Govt under pressure after ‘appalling and preventable’ deaths in the Channel

Published

2 years ago

August 13, 2023

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The deaths of six people after a migrant boat capsized in the English Channel has been described as an “appalling and preventable tragedy”.

Campaigners are urging the government to create more safe routes to the UK, with the Refugee Council warning “more people will die” unless urgent action is taken.

Meanwhile, MPs from across the political spectrum are calling for a clampdown on the criminal gangs profiting from these dangerous journeys.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said action to deter people smugglers is “desperately” necessary – a sentiment echoed by Conservative backbencher Sir Jake Berry.

“We must put a stop to the vile people smugglers who trade in human misery and whose actions result in the loss of life,” the former party chairman wrote in the Sunday Express.

Some 59 people were rescued by British and French coastguards on Saturday after an overloaded vessel got into difficulty near Sangatte.

Five French ships, two British ships and a helicopter were involved in the vast operation, which had begun at about 4am UK time.

How the rescue unfolded

4.20am on Saturday 12 August: A merchant ship reported seeing a migrant boat in difficulty off the coast of Calais. Over the next forty minutes, five other commercial vessels confirmed this, and several people were already overboard.

A 25-seater life raft was deployed, alongside RIB Hurricane. Dover’s coastguard was called into assist, alongside the RNLI.

5.50am: More British ships joined the rescue operation.

6am: 32 people were rescued – one was immediately evacuated by helicopter to hospital and later pronounced dead.

Two British ships rescued a further 23 people.

A helicopter picked up five unconscious people, who were later declared dead.

A member of the lifeboat crew told Sky News: “When we arrived, we could only see large amounts of water.

“It was the helicopter that guided us to find the bodies. And then we had to recover the bodies. One after another.”

Yesterday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman had described the incident as a “tragic loss of life” – and confirmed she had chaired a meeting with Border Force officials.

The number of people crossing the Channel in small boats has risen in recent days.

On Thursday, 755 migrants made the perilous journey, the highest daily number so far this year.

A total of 100,000 crossings have been made since 2018 – 16,000 of those since the start of 2023.

After news of the fatalities emerged, a government spokesperson had said: “This incident is sadly another reminder of the extreme dangers of crossing the Channel in small boats and how vital it is that we break the people smugglers’ business model and stop the boats.”

‘Government has blood on its hands’

A union boss warned the UK government has “blood on its hands” over the Channel tragedy and described its approach as a “moral disgrace”.

Head of bargaining at the Public and Commercial Services union, Paul O’Connor said: “There is a readily available policy to prevent this tragic loss of life.

“Unfortunately, our calls on the government to adopt it have fallen on stony ground. It’s clear they have no desire to prevent these dangerous crossings.

“Instead, they’re pouring taxpayers’ money down the drain on policies which are unlawful, unworkable and doomed to failure.”

Ministers “want to scapegoat refugees” in a bid to distract from “catastrophic failings” on people’s living standards,” Mr O’Connor said.

“They don’t care that people die as a result. They have blood on their hands.”

Conservative MP for Dover, Natalie Elphicke, said the tragedy underlines the need for joint patrols in the Channel.

“These overcrowded and unseaworthy death traps should obviously be stopped by the French authorities from leaving the French coast in the first place.

“The time has come for joint patrols on the French coast and a cross-Channel security zone before any more lives are lost.”

UK

Suspended surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge named

Published

4 hours ago

April 7, 2025

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Suspended surgeon at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge named

The suspended surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge has been named as paediatric consultant Kuldeep Stohr.

Eight hundred patients operated on by Ms Stohr are having their cases urgently re-examined, after an external review found nine children whose care fell below expected standards.

The initial review was ordered after concerns were raised by her colleagues.

Sky News has seen a copy of the interim report which details several issues relating to complex hip surgeries performed by the surgeon.

One of the parents whose child was identified in the review showed us a recent letter from the hospital which reported “problems with both judgement and technique” in her child’s surgery.

Ms Stohr, who has been suspended since the end of January, said in a statement: “I always strive to provide the highest standards of care to all my patients.

“I am co-operating fully with the trust investigation and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”

Left in agonising pain

Tammy Harrison, 12, has cerebral palsy and had surgeries carried out by Ms Stohr. Her operations didn’t work, leaving her in agonising pain.

She said: “My first one was just like trauma. I couldn’t get out of bed for eight weeks. I was either stuck in bed or stuck on the sofa. It was hell.”

Her mum, Lynn, told Sky News: “There is nothing that can put Tammy back to where she was now and that’s the sad thing.

“If I could just click my fingers and have the child back that I had I would do it with a blink of an eye.”

So far, there’s been no confirmation of any wrongdoing in Tammy’s care.

But her family have a meeting at the hospital this week to find out more.

The trust has asked a panel of specialist clinicians to review all the planned operations carried out by Ms Stohr at Addenbrooke’s. One hundred emergency trauma cases will also be looked at.

Addenbrooke’s is a major regional trauma centre and treats serious emergency patients from all over the region.

One clinician at the hospital told Sky News that the review of so many patients was “creating a lot of extra work”, which was “slowing things down” for other patients awaiting treatment.

At least one extra locum consultant has been helping the team, as they work through the caseload.

