Emergency alert test happens today – here’s everything you need to know

Published

3 years ago

April 23, 2023

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Tens of millions of phones will receive an emergency alert today as the government tests the system nationwide for the first time.

At 3pm, a distinct sound and vibration will be accompanied by a message telling people a new service has launched that will “warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby”.

It will last about 10 seconds, and Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has assured people they can simply “swipe away” the notification.

“Keep calm and carry on – that is the British way, and it is exactly what the country will do when they receive this test alert at 3pm today,” he said.

Ministers hope it will get the public used to what the alerts look and sound like, in case they need to be sent out in future during crises such as extreme weather, flooding, and fires.

Mr Dowden said “it really is the sound that could save your life”.

But critics have said the alerts themselves could put people’s safety at risk, including drivers who may become distracted and domestic violence victims who keep a secret phone.

Meanwhile, sports stadiums, theatres, and cinemas are among those planning how to guard against disruption to large events when Sunday’s test goes off.

The company behind the UK’s alert system has worked on the same technology for other governments, and has insisted it will be a “game changer” for public safety.

Everbridge has already deployed it in the likes of Germany, Spain, New Zealand, and Singapore.

Valerie Risk, vice president of public safety systems, told Sky News: “We’ve had church bells, fires, smoke signals; humans have been alerting populations for centuries in many ways and this is the next generation.”

How does the technology work?

The emergency alerts are broadcast via mobile phone masts and work on all 4G and 5G phone networks.

That’s different to how the government sent out lockdown orders during the pandemic, when SMS messages were sent directly to phone numbers.

It means whoever sends an alert does not need your number, so it’s not something you need to reply to, nor will you receive a voicemail if you miss it.

No location or other data will be collected, either.

Anyone in the range of a mast will receive an alert, and they can be tuned based on geography – for example, Manchester residents would not need an alert about life-threatening flooding in Cornwall.

Manuel Cornelisse, Everbridge’s senior director for public warnings, told Sky News the tech had proved its worth in other countries, including his homeland of the Netherlands.

“It’s a very well proven technology with very strong, quality reach,” he said.

“And because it’s part of the very highest priority of signalling, the service will always remain available, even if a network gets congested when there is massive usage (such as at a sports ground).”

Could it go wrong?

There have been instances of emergency alerts not going to plan.

In 2020, an emergency alert warning millions of people of an “incident” at a nuclear power plant near Toronto in Canada was pushed out in error.

Two years prior, Hawaiian authorities accidentally warned people of an incoming ballistic missile strike.

And Florida residents had a rude awakening this week, when a test alert mistakenly blared out at 4.45am.

The state has contracted Everbridge for its emergency alert system since 2016, and Governor Ron DeSantis has demanded “swift accountability” for the mistake.

Lorenzo Marchetti, the firm’s public affairs manager, said Florida’s system uses different tech than the UK’s, but acknowledged it is not immune to human error.

“We are investigating, it appears to be an unfortunate procedural error in the dispatching of the message,” he said.

“Sometimes these kinds of things might be out of the control of the technology itself.”

Ms Risk said the sending of messages is “very closely managed and regulated”, and mistakes were “very rare”.

Sending alerts requires high-level security access, and there is a confirmation prompt before any are sent.

‘Please don’t turn it off’

Incidents like those in Florida may give sceptics more reason to want to switch the alerts off.

Mr Dowden has urged people not to ahead of Sunday afternoon’s test, which will be sent from a national situation centre inside the Cabinet Office.

Roger Hargreaves, director of the government’s emergency COBRA committee, warned that would be like taking batteries out of your smoke alarm.

He added: “The message that people get through this system is one that contains information that is useful to them, helps protect life and limb, sets out specific action we would like them to take.”

HOW TO TURN THE ALERT OFF

Despite the government’s pleas, domestic violence charities are concerned the alert could give away secret phones people experiencing abuse are keeping hidden.

If you’re concerned, it’s easy to switch them off.

On iOS and Android devices, search settings for “emergency alerts” and turn off “severe alerts” and “emergency alerts”.

On Huawei devices running EMUI 11 or older, search settings for “emergency alerts” and turn off “extreme threats”, “severe threats”, and “show amber alerts”.

The other option is switching off the device entirely or putting it in aeroplane mode before 3pm.

Will alerts be used often?

Ministers have insisted alerts will only be sent in “life-threatening” situations.

But those behind the system have seen increased adoption by governments in recent years, with the pandemic and climate-related emergencies increasing the need for direct communication with the public.

