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A health minister has apologised after a new report concluded that poor care in maternity services is “frequently tolerated as normal”.

The parliamentary inquiry found there was “shockingly poor quality” in maternity services, which resulted in care that lacked compassion and a system where “poor care is all too frequently tolerated as normal”.

The inquiry – led by Conservative MP Theo Clarke and Labour MP Rosie Duffield – considered evidence given by more than 1,300 women and is calling for a national plan to improve maternity care.

It has recommended that the government publish a National Maternity Improvement Strategy, led by a maternity commissioner who would report directly to the prime minister.

“We have made a set of recommendations that aim to address these problems and work towards a maternity system that is woman-centred and where poor care is the exception rather than the rule,” the report said.

“The poor quality of postnatal care was an almost-universal theme. Women shared stories of being left in
blood-stained sheets, or of ringing the bell for help but no one coming.”

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‘The joy was sucked out of having a baby’

Health minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News maternity services had not been where they should be and apologised to mothers who had been affected.

“I recognise that maternity services have not been where we want them to be, but there is lots of work happening in this space,” Ms Caulfield said.

“This has been a problem for a long time, and it is why maternity is a priority area in the women’s health strategy.”

She said the inquiry aims to get expectant mothers better care during their pregnancy, rather than wait until they are just about to give birth.

Some £1.1bn – more than a third of the NHS’ total maternity and neonatal budget – was spent on cash payments relating to clinical negligence in 2022/23, a Department of Health and Social Care report showed.

Other recommendations put forward by the report include retraining and recruiting more midwives, offering a separate six-week check post-delivery with a GP for all mothers, provide support for fathers or nominated birth partners and better educate women on birth choices.

It also recommends extending the time limit for medical negligence litigation relating to childbirth from three years
to five years.

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What is birth trauma?

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Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said she was “determined to improve the quality and consistency of care for women throughout pregnancy, birth and the critical months that follow”.

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‘A lot more work needs to be done’

After her own experience of a traumatic birth, Sandra Igwe set up the Motherhood group and has spent the past eight years campaigning. She expected when she gave birth earlier this year for the third time, the outcome would be different.

“Sadly, the third time around, again, my concerns were dismissed and I was made to wait several days to give birth after being induced, and that added to my anxiety,” she told Sky News correspondent Shamaan Freeman-Powell.

Sandra Igwe
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Sandra Igwe has spent the last eight years campaigning for better maternity services

“It has shown me there is a lot more work to be done.”

She is now working with Councillor Evelyn Akoto, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, to get the experiences of women from diverse backgrounds in a maternity commission.

Cllr Akoto also had her own experience of being dismissed and ignored during labour, she said the statistics black and ethnic minority women face are “horrifying”

Evlyn Akoto
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Councillor Evelyn Akoto is working to get the experiences of women from diverse backgrounds in a maternity commission

“I see myself and other black women as walking statistics. I see our lives in danger all the time.”

She says in order for quality of care to be improved across maternity service, inequalities need to bbe addressed. “If we get it right for those who are being negatively impacted, we get it right for everyone. So it’s important we all come together and resolve this” she says.

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UK weather: Temperatures could hit 14C this week after fortnight of ‘anticyclonic gloom’

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UK weather: Temperatures could hit 14C this week after fortnight of 'anticyclonic gloom'

Temperatures could hit 14C by the middle of the week after a period of persistent gloom.

The Met Office said people could see sunshine return as soon as Monday in some parts of the country.

It will come as a relief after an “anticyclonic gloom” brought dull skies and bitter weather to much of the country.

The weekend arrived with warnings of sleet, snow and rare freezing rain in parts of England.

Parts of the UK could continue to see snowfall throughout Sunday evening and into Monday – but then things are starting to look up.

The predicted temperatures of 14C by mid-week are well above February’s average, with 6C the usual monthly average in Scotland and 9C in southern England.

This will be a “noticeable shift” after the last fortnight, which was below average, Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said.

Don’t expect the temperatures to break records, though. February’s highest temperature was 21.2C recorded in 2019 in Kew Gardens, Mr Vautrey added.

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What’s an anticylonic gloom?

An anticylonic gloom happens when “high pressure traps a layer of moisture near to the Earth’s surface”, Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon explains. “That brings a prolonged period of dull and cloudy weather, but with pockets of mist and fog as well.”

Weather producer Jo Robinson says anticyclones typically result in stable, fine weather, often with sunny skies in summer.

Sometimes in autumn and winter, when the sun isn’t as strong, moisture can get trapped in the anticyclone as winds are light.

This brings a layer of cloud near the surface, along with some fog and drizzle.

The cloud can often thicken overnight too as moisture condenses.

It often leads to higher levels of pollution as aerosols also become trapped.

However, some areas could go 10 days without any sunshine, which is “near record-breaking”, Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said.

If Lyneham in Wiltshire remains cloudy on Sunday, it will equal the site’s February record for consecutive days without any sunshine.

More western areas are likely to see some rain during the week, while eastern areas are forecast to stay drier.

Rain and potentially snow are expected in some places, particularly around East Anglia and Lincolnshire over the weekend, and into Scotland towards the beginning of next week.

Mr Morgan said: “We’ve basically got this battleground taking place over this weekend between cold air across Scandinavia and Central Europe, which is affecting eastern parts of the UK, but towards the west is a little bit milder.

“The Atlantic is trying to shift that cold air out of the way, pushing from west to east across the UK, but it’s a very slow process and it will take until the middle of the coming week for conditions to turn much milder nationwide.”

