Rishi Sunak says Lucy Letby inquiry should be judge-led to ‘get answers’ for families

Published

2 years ago

August 25, 2023

admin

Rishi Sunak has said the inquiry into the murders carried out by Lucy Letby should be judge-led.

The government ordered an inquiry last week after Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others while working as a neonatal nurse.

She was sentenced to 14 whole-life orders and will never leave prison.

The prime minister was asked if the government inquiry into her crimes will be statutory, meaning people can be compelled to give evidence.

Ministers had previously said that “after careful consideration”, a non-statutory inquiry into the circumstances at the Countess of Chester Hospital “was found to be the most appropriate option”.

But lawyers for the bereaved families have been calling for a full statutory public inquiry to take place so there was “nowhere to hide”.

“This was one of the most despicable, horrific crimes in our history, and it’s really important that we get answers, particularly for the families of the victims,” Mr Sunak said.

“And of course, my thoughts are with them. The health secretary is taking that work forward, speaking to them to make sure we understand what they need and want and how best we can address that.

“Now, whatever form the inquiry takes, I believe it is important that it is judge-led so that it has a strong, independent voice to get to the bottom of what happened.”

Rishi Sunak reacts as energy price cap falls – politics latest

Families have ‘lost confidence’ in NHS

Richard Scorer, from law firm Slater and Gordon which is representing two of the Letby victims’ families, welcomed the prime minister’s recommendation for a judge-led inquiry.

But he added: “It is crucial that the judge and the inquiry has the powers to compel witnesses to give evidence under oath, and to force disclosure of documents.

“For that to happen, the inquiry needs to be put on a statutory basis.

“Otherwise it will lack legal teeth and is likely to be ineffective.”

Tamlin Bolton of Switalskis Solicitors, who represent families of seven of the victims in their claims against the hospital trust, said: “We reiterate and echo the prime minister’s comments.

“We have to bear in mind that the families involved in these heinous crimes have lost confidence in the NHS and will need continual reassurance that the NHS fully comply with an inquiry.

“We are of the view that this can only be achieved by a process that is guaranteed to allow for thorough investigation. A process that has the ability to compel witness attendance and where all evidence is available to the inquiry.

“These families cannot be left to simply hope that the key information is being considered and rely on the willingness of staff to give evidence.

“It is vital that any inquiry moves with pace to ensure everything that happened on that unit and the actions of management are not repeated.”

Letby, 33, refused to attend court for the announcement of a number of guilty verdicts on Friday or for her sentencing on Monday.

Sky News understands the government is now looking at changing the law to force criminals to appear.

Politics

Bitcoin ETFs lose $326M amid ‘evolving’ dynamic with TradFi markets

Published

2 hours ago

April 9, 2025

admin

Bitcoin ETFs lose 6M amid ‘evolving’ dynamic with TradFi markets

The evolving relationship between Bitcoin and traditional financial markets is under renewed pressure as global investors flee risk assets amid intensifying US trade tensions.

US-listed spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded their fourth consecutive day of outflows on April 8, with more than $326 million in net redemptions across products, according to data from Farside Investors.

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) saw the largest sell-off of over $252 million, its biggest daily outflow since Feb. 26.

Bitcoin ETFs lose $326M amid ‘evolving’ dynamic with TradFi markets — *Bitcoin ETF flows, US dollars, millions. Source:* *Farside Investors*

The selling pressure follows US President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement of sweeping reciprocal import tariffs, which triggered a historic $5 trillion wipeout in the S&P 500 over two days.

The delayed crypto market turbulence after the tariff-related sell-off in traditional markets highlights Bitcoin’s “evolving relationship with traditional markets,” according to Lennix Lai, global chief commercial officer at OKX exchange.

Lai told Cointelegraph:

“While falling 26% since January’s inauguration, Bitcoin’s relative resilience in the first two days following the tariff announcement — dropping 6% compared to Nasdaq’s 11% decline — suggests a nuanced dynamic emerging between crypto and conventional assets.”

Bitcoin initially remained firmly above the $82,000 support level but plummeted below $75,000 on Sunday, April 6.

Some industry leaders attributed Sunday’s sell-off to Bitcoin’s 24/7 liquidity mechanics, which made BTC the only large liquid asset available for de-risking over the weekend.

Bitcoin remains tied to global liquidity conditions

While there is an “encouraging sign” of a weakening correlation between Bitcoin and equities, Bitcoin’s price trajectory remains tied to global liquidity conditions, Lai said, adding:

“Though I see early signs of divergence, I believe Bitcoin remains fundamentally tied to global liquidity conditions, warranting caution amid potential market stresses — whilst gold remains as a hedge against geopolitical instability.”

