him for deliberately provoking the staff. read more The man pulled out a KFC fried chicken basket, placed it on the counter, and helped himself to a chicken leg. Source: X A major controversy erupted online as a UK man walked into an Iskcon restaurant in London, filming himself eating KFC chicken after challenging the staff about it being a 'vegan restaurant.' In the video, a Black man can be seen entering Govinda's restaurant, holding a food packet. He then approaches the food counter and asks the two women behind it if it is a vegan restaurant. 'No meat, no onion, no garlic,' one replies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Are you sure there is no meat?' he presses. The women reaffirm and gesture to a sign outside clearly indicating it's a vegetarian restaurant. The man then reveals a KFC fried chicken basket, sets it on the counter, and begins eating a chicken leg. One of the women inquires about it, quickly realising it's meat. She asks him to leave, while the other employee seeks assistance. Unfazed, the man continues eating the chicken leg. 'You want some?' he offers, holding out the half-eaten piece to the shocked staff member. He then approaches another employee, who repeats that they don't serve meat, as he dangles the chicken from his mouth, offering it again. A customer intervenes, saying, 'Excuse me, you are violating someone's religious practices. That's not fair,' prompting the man to shout, 'Free the chicken!' before leaving the restaurant. An African boy entered ISKCON's Govinda restaurant and confirmed if it is a vegetarian restaurant. He then took out his KFC Chicken and started eating it and offered them to other people to mock them. Totally expecting more of this from Sadiq Khan's London. Hate for Hindus in… — Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) July 20, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The video triggered widespread anger among Indians online. 'Total nightmare for the people inside. What should we call this? Racism or pure Hindu Hate?' read the caption. Many called for the restaurant to file a police complaint, while others criticised the man for deliberately provoking the staff. 'The intentional violation of a cultural and religious norm in this manner is a clear demonstration of intolerance,' one user commented. Another questioned, 'Apart from horrendous, what is he trying to do and why? Is he offended that people can be vegetarian? Or are people waiting to use or misuse someone who doesn't know what they're doing?' A third user condemned his 'filthy and sick mindset,' stating, 'He achieved nothing by harassing people! Zero achievement but created nuisance.'
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'This is outrageous': African-British man eats chicken at ISKCON restaurant in London; 'anti-Hindu' act sparks massive outrage
An unexpected moment unfolded at ISKCON's Govinda restaurant, a popular pure vegetarian eatery in London, when a British man of African descent walked in and asked if they served meat. The video clip of the incident has been going viral on social media since Sunday morning and has created massive outrage. After being told that the restaurant serves only vegetarian food, the man boldly took out a box of KFC chicken and started eating it inside the premises. Not only this, but he also took a step further by offering non-vegetarian food to both the customers and the staff. The incident has triggered widespread outrage and sparked debate over whether his actions were driven by racism or anti-Hindu sentiment. Shocking incident causes massive outrage on social media As soon as the video surfaced on the internet, netizens strongly condemned the man's blatant disrespect for the restaurant's principles, labelling the act as racist. Some even suggested that his behaviour may have stemmed from ignorance, while others think it was a deliberate move to insult the culture and religious sentiments of the Hindu community. An African boy entered ISKCON's Govinda restaurant and confirmed if it is a vegetarian then took out his KFC Chicken and started eating it and offered them to other people to mock expecting more of this from Sadiq Khan's London. Hate for Hindus in… Netizens react to the viral video One X user (formerly called Twitter) said, "It was perfectly planned. He even came in with a cameraman. Let's see if the London Police takes any action against them." It was perfectly planned. Even he came in with a see if London Police takes any action against them. "This is outrageous! An African boy mocking ISKCON's Govinda restaurant by eating KFC chicken after confirming it's vegetarian is a blatant disrespect to Hindu values. Expecting more under Sadiq Khan's watch, with some calling London 'Londonistan,' hints at rising anti-Hindu sentiment. Time for stronger action against such hate!," another added. This is outrageous! An African boy mocking ISKCON's Govinda restaurant by eating KFC chicken after confirming it's vegetarian is a blatant disrespect to Hindu values. Expecting more under Sadiq Khan's watch, with some calling London 'Londonistan,' hints at rising anti-Hindu… While one believes that it is not a joke, "This incident isn't just a joke — it's a clear sign that some people have zero respect for others' faith and sentiments. Such behavior inside a religious space like ISKCON isn't casual; it's a deliberate provocation and mockery. If actions like these are ignored, then in the name of 'tolerance,' disrespecting culture and belief will become the new normal." "These western people will never understand what is culture and feelings." "Only to hurt and disrespect someone's faith and sentiments this crackhead did this . How someone can carry this much hate , urge and courage to perform such an ugly act . He's not a human he's worst than animal," another added.
Time Out
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Hackney council has unveiled a bold new nightlife strategy – with free phone charging and water stations
Everyone loves a night out in Hackney. Whether it's a sweaty gig at MOTH Club or boogieing into the small hours at Dalston Superstore, the borough's nightlife has long been one of the best things about it. Now, Hackney Council has announced a new strategy aimed at making nights out in the borough safer, more inclusive and better supported. Titled Good Evening Hackney, the plan introduces free phone charging points, water refill stations and weekend welfare teams patrolling the streets. There's also free training for venue staff on drink spiking prevention and noise management, as part of the Hackney Nights accreditation scheme. Accredited venues get a Late Night Levy discount, which might make staying open past midnight a little less painful. There's a focus on women's safety too, and on making nightlife work for communities who've historically been left out of the conversation. In short, it all sounds like a step in the right direction. Plus, the plan lands a few months after Sadiq Khan launched a London Nightlife Taskforce to help revive nightlife across the capital. That group is still gathering public input on what's working, what's not, and what nightlife in London should look like. But what do these new policies mean for helping clubs stay open, protecting them from developers, and encouraging venues to open in the first place? In recent years London has been accused of closing down early (with half of Londoners supposedly in bed by midnight), and shoving out all nightlife to superclubs in the suburbs. Hackney nightlife specifically has been in the spotlight in recent months, with MOTH Club, Netil360 and Night Tales Loft all facing threats from nearby developments. The rollout of this strategy marks a shift in tone from Hackney Council, which was widely criticised in 2018 after introducing strict licensing rules that made it harder for new venues to open late. Good Evening Hackney suggests the council wants to show support for nightlife – but with so many grassroots venues still under threat, it's fair to ask whether these measures go far enough.
Evening Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Evening Standard
Fury as Met Police to close half its front desks after budget cuts
'At a time when crime, and the fear of crime, is on the rise across the capital, this not only sends the wrong message, but is yet more evidence that Sadiq Khan is failing to make the case to the Labour Government for the funding needed to keep London and Londoners safe.'
