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The London Fire Brigade (LFB) is “institutionally misogynist and racist” with a “toxic culture that allows bullying and abuse”, an independent review has found.

One black firefighter had a noose put above his locker while a female firefighter said she advised female friends not to let male firefighters in the house to check smoke alarms because they “go through women’s drawers looking for underwear and sex toys”.

She said the threshold for bullying is so high “you would have to gouge someone’s eyes out to get sacked”, adding: “Everything else is seen as banter.”

In another incident, a Muslim had bacon and sausages put in his coat pockets and a terrorist hotline sign posted on his locker.

Read more: ‘Toxic culture’ of London Fire Brigade revealed

Nazir Afzal, the author of the review and a former chief crown prosecutor for the North West, said he and his team “found dangerous levels of ingrained prejudice against women and the barriers faced by people of colour spoke for themselves”.

People from ethnically diverse backgrounds were more likely to be subject to disciplinary action, less likely to be promoted and largely unrepresented at senior levels, and also frequently racially abused.

There was also “clear evidence of racism, misogyny and bullying, which made it hard for many firefighters to do their job and forced others out of the Brigade”.

Handout photo issued by the London Fire Brigade of emergency services at the scene of a blaze in the basement of the Admiralty pub in Trafalgar Square, London. Picture date: Tuesday July 12, 2022.

In his conclusion, Mr Afzal said: “My review found evidence that supports a finding that LFB is institutionally misogynist and racist.

“We found dangerous levels of ingrained prejudice against women and the barriers faced by people of colour spoke for themselves.

“Not only were they more likely to be subject to disciplinary action, less likely to be promoted and largely unrepresented at senior levels, but they were also frequently the target of racist abuse.

“We also saw examples of how this was driving some people of colour out of the brigade and there was evidence that talented people, committed to public service, were being lost as a result.”

Love Island depiction of firefighters reinforce persistent truth

It wasn’t so long ago that contestants – only males, mind – in the hugely popular reality TV show Love Island had to dress as firemen, strip off and rescue a cat from a tree to impress their female partner.

The challenge, naturally, was called Hot Stuff.

Such cultural references, says the report, simply reinforce a persistent truth that the modern fire service still suffers from an image of the muscle-bound, burly firefighter.

In the same year, it points out, there was much angry male response to the change in the service’s language from ‘fireman’ to ‘firefighter’.

The LFB’s first female commissioner Dany Cotton told the report’s researchers that for her passionate investment in the #Firefightingsexism campaign only five years ago she received death threats and demands that she be sacked.

The evidence of racism within London’s fire service is just as damning, so too attitudes towards gay firefighters and many accounts of bullying.

Like the Metropolitan Police, the LFB needs a huge cultural shift that won’t be achieved quickly.

If there is one thing that separates the issues afflicting the capital’s police and fire services it’s this: the internal problems in the LFB do not spill over into firefighters’ interaction with the public as they sometimes have with the Met Police’s officers.

A black firefighter told researchers: “It’s like someone pulls a switch. They change when they’re on the fireground. It’s like they remember why they’re firefighters.”

Report commissioned after firefighter’s suicide

Mr Afzal said he wished to draw an important distinction with similar issues experienced by the Metropolitan Police, which was put “on notice” earlier this year after evidence emerged of sexist, racist and homophobic behaviour among officers.

“Where there has been flagrant examples of police officers misusing power and allowing prejudice to shape their actions, we did not find the same level of operational bigotry,” he said.

The report said the disadvantage and discrimination affecting staff did not translate into its operations or affect the way it prevents and responds to incidents.

Over 10 months, Mr Nazir and his team heard the experiences of more than 2,000 current and former staff and the public, including members of the community affected by the Grenfell fire.

The report, which makes 23 recommendations, was established after the suicide of firefighter Jaden Francois-Esprit. His family were concerned he had been bullied because of his race, the report said.

‘Abhorrent’

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the review “must be nothing short of a watershed moment”.

He said for LFB to be trusted to protect all Londoners it must be a workplace free from discrimination, unfairness and inequality, where people of all backgrounds can thrive.

He said: “The details published today of institutional misogyny, racism and discrimination are abhorrent.