“What’s most significant here isn’t just price action but Bitcoin’s growing conceptual influence — people increasingly view it as a valid strategic reserve asset for diversification in chaotic traditional markets,” Lai added.

Other analysts also see the growing money supply as Bitcoin’s main catalyst.

“Bitcoin trades solely based on the market expectation for the future supply of fiat,” according to Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX and chief investment officer of Maelstrom.

Magazine: Bitcoin ATH sooner than expected? XRP may drop 40%, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 23 – 29

Politics

EU markets regulator says crypto may cause ‘broader stability issues’ as market grows

Published

6 hours ago

April 9, 2025

admin

EU markets regulator says crypto may cause ‘broader stability issues’ as market grows

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has warned that crypto will increasingly threaten traditional financial markets’ stability as the industry grows and becomes more entwined with traditional finance players.

“We cannot rule out that future sharp drops in crypto prices could have knock-on effects on our financial system,” ESMA’s executive director Natasha Cazenave said in an April 8 statement to the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

Cazenave noted, however, that crypto currently only accounts for 1% of global financial assets and is not yet significant enough to cause major “spillover effects” into traditional financial markets.

She warned that interconnections between crypto and traditional markets are rapidly growing — particularly in the more crypto-friendly US — and called for closer monitoring.

“Crypto-assets markets evolve quickly, in an often unpredictable manner, and we need to keep a close eye on these developments,” Cazenave said, adding:

“Turmoil, even in small markets, can originate or catalyze broader stability issues in our financial system.”

Cazenave’s concerns ranged from spot crypto exchange-traded funds and stablecoin use to hacks, scams and scandals — highlighting the recent $1.4 billion Bybit exploit and FTX’s collapse in November 2022.

Today in the ECON Committee, the role of crypto assets in relation to financial market stability was discussed. The European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) were present.

I raised a critical question about the digital euro.… pic.twitter.com/KST7FRBhFF

— Engin Eroglu (@EnginEroglu_FW) April 8, 2025

The European Union has already implemented several measures to safeguard against crypto risks, most notably the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation that was rolled out last year.

While Cazenave said MiCA marked a “breakthrough” for crypto regulation, she added that there is “no such thing as a safe crypto-asset” and that more rules may need to be implemented to mitigate future risks.

Her comments come as both crypto and the stock markets have experienced double-digit falls over the last few weeks as the Trump administration continues to follow through on its tariff plans.

Europe lags US in crypto adoption

While crypto adoption has accelerated in the US, Cazenave noted that over 95% of European banks remain on the sidelines, with no involvement in crypto-related activities.

However, retail participation is on the rise, with an estimated 10% to 20% of European investors having crypto exposure, which is in line with growing global interest, Cazenave said.

Most reports measuring US crypto adoption suggest that the range of adoption is between 15% and 28% of the population.

Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

Politics

Shaquille O’Neal gets judge’s greenlight for $11M Astrals NFT settlement

Published

7 hours ago

April 9, 2025

admin

Shaquille O’Neal gets judge’s greenlight for M Astrals NFT settlement

Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal has been granted final court approval to settle a class-action lawsuit for $11 million with Astrals non-fungible token (NFT) buyers.

Florida federal court judge Federico Moreno granted approval of the settlement between O’Neal and the class group led by Daniel Harper in an April 1 order made available on April 8.

The deal created a fund of up to $11 million for eligible class members and awarded $2.9 million in attorney fees and costs. All those who purchased Astrals NFTs from May 2022 to Jan. 15 and those who purchased the project’s native GLXY tokens up until mid-January are eligible.

“The fee sought by lead class counsel has been reviewed and approved as fair and reasonable by plaintiffs,” Moreno’s order read.

O’Neal was hit with the lawsuit in May 2023 over his founding and promotion of the Solana-based Astrals NFT project, which the suit claimed was an “offer and sale of unregistered securities.”

The class group said they bought Astrals NFTs and “suffered investment losses” due to O’Neal’s “conduct” in promoting the project.

In August, Judge Moreno recognized that the class suit had alleged that the former NBA player was a seller of the NFTs. O’Neal agreed to the settlement in November.

Shaquille O’Neal gets judge’s greenlight for $11M Astrals NFT settlement — *Screenshot from court order on final settlement. Source: Courtlistener*

NFT sales slump

The Astrals NFT collection consisted of 10,000 unique 3D digital collectibles created in April 2022 by the artist Damien Guimoneau in a Solana-based project that promoted a virtual world where users could socialize and play with others, including the basketball star.

There has been no activity or sales from the collection for the past two years, according to NFT marketplace OpenSea.

Overall, NFT sales are still in deep bear market territory, with just $27 million sold as of April 7, down from more than $2 billion per week at the end of 2021, according to CryptoSlam.

Magazine: 3 reasons Ethereum could turn a corner: Kain Warwick, X Hall of Flame