The EU has introduced a directive requiring member states to have a phone-based public warning system.

Ms Risk said the tech will keep improving, with satellite the potential next frontier after being rolled out on some smartphones to help people get emergency help without any mobile masts nearby.

UK

Home secretary vows to end UK’s ‘golden ticket’ for asylum seekers – as Denmark-based reforms to be unveiled

Published

2 hours ago

November 16, 2025

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Home secretary vows to end UK's 'golden ticket' for asylum seekers - as Denmark-based reforms to be unveiled

The home secretary is set to unveil sweeping measures to tackle illegal migration, vowing to end the UK’s ‘golden ticket’ for asylum seekers.

People granted asylum in the UK will only be allowed to stay in the country temporarily, in the changes expected to be unveiled on Monday by Shabana Mahmood.

Modelled on the Danish system, the aim is to make the UK less attractive for illegal immigrants and make it easier to deport them.

Planned changes mean that refugee status will become temporary and subject to regular review, with refugees removed as soon as their home countries are deemed safe.

The Home Office said the “golden ticket” deal has seen asylum claims surge in the UK, drawing people across Europe, through safe countries, onto dangerous small boats.

Under current UK rules, those granted refugee status have it for five years and can then apply for indefinite leave to remain and get on a route to citizenship.

As part of the changes, the statutory legal duty to provide asylum seeker support, including housing and weekly allowances, will be revoked.

The government will seek to remove asylum support, including accommodation and handouts, to those who have a right to work and who can support themselves but choose not to or those who break UK law.

‘Last chance for a decent politics’

A government source said Ms Mahmood believes her reforms are about “more than the electoral fortunes of her party”.

“This is the last chance for a decent, mainstream politics. If these moderate forces fail, she believes, something darker will follow,” they said.

“But this demands that moderates are willing to do things that will seem immoderate to some. She has reminded those who are reluctant to embrace her ambition for bold reform, with an ultimatum: ‘if you don’t like this, you won’t like what follows me.'”

Ms Mahmood said they were the most sweeping changes to the asylum system “in a generation”, as she vowed the government will “restore order and control to our borders”.

The home secretary also told The Sunday Times that “I can see – and I know my colleagues can – that illegal migration is tearing our country apart”.

System being ‘gamed’

The source said Ms Mahmood believes the system is being “gamed by those travelling on boats or abusing legal visas”.

Some 39,075 people have arrived in the UK after making the journey across the Channel so far this year, according to the latest Home Office figures.

That is an increase of 19% on the same point in 2024 and up 43% on 2023, but remains 5% lower than at the equivalent point in 2022, which remains the peak year for crossings.

What happened in Denmark?

The UK government points to Denmark remaining a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights, while also cutting the number of asylum applications to the lowest number in 40 years and successfully removing 95% of rejected asylum seekers.

What are Denmark’s migration rules?

Denmark has adopted increasingly restrictive rules in order to deal with migration over the last few years.

In Denmark, most asylum or refugee statuses are temporary. Residency can be revoked once a country is deemed safe.

In order to achieve settlement, asylum seekers are required to be in full-time employment, and the length of time it takes to acquire those rights has been extended.

Denmark also has tougher rules on family reunification – both the sponsor and their partner are required to be at least 24 years old, which the Danish government says is designed to prevent forced marriages.

The sponsor must also not have claimed welfare for three years and must provide a financial guarantee for their partner. Both must also pass a Danish language test.

In 2018, Denmark introduced what it called a ghetto package, a controversial plan to radically alter some residential areas, including by demolishing social housing. Areas with over 1,000 residents were defined as ghettos if more than 50% were “immigrants and their descendants from non-Western countries”.

In 2021, the left of centre government passed a law that allowed refugees arriving on Danish soil to be moved to asylum centres in a partner country – and subsequently agreed with Rwanda to explore setting up a program, although that has been put on hold.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the Labour government has “lost control” of the UK’s borders” with illegal channel crossings “surging to over 62,000 since the election”.

He said some of the new measures were welcome but “they stop well short of what is really required and some are just yet more gimmicks – like the previous ‘smash the gangs’ gimmick”.

Mr Philp added: “Only the Conservative borders plan will end illegal immigration – by leaving the ECHR, banning asylum claims for illegal immigrants, deporting all illegal arrivals within a week and establishing a Removals Force to deport 150,000 illegal immigrants each year.”