“Londoners, including firefighters and other staff, have been let down by those who should have supported them have every right to be angry, as I am.

“I fully supported the fire commissioner, Andy Roe, in commissioning this review and we both agree that all of its recommendations and findings must be acted upon with urgency and conviction to rebuild public trust and the confidence of LFB staff and firefighters who have been failed for far too long.”

‘A very sobering day’

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe said: “Today is a very sobering day. There is no place for discrimination, harassment and bullying in the Brigade and from today it will be completely clear to all staff what behaviour isn’t acceptable and what the consequences will be.

“I am deeply sorry for the harm that has been caused. I will be fully accountable for improving our culture.”

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Man arrested over wildfire that triggered ‘major incident’ in Northern Ireland

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Man arrested over wildfire that triggered 'major incident' in Northern Ireland

A man has been arrested by police investigating a “significant” wildfire that triggered a major incident in Northern Ireland.

More than 100 firefighters and 15 fire appliances were deployed on Saturday to Sandbank Road, Hilltown, to tackle the blaze which is believed to have been caused deliberately, fire chiefs said.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said the fire had a front of approximately two miles “including a large area of forestry close to property”.

It was extinguished at 2.53am on Sunday and the major incident status lifted, the NIFRS said.

“The cause of this fire is believed to have been deliberate,” chief fire and rescue officer Aidan Jennings said.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said on Sunday that a 25-year-old man had been arrested “on suspicion of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, and non-related driving offences”.

“He remains in custody at this time as enquiries continue into the circumstances surrounding the fire,” the force added.

A wildfire broke out in Northern Ireland. Pic: Sky Watch NI
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The wildfire on Sandbank Road, Hilltown. Pic: Sky Watch NI

A wildfire broke out in Northern Ireland. Pic: Sky Watch NI
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More than 100 firefighters were at the scene of the fire. Pic: Sky Watch NI

Various fires erupted across England this week amid uncharacteristically warm and dry conditions for the time of year.

On Saturday, helicopters were deployed to tackle Scotland’s fourth wildfire this week, with police saying a blaze “which started in the Newton Stewart area has spread northwards and is expected to reach the Loch Doon area of East Ayrshire around 12am on Sunday”.

Police Scotland added: “As a precautionary measure members of the public are asked to avoid the Loch Doon area and anyone who may be camping in the area is advised to leave.”

Dorset wildfires
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Moors Valley Country Park blackened by fires this week

Elsewhere in England, Devon and Cornwall Police said they were assisting the fire service with temporary road closures on the A30 in the Bolventor area as they tackle “a number of fires” on moorland.

In Dorset, Moors Valley Country Park was forced to close after multiple wildfires broke out there on Wednesday.

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Wildfires spread across nature reserve

Separate incidents were then reported at Upton Heath in Poole on Wednesday, and nearby Canford Heath in the early hours of Thursday.

Friday was officially the warmest day of the year so far – with temperatures in the south of England reaching 23C (73.4F) – the highest since 21 September last year, according to the Met Office.

The weather conditions triggered a “severe” wildfire rating for parts of the UK on Tuesday.

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Man shot dead in Stanley, County Durham

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Man shot dead in Stanley, County Durham

Police are investigating after a man was shot dead in County Durham.

Officers were called to an address in Elm Street, Stanley, at about 5.20pm on Saturday after reports of a “disturbance”, Durham Constabulary said.

A man in his 50s was found to have been shot and despite the efforts of paramedics he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His family have been told and are being supported by specially trained officers.

Specialist crime scene investigators are at the scene, and officers are carrying out house-to-house enquiries.

A cordon is in place and is expected to stay there for some time.

Detective Superintendent Neil Fuller said: “This is a truly shocking incident in which a man has been shot and has sadly died.”

He added: “Residents may see an increased police presence in the area. I would like to thank them for their support while we carry out this investigation.

“Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this time.”

Read more from Sky News:
Furious row after Labour MPs denied entry to Israel
Man arrested over wildfire that triggered ‘major incident’

Durham Constabulary has urged anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage or CCTV to contact the force.

