UK News: Storms Cause Flooding, Cabinet Divided on Assisted Dying, and Other Reports

The Times newspaper reports on the impact of Storm Bert, displaying a prominent front-page image of a flooded street in Pontypridd, south Wales. The publication describes the street as a “waterway” due to partly-submerged vehicles trapped there. Concurrently, The Guardian and the Daily Telegraph both show an identical photograph of a woman in Kingsteignton, Devon, attempting to prevent floodwater from entering her home. The Daily Star issues a caution, stating that “Bert was just the start,” as meteorologists anticipate five additional storm events prior to Christmas, with the next one expected this upcoming weekend. Dame Esther Rantzen, who is terminally ill with advanced lung cancer, has made a front-page plea in the Daily Express, urging Members of Parliament to amend the assisted dying legislation, which she describes as the “cruel, messy, criminal law”. The newspaper asserts that “the people have spoken,” citing four recent opinion polls, one of which was commissioned by the Express, that reportedly indicate “overwhelming support for the right to choose.” The i newspaper reports a “cabinet split” regarding assisted dying, noting that the disagreement concerning the vote scheduled for Friday is intensifying. According to the publication, 14 Cabinet ministers are in favor of the bill, while eight, including Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and health secretary Wes Streeting, are opposed. The Metro newspaper is highlighting its own campaign aimed at eradicating what it terms the “epidemic” of violence targeting women and girls. The paper states that over one hundred women are killed annually by men in the UK, and globally, a woman or girl is murdered in their residence every 11 minutes. The Daily Mail’s primary story concerns allegations of bullying within the GMB union, which maintains strong ties to the Labour party. The report also includes claims that members’ subscriptions are “used like confetti” to address complaints. The newspaper indicates that both general secretary Gary Smith and the Labour party were contacted for their comments but did not provide a response. A GMB spokesperson, however, explicitly refuted claims of a “bullying culture” within the union. The Daily Telegraph reports that Lord Hogan-Howe, the former Metropolitan Police commissioner, is advocating for ministers to examine how police forces handle non-crime hate incidents. His call comes in response to findings from the Policy Exchange think tank, which suggest that police dedicate up to 60,000 hours annually to these cases instead of focusing on crime prevention. Lord Hogan-Howe informed the Telegraph that the government ought to review the report and assess whether police should be investigating these incidents whatsoever. The Sun newspaper states that the missing football shirt, famously worn by England’s World Cup winning captain, Bobby Moore, has been “tracked down to Wales.” The publication reports that the red number 6 jersey was last observed three decades ago at his ex-wife’s residence in Essex. Bobby Moore famously wore this shirt when he lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy at Wembley in 1966. The jersey is now estimated to be valued at over a million pounds.