Trust apologises

Sky News has been told Cambridge University Hospitals Trust had wanted to identify Ms Stohr before but had been threatened with a legal injunction.

The trust has apologised unreservedly to families and patients. But what’s troubling many is the fact concerns were raised about Ms Stohr a decade ago.

Chief executive of Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, Roland Sinker, has set up another review to examine whether opportunities were missed, and action could have been taken sooner.

The Department of Health described the ongoing situation as “incredibly concerning.”

UK

Starmer promises ‘bold changes’ to rules over electric cars in wake of Trump’s tariffs

Published

6 hours ago

April 6, 2025

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Starmer promises 'bold changes' to rules over electric cars in wake of Trump's tariffs

Sir Keir Starmer promised “bold changes” as he announced he will relax rules around electric vehicles after carmakers were hit by Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The prime minister said “global trade is being transformed” after the US president‘s 25% levy on imported cars, and 10% tariff on other products, came into force.

Jaguar Land Rover has said the firm will “pause” shipments to the US as it looks to “address the new trading terms”.

Trump adviser explains why tariffs put on island inhabited only by penguins

Labour made a manifesto pledge to restore a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars after it had been rolled back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government.

Sir Keir will officially confirm the ban in an announcement on Monday but regulations around manufacturing targets on electric cars and vans will be altered, to help firms in the transition.

Luxury supercar firms such as Aston Martin and McLaren will still be allowed to keep producing petrol cars beyond the 2030 date, because they only manufacture a small number of vehicles per year.

Petrol and diesel vans will also be allowed to be sold until 2035, along with hybrids and plug-in hybrid cars.

The government is also going to make it easier for manufacturers who do not comply with the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which sets sales targets, to avoid fines, and the levies will be reduced.

Sir Keir said: “I am determined to back British brilliance.

“Now more than ever UK businesses and working people need a government that steps up, not stands aside.

“That means action, not words.”

Officials have said support for the car industry will continue to be kept under review as the full impact of the tariffs announced last week becomes clear.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the industry deserves “clarity” in the economic context.

She said: “Our ambitious package of strengthening reforms will protect and create jobs, making the UK a global automotive leader in the switch to EVs, all the while meeting our core manifesto commitment to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.”

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said the government had “recognised the intense pressure manufacturers are under”, while Colin Walker, a transport analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said the ZEV mandate is a “global success story” in driving a surge in sales of electric vehicles.

Tariff impact on UK businesses revealed

Some 62% of UK firms with trade exposure to the US are being negatively impacted by Donald Trump’s tariffs, according to the British Chambers of Commerce.

Its survey of more than 600 businesses also found 32% of firms with trade exposure to the US said they will increase prices in response.

The survey also found 41% of firms with no exposure to the USA said they would be negatively impacted by the tariffs.

Some 44% of firms with exposure to the US said the UK should seek to negotiate a closer trade relationship with the US, while 43% said they wanted closer trade with other markets.

Just under a quarter (21%) said they thought the UK should impose retaliatory tariffs.

The survey also found that 40% of firms considered the 10% tariffs to be better than they had expected.

It comes as KPMG warned US tariffs on UK exports could see GDP growth fall to 0.8% in 2025 and 2026.

The accountancy firm said higher tariffs on specific categories, such as cars, aluminium and steel, would more than offset the exemption on pharmaceutical exports, leaving the effective tariffs imposed on UK exports at around 12%.

Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said: “Given the economic impact that tariffs would cause, there is a strong incentive to seek a negotiated settlement that diminishes the need for tariffs. The UK automotive manufacturing sector is particularly exposed given the complex supply chains of some producers.”

UK

Girl, 10, and father, who died in caravan park fire in Lincolnshire named

Published

15 hours ago

April 6, 2025

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Girl, 10, and father, who died in caravan park fire in Lincolnshire named

Two people who died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness have been named by police.

Lincolnshire Police said 48-year-old Lee Baker and his 10-year-old daughter Esme Baker, both from the Nottingham area, were killed in the blaze.

However, formal identification is still yet to take place and “could take some time”, the force said.

Emergency services were alerted to a fire at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in the village of Ingoldmells, at 3.53am on Saturday.

In a statement issued through police, a member of the Baker family said: “Lee and Esme were excited to be spending the first weekend of the holidays together.

“We are all utterly devastated at what’s happened.

“This loss is incomprehensible at the moment, and we ask for people to give us space to process this utterly heartbreaking loss.”

A GoFundMe page set up for the victims’ family described the father and daughter as “two peas in a pod” who were “both happy-go-lucky people who loved life”. It has so far raised more than £3,000.

The police force, together with Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, are continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze.

Detective Inspector Lee Nixon said: “We believe we might be close to arriving at a working hypothesis.

“We are working hard to validate the facts available to us to be able to provide answers for the family and loved ones of those who were very tragically taken by this fire.

“Yet the evident intensity of the fire has made this task incredibly challenging.”

Dan Moss, from Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, said: “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family at this time.

“Our Fire Investigation Team is working with colleagues from Lincolnshire Police, and a full investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

“Once investigations are complete, local fire crews and our community fire safety team will be on hand to talk to people in the area and address any fire safety concerns they may have, at what will be an upsetting time.”