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Furious row after Labour MPs denied entry to Israel – as Lammy criticises ‘disgraceful’ Badenoch response

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Furious row after Labour MPs denied entry to Israel - as Lammy criticises 'disgraceful' Badenoch response

A furious political row has broken out after two Labour MPs were denied entry to Israel and deported after being accused of planning to “spread anti-Israel hatred”.

Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were rejected because they were suspected of plans to “document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred”, according to a statement from the Israeli immigration ministry.

Ms Yang, who represents Earley and Woodley, and Ms Mohamed, the MP for Sheffield Central, both flew to the country from Luton on Saturday – and later said they were “astounded” by their treatment.

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The Israeli immigration ministry said the MPs were accompanied by two assistants on the trip and during questioning, they claimed they were visiting Israel “as part of an official parliamentary delegation”.

But Israeli officials said immigration officers found “no evidence to support the claim… they were travelling as part of an official delegation”. “No politicians or government officials were aware they were coming,” they added.

The Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) contradicted Israeli officials, saying the women were part of a “parliamentary delegation” on a trip organised by them and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP).

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips she was “not surprised” the MPs were detained and that “every country should be able to control its borders, and that’s what Israel is doing, as far as I understand”.

She said she was “very concerned” about the “rhetoric” on the Middle East from Labour MPs and six independents, and claimed there is “a lot of repeating of misinformation, repeating of conspiracy theories” during Prime Minister’s Questions.

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Tory leader backs Israel over deported MPs

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy criticised Ms Badenoch’s comments, writing in a post on X: “It’s disgraceful you are cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs. Do you say the same about Tory MPs banned from China?.”

Ms Badenoch retorted, saying: “Unlike China, Israel is our ally and a democracy. A good Foreign Sec would be able to make that distinction.”

One of Ms Badenoch’s ministers Richard Fuller appeared to contradict her, however, telling Times Radio: “Any member of Parliament who goes on an official trip should be, I would think, welcomed in any country.”

Chair of the foreign affairs select committee Emily Thornberry MP described Israel’s treatment of the two women as an “insult to our country and to Parliament”.

In a joint statement, Ms Yang and Ms Mohamed said they were “astounded at the unprecedented step taken by the Israeli authorities”.

“It is vital that parliamentarians are able to witness, first-hand, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory,” they said.

“We are two, out of scores of MPs, who have spoken out in Parliament in recent months on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the importance of complying with international humanitarian law. Parliamentarians should feel free to speak truthfully in the House of Commons, without fear of being targeted.”

They said they had travelled to “visit humanitarian aid projects and communities in the West Bank” with “UK charity partners who have over a decade of experience in taking parliamentary delegations”.

Israel’s UK embassy said the MPs were denied entry because they had “accused Israel of false claims, were actively involved in promoting sanctions against Israeli ministers, and supported campaigns aimed at boycotting the state of Israel”.

It said the women “chose not to exercise their right under Israeli law to petition the court to reconsider the decision”.

As a result, they were “offered hotel accommodation, which they declined” and their return flight was covered by the Israeli state.

“The visit was intended to provoke anti-Israel activities at a time when Israel is at war and under attack on seven fronts. Its purpose was to harm Israel and Israeli citizens and spread falsehoods about them,” the statement added.

“The state of Israel has both the authority and the duty to prevent the entry of individuals whose presence in the country is intended to cause harm to its citizens – just as such authority exists in the United Kingdom.”

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Earlier in a statement to Sky News, Mr Lammy said it was “unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities”.

“I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians, and we have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support.

“The UK government’s focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza.”

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Emily Thornberry says Israel has to ‘stop being so thin-skinned’ about criticism over its Gaza war.

In an interview with Sky News, Dame Emily Thornberry said her two colleagues are “highly intelligent, well informed” and “really well respected”.

“They speak on behalf of a lot of people,” said the Labour MP, warning Israel that instead of “alienating” and “humiliating” them it should “engage” with them.

She confirmed the women have landed back in the UK and that “they’ll be okay”. But she added: “I am so angry.”

Labour Friends of Israel said it was “wrong and counterproductive for Israel to refuse entry to British members of Parliament”.

“Over the years we’ve taken hundreds of MPs to Israel and Palestine; it’s vital parliamentarians are able to visit and understand the situation on the ground,” it said.

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