He explained the gloom “dominating” the UK over the last two weeks has been caused by a “large anticyclone”, or high-pressure system, which has been sitting over Scandinavia, bringing cold wind from the east.

“Those cold conditions have picked up a lot of moisture across the Baltic and North seas, and those moist conditions have led to a lot of clouds,” he added.

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Pub landlady describes moments before woman was shot dead on Valentine’s Day

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Pub landlady describes moments before woman was shot dead on Valentine's Day

The landlady of a village pub where a woman was killed on Valentine’s Day has told Sky News the victim was drinking in the pub before she was shot dead in the car park.

Michelle Thomas, who runs The Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent, said she was printing off menus and preparing for the Valentine’s dinner service when she heard two loud bangs that she initially “thought were fireworks”.

“There was so much commotion – screaming, shouting, crying. People were outside, on their phones. We tried to get people inside the pub to consolidate them.

“People were only just starting to sit down, it was early on in the evening”, she said.

Sunday 16/02/2025 GVs from The Three Horseshoes pub in the village of Knockholt, Kent, where a woman was shot on Friday night. 
Ingest 26 NM26 SAF SEVENOAKS PUB SHOOTING MURDER GVS
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Bouquets have been laid near the scene of the shooting


 Sunday 16/02/2025 GVs from The Three Horseshoes pub in the village of Knockholt, Kent, where a woman was shot on Friday night. 
Ingest 26 NM26 SAF SEVENOAKS PUB SHOOTING MURDER GVS
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Cans of Red Bull were also left among the flowers, suggesting a connection with locals

She described how an off-duty firearms officer intervened, calling him “amazing” as he helped get the situation under control following the shooting on Friday.

Around 30 people were at the pub for dinner, while 20 more were in the bar as the incident unfolded just after 7pm.

The pub near Sevenoaks reopened its doors on Sunday, but Ms Thomas said the community is in “absolute shock”.

She said the victim, whose identity has not yet been released, had been to the pub before “mostly in the summer” but “wasn’t a regular”.

Police have said the woman, in her 40s, is believed to have known her attacker.

People laid flowers in the pub’s car park, while the murder investigation continues.

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Investigators recovered a vehicle linked to the investigation on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which crosses the River Thames in Dartford, roughly 17 miles (27km) away from the scene of the shooting.

Police call handlers had received reports of a man on the wrong side of the barrier of the bridge.

Detective Chief Inspector David Higham said they’re “not ruling out the possibility that he may have entered the water”.

“We are currently only looking for one suspect and do not believe there to be an ongoing risk to the public”, he said.

Laura Trott, Conservative MP for Sevenoaks and Swanley, said she was “devastated” about the shooting. Posting on Facebook she said: “My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends impacted.

“I know our community will be shocked at the news, but this is a live investigation and we must allow the police to do their job.”

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Craig and Lindsay Foreman: British couple detained in Iran are named – as family ‘significantly concerned’

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Craig and Lindsay Foreman: British couple detained in Iran are named - as family 'significantly concerned'

A British couple who have been detained in Iran have been named by their family as Craig and Lindsay Foreman.

The family said they are “significantly concerned” by the “distressing situation”.

According to Ms Foreman’s social media, the couple were on a motorbiking trip across the globe to Australia as part of a positive psychology mission.

On 30 December, she posted about how they were about to face “one of the most challenging” parts of their trip, Iran and Pakistan.

Lindsay Foreman (who along with husband Craig) is being detained in Kerman, Iran. Source: family handout via FCDO
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Lindsay Foreman. Pic: Family handout via FCDO

Craig Foreman (who along with wife Lindsay) are being detained in Kerman, Iran. Source: family handout via FCDO
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Craig Foreman. Pic: Family handout via FCDO

The post reads: “Despite the advice of friends, family, and the FCDO (which strongly advises against travel to Iran for British nationals), we’ve chosen to keep moving forward.

“Why? Because we believe that, no matter where you are in the world, most people are good, kind humans striving for a meaningful life.

“Yes, we’re aware of the risks. But we also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear.”

A screenshot from Ms Foreman's post from Armenia. Pic: Instagram/Lindsay Foreman
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A screenshot from Ms Foreman’s post in Armenia, from where they crossed into Iran. Pic: Instagram/Lindsay Foreman

A screenshot from Ms Foreman's post from Armenia.. Pic: Instagram/Lindsay Foreman
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Ms Foreman appears in her post from Armenia. Pic: Instagram/Lindsay Foreman

In a statement, the couple’s family expressed their concern and said they were engaging with the UK government.

“We would like to take this opportunity to address the distressing situation concerning Craig and Lindsay Foreman who are currently being detained in Kerman, Iran,” they said.

“This unexpected turn of events has caused significant concern for our entire family, and we are deeply focused on ensuring their safety and wellbeing during this trying time.

“We are actively engaging with the British government and relevant authorities, working diligently to navigate the complexities of this matter. The family are united in our determination to secure their safe return.

“We truly appreciate the outpouring of support from friends, family, and the community, which has provided us with strength and encouragement as we face this ordeal.”

They added: “Thank you for your understanding, compassion, and continued support.”

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A Foreign Office spokesperson earlier said: “We are providing consular assistance to two British nationals detained in Iran and are in contact with the local authorities.”

Iranian state media said on Wednesday that a man and woman were in custody in Iran’s southeastern city of Kerman on security-related charges.

The Foreign Office warns that people are at risk of “arrest, detention and a death sentence” if they travel to Iran.

Iran has previously arrested and held British citizens for extended periods of time.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, who are dual British-Iranian citizens, were released in March 2022 after years held captive in Iran.

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