And Enver Solomon, chief executive of Refugee Council, said: “These sweeping changes will not deter people from making dangerous crossings, but they will unfairly prevent men, women and children from putting down roots and integrating into British life.”

Ms Mahmood will be appearing on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips from 8.30am on Sunday.

UK

Rail worker who protected passengers during mass stabbing on Huntingdon train discharged from hospital

Published

8 hours ago

November 15, 2025

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Rail worker who protected passengers during mass stabbing on Huntingdon train discharged from hospital

The train crew member who was seriously injured while trying to protect passengers during a mass stabbing has been discharged from hospital.

Samir Zitouni, 48, known as Sam, was working on board the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train from Doncaster to London when the attack began in Cambridgeshire on Saturday 1 November.

LNER said Mr Zitouni, who has worked for the firm for more than 20 years, was credited with helping to save multiple lives.

Mr Zitouni had been in a critical condition, having suffered multiple injuries in the incident, but was discharged on Saturday.

His family said: “We are so grateful for the outpouring of support from the public, and very touched by all the kind words about Sam’s brave actions on the night of the attack.

“While we are really happy to have him home, he still has a significant recovery ahead and we would now like to be left in privacy to care for him as a family.”

Earlier this month, LNER said he has been a “valued member” of staff for over 20 years, working on board as a customer experience host.

David Horne, managing director at LNER, said: “In a moment of crisis, Sam did not hesitate as he stepped forward to protect those around him.

“His actions were incredibly brave, and we are so proud of him, and of all our colleagues who acted with such courage that evening. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Sam and his family. We will continue to support them and wish him a full and speedy recovery.”

The attack is understood to have started shortly after the train left Peterborough, with passengers pulling the emergency alarms on the LNER service.

Train driver Andrew Johnson, who served in the Royal Navy for 17 years, contacted a signaller and requested an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon station.

11 people were treated in hospital after the mass stabbing – nine were initially reported as having life-threatening injuries.

Anthony Williams, 32, was remanded into custody at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on November 3, charged with 10 counts of attempted murder over the incident.

He will appear at Cambridge Crown Court on 1 December.

UK

Donald Trump confirms he will sue the BBC over Panorama edit – despite broadcaster’s apology

Published

1 day ago

November 15, 2025

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Donald Trump confirms he will sue the BBC over Panorama edit - despite broadcaster's apology

Donald Trump has said he will sue the BBC for between $1bn and $5bn over the editing of his speech on Panorama.

The US president confirmed he would be taking legal action against the broadcaster while on Air Force One overnight on Saturday.

“We’ll sue them. We’ll sue them for anywhere between a billion (£792m) and five billion dollars (£3.79bn), probably sometime next week,” he told reporters.

“We have to do it, they’ve even admitted that they cheated. Not that they couldn’t have not done that. They cheated. They changed the words coming out of my mouth.”

Mr Trump then told reporters he would discuss the matter with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the weekend, and claimed “the people of the UK are very angry about what happened… because it shows the BBC is fake news”.

The Daily Telegraph reported earlier this month that an internal memo raised concerns about the BBC’s editing of a speech made by Mr Trump on 6 January 2021, just before a mob rioted at the US Capitol building, on its flagship late-night news programme.

The concerns regard clips spliced together from sections of the president’s speech to make it appear he told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to “fight like hell” in the documentary Trump: A Second Chance?, which was broadcast by the BBC the week before last year’s US election.

Following a backlash, both BBC director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turness resigned from their roles.

‘No basis for defamation claim’

On Thursday, the broadcaster officially apologised to the president and added that it was an “error of judgement” and the programme will “not be broadcast again in this form on any BBC platforms”.

A spokesperson said that “the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited,” but they also added that “we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim”.

Earlier this week, Mr Trump’s lawyers threatened to sue the BBC for $1bn unless it apologised, retracted the clip, and compensated him.

Legal challenges

But legal experts have said that Mr Trump would face challenges taking the case to court in the UK or the US.

The deadline to bring the case to UK courts, where defamation damages rarely exceed £100,000 ($132,000), has already expired because the documentary aired in October 2024, which is more than one year.

Also because the documentary was not shown in the US, it would be hard to show that Americans thought less of the president because of a programme they could not watch.

Newsnight allegations

The BBC has said it was looking into fresh allegations, published in The Telegraph, that its Newsnight show also selectively edited footage of the same speech in a report broadcast in June 2022.

A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC holds itself to the highest editorial standards. This matter has been brought to our attention and we are now looking into